2 Big Apple Hunter by Maddie Cochere Read Free Book Online Page B

bumped from behind. The entire pitcher of beer spilled down the front of my jumpsuit. I gasped at the shock of it as well as the coldness of it. All three guys yelled , “Nooooo,” and the next thing I knew Dale had his head buried in my lap trying to suck up beer, and Jack was shaking his head while slurping beer off my chest.
    I stared at Stella with my eyes wide, but I think her eyes were wider than mine. George was cussing a blue streak. The waitress was in tears and trying to say how sorry she was. George cracked both guys assaulting my body in the head. I stood up and looked down. The thin cotton of the jumps uit clung to me like I had entered a wet t-shirt contest. Stella rushed me out the front door, and we waited while George went to retrieve the car. Stella was apologetic and tried to be nice on the way to the hotel, but George was swearing under his breath the entire way and mumbling something about hating coming into the city. I high-tailed it back to my room and bolted the door.
    All I could manage the next day was a walk up 7th Avenue to Central Park. I sat at the Pulitzer Fountain across from The Plaza Hotel and watched people until it was time to go back to the Sheraton for my luggage and a cab ride to the airport.
    My first trip to New York had been exciting, but it bit me in the butt, too. This time I was going to show the city I could handle anything she threw at me, and I wasn’t going to be afraid.
    I glanced over at Darby again. He was still lost in thought. I closed my eyes; we’d be landing soon.
     
    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
     
    Darby and I entered Angelo Brothers Jewelers at exactly 10:00 A.M. when the doors opened, and my jaw dropped. It was beautiful, and it was pink! Well, it wasn’t entirely pink, but there was a lot of pink , and it was gorgeous.
    The showroom was modern with white sculptured walls dividing the room into sections. The backdrop of the cases along the outer walls was pink and was the predominant color in the room. A pastel teal color was the accent color in several of the cases. The floors were a beautifully patterned dark wood in what appeared to be a rich walnut. The room had a sensual, romantic feel to it. I almost squealed out loud upon taking it all in.
    “Wow,” Darby said looking around the room. “This place is spectacular.”
    His appointment wasn’t until 10:30, but we decided to go in a little early and take a look around. There were four clerks at the ready to assist customers. A door at the back of the showroom was open , allowing a peek into an office. Two men in business suits were talking earnestly with a man in casual, somewhat sloppy dress, and I swear the man was wearing an Indiana Jones hat. It was brown, wide-brimmed, and even had the dark brown Grosgrain ribbon hatband. He seemed completely out of place in the jewelry store. I could see a pair of stockinged legs and high heels, so I knew a woman was seated to his right.
    Darby and I moved in different directions to peer into cases. He walked toward watches, and I started with the case of engagement rings. I didn’t intend to look at them, but they were only a few steps in front of me, and I couldn’t help but to do a little wistful browsing. There were so many amazing shapes and settings, but my eye kept being drawn to a one and a half carat, simple but elegant, class ic, round solitaire . After the heartache of cheater Louie, and the roadblocks I kept throwing up now, I wondered if marriage would ever be in the cards for me.
    A nudge to my shoulder broke the moment. “Planning on getting married soon?” Darby asked with a big grin on his face.
    I could feel the red creeping into my face. “No,” I sort of snapped at him, and then said softly, “There are just so many beautiful rings here.”
    “Let me guess,” he said as he started browsing the case . “ Y ou like this one.” He point ed out the most opulent, garish, ring in the case, and I knew he was teasing me.
    “Actually, I like this one” I said