About thirty minutes later Sam came downstairs. She was a little overdressed, but cleaned up pretty well. She found Brody back in the kitchen. He was pouring two mugs of coffee. She watched him add a splash a cream and a teaspoon of raw sugar before stirring and handing it to her.
“Are my coffee preferences online, too?” she asked.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Brody laughed. “But the barista writes it on your cup.”
“Oh.” Sam took a sip and watched him doctor his own coffee. “So you mentioned bagels?”
“Yes. I have whole wheat, cinnamon raisin and everything.”
“Cinnamon raisin would be great.” She didn’t need poppy seeds in her teeth or onion breath.
“An excellent selection, ma’am. I will toast it to perfection and deliver it to you on the patio if you’d care to relax outside.”
“Why, thank you. That would be lovely. Come on, Chris.” The dog picked up her red ball and trotted down the hallway with Sam.
This time, Sam paid more attention as she walked through the house. A portrait on the wall caught her eye and she stopped to look at it. There were five people in the portrait, four men and one woman. They all looked like they were in their twenties, each with a different look about them. Brody was in the portrait, smiling, with his arm around the blonde woman. There were pine trees and a bright blue sky behind them.
It was interesting to see Brody like that. He looked so comfortable. He didn’t even appear to mind having his picture taken. It was a huge departure from the man she was getting to know. It made her wonder who those people were. And although she had no reason to be jealous considering everything that happened last night, it especially made her wonder who the blonde he hugged to his side was.
Chris waited impatiently for her on the patio. She dropped her ball and barked. Sam continued outside as requested. “Sorry, Chris.” She bent down and picked up the ball, tossing it out into the yard.
Chris leaped off the patio, dashing through the dewy morning grass. When she returned, Sam was sitting in the chair by the fireplace. They tossed the ball a few times before Brody showed up with bagels and cream cheese.
“That picture in the hallway,” Sam said, after smearing her bagel with the fluffy white cheese. “Who’s in it with you? Are they friends from college or something?”
Brody glanced through the doorway and shook his head. “No. That’s my family.”
His family? Only two out of the five in the portrait shared even the slightest resemblance. She expected Brody to elaborate, but he took a bite of his bagel instead. He didn’t seem to want to talk about it. Things had gone well enough that she didn’t want to push it. But it made her curious. He never mentioned having brothers and a sister before.
“Are you busy tonight?”
Brody’s question startled Sam from her thoughts. “Tonight? No. Why?” She’d already spent a large portion of the weekend with him. She didn’t mind seeing him again, but she thought he might be ready for some alone time.
“I still feel bad about dinner last night. I promised you a proper dinner date, and if you’re available this evening, I’d like to make good on it.”
Sam wrinkled her nose. “Are you attempting to cook again?”
“Oh, no,” he said. “This time I’m leaving it up to the professionals.”
* * *
Brody dialed Sam’s phone number at exactly seven that evening. He would’ve liked to pick her up at her door, but since she lived in a large and busy apartment building, he would have to settle for meeting her at the curb in his Mercedes.
Sam slipped into his passenger seat wearing a pale pink iridescent dress. It was one-shouldered, short and gathered at the waist with a belt made of large chunky rhinestones. When she sat beside him, the dress rode high up her thighs and made her legs look like they went on for miles.
He eyed her with a sly smile. “I told you I was taking you out for dinner, and you wear a dress that makes me want to take you home and strip you naked right now.”
Sam grinned. “Do you like it? It’s one of my favorites.”
“It’s very sparkly,” he noted.
“It is. And as for stripping me naked, it’s all part of the anticipation.”
“I’ve had thirty years of anticipation. It’s not novel for me. I’m frankly tired of it.”
“Too bad. You said you were taking me to dinner and you’re not getting out of it.”
Brody reluctantly shifted the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. “If you insist.”