Designs On Daphne Read Online Free Page B

room, and a kitchen with a dining nook. Oh, and a pool on the rooftop. Overwhelming, yes, but maybe a dream come true, if she’d admit it to herself. Nobody had mentioned budget, not even once.
      Her cell buzzed. Daisy!
      She clicked into the call eagerly. “Hey, Daisy-chain. . .What am I doin? Settin’ here with a stack o’ magazines, just about buried. . . No, everything’s goin’ fine. I have no idea why a single man needs almost five thousand square feet of penthouse apartment, but I guess that’s none of my business, is it?. . . No, I’m not bored, not a bit. I had lunch with Esther yesterday, and there’s plenty of shopping to do . . . What? Yes, I meet Rodric later on today, to go over his plans . . .This mornin’? I had coffee with a new friend from my design class, and there’s an exercise class I’ll get to later. I’m tryin’ yoga tomorrow, gonna see if I can stand on my head. You eatin’ right? . . .Hank’s takin’ you to Las Vegas early for your birthday? Oh, honey, that’ll be fun! What an adventure for you both! Your classes start right after the Pro-Am, how’s the book-studyin’ goin’? You’re gettin‘ a head start? Oh, that’s real good. You’re not gettin’ too tired, with the practicin’ at Hank’s and workin’ at Ty’s? . . . Good. And how’s Ty?. . . Not cheered up yet? Darn him, why doesn’t he just ask Janie Dupree out for a nice date? . . . Well, I’m sure I’ll be home this Friday, but call if you need anything, all right?”
      Daphne hung up the phone. She hadn’t told Daisy the truth about the women in her decorating class. She’d been too shy to talk to them- they all seemed so citified, so much more sophisticated than she was, talking in fancy terms about color schemes and texture and space, using words like “Usonian” and “Louis XIV”.
       Daphne knew what she liked, but she didn’t know a whole lot about that fussy ole’ French Louie. Besides, it didn’t seem like they cared much very much what she thought! The teacher was knowledgeable, a nice man, not snooty at all. She was learning a lot, not the least that she never, never wanted to come off the way the women in her class did.
       The friend she’d had coffee this morning with was Miz Esther. Well, what could she do? She liked Rodric’s momma just fine. Miz Esther had insisted Daphne move right into her pretty apartment yesterday, then surprised her by calling at eight in the morning for coffee, sayin’ she’d taken a hotel room overnight!
       Daphne sure enough could have done that, but Esther insisted she’d wanted Daphne to get comfortable in the apartment, wanted her to feel like she had her own little place in Austin, just across town from Rodric.They’d lingered over coffee, discussing the different designer showrooms and department stores around town, where Esther thought she might find some nice things.
       Just when Daphne thought they’d finished, Miz Esther ordered a brunch sampler and two champagne cocktails!
    Over nova salmon and hollandaise, Esther confided that Rodric’s father was taking her on an African safari in two and a half weeks, but she’d surely be able to help Daphne get started. Then she said she didn’t know what to do with her precious pugs, she’d be gone so long, and her eyes looked hopeful!
       When she ordered their second champagne cocktails, Daphne offered to keep the pugs. Oh, Lordy, what am I gettin’ myself into?
    ******
    Rodric pulled out a handkerchief, mopping his brow before pressing Miz Daphne’s cell number.
      “Hello?”
      At the sound of her voice, he had a vision of her sprawled across the leather sofa in his mother’s apartment, right across town, and immediately grew hard.
      “I surely do apologize, Miz Daphne, but I’m gonna have to send a car for you again today. I’m still in court, and I’ll have to meet with my client afterward. How about you let the car bring you by Jeffrey’s later, and we have a nice