Her love may be the ultimate prize...

Greer Courtland and her family have been designing floats for Pasadena’s Rose Parade all her life—but have rarely had a client as determined as Daniel Torres. The talk show host intends to win the prize for best float in a much-publicized charity wager. As they spend time together, he makes it clear that he intends to win Greer, too. But the former Rose Parade queen isn’t dazzled by wealth and fame—even when delivered in a sexy and sensual package.

From the moment he invites her on his show, Daniel is enthralled by Greer. Beautiful, effervescent and talented, she keeps him grounded in a way no one ever has before. But as their relationship becomes tabloid fodder, Greer backs away. And unless he’s willing to be vulnerable and expose his heart, Daniel risks letting wonderful possibilities of forever float away...

“Did you know that flowers speak their own language?”

When he gave her a look, she explained, “For instance, the red rose means beauty and love,” which was probably why she loved red roses the best.

“What about yellow?” Daniel asked.

“Jealousy and envy. And daisies stand for innocence,” she added.

“How do you know this?”

“A book called The Language of Flowers. It was published in the 1800s. My mother has a copy.” Greer adored the book. She’d spent many a drama-filled, teenaged evenings reading the poetry and studying the meanings.

“Remind me to check with you before I send you flowers.”

“Are you planning on sending me flowers?”

He grinned at her. “Maybe.”

She smiled happily. Despite her years designing and decorating floats, she’d never gotten over her love of flowers. She inhaled their scent and turned to him, and he surprised her by sliding his arms around her and pulling her close for a kiss.

His lips were warm and seductive against hers. And for a second she was too surprised to respond.

Dear Reader,

Greer Courtland has been designing Rose Parade floats since high school. When Daniel Torres enters into a friendly wager with a friend on who could win the best trophy, she does her best to provide him with the winning float design. Little did they know that this competition would lead to a lifetime of love and happiness. Join Greer and Daniel as they march through the twists and turns of passion and create their own little parade with the language of love.

The Rose Parade on New Year’s Day is one of America’s grandest traditions. With dozens of floats decorated in flowers, marching bands and drill teams, it’s an incredible spectacle. Viewers camp out on Colorado Boulevard to get the best curbside seats while knowledgeable TV commentators provide background information. This year, Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards, who have been the cornerstones of the parade commentary for over thirty years, announced their retirement. Their witty, intelligent comments will be much missed.

Much love,

Miriam and Jackie

Blossoms of Love

J.M. Jeffries

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JACKIE AND MIRIAM live in Southern California. When they aren’t writing, Jackie is trying to take a nap and Miriam plays with her grandchildren. Jackie thought she wanted to be a lawyer until she met Miriam and decided to be a writer instead. Miriam always wanted to be a writer from her earliest childhood when she taught herself to read at age four. Both are avid readers and can usually be found with their noses in a book, or, now that it’s the twenty-first century, an e-reader. Check out their blog at jmjeffries.com.

To all the loyal volunteers who show up year after year to help decorate the floats for the Rose Parade. They put in long hours, and the rewards are seeing their chosen floats drive down Colorado Boulevard. Who else can say, “I helped decorate that float”?

Acknowledgments

Jackie: For Miriam, because she puts up with me even though she doesn’t have regular mayonnaise in the house.

Miriam: For Jackie. I like mayo made with olive oil. It’s healthy and doesn’t taste as nasty as she says.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Copyright

Prologue

Daniel Torres sat in his parents’ large family room, his brothers situated around him, along with his best friend, Logan Pierce. The room had been the center of his life since birth, large enough to accommodate Daniel, his four brothers and two sisters. Today, as was tradition, they were all there, except for Nina, who, with her new husband, had decided to stay in Reno. His other sister, Lola, was sick and comfortably ensconced in her childhood bedroom so their mom could take care of her.

As a child, Daniel and his friends used to camp out in this room, and he had fond memories of making popcorn, sharing a stolen beer and watching movies. These days it looked different. Several years ago, his parents installed a whole-wall entertainment system with a superlarge TV, surround sound and two rows of home-theater recliners. Off to one side was a tiny galley kitchen, where his mother bustled about, making sure everyone had enough food. As though anyone would starve in this house.

Now the group sat in the leather recliners watching as the Rose Parade wound its way down Colorado Boulevard. The watching of the Rose Parade had been a Torres tradition ever since his parents had sponsored a float years ago.

Logan nudged Daniel’s elbow. “What are we competing on this year?”

Daniel wasn’t quite certain how they’d gotten into this yearly competition, but somehow it had grown into the loser donating $100,000 to the winner’s favorite charity. “No more jumping frogs, rolling cheese wheels or fighting thumbs.”

“You want something serious this time?” Logan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Daniel thought about that for a moment. “Not serious, but not weird.” Logan excelled in weird. That was part of the former pro football player’s nightly newscast, along with sports. Daniel had his own show—a morning edition that was more entertainment than news.

“What do you consider not serious, but not weird?” Logan took a long drink of his morning coffee. He was a night owl, while Daniel was usually up by four in the morning and at the station by four thirty to get ready for his show.

“A football game is serious. Anything that involves Spam is weird.” The first float appeared on the screen with a banner underneath it claiming it was the winner of the Sweepstakes Trophy. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s sponsor a float for the Rose Parade.”

Daniel looked at his friend, once again struck by their different appearances. Logan looked like the typical California surfer with his sun-bleached blond hair, deep-set blue eyes and muscular body. Daniel was the product of his black Brazilian father whose own father emigrated from Bermuda and a mother whose ancestry was unknown. His eyes were a deep amber, his skin the color of his favorite mocha Frappuccino, and he was more lean and slender than muscular.

Logan pointed at the screen. “You mean a fancy float like that? With flowers?”

“Why not?”

“What would be the stakes?”

“The usual—your charity or mine.”

Daniel had sponsored the Wounded Warrior Project for several years. Logan supported the American Red Cross. “We have to win a trophy.”

“There are like twenty trophies,” Logan said.

“The Sweepstakes is the most prestigious,” Nicholas, Daniel’s fraternal twin brother, put in.

“I think you should try for the Princesses’ Trophy. It’s for the most beautiful float,” Sebastian, another brother, threw out.

“Remember that dog pool a couple of years ago? That float had everything.” Nicholas’s eyes glazed over with the memory. He loved animals and would adopt every stray he found if he didn’t have such a demanding job as a choreographer for Broadway musicals. He’d recently been asked to bring his talents back to Los Angeles for a Dancing with the Stars clone.

“I think you should try for the Bob Hope Humor Trophy. That’s my favorite,” Matteus said. He was the only Torres who had chosen to move away from the family’s heritage and into a profession outside the entertainment industry. He was a cop in West Hollywood.

Everyone started to weigh in on their preferences. Sebastian, the eldest Torres brother, supported the Governor’s Trophy. Even as he watched TV, his flexible magician’s fingers shuffled a deck of cards. He never went anywhere without them, it seemed to Daniel, who was used to Sebastian’s constant card tricks.

“I was joking about the float,” Daniel said when the arguments wound down.

