head, she ran a brush through her hair and inspected herself in the mirror.
“Not bad.” She played with her hair. “Up? Down?” Thyme tilted her head back and forth, critiquing her options. Before she could do anything with her mop, Maddie and Eva returned.
“Try these on.” Eva handed over the most amazing pair of shoes Thyme had ever seen. Sage would have a heart attack. Or orgasm, she wasn’t sure. Not being any kind of shoe connoisseur, she didn’t recognize the designer, but she remembered Sage coveting a pair of shoes that had a similar red sole to them.
“They’re…wow. So not my style. Are you sure?”
“Your legs will make them look amazing. Especially with that pedicure.”
Thyme inspected the heel. Maybe two inches. She could handle that. The strapping was silver and made an intricate pattern across her foot and up her ankle, where she buckled it. The look was fabulous.
“I’ve never been a shoe girl but these puppies may convert me. Thanks, Eva. I feel like Cinderella. But I promise not to lose these shoes.”
“Or a handsome prince will come and rescue you,” Maddie squealed. “Grayson can be your handsome prince.”
Damn. Who was she fooling? This wasn’t a date. Grayson wasn’t interested in her. He had a business meeting on a yacht and his mother conveniently set them up to go out. The only reason Grayson invited her to go along was to keep up the charade that they were dating. An excuse to be involved with Maddie.
The sudden dose of reality sucked the wind out of her sails. She’d keep up the pretense in front of Eva for now, but once she and Grayson were in his car, she’d have a serious talk with him.
The doorbell rang before she could decide what to do with her hair. Hanging down her back would have to do. She hadn’t worn it out of its ponytail in months. It was much easier when playing with Maddie, cleaning, cooking, and swimming.
“Can I get it? I bet it’s Prince Charming coming to take Cinderella to the ball.” Maddie giggled.
Before Thyme could protest, the door opened and Grayson stood in the doorway, handsome and dapper in his black pants and black button-down shirt. What could have been a casual outfit on someone else looked amazingly sexy on Grayson. Of course the designer fabric and label Thyme was sure his clothes had didn’t hurt any.
Grayson smiled down at Maddie and kissed her cheek. “Hey, peanut.” He stood and noticed Thyme. “Holy shit.”
Eva gasped and covered Maddie’s ears with her hands. “Grayson Montgomery! That is no way to greet a lady.”
“Excuse me.” He nodded and swallowed. “You look lovely tonight, Thyme.”
Her girly parts danced while her brain reminded her this date was all a charade. “I like the first comment better,” she teased so she wouldn’t swoon.
Grayson pulled a hand from behind his back, revealing two striking bouquets of exotic flowers. “These—” he crouched in front of Maddie “—are for you.” He kissed her cheek again. “You and my mother best not get into any trouble tonight. No boys, understand?”
“Ew, I don’t like boys. But I like flowers.”
“What do you say, Maddie?” Thyme hedged.
“Thank you, Grayson.”
“And these are for you,” he said, shyly handing the mix of purple, orange, and yellow flowers to Thyme.
“I, uh.” No one had ever given her flowers before. She didn’t date that type of guy. “Thanks,” she said just as sheepishly. Thyme brought the flowers to her nose and breathed in the sweet smell.
“I’ll put those in a vase for you. You two should get going.” Eva stroked Thyme’s cheek as a mother would and took the flowers. “You kids have a good time. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”
Breaking the trance, Thyme shook her head and blinked back tears she had no idea were in her eyes. “Yes. And I made a list of foods Maddie likes. She doesn’t have any allergies. If you could get her to bed before nine, that would be great. I’m not sure
“Not bad.” She played with her hair. “Up? Down?” Thyme tilted her head back and forth, critiquing her options. Before she could do anything with her mop, Maddie and Eva returned.
“Try these on.” Eva handed over the most amazing pair of shoes Thyme had ever seen. Sage would have a heart attack. Or orgasm, she wasn’t sure. Not being any kind of shoe connoisseur, she didn’t recognize the designer, but she remembered Sage coveting a pair of shoes that had a similar red sole to them.
“They’re…wow. So not my style. Are you sure?”
“Your legs will make them look amazing. Especially with that pedicure.”
Thyme inspected the heel. Maybe two inches. She could handle that. The strapping was silver and made an intricate pattern across her foot and up her ankle, where she buckled it. The look was fabulous.
“I’ve never been a shoe girl but these puppies may convert me. Thanks, Eva. I feel like Cinderella. But I promise not to lose these shoes.”
“Or a handsome prince will come and rescue you,” Maddie squealed. “Grayson can be your handsome prince.”
Damn. Who was she fooling? This wasn’t a date. Grayson wasn’t interested in her. He had a business meeting on a yacht and his mother conveniently set them up to go out. The only reason Grayson invited her to go along was to keep up the charade that they were dating. An excuse to be involved with Maddie.
The sudden dose of reality sucked the wind out of her sails. She’d keep up the pretense in front of Eva for now, but once she and Grayson were in his car, she’d have a serious talk with him.
The doorbell rang before she could decide what to do with her hair. Hanging down her back would have to do. She hadn’t worn it out of its ponytail in months. It was much easier when playing with Maddie, cleaning, cooking, and swimming.
“Can I get it? I bet it’s Prince Charming coming to take Cinderella to the ball.” Maddie giggled.
Before Thyme could protest, the door opened and Grayson stood in the doorway, handsome and dapper in his black pants and black button-down shirt. What could have been a casual outfit on someone else looked amazingly sexy on Grayson. Of course the designer fabric and label Thyme was sure his clothes had didn’t hurt any.
Grayson smiled down at Maddie and kissed her cheek. “Hey, peanut.” He stood and noticed Thyme. “Holy shit.”
Eva gasped and covered Maddie’s ears with her hands. “Grayson Montgomery! That is no way to greet a lady.”
“Excuse me.” He nodded and swallowed. “You look lovely tonight, Thyme.”
Her girly parts danced while her brain reminded her this date was all a charade. “I like the first comment better,” she teased so she wouldn’t swoon.
Grayson pulled a hand from behind his back, revealing two striking bouquets of exotic flowers. “These—” he crouched in front of Maddie “—are for you.” He kissed her cheek again. “You and my mother best not get into any trouble tonight. No boys, understand?”
“Ew, I don’t like boys. But I like flowers.”
“What do you say, Maddie?” Thyme hedged.
“Thank you, Grayson.”
“And these are for you,” he said, shyly handing the mix of purple, orange, and yellow flowers to Thyme.
“I, uh.” No one had ever given her flowers before. She didn’t date that type of guy. “Thanks,” she said just as sheepishly. Thyme brought the flowers to her nose and breathed in the sweet smell.
“I’ll put those in a vase for you. You two should get going.” Eva stroked Thyme’s cheek as a mother would and took the flowers. “You kids have a good time. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”
Breaking the trance, Thyme shook her head and blinked back tears she had no idea were in her eyes. “Yes. And I made a list of foods Maddie likes. She doesn’t have any allergies. If you could get her to bed before nine, that would be great. I’m not sure
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