Sir Richard normally would have suggested they eat in their suite, but since the Savoy has such an elegant restaurant, he decided they would dine out. He was sitting in an armchair, reading through the financial section of the Times. John was on the other side of the room, quietly checking in with his security team at the Thundercloud Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona and his other team in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Richard was busy getting changed for lunch. He glanced at his reflection and smoothed down some stray hairs. “Dad, I’d like to add a few facilities to the complex.” He straightened his tie, clipped on his gold phoenix tie tack and reached for his matching gold cuff links; birthday presents from his grandmother on his twenty-first birthday.
Sir Richard glanced over the top of his Times. “What sort of facilities?”
Richard fastened his last cuff link. He turned; sitting on the edge of the antique table. “Entertainment – for Donna. Since music is such an important part of her life; don’t you think she needs a place to perform?”
“I never considered live entertainment, but now that you mention it, yes, I do, especially after seeing her music video. She’s good. We’ve got the theatre room, but Donna certainly could add a little spice to the end of a dull workday.”
“She would be extremely popular with the workforce,” John chuckled, joining the conversation. “They don’t get out much.”
“That she would,” Sir Richard grinned. “Building her a stage wouldn’t be a problem, but what about the band? Donna is a country entertainer. There aren’t that many country bands in the UK. Especially those willing to undergo such a drastic change in lifestyle.”
“Donna was part of an excellent country band before all this with Jared’s daughter came up,” John interjected. “She and Jared were a perfect duo. It’s a shame they had to be busted up.”
“For more reasons than one,” Sir Richard sighed.
Richard frowned and clenched his teeth, glaring at John for mentioning Jared. Richard knew John and his father were right, but it didn’t mean he had to accept it. He wanted to put Jared as far out of Donna’s mind as possible. Sam as well, but how? “With everyone that’ll be living there, I’m sure we’ll be able to find talented musicians. Raging Storm is not the only talented country band in the world.”
“That’s true Ricky, but facts are facts. Whether you like it or not, Donna and Jared were good together. ”
“That’s why I want to build something like Jared’s recording studio behind Wisteria Hall. That’s where the music video was shot. It has a dance hall and even what he called a mock stage. The technology in that thing was awesome. I’d like to recreate that if possible.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s possible, but since I didn’t see Jared’s recording studio, I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
Richard opened his laptop and clicked on an icon on his desktop. “I took some movies when John and I were staying there.” He turned the screen so he could see.
Sir Richard leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. “I assume you’ve talked to her about this. Donna already has a demanding career, Ricky. Have you considered she may want to put all this behind her?”
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Kneeling on the edge of the kitchen counter, Donna was busy organising things on the top shelf of her spice cabinet, next to the cooker. Sam had just stepped outside to put something in the rubbish bin. Taken by surprise, Donna squealed when Sam grabbed her around the waist and cradled her in his arms. “You shouldn’t risk your beautiful body that way,” he grinned and kissed her.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that,” she responded, kissing him back. “I might have come at you swinging.”
Sam softly chuckled. “I’ll take my chances,” he said, kissed her again, and then sat her feet on the floor. “How are you doing with the spice sorting?”
Donna turned. “I think I’ve pretty well got them the way I want them. You cook, though; can you find everything OK this way?”
Sam scanned over the contents of the cupboard. “Sweetheart, a blind person could. The only thing that’s missing is the braille.”
“Oddly enough, when I cook, I like to be able to just reach in and pull out what I want, without looking. I keep the spices I use the most nearest to the stove.”
Sam chuckled. “What so funny?” she asked.
“The differences in what we call things. What you call a stove, over here, we call a cooker. I’m sure you would call this a cabinet, but we call it a cupboard.”
Donna turned and put her arms around his neck, studying his eyes. “Do the differences matter to you?”
Sam cradled her face and softly smiled. “No, sweetheart, not in the slightest,” he said and tenderly kissed her. Donna’s stomach rumbled. “I think it’s lunchtime,” he smiled. “Since you did breakfast, I’m treating you to lunch.”
“What did you have in mind?” Donna smiled. “Salad, I’m sure.”
“I have a particular favourite, made with crab meat and baby greens.”
“Sounds delicious. Can I help?”