“But I like it,” Logan said. “It’s different. It’s splashy. We could have a ton of fun with this.”

Daniel watched the TV for a few moments, admiring the different floats. His thoughts churned and his imagination went into overdrive. He could really promote this, getting a lot of mileage for their charities. His station would probably contribute something, and, because their respective audiences seemed to enjoy their lighthearted competition, they could set up an independent account for private donations, as well.

“Okay,” Daniel finally said. “We can do this.”

Logan punched his arm. “Sure we can.”

Daniel got up to fix himself another cup of coffee and snagged a cookie off the plate his mother had just refilled. Ideas spun in his head. While he was great with promotion ideas, he didn’t know anything about floats.

“Is that a glint of panic in your eyes?” Manny Torres, Daniel’s father, said with a smile.

“What do I know about floats?” Daniel asked as he poured cream into his coffee.

“Not a thing.”

“How am I going to pull this off? Three years in a row, I’ve lost this competition with Logan. Look at him. He’s gloating. In his head, I’ve already written a check to his charity.”

Manny put a hand on Daniel’s arm. “Son, there are times in a man’s life, no matter how grown he is, when he needs to listen to his papa.”

Daniel studied his father’s face. “You have a guy?”

“Yes.” Manny’s smile grew. “Consider it done.”

“What about Logan?”

Manny glanced at Logan, fondness in his eyes. “I love Logan as though he was my own, but you come first.”

Logan’s head was bent over his iPhone, his fingers flying over the touch screen. He looked up and glanced back at Daniel. “Did you know there are a number of companies who do nothing but build floats for the Rose Parade?”

Daniel shook his head. “I had no idea.”

Logan waved his phone. “May the best man win.” He put his phone to his ear and got up, walking away to a quieter corner. “I know it’s New Year’s Day, but I need you to get me an appointment on the fourth with Steinmen and Sons.” He paused, listening, no doubt, to his assistant, who seemed to be on call 24/7. “They build floats.”

Manny nudged Daniel and gave him a thumbs-up sign. “Don’t worry, son. Tomorrow, all will be done.”

Chapter 1

Daniel hadn’t known what he was getting himself into when he suggested he and Logan sponsor floats in the Rose Parade. He’d thought it would be a simple procedure and the magic would happen on its own. But it was one decision after another. How long did he want the float to be? How high? What colors? Which theme? Who, what, where, when, why and how had turned into dozens of meetings despite hiring a company that specialized in float design. Most of his on-air life was taken care of for him. But the decision to sponsor a float had absorbed his off-screen life.

And now, ten months later, the final product was on the verge of emerging.

He sat on a chair in the interview area of the set, about to unveil the design to his viewing audience. The last six weeks had been the most intense, and now Courtland Float Designs had sent a representative to his show who would be giving weekly updates leading up to the parade.

“My special guest today,” Daniel said, “is Miss Greer Courtland.” He’d met her father for their initial meetings, but he hadn’t met the woman who’d actually designed the float. He stood and clapped his hands.

The pretty woman appeared on the edge of the stage, looking a little nervous. She smiled at him, and he beckoned her forward. She walked across the set almost daintily.

Greer Courtland was a petite woman, maybe five foot four, with pixie-cut hair. She wore a beige silk sheath that clung to her beautiful curves. Daniel couldn’t help the immediate attraction he felt to her. Her skin was a lovely, warm nutmeg. Dark brown eyes, almost black, dominated her oval face. Her lips were full and inviting. Too inviting. Daniel could hardly look away from her. She was, in a word, exquisite.

“Welcome to my show,” Daniel said, waiting for her to sit.

She perched on the edge of the chair for a second before sliding back and crossing her long, slender legs. “Thank you for inviting me.” Her voice was low and sensual.

“So, you designed the float.” He held up the final drawing showing his choice. The float consisted of a caterpillar, then a chrysalis and finally several full monarch butterflies at the rear to indicate the year’s theme, A Celebration of Life.

She nodded. “I basically work on the engineering to make sure everything runs, twirls and swirls properly and nothing breaks down on Colorado Boulevard.”

The audience laughed in approval.

“Let’s talk a little about you.” He glanced down at the notecards on the small table between them. “You have a degree in structural engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, and you’ve been designing floats since you were...sixteen.” Now, that was impressive. Smart as well as beautiful. He liked that.

“My parents started Courtland Float Designs when I was six years old, and they built it up into what it is today.”

“I’m totally fascinated by your family business. You have made a business out of designing floats for the Rose Parade.” He felt nothing but awe for her and her family. Who knew anyone could make a business out of parade floats?

“Not just the Rose Parade,” Greer said, leaning forward a bit. “We’ve designed floats for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio.”

“You’ve been to Rio. Tell me about Rio.”

She grinned coyly at him. “Sorry, no can do. What happens in Rio stays in Rio.”

Oh, he had to get the answer to that question. He’d been to Rio a time or two himself. “I’m disappointed you won’t share.”

Her grin widened. “Rules are rules.”

He was very captivated by her. He leaned forward and caught a faint scent of her perfume—a warm vanilla musk with an underlying note of lemon. “I understand you were a Rose Queen.”

“Yes, during my senior year in high school. I had a great time that year.”

“A Cal Poly graduate and a Rose Queen. You’re smart and beautiful. What was the hardest part of being the Rose Queen?”

“Number one on the list was how not to look cold. You could be cold, but you could not look like it. Number two was the wave.” She held up her hand and started doing the wave.

“You look like the Queen of England.”

“We had classes. The wave is sort of like screwing in a lightbulb.”

She had the best dimple right next to her mouth when she smiled. The dimple transformed her face, and his gaze was drawn to it. He had a sudden urge to lick that dimple and kiss it. He shook it off and focused on his interview. “What is the hardest part of building a float?”

“Designing something that works and is still beautiful within the boundaries of the rules and regulations of the parade. There’s a lot to balance with a float. You have to consider the weight, height and length. The only thing that stays the same every year is the route. You know where all the turns are.” Her hands fluttered as she talked, echoing her excitement and passion.

A woman with passion. He could work with that. “I can see you love what you do.”

“I get to play in fantasyland all year long, so why not?” Her words came out as a sigh.

“Let’s talk a bit about the first step toward getting a float into the parade.” When he’d first decided to sponsor a float, he’d had a sharp learning curve.

She sat back, her face taking on a serious look. “The theme for the next year is announced the day after the parade. Once you have the theme, the first step is to create a design. Each designer submits to the parade committee two designs for each float they are commissioned to create. Once the design is approved, we move on to materials and construction.”

“Sounds nerve-racking,” Daniel said.

She nodded. “You’d think that after making floats for so many years, it would be easy, but it’s not. It’s like a first date over and over again. You just want to make sure you do everything right and be your best. And hope your underslip doesn’t show.”

The audience roared with laughter.

Daniel nodded in agreement. He understood being the best. At a signal from the director, he wrapped up this week’s interview. “Thank you, Miss Courtland.” He turned to the camera. “We’ll take a commercial break, and when we come back—weather and traffic.” The camera went dark and Daniel stood.

