“Absolutely. I am much more than a conniving, sneaky friend.” Ann stood and held out a hand. “Stand up and twirl me,” she ordered.
She smiled when her handsome dance partner grinned and stood to obey. She laughed as Brent tugged her hand, spun her around in an elaborate waltz, and then dipped her over his arm. The cafeteria workers laughed and started clapping. Charming. He was just completely charming. Cal was lucky he’d gotten to her first. She’d have found a way to like this one. Georgia Bates needed to count her lucky stars for that botched toilet job.
“How’s that for showing off my dancing skills?” Brent asked, looking down into her face.
Ann nodded as he stood her back on her feet. “You have perfect form.”
“Ballroom dance lessons—years of them.” Brent turned loose, sat back down, and held a hand out to her chair.
Ann was no dummy. She knew what Brent was doing in not helping her into her chair. He was leaving the choice about the date completely up to her. She lowered herself in front of a plate of delicious smelling food that had suddenly and discreetly appeared at the table.
“So… you’re really okay with Friday?” he asked.
“Sure. Can I bring a plus one?” Ann asked.
“The younger man? Sure, bring him along,” Brent said, shrugging as he ate. “It will be my first threesome for a date. I’m only paying Mariah for you though. His time has to be volunteered.”
Laughing at his teasing, Ann picked up her fork. She always seemed to bring out the wicked flirt in men. It was one of her best qualities, and thanks to Cal, had been put to good use recently.
“I was talking about dragging Georgia Bates along with me. Don’t ask how I managed it, but she’s promised to dress up and dance with two men there. You, sir, need to be one of them.”
Brent whistled and then he grinned. “Hey, you’re really good at this conniving friend stuff, aren’t you? That’s like giving me two dates in one. Tell you what… if you get her to come to the dance, you can be my new BFF.”
“BFF? Even my children don’t talk that way. How old is your daughter?”
“Twenty-five going on thirteen.”
Ann made a face. “Perhaps it’s a phase.”
“Let’s hope so,” Brent declared. “She’s finishing up her first divorce and her self-worth is in the toilet. I’ve not set a very good example for her.”
Chapter Eleven
Ann stopped outside her son’s office door when she heard her daughter’s voice yelling at her brother. She looked around to see if anyone else was listening, but there was no one. Even the new receptionist was out… and thank goodness. Curse words were already flying. She knew that meant emotions were running high about something.
Being a mother, her primal urge was to intercede and demand they find peace, but first she paused to listen. She’d learned long ago that eavesdropping was a very useful way to gain information about the truth of things. However, in this case what she learned only gave her an urge to laugh.
“Did you even ask Mom what was wrong?” Megan demanded.
“No, I did not. I don’t like to worry ahead of time. She’ll tell us when she gets here,” David replied calmly.
“You’re like a too calm robot with no feelings. It’s a wonder Kendra doesn’t kill you in your sleep.”
“And I think it’s a wonder Nicolas still has use of his balls. You’re man enough for the two of you. Bet you guys always fight about who gets to be on top.”
“Shut up about my love life, David. This is about Mom. She could be terminally sick. She could be broke. Any number of serious shit things could be wrong. The last time I remember her asking to speak with us was when she told us Dad was dying.”
“Nothing like that is going on. Mom wasn’t using her ‘something’s wrong’ voice when she called. She was just using her serious ‘I’m concerned and want to discuss it now’ voice. That’s a whole different thing.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Megan yelled.
“It means,” David ground out, “that I’ve been around Mom more than you have since Dad died. I think I would know if it were something terrible. I don’t sense that, so quit chewing on my damn ass. Go do something productive until she gets here. Worrying never changes anything.”
Ann chuckled at how wise her son was. She crossed her arms and smiled about her daughter’s loving concern as she stepped to the office doorway. “Glad to know you two care about me so much, but do you have to broadcast your business to everyone you work with?”
