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He winks “It’s been all right”

The youngthe car hops out, and Andrew opens the door for ets into the driver’s seat He sees my look “I’m not really the chauffeur type”

“There are certain advantages to having a driver you know”

“Oh?”

I reach over and touch his ar driven around”

Even though his eyes are still on the street in front of us, I see the color in them deepen “That’s an excellent point Maybe I’ll think about that for next time”

Andrew drives us to a restaurant in eous Asian fusion, with dark and rich decor and a vibe of relaxed elegance We’re seated ih I’ in the little details of the restaurant to ask Sculptures of glass flowers erupt at different points in the roo, and colored lights in the floor slowly rotate through the spectrulow

“So,” Andrew says e’ve settled and ordered, “you told me at the party that I’d hear the story of what you wanted to be”

I shake my head “You don’t want to hear that”

He catches my hand across the table “I do, actually”

I huff a sigh It’s not a story that I particularly enjoy telling, but I don’t think he’s going to let it go “I wanted to be an interior designer I went to school for it, and I even got a job right out of college Heidi Carson’s company”

Andrew raises an eyebrow, and I can tell he’s in outfits in town

“I was assisting her with the intent towith her on a job, and offhand I ns The client loved it and wanted it implemented in more of the house”

I s, pushing down the familiar ache in my chest “The next day Heidi called me into her office and fired estions like that in front of a client, and that since I wasn’t a full designer yet my opinion didn’t count That I ested what the client really loved I tried to find another job after that, but no one would take me I didn’t have a choice but to find another job So three years and countless retail jobs later, here we are”

I look down at the table, taking a breath There are ot based on my portfolio and credentials, and the pained look on the interviewers faces when they got a well-ti in the business, and they had no loyalty to a twenty-soging out the story longer than it needs to be I told hih points

Andrew folds his hands together on the table, and he looks troubled “So that’s why you said your opinion didn’t matter yesterday”

Lifting aze

“Delia, look at me”

It takes me a second, but I do

“Your opinion one-hundred-percent matters Heidi was clearly threatened by what you did, and reacted very badly But that has no bearing on whether what you say has value It does”

“Thanks,” I mumble Rationally, I knohat he says is true, but it’s hard to erase that ringing voice inthat I don’t matter

“I’ve used Heidi and her coain”

Our food arrives, and it’s the perfect distraction There’s a little glowing spark in e Heidi again, but I don’t want to talk about Heidi or ood ti “Do you have an idea for your next show?”

Andrew’s eyes light up, and he starts to speak I don’t wonder why everyone loves him and wants to be involved with him and ith hi—especially his work—is contagious “I have a few ideas for that fall collection But I was thinking about doing a special show before that to advertise some of the stuff we already have, and of course, for the publicity”

“What are you thinking?”

He tilts his head “I want to use the gallery again, I think It’s a great space and really flexible As for theood transition between summer and fall because of jewel tones”