“I had a wonderful time,” she said with an uneasy sigh. “Look, I understand enough about men to know that they really don’t want to be just friends. I had a great time tonight, though. I want you to know that.”
“I had a great time, too,” he admitted. And now that she had given him the perfect out—served it up to him on a silver platter—he shocked himself adding, “And you’re wrong. Friends is fine with me. If for no other reason, I just want to be around when you are voted the most successful real estate agent in the Mid-Atlantic.”
She beamed.
Then the devil in him returned as he leaned in closely to her. “But when that happens, I warn you that I will seduce you to my fullest capacity.”
***
Hearing a car door slam, Maeve raced to the window barely remembering to turn the light out so that they wouldn’t see her watching. A man was approaching the passenger side door. Maeve’s jaw gaped at the sight of his broad silhouette, and she nodded her tacit approval. He was a heartbreaker.
A protective feeling rose in her. Lacey was so trusting. Maeve better keep a close watch on this one.
When the man opened Lacey’s car door, the car’s interior lights revealed Lacey’s image in her conservative capris and blouse. Maeve strained to see her shoes. Flats? Maeve shook her head.
She raced down the stairs when she heard Lacey come in through the door, and stopped, arms crossed and eyebrows raised, on the bottom step. “How are you supposed to seduce a man in flats, Lacey? Have I taught you nothing?”
“We’re just friends, Maeve.”
“Whatever. When Bess told me that you had driven off with some hot guy, I thought there might be hope for you. But I can see I was wrong. Your hair’s not even disheveled.” She sighed and flopped onto the sofa opening her latest issue of Wine Connoisseur. “What a waste. He looked delicious. Was that the guy from the funeral?”
“How’d you guess?”
“Bess said something about your meeting with that widow, so I put two and two together. From the look of him, maybe I should start hanging out at funerals.” She let out a low whistle from behind the magazine.
“Where is she, anyway?”
“Bess? I think she’s asleep by now. Kid sleeps like the dead. I’ve never known anyone to go to bed so early.”
“It’s the work, probably. Very tiring pushing vacuums and scrubbing floors all day. I don’t know how she does it.”
“It pays,” Maeve said, dog-earing a page. She set it down on her lap thoughtfully. “I think she’s just doing that to pay the rent while she figures out her next move.”
“I can relate to that.” Lacey’s tone was dismal. “That’s how I spent my entire twenties.”
They heard the creak of the staircase behind them.
Maeve peeked over the arm of the sofa. “Hey, Bess. I thought you were asleep.”
Bess’s startled eyes were puffy. “I was. I heard someone at the door.”
“Oh, that was just me. Sorry I woke you.” Lacey kicked off her shoes.
“How was your date?”
“Well, it wasn’t really a date,” Lacey said, and explained to them both Edith’s unexpected set-up between her and Mick.
Maeve laughed as the story unfolded. “I like this old lady’s style.”
“She’s really sweet. But it was so awkward. And honestly, I don’t think I could handle just being friends with him. The whole night, I just wanted to—”
“Pounce him?” Maeve offered.
“Yes!”
Bess grinned at Lacey’s candor. “Could you maybe just keep him around a little, just in case you change your mind?”
“Or could one of us have him by default?” Maeve sent Bess a wink.
Lacey fired them both a glare and all but growled, “No!”
Maeve and Bess exchanged knowing looks.
“Just friends, my ass,” Maeve said with a smirk.
CHAPTER SIX
Handing a set of house keys over to Brian and Marybeth Sandoval, there were few occasions when Lacey had felt this proud. “Congratulations. There’s nothing more exciting than buying your first home together.”
Marybeth was beaming. “Oh, Lacey, I just can’t thank you enough for all your patience. I never thought we’d need to look at so many homes before we found the perfect one.”
“I’m just glad you found the right one.”
Brian placed his arm easily around his wife’s shoulders and gave a little squeeze. “You went above and beyond. And haggled a good price for us. Remind me to never try to sell a car to you. I’d come out in the red.”
“I promise to stay away from your car dealership only if you send me a referral or two,” Lacey said, handing him a few extra business cards.