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.She carefully placed all the photographs back into the box.Then she followed the delightful aroma of stew into the kitchen.Mrs.Webb hummed as she tossed a salad in a rustic, wooden bowl.The kitchen, although equipped with every modern convenience, was in the rustic French style.The long, polished, wooden counter held a lifetime of knife marks and scratches.A simple vase on the table held a large bouquet of simple flowers.The effect was warmth plus beauty.“Can I peek?” Amber asked, pointing to the large crock pot on the counter.Mrs.Webb smiled and nodded.“I'm going to break down and have an entire bowl if Mr.Webb doesn't arrive soon."Amber lifted the lid and groaned with pleasure as the wonderful scents hit her nose.The stew bubbled delightfully in the pot.She could see bits of tender beef, carrots, potatoes, beans and corn, all waiting to be tasted.“I won't tell if you don't,” she said, grinning.“But I might get suspicious if all I get served is salad,” a voice said behind her.Amber jumped.She whirled around and saw Mr.Webb entering the kitchen.“I didn't mean to startle you, my dear,” he said, holding out his arms for a quick, warm hug.“I'm so pleased that you decided to join us.We were hoping to see more of Hunter with his internship here in Paris.”He shook his head.“I'm afraid he works too much.Not one of the best traits he gets from me.”Mr.Webb turned to his wife, giving her a loving embrace and a kiss on the mouth.“The stew smells amazing, darling.I'm glad I arrived in time to get some.”Mrs.Webb laughed.“We would have left you a small sample.At least enough to make you hurry home next time.”Amber was dying to ask about Hunter's pet dog, but she realized that Mrs.Webb had already indulged as much as she was comfortable doing so.And if she was honest with herself, she knew that she wouldn't want anyone prying in her personal life behind her back.Shaking her head, she allowed herself to simply enjoy a pleasant evening with the Webbs.They were so warm and friendly that she quite forgot that they were extraordinarily wealthy.She had expected perhaps servants or the food served on exquisite china.Instead, they ate on large, sturdy plates.The wine glasses, though well crafted, were certainly not fancy crystal.Apparently, Hunter got his simple, everyday tastes from his parents.After dinner, she was pleasantly surprised to discover Mr.Webb helping his wife with the dishes.Amber was allowed to dry the silverware and plates.Whether they did this every evening or not, it was clear that both of Hunter's parents were quite comfortable in the kitchen.Amber had to admit that it shattered her image of what an insanely wealthy family was like.Apparently, money was simply one small part of the equation.Finally, Amber looked up and noticed how late it was.The time had passed so quickly.She was wondering how she was going to get back to the hotel when she heard someone walking through the living room.To her delight, Hunter rounded the corner and greeted her with a smile and a kiss.“Hey, gorgeous! How was your afternoon?”Amber leaned into him, inhaling his scent.She hadn't realized how much she had been missing him.“Great!” she said.“I'll fill you in later, but your parents are the most charming hosts ever.”Hunter gave both his parents big hugs and then sniffed the air.“Mm.Mom's famous stew.Is there any left?”“There's a large bowl with your name on it in the refrigerator,” Mrs.Webb replied.“I'll warm it up for you.”“I can get it, Mom.Just let me borrow Amber while it's heating up.”Mr.and Mrs.Webb moved into the living room to give them privacy.“I trust you had enough to eat,” Hunter said, nuzzling Amber's neck with his lips after placing his bowl in the microwave and setting the timer.“Two bowls of stew, a salad and enough bread to embarrass myself,” Amber said with a grin.She wrapped her arms around him.“Sorry you couldn't join us.Your parents are fun to be around.”Hunter squeezed her in his arms.“I assure you I would have rather been here.The artist I was escorting around the city today was a total jerk.”Amber leaned back and stared at Hunter with surprise.“He was rude to you?”Hunter laughed.“Of course not.I would have dropped his ass off at the nearest metro station.I was supposed to take him to dinner tonight.But after he insulted one of our nicest volunteers, I arranged for dinner to be delivered to his hotel.”“Won't you get in trouble?” Amber asked, dismayed.Hunter shrugged [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]