Greer stood with him. “Is it true you and your friend Logan Pierce have a bet on who is going to win the Sweepstakes Trophy?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

“You sound disappointed. A little friendly competition never hurts anyone. You compete with all the other floats.”

“I compete with myself. I have seven designs in the parade this year.”

Was that disappointing? It almost felt like she was cheating on him before the first date. Because if he had anything to say about it, there would be a date.

“I don’t know what to say. I’ve never had to share a woman before. It feels like you’re cheating on me.”

She burst into laughter. “Are you serious?”

“I am. I thought I was your one and only.”

“No.” She shook her head. “My babies have to eat.”

The audience roared with laughter. Daniel waved at them. “You have children.” She was married! Darn. He hadn’t seen that coming.

“Yes.”

“Are you married?”

“No.”

“I’m a little confused here.”

“No, my children are the four-legged kind. Though one of them has only three legs. I designed a float for the Humane Society a couple of years ago and couldn’t resist adopting them.”

Suddenly he realized she was teasing him. “I’m a dog person.”

“I have two dogs and a cat. I’m always looking to add to the family.”

His mother would love her. She was smart, beautiful and kind.

“Do you cook?”

She frowned. “What does that have to do with float design?”

“Just some personal information.”

“I like to cook, but I don’t always have time.”

He knew that feeling. If not for his parents occasionally stocking his freezer, he’d have been eating takeout every night of the week. Now in their second careers, his parents owned a restaurant, so the food was always good.

“Well, thank you for coming today. I think the audience loved it,” he said. “I look forward to seeing you next week and hearing your report.”

“I’ll be here.”

He walked her off the set just as the camera came live again, but it was pointed at Jennifer, the meteorologist. He didn’t have to be back to his desk for another four minutes, and for some reason, he wanted to spend those minutes just watching Greer Courtland walk down the hall.

He waved, and an intern came to escort her out.

Once she was out of sight, he turned back to his desk to get ready for his next segment. But her sexy scent remained in his head for the rest of his day. As did the sound of her husky laughter.

* * *

As Greer drove back to her office, she couldn’t keep her mind off her handsome host. Daniel Torres was not what she’d expected.

She hadn’t wanted to go on his show, but her parents had appointed her. She had been so nervous she feared she’d stutter her way through the segment. She didn’t want to embarrass her family, but that sexy hunk of man threw her for a bit of a loop. Never a fan of the unexpected, she almost turned into a puddle of silence when she’d laid eyes on him in person.

As she walked into her office, her sister Rachel peeked in at her and grinned. “We watched the show. You did great. Mom was really impressed.”

Greer shrugged. “I tried.”

“Is he as handsome in person as he is on the screen?”

“You mean Daniel Torres?” She fanned her face. “Oh yes, he is.” She had to admit she liked what she’d seen. “He certainly seemed interested in his float.” Though she was a little confused by this competition with his friend. Not that she wasn’t a competitive person. She’d had to be at Cal Poly. But this contest had so many random factors. What would happen if neither one took the Sweepstakes Trophy? Or if each won a trophy in a different category? The logistics made her head spin. She was always good about designing floats that could take different trophies. She liked to win, and trophies equaled money in the bank. The float business might have been about making pretty things, but she had to make pretty things that won the shinies.

“Interested in his float? I think he was more interested in you,” Rachel said with a sly smile.

A girl could hope. “Don’t be absurd. You read the tabloids. That man goes through starlets like they’re candy.”

“I don’t know. If he was in love with any of the starlets, don’t you think he’d have gotten married by now?”

“Look at George Clooney. He played the field for decades. Daniel Torres has twenty years to go before he finds his forever wife.”

Rachel laughed. “You don’t have a romantic bone in your body.”

Greer shook her head. “I save all my romance for my floats.”

“Yes, and I’m sure they keep you very warm at night.”

“Scooter, Pip and Roscoe are very good at keeping my feet warm at night.” She didn’t need a man. In fact, she didn’t think she wanted one on a permanent basis.

“By the way, Chelsea wants you to come over to the warehouse,” Rachel told her. “She’s testing the hydraulics on Daniel’s float.”

“I’m on my way.”

* * *

The warehouse, where the floats were built before being moved to the parking lot of the Rose Bowl for final prep the week before the parade, was a block away from Greer’s office in an industrial park. Her sister Chelsea stood next to Daniel’s float, a clipboard in hand.

The design presented some height challenges. Floats had to fit underneath the seventeen-foot-high Sierra Madre/I-210 freeway overpass. Anything higher than that had to be lowered by hydraulics in mere seconds. Daniel’s final design featured several monarch butterflies flying high off into the sky.

“Good, you’re here,” Chelsea said.

The skeleton of the float looked eerie without any of the flowers that would be added the final week before the parade. It was all welded steel and covered in chicken wire and plastic.

Other similarly staged floats surrounded Daniel’s. A welder sat on the chassis of the adjacent one, his welder spitting fire.

“I enjoyed the show this morning,” Chelsea said.

“I wanted Mom and Dad to send you.” Greer thought Chelsea was the most beautiful of all of them. She was tall and willowy with a dancer’s grace, though at the moment she just looked tired. Her long hair had been pulled into a scrunchie, but half of it was out and floated around her head like a halo.

“I’m too busy.” Chelsea handled quality control. Her job was to make sure everything worked right and looked right, down to the smallest detail. “You’re in the consulting phase now and can be spared.”

“All I have left is to start gluing on flowers.” And other organic material. Though flowers were the main starting point for any float, many areas were covered in seeds and grasses to add texture to the overall design.

“I was checking the hydraulics,” Chelsea continued, “and I wanted you to watch.” She waved at a man half-hidden in a well in the chassis. He waved back, and slowly the butterflies on the rear of the float began to descend.

Before she could comment, Greer’s phone rang. “Hello?”

“Miss Greer Courtland? My name is Logan Pierce.”

“Excuse me,” Greer said, having a hard time hearing over the noise of the welder. She stepped toward the back door open to the parking lot.

“This is Logan Pierce,” he repeated. “I saw you on Daniel’s show this morning. I was wondering if we could meet.”

“Why?” His own float was being built by another company.

“I’ve never had a woman ask me why I wanted to take her out to dinner.”

“I’m asking.” She tried to keep the suspicion out of her voice.

“I watched your interview with Daniel, and you were pretty funny. I want to get to know you.”

She paused. “How did you get my phone number?” She never gave it to people she didn’t know.

“My connections are staggering,” he responded with a wry chuckle.

“Really. How did you get my number?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. “I have a personal assistant who would make the CIA, FBI and NSA weep with envy.”

“I see.” Should she meet with him? She was deeply curious about the rivalry between the two men, and Daniel’s answers this morning hadn’t satisfied her curiosity. Maybe Logan’s would. “I thought you were in New York.”

“I’m visiting family for Thanksgiving. My parents still live in Santa Monica.”

Meeting him wouldn’t hurt, she supposed. “Where do you want to meet?”

