Julianna looked to Valinda. “You’re part of the family now, too. Will you dine with us and meet my Henri?”
“I’d be honored.”
Her husband’s dinner would be the second celebratory gathering of the week, and Valinda couldn’t help but envy the joy the LeVeqs took in their familial ties. Her family was quite the opposite. There was no bantering or joy. They celebrated Christmas, and little else.
Drake said, “I’ll come by later to bring the things I’ll need while staying with you, Mama.”
She nodded.
He gave Valinda one last intense look, inclined his head her way, and departed.
On the slow drive back to Julianna’s home, Valinda spent the time thinking about her future. In truth, she realized she didn’t want to return to New York. A strong sense told her that her future lay in New Orleans. Having heard nothing from Cole about his search for an investor, she wondered if he could be convinced to try his hand at a newspaper here. It might be difficult to learn the ins and outs of the city’s volatile political climate and its effects on the daily lives of the citizenry, at first, but might he be willing to try? It was a question she intended to ask.
When they reached Julianna’s home, the heat of the day was upon them. There was a breeze however and it made the high temperature at least tolerable.
“I’m going to get away from this heat and rest in my room,” Julianna told her. “Feel free to do the same, if you care to.”
“I think I’ll work on clearing up your correspondences first, if that’s okay with you?”
She nodded. “It is. I’ll be back down later.” She climbed the stairs to her bedroom and Valinda went to the office. Julianna’s filing system apparently consisted of tossing all the receipts and bills into a box and hoping they’d sort themselves. Valinda had spent yesterday separating the business receipts from those tied to the household, and the letters from various individuals. Some of the items showed dates of two years ago and Valinda smiled and shook her head as she sorted through them. As she worked, time passed, but she was pleased when she finally reached the bottom of the box and could begin matching like with like.
“Can I convince you to take a break?”
She looked up to see Drake in the doorway holding a glass of lemonade in each large hand.
She didn’t want to admit how happy seeing him again made her feel. “For lemonade you can convince me to walk across the Mississippi.”
“I think the gazebo will be far enough. It’s much cooler outdoors than in here.”
The perspiration on the back of her blouse and the skin above the high neck of her lace-edged collar were a testament to that, so she stood. He handed her a glass, she took a sip, and her hum of pleasure brought his eyes to hers.
“You need to stop doing that, you know.”
“I can’t voice my pleasure about the lemonade?”
“Only if you want me to wonder what else makes you purr.”
As if she weren’t already warm enough, heat from his words flashed over every inch of her body. “More pirate talk?” she tossed back more boldly than she felt.
“Yes, and it would be courting pirate talk, if you were free.”
She drew in a steadying breath. “Let’s go to the gazebo.”
Eyes sparkling, he stepped aside. “After you.”
With his overpowering presence making her insides resonate like a clanging bell she walked with him through the gardens to the gazebo. Due to her father’s control of her life back home that frowned on anything tied to socializing, parties, or fun, she had no idea there were men like Drake in the world. Men able to turn her knees into pudding with just a few words or make her heart race from a knowing glance. Even though she had no experience, she vowed to do her best to hold her own.
They sat in the gazebo as they’d done before, and she sipped, savoring the breeze and being away from the stifling heat inside the house. He sat back, watching her.
“You’re at an advantage here.”
“How so?”
“You’re accustomed to playful banter. I’m not.”
“It’s not hard to learn.”
“And if I don’t wish to?”