“A fair amount. And yet, maybe not what they were really looking for.”
He cocked his head, his expression quizzical.
“It’s weirdly complicated,” she told him. “But to answer your other question, this is a good time for me to meet with you. I’d so much rather be talking to you than focusing on what happened.”
“Great,” he said. “But I tell you what. You sit and I’ll make the espressos.”
Kit laughed. “No, please.”
“I insist.” He nodded toward the counter. “I own the same kind of machine.”
She settled into one of the dining chairs as Holt took over. It wasn’t until she’d spread out her legs beneath the table that she realized how much her whole body ached, partly from all the picking up she’d done earlier.
“Cups are to the left,” she called out.
“Yes, I see,” he said. From the distance of the table, she watched him work, his hands moving with utter confidence and control. Surgeon hands, she thought. There was something comforting in that.
A minute later he approached the table, carrying two bright white espresso cups in their saucers. As odd as it was to have a near stranger waiting on her in her apartment, Kit couldn’t deny how satisfying it was. She was in dire need of a little tlc at the moment.
“Now that I’ve made you wait on me hand and foot, tell me what you wanted to discuss,” Kit said, smiling. “I take it you had additional questions.”
“I did actually. As I mentioned, I really like your portfolio. But I’m curious about how you work with clients. During my last experience with a decorator, I felt so shut out.”
He’s definitely open to hiring me, she realized. Whatever mental fatigue she’d succumbed to, she knew she had to get the better of it pronto.
“If you hired me, the first thing I’d do is have you collect tear sheets from shelter magazines,” she said, leaning forward. “Pictures of rooms that appeal to you. I’d also want you to print out images from online. Famous paintings you love, favorite travel photos, anything that grabs you. Next I’d analyze them to get a sense of what you’re drawn to on a visceral level. And then I’d present you with possible design ideas and listen to your feedback.”
She was a hundred and ten percent sure the guy didn’t have a Pinterest account, so she hadn’t suggest using that as a tool.
Holt nodded, absorbing her words. “I like the sound of that. Why don’t we go ahead then?”
Well, well, she thought. That’s literally just what the doctor ordered.
She smiled once again. “I’m delighted. I’ll put a letter of agreement together and send it to you Monday.”
“Excellent.” He took another sip of his espresso, cupping the bowl with his long, strong fingers rather than primly holding onto the handle.
“Weekends must be nice for you,” Kit said. “Considering how intense your job is.”
“I do value my weekends, and it’s good to have the break. But I also love performing surgery. They’ll have to drag me out of the operating room one day.”
There was a fierceness to his tone that reinforced the passion he obviously felt.
“What area of the body do you focus on?”
“Knees primarily. My specialty is in skeletal issues impacted by rheumatoid arthritis.” He smiled. “Not very sexy sounding, I know, but it’s a major issue with an aging population.”
“As a surgeon, you must handle stress awfully well. Is that hardwired or something that you’ve worked at over time?”
As he considered the question, he stroked the side of his jaw slowly back and forth with his thumb. “Probably both. I was always fearless as a kid. But you need to learn ways to shut out the world when you’re operating. I use my time at the scrub sink to prepare mentally. Scrubbing is such a rote activity—the way you use the brush methodically over each plane of your hands—and it helps me visualize what’s ahead and begin blocking out distractions.”
Intriguing, she thought. The fearlessness. But also the discipline, and the ability to compartmentalize. They were qualities that could draw you to a man initially, but she wondered whether they might frustrate the hell out of you over time, when you suddenly saw that you were being denied access to what you yearned to know the most. Had that played a role, she wondered, in the demise of his marriage?
“I’m going to scrub my dishes with a whole new attitude,” Kit said.
Holt’s espresso cup clicked against the saucer as he