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Sarah’s eyebrows rose and she seemed to let the full weight of Emory’s offer settle in before finally speaking. “That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever offered to do for me, but I’m sorry, I can’t accept. It’s too generous.”

“First of all, it is not. This wouldn’t be the first or the last time we’ve comped a release. You’ve put a lot of work into this company and obtaining your degree, all the while raising a child on your own. I’m just saying it’s impressive, and I’d like to help.”

Sarah met her eyes. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll need to take some time and think it over.”

Emory was confused. She thought surely Sarah would jump at the opportunity of some free exposure, knowing full well she would have had their roles been reversed. Hell, she’d taken every chance she could to get ahead and didn’t for a minute understand Sarah’s hesitation. But she had to respect her wishes.

She turned to face her fully, covering the top of Sarah’s hand with her own. “Just promise me you really will put some thought into it, and I’ll leave you alone.” She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to push the issue, but she did. “You’re talented, Sarah. Just seeing the way you’ve organized and cataloged and implemented systems—getting this place turned around in record time. That’s ingenuity, and it goes a long way. The way you work is indicative of a very clever mind, and if sticking with this business and expanding it is what you want, well, I guess I just want to see you go after it.”

Sarah stared at the hand atop hers and then raised her eyes to meet the intense blue ones staring back at her, and she was quite simply, touched. Emory, a highly successful career woman, saw value in her. That meant something, didn’t it? Hearing that someone credible believed in her might just be the motivation she needed. She leaned her head against the pillow of the chaise, unable to hide her small smile. “Thank you for saying that,” she told Emory softly, holding her gaze. “I promise to give it true thought.”

“That’s all I’m asking.” Emory squeezed her hand softly.

They sipped their beers and watched the sun set, not saying a whole lot. Occasionally, Sarah stole a glance at Emory, careful to turn away before she was caught.

*

“Oh, wow,” Sarah whispered quietly. She closed her eyes and savored the succulent flavor of the light and delectable sea scallop on her fork. “This is amazing.” She sank down in her chair in utter surrender. In fact, it was so much more than amazing. It was heavenly. That was it. For a moment, she thought she’d died and gone to heaven.

James chuckled quietly at her response to the dish. “I was hoping you would like it.” He leaned a little further into her across the table. “I think that was my exact reaction the first time I ate here. The chef is world-renowned, and when you’d told me on the phone you’d never been here, I knew I had to fix that.”

“It’s a wonderful restaurant. Thank you for introducing me to it.” It was a crazy expensive restaurant is what it was, and Sarah couldn’t quite relax. She looked around Fleur de Lys, the French restaurant James had selected for their second date. It was the picture of everything opulent. Everything she wasn’t. The dining room was accented with touches of gold, grand bouquets, and votive candles. From the ceiling, patterned fabric tented softly overhead offering the feel of dining under a large canopy. Sarah was a bit shocked when she initially opened the menu and caught the lavish prices, but it was clear to her that James wanted the evening to be special, and to be honest, so did she. So she was willing to ignore the unease that she felt. She was determined to enjoy the evening with this wonderful man and not concentrate on the fact the cost of their dinner would add up to a fourth of her rent for the month.

“So I have a confession to make,” James began. Was he actually nervous? Again, cute. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about our date last week. You made quite an impression on me, Sarah.”

She smiled. “I had a great time too. I’m so glad we decided to do it again.”

“Is it too soon to ask for a third date?” He laughed, yet made it clear he was sincere.

She matched his smile. “I accept.” There was something about him that she liked. He was easygoing, kind, and a complete gentleman. Her hopes were high and she was truly having a fantastic evening. The conversation had never lulled, they’d laughed together easily, and as an extra added bonus, he was really good-looking. Yes, sir. Things were looking up indeed. She owed Carmen big time for this.

James picked up his wine glass and offered a toast. “To new beginnings.”

She lightly touched her glass to his. “New beginnings. Cheers.” She brought the glass to her lips slowly and sipped the sweet red wine, never taking her eyes from his.

“How’s work?”

“Busy. I’ve been working in the field the past couple of weeks to help my mother out, but I’m not complaining. I’m happy to do it.”

