She startled, shooting up out of her chair and whirling to face him. Her nose was red. “My God, you scared me to death.”
“I’m sorry.”
She was wearing her jeans and a silky shirt and she looked so small and alone as she stood there with her shoulders bent. “How did you get in here?”
“There’s a hidden door in the bedroom. It leads to my rooms.”
“Oh,” she said softly, and he knew she must be wondering why he hadn’t used it to bring her back the other night. But there were more immediate things to think about.
“What is wrong?”
She gave a half shrug. “I was just reading email from my business partner. I think we’re both realizing our dream is over now.”
“I know you blame me for these things, but I am not the one who caused this.” And yet he did feel guilty for his part in changing her life.
“Believe it or not, I do know that. But it seems so odd that a single oversight could impact so many lives.”
“This is quite often the case.”
“For a king, I’m sure it is. For a girl from Savannah who just wanted to give her sister a gift, this is all a bit of a shock.”
She walked over and put her hands on the back of a chair, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles whitened. He watched her, torn between going to her and holding her and staying where he was. In the end, he decided to stay. She would not welcome him at the moment.
She swiped the tissue over her nose again and stuffed it in her pocket. “So what did you come here to tell me to do now?”
Rashid’s brows drew down. Why had he come? Because you can’t stay away. Because she has a brightness to her that draws you like a moth. Because you want to feel that brightness wrapped around you again.
“I didn’t come to tell you to do anything.”
She waved a hand as if she were sweeping aside a bothersome fly. “Well, isn’t that a relief? What can I help you with, then?”
For once in his life, he was left with nothing to say. He dug down into the recesses of his brain. “My brother is going to build a skyscraper for me. I understand you have architecture experience. Perhaps you could consult?”
She blinked at him. Several times. “I...well, I did train as an architect, but I worked on historical preservation. Old buildings. Skyscrapers aren’t quite my thing. Not to mention I left the profession to start Dixie Doin’s with Kelly.”
“Why did you do that?” He truly wanted to know. She’d gone to school for one thing and ended up doing another.
She shrugged. “I enjoyed architecture, but it wasn’t as fun as party planning. I like organizing things, making people happy. Preserving old buildings takes time, but making people happy with food and fun is instant gratification.”
“Which explains why you spend so much time in the kitchen. I enjoyed the lotus-shaped napkins, by the way.”
She smiled at him, a genuine smile for once, and his heart did that little hitch thing again. “I’m glad. I’ll show them ferns next. Then maybe some swans.”
“No swans at the state dinner, I beg you.”