All You Wish For

Chapter 4

"I can't believe you're here." Steve said as Delilah walked by his side in the gardens.

"Why?" She asked, smiling up at him.

"When I came back, all I heard was Delilah Thornton this, Delilah Thornton that. Delilah, the woman no man can have. And it made me think. Is this the same Delilah I used to play with? Delilah, the same girl I kissed for the first time? Are you this Delilah they are talking about?"

"The woman no man can have. Wow, people do like to talk."

"My guess is that you believe in love, am I right?" He said as they sat down on a bench.

"Indeed I do. Why be with someone you don't love?"

"I agree with you."

"You believe in love? That's something hard to believe."

"Hey! That hurts. Why would you say that? You don't think I'm capable of loving?"

"I guess that someday, eventually, you'll fall in love. Everyone does, at least once in their lives."

"What about right now?" He said as he caressed her cheek.

"Steve, you can't fall in love in a few hours. I'm sorry." She said getting up abruptly.

"You don't believe in love at first sight?" He asked, annoyed.

"Oh, please!" She said turning away from him. He caught her arm before she ran away. She looked into his blue eyes and lifted her hand and caressed his face and stroked his brown hair that hung around his face in a very intimidating way. He sure was handsome, but it didn't do anything for her. And besides, he was very dangerous. She could only see lust in his eyes. "Steve." She finally said. "We've known each other since we wore diapers. If we were to fall in love, it would've happened a long time ago."

"Haven't you heard of friends falling in love after years of friendship?"

"That could happen." She said as he grabbed both her hands and kissed them. "But that is something that would take time."

"I want to see you more often. Why don't we go to the club and play tennis? I've heard that you've gotten pretty good at it. I'll pick you up at ten, okay?"

"No, I'll try to go. But I don't promise you anything."

"Okay, I won't push it. Let's talk about something else. Do you still talk to George?"

"No, he stopped talking to me as soon as he left for college."

"Really? He said that you broke up with him."

"I didn't. We were fine until the day he left. He promised he would call me later that day and he never did. Everytime I tried calling him it would go straight to voicemail. To this day I still haven't heard from him. You guys stayed in contact?"

"Yes, we still talk. We were in school together, we even shared a couple of classes over the years."

"So, how is he doing?"

"He's doing fine. He just got engaged to this girl he's been dating for the last four years."

"So right after he broke up with me."

"I guess. Did you love him?"

"Why do you ask?" She asked, looking around.

"All your talk about love, and falling in love once, makes me wonder if he was your one."

"I thought I did. But it turns out I just liked him. I don't think I have felt love yet. I'm thinking I would know it."

"Miss Thornton?" A maid called. "Your uncle is looking for you, miss. He says he is leaving soon."

"Thank you, Tina." Steve winked at the maid as she left them alone. "Well, let me escort you back. I don't want your beauty to be lost between all these beautiful flowers. I'll be expecting you tomorrow at the club."

"So, Delilah, had any fun?" Elizabeth asked as Delilah got in the car while Nigel stood outside talking to John.

"I tried to, I swear, Elizabeth. But Steve is, I don't know, boring, after one thing only. He wants me to go to the club tomorrow to play tennis with him."

"You should still go. He's the only candidate you have at the moment. Keep him hooked."

"He's still friends with George. He told me he just got engaged."

"Really? How do you feel about that?"

"I was a little hurt. Don't know why. It's been so long. But just knowing he's out there happy, while I cried for him for days, makes me furious."

"I would be too if I was in your shoes. Just try to forget about him, he's in the past. Think about the present. Keep Steve interested until I find someone else."

"You are going to find someone for me?"

"I want Nigel to be happy." She said as Nigel got back in the car. "Ready, my love?"

"Yes, let's go home. I'm exhausted." Nigel said driving away.