Chocolate Goodies. Jacquelin Thomas

until it was time for them to leave.

      “So what did you think?” he asked her afterward.

      “Huh? Oh, I had a great time,” Coco told him. “I actually surprised myself because I really enjoyed the music.”

      He broke into a grin.

      “Okay, you were right. There, I’ve said it.”

      “Hey, I’m just glad you had a good time,” Ransom stated. “Coco, thank you for coming with me. I didn’t want to go alone. Concerts are no fun when you’re by yourself, in my opinion.”

       I’d go anywhere with you. Well, not really anywhere, but most places.

      She caught Ransom staring at her. “What is it?”

      “Sometimes you have this look of pure amusement. It’s as if you’re hearing something no one else can hear.”

       Man, he’s good.

      “No, it’s not that,” Coco said. “Ransom, we’ve only known each other for a very short time, but there are moments when I feel as if I’ve known you forever.”

      He nodded. “I feel the same way. Maybe it’s because I really enjoy your company.”

      She smiled.

      “Coco, I’m not a man to beat around the bush. I’m very interested in you and I would like to pursue a relationship with you. I’d like to see where this road takes us.”

      “I feel the same way,” she said.

      “Then that means another date has to follow, hence the whole dating thing.”

      “Just tell me when and where,” Coco responded with a chuckle. “Actually, I have it. Ransom, my parents are having a dinner party on Saturday for some of our VIP clients. I’d like for you to be my date.”

      “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.

      Ransom met Coco at her parents’ Century City home. She had gone over there earlier to help her mother with last-minute details.

      A woman dressed in a black-and-white uniform greeted him and directed him to the back of the house, where everyone was gathering. As he passed by the kitchen, the smell of freshly sautéed garlic and herbs tantalized his senses, causing his stomach to growl in protest.

      Coco saw him and navigated through the sea of guests toward him. “I’m glad you made it. My mom’s dying to meet you.”

      “Where is she?” he asked.

      “She went upstairs for a moment, but she’ll be back.”

      Ransom chuckled. He silently noted the muted gold walls and deep emerald green tones displayed throughout the furnishings. He was still in the process of decorating his new house, so he looked to pick up tips wherever he could.

      Coco led him over to her father.

      “This is my date, Ransom Winters.”

      “It’s nice to meet you, son.” After a brief pause, he added, “I apologize for staring. You look familiar to me and I was trying to figure out if we’d met before. So your name is Ransom Winters, huh?”

      “I’m afraid we haven’t met until now, although I grew up with Stanley Chocolates,” Ransom said.

      “Well, it’s a pleasure to have met you, Ransom. A real pleasure.”

      There was something in the elder Stanley’s eyes—a flash of recognition… What was that about? Ransom wondered briefly. He gazed around the room, taking in the dining guests and the ambience.

      Coco introduced him to her brother Daniel and his wife. Then her mother approached them. “This must be Ransom,” she said.

      “He is,” Coco replied. “This is my mother, Eleanora Stanley.”

      “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Stanley.”

      Smiling warmly, Eleanora nodded in approval. “He’s a very handsome man, Coco.”

      “Thanks for pointing that out, Mama.” Coco took him by the hand and said, “Will you please excuse us?”

      Ransom burst into laughter. “I like your mom.”

      “Yeah, I guessed you would.”

      A waiter walked up to them carrying a tray of wineglasses. Ransom took one and handed it to Coco. He then got one for himself.

      “Just so you know, my mother is not ashamed of her quest to have me married and pregnant. She fully believes that I should have a husband and that Michael needs a wife. Actually, I think my brother needs one, too.”

      “So you’re not looking to get married?” Ransom murmured. He was more than ready to settle down himself and start a family. It was all he really wanted in life, since he had achieved everything else.

      “I’d like to get married one day,” Coco admitted. “I’m just not obsessing over it.”

      Everyone gathered under the huge white tent that had been set up in her parents’ backyard. After her father said grace, the guests formed lines for the buffet.

      “Everything on the menu is delicious,” Coco whispered to Ransom. “But one of my personal favorites is the prawns with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and spinach. The other is the lobster tail soaked in a lemon-butter sauce. And the baked chicken is really good. We use this catering company all the time. If you’re ever looking for a caterer, you should try them.”

      Ransom filed that piece of information in the back of his mind.

      They sat down at the table that had been reserved for them.

      He sampled the food. “I’ll definitely give these folks a call when I’m looking for a caterer,” he told Coco.