“No one’s here, Mom. We sent them all to lunch early,” Megan said, blushing. “Sorry. You weren’t supposed to catch us arguing.”
Ann glared at her grinning son. “Yes. My mother sense has been working overtime lately. What’s your brother plotting to do with my backyard, Megan? I caught him outside planning something and he’d recruited help who refused to talk.”
Her own eyes narrowed when sister stared at brother without speaking. They talked with their eyes now. She actually saw both making a quick decision to play stupid. It was disconcerting when they ganged up on her and did that. The only blessing was that they finally stopped swearing at each other long enough to help cover their mutual guilt.
Sighing in frustration—because they both were adults after all—Ann dropped her arms and stepped inside the office. She looked at her daughter. “Megan, I’m physically fine. I’m not sick or hurt or dying.”
“Good,” Megan said. “David and I were worried.”
“No. Megan was worried,” David corrected.
Ann glared at her son. “So you don’t care about me as much?” Her son looked like she’d slapped him. David was all big growl and no real bite when it came to her. Being mean to him was like punishing a puppy for being a puppy.
Rolling her eyes at the drama she was creating with her offspring, Ann raised a hand. “I’m sorry, David. I know you love me. I’m just nervous about what I have to share with you two. It’s making me act a little crazy.”
“Nervous?” David repeated. “About what, Mom? It’s not like we’re fifteen. You can talk to us about anything.”
Ann shrugged. “I know that, but I’m still concerned about how you’re going to react to my news.”
“Mom—we know you’re dating. It’s okay. We both think it’s a good thing,” Megan said.
“How good would you think it was if I told you I’ve fallen in love?” Ann asked.
“In that case, I would hope you picked a very rich and generous stepfather for us,” David teased.
Ann pointed a finger at him. “I don’t care how rich he is… or isn’t. I care only about what kind of person he is and how he makes me feel. This man fills all the criteria I have for a companion. I’m merely being cautious with my heart.”
David nodded. “Mom, I was teasing. I think it’s very smart of you to want to know so much about him before getting too involved. Megan or I will discreetly investigate the man. We three will be the only ones who know what we find.”
“Investigate him?” Ann said in nearly a screech, her voice ratcheting up as loud as her daughter’s had been only moments ago. “Do you really think I’d fall in love with someone who wasn’t a good person? God bless my future daughter-in-law. Kendra’s going to need the patience of Job to deal with you.”
Megan’s laughter earned her a glare. When her daughter continued to giggle, Ann threw up her hands. It wasn’t up to them to approve of the man her heart had picked. It was only up to them to accept her choice. She pushed her hair back with both hands, groaning at how weird it felt to be talking to them about letting a man into her life.
“Okay. Here it is. I have met someone and I will be officially dating him soon. What makes me nervous is that he’s a lot younger than me.”
“Younger? Way to go, Mom,” Megan teased, giggling over the information. “Is he cute?”
“No. He’s not cute. He’s handsome,” Ann said sharply. “He’s also funny and kind and a good sport. I like him a
lot and I’m thinking this might get serious. That’s why I decided it was time to tell you both.”
David snorted as he looked at Megan. “Told you it was nothing bad.”
“Oh, bite me,” Megan replied with full snark before turning back to her mother. “Who’s the guy?”
Ann thought about it for a moment, and then shook her head. “I’d rather not say for now. I have another commitment through The Perfect Date. When that’s over and done, I’ll tell you who it is. For now, he’ll just be my little secret.” She glared at her son. “No investigating, David.”
David grinned before shrugging. “Fine. But I’d like to meet him before he spends the night with you.”
“No… and hell no,” Ann declared. “You mind your bedroom partners, son. I’ll mind mine.”
“Wow. Mom told you, didn’t she? She must really like him,” Megan said, grinning at her grinning brother.
“Agreed,” David answered.
