by Sherie Keys
“We just need to make final decisions on which sites we actually want to purchase, renovate, and turn into bee gardens.” She gazed at them all to gauge their reactions. Everyone was on board with her plan.
“I love this. It’s well detailed and it shows all of the places that you’re considering bringing on as satellite sites for neighborhood bee gardens. I suggest that we all go to look at them together to do a final approval on each site. Decide which ones we’ll be buying and rebuilding and which ones we will let go of,” Julio suggested. “How does Saturday look for everyone?”
“It’s perfect for me.” Justin looked up from the pages on the desk and gave them a nod.
“Me too,” Georgia agreed.
“As long as I can bring Oliver, my eight-year-old, it works for me, as well.” Delphine smiled, feeling like they were really getting somewhere with their business.
“Good, then we’ll meet up here on Saturday morning, let’s say nine a.m., and we’ll take a tour of the sites. Thank you all. This is good work.” With that, Julio left them, and Delphine turned to face Georgia and Justin.
“Okay. Who is Julio and how did we find him?” she asked sternly.
Justin drew in a breath and exhaled, ready to explain. “Well, actually he came to us. He heard about our bee garden project, and he wanted to fund it as a community development work. He’s funding everything, and he insisted that he will only hold forty-nine percent of the interest in the company, so we have the controlling fifty-one percent. He doesn’t want to change that, and he drew it up that way. He just wants to see the gardens actually come to fruition. Literally.”
Georgia laughed. “He’s a nice guy. He’s just a wealthy do-gooder, and he showed up right when we needed help the most. So, we decided to take him on. I hope you’re not mad, but we wouldn’t be standing here in our own building getting ready to go buy sites with permission from Commissioner Thomas without him. He changed the whole game for us.” She gathered up her papers and headed for the door. Stopping there for a moment, she turned to look at Delphine. “By the way, Justin told me about Oliver. I’m really happy for you, and I hope it works out. Congratulations.”
Georgia gave them both a nod and then she left, and Justin turned his gaze to Delphine. “What’s bugging you? I saw the way that you looked at him. Are you suspicious of him?” Justin’s voice was rich with concern.
Delphine shook her head. “No, not really concerned. I mean, I trust you two, so I’m not worried about anything. I just wanted to know who he is and where he came from. How he found us. I could swear that I’ve heard his name before. He sounds so familiar, but I just can’t place him.”
“Everyone has heard his name, I’m sure. He’s a big shot here in the city. You’ve probably read his name in the papers or heard about him in the media,” Justin reassured her.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re probably right,” she agreed, letting it go. “I’ll see you on Saturday,” she told him as she picked up her purse.
He went to her and hugged her. “I might totally disagree with what you’re choosing to do, but I love you. See you Saturday.”
She thanked him and kissed his cheek, leaving him behind in the warehouse. She was driving home when Mike called, and she answered with her hands-free set in the car.
“Hello?”
“Hey baby, it’s me. I was just thinking about you and I wondered if I could come over and see you.” His voice had that sensual drawl to it. She had known him long enough to know when he was thinking of taking her into the bedroom.
“You know, Mike, Oliver and I are spending all our time together right now, so I won’t be able to see you during the week, but I can see you this weekend if you like. We’re all going on a bee garden site trek around the city. Justin, Georgia, our investor Julio, and myself and Oliver. Would you like to come with us for that? I’m sure no one would care if you were along for the ride.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “Oliver’s going, huh?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, he’s taken an interest in the bee gardens and he wants to help, so I thought it would be fun for him to go,” she replied evenly.
“I guess this weekend wouldn’t really be good for me. Sorry, baby. I’ve got other things I have to take care of. I’ll catch up with you next week. Maybe then, you’ll have a little more free time. You know, I’m glad that Oliver is in your life now, but I take precedence too, babe. I’m your fiancé. I love you, baby, and I want to spend some time with you. Real time. Intimate time. Soon. Okay? Love you, baby.” He ended the call, and she sighed in frustration. She understood that he wanted things to be the way they were before with her, but she realized that she was going to have to help him see just how much things had changed in a matter of only a few weeks.
Saturday came quickly, and Oliver was just as excited to go on the bee garden trek as Delphine was. When they arrived at the warehouse to meet up with the others, he was thrilled to see Justin come out of the office.
“Uncle Justin!” he called out happily, hurrying to go see him. Justin waved him over.
“I’ve got donuts, and you look like you really need one or two or three!” Justin grinned and leaned down to Oliver’s level, opening up a big box of pastries in his hand. Oliver squealed gleefully.
“Donuts! It’s been ages since I had a donut!” He picked out one for himself and one for Delphine. Justin smiled warmly at him.