“How about dinner at Craig’s? I’ll pick you up, say around 6:30.”

He sounded pleasant enough, but since he was based in New York, she didn’t know anything about Logan Pierce.

“No. I’ll meet you there.” She wasn’t about to put herself in a spot she couldn’t get out of.

“I’ll send a car for you.”

“I’ll drive myself.” She didn’t want to be dependent on this man when she didn’t know him from Adam. If she wanted to leave, she wanted to be able to do so on her terms.

He laughed, a rich, vibrant sound. “Seven, then, at Craig’s.”

“Okay,” she said before she ended the call. Craig’s! That was pretty classy. Celebrities were routinely spotted there, she thought as she turned to find Chelsea watching her. “You’ll never guess who that was.”

“Daniel Torres asking you out to dinner.”

“Close. His friend and float competitor, Logan Pierce.”

Chelsea’s eyebrows rose. “You’re kidding.”

“No. I’m meeting him at Craig’s tonight.”

Chelsea’s eyes went wide. “That’s the new in place.”

“You watch too much TMZ.”

Chelsea punched Greer on the arm. “This is so exciting. You’d better bring home a doggie bag. For me, not the dog.”

She laughed. “I’ll try to remember.”

After giving her approval on the hydraulics, Greer headed back to her office, till her father stopped her in the hallway.

“Meeting.” Roman Courtland was a man of few words.

She followed him into his large corner office overlooking the industrial park. Every available inch of wall space was covered with photos of the award-winning floats by Courtland Floats Designs, along with family photos.

Her mother stood at the window, a bottle of water in one hand. Tall and slim, Virginia Courtland wore a cream-colored pantsuit with a colorful Hermes scarf about her neck. She’d styled her black hair into a sleek French roll that emphasized her sharply defined cheekbones. She’d been born in Los Angeles after her parents had migrated from Bermuda nearly sixty years ago. Virginia’s father had been an actor with minor parts in nearly a hundred films. He’d made a good living but never attained a higher status than character actor.

Greer’s father, Roman, was of medium height with a thick head of curly black hair threaded with gray. He wore jeans and a black sweater with the sleeves pushed up. Like Virginia, he was LA-born, but his family had been in Los Angeles since the early 1800s. His ancestors had managed to escape from slavery in Georgia and thought to make a place for themselves in Spanish-held California. His two-times great-grandfather had been Native American, and the Nez Perce heritage showed in his slightly hooked nose and wide-spaced eyes.

Roman looked tired. These last few weeks before the parade were the most intense and stressful. All the labor of the last ten months culminated in round-the-clock shifts as floats were checked for any last-minute issues before heading to the staging tent set up on the Rose Bowl parking lot. There, hundreds of volunteers needed to finish the floral decoration on time.

Greer grabbed a bottle of water from the undercounter fridge behind her father’s desk and sat down on the sofa. “I think this morning’s interview went well.”

Her mother nodded as she took a seat in one of the chairs. “He seemed to ask you a lot of personal questions.”

“He made me a little uncomfortable.”

“You handled yourself well,” her father said as he sat in the other chair and crossed one leg over the other.

“Rose Queen training,” Greer answered. She took a sip of water.

“I wish he’d allowed you to talk more about the float.”

“They want me to come back on a weekly basis now that it’s coming down to the wire,” Greer said. “They want to do some on-site filming, too. Dad, what were you thinking?’”

Roman gave her an innocent look. “What do you think I’m thinking?”

“Why did you take on a celebrity client? Not that he’s been a problem, but now I have to budget a morning to do an interview when I should be overseeing the final decorating.”

“You work too hard,” he said. “In the last four years, two other companies have popped into the float business. If we want to stay ahead of the game, we need to put ourselves out there. And you are the perfect person to do that. You’ve got the degree in structural engineering. Not to put down your sisters, but they chose more nonscience degrees.”

“Smooth, Dad, smooth.”

Chelsea had a degree in Elizabethan literature, and Rachel had a degree in finance.

“Don’t get us wrong,” her mother interjected, obviously in agreement with her husband. “You all bring something to the table, but you ensure the structural integrity of every float. Without you, the floats might collapse in the middle of the parade. Do not make me remind you of the great float debacle in 2001, which forced your dad to go out on his own.”

Greer simply grinned at her mother. “I get it.” She slanted a glance at her father. “You told your boss that the float wouldn’t work and you were right.” The float fell apart a half hour into the two-and-a-half-hour parade and had to be pulled out of line and pushed back to the staging area.

“It was a beautiful day,” Roman said with a wide grin.

And being the only African American family in the float business had brought its own level of notice, letting others know what one family could achieve when they worked together.

“I still think the interview went well,” Greer said. “Next time I’ll be better prepared and won’t let him drag me off topic.”

“You were pretty amusing off topic,” Virginia said with a chuckle.

“The wave has gone viral,” Roman said.

“We need to take you off social media,” Greer retorted. She took another sip of her water. “Dad, did Logan Pierce approach you about designing his float?”

“No,” Roman said. “He went with Associated Float Design. Why?”

“He called me and wants to meet for dinner tonight.”

“Are you going?” Virginia asked.

“Sure. Why not? Maybe I’ll get some answers to this rivalry he and Daniel Torres have going.” She stood and yawned. Maybe she shouldn’t have accepted Logan’s dinner invitation. She needed sleep more than good food.

* * *

At exactly seven o’clock, Greer pulled to a stop in front of Craig’s. The valet opened the door to her Toyota 4Runner and held a hand out for her. She accepted the help. He handed her a ticket and took her keys.

She’d dressed carefully for her meeting with Logan. After going through her closet, she’d chosen a pearl-gray silk sheath with a matching jacket trimmed in black satin ribbon. She wore a silver locket that looked perfect with her gray and stylish silver earrings. Black stilettos and a clutch purse completed her look. She’d smoothed her hair back from her face and kept her makeup at a minimum.

She glanced around as she entered the restaurant. She’d never been to Craig’s before. The facade only hinted at the elegance inside. She stepped into the warmth and was immediately greeted by the hostess. “I’m meeting—”

“Mr. Pierce is waiting for you, Miss Courtland,” the hostess said smoothly. “If you’ll follow me.”

Craig’s had an elegant feel to it. The walls were dark wainscoting with brick above it. Art hung at intervals on the wall. Brick pillars supported the ceiling. The hostess led Greer to a prominently placed booth. Logan Pierce slid out and stood, a smile spread across his face. He was a muscular man a few inches taller than Greer. She didn’t know if his carefully brushed and arranged blond hair was natural or bleached, but he looked good. Sparkling blue eyes met hers and he grinned, showing perfect teeth of a dazzling white.

He held out his hand. “Thank you for coming, Miss Courtland. May I call you Greer?”

She slid into the booth and he sat across from her. “Please, if I can call you Logan.”

Logan nodded. The hostess walked away, and a few seconds later, a member of the waitstaff approached. Mona, as she introduced herself, placed glasses of water in front of them and then asked for their drink order.

“Merlot, please,” Greer said.

