“It’s working.” She felt more underdressed than ever. As if she’d shown up in jeans at a black-tie gala.
Her discomfort got worse as the dinner wore on. In spite of what Simon thought, small talk was not easy. Conversation centered around food and restaurants at favorite vacation spots. Her exotic dining experiences were limited to special dinner dates. Mostly, dining out meant heading to the bar near her apartment. Therefore, she mostly listened and while she did, realized exactly how few special dates she’d actually been on since moving to New York. She wished she could blame the drought on being too busy, but the truth was that none of the men she met were nearly as interesting as the man she worked for.
Simon didn’t lie when he assured her his headache wouldn’t hold him back. Not only did he match the Bartletts experience for experience, but he also controlled the flow of conversation like a conductor. She watched, impressed as he continually returned the conversation back to the Bartletts and their interests.
“Is this your first trip to Boston, Delilah?”
Jim’s question caught her off guard. “Yes, it is.”
“Pity you’re here such a short time. You won’t get to see very much.”
“I’m seeing the brewery. What else is there?”
“You have a point there,” Jim said with a chuckle.
“How about you, Simon?” Josh asked. “I’m sure you’ve been the city a number of times.”
Simon reached for his wineglass. “Actually, I haven’t been back in a long time.”
Suddenly something Delilah read in his corporate biography popped into her head. “Didn’t you go to school in Boston?”
If she didn’t know better, she’d swear her question caused his hand to stutter. “Yes, I did.” His voice sounded odd, as well. “Bates North.”
“I knew you looked familiar!”
Giving the table a firm slap, Josh sat back in his chair. “Talk about a small world. I think I might have been a few years ahead of you. You rowed, right?”
“Rowing?” Delilah asked. “I thought you were on the swim team?”
“I switched to swimming my sophomore year.”
“Oh.” From the way Simon’s jaw muscle twitched as he raised his glass, she wondered if she’d said something wrong. Surely bringing up school wasn’t a mistake though. After all, he was the one who suggested she find common ground to discuss.
Meanwhile Josh turned in her direction. “I played soccer myself. I wasn’t exactly the rowing type, if you get my drift.” He patted his stomach. “I had a couple friends on the team though. Rowed fours and eights.”
“Fours and eights?”
“The number of rowers per boat,” he explained.
“I seem to remember some scandal involving the sports teams a few years ago?” Jim said.
“Scandal?” Out of the corner of her eye, Delilah saw Simon reaching for his drink again, his lips drawn in a tight line.
Josh nodded. “Some of the teams went overboard when it came to hazing the freshmen.”
“What do you mean overboard?”
“The school didn’t share all the details, but I seem to remember something about students being asked to—”
There was a loud clatter as Simon’s glass spilled onto his plate.
Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Wallace
Happy New Year, Baby Fortune!
Leanne Banks
MEET THE FORTUNES!
Fortune of the Month: Stacey Fortune Jones
Age: 24
Vital Statistics: Blond hair, green eyes, stretch marks (sigh)
Claim to Fame: Raising bubbly baby girl all on her own
Romantic Prospects: None, or so she thinks. Romance and diapers just don’t mix.
“I’m sure you’ve heard all the rumors. Folks are saying that Colton is interested in me. Colton Foster? Don’t be ridiculous! He’s known me since I was born! He’s seen me with skinned knees and braces and all sorts of teenage awkwardness. And I just gave birth six months ago. Sexy, huh?
“The only trouble is, I’ve started having these, uh, feelings for him. And I have no idea what to do about them. It’s so inappropriate—not to mention embarrassing! And I have a sinking suspicion that—yikes!—Colton has figured it all out!”
LEANNE BANKS is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realizes how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), gone parasailing and indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance, because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and a four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website, www.leannebanks.com.
This book is dedicated to my husband, Tony,
for takeout and tolerance, super editors Gail Chasan and Susan Litman,
and genius plotter Marcia Book Adirim.
Contents
Chapter One
Stacey Fortune Jones was sure she had the cutest date at the New Year’s Eve wedding reception for her cousin Sawyer Fortune and his bride, Laurel Redmond.
“Your baby is just gorgeous,” Sherry James, one of her neighbors, said as she patted Stacey’s six-month-old daughter’s arm. “She has the best smile.”
“Thank you,” Stacey said. Clothed in a red velvet dress with a lace headband, white tights and red shoes, her little Piper was a true head turner. Stacey had enjoyed getting Piper ready for her first big night out, and it seemed her daughter was