How Sweet It Is (6 page)

She shook his hands away. “Don’t you dare
mock me!”

Strike two!
He spread his hands in a gesture of resignation.
“I’m not mocking you, Delphine. I’m sorry for snooping, but I knew
whatever was in that letter upset you. I just want to
help.”

“I don’t need your help!”

Clarice walked into the
living room. Her bright gaze swiveled between them as a smile lit
up her features. She took a step backward, spun on her heel, then
returned to the kitchen. Brad could’ve sworn he heard her
say
l’amour
.

Even a California boy knew the meaning of
that.

Delphine thought if her face grew any hotter,
it would surely burst into flames. The comment her mother made
about love didn’t help matters either. Seeing the genuine look of
distress on Brad’s face caused all the fight to drain out of her.
She put a hand to her head and sank onto the sofa. “I’m sorry, Mr.
Larsen. This hasn’t been a very good day.”

Brad came to her side, seating himself next
to her on the loveseat—so close she could smell the citrusy scent
of his cologne, feel the warmth from his body—his strong, masculine
body. Every absurdly weak, feminine atom within her screamed to
lean into that strength.

She clenched her hands together in her
lap.

“Delphine,” Brad said gently. “I had no
business snooping like that. Please forgive me.”

She made a Herculean effort
to compose herself. Swallowing, she raised her gaze to his. “You
were right. I was upset. All my plans, everything depended on that
loan. Since I don’t have the proper credit to go through the bank,
the SBA was my only hope.” She gave a nonchalant shrug, belying the
turmoil roiling within her. “
C’est la
vie
, eh?”

Brad took one of her hands. This time
Delphine didn’t have the willpower to yank it away. His grip felt
warm and soothing, like a sedative seeping through her veins.

“I have an idea, but please don’t take this
the wrong way. My dad has helped a lot of entrepreneurs get their
start. Would you consider putting together a business proposal for
him? I can’t guarantee anything, but it might be worth a try.”

“I couldn’t take anything else from your
family.”

Brad shook his head. “Not take. Borrow. This
would be a business proposition, and my dad is always looking for
new ways to make money. If he were to give you a loan, you would be
expected to pay it back with interest. Same thing as a loan through
a bank.”

Lowering her gaze from his
compelling one, she took a moment to consider his words. At first,
they sent her heart pounding with new hope. In the next instant,
reality raised its insistent head.
Why
would this guy want to help me? What’s in it for him?
A sudden suspicion clouded her thoughts. She
looked up at him. “How would I know this isn’t a scam? Who’s to say
your father is trustworthy?”

Brad’s mouth opened. He closed it and smiled.
“I suppose I deserved that.” His grip on her hand tightened. “Put
together a proposal and if my dad accepts it, take any paperwork he
gives you to an attorney and get it checked out.”

Looking down at their hands, Delphine could
feel her pulse jump. The temptation to take Brad’s advice was
strong. The trip to Europe would be an utter waste unless she could
begin a business. With her savings account drained, she needed
money, plain and simple.

Delphine also knew a loan from Brad’s father
would bring her into Brad’s sphere. Could she bear to see him and
know he’d only see her as someone to flirt with? Or worse than
that, like a stray dog in need of a handout? God forbid, she didn’t
want his pity.

Well, what do you want?

She peered up at Brad through her lashes,
annoyed that attraction warred with common sense. Those blue eyes
of his seemed to promise blue skies—while the possible solution to
her problems tantalized her beyond belief.

She felt herself swaying in his
direction.

Clarice erupted into the
room. “
À table!
Time for dinner,
mes
enfants
. Tonight we have
Blanquette de Brochet
.”

Catching her breath, Delphine tugged her hand
free from Brad’s clasp and got to her feet. “I’ll think about it,”
she said in a husky voice that sounded odd to her ears.

****

Delphine arose at four the following morning,
readied for work, and checked on her parents before leaving the
house. Catching a bus from the street corner, she sat on the hard
seat and gave in to her relentless thoughts.

