Trey twitched his shoulders, praying she didn’t cry again. “I know it was partly my fault you had trouble setting a date in the first place, because I kept you busy with projects. This seems like the least I can do.”
He staggered a bit as Norah threw her arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you.”
The momentary discomfort bled into something warm and fuzzy that had him missing Tess. Trey hugged Norah back, not quite resisting the urge to run a hand down her hair, as he would with his own daughter. “You’re most welcome.”
Cam offered his hand for a hearty shake. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Really. No thanks necessary. I just hope my own daughter someday winds up with a guy I can like and respect as much as you.”
As they turned to offer their thanks to Brody, Trey stepped to the side and called Louis to get the ball rolling. By the time he finished the call, Sandy was pacing back and forth in front of the groom’s side of the church, in animated discussion with someone herself, and the kids had migrated to the vestibule. One hand rubbed absently at her shoulder as she spoke. Trey crossed to her and took over, kneading at the knot there. After one, quick jolt, she relaxed into his touch.
She worked so hard. He understood and appreciated that kind of drive, but he wondered when the last time was she’d had a break. When had he? The kernel of a plan began to form in the back of his mind—a means of both impressing her and relaxing them both. But if he was going to pull it off, he had a lot of details to attend to.
“Sorry about that. Still dealing with the aftermath of the storm in a few other areas.”
“No problem.” He continued to massage her shoulders, loving the faint little whimper she made as she leaned into him.
“I should call in the pizza,” she murmured. “Still sausage and mushroom?”
He wasn’t the only one who remembered. “Yep.” Before she could lift the phone again, he said, “Listen, can you clear your schedule tomorrow night? I want to take you out.”
“Four meals in even fewer days? People will talk.” But her dimple flashed, so he didn’t think she minded too much.
“Not here, for what it’s worth,” he added.
She looked over her shoulder, equal parts wariness and intrigue in her eyes. “Then where?”
He grinned. “It’s a surprise.”
~*~
“‘It’s a surprise.’ Why do men think that’s a good thing?” Sandy demanded. “I don’t know where we’re going. How am I supposed to know what to wear?”
“It is a mystery for the ages,” Adele agreed. But she was grinning.
Sandy scowled at her. “You’re not helping.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just funny. You haven’t been this angsty over a date since our sophomore year of high school.”
“I’m so glad I can be a source of amusement.” She yanked a pair of slacks and some jeans from the closet, tossing both on the bed beside a skirt and one of her dresses. He could have at least had the courtesy to tell her if it was casual or dressy.
“You could always take a really big purse and a change of clothes.”
“Because that sends the right message.”
“What?” Adele asked. “You want to sleep with him.”
“Not tonight!”
Her friend just arched a brow. “I didn’t realize there was a requisite time stamp. Does attraction have a maturation date? Like
wine or champagne?”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”
“What’s bothering you here? The idea that he might expect you to sleep with him—in which case, he’s not the guy you’ve been describing—or how easy it would be to fall into bed with him?”
Sandy knotted her hands in the sweater she held. “It just feels so fast. All of this feels so fast.” She didn’t want anyone accusing her of being reckless again.