He shook his head. “I find it admirable that you’ve been so loyal to your mother. Family is important to me, and it clearly is to you as well. You should be proud of the choices you’ve made.”

“Thanks, that’s sweet of you.” Sarah reached for her wine then, just in time for her eyes to land on a familiar blonde two tables away. Surely, it couldn’t be. But it was. She’d never seen Emory Owen outside of the Banning Street house, and seeing her here, now, in the real world, was surreal, almost like when you see your teacher at the grocery store. She was talking quietly with a striking brunette who delicately sipped from a martini glass. If Emory was surprised to see Sarah, she didn’t show it. She nodded her head in silent greeting, a smile eventually making its way onto her lips. Sarah smiled back shyly. The brunette, picking up on some kind of exchange, tossed a quick glance in Sarah’s direction before turning back to Emory, who leaned in, probably in explanation.

“You know Emory Owen?” James asked, inclining his head discreetly in Emory’s direction.

Sarah nodded, sipping her wine. “She’s a client. We’ve gotten to know each other a little bit over the past couple of weeks. How do you know her?”

“My firm’s done work with her company, and of course, I know of her from friends of friends. Nothing against her, but she’s one of those trust fund babies who’s practically had the world handed to her. Must be nice not to have to work as hard as the rest of us.”

Sarah thought of the long hours Emory consistently put in and the careful work she’d done to get her company off the ground. The description didn’t seem to match, but she decided not to argue the point.

“And just so you’re aware,” he lowered his voice. “She’s a lesbian. Not that it’s a bad thing. I just thought you should know.”

“Ah. Yes, I think she mentioned that.” But Sarah couldn’t help notice the underlying warning in his voice, almost as if Emory were a predator and she the unassuming prey. The idea almost made her laugh out loud. James was a nice guy but clearly not as worldly as he would like to think. Only a minor strike against him.

“Just didn’t want it to come as a shock.”

She nodded, understanding that James meant no harm. He just didn’t have a lot of experience in this department, not that she did either for that matter.

They made small talk as they ate, and occasionally, Sarah’s gaze drifted in the direction of the table two away from theirs. She wondered how the two women knew each other. A date, maybe? She couldn’t be sure. They seemed very comfortable together, and if they were dating, they certainly made a striking pair. In the course of her ascertainment, she somehow became aware of the fact that James was offering her the details of his recent move from an apartment to a house, and she was also aware of the fact that she wasn’t actually listening. She was nodding—she was a great nodder—but her attention was captivated by the activity at the nearby table.

The brunette was laughing at something Emory said, and Emory was shaking her head trying to contain her own laughter.

Damn it, she should stop staring. It was rude and intrusive.

And she would.

She focused on James then and forced herself to ask a question that would bring her back into the fold of the conversation. “Do you feel at home there yet, in your new place?”

“Not quite. But I’m sure with time I’ll get there. It’s the perfect place for me with room to grow into, you know?”

“I’m sure you will.” She nodded again, but her gaze was pulled across the room as if attached to a magnet.

*

“Oh, and that brings me to my next topic,” Lucy said, “which is to congratulate, and at the same time scold you, for your much talked about dalliance at The Edge last week. Mia was all too eager to dish every last detail when I saw her for lunch.”

Emory regarded the after-dinner drink in front of her and frowned in annoyance. She hated the way information traveled like wildfire among their group of friends. “It was not, what was the word you just used? A dalliance. I danced with a woman, actually a girl if you want to get technical. Not a big deal, Luce.”

“It is a big deal if you took her home with you. It’s been a while since you’ve gotten out there. This is kind of monumental.”

Emory couldn’t help but laugh then. “I would hardly call whatever
that
was dating, and no, just for the record, she absolutely did not go home with me. I don’t think I could stand myself if I slept with a woman who uses five letters to spell Amy.”

“Such an elitist bitch,” Lucy mused, clearly enjoying it.

“Am I?” Emory laughed along with her. “I wish I wasn’t. I don’t want to be.”

“It’s okay, Em. I think it’s our lot in life. We were brought up to be selective about who we surround ourselves with. There are worse things in life than good breeding, trust me.”

