“You look stunning,” he says, his gaze lingering on my face.
“Thank you.”
“Your tea okay?” he asks after I take a sip.
“A little cold,” I admit. “It needs heating up.”
Darren doesn’t volunteer to do it. I’m impressed. At least there are some hoops he won’t jump through.
“So how about it?” he asks.
“How about what?”
“You want to go river rafting next weekend with me?”
I shoot him a horrified glance. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“You haven’t given it a try.”
“For obvious reasons.”
“It’ll be fun.”
“Skiing in Austria is fun. Getting bashed around on some rocks is not.”
Darren frowns. “This is my job, Amy. You realize I’m away nearly every weekend?”
“Enjoy,” I say dismissively.
“This weekend is an exception.”
“Lucky me.”
The frown deepens. Leaning forward, he begins explaining to me the ins and outs of gallivanting down a river, as if earnestly presented facts will win me over. When he starts likening the whole thing to a pilgrimage, I cut the conversation short by setting down my cup with a decisive click. “Thanks for the tea.”
He catches the hint and subsides into silence. I try to smother a yawn, but he notices the attempt and gestures to my cup. “Doesn’t chamomile tea make you sleepy?”
“No, darling, your conversation will do that.”
In the process of reaching for another cookie, his hand halts midway and he looks at me.Reallylooks at me. All playful pretensions are dropped. I shift uncomfortably.
Quietly, he says, “You know, Amy, one day you’ll meet someone who won’t be cowed by your looks or your father.”
Anger flares at the mention of my father, making it easier to ignore the barb of guilt pricking me. “Leave my father out of this.”
“Why? No one measure up to him?”
“Certainly not you,” I reply coldly.
“Not anyone, I bet.” He stands, shoving his feet into the loafers he slipped off. “The trouble with you, Amy, is that you’re too much hard work.”
“And you’re not willing to put in the effort?”
“Not when the prize is so over-valued.”
I’m so taken aback by his statement I find myself unable to respond.
“I’m out of here,” Darren announces, stalking past me.