Since Brad had put the idea of a loan from
his father in her head, she’d barely been able to sleep. Her mind
had been in a whirl, her heart daring to hope. Could it be possible
that she had another chance at success? Or was it the beginning of
just one more disappointment?

God, are You there? I’m so confused!

As the bus lurched from stop to stop,
Delphine felt separated from everything around her. A hectic
yearning filled her—a longing for something better than this day to
day existence—for a comfortable income and freedom from exhaustion
and the clinging, petty financial stresses which weighed on her
soul.

Last night before bed, she’d tried to pray
and ask for wisdom. A part of her wondered why she bothered.
Regardless of her supplications, her plans always seemed to go
awry. More disenchantment seemed her only answer.

You got home from Paris, didn’t you?

Delphine blew out a breath
as the thought occurred to her. She was ashamed at her ungrateful
attitude.
Yes, miraculously, I got home
from Paris. Thank You, Lord
. She let her
eyes close for a moment, wishing she had more faith. Everything
seemed to be such a battle.

She supposed it would help if she went to
church once in a while. But when? Her only day off was Monday and
most churches didn’t offer services of any kind then. Besides, it
was easy to put off when her bed promised oblivion. In church,
she’d have to examine her heart. She already knew she’d fallen
short, so why go to the effort?

Delphine pressed her lips together and tried
to concentrate on the passing scenery. The neighborhoods and
buildings sat shrouded in the early morning shadows. In a few homes
she could see lights on inside. What kind of day were others waking
up to? Maybe her hopes of a comfortable life were unrealistic. She
couldn’t be the only one struggling to survive.

The bus stopped to let on a passenger.
Delphine leaned her forehead on the cool, smudged glass, too tired
to hold up her head a moment longer. A tree next to the curb caught
her attention. A little brown bird hopped from branch to branch,
tilting its head as if wondering at the smelly, lumbering beast
next to it. The bird opened its tiny beak and poured forth a series
of liquid notes she could just hear through the glass.

The bus engine roared to life, eclipsing the
echo of sound until she wondered if she’d only imagined it.

His eye is on the
sparrow
.

Delphine lifted her head and looked around.
Had anyone else heard those words? Her gaze only met the blank,
uninterested faces of the other passengers. Swallowing, she felt a
film of tears burn her eyes. A portion of her frustration eased at
the idea God might be reminding her of His presence.

Delphine thought once again of Brad’s offer.
After being turned down by the SBA, chances were even bleaker for
her to secure any kind of loan. In the grim hours of fatigue and
mental weariness to come, she knew if she didn’t take him up on his
offer, she’d later regret it.

The bus pitched to a stop. Delphine rose and
exited onto the sidewalk. She took a deep breath of the sweet
morning air before it became polluted with the diesel fumes from
the bus.

I’ll put that proposal
together as soon as possible
.

****

Determination, fueled by hope, made the
morning speed by in a blur. Delphine waited on customers, and after
the first rush, was left alone to work the counter. She’d just
completed wiping down emptied tables when a customer entered.

She looked up, and seeing a friendly face,
hurried behind the counter to take his order. “Chocolate glazed
doughnut and black coffee today, Mr. Hartung?”

The man grinned. “You know an old
stick-in-the-mud like me too well.”

While she placed the doughnut on a plate and
filled a heavy mug with black coffee, he leaned against the
counter.

“I thought you must’ve quit when I didn’t
see you here for a week.”

Delphine smiled. “I took a little break.”

“Well, I know the boss here runs you ragged
so I’m glad to hear that. Do anything special? Spend time with your
beau?”

“Not enough time for a beau,” she said,
enjoying his banter. She knew some of the other female co-workers
were annoyed by his nosiness, but Delphine sensed he was a little
lonely. And who better to recognize it than another loner?