Emory thought about that sentence and the people she did choose to surround herself with. She didn’t have a whole lot of family left. There was Vanessa, but she lived in Colorado with her own family, and they’d never been close. She had Lucy, Mia, and their circle of friends, and of course, her assistant, Trevor, and the people she worked with. She also spent time with the co-chairs of the various charities she volunteered with—planning events, galas, and fundraising opportunities. And lately, there had been Sarah. Her gaze moved across the short distance between them and she studied her. When she’d first recognized Sarah in the restaurant, her movement had stilled, and she’d lost the last bit of something Lucy was saying about olives.

Emory had noticed Sarah more and more as they’d gotten to know each other, but seeing her outside of work, wearing a black and blue cocktail dress that hugged her in all the right places was another story. She looked stunning. She’d worn her hair down, and the dress showed just enough to completely entice, yet withhold. Seeing Sarah in this whole new light had Emory’s mind in overdrive. Slow down, she reprimanded herself. Sarah is your very straight employee who, as such, needs to remain in the do-not-imagine-naked column.

Lucy shot Emory a questioning look and followed her gaze to the nearby table. “So this woman does work for you?”

Emory accepted the bill from the waiter. “Right, I told you that.”

“In what capacity? Your taxes, investments, what are we talking here?”

Emory met her gaze. “She’s from the company I hired to sort out Mother’s house.”

Lucy’s eyes widened in shock and she turned around to steal another glance at Sarah. “She’s your cleaning woman?
That’s
your cleaning woman?”

“Please lower your voice, but yes,” Emory answered, somewhat annoyed.

“As in, the
dancing
cleaning woman?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. Suddenly, my house could use a little touch up.” Lucy stole another glance.

“Shut up. Let’s get out of here.” Emory signed the slip of paper and returned it to the leather bound book, leaving a generous tip for the superb service.

Sarah watched Emory’s retreating form and followed the gentle sway of her hips as she and her companion exited the restaurant. She was curious as to where they’d go next, what the rest of their evening entailed. A moment before they’d disappeared around the corner, Emory turned back and offered her a slight wave, her eyes lingering on Sarah for a moment. It wasn’t until they were gone that Sarah remembered she should probably breathe.

*

James held Sarah’s hand as he walked her to the door of her apartment. “I had a great time tonight. If it’s possible, I think I enjoyed tonight even more than our first date.”

Sarah was feeling bold. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”

His face lit up. “I’d love a cup, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

She squeezed his hand. “Of course I don’t mind. Come on in.”

Sarah didn’t invite too many people over outside of Carmen and her family, but you know what, maybe that should change.

“This is a nice space you have here.” James looked around while Sarah put the coffee on. The two-bedroom apartment, though small, had been decorated with care. Grace’s artwork adorned the refrigerator, and matching sky blue curtains hung serenely from each window. A comfy couch and an overstuffed accent chair made the living room the perfect locale for TV watching and late night reading.

“Thank you. It’s home to us.”

He picked up a framed photo from the end table. “This must be Graciela.”

“Yep. That’s my little monster.” She came up behind him laughing at the goofy photo of Grace in an oversized business suit and tie, carrying a briefcase. “Her Halloween costume last year. She was a stockbroker.” James raised his eyebrows in amused curiosity. She waved him off. “During her finance phase. She was watching a little too much CNN with my dad that fall. In the past now. You’re currently joining us in the midst of a swimming phase for which we blame
The Little Mermaid
, and I do mean blame.”

“I see.” He chuckled. “I look forward to meeting her one day.”

Sarah was warmed. “Me too.”

It was a nice moment, and James took hold of the opportunity and leaned down, brushing her lips with his. When she responded, he kissed her harder, and it wasn’t long before they eased slowly to the couch. She placed her open palms on his chest, enjoying the warmth beneath her hands. It had, for damn sure, been a while since she’d allowed herself to be kissed. It was nice. Their pace was even, non-threatening, and she liked how comfortable James made her feel. He nudged her ever so gently and Sarah leaned back, her head against the sofa cushion. James followed her down, the coffee forgotten. She closed her eyes giving herself permission to surrender to the moment. She had no intention of sleeping with James so early in their relationship, but a little make out session on the couch certainly couldn’t hurt. James seemed to respect her boundaries and didn’t push things any further than she was comfortable with, following her cues nicely. Gradually, she pulled her lips from his. “This was nice,” she whispered.