Page 57 of Reckless
“Barely.I was at a showing and your mother texted me four times about appetizers.”
“Only four?”
“And sent a photograph of the table setting asking me my favorite flowers.”
Clearly gathering information for wedding planning.Maman was never subtle but I shrugged, “That sounds restrained.Guess we should both give in and for me to say welcome to the family.”
“Don’t say that.Not even as a joke.”I should have kept it simple.Something light.Easy.
Instead I lifted a hand and touched two fingers very briefly under her elbow.“You look beautiful tonight.”
A blush grew on her face.
God.A zip rushed through me as I realized that one reaction alone was going to make the weekend unbearable.
“So do you,” she said.
“Did you just compliment me back?”I asked and stood taller.
“I made a factual observation.”
“About my appearance.”
“About reality.”
Her face pinkened even more.“You’re blushing.”
“I am not blushing.It’s the lighting.”
“The lighting is behind you.”
“Then it’s the wine.”
“You haven’t had wine yet.”
She let out a sigh.“I’m pre-blushing.It’s anticipatory.”
That interested me too much as I imagined her entire body pinkening.
From the side, Charlie made a low sound of delight.I didn’t turn my head.
“Charlie,” I said.“You had one job.”
“He has a job?”Kelly asked as her eyes widened.
“Distract maman from making us her project.”
She nodded like she approved of the plan.
The group converged on us, and Kelly visibly shifted into performance mode.She was fast and her smile settled into place.A second later, her whole body made the adjustment I was beginning to recognize, the one where she took whatever she felt inside and immediately restructured any conversation to a joke, long before anyone else could say a word.
It was her daily operation mode in a crowd.
Hope hugged her first because Hope did everything emotionally and at speed.“You didn’t text me back.”
“I was avoiding joy.”
“You can’t avoid being happy.”
