“Jessica.”
She couldn’t ignore the warning in her friend’s voice. She groaned. “Fine. He laughed and said that Tom was a hopeless cause.”
“So he doesn’t care that you’re with another man?”
“It doesn’t seem that way, does it?” And that bothered Jessica, though she decided not to say it aloud. “His exact words were that I was wasting my time but he couldn’t blame me for wanting to rush in and try to help someone. He thinks it’s ‘adorable’.”
Margaret followed her out of her room and down the hallway. “Hmm...”
“Hmm what?”
“I notice you’re not wearing the hat Peter gave you. You’re wearing Tom’s.”
“I like Tom’s better. Peter got that horrible green color his mother likes. I swear, it’s like wearing vomit.”
“It is atrocious.” Her eyes lit up and she stopped her at the front door. Leaning forward, she whispered, “Wear Peter’s hat when Tom is here and he’ll find a way to destroy it.”
Despite herself, Jessica chuckled. “Oh Margaret, give Tom more credit than that. I think he’s just nervous.”
“You’re probably right,” she relented. “I guess I shouldn’t be so critical of him.”
“You shouldn’t. He’s actually a very sweet person.” She pushed the screen door open and walked down the porch steps.
Her friend joined her and they strolled down the sidewalk. “Are you sure though? I mean, you are engaged.”
“I’m not hiding anything. I’ve told Peter. My mother will be in the house when Tom comes over. I don’t see why everyone is concerned.”
“Everyone but Peter?” she commented in a sympathetic tone.
Jessica hated that Margaret could read her mind. “You can’t tell anyone else what I’m about to say.” Jessica paused and turned to her friend. “You promise?”
If there was one thing Margaret was, it was loyal to her word, which was why Jessica even ventured to reveal what she’d been carefully concealing for the past month.
“Of course, I promise.”
Jessica nodded. “Sometimes I wonder if Peter’s marrying me because his mother approves of me.”
“No. That can’t be right.”
“Can’t it? You know how picky Connie James is. I think she has a tight leash on him.” Jessica stepped forward to resume their walk.
“Well...” She walked forward. “I grant that they are close. But...” She winced. “It’s not that bad, is it?”
“I don’t know. I mean, she and I get along wonderfully, but sometimes I wonder if she told him to propose to me.”
“If that’s the case, then why did you say yes?”
“I didn’t think it when he asked. It’s just something that’s been on my mind for awhile now.”
“And does this whole thing with Tom make you wonder even more?”
“Shouldn’t it bother Peter, even a little, that I’m with another man?”
“Yes. It should.” She picked a leaf from a tree lining the road and asked, “So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to teach Tom how to dance.”
Chapter Six
Tom stood in front of Jessica’s house and quickly ran through his plan. He wasn’t sure it was going to work, but he had to do something. He didn’t appreciate being made fun of. Well, if Jessica and her friend and fiancé thought he was a fool, he’d oblige them...for awhile.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened his tie and knocked on the front door. It opened and for a moment, he lost heart. But only for a moment. It didn’t matter how pretty she was or that she wore one of the ribbons he had given her. The fact remained that she had brought him here for her amusement.
Jessica smiled at him and waved him inside. “I’m glad you could make it. I think we’ll have a good time.”
He smiled back. I’m sure we will. He scanned the hallway and parlor. Very clever. It seemed as if they were alone for the moment. But they couldn’t be. That Margaret friend of hers and Peter had to be hovering nearby. The closet by the front door was open a crack. Maybe they were hiding in there? His gaze turned to the parlor. The couch was against the wall but not right up against it. Maybe they were behind it. He mentally calculated all the places they might possibly be.
“My mother is upstairs, but she’ll be down in a few minutes,” Jessica explained as she entered the parlor. “I was thinking we’d do some dancing after lunch. Would you like to sit and talk for a bit?”