Ann looked between her annoying children before shaking her head. “I should have said nothing until I was ready to marry him. It would serve you both right to be clubbed over the head with my decisions. I was trying to be nice and warn you.”
Laughing now, David walked to her and pulled her in for a hug. “Just tell me he’s a nice guy and I’ll believe you.”
“He’s a great guy. You’re both going to like him,” Ann promised, because she already knew they did.
David nodded against her hair. “That’s the only important thing,” he said.
A smiling Megan leaned in and kissed her cheek. “How much younger, Mom?” her daughter whispered in her ear.
“He’s in his forties,” Ann answered softly.
“Oh. Okay,” Megan said, shrugging as she pulled away. “Here I was hoping he’d be our age so I could like beat the crap out of him. I’d also lecture him about you being our mother and not his sugar momma or any shit like that. I figured I’d put him on notice so he’d be too scared to ever treat you bad.”
Ann closed her eyes. “Good lord. My daughter grew up to be Rambo.”
Her son chuckled against her. “That’s exactly what I told Nicolas before he married her. I said… ‘Dude, you’re marrying Rambo. Deal with it.’ Of course, he just laughed at the warning. Poor bastard is so in love, he’s blind to her every fault. There’s no saving him.”
“Gee, David. You really think I’m Rambo? That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever called me,” Megan said, smiling at her brother.
Laughing, because there was nothing else a barely sane mother could rationally do with children like hers, Ann leaned against her son and counted her blessings. She’d done her best raising the two amazing humans she’d birthed, but this whole single parenting gig was not for the faint hearted. It would be nice to have someone in her life to run interference for her occasionally—after they got over their shock of course.
She was definitely going to have to warn Cal about her children’s tendency to overreact before officially outing them as a couple.
Chapter Twelve
They paid the taxi driver from the tiny black clutch purses slung over their black dresses, and then climbed out. Ann stood on the sidewalk as she waited for her friend to emerge. Watching Georgia get out of the cab in her formal wear was as painful as watching a butterfly fight its way out of a cocoon.
Sliding across the backseat had not been a graceful act. Once out and standing, Georgia had to tug her fitted dress back into place around her curves. The platform heels at least did the dress justice, but how the woman intended to dance in them, Ann didn’t know.
Georgia did another undignified shimmy as the cab pulled away.
“I don’t get it. All that shaking and your boobs never moved a fraction. How does that even work at your age?” Ann demanded.
“Isometrics,” Georgia answered. “They’re the wimpy woman’s answer to pushups. Sagging breasts are unacceptable and must be stopped. Unfortunately, I’ve never found the equivalent to help my ass stay up—hence the underwear tugging.”
Ann chuckled. “Was that outstanding boob dress just hanging in your closet waiting for this event to happen?”
“No, smart-ass, but that reminds me—tear the tag off it. I forgot it because the stupid makeup took me forever to put on without looking like a clown,” Georgia said, turning around and lifting her hair off her neck.
Because of Georgia’s platforms, Ann had to raise up on her toes to grab it. One good yank and it was in her hand. Georgia snatched it away before she could look at the price tag. Her snicker over her friend’s embarrassment echoed between them.
“Whatever it cost, you look amazing,” Ann said honestly.
“Thank you.” Georgia looked at Ann’s more full-skirted dress. “You told me it was formal and that you were wearing your ballroom dancing dress with the sparkles on it. I didn’t want to look like your ugly cousin who didn’t know how to dress.”
Ann nodded as they turned toward the doors where two bellman waited. “Glad you mentioned that. Being a dance partner is precisely why I’m here—and the only reason I’m here. I have to help open the event with a dance. Sparkles just seemed necessary.”
Georgia rolled her eyes. “Yes, and you told me all that like twenty times on the ride here.”
Ann reached out and rubbed her friend’s arm. “Well, here’s something I didn’t say—I love you, Georgia. Thanks for coming with me. Tonight is important for both of us. Who knows? You might run into a man you like here.”
