The VIP Room(91)

His cell phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. There was Carly's face and phone number again. He quickly shoved it back in his pants, but it rang a few more times.

"Don't you want to take the call?"

"No."

Derek motioned to the terrace. "If you think you'll be spending a lot of time out here, you'll want to be able to enjoy your backyard." He explained how he'd prune back the existing tree to coax it to fuller growth, add another tree to balance the area, and plant some shrubbery to replace the weeds along the fence.

Lauren was nodding her head to everything he said.

"It would be a lot more efficient to power wash your terrace with a pressure cleaner, which is something we'll do as part of the job. I'd border the area with a narrow bed of perennials mixed with a few annuals to keep the color going for you year-round."

"I don't know about the annuals. Those are flowers that bloom once and have to be replaced every year, right?"

He nodded. "Yes, but only a few. That's the best way to have variety while keeping the maintenance cost down."

"So, you'd have to keep coming back?"

Derek thought there was nothing he'd like better, but maybe she thought he was trying to drive up the cost.

"If that's a problem, you can certainly maintain it yourself, or we can skip the annuals all together."

"Let me think about that."

He decided to shift gears. "Do you want to smile every time you pull up to your home?"

"Sure."

"Well, then you need to dress up your entrance and add some points of interest around the yard."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Let's go around front." Derek suppressed his urge to put his hand on the small of her back and guide her. What was it about this woman that had his hormones firing up? Focus, man. You're on a job interview, not a Singles' Night at Bubba's Bar & Grill.

As they walked around the side of her house, he noticed she almost matched his height in her flip-flops. She might even be taller with heels on.

Once they got on the level ground of her driveway, he saw he had several inches on her and would be taller, even if she wore heels. Damn, focus on the work, *.

"Does your homeowner association maintain your front yard?"

"They cut the grass in the front and the back, but don't maintain the trees or any flower beds."

"I'd suggest putting some easy-care bedding plants around the palm, trimming the hedge, and adding baskets of blooming plants seasonally on your front porch and maybe add a few planter boxes along the walkway."

Lauren had put her hand over her eyes to block the sunlight while she followed where his finger pointed as he spoke and nodded all the while. When he was done, she seemed to become self-conscious, pulling her shirt away from where it hugged her wet suit and twisting the edge of the hem with her finger.

"Will you call me later or send an estimate for what this will all cost?" She looked into his face expectantly.

Derek found himself lost in the blue sea of her eyes as he nodded his head.

"How 'bout I stop by tomorrow and drop it off?"

"I'll be back at work during the day, but you can leave it in the mailbox, I guess."

"What time do you get home? I can come over in the evening. I'd like to be able to answer all your questions, if you have any."

Derek felt unusually awkward. He never got flustered with women, and certainly never in business. What the hell was going on?

Lauren shook her head. "I don't think so. I might have to work late. I've been taking a lot of time off with the move and all. Just leave it, and I'll call you if I have questions."

He was disappointed, but she left him no choice. "I'll put it in your mailbox. Can I call you if I don't hear from you in the next few days?"

"Sure." Lauren looked at her hand and then held it out to him. "It's clean this time. Thanks so much for fitting me in today. And sorry about the bath I gave you."

Derek noticed she gave a firm handshake and that her skin was smooth and soft. He released his grip slowly.

"Maybe we'll install some type of bell on the fence so you can be forewarned when someone comes in your gate."

She laughed. "Definitely. Add that to the estimate."

She had a radiant smile. Her lips were full and her mouth stretched wide, showing straight white teeth the color of pearls.

Derek smiled back. "Thank you for the opportunity. I know I can give you a yard you can be proud of that will be a pleasure to look at, too."

He walked to his car and pulled out an extra tee shirt he had stashed on the rear seat, quickly changing out of his wet one. He saw Lauren watching him through the cab. He started the engine and waved to her as he drove away.





* * *



A gray BMW coupe pulled into the space the truck exited. A tall, thin woman emerged wearing a long layered skirt, topped with a sheer gauze blouse, and belted with a colorful scarf. Her large hoop earrings and layers of long chains swayed as she briskly walked to where Lauren was standing.

Lauren forced a smile as the woman kissed her cheek. This day, her last day of time off from work, was quickly going from bad to worse.

"Hello, Mother."