I dont want to hold you up.
No. Not at all. No big deal.
Where were you going? Mitch couldnt help but ask. It wasnt like Cole to act all twitchy like this.
Errands. Come on. Cole turned back for the house. Ive got a couple of lagers on ice.
Feeling vaguely like an interloper, Mitch followed along. I got some news a few days ago. For some reason he felt like he ought to get straight to the point.
Good news? asked Cole as they made their way through the house.
Pretty good.
Cole reached for the refrigerator door.
Ive been short-listed for the Youth Outreach Award at the Longhorn Banquet.
Coles reach faltered. On Saturday?
Yeah. What other Longhorn Banquet was there in Texas?
There was something wrong with Cole. And you just found out?
Last week, actually. But with everything thats been going on, I didnt want toyou know, intrude over here.
Cole swung open the door, his voice hearty. Thats great. Congratulations, buddy. He snagged two bottles and pressed one into Mitchs hand.
Whats wrong? Mitch had known Cole way too long to fall for this act.
Nothings wrong.
Now Mitch was getting mad. It was one thing to be ostracized by Jenny. He deserved that. But he was still Coles friend. What the hell?
Fine. Cole twisted off the cap. I had four tickets. So I invited Emily. And Jeffrey is taking Jenny.
Mitch felt as though someone had punched him in the solar plexus. Youre double-dating?
Cole nodded, then took a swig of the beer.
With Jenny and Jeffrey?
Yes.
Son of a bitch.
Me?
No. Jeffrey. Im assuming youre just trying to get into Emilys pants.
Cole frowned. Thats not exactly what I had-
You didnt know Id be there. I get that. But Jeffrey. Mitchs anger bubbled boldly to the surface.
Hed told himself a thousand times that Jenny was allowed to date anyone she wanted. Hed forfeited his right to an opinion a couple of weeks back. But hed warned Jeffrey away. Hed warned Jeffrey in no uncertain terms that he was to stay away from Jenny.
Jeffrey knew youd be there? For some reason, that revelation made Cole smile.
Dont you dare laugh.
Hes messin with you, Mitch.
Of course hes messin with me. I told him to stay away from her. I warned him not to hurt her.
Cole looked like he had something more to say. But instead, he took the bottle of beer back from Mitch and placed them both on the granite countertop. I sent them shopping.
Who?
Emily and Jenny. I gave them my credit card and sent them to Maximillians to buy dresses for the banquet.
That didnt sound right. Jenny wont spend your money.
Thats where I was headed when you showed up just now, Cole responded. To make sure she did.
You were going to Maximillians?
I was.
Im coming, too. Mitch pivoted to head for the front door. And youre not buying Jenny a dress.
Yes, I am.
No, I am.
The thread of a chuckle was back in Coles voice. Why does that not surprise me?
Mitch turned to glare at his friend.
And good luck with that, Cole added.
Mitch didnt need luck. He was a professional football player. He had strength, guts, agility and endless determination. Hed already defied the odds nine ways to Sunday. He could get one woman to buy one single dress. And since it was for a date with Jeffrey, hed push for something that went from wrists to ankles, no cleavage, preferably in a sedate gray woolen blend.
By the time they arrived at Maximillians, Mitch had decided on exactly the dress Jenny should wear. But when he entered the store and made his way to the changing area, honing in on the sounds of Jenny and Emilys voices, the nun outfit flew right from his head.
Jenny stood in front of the three-way mirror in a black strapless sheath of a full-length dress that flared out at the knees. The top was sequined and dipped low between her breasts, clinging like a second skin.
His mouth went dry, and his knees went weak.
Youll have all the men at the gala panting after you like Labrador retrievers. Emily laughed.
That was Mitchs fear, too.
Emily was dressed in a short, full-skirted deep-blue satin dress. It was also strapless, and flared from the waist to reveal a black crinoline peeking out at the hem.
Mitch felt Cole come to a halt beside him.
Jenny gazed wide-eyed at herself in the mirror and seemed to stumble for words. Its tootoo
Too everything, Mitch wanted to shout. If she was dating him, sure, it was a perfect dress. But not when she was dating Jeffrey.
Perhaps the silver? a sales clerk offered, holding up a slinky, short dress with capped sleeves and ties that crisscrossed the open back.
Jenny frowned at it uncertainly.
Ill try that one, Emily put in, scooping the hanger from the sales clerk.
Go with the blue, Cole muttered under his breath.
Can you grab me some shoes? Emily called as she pulled the heavy curtain shut.
Sure. Jenny turned and immediately spotted Mitch. Her jaw dropped open, and she glanced to the right and to the left, as if looking for the punch line to a joke.
