“Fair, I’ll be quick. Listen, I’ve done everything I can from my end, but I’m basically looking for a piece of hay inside a haystack, so have you learned anything that could point me in the right direction?”
Right. Buster’s been waiting for me to tell him who the likely culprit is for the hidden theft and fraud we stumbled upon. Following Jimmy’s advice is part of the reason I visited Calliope that day, but after spending time with her in her office and over coffee, nothing sticks out.
“Uhm…”
“Uhm? Since when do you uhm? Come on, the sooner you give me a name, the sooner I can get this over with.”
“I asked around. No one really jumps out but Jimmy, the boss? He named someone.”
“Who?”
“Calliope Locke.”
Buster’s silent for a second, then he laughs. “No way.”
“Listen, I don’t think she’s got anything to do with it.”
“Then my investigation will clear her name. I’ll be in touch. Miss you!” He ends the call with a sarcastic laugh and I roll my eyes, pocketing my phone.
Just in time, too, because a second later, the door opens and Calliope walks in.
I chose this place because it looked cozy, with New Year’s decorations glittering on the ceiling and an ornate silver-and-gold arch near the door. It makes Calliope look stunning as she walks underneath and shakes a few loose flakes of snow from her black hair. Her shawl falls away as she approaches the hostess stand.
I’m speechless.
She’s dressed in a sparkling silver party dress that hugs all her curves with just the right tightness that highlights her body while still leaving a little to the imagination. Her eyes are lined with black and her full, red lips pull into a polite smile as she talks to a server.
My mouth runs dry.
I’ve never seen her dressed up before. At the conference, it was casual, and since we were reunited, it’s been her work clothes or casual. She looks absolutely beautiful and I suddenly feel a tad underdressed. As the server leads her toward my table, I stand and smooth a hand down my shirt to smarten myself up and then I smile widely when our eyes meet.
“Calliope. Wow, you look…” I shake my head, struggling to find the right words. Thankfully, the server melts away and the moment Calliope takes my outstretched hand, it’s like we’re in our own little world.
“It’s not too much?” she asks, wobbling slightly on her black heels and gripping my hand tightly as she slips into her chair. Once she’s seated, I settle back into mine.
“Not at all!”
“I was worried it would be.” She chuckles. “I don’t have manygoing outclothes so I had to borrow this from a friend, and she’s definitely more on the…” Her lips twist slightly to the side. “Extravagant side of fashion.”
“I think you look beautiful,” I say earnestly. “I’m so pleased you could make it.”
Most of Calliope’s hair is swept to her left side, and a sparkly barrette hugs her hair on the right to keep it in place. It twinkles in the light as she shifts in her seat and smooths her hands over the menu. “The flowers you sent were beautiful.”
“I didn’t know what your favorite color was, so when I saw those dyed ones, I thought it would be the perfect choice because I faintly remembered you loved sunflowers, right?”
Her dark brows lift and a surprised laugh escapes her. “I do. You remember that?”
“Faintly. More so, I remember your stealing the sunflower centerpiece from the table next to us because you liked it way more than the peony one. So sunflowers were a safe guess.”
“Oh, man.” Calliope chuckles. “I completely forgot about that.” Both hands fly to her reddening cheeks. “I promise I won’t act like that here.”
“I’d have your back if you did,” I assure her. “Do you want something to drink?”
Twenty minutes later, we’re both drinking exceptionally fruity cocktails while waiting on our respective dinner choices.
“Was it tough to get childcare for Nick?” I ask, rescuing my lost cherry in my drink with the toothpick it escaped from.
“Not really. My friend Stacey loves looking after him, although I owe her quite the debt at this point.”
