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“Don’t worry. There will be a silent auction and plenty of other opportunities for you to donate if you wish. So, please be my guest. Take your beautiful wife to the ball. You two deserve a romantic night out.”
“May I bring you a check tomorrow?” Cullen asked.
Joan nodded eagerly.
Then he turned to Lily. “What do you say, honey? Would you be my date to the ball?”
Chapter Eight
During the week it was open, the holiday market closed at five o’clock Monday through Wednesday. The earlier hours allowed the vendors time to restock and rest up for the days of heavier shopping traffic and later hours on Thursday through Sunday.
Tonight, Wednesday, Lily had planned on getting together with Sydney, who was going to let her try on some gowns in her wardrobe that would be suitable for Lily to wear to the ball.
As a single schoolteacher on a limited budget, Lily didn’t have any formal wear in her closet. Aside from prom dresses, her wedding gown was the fanciest dress she’d ever owned—or almost owned. When the wedding fell apart, she’d given back the dress, which had been part of the prize package she’d forfeited when she and Josh called their engagement off.
She’d never attended a ball before. Despite her excitement, right now she simply couldn’t afford to spend a lot of money on a dress she’d probably wear once in her lifetime.
Once again, Sydney was coming to her rescue, playing fairy godmother to her Cinderella, Lily thought as she rang the doorbell of the sprawling Texas-ranch-style house that Sydney shared with her movie and television director husband, Miles Mercer.
“Hello, love,” Sydney said after opening the wooden front door.
“I hope you’re hungry.” Lily held out the nine-by-thirteen-inch pan of lasagna she’d put together after she and the kids got home from the market. “There’s plenty, so I hope Miles will join us. You’ll still have leftovers that might come in handy since we’ll be working late this weekend.”
Actually Lily had made a double batch of lasagna, a pan to take with her and one so that Cullen and the kids would have a nice meal when they sat down to dinner together tonight. Cooking dinner for him and the kids had never been part of the plan, but they all had to eat anyway. And Cullen always invited her to stay and eat with them. At first she’d been hesitant. Now it was becoming their routine.
She wondered what the girls would say if they knew Cullen Dunlevy had curtailed his philandering in favor of family-style dinners.
He always seemed so appreciative, and she had to admit, she loved seeing the look on his face as he enjoyed her home-cooked meals.
“Actually Miles is out of town on a shoot tonight,” she said. “So it’s just us.”
All the better. Right now Sydney was the only person who knew that Cullen was taking Lily to the ball. She’d let the others know eventually, but since the dance was nearly two weeks away, Lily didn’t see the need to raise their eyebrows. Not right away, at least. Her friends were great, but she didn’t want to hear their warnings or cautionary tales about Cullen.
“That smells delicious,” Sydney said, ushering Lily into the kitchen. “I was going to suggest we order in, but this is even better.”
Even though Sydney worked for Celebrations Inc. Catering, everyone knew she wasn’t a cook. She handled public relations for the company, of which she owned a quarter. She was just as good in the public-relations office as A.J. was in the kitchen. It was a business partnership made in heaven.
“All I have to do is warm it up for about a half hour,” Lily said.
“Help yourself to the oven,” Sydney said. “That is so not my territory. I’m lucky to have friends and a husband who cooks.”
Sydney paused and gave her a knowing stare. “I’d say a certain Dr. Studly is pretty lucky to have you. How’s that going?”
“How is what going?” Lily feigned ignorance as she punched the buttons on the oven to start it preheating.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Sydney said, hands on her hips. “The big date. The reason you’re here tonight—to look gorgeous for Prince Charming when he escorts you to the ball.”
