Knowing the Score by Marie Donovan

Author:Marie Donovan [Donovan, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Category
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-01-31T23:00:00+00:00

8

ASHLEY’S PALM slipped as she grabbed the brass door handle to Jardin des Fleurs, Garden of Flowers, one of the only four-star French restaurants in south Florida and the place where Enric Bruguera would fall in love with her designs and buy them all. Maybe he would even buy some of her current inventory for resale so she could view that rarest of creatures on her spreadsheets, a positive cash flow.

The maître d’ was waiting for her in the cool, quiet foyer. Ashley gave him a cheerful smile. “I’m here for a business meeting with Mr. Bruguera.” She figured the maître d’ knew Enric’s last name.“Ah, Mademoiselle Craig?” His fine black brows arched ever so slightly.

“Yes.” She smiled and gripped her leather portfolio as the maître d’ led her through a maze of snowy-white tables, and hoped her sweaty hand wouldn’t leave a big, wet print on it. How would she eat anything with her stomach jumping like this? Suddenly, she wished Beck were here to lighten her mood with his sweet grin and the winks he slipped her when nobody else was looking.

But thinking of him made her feel better, perspiring palms or not. She had wanted to tell him about her meeting, but didn’t want to jinx it.

“Señor Bruguera, your guest.”

The holder of her business hopes and dreams stood, dressed in a fine Italian suit and a purple silk tie. “Ah, Ms. Craig. Good to see you again.” He also wore a lovely tie bar of thick gold with a high-quality diamond set in the center. She bet his cufflinks matched the bar.

“And you as well, Señor Bruguera.” She allowed the men to seat her and ordered a white wine. If her shaky hands got the better of her, at least the white wouldn’t ruin her pale peach suit jacket and skirt. She’d chosen the color to match her jewelry, a gold lapel pin shaped like a tree with peaches made of slightly pinker gold and a matching larger peach hanging on a fine gold necklace.

The waiter brought her drink along with a sampler of appetizers—goat cheese and tomato tarts, peppered marinated olives and grilled bacon-wrapped figs. Ashley guessed Enric had already ordered and she didn’t care. She was there to do business, and she doubted she’d taste much food anyway.

“So, señor, how are you enjoying Palm Beach?”

He inclined his head. “I make it a practice to visit several times a year during the social seasons. I made an effort, however, to arrive during the polo club tournament. Me, I love the game, although I did not grow up playing it. My father, he was a baker in Barcelona. No horses.” He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “However, he and I, we both make the dough, eh?”

Ashley laughed and he boomed out his laughter as well. After he’d swallowed some of his hearty-looking red wine, he relaxed in the banquette and gave her an appraising glance. “You, you are born here? You have the look of someone who grew up on the beach.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.