AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My father wants the board of directors to think we’re married, right?”
“Yes.” He looked through his camera lens to see the smaller iguana up close. It was creeping up on the large one again.
“So, we should probably get used to PDA.”
Derek went to swallow, but what Nara said hit him and he sucked in a breath instead, inhaling spit into his lungs. He coughed, nearly hacking up a lung. When he could finally breathe again, he said, “What?”
Nara shrugged, like it didn’t mean anything to her. “You know. PDA. Public display of affection.”
“I know what PDA stands for. I just don’t know why you want to—”
“We’ll be going to the annual company Valentine’s ball, right? That’s in less than a month. Dad will have a fit if we don’t look like we are actually married.”
What exactly was she saying? He wasn’t sure at all. Was she thinking he wouldn’t be comfortable holding her hand at the dance? What kind of guy did she think he was? Of course he would hold her hand. He wasn’t a germaphobe. “So, you want to…?” He let his question drift off, not knowing how to finish.
“I think we should practice. You know, so we look like a real married couple when we get home.”
He heard her words. Unfortunately, he was still clueless. “What exactly does that mean?”
He could feel the exasperation roll off her shoulders as Nara let out a little huff. “I don’t know. Forget it. Maybe it was a dumb idea.” She jumped up from the bench and started down the trail.
Now Derek felt like an idiot. Not only was he totally confused about what Nara wanted, he also didn’t know what he could do to please her. Did she want him to forget it? Because in his limited experience with women, mostly dealing with his sister Brielle, when she said, “Forget it,” she actually didn’t mean that. If he would drop whatever they were talking about, it just upset her more.
He hurried to catch up to Nara, feeling more and more like the awkward person he knew he was. Nara wanted something from him, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Surely she didn’t want him to start acting affectionate toward her…did she? He swallowed as he fell into step beside her.
“This is a nice vacation and all, but I will be excited to get back to LA so I can start working on this new line of clothes I sketched. I’m itching to get my fingers on some fabric.”
Derek fiddled with a button on his shirt, relieved Nara had changed the subject and no longer seemed upset. “I have a spare bedroom we can convert into a sewing room, if you’d like.”
She smiled at him. “I’d love that. Thank you.”
They continued walking through the park. Even though Derek was glad the conversation had moved away from the whole PDA thing, he also worried he missed out on some obvious thing Nara was trying to tell him.
Chapter 11
The vanilla ice cream numbed her tongue as Nara licked her cone. They’d eaten fresh seafood at a restaurant on the beach, and now were walking along the sidewalk watching the vendors packing up their booths. They’d managed to score a couple of ice cream cones before the stand was closed. A light breeze carried the smell of the salty sea. The sun had already set, but the sky wasn’t completely dark yet. It was that lovely twilight time that Nara loved.
Her phone chimed and she pulled it out of her pocket to see who texted. When she saw it was from Chelsea, she grew excited. Those last few sketches she’d sent were golden. Surely Chelsea would see her potential in one of them.
Nice try with this last batch, but these designs are very close to something Brenda is already working on, although Brenda’s designs are superior. I did like the faux buttons, though. Good touch. Keep trying. You’re improving.
“Gah!” Nara shoved her phone back in her pocket. She was sure at least one of her drawings would gain her high praise. But no. There was always something wrong with them. Either they were too highbrow, or too simple. Too bold, or too safe. She couldn’t seem to get anything right.
“What’s wrong?” Derek’s eyebrows knitted together in concern.
“My designs were rejected. Again.” Nara huffed, then took a large bite of her ice cream, unable to appear lady-like anymore. She needed sugar.
“Oh, no.”
The cold froze the roof of her mouth, and Nara winced, an ice cream headache throbbing behind her eyes. “Ohhhh,” she moaned after she swallowed. “I shouldn’t have eaten it that fast.”
“Headache?”
Nara nodded and closed her eyes. “Ouch.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ll live. I’m just being a baby. I knew better than to eat it like that.” She laughed. “Serves me right.” She bit into the cone, and finished it in three more bites. At least her sugar craving was satisfied.