The woman listed the different brands, and Greer chose one. She didn’t recognize the label but knew it would be excellent. Craig’s would offer nothing less. Logan ordered bourbon on the rocks.

“Thank you for coming,” Logan said.

“Why?” she asked. “Why do you want to have dinner with me?”

He looked taken aback for a second but recovered neatly. “I thought you might be hungry.”

She laughed. “It is dinnertime, so you didn’t make a bad assumption. But I don’t think that’s your real reason.”

“Why do you think I asked you out?” He leaned toward her.

“I assumed you wanted information on Daniel’s Rose Parade float.”

His eyebrows went up, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “You caught me.”

Greer narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t think I was your type.”

“I like smart, funny women.”

The waitress brought their drinks. As Greer took a sip of the excellent wine, a shadow fell across the table, and she glanced up to find Daniel standing in front of them. A tiny, dainty-featured blonde woman hung on his arm. Greer recognized her from her TV show but couldn’t remember her name.

“Mind if we join you?” Daniel motioned the actress into the booth next to Logan and then pushed in next to Greer.

As Greer shifted over, she noticed Logan’s face. He looked completely surprised, especially when the blonde woman slipped closer to him with a tiny purr. Daniel simply smiled.

“What are you doing here?” Logan asked, his voice sounding choked.

“Got to eat,” Daniel replied. “You’re my best friend and I thought I’d join you. We don’t get to spend much time together.”

“You normally take your dates to your parents’ restaurant.”

“Not tonight,” Daniel said cheerfully. “Pass me the bread please, Greer.”

Greer pushed the bread basket toward him, shifting a little further away. “You’re interrupting my date.”

“I’m saving you from boredom. Logan has two subjects—himself and sports.”

“I do not,” Logan objected.

“You told me last week you wanted to meet Melody Wilkerson. So I called her up and invited her to meet you.”

Melody giggled, putting a childlike hand over her mouth. “I’ve been dying to meet you for years.”

Greer sat back and watched as the woman walked her fingers up Logan’s arm and pouted prettily. “Why did you bring that woman on my date?” she half whispered to Daniel.

“You shouldn’t be dating Logan.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because you should be dating me.” Daniel grinned at her.

“You didn’t ask me out.”

“I didn’t expect Logan to work this fast.”

“I see. So you brought Melody as a distraction while you fling me over your shoulder and carry me out.”

He laughed. “That wasn’t my plan, but I’m terrific at unexpected modifications.”

Greer shook her head, trying not to laugh. “You’re too funny.”

Daniel gave her a cheeky grin. “The only people who think I’m funny are my brothers.”

“Oh no, this was funny.” She gestured at Melody, who’d totally captured Logan with one hand on his arm and the other touching his hand playfully. She was so tiny, Greer wondered if she bought her clothes in the children’s department.

“Look at him,” Daniel told her. “He’s so easily distracted.”

Logan was studying Melody’s low-cut top and the perky breasts beneath it.

“I guess those things are mesmerizing. And most likely fake.”

Daniel shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Really?” Greer glanced back at Melody, who leaned into Logan’s arm, brushing her breasts against the sleeve of his jacket.

“Melody isn’t my type.”

“You brought her.”

“I’m just being a good friend.” He gave her an innocent, almost angelic look.

“I think you’re being diabolical.”

He gave her an evil henchman laugh, and she shook her head. Daniel Torres was charming. Too charming. And yet she could see that he’d chosen a good distraction. Logan was falling under Melody’s spell.

“You chose your weapon well,” she finally said. “Though why you two are dueling over me, I don’t know. Let me ask you something. Do you really want to date me, or just win? If my float had feelings, it would feel cheap, used, unappreciated.”

He leaned toward her and half whispered in her ear. “Do you feel cheap, used and unappreciated?”

“Goodness, no. I’m amused. You’re like two kindergarteners fighting over a swing.”

“Are you saying I’m a child?”

“Mmm. Let my silence speak volumes.” She took a sip of her wine.

“You and I should sneak out of here and get some burgers.” Daniel nudged her with his elbow. “Logan won’t notice we’re gone.”

Greer considered his invitation. “No. Logan asked me out to dinner, and to leave now would be extremely rude.”

Daniel sulked for a moment. “Okay. My mother did bring me up well.”

The waitress brought extra menus and returned a few minutes later to take their food order, patiently answering Melody’s questions about nutrition and the number of calories of different dishes.

Dinner turned out to be pleasant enough even though Melody greedily ensnared Logan’s attention throughout the meal. He looked embarrassed, but Greer patted his shoulder and told him to enjoy himself. She was enjoying herself watching the two men.

As they stood out on the sidewalk after dinner, Melody clung to Logan like a limpet. The valet brought his Mercedes and Melody climbed in, not even asking if Greer needed a ride home. As the Mercedes sped away, Greer’s Toyota came to a stop in front of her. She tipped the valet with a smile and as he held the door open for her, she looked at Daniel.

“If you want to date me, then ask.” She slid into her car, put it in gear and left before Daniel could answer.

Chapter 2

Daniel’s phone chimed. He glanced at the display. Greer had responded to his text, and he smiled. He’d sent several texts thanking her for an enjoyable dinner and telling her how great the float was going to look. Her dedication to her work showed, and he couldn’t have been more pleased.

He’d felt a little sorry for crashing Logan’s date. Not sorry enough to stop himself. Greer wasn’t for Logan. She was too down-to-earth, too practical. Logan liked winsome, waiflike women who barely looked old enough to vote. Greer would have run circles around him.

The door to his office opened, and his twin entered.

“Hey, bro,” Nicholas said with a disarming grin. They might have been twins, but they were opposites. Nicholas was the creative type. Tall and lean, he’d always liked to dance, and somehow along the way dancing had evolved into choreographing. Any man who considered dance and choreography unmasculine had never met Nicholas. How many men could catch a woman who’d just flung herself into the air and then lift her above him and make it all look as though she was as light as a feather?

“What brings you to my studio?” He set down a stack of papers. Daniel had been working on material for his next show. His special guest would be a rising young actor who was thought to be the next action-adventure hero, and Daniel wanted interview questions that weren’t the run-of-the-mill, media-hype questions about his next movie.

“Thought you might be interested in this.” He handed Daniel a tabloid magazine. “I’m impressed.”

Daniel’s photo was prominent on the cover. He stood next to Logan with Melody in between as they left Craig’s. The headline Love Triangle was splashed across the top. A tiny bit of Greer’s elbow could be seen at one edge.

“Why do you bother reading this stuff?” Daniel shoved the tabloid back at Nicholas.

Nicholas sat down in the leather chair across from Daniel. “Because the fun is in finding the grain of truth inside the speculation.”

“These magazines are all about speculation. They throw information at you from undisclosed sources and hope the reader will come to some sort of salacious conclusion.” Daniel hated being in the tabloids. Usually he managed to avoid them, but being with Logan the other night had changed that. A few photographers had been dogging Logan the last couple of days, hoping for that one sensational photo that would bring them the big bucks.

