Diamonds and Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

clung to the air.
    “Hey!   You forgot to lock your door.”
    “I never
lock the doors.”
    Brant
grimaced.   Was she so naïve and trusting
that she paid little attention to the basics of self-preservation?   An urge to protect her rose inside him and he
spoke sharply.   “More than half of the
people I talk to have been victimized by some sort of robbery or theft.   And you haven’t ever worried that sometime
you might return to find a dangerous character inside your house?”
    “I’m not a
negative thinker like you must be.”
    He laughed
cynically.   “Go back and lock your door.”
    “Okay, if it
makes you feel better.”
    “It would.”
    Tucked away
in historic German Village, the Spanish restaurant, Barcelona, boasted both
metropolitan chic and Old World European charm.   Over a hundred years old, the brick building’s best secret was a hidden
garden where sweet-scented flowers, tinkling fountains, round tables with blue
umbrellas and lovely ironwork railings made Lindsay feel like she’d
time-traveled to the real Spain far across the sea.   Inside the original tin ceiling revealed a
couple layers of paint.   She nearly
tripped on the uneven, wooden floor, but steadied herself as she passed the oak
bar and admired stained glass windows cut into full brick walls.
    “The Spanish
night lies before us,” Brant said, helping her to slide into her chair after
the hostess seated them at a quiet table in the corner.   A waiter took their order, then brought their drinks.   Sipping a tall
glass of iced tea, Lindsay announced, “We need to discuss our working
relationship.”
    He
nodded.   “As you wish,
my dear.   I’d hoped for a little
small talk…getting to know you better, but I see you have other things on your
mind.   Business, as
usual.”
    “Since we’ll
spend much time together in the future, we should make a few compromises and
strive for better cooperation with each other.”
    “You want a
fresh start?   I’ll try if you will.   Arguing has always struck me as a terrible
waste of time and energy.”
    She
smiled.   “I didn’t think it would be so
easy to convince you to accept my idea.”
    “Are you
hinting that I’m difficult to get along with?”
    “A little.”
    Instead of
offending him, her honesty amused Brant.   At least here was one woman who voiced an honest opinion without concern
for the impression she made upon him instead of flattering him to gain his
favor as so many other females tried to do in the past.
    Soon the
waiter arrived with Filete a la Parilla – grilled beef filet, local potato hash, crispy onions and sweet corn
coulis.   “Delicious,” she said after a
few bites of her beef filet.

 
    Brant was
unusually quiet as he studied Lindsay.   She didn’t appear to be the type of person to hold a grudge.   He was aware that he hurt her feelings this
afternoon, but now there was no indication of this in her serene manner.

 
    “If I
appeared rude at the pool today, I didn’t mean to be ungrateful.”   He felt uncomfortable and ashamed that he
reprimanded her when there was a slight chance that her only concern had been
for his safety.   “You see, every time I’m
near water the painful memories about Dan have a way of rushing back and this
affects my mood, usually making me disagreeable.”

 
    “I
understand.   Years ago I, too, suffered
from the loss of a loved one.   The pain
never really disappears.”

 
    She was
right.   He didn’t expect her to be so
easy to talk to and gracious.   Her
thoughts seemed almost attuned to his; it was amazing.

 
    After finishing dessert—a slice of sourdough bread pan fried
in extra virgin olive oil and topped with bittersweet chocolate, then finished
with a little julienned Fuji apple—Brant left a generous tip on the table, then
escorted Lindsay outside.   “It seems a shame
to end this delightful interlude just when we started to make peace.”   His words held a tone of genuine