Saving Grace (Madison Falls) by Lesley Ann McDaniel Page B

shine to if he so chose.
    He took a sip of water, pausing just long enough to achieve the proper effect. “That, and more.”
    Her heart took off at a sprint. It was all she could do to keep her smile from overtaking her entire face. Sure, the last thing she needed was a romance, but the promise of a mutual attraction made her spirit sing.
    “You know,” he laced his fingers together under his chin. “You have the advantage. I’ve told you about me, but all I know about you is that you have an ear for casting, an eye for art, and a heart for animals.”
    Her lilting spirit hit a sour note. She lifted her water glass and took a shaky sip. “There’s not much else to tell.”
    “Oh, I don’t believe that.” He lowered his hands and leaned in. “Everybody has a story.”
    She breathed in deeply, pretending not to notice her turn to pick up her cue. As a silence began to settle, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “So, what’s up between you and Sam?”
    “That guy.” Devon chuckled with a roll of his sparkling eyes. “He’s the one who’s got a problem with me.”
    Figures . “The problem being?”
    He lifted a shoulder with an indifferent tip of his head. “Jealousy, maybe. Some guys just can’t handle it when things don’t go their way.”
    “Oh really?” She rested her chin on her palm. “What things?”
    The waiter returned with the wine. He uncorked it and poured a bit into a glass, which Devon swirled and swilled like a pro.
    “Perfect.” He nodded.
    The waiter filled both glasses before stepping away. Grace fingered the stem of hers.
    “Let’s make a deal.” Devon lifted his goblet. “Let’s agree to leave the past in its place.”
    That sounded good to her, but surely he had nothing to hide. She lifted her glass to mirror his.
    He tapped it and flashed a debonair smile. “To the present.”
    “To the here and now.” She smiled back and took a sip. It was refreshing, both the wine and the company.
    He swallowed with a look of contentment. “Mmmm. Perfecto. I feel like I’m sitting in a café in Palermo.”
    Her spirit lifted. “Oh, I love that city.”
    He raised his eyebrows and lowered his glass. “A fellow world traveler. I had a feeling. My favorite thing about Palermo is the Palazzo dei Normanni.”
    She leaned her forearms on the table. “Yes. Yes, it’s beautiful there.”
    “I’m a bit of an architecture buff and the Norman-Byzantine style is a favorite.”
    “No wonder you love Italy then.” Her heart felt light, like a balloon about to float right out of her chest. She’d been transported out of Madison Falls and was home, in a fashionable bistro, talking with a colleague about things that mattered. “The architecture, the arts.”
    “Ah, the arts.” His voice lilted. “Surely you went to the theatre there? I saw an amazing production at the Teatro Luigi Orione. Oh, but my definitive experience was at the Teatro Mass—”
    “—Massimo?” A fluttering in her chest propelled her forward.
    “Yes. So, you’re a fan of opera?”
    She pushed the curve of her back against her chair. How much did she dare disclose? “I haven’t been entirely forthcoming.”
    His eyebrow cocked. “No?”
    She shook her head.
    With a knowing smile, he lifted his glass and studied the swirling liquid, as if the truth might be revealed therein. “I suspected as much. Let me guess…does it have something to do with music?”
    She cautioned a nod.
    His amused gaze flicked to her. “Aha I was right. You are a singer.”
    A confessional nod. How could she refute what his expert ear had so skillfully discerned?
    “Opera?”
    Relief and beguilement overcame her reticence. “Yes.”
    “Professional aspirations?”
    She let her smile answer for her.
    “I thought so. The pet store was just a day job.”
    Again she nodded. Might as well cling to as much of her ruse as she could.
    “I’d offer to take you to the opera some time,” he said as he whirled his goblet.