The glare she got for her declaration put a grin on her face as they entered. Georgia nodded at the bellman who could barely stop himself from staring at her breasts. Ann laughed as they headed to where the people were gathering in the ballroom.
They hadn’t taken two steps inside the room before they were spotted. The only reason Ann knew for sure was Brent’s low whistle of appreciation behind them, followed by a reverent “Wow” from the sexy man.
She turned when Georgia did, her smile beaming to see Brent’s gaze running up and down Georgia like she was a fancy car he intended to buy.
“Hollywood,” Georgia said flatly.
Ann covered her mouth at the sight of Brent’s beaming smile on hearing his nickname. God, she wished some of their friends were here to witness this too. She should have asked to bring them.
Brent walked up to a scowling Georgia. “You look amazing… and you’re not even wet this time. But then the evening’s just getting started.”
Ann watched Georgia’s body tense. She wasn’t sure what her friend would have said because the band struck up a loud chord and some emcee announced the opening dance between Dr. Brent Colombo, and his lovely partner for the evening, Ann Lynx.
With his gaze still locked on Georgia’s glare, Brent reached out and grabbed Ann’s hand, tugging her along as they headed to the dance floor.
“If you run, I’ll call you a coward forever,” Ann threatened, accepting Georgia’s raised middle finger as her due. She let a chuckling Brent pull her out onto the dance floor.
A sea of people parted for them as they headed to the center of the crowd. She barely had time to register all the men in uniform surrounding them. It might have been a good idea to ask what kind of benefit was being held tonight, but it just hadn’t occurred to her.
Mostly because it hadn’t mattered.
All she’d been focused on was that this was the last of these she would ever have to do and she was here for Georgia’s sake.
Brent positioned them both into a waltz form and the clapping for their performance began in earnest. Ann smiled at him and nodded, letting Brent know she was ready. Lights dimmed around the edges, leaving the focus only on her and Brent.
Her dance partner smiled back, and then they were dancing and spinning. She knew the smile never left her face. Dancing was one of her loves and she never got tired of doing it.
Georgia was seething while swearing silently in her head. She should have known Ann was up to something, but now realized she’d
underestimated her friend’s ability to manipulate. And Hollywood? Now she understood Ann’s repetitive insistence about her merely being a ‘dance partner’ for this date. Not that her friend didn’t look like a million bucks out there in her sparkling black dress. She and Hollywood looked like they’d been practicing for a long while. Hell, maybe they had for all she knew. Ann had gotten damn good at keeping things to herself.
“Thank God, someone else got to be on display,” an angry young voice beside her said.
Georgia looked down half a foot to see a woman in her twenties glaring out at the dance floor. “Let me guess… you were supposed to be Hol… Dr. Colombo’s date?”
“Something like that,” the young woman grumbled. “But I hate these things. I only came because he made me feel guilty about staying home.”
Georgia narrowed her gaze on the unpleasant young woman. “That’s my friend out there with him. Ann said he hired her to be his dance partner.”
The girl’s snort turned into a sneer as her gaze turned and checked out Georgia. The girl’s eye roll and head shake irritated her into responding to the girl’s rudeness.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me, girl. I have shoes older than you. And what was that condescending look for?”
“Did he give you those perky Double-Ds?” the girl asked. “They certainly look like his best work. And trust me… I’ve seen a lot of it.”
“You’re a completely rude little shit of a person, aren’t you?” Georgia laughed at her comeback. “And for your information… these boobs are my own, smart-ass. With the droop you’ve got started though, you’re going to need his help long before you turn thirty. Make sure he fixes the frown marks from your constant sneering too. Trust me… men prefer saggy tits on a woman to a mean mouth any day.”
She turned back to watch Ann and Hollywood finish their dance to a deafening round of applause. Hollywood’s pleased laughter as he pulled Ann close in for a hug pulled something close to a growl out of her throat. What the hell? She was not jealous—no way, no how.
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