Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(46)

“Ah, I might have.” She knew darn well that she had. Fishing inside her purse, she made a show of looking and then dropping it back inside.

“I left you several messages,” Phillip told her.

“I … I wasn’t in the mood to talk.” Maybe he’d take the hint that she wasn’t ready now, either.

“I tried phoning this morning,” he said, and then noticed Casey. “Hello again,” he added, apparently remembering her from their elevator ride together.

Casey was all smiles. “Libby, you’re worse than my grandma. She has a cell phone, too, but she always forgets to turn it on.”

“Where’s your friend?” Phillip asked Casey.

He was concerned about Ava, too.

“I asked her to come this morning, but she said her grandmother wouldn’t let her. She has to clean the house.”

What was it about a handsome man that prompted women to divulge information? Libby had asked about Ava, too, and Casey hadn’t said a word about her grandmother keeping her home for chores.

Phillip looked back to Libby. “Have you had lunch?”

Other than her early-morning coffee and a glass of orange juice, Libby hadn’t eaten solid food all day. She wasn’t the least bit hungry, but they needed to talk and the sooner she got this over with the better. “Not yet.”

“Good.”

“Have lunch at The French Cafe,” Casey urged. “The food’s fabulous, especially the croissants and the soup. Mom orders the soup almost every day.”

“Sounds good to me,” Phillip said.

As if connected to a puppet’s string, Libby automatically stood and followed him out of the store, pausing only long enough to say good-bye to Lydia and Margaret.

“Have you tried The French Cafe before?” he asked conversationally, placing his hand on the small of Libby’s back as they crossed the street.

“A time or two. Casey’s right, the food’s great.”

“Then let’s go there. It’s close and convenient and I’m famished.”

Once inside the cafe, Phillip ordered a club sandwich, a small side salad, and two large peanut butter cookies. Libby ordered a cup of the ginger-carrot soup.

“That’s all?” he asked when she completed her order.

“I … I don’t have much of an appetite.”

He paid for their food and then they carried their number to one of the empty tables outside the restaurant, where they could eat alfresco.

Until they sat down at an umbrella-covered table, Libby hadn’t noticed what a glorious day it was. Late July in the Pacific Northwest generally had nice weather. A breeze blew off Elliot Bay, and even though they were several blocks from the waterfront, Libby smelled a hint of salt in the air. The waterfront would be crowded with tourists. Two or three large cruise ships were in port, adding to the bustling activity. A plane flew above them with a banner that advertised a life insurance company.

“I apologize for not answering your calls, but like I said, I wasn’t in the mood to talk,” she said, keeping her hands in her lap. She avoided eye contact, too.

Phillip reached for his iced tea and took a deep swallow. Completely relaxed, he leaned against the back of the chair and crossed his long legs. “I wanted to hear about the interview.”

“I was late … and frankly, it couldn’t have gone much worse. Now Robin is avoiding me … although I doubt that she’s tried to call.” Curious, she reached for her cell and scrolled down the list of recent calls. Robin’s name didn’t appear, but that didn’t surprise Libby. “She’s upset with me, but then I can’t really blame her.”

“So what happened?”

“The twins …” She stopped and shook her head. Really, what was the point of trying to explain? Bottom line: she’d gotten sidetracked. Even now Libby couldn’t believe she’d allowed that to happen.

“I know all about the three sets of twins,” Phillip said. “I want to know what happened at the interview.”

Just thinking about it made her chest tighten.

“That bad?”

“Worse. Time got away from me and I didn’t have any choice but to show up in what I was wearing. After arriving late, I never got my balance back. I was flustered and inarticulate. It was dreadful.” Even telling him embarrassed her tenfold.

To his credit, he did look sympathetic. “It might be little comfort to you now, but thank you for your help in the nursery. It was like a madhouse. Three sets of twins. Frankly, I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

Libby managed a weak smile. His appreciation did little to console her. “It should never have happened. This interview was important; this is my livelihood. I don’t know what’s happened to me over these last few months. I hardly know who I am any longer. I missed an important interview because I was rocking babies? That’s insane. I’m spending half my time in a yarn store, knitting? In the meantime I’m going through my savings at an alarming rate. I need a job.”

“You’ll find one.” How confident he sounded.

“Not at this rate I won’t. I’ve allowed far too many distractions into my life.” She bounced the side of her hand against the tabletop. “That’s got to end. I have to focus on what’s important and get back on track.”