How Sweet It Is (24 page)

Nodding, Mrs. Larsen opened another drawer.
“Years back I acted as Donald’s secretary, so I think I can
remember how to do it.”

Delphine watched her write out the receipt
and date stamp the loan. She replaced the file in the cabinet and
shut the drawer before handing her the receipt.

Heart pounding, Delphine took the weightless
slip of paper. The red capital letters PAID blurred before her
eyes. A dry sob shook her frame.

Delphine sank into a chair. She was now
debt-free, but it had personally cost her nothing.

That burden had fallen to her father.

****

Brad, edgy with impatience,
scanned the freeway populated by cars that shimmered in the summer
heat.
I just want to get home!

His dad seemed distracted by the traffic,
leaving him to plot and plan—and things were beginning to fall into
place. The only wild card was the mercurial French girl who’d
stirred up his life in ways he’d never imagined.

Now it was
his
turn to stir things
up.

First, he now had a job with a large chain
store selling office supplies, managing the ordering department.
The meeting had gone well, he’d hit it off with the boss of the
company and was offered a position, starting in two weeks. He had
to admit it annoyed him how his dad practically frog-marched him to
an interview with a business friend of his, but the position would
be a good fit for now.

Thank you, Lord, for such a
quick success
.

He hoped Delphine really understood he wasn’t
reneging on his plan to help out at the shop. Besides, he couldn’t
move out until he was gainfully employed. One needed money for that
kind of thing and he was flat broke at the moment.

He smiled as he thought of
his current financial status. It hadn’t taken long to liquidate
everything, and it had been more fun than he imagined. His smile
faded.
Hopefully Delphine will take it the
right way
.

Sure she will. She won’t
have to worry about that loan
.

Yeah, but she’s stubborn and
proud. Might give you a French lecture on how to mind your own
business
.

He also looked forward to getting out on his
own again. A summer was about as long as he could stand under his
parents’ roof. The tug-of-war between his mom wanting him to stay
and his dad giving him the boot got old after a while.

Besides, you can’t romance a
girl properly while your mom is hovering with questions about a
wedding
.

The agent who told him of the shop for
Delphine should be able to find him something reasonable until he
could afford better. He’d call him that afternoon.

Next on the list—the check. His banker had
called and told him the funds were ready to be picked up. By the
end of the day, he could discharge Delphine’s debt and hopefully be
the hero slaying the dragon—or facing it, depending on which way
she reacted.

He imagined the way her expressive eyes would
light up at the news—trying to ignore the more realistic
probability that’d she’d be furious.

Well, tough. For once that woman is going to
learn to accept a gift without a fuss!

The moment his dad pulled into the driveway,
Brad made a hurried excuse, jumped out, and headed for his own car.
He didn’t want to wait another second to pick up that money.

****

Brad walked through the front door. “I’m
home!” He tossed his keys onto the hall table and looked forward to
a hot shower, then going to see Delphine.

But first, business.

“In here, dear!”

He followed his mom’s voice where it issued
from the den. When he crossed the threshold, he stopped abruptly.
Delphine sat in a chair opposite the couch. The unexpected pleasure
at seeing her faded as he noticed her tense expression. She offered
him a small smile.

His gaze flew to his mom. “Is everything all
right?”

Delphine stood and walked over to where he
stood. She took his hand. “Everything’s fine.”

Brad stared at her. She didn’t look fine. He
glanced at his mom and dad. Both had smiles on their faces, but he
couldn’t help think them somewhat strained. He looked back at
Delphine, wanting to kiss her after so long an absence, but
refrained in front of his parents.

Just one more reason to move
out soon
.

“Did you miss me?” he whispered.

She nodded and squeezed his hand. “I was
wondering,” she said in a low voice, “if you could give me a ride
home. I came over by bus.”

“I’d love to. But why did you come?” He
waggled his brows. “To see me?” Surely she’d be overjoyed when he
showed her the check he had tucked in his pocket. Whatever upset
she’d experienced, hopefully his surprise would cheer her up.

I hope, I hope, I
hope
.

His dad stood up and smiled. “I must say that
while it’s been a pleasure working with you, young lady, it hasn’t
been my most lucrative experience.”

Brad looked aghast at him. “Dad! What in the
world are you talking about?”

“It’s okay,” Delphine said quickly. “I’m
ready to go whenever you are, Brad.”

He stood his ground, determined to get an
answer for the way his parents were acting. His dad nodded in
Delphine’s direction.

“I’m talking about the loan, of course.”

Worse and worse!
“What about it?” he croaked.

“Only that by Delphine’s repayment, I earned
only a sliver of interest.” He smiled. “But she’s a sharp business
woman and such an attitude will only serve her well in the future.
I only wish she’d be reasonable about the rest of the money—”

“Mr. Larsen, please. Let’s not discuss that
anymore.”

Brad looked down at Delphine. She averted her
gaze, gripping his hand tighter.

Repayment?

He tugged on her hand. “You’re not still
worried about that, are you?” When she bit her lip, Brad stifled a
stab of impatience. He dropped her hand and pulled the check out of
his pocket, his heart pounding hard.

“Look, you don’t need to worry any more at
all. I’m paying off the loan for you.”

Eighteen

Delphine stared at Brad, stunned into
silence—sure she’d heard him wrong.

Mrs. Larsen jumped up from
the couch. “What?” She let out a tinkling laugh. “This
is
amazing!”

His dad furrowed his brows.
“That
is
amazing.
How did you come up with that kind of money, son?”

She shifted her gaze to Brad, in time to see
his face turn red. Her heart thudded dully in her chest.

He shrugged. “My money market accounts, my
checking and savings…”

“And?” pressed Mr. Larsen. “Since I set the
money market account up for you, I know how much you had.”