“If you want another one after this one, it’s yours. Any donut in the box.” Justin gave him a wink and the boy grinned.
“Delphine! Delphine! I got a donut for you! One of the best ones!” He hurried to her and handed the extra donut to her. She hugged him close.
“You are one thoughtful boy. Thank you,” she said happily as she bit into it.
Georgia and Julio both pulled into the parking area in front of the warehouse then, and Julio was driving a minivan. He stepped out of it and called to them. “We have a one size fits us all car. Let’s hit the road!” They all joined him and got buckled in, and Julio chose a donut, then without further delay, they were rolling down the streets of Manhattan, looking at properties where they could build bee gardens.
Most of the sites were dirt lots, cluttered with trash and thick with weeds. Three of the sites that they visited were run-down buildings, but Julio told them that he would tear down the crumbling buildings and scrape the debris, leaving the ground beneath to grow a garden in. They were looking at the last of the three buildings, when Oliver grew sad and quiet, walking off by himself.
Delphine saw him, and she went to him, squatting down to look him in the eye. She took his hand in hers and tilted her head, her eyes meeting his. “What’s wrong?”
Oliver sighed heavily. “The orphanage where I was is close by here. This was where I was living before I came to live with you. I’m really afraid that at the end of the month, you’ll send me away, and I’ll have to come back here again and live at that orphanage.”
Delphine’s heart broke at the words she heard and the expression on Oliver’s face, but before she could say a word, Justin put his hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about that. That’s still a few weeks away. You’re here right now, and we love having you here, so let’s focus on the good. We can talk about the end of the month at the end of the month, but right now everything is pretty great, so let’s enjoy it, okay?”
Oliver smiled up at him. “Okay, Uncle Justin.”
They joined the others and spent the rest of the day having a wonderful time. All of the adults loved Oliver, and they were all glad to have him along and make him feel like he was part of the team.
When Monday morning came, Delphine dropped Oliver off at school, a routine which they were both finding fun, and she returned home. She parked her car across the street from the brownstone and walked absentmindedly up the sidewalk to her house. She was thinking of Oliver and not really paying much attention to her surroundings when she suddenly stopped short, staring at th
e steps before her front door.
Adrian was sitting on the steps, waiting for her. She stared at him, stunned. He smiled brightly at her and rose from the steps, going to her and embracing her warmly. “There she is. I’ve missed you so much,” he said quietly into her ear as he held her close.
Shock coursed through her, and it collided with the all too familiar feeling of dancing butterflies inside of her when she found herself in his arms.
“Adrian! What on earth are you doing here?” she asked, realizing that she had said nearly the same thing to Mike not long before.
He let her go and stood before her, gazing at her happily. “You know, it’s the strangest thing. We said our goodbye’s, and we parted ways, but… I just haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Not at all. It began to consume me, and I knew that the only cure for it would be to come and see you. I came to talk with you.”
His wavy black hair was slightly tousled from the wind, and his sky-blue eyes melted her where she stood, piercing her to the core and stealing her breath away from her. She did her best to gather herself. “Well, we can’t really talk out here. Let’s go inside.”
Adrian followed her inside and no sooner had the door closed when she found herself in his arms again. He let his eyes travel over her face for a moment, as if he was painting a picture in his mind of the moment they were sharing, and then he closed his lips over hers.
He kissed her gently at first, almost as if he was rediscovering her, parting her lips and tasting her with his sensual tongue. Everything in her came to life and swirled with heat and desire, with the memory of him, and with need for something she had promised herself that she would never have again. His hands closed over her back and he drew her up against him as his kisses grew deeper.
Sliding her hands up over his shoulders, she tangled her fingers in the locks of his hair and he pressed her back against the wall of the hallway. She felt his solid erection press against her body and she moaned aloud, aching for him. Suddenly she remembered, and she turned her face away from him as a wave of guilt crashed over her.
“Stop. I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry. We have to stop,” she spoke with a pained voice.
He let her go, and his eyes searched her face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to let that go so far so fast. I just… I can’t resist you. I didn’t realize how much I missed you until I saw you.” He was breathless, and his cheeks were flushed.
Delphine looked away from him, and he continued, his breath evening out. “It’s good to see you; you look incredible.”
“It’s good to see you too, even though it’s a surprise. I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again,” she admitted honestly.
He took a step toward her. “I thought the same at first, but Delphine… I feel like there’s something very strong and real between us. I don’t want to lose it. I came here to New York to see if we could perhaps move forward with a more serious relationship.”
Delphine sighed and closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands for a moment. Her thoughts and emotions were tumbling in chaos.
“Oh, Adrian.” She dropped her hands and looked at him. “We had an amazing time when we were together in Portugal. It was the best time I’ve ever had in my life, and I really loved being with you. I like you so much, but I didn’t fall in love with you while I was there with you.”
