in.
He pulled into a parking stall and cut his engine. “You’ll need to visit the sticks here, then tell me how our countryside compares to yours.”
“Do you even have back country here?” she asked, jumping out of the jeep. “I’ve only seen brick and cement.”
“Then you haven’t seen Texas,” he said, hitting the button for the elevator. The silver doors opened, and they stepped in. “Dallas has its towers,” he said, pointing to the ceiling of the elevator. “As you’ll see. But it also has its botanical havens.”
“That, I need to experience,” she said with longing.
“I got you,” he said, whipping out his phone as they exited the elevator. He texted with one hand while he pointed with a key to the door in front of them.
Her arms shook with excitement. This could be their new office space. She took the key from him and quickly opened the door. Her face wrinkled in confusion. “Ah…” she said, walking into a spotless apartment. “This is what you had in mind for a workspace?”
“Just for our weekly meetings. It can also be your new apartment.” He opened his arms wide. “What do you think?”
She blinked a few times and opened her mouth wide. “I’m thinking.” She stepped to the sliding glass doors that led out onto a patio that overlooked the city. She opened the doors and breathed in deeply, hoping to feel a sense for the city.
“Are you thinking good words or bad words?” he asked, which caused her to smile.
She glanced around the upscale apartment. It sure beat her small hotel room. “It’s beautiful,” she said, motioning to the modern couches and open kitchen. “But, if I’m being honest, I’m thinking claustrophobic words. I’ve been here for four days now and have spent that time enclosed, either in my hotel room, or in a restaurant, or the workout room.” She twisted her lips. “I have a small dog,” she said, “And where are we going to put all the employees?”
He looked at her as if he’d missed something. “Employees?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You still haven’t read the proposal, have you?”
He scratched his chin. “Minor details.”
“Damian, to accomplish our goals, we’ll need a staff of programmers. I need you to study that proposal. I worked really hard on it.”
He stared at her blankly.
“Now. Before we sign any papers,” she said, staring him down. “You need to know what you’re getting yourself into. What you’re getting us into.” She motioned between them.
“No city? Too many walls?” he asked her.
“It makes sense for our headquarters to be in the city, but I’m not really cut out for concrete.”
He clicked out the side of his mouth like a cowboy. “I got you.”
She placed her hand on her hip. “That’s the second time you’ve said that. What does that mean, exactly?”
“Come with me and I’ll show you,” he said, leading her out of the apartment.
They jumped back into his jeep and traveled heavily trafficked downtown roads for an additional fifteen minutes until they pulled off into a full parking lot. He parked in a reserved parking spot in the front.
“Botanical haven,” he said with a wink, opening her door. “I got you.”
Poppy drew in a deep breath. “Grape Kool aid?”
Damian laughed. “That’s a Mexican Plum tree. You smell it before you see it.”
“How do you know that?” she asked as they stepped into the welcome center of the botanical gardens.
“Good morning, Mr. Jones,” said a smiling elderly woman behind the desk.
“Martha, you look stunning this morning. Meet my friend, Ms. Poppy Kennedy,” he said, motioning to Poppy.
Poppy turned to him. “You know my last name?”
“Oh,” Martha exclaimed, her mouth opening into a full smile. “Poppies are my favorite flower. And you, love, you are as bright and lovely as a summer poppy. Mr. Jones,” she said, waving an arthritic finger at Damian. “Now, you take care of this one. Poppies need lots of sunshine.”
“Thank you,” said Poppy. “My mother would have to agree with you. She had me running around in the fields all day long.”
“Let’s get you running in the fields, then,” Damian said, taking her by the hand and leading her through the visitor’s center to the gardens. “You’re not exactly wearing the best shoes for running today.”
“That’s easy enough to fix,” she said with the idea of taking her shoes off and walking barefoot on the sculpted pathways, but that would mean she’d have to let go of his hand. The self-proclaimed womanizer was nothing like how