“That’s the fun,” Nicholas said cheerfully. “I know where this night ended up in my head.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Nicky,” Daniel growled. Nicholas hated being called Nicky. But his brother just grinned in delight. “Why are you here?”

“Just needed a chat with my bro.”

Daniel eyed his brother. “What do you want?”

“I want be on the float with you.”

Daniel was so taken aback he could only stare. “You do? Why?”

“Why not? Me dancing on the float would be great advertising for the next season of Celebrity Dance. After all, we’re on the same network. I talked to my bosses, and they will be talking to your bosses.”

Daniel rubbed his temple. “I guess that means you’re going to have to meet with Greer. She has this complex rule about weight and positioning and stuff I would never think about.”

“She thinks like a dancer.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“In my world that’s a good thing,” Nicholas replied. “Explain what happened to you and Logan.” He tapped the magazine.

“I crashed Logan’s date with Greer and I took Melody along to distract him.”

“And you did this why?”

“I didn’t want him going out with Greer.” He sounded childish even to himself.

“You’re not five years old anymore, bro.” Nicholas shook his head.

“He’s just not her type,” Daniel objected.

“And you are?”

“Of course I am. Or at least, I’d like to be.” Daniel realized he deeply admired her. “She’s fascinating. She was a Rose Queen.” He remembered her teasing wave.

“That’s not the only reason you’re interested in her.” Nicholas eyed Daniel with a sparkle in his dark brown eyes.

“Something about her is real. She’s smart and funny, and I’ve always liked smart and funny. Who knew a person could make a living designing and building floats? They’re beautiful.”

Nicholas shrugged. “She’s certainly different from the normal actress/model/singer you ordinarily date.”

“Why are we talking about girls?” Usually Daniel and his brother talked about everything, but for some reason Daniel was reluctant to talk about Greer.

“We talk about girls all the time,” Nicholas said with a short laugh. “You’re just uncomfortable, and I’m enjoying it.”

Daniel ignored the comment and focused on the real reason for his brother’s visit. “Like I said, you’re going to need to talk to Greer, because I don’t know how you’re going to dance with the butterfly.”

“I’m dancing with the butterfly, all right. I’m bringing Michelle Mercer.”

Michelle was one of the other professional dancers on Nicholas’s show. They had danced together before when Nicholas had first started out and landed in a Broadway show. Daniel had met her once and thought she was nice enough, but a bit flighty.

“I’ll set up an appointment, and we’ll head over to the warehouse where Greer works.” Daniel made a note to himself to call her later.

Nicholas let himself out with a small wave and a thank-you.

Daniel sat back in his chair, wondering why he liked Greer so much. Most of the women he dated were beautiful models, or actresses, or in the industry. He dated them to be seen. He saw them as stepping stones for his career. But Greer was different. Different in a way that he liked.

He wanted to explore his feelings more, but a ton of work awaited him on his desk, and he needed to get back to it.

* * *

Greer stood to the side of the skeleton that would be Daniel’s float. The caterpillar was a long piece of plastic tubing, articulated in a dozen sections. The head would move back and forth on its own little motor. The chrysalis hung from a tangle of wire shaped into a branch. And three butterflies flew out the rear of the float. As Chelsea operated the hydraulics, the wings moved in a stately flight pattern, and the butterflies went up and down.

Greer had to figure out where to place the two additional bodies Daniel had told her about. She tried not to be irritated, especially because Daniel had told her that the studio wanted to hire her to design their annual Hollywood Christmas parade float. The lucrative offer tempered her irritation.

“Where are you putting the two other people?” Chelsea asked as she jumped down off the chassis.

“I think if we move the caterpillar back a foot, there’s room to put a small dance floor,” Greer replied. “It’ll be cramped but doable. And Daniel’s brother is a professional dancer. I’m sure he’ll know how work in that small a space.” Daniel had his spot to one side of the driver, and one of his coworkers would occupy the other side. He told her he hadn’t decided yet who that would be.

“I’ve watched Celebrity Dance, and I have to admit, he’s all kinds of yummy,” Chelsea said. “Are you okay with him being all kinds of yummy?”

“A girl has to be flexible.”

“I remember the great axle disaster of 2010.” Chelsea laughed and picked up her clipboard from where she’d placed it before crawling onto the float.

“We were all being flexible that year. Who knew we could tear a float down and put it back together in four days on a completely different chassis?” Greer had just about torn her hair out because the new chassis had been slighter higher and longer, which meant extra surface, more flowers for coverage and a rebalancing of the weight.

Greer shrugged. “I guess after that challenge, this is a piece of cake.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Chelsea had moved to the next float and jumped up on the chassis. Trident Airlines was a longtime customer, and every year their float won a trophy. This year their float was unusually intricate and long. It was actually two flatbeds in length, and getting it around corners had been a problem Greer had eventually solved by installing clamps in the center that could be loosened enough to make the float flexible in the center and then reattached once it was straight again.

“I think I’ve finalized the flower order,” Chelsea said as she walked back to Greer. “Can you look it over and make sure I didn’t forget anything?”

“Here’s hoping a Kodiak bear doesn’t hiccup in Alaska and cause a tsunami somewhere and wipe out the flower harvest.”

“Think good thoughts, girl. If we get into trouble, we’ll do a commando raid on Mrs. Allenworth’s greenhouse. Her orchids are looking spectacular this year. And her roses are so beautiful, I have to pinch myself to keep from stealing some.”

“You criminal you,” Greer said with a laugh. “It’s a good thing she has that bloodthirsty Chihuahua to keep you a law-abiding citizen.” Mrs. Allenworth had been a Rose Queen in the sixties and now donated flowers. Chelsea spread them out over all their floats as a way to honor the elderly woman.

Greer followed Chelsea to the next float. A workman on scaffolding bent over the high end of the float with a blowtorch, adding wire to finish the branches on a metal tree. The float represented the Tree of Life, and Greer was delighted with the final look.

“How was your date with Logan-slash-Daniel?” Chelsea asked as she took out her tape measure to reassess an area that would be covered in grass. She was big about measuring everything twice. “I saw the tabloid with Logan, Daniel and that actress on the cover. How did this love triangle happen?”

Greer just shrugged, pretending to be busy.

“Weren’t you there?” her sister prompted.

“I was there,” she replied with a little sigh, resigned to discuss the evening. “Daniel turned up about ten minutes into my meeting with Logan—by the way, it wasn’t a date—with this Melody on his arm. Before I knew it, he’d deposited her on Logan, and he was sitting with me. I’m not quite sure how he managed it. That man is smooth.”

“Sounds like he’s wooing you.”

“Why?” Greer asked. “I’m not sure I’m worth wooing. I don’t have time for romance.”

“Yeah, I know. Your last date was two years ago.” Chelsea rolled up her tape measure, tucked it back in her pocket and wrote on her clipboard. “Where do you want your life to go?”

“I want to design floats and grow the business.”

“I mean your personal life.”

Greer leaned against a float. “You’re the one getting a divorce.”

“Which just proves I’m at least out having a life. I may be making bad choices, but I’m trying.”