He let out a long breath, and his eyes never left her. “Well, you might not have fallen in love with me, but I most certainly fell in love with you, and I’ve never felt anything as strong as this. I can’t take the chance that I might lose you. Do you understand that?”
Feeling her throat tighten and her stomach twist, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked down. “I’m so sorry, Adrian, but it’s too late. I’m engaged.” She lifted her hand and showed the ring to him. He was stunned.
He stared at her for a moment and then took her hand and looked closely at the ring. His face was distorted in pain and disbelief. “Were you engaged when you were with me in Lisbon?” he asked quietly.
She shook her head adamantly. “No. This just happened after I got back to New York.”
He lifted his chin and studied her. “Is this ring from the man that you broke up with? The man who didn’t want a family.”
“Yes, it is. I was broken up with him because he didn’t want a family, but he said that he’s had a change of heart.” She bit at her lower lip and forced herself to raise her eyes and look at her lover. She ached inside in a strange way, and she didn’t like it.
“I still have a chance then.” Adrian looked determined, and she was surprised at what he said to her.
“What do you mean? I’m engaged! That kind of removes all the chances,” she said, confusion furrowing her brow.
He shook his head. “I do still have a chance. Your engagement is new, and it’s with a man who three weeks ago didn’t want children, to the point that your relationship with him ended over it. He used you and lied to you throughout your entire relationship.”
Adrian drew near to her and lifted his hand to touch her cheek with his fingertips. “Delphine, you deserve someone who really wants a family, and someone who genuinely loves you!”
The feel of his fingers on her cheek brought back so many memories of his touch there, and all over her body. Her breath grew short and she pushed the unfamiliar ache away. “Adrian, it’s not just Mike, it’s someone else too.”
He frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I… I have a child in my home right now. An orphan. He’s an eight-year-old boy, and we’re currently working through a month of living together to see if we’re a good match for each other. If we are, then I think I’m going to adopt him. I’m going to be the mother of an eight-year-old boy. That changes everything for me, and for any man in my life.” She could not hide the sorrow in her voice, not because she was sorry that she had Oliver, but because she was sorry for Adrian that he felt for her the way that he did and there was no way that she could reciprocate it back to him.
“You… you have an orphan here?” Adrian asked in amazement, taking a step back from her and looking at her with new eyes yet again. “Why, that’s wonderful! That’s tremendous news! It’s a profound gift to give a home and a good life to a child in need. I thought that there wasn’t much more that I could love about you, but I was wrong. This is a beautiful thing you are doing.”
Adrian took her hand and walked with her into the living room, sitting on the sofa with her. “Tell me about him. What is he like? How does he like being here with you?”
Delphine found a smile forming over her face. It felt as if she had a dear friend there with her, and much of the awkwardness seemed to dissipate. “He’s so good. He’s a really good boy. He’s humble and sweet, thoughtful and smart. He’s really fun and helpful. I just love having him here. I really do.”
“So, you think that you’ll keep him at the end of the trial month?” Adrian guessed, giving her a knowing look.
“Yes, I think it’s going to work out, though I haven’t told him that,” she admitted happily.
Adrian nodded and smiled. “I’m so happy for you. It’s such a great blessing for you in your life.”
She sighed then, letting out a long, slow breath. “Adrian, I really am very sorry that I won’t be able to see you romantically while you’re here. I have a new commitment, I have a new son, it would seem. It just isn’t going to work out. I’m truly sorry.”
His eyes held hers for a long moment, and she felt as if there was nothing in her that he couldn’t see. He leaned forward and closed his hand around one of hers. “Tell me something,” he said in a soft voice that made her want to nestle into his arms. “If Mike hadn’t called you, if he had stayed away, would you give me a chance right now? Would there be any possibility whatsoever that you would consider trying a relationship with me, regardless of whether or not Oliver is here?”
She nodded slowly. “Yes, I would have. I would have said yes to y
ou, and I would have tried. I really do like you, but I just can’t… now.”
Adrian nodded and rose to his feet. He walked to the front door and she followed him. When he reached it, he turned to face her. “I’m not giving up on you,” he said with a loving voice. “You’re so worth everything I can do to try to win you back.”
She shook her head. “Adrian, it’s too late. Why would you do that?”
He smiled a half smile and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her again, a long, deep, sensual kiss. It was one like he used to give her as they were making love. Everything in her body caught fire and she moaned, feeling a driving need building up rapidly in her. His hands moved over her back and her hips, pulling her against him.
A whimper escaped her, and when he finally parted his lips from hers, she discovered her arms wrapped around his neck tightly, clinging to him. She gasped and pulled away, and his fiery blue eyes burned into hers.
