Oh, now that was just shameless. “Well, I…”
“I know it’s short notice. To be honest, I’ve felt so lousy this week I wasn’t sure I’d be up to going. I’m sort of expected to be there, but if you already have other plans or just don’t want to go, I’d certainly understand.”
Maybe it was guilt because Riley had gotten sick taking care of her daughter. Or maybe it was sympathy for Bud, who was so anxious to avoid another lonely evening that he looked forward to baby-sitting two kids. Or maybe it was just the fact that it had been so long since she’d had a real grown-up evening out without her children. Whatever the reason, she blurted, “Okay. I’ll go.”
“Okay. Great. It starts at seven. So—maybe we should leave around six-thirty?”
“I’ll be ready.”
“I’ll call Bud.”
“Okay. So I’ll…see you later.” She hung up the phone, then immediately hit herself in the head with the palm of one hand. What was she doing? After all the lectures she’d given herself about not getting involved with Riley, all the mental warnings about ruining a pleasant friendship—not to mention a satisfactory tenant-landlord relationship—she was going to attend a fancy dinner with him.
For all his assurances that it wasn’t a real date, she knew people would talk about seeing them there together. That was exactly the kind of speculation she had wanted to avoid.
She was tempted to call him back and tell him she’d had a change of heart. But that would be terribly rude, and he’d probably already called Bud by now. When she picked up the phone again, it was Serena’s number she dialed.
“It’s Teresa,” she said when she heard her friend’s voice. “Are you going to the Chamber of Commerce thing tonight?”
“Yes. I go every year.”
“Good. Then you can tell me what the heck I should wear.”
“You’re going?”
“It looks like it.” She drew a deep breath. “I’m going with Riley. It’s not a date. He just thought I’d enjoy the event.”
“I see.”
Teresa eyed the receiver suspiciously. Was there a grin reflected in Serena’s voice? “I’m going as sort of a favor to Riley so he won’t have to go alone,” she added. “After all, I owe him for taking care of Maggie for me. And then he came down with her virus and he didn’t really have a chance to make arrangements with anyone else.”
“That’s very nice of you.”
Teresa definitely heard the smile this time. Deciding that more explanation would be overkill, she asked, “What do I wear?”
“You’ll see everything there from sequins to Sunday dresses. A lot of women who go to this thing see it as a rare opportunity to get all dressed up. I’m wearing a black velvet pantsuit. Cameron will wear a dark suit and a tie. Riley—well, it’s anyone’s guess what he’ll wear. He claims that socks are formal wear for him.”
Teresa couldn’t help smiling. She’d noticed that Riley didn’t usually bother with socks, and she had rarely seen him dressed in anything more formal than jeans and pullovers. “Okay, that helps. I’ll find something to wear.”
“Who’s going to watch the kids?”
“Bud volunteered. I haven’t told them yet, but they’ll be delighted. They’ve grown very fond of Bud.”
“I hear it’s mutual. Riley told me Bud’s crazy about your kids.”
“I’m sure he’ll take very good care of them.”
“Of course he will,” Serena agreed reassuringly. “Bud’s wonderful with children. He was like a second father to Riley. He’ll be a great baby-sitter.”
Teresa supposed it demonstrated how much faith she had in Marjorie and Serena that she was willing to so readily accept their recommendations for baby-sitters. In Memphis, she’d been extremely particular about who she entrusted with her children’s care. She’d practically required fingerprints and blood tests. But here, she had left her children with young Jenny and then Riley and now Bud. She hadn’t been guided wrong so far—she hoped.
Telling Serena she would see her that evening, she hung up. She turned to find her children standing side by side in the kitchen doorway. “We’re ready to go, Mom,” Mark announced.
“Good,” she murmur
ed, moving toward them. “It looks as if I’m going to have to do a little shopping for myself while we’re at it.”
Asking Teresa to the Chamber of Commerce dinner had been an impulse—and not, as Riley had told her, an idea conceived entirely by Bud. Riley had met his uncle at a favorite restaurant Friday night, and the subject of the Chamber dinner had come up in their conversation. Riley had mentioned he had a couple of tickets, and Bud had asked who he was taking. Riley had been considering inviting Teresa even before Bud suggested that he do so.