“My little glass-is-half-full sister. What would I do without your boundless enthusiasm?”

Chelsea crossed her arms over her chest. “Mom received tickets to the preview of Henry Ossawa Tanner’s show, and I know she and Dad can’t make it. She’ll give them to you if you ask nicely. Why not call Daniel and ask him to go with you?”

“You’re kidding me.”

Chelsea shook her head. “I never kid about men. Men are no joke.”

Chelsea should know. Her husband, a research biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, took life very seriously, as well as all the cute little interns who came along to help him count bunnies. Chelsea hadn’t made a bad choice. She’d had a lot in common with her soon-to-be ex-husband. He was the one who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.

“And that could be our problem,” Greer said. “We don’t laugh enough about men.”

“Are you going to call Daniel?”

Greer didn’t know if she had the guts to call him. She liked what she knew about him but...did she want to take a risk? She took risks at work, but she liked to play her personal life safe. It was easier that way. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay, I’ll accept that. Let’s get back to work. This flower order isn’t going to get itself done.” Chelsea moved on to the next float, Greer following in her wake.

* * *

It was hours later when Greer headed back to her office.

“You have a visitor,” her sister Rachel called out as Greer passed her open door.

Greer stuck her head in her sister’s office. It was piled high with files, bankers’ boxes and assorted supplies. Her sister, the company accountant, looked frazzled, her hair frizzing around her face like a halo. At twenty-five, Rachel was the youngest of the three sisters and also the most logical. Like the other Courtlands, she was an extremely hard worker.

“Who is it?” Greer asked.

“You’re new bestie, Daniel Torres.” Rachel turned back to her computer, her fingers flying over the keys.

Greer made her way down the hall. She loved her office. Her parents had given her carte blanche in decorating it. She’d chosen a red leather sofa and two floral wingback chairs flanking an oak coffee table. Her desk was a slanted artist’s table facing away from the huge window that overlooked the parking lot. A rolling chest sat next to it containing her art supplies. She’d painted the walls bright white and then hung drawings of her prize-winning floats along with her diploma from Cal Poly Pomona.

Daniel stood in front of a painting of a float that had won her a first-place ribbon in an art show her senior year in high school. He turned to her as she stepped in. “You’re very talented.”

“Thank you. What are you doing here?” Greer asked.

“Your sister Chelsea called me to go over the final flower order, and I thought I’d stop in and say hi to you.” He strolled around her office, pausing briefly in front of each drawing.

She couldn’t decide if she was irritated or flattered. “That’s nice. Chelsea is in the warehouse.”

“I’ll get to her.” As if waving her off, he continued to gaze at the drawings. “With all this talent, why did you go into structural engineering?”

“I wanted to make magic.”

“And you do.” He pointed at a drawing of a jaguar that looked as though it were about to leap. “I really like this one.”

“That’s the float I did for Carnival in Rio this year. I like it, too.” Since he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave, she politely asked, “Would you like some coffee, water, tea?”

“Nothing, thank you.” He gestured at her drawings. “This is magic for you?”

“I get the chance to create something that is enjoyed for a day. It’s a challenge. Besides that, I get to hang with the coolest people in the world—my family.”

“I understand. I like my family, too.”

“Did you really intend to sabotage my meeting with Logan by showing up with Melody?” she asked him bluntly. No one would accuse her of subtlety.

His eyebrows rose in surprise. “Logan was hoping the meeting would turn into a date, but another shiny girl came along and he got confused.”

Greer’s eyes narrowed. “With a lot of help from you.”

“What are friends for?” He kept grinning at her as though he’d pulled something over on her, too.

She didn’t know whether to be irritated, amused or flattered. “Since you’re here, I’m wondering if you’d like to attend the preview party on Saturday at the Norton Simon Museum for Henry Ossawa Tanner. I have tickets.” That really came out of her mouth? Oh, Greer, you silly girl.

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Sure, we’ll call it a date. But...I have some rules. No Melody. No other starlet. No Logan hijacking me. And do you think we can ditch the paparazzi? I managed to avoid being a part of that love-triangle story, and I don’t want to see my face on a tabloid.”

He looked like a kid who’d just been handed the best present ever. “I can manage that. It’s not like I’m Kanye, or Madonna, or Beyoncé. The paparazzi don’t really follow me around hoping to snap a photo of me doing something disgraceful.”

“Done.”

“Are you going to let me pick you up, or do you want to meet at the museum?”

She paused, thinking. “On a first date, I like to have my own escape route if something doesn’t go well.”

“Technically, it’s our second date.”

He looked so hopeful, she didn’t have the heart to decline. And he was sort of right. She conceded to him on this. “Pick me up at seven. I’ll text you my address.”

Chelsea poked her head into Greer’s office and grinned at Daniel. “Good, you’re here. I want to go over some things with you for final approval.”

With a quick goodbye and a dazzling smile, Daniel followed Chelsea down the hall, leaving Greer to think about what she’d just done. She had asked him out on a date! But she had to admit it—Daniel had something about him that she just liked. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. He was charming and good-looking and had an interesting sense of humor. His baiting of Logan at their dinner had been fun in a very odd way. Bottom line: she wanted to know more about the man who was Daniel Torres.

* * *

The gym smelled of damp clothes, overheated bodies and good, honest man-sweat. Daniel had finished his workout. Logan sat next to him on a bench as they watched the people around them. Several women on treadmills competed with two men who had revved their treadmills up to the fastest setting and were running frantically while the women pretended to ignore them. A bank of windows on one side of the gym showed a class of women doing yoga. Two personal trainers coached their clients, and a cute woman with a truly buff body was spotting on a bench press for her own client.

“She asked you out!” Logan stared at Daniel.

“Who doesn’t want to date this package?” Daniel teased.

“I don’t,” Logan said with a snicker.

“You have no taste.”

“I have great taste...in women.” Logan wiped his sweaty face with his towel. “And Greer is all woman.”

“She is beautiful, but she wasn’t beautiful enough to keep you from ogling Melody.”

Logan sighed. “I’m going to have to find a way to make that up to her.”

“Let it lie. Let her be angry with you for the rest of your life.”

Logan gave him a piercing look. “You like her. You like her a lot.”

Daniel saw the challenge in Logan’s eyes. “We’ve never sparred over a woman before.”

“That’s because I’ve always won the ones I wanted.” Logan’s face took on a dreamy look.

“Or one could say I allowed you to win the ones I wanted you to have.”

Logan burst out laughing. “This never gets old, does it?”

Daniel smiled. “I’m going to be your friend forever.”

Daniel had met Logan during their freshman year of high school on the football team. Logan had been the quarterback and Daniel the wide receiver. They both had loved football, but Logan had wanted to make a career out of it while Daniel just wanted to play the game.

Logan’s home life hadn’t been the best. His parents had never been around. His father, a talent agent, traveled a lot, and his mother, a character actress, was always on the set of some movie. Logan had been raised mostly by nannies. The first time Daniel brought him home, his parents had taken the boy under their wing and made sure that this spoiled little rich kid act turned into a responsible adult.

