This was my first time reading a romance short story by Barbara
Delinsky, and I found her writing to be emphatic and easy to follow. The story centers
around Carly Kelly, the owner of Plant People, a nursery and flower shop. She’s
offered a potentially life-changing opportunity to partner with Mayer’s, a
major home store chain.
With
only four days to decide, Carly calls her friends Bibi and Hank to share the
news—but she accidentally dials the wrong number. On the other end is a
stranger named Charlie, whose sexy, intriguing voice catches her off guard.
Instead of hanging up, Carly keeps talking. Charlie is kind, curious about her
shop, and genuinely supportive. Their conversation flows effortlessly, and she
finds herself opening up to him. Just as their connection deepens, disaster
strikes—her phone drops into a bucket of water, cutting the call short.
With
no way to recover the number, Carly tries various combinations on her new phone
but can’t reach Charlie again. Still, his advice sticks with her. She consults
a lawyer (also a customer) to review the Mayer’s deal, and together they make
adjustments that protect her business interests. Yet, Charlie lingers in her
thoughts, and she keeps searching for him online.
Then,
in a serendipitous twist, on the final night of celebrating her independence as
a businesswoman, the store phone rings. The voice on the other end stops her in
her tracks—it’s Charlie. He’s been trying to find her too and finally tracked
her down. He asks her out to dinner… and that’s where the story ends.
Overall,
this was a quick and delightful read. Though the ending felt a bit abrupt (I
would’ve loved a glimpse of their dinner!), I enjoyed the story’s charm and
simplicity. I especially appreciated the mutual drive between Carly and Charlie
to reconnect. I’d definitely read more from Barbara Delinsky.
Rating:
4 Stars
Some
of my favorite lines:
The
voice on the other end held an audible smile. “I think I would Love that. Who
is this?”
That
quickly, Carly went from relief that she’d said it all to mortification—because
now that he’d spoken more than just a hello, she could hear that the man on the
other end wasn’t Hank. This man’s voice was deeper. It was slower and more
relaxed. Definitely more sexy.
“Oh
dear,” she said, totally mortified. “And my speech was so good.”
He
laughed. “It was great. That’s a really neat opportunity you have.”
Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com
