Larry couldn’t stop the wide grin that grew on his face. “Rouladen’s?” he suggested, naming his favorite restaurant.
She cringed at the name of the expensive establishment.
He hesitated a second. Was she uncomfortable with such a romantic atmosphere? Did she think he’d have expectations later?
He lifted her headset once more and leaned in. “Unless you’d prefer something different.”
“It’s just that I’m between paychecks,” she admitted.
He drew back, offended. “You’re my guest!”
“It’s not 1950.”
He gave a snort of disgust. “I don’t care if it’s 2050, you’re still my guest.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “You’re an old-fashioned guy, huh?”
“For the record, I grew up in the seventies, the bastion of women’s liberation. But you’re still my guest.”
That got a smile out of her. “Then I guess I’ll try to find something suitable to wear.”
“Wear anything you’d like.” Crystal could show up in a bathrobe for all he cared.
TUESDAY NIGHT, RUFUS wandered into the bedroom while Crystal rifled through her meager wardrobe. He curled up on the floor to watch, at the foot of her queen-size bed, next to the old rocking chair she’d pilfered from her parents’ basement.
He gave the room a cozy feeling, and she realized she was starting to enjoy the company.
“The red or the blue?” she asked him, holding up a slinky red satin-and-sequin number she hadn’t worn in two years, next to a simpler, ice-blue silk dress that was one of her favorites.
Rufus lifted his nose to sniff the air, seeming to consider each of the dresses in turn.
The red was guaranteed to turn heads, and it should make Larry see her in a whole new light.
Was that what she wanted?
She held it in front of her and turned to the mirror.
Did she want to flirt with Larry? Did she want him thinking of her as sexy? She cringed at her reflection and groaned out loud.
What was she thinking? One of the things she liked best about Larry was that he saw her as a whole person, not simply as a sex object. Why would she do anything to change that?
Because she wanted him to make a move, she admitted to herself. And that was sadly hypocritical. He was one of the few men in her life who weren’t trying to get her into bed, and she was planning to vamp him with red satin.
She tossed the red dress on the bed.
“The blue,” she said to Rufus, holding it up in front of the mirror. “It’s comfortable and classy, and it’ll help me blend.” She gave herself a decisive nod then headed for the bathroom.
A shower, a blow dry and a judicious makeup application later, she slipped into the dress and clipped some aquamarine earrings in her ears. She paired them up with a plain silver chain and decided that her inexpensive watch was a close-enough match. She was heading for the bedroom closet to pick some shoes, when the phone rang.
Rufus followed as she padded to the living room.
“Hello?”
“Crystal?” It was her sister Amber’s voice, its tone high with excitement.
“What’s going on?” asked Crystal, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was nearly seven. She didn’t have a lot of time to chat.
“Zane called,” Amber said breathlessly.
“Oh, no,” Crystal immediately groaned. Amber’s ex-husband was never good news. When he blew into town, he was either drunk or wanted money, usually both.
“No, it’s good,” Amber insisted.
Crystal paused, her voice turning cautious. “What do you mean good?”
“He’s doing better.”
“Amber-”
“He wants to talk, Crystal. And I want to talk to him. He says he hasn’t had a drink in-”
“Stop right there.” Crystal plunked down on her couch.
“All we’re going to do is talk.”
“You know what happened last time you talked.” The last time Zane showed up, claiming he was a changed man and wanted to try again, he and Amber had partied hard. It took all of two weeks for the weasel to run through Amber’s savings account and break her heart again.
Amber’s voice hardened. “You never did like him.”
“It’s not a matter of liking or disliking.” It was a matter of decent versus dysfunctional.
“It’s not like there are thousands of men out there.”
“Actually, there are. Hundreds of thousands in North Carolina alone. Many of them good ones.”
“Zane’s a good one.”
Crystal sighed. They’d had this argument many times. “You’re beautiful, Amber.”
“No, you’re beautiful.” Amber nearly wailed. “You don’t know what it’s like.”
“I know what Zane’s like.”
“He’s a decent man, and a good father.”
“Don’t tell me he wants to see the kids.” Now Crystal was really worried.
“No,” Amber sniffed, and Crystal could hear the pout in her voice. “Not at the moment. He wants to see me. But I can’t go meet him without a babysitter.”
Crystal closed her eyes. Bingo. The reason for the call. “I can’t.”
“Why not? Just for a little while. You and the kids can have mac and cheese for dinner.”
“I have a-” Okay, it wasn’t really a date. “I’m going out.”
“Where?”
“None of your business.”
“Well, it can’t be more important than my marriage.”
“You don’t have a marriage. You have a loser of a-”
“You stop right there.”
Crystal took a breath.
“Zane may not be perfect,” said Amber. “But he was my husband, and he is trying.”
Crystal clenched her teeth. Zane was not trying. Zane was a loser lounge lizard who only showed up to mooch money, then left her sister in emotional tatters.
“I can’t babysit,” Crystal reiterated.
“Then I’ll have to think of something else.” Amber’s voice turned searching. “Jennifer is almost-”
“Jennifer is nine.” Crystal instantly saw where this was leading. “You can’t leave the kids alone, Amber.”
“She’s very responsible.”
“No. It’s illegal.”
Silence. Then an airy, “I guess I’ll think of something.”
Damn it. Crystal knew she couldn’t take the chance.
Their parents were rarely an option. If they weren’t working, they were sleeping, and they tended to subject Amber to lifestyle lectures if she was doing something other than visiting the local library. Amber wouldn’t call them.
If Zane showed up at the door, Amber might talk herself into leaving the children alone. Or worse, Zane might start the party right there in the apartment.
“I’ll come and get them,” said Crystal.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Amber enthused. “You’re the best sister ever.”
Crystal didn’t agree. A good sister would have been able to talk Amber out of this insanity. She wouldn’t have become an enabler.
“I’ll be there in half an hour,” she told Amber, punching the end button in disgust.
Crystal blew out a sigh of frustration, then dialed Larry’s cell phone.
“Larry Grosso,” came his crisp greeting. The sound of traffic was in the background, which meant he was already on his way. She felt terrible.
“Larry, it’s Crystal.”
His tone changed, becoming warm and friendly. “Hey, Crystal.”
Her body hummed in reaction to the deep baritone. She took a breath to combat the sensation. Nothing to do but blurt out the bad news. “I’m afraid I can’t meet you tonight.”
There was a silence.
“Larry?”
“I understand.” His tone was cool.
“How can you understand? I didn’t even tell you why.”
“If you’ve changed your mind-”
“I haven’t changed my mind.” Good grief, she’d been looking forward to this dinner for twenty-four hours. She wasn’t some flighty young thing who’d blow him off for a better offer. “My sister called. And, well, it’s complicated, but I have to babysit her kids.”