Besides, not only did her lifestyle preclude
boyfriends, but even female friends were few and far between. She
never stayed long enough in one town to maintain deep friendships.
She often found herself more comfortable with the old-fashioned
kindness of people like Mr. Hartung.

“Actually, I went to Europe,” she said,
pleased to have something relatively exciting to report.

“Europe! In a week?” He laughed. “How did
you manage to see everything in a week?”

“I didn’t go to sightsee. I
went to take some classes.” She lowered her voice. “Courses in
candy making by European
chocolatiers
.”

“That’s a long way to go
just for a
hobby
.”
He gave her a wink. “You must have some special plans.”

Delphine remembered Mr. Hartung had once
mentioned he was a retired business attorney. She glanced over her
shoulder. Her boss was out of sight and the lobby was otherwise
empty.

“Actually, I have hopes of
one day opening a
chocolaterie
myself. I wonder…if you would be willing to look
at any papers pertaining to such an endeavor.”

He lifted his bushy eyebrows. “Sounds like
more of a concrete plan than a hope. But I’d be glad to look at
anything you need.” He grinned. “And I insist any payment be in
chocolate.”

Delphine blushed. “I don’t expect any favors,
Mr. Hartung—”

“Who said anything about favors?” he said
gruffly, pulling a business card from his wallet and sliding it
across the counter to her. “If you want to do business, a big box
of your chocolates is my fee.”

With another wink, he took
his plate and cup and headed to one of the tables by the window. As
she watched him go, Delphine tried not to get her hopes up too
high. First a possible source of funding and now legal
counsel.
Is this you God?

But it had been a long time since she could
discern His answer.

Five

Delphine plucked the lace lapel of her white
blouse, worn under a thin pink cardigan. A plain black skirt and
black heels completed the outfit. She wished she had something more
fashionable to wear, but at least she looked businesslike.

And going to the Larsen home was a business
trip.

A part of her wondered at the sanity of
pitching a proposal to Brad’s father. Who was Delphine D’Arleux
from Adam to ask a veritable stranger to take a financial risk on
her, especially one she was already in debt to?

Well, for whatever it was
worth, she was ready. She picked up the box containing a sampling
of her chocolates along with a manila envelope, which contained her
plans for the
chocolaterie
.

My hopes and
dreams
.

Delphine sent up a silent prayer for
guidance.

A moment later, the buzzer on the door rang.
Knowing her parents were resting, she quickly opened the door and
stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her with a
snap.

Brad frowned. “You didn’t even ask who was at
the door. I could’ve been a burglar or killer or something! In this
neighborhood you have to be careful…” His voice trailed away before
her quelling glare.

“I’m sorry my neighborhood offends you, Mr.
Larsen, but it’s what we can afford.”

Despite the slight flush under his tan, Brad
rallied quickly. “Oh, it’s Mr. Larsen now, is it? Delphine, I’m
hurt.”

She bit her lip, realizing
it wouldn’t do any good to upset a business prospect. She sent him
her most fulsome smile. “Thank you for picking me up,
Brad
.”

He grinned and led the way down the stairs
and out of the building. Delphine let out a silent sigh, glad his
back was to her. Somehow his presence always upset her equilibrium.
Besides, he was too cute for his own good. Brad in jeans and
sweatshirt was one thing. Him in a black Polo shirt and chinos,
quite another.

When she’d settled into the passenger seat of
his car, she once again thanked him for picking her up. “It
would’ve been a long journey from Glendale to Redondo Beach by
bus.”

He flashed her a smile. “No problem. So, are
you all ready?”

She nodded. “I think so.” A
spasm of fear twisted her stomach.
What if
I’m not ready? What if I’m just on a fool’s errand, wasting my only
day off?

Brad lightly bumped her shoulder with his.
“Relax. My dad doesn’t bite.”

Delphine blew out a breath and smiled. It was
hard to be too worried when she was with Brad. He exuded a sunny
disposition and languid confidence.