“Not a lot of preparation goes into this salad, but you can toss the greens if you want to.”
“As long as you don’t ask me to chop the onions.”
Sam brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. “If there is one thing I don’t want to see in your brown eyes it’s tears. Put the bag of baby greens we bought last night in a bowl and toss them with 60ml of the extra-virgin olive oil. Then season them with salt and pepper. I usually add a little garlic granules.”
“Do you want me to use my hands or the salad tongs?”
“Use your hands…” Sam said and lifted them to his mouth, “…that way I can lick your fingers,” he teased, nibbling the pads of her fingers.
Donna grinned slightly. “Is that the special Sam Kaliea touch?”
“What? The licking your fingers part, or the garlic granules?”
“Both…” she chuckled.
Sam snorted. “I hope you like leftovers. This usually serves four people.”
“If something is good…” she grinned, slowly licking her fingertips. “I don’t mind having it again.”
Sam groaned and turned back to his crabmeat.
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Sam finished making lunch, put it on the table and sat across from Donna. She picked up her fork. “So what’s the name of this dish?”
“Lemony crab salad with baby greens. Do you like it?”
She licked her lips. “Do I ever. Is this one of yours?”
Sam grinned. “Sorry, sweetheart. I found this one on the Internet through one of those social networks. The garlic and fresh chopped cilantro were my idea.”
“It gives it a nice fresh flavour.”
Sam reached across the table and stroked the pulse on her wrist with the pad of his thumb. “You make everything fresh and exciting.”
“Sam, I think you’re getting too attached to me.” Donna softly smiled and carried on with her meal.
“I’m trying to get very attached to you.” Sam laced his fingers with hers. “What do you want to do after lunch?”
“Finish organising the house and then maybe go up and visit with Gary – assuming he’s there. What was that song you were singing this morning when I came out of the bathroom? I wasn’t aware you liked country music.”
“We have country bands in Tasmania.”
“Are there any other instruments you can play besides keyboard and guitar?”
Sam grinned. “Sweetheart, if it has strings or keys, I can play it.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“No. I’m an only child. You?”
“Same. My parents were killed when I was nine. My maternal grandparents raised me.”
“So what made you decide to go into medicine?”
Donna picked at her salad. “I don’t know, for sure. I’m really not that good of a doctor.”
Sam frowned. “Why in the hell would you think that?”
Donna sighed. “I get too attached to my patients. My last – a close friend of mine told me I’m trying to save the world. It hurts me when one of my patients dies. I don’t like losing people.”
“What doctor does?” Sam scoffed. “That doesn’t make you a bad doctor. There’s nothing wrong with caring for your patients – I do.”
“Yeah, but you don’t let it get to you, I’m sure.”
“I don’t let it show, but trust me, it still gets to me. Being a doctor doesn’t mean you have to shut your emotions down.”
“Yeah – well – it won’t matter now anyway. From what I’ve learned about Sir Richard, I doubt there will be that many real patients at the Centre. I’m sure you don’t treat something as simple as the common cold, do you?”
Sam drew air between his teeth and winced. “It’s not a daily occurrence, but I’m also responsible for the people who work at the Centre. Sometimes I have to treat simple illnesses. Sir Richard has this one man who works in the mechanical lab – Frank Oliver. I think Frank’s one goal is to break the world record for the number of stitches a single human being can have in their lifetime. I often have to patch him up.”
Donna laughed. “Is there a world record for that?”
One side of Sam’s mouth turned up. “I don’t know, but if there is, Frank Oliver holds it. Whatever your problems are, we’ll work through them. Like I said, I’ll help you get over your phobias.”
“You might help me get over some, but there’s one nobody will ever be able to help me with.”
“Which one is that, sweetheart?”
Donna pushed her empty plate aside. “Spiders! Several people have already tried to get me over my arachnophobia.”
Sam groaned inwardly, smiled politely, gathered their dirty dishes and put them in the dishwasher. That last bit of information was disturbing to him.
“Sam, is something wrong? You’ve gone quiet.”
Sam swallowed hard and lied. “No, sweetheart. I just remembered something I forgot at my apartment.” Like my pet tarantula. Oh well… looks like Fang gets a new home.