She made her way toward him, every movement sinuous and graceful. Her voice, however, was an accusatory hiss. What are you doing here?
He came with me, Cole put in, and Jenny seemed to notice Cole for the first time.
Why?
I got curious, said Cole. I couldnt wait to see what she picked out.
I meant why did you bring Mitch?
We were having a beer.
Jenny compressed her lips.
I wont get in the way, Mitch found himself promising.
Im going to ignore you, Jenny announced.
Fair enough. Do you want to know what I think of that dress?
She glared at him. Absolutely not.
Okay, he agreed.
But when she stared at him a moment longer, he found his gaze dropping to the cleavage, to the nipped-in waist and to the clingy fabric where it hugged her hips.
You dont like it, she stated.
Thats not the problem.
Then whats the problem? Youre grimacing.
That style isnt you.
It is now. She brushed past him. I have to get Emily some silver shoes.
Get her a bag, too, called Cole, and Jenny cracked what looked like a reluctant grin as she shook her head.
Mitch watched as she made her way across the store. She consulted with the shoe salesman, chose two pairs, then started back. On the way, she paused at a rack, taking out something gauzy and pastel, her expression softening as she ran her fingers over the fabric. But when the sales clerk approached her with two more dresses, she let the gauzy one fall back on the rack. The two women chatted on their way back to the changing area.
Curious, Mitch went to see what had caught her eye.
He couldnt have been more surprised. It was a V-necked, spaghetti-strapped dress made of pale, mottled rainbow silk. The soft, romantic colors were very unlike Jenny, as was the swish of the layered skirt that came to points at the hem, and the tiny jewels that adorned the neck and the waist.
For some reason, the dress reminded him of the house plans. Did Jenny have a secret romantic side? Instead of geometric lines and practicality, did she truly long for swirls and irreverence? The idea intrigued him.
Hand-painted, came the clerks voice from behind his shoulder. One of my favorite designers. Brand-new in today. Is it for someone special?
Mitch was willing to bet every item in the store was made by one of the clerks favorite designers. But if this particular one had caught Jennys eye, he wanted to see her in it.
He nodded to the changing rooms. Can you take it to the woman whos trying things on? The one with the strawberry blond hair?
Of course. The clerk smiled, removing the dress from the display.
Dont tell her its from me.
The woman touched her finger to her lips to promise her silence, and Mitch gave her a nod of appreciation.
He moved to another section of the store, pretending to ignore Jenny. In his peripheral vision, he caught her puzzled frown and her initial head shake to the clerk. But the persistent clerk prevailed, and Jenny took the dress into her cubical.
Mitch made his way casually back to the changing area.
Are you going to offer an opinion? Emily was demanding of Cole as she modeled the silver dress. Or just stand there and gawk?
Im here to make sure you dont go overboard with my credit card.
Oh, Im going overboard all right. She held out one of her silver sandaled feet. See these? Theyre Amerelda, three-inch heels, and Im buying them.
Oh, Im going overboard all right. She held out one of her silver sandaled feet. See these? Theyre Amerelda, three-inch heels, and Im buying them.
What about the blue dress?
You liked the blue dress?
Your choice.
Well, I like them both.
Then buy them both.
Emily put her nose in the air as she flounced off. I think I will.
Mitch turned to Cole and raised his brows, wondering if his friend had a master plan. This is going to be an awfully expensive date.
Like I care.
Mitch considered Coles determined expression, and came to the simple conclusion that he had it very, very bad for Emily Kiley. In a misery-loves-company way, it made him feel better. But only by a very small margin.
I hope shes worth it, he offered to Cole.
I figure Ill know by the end of the weekend.
Then Jenny appeared in the hand-painted silk, and the breath left Mitchs body. She looked like a goddess, a fairy nymph who wandered out of a mystical garden. The colors set off her honey-toned skin, meshing perfectly with her minimal makeup and her delicate features. Her limbs were long and graceful, and he immediately pictured her with wild flowers in her hair, tiny white satin sandals and a trailing bouquet.
He found his feet moving, taking him closer to where she swayed one way then the other in front of the mirror. The words buy it, buy it, buy it echoed through his head, but he kept himself determinedly silent.
Its really not me, she said to no one in particular.
Mitch moved closer still. Pretend for a minute, he said softly. That youre not you.
Well, thats ridiculous. But she smiled as she said it, and a warmth invaded his system.
It goes with your eyes, he offered, easing closer still, turning the conversation more intimate.
It would have to. Theres every color in the universe on this.
Do you like it?
Maybe if I was a fairy princess. But Id never wear it again.
So what?
Im not going to buy a dress this expensive to wear once.
Ill buy it for you, Mitch found himself vowing. Then he instantly regretted the words when her smile disappeared.