Wrapped Around My Finger by Kristen Strassel Read Free Book Online Page A

of my bag. The interns at the office picked on me because I didn’t use a tablet, but I couldn’t risk losing inspiration because I was fumbling with technology. I stuck with what I knew. “I stalked you a little bit when Kari gave me your address, to get an idea of what your house might look like. I drew up some plans, and I’d love to hear what you have in mind.”
    “I’d really like to entertain here,” he said. He met my gaze, but it quickly slid to Kari as if she had a magnetic pull on him. The butterflies in my belly danced for a totally different reason. “My restaurants are clean and modern, and this place looks like a frat house.”
    “I wouldn’t go that far. You’ve got a great space for entertaining. Are you drawn to any particular style? You mentioned clean and modern, but I want you to be able to relax. I believe in keeping work separate from home life.” Which is why I had an office with its own entrance.
    He leaned forward in his worn chair. I wondered if he’d had that since college or if it was a hand-me-down. Like me, he lived in a renovated classic Washington row house, long, skinny, and thankfully, open. We wouldn’t have to knock down any walls, which was a blessing. Maybe it was just the furniture, but the place looked tired. I wasn’t surprised. Kari’s place would look like this if I wasn’t her best friend. Work first, everything else fell behind in a jumble.
    “Growing up, my house was always full of people. It smelled like my grandmother’s sauce, and there was no cohesive design. She came here from Italy, didn’t speak English, and pulled the whole thing together as she could. That’s home to me.”
    I could practically smell the oregano. I loved that he told me about his grandma. That was everything I needed to know about Reno. “Cozy, inviting, with space for entertaining, does that sound right?”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    I turned my laptop around to face him. “Here are some mock-ups. These are rough ideas. Scroll through and if you like anything, let me know. Tell me if you hate it, too. That’s just as important. It doesn’t have to be exactly like the picture. Think more in terms of elements, or ingredients. We can take the smallest piece and make it something special.”
    This was always the most nerve-wracking part of meeting with a client for the first time. I usually had Diane with me. She’d smooth over my rough edges, and steer the budget back into something production was willing to pay. Although, it was sadly amazing how many items we could get for free because it would be shown in a famous person’s home on a national TV show.
    Reno sat between Kari and me on the couch. She automatically put her hand on his leg and looked over his shoulder. He went through every image, pointing out what he liked and what he didn’t. Even if he didn’t know why, he was very decisive about his choices. A theme emerged, and I had what I needed.
    “You still use a notebook?” Kari peeked around Reno, smiling at my steno pad.
    “Yeah, I think better using it at this stage.” I took the laptop back from Reno, closing it and putting it back in my bag. I stood. “You’ve done TV before, so I can skip the part where I tell you what it’s like to have a camera crew here. We keep it small, and they’re awesome guys. I already have some great ideas. But you have to promise me something. If I come up with something you like, you’ll get me a table at your restaurant.”
    “I’ll go one better. I’ll cook you dinner in the kitchen you create for me.” Reno stood to meet me. “Your crew will have carte blanche. I’m hardly ever here.”
    “Best thing I’ve heard all day.” I laughed. I usually would’ve kept that to myself, but I didn’t have to hold back with these two.
    “I’ll have an eye on you.” Kari winked at me. She couldn’t keep her hands of Reno, but not in an uncomfortable way. More in that adorable, falling in love way. It made me miss Jagger