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“Like something we’re not forced to do together as part of this Henry’s Spirit of Christmas thing.”
Perhaps seeing Mary Paige on those terms would bring him clarity. “Sunday afternoon?”
“Brunch?”
He nodded. “I’ll pick you up.”
Mary Paige’s smile reminded him of a child on Christmas morning, and he felt something inside the shell of his heart ping. He figured he liked making Mary Paige smile as much as he liked making her angry.
“I haven’t been out to brunch in New Orleans.”
“Then it will have to be Commander’s Palace Jazz Brunch.”
She clasped her hands together with a delighted smile, and suddenly he was okay with not relieving her of her gown. He didn’t quite understand why going slow with Mary Paige seemed so right, but he was glad they’d tapped the brakes.
He jerked his head toward the double glass doors. “I want to dance with you.”
“How did I go from wanting to punch you to wanting to kiss you…almost in the same breath?” She moved toward him.
He picked up her hand, which was cold from the night air. In fact, she looked a little chilled all over. He pulled her against him, enjoying the way she fit perfectly beneath his arm. “I wish I knew.”
Before they entered the room where the band played “Moon River,” Mary Paige stilled him with a hand on his arm. “Brennan?”
“Yeah?” He looked at her, finding her amber eyes soft with apology. “I don’t think you’re a bad person. I really don’t. I think you have some hard corners and a few dings here and there, but none of us is perfect, are we?”
He shook his head.
“I think you have more potential than any man I’ve ever known.”
Their gazes met, and in that moment, something sincere bloomed between them. No words for it. A mere knowing between two people who didn’t know what the future held but knew they’d always hold each other in an honest regard.
“Dance with me, Mary Paige?”
She tightened her grip on his hand and nodded.
At that moment, dancing was enough.
* * *
MITZIPULLEDOUTa glittery,bright orange shrug and waggled it. “Now, this came from a boutique where the chichi shop. What do you think?”
“That I’d look like a deranged tangerine,” Mary Paige said, sitting on the edge of her bed as Mitzi, wearing a curly red wig reminiscent ofAnnie,pawed through the bundle of clothes she’d brought over to help Mary Paige find the “most awesome” of outfits to wear on her date with Brennan.
“Well, he’s rich.”
“And thanks to his grandfather, so am I.”
Mitzi cocked her head. “Dude. You so are. So why are we going through all this crap when we could be buying you something that would make his jaw drop to the floor?”
Because I have no idea what to do with that kind of cash and just the thought of it terrifies me. “Because I don’t like wasting money. Besides, I haven’t even deposited the check.”
“Are you nuts? You don’t have an alarm system. Put it in the bank already.” Mitzi flung the orange shrug on top of the stack and put her hands on her hips. “What’s the deal?”
Mary Paige wished she knew. It was lame that an accountant, someone who had lifelong history of being so careful with money that it leaned toward frugality, would be so intimidated by the money. She should put it in the bank and trust that she’d figure out how to invest it and disperse it thoughtfully. But something held her back. “I will. Soon. Just have to figure out what I want to do with it.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Mitzi said, an unholy gleam entering her eyes. “Let’s go shopping, darling.”
Mary Paige looked over at her poorly stocked closet and sighed. “I guess we could go to the mall.”