In their first encounter, Logan made a pass but had stepped out of bounds, and no one noticed. Daniel caught the pass, made the touchdown and got the win, but Daniel had called Logan to task for his maneuver.

Logan had been amazed that Daniel cared. Daniel had talked to him about fairness and doing the right thing. Doing the right thing had intrigued Logan because his parents hadn’t had that level of ethics. Daniel’s parents, on the other hand, were all about being ethical and insisted Logan fall into step with them if he wanted to be Daniel’s friend. Because Logan did want to be Daniel’s friend, he’d allowed Grace and Manny Torres to mold him. He’d once told Daniel that he liked the Torres family rules because he knew exactly what was expected of him.

“I’m not going to stop chasing after her,” Logan said after a long silence. “If you think she’s that intriguing, then she must be, and you know how I like to be intrigued.”

They lifted their water bottles and clunked them together. “Good luck with that. As much as you like being intrigued, you are easily distracted.”

Logan gave Daniel a look. “Wait a minute. Are you saying you aren’t playing fair?”

“The better man is going to win.” Daniel knew he sounded arrogant, but he really liked Greer. His mother would like her, and Grace didn’t give her approval easily. She expected her children to act with the highest standards and to find partners who would do the same thing.

What was he thinking? Why was he even putting the words marriage and Greer in the same thought?

* * *

Greer stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She’d tried on five cocktail dresses in the hope of finding just the right one. She finally chose her Anna Sui black-and-yellow-daisy cocktail dress with black lace inserts on the bodice. She brushed her short hair straight back from her face and added diamond drop earrings and a matching pendant on a gold chain. She was as ready as she would ever be.

She grabbed her black silk clutch, took a deep breath and walked out to the living room to wait for Daniel. She sat in a chair in front of the huge living room window.

She’d saved for five years to purchase her tiny Craftsman bungalow. The bungalow had been a fixer-upper. Though she didn’t have the skills to renovate the house for herself, she did know people. Half the float staff at the warehouse had pitched in and helped her, and she was proud of the results.

She’d decorated with Stickley furniture she’d gotten on sale at a local furniture store and hung her own vividly colored paintings on the walls. Oriental rugs covered the polished wood floors, and reproduction Tiffany lamps sat on tables, adding the vintage look she’d wanted.

When she saw a limo pull into her driveway, she stood, surprised. She hadn’t expected Daniel to rent a limo for the night, though she had to admit going to Norton Simon seemed like a limo-worthy affair.

Daniel stepped out of the limo and walked up the garden path to her front porch. A second later the doorbell rang. In the kitchen, her dogs barked. Her cat lifted her tiny black head, blinking in annoyance at the interruption to her nap.

Greer opened the front door and saw Daniel’s eyes widen in surprise as he dragged his eyes down her body from head to toe.

“Wow!” was all he said.

“I clean up nice, don’t I?” she teased. “You do, too.” He looked so handsome in his black suit.

He must have heard the dogs scratching the kitchen door, because he looked beyond her. “Your dogs, I guess?”

She nodded. “They’re in the kitchen and no doubt itching to get out and smell their guest.”

“Then let’s meet them.”

She opened the door to the kitchen. Two medium-sized white-and-tan dogs jumped out, their claws clicking on the wood floor. They sniffed Daniel’s shoes and legs and then looked up at him with their appealing brown eyes.

“This is Roscoe and this is Pip. Who could resist them?” She knelt down and ruffled their ears.

The cat jumped down from the chair she’d been sleeping in and walked over. “That’s Scooter. She had a litter of kittens that died, and she ended up adopting Roscoe and Pip as newborn puppies when their mother rejected them. It seemed sad to separate them. I’m kind of weak that way.”

When the dogs were satisfied Daniel wasn’t a threat, they went back into the kitchen and out the doggie door. Scooter returned to her chair and her nap.

“Shall we get going?” Daniel asked.

Greer grabbed her clutch and a black silk shawl. Even though the evening was fairly mild, a slight chill hung in the air when Daniel opened the front door.

“This is nice,” she said once they were settled in the backseat of the limo.

“I’m excited about the exhibit. I’ve admired Henry Ossawa Tanner since I first discovered him when I took an art class. How did you score the tickets?”

“My parents have always supported the arts and have been members of the museum for over twenty years. I’m keeping up the tradition.”

Daniel poured her a glass from a bottle of crisp chardonnay cooling in a bucket of ice. She accepted it and settled back to enjoy the ride. He motioned toward a tray of canapés on a tiny table that pulled out from the side. She sampled a couple.

“So tell me,” she said after another sip of wine. “Is there a possibility that Logan will show up tonight with your dream date?”

He laughed. “I doubt it. Logan’s idea of art is the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.”

“I wonder what he would say about your idea of art.”

“I’m a big fan of impressionism and postmodernism. Before they opened their restaurant, my parents were performers, and my siblings and I were exposed to down-on-their-luck writers and artists all the time. They fed a lot of them. My mother has a soft spot for anyone who needs a good meal. My dad grew up poor and black in Brazil, where there wasn’t a lot of food. If you’re hungry, he’ll feed you.”

“I’ve met your parents,” Greer said. His mother had so much energy she made other people look like they were standing still. “I designed a float for the North Hollywood Businessmen’s Association a couple of years ago. And I designed a float for Carnival in Rio last year that your mom commissioned.” That float had been a lot of fun and had also been the most elaborate one she’d ever designed. Rio was deadly serious about their Mardi Gras celebration.

They spoke awhile about her work on those jobs. Then she couldn’t help asking the question that had been burning in her brain. “Why did you accept my invitation? Were you trying to make Logan jealous?”

“I’m a man,” he said with a grin. “Of course I wanted to make Logan jealous, but that isn’t the number one reason.”

“Before we get to the number one reason, what number was that on your list?”

He thought for a moment, and Greer was amused at the tiny frown that appeared between his eyes. “Number six.”

“And number one is...”

He studied her. “You’re the most intriguing woman I’ve met in years. You’re like a mystery I want to unravel. You were a Rose Queen, and that beats a prom queen or homecoming queen any day. And you design the most beautiful floats.”

She smiled and inclined her head. Her year as Rose Queen had been filled with events that had kept her busy and on display. She’d loved every minute of it, even though her duties took her away from her family for days at a time.

The limo pulled up to the museum’s main entrance and waited behind a line of cars dropping people off. When they finally pulled up to the dropoff spot, Daniel jumped out of the car and helped her out. She draped her shawl around her shoulders, and as they walked up the stairs, he tucked her hand around his arm.

The Norton Simon Museum was alive with light, laughter and music. People congregated in groups as they walked inside. Chamber music came from a three-piece orchestra situated in a corner of the foyer.

Greer loved the museum. As a child, her parents had brought her and her sisters to workshops designed to introduce children to the arts and even allow them to try their hand at painting and sculpting. She’d taken her first art class at the age of six. Her talent had stood out so strongly that her parents started bringing her for art classes every Saturday.

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