Dillon in the Drama Department, but I haven’t actually met him. Any kin?”
Before James could answer, Elise said, “That’s James’s stage name.”
Dave nodded.
George arrived with the three women’s drinks. “Looks like the party has grown. Can I get drinks for anyone else?”
As they went around the table, James leaned closer to Elise. “I assume that’s diet cola?”
She nodded. “Yes, and don’t get near it. I don’t want another cola bath.”
“A little too much excitement for you?” he asked.
She glared at him.
“And you, sir?” George asked, looking at James.
“I’ll have a cup of coffee.”
“Fine. I’ll be right back with your drinks and then I’ll take your orders.”
James wasn’t in any rush. Now that disaster had been avoided with the newcomer, he wanted to prolong the evening. He was pretty sure Elise wouldn’t ask him to go back to her apartment with her.
“About Wednesday night—” he began, leaning closer to her again just so he could smell her perfume.
“Say, James,” Dave said at the same time, “how long have you been at the university?”
James was forced to deal with Dave’s question, but he hadn’t come tonight to discuss his brother’s life. He wanted to talk to Elise.
“Uh, I came back last year.”
“Came back?”
James sighed. “I worked for a couple of years before I came back to get my Masters. Have you visited Daisy’s shop?” Okay, so his change of subject wasn’t smooth, but he didn’t want to answer the man’s questions. And he didn’t like the way the guy kept looking at Elise.
He was supposed to be concentrating on Daisy.
He caught a look from Phoebe that said she could read him like a book. He sure hoped not.
The rest of the evening, Dave did concentrate on Daisy. But it didn’t encourage Elise to concentrate on James. In fact, she did her best to ignore him. But he hung in there. He intended to convince her they needed more time together to make their story believable.
“Did you and Phoebe and Daisy drive over together?” he asked as they were getting ready to leave.
“Yes.”
“Let me drive you home. I have a couple of questions I need to ask you.” All he’d have to do if sheagreed was come up with some questions. He could do that.
“I’ll be able to answer them on the way to my parents’ house on Wednesday. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Of course not. I’m looking forward to it. But that’s why I need my questions answered.”
“Elise, are you ready?” Phoebe asked.
“I’m taking her home,” James immediately said.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Elise said to Phoebe. “I’m going with you and Daisy.”
Daisy was talking quietly to Dave, so Phoebe came around the table to where James and Elise stood. “Should we stall?” she whispered.
“We could stage an argument to give them more time,” James suggested. “Elise is really good with arguments.”
She glared at him.
Phoebe chuckled. “Maybe she’s been inspired.”
“Oh, I have,” Elise said fervently. “And while we’re waiting, I remember something I need to tell you.”
“Oh?” he asked warily, not trusting the glint in her eyes.
“Yes. Daddy is expecting to speak with you privately.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Why, for you to ask for my hand in marriage, of course. Unless you’ve changed your mind.” Then she sailed out the door, followed by a chuckling Phoebe.
James was still standing there, in shock, when Daisy told him goodbye.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Oh, and give Elise a message for me.”
“Yes?”
“Tell her I’ll be ready. I haven’t changed my mind,” he said with a grim smile. “She’ll know what I mean.”
H E COULDN’T BELIEVE he was nervous.
Even when he’d proposed to Sylvia, he hadn’t sweated.
Now, he felt as if he must have lost five pounds on the drive to pick up Elise. For so long, he’d depended on his money and his power to pave the way for him. But neither
Before James could answer, Elise said, “That’s James’s stage name.”
Dave nodded.
George arrived with the three women’s drinks. “Looks like the party has grown. Can I get drinks for anyone else?”
As they went around the table, James leaned closer to Elise. “I assume that’s diet cola?”
She nodded. “Yes, and don’t get near it. I don’t want another cola bath.”
“A little too much excitement for you?” he asked.
She glared at him.
“And you, sir?” George asked, looking at James.
“I’ll have a cup of coffee.”
“Fine. I’ll be right back with your drinks and then I’ll take your orders.”
James wasn’t in any rush. Now that disaster had been avoided with the newcomer, he wanted to prolong the evening. He was pretty sure Elise wouldn’t ask him to go back to her apartment with her.
“About Wednesday night—” he began, leaning closer to her again just so he could smell her perfume.
“Say, James,” Dave said at the same time, “how long have you been at the university?”
James was forced to deal with Dave’s question, but he hadn’t come tonight to discuss his brother’s life. He wanted to talk to Elise.
“Uh, I came back last year.”
“Came back?”
James sighed. “I worked for a couple of years before I came back to get my Masters. Have you visited Daisy’s shop?” Okay, so his change of subject wasn’t smooth, but he didn’t want to answer the man’s questions. And he didn’t like the way the guy kept looking at Elise.
He was supposed to be concentrating on Daisy.
He caught a look from Phoebe that said she could read him like a book. He sure hoped not.
The rest of the evening, Dave did concentrate on Daisy. But it didn’t encourage Elise to concentrate on James. In fact, she did her best to ignore him. But he hung in there. He intended to convince her they needed more time together to make their story believable.
“Did you and Phoebe and Daisy drive over together?” he asked as they were getting ready to leave.
“Yes.”
“Let me drive you home. I have a couple of questions I need to ask you.” All he’d have to do if sheagreed was come up with some questions. He could do that.
“I’ll be able to answer them on the way to my parents’ house on Wednesday. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Of course not. I’m looking forward to it. But that’s why I need my questions answered.”
“Elise, are you ready?” Phoebe asked.
“I’m taking her home,” James immediately said.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Elise said to Phoebe. “I’m going with you and Daisy.”
Daisy was talking quietly to Dave, so Phoebe came around the table to where James and Elise stood. “Should we stall?” she whispered.
“We could stage an argument to give them more time,” James suggested. “Elise is really good with arguments.”
She glared at him.
Phoebe chuckled. “Maybe she’s been inspired.”
“Oh, I have,” Elise said fervently. “And while we’re waiting, I remember something I need to tell you.”
“Oh?” he asked warily, not trusting the glint in her eyes.
“Yes. Daddy is expecting to speak with you privately.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Why, for you to ask for my hand in marriage, of course. Unless you’ve changed your mind.” Then she sailed out the door, followed by a chuckling Phoebe.
James was still standing there, in shock, when Daisy told him goodbye.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Oh, and give Elise a message for me.”
“Yes?”
“Tell her I’ll be ready. I haven’t changed my mind,” he said with a grim smile. “She’ll know what I mean.”
H E COULDN’T BELIEVE he was nervous.
Even when he’d proposed to Sylvia, he hadn’t sweated.
Now, he felt as if he must have lost five pounds on the drive to pick up Elise. For so long, he’d depended on his money and his power to pave the way for him. But neither
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