“Dad! Okay, so I got a loan against the
Jetta for the rest. It’s not a big deal.” He thrust the check at
her. “Take it.”

Delphine stared at the piece of paper. It was
almost identical to the one she’d given Mrs. Larsen a short time
ago.

Dear Brad. She couldn’t believe he’d gone to
such an effort. But she didn’t deserve it! She wrapped her arms
around his neck and squeezed him hard, vaguely aware of the crumple
of paper between them. His familiar feel and smell comforted her in
a way that made her desperate not to lose it.

Brad’s arms slid around her waist. He rested
his cheek on her hair. “I just want you to know your worries are
over, okay?”

She tilted her head up and looked into his
eyes. The warmth in his gaze sent shivers through her body.
Delphine touched the side of his face. “Thank you, Brad. Thank you
so much.”

He grinned and pulled the check out from
between them, holding it up for her.

She lowered her hands to her sides. “But, of
course, I can’t take it.”

The smile evaporated from his face. “What?
Why not?”

She stepped back slightly, wondering at the
irritation in his tone. “I don’t need it. There’s no longer any
debt.” She motioned toward his parents, suddenly nervous, though
she didn’t know why. “I paid your dad back.”

Brad’s features became wooden. “With
what?”

She swallowed, feeling the tears clog her
throat once again. “Insurance money.”

He darted a look at his father as if for
confirmation. Mr. Larsen nodded. Brad’s lips thinned.

“Take it anyway.”

“Brad,” she whispered, at a loss to
understand his obvious displeasure. “I can’t.”

“Bradley, dear, I think Delphine must be
exhausted and ready to go home.”

He seemed to consider his options, then sent
his mom a tight smile and shoved the check back in his pocket.
“Fine. Let’s go.”

He turned and walked out of the room.
Delphine smiled at his parents once more. “Thank you again, for
everything.”

Mrs. Larsen came around from the couch and
hugged her. Mr. Larsen shook her hand. Before she broke down again,
Delphine turned and went down the hall. The emotional reaction to
seeing that debt paid had shaken her in a way she never would’ve
imagined.

Brad waited at the open front door, his
features blank. She slipped past him and headed for his car. He
appeared beside her, opening the passenger door. She watched him as
he walked around the front of the car and climbed into the driver’s
seat.

Why is he upset? Shouldn’t he be relieved
I’m no longer a financial burden to him and his family?

After starting the car, he backed out of the
driveway and threaded through the neighborhood toward the freeway.
His silence unnerved her. She wanted to touch him, to kiss him, but
his countenance put her off.

Delphine clutched her hands in her lap and
stared out her window, not seeing the passing surroundings. Why did
everything have to be so complicated? She’d hoped the repayment
would end once and for all the weirdness about money between them.
They should be in each other’s arms right now, unhindered by what
had plagued their relationship in the past. Instead, the few inches
separating them in the car might as well have been miles.

Lord, I don’t understand what I’m missing
here. Please help me to understand Brad. Have I done something
wrong?

She was stunned when she focused her eyes and
realized he was parking in front of her apartment building. Feeling
confused, she staggered slightly as she climbed from the passenger
seat of the car. The bright light blinded her for a moment, until
it was eclipsed by Brad’s form.

“You should’ve at least let me get your
door, Delphine.”

As she shifted away from the sunlight, she
saw his grim expression. Anxiety warred with exasperation, but she
decided to keep her mouth shut, at least until they entered her
apartment.

Inside the dim living room, Delphine
shivered, whether from the stale air, or his attitude, she didn’t
know. When she shut the door behind him, she could hold back no
longer. Dropping her purse onto the floor, she turned to him.
Despite her worry about his demeanor, she needed reassurance of his
affection. Standing on tiptoe, she touched her lips against
his.

Brads arms encircled her like iron bands, his
kisses the most fervent yet, dissolving her doubts in a swirl of
sweet yearning. She reveled in his embrace. His touch soothed the
frayed edges of her emotion in ways she never dreamed possible. She
lifted her lips a whisper away.

“I love you so much, Brad.”

Brad raised his head, his blue eyes almost
black in the shadowed room. “Do you?”

Delphine flinched at his tone. She lowered
her arms. “What do you mean?”

“You won’t take my money.”

She took a deep breath, hoping to find the
right words. “I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but like I
said, it’s just not necessary.”

His closed expression remained inscrutable.
“I want you to have it.”

Delphine sensed she was treading on fragile
ground, but was unsure how to proceed. “I don’t understand what you
mean.”

He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged.
“I just want you to have the money. It’s that simple.”

She lowered her gaze.
Why do I keep saying the wrong thing?
“It would just be another loan to repay,
and—”

“It’s a gift, Delphine! Not a loan!” Brad
pulled the check from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. “And
I expect you to cash it, not let it rot at the bottom of some
drawer.”

He drained all of his
accounts and went into debt? For me?
She
stared at the piece of paper, amazed at what it represented, but it
remained that she couldn’t cash it—especially when there was no
longer a reason.

Delphine stared at his scrawled signature on
the check. “Thank you, but you understand there’s no need.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“What would I do with it?” she asked in a
low voice.

He raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t
know! Put it into your business…or blow it on a fun European
vacation. Do anything you want!”

“Brad, I can’t tell you how much I
appreciate your thoughtfulness. Just the fact that you did it is
wonderful. That’s enough for me.”

He shook his head. “It’s not enough. If you
don’t accept it, it’s meaningless.”

Delphine licked her lips, watching the
emotions flit across his face. “You’re asking too much,” she
whispered. “I don’t deserve it.”

His face turned red. “Why can’t you just take
what’s offered and stop being so stubborn!”

Her cheeks flooded with heat. “I’m not being
stubborn, Brad, I’m being reasonable. You don’t have to bankrupt
yourself for me, okay?”