Page 64 of Tease Me

I slipped into a pair of flat sandals that were decorated with hundreds of colorful beads. As I recalled how sunny it was outside, I reached up onto my toes, pulled down my large floppy white hat, and put it on. I checked the mirror.

It amazed me how often I was happy with my reflection these days. Maybe Memphis was putting a positive spin on my opinion of myself. When she wasn’t getting me into trouble, that was.

I grabbed my caramel leather tote and shoved in a colorful pashmina, along withall my other essentials.With five minutes to spare, I headed downstairs.

Once again, Henry waited beside a sleek black car in the drop-off zone, and I just about tripped over my skirt over his casual yet confident stance. Henry looked like a man on top of the world. Maybe that came with his age.

I felt a sense of relief as I moseyed down the steps toward him, and he walked toward me. Of all the men I’d met this year, Henry was the one who could help me through the tumbling doubts that gripped me this week.

“You look lovely.” He kissed my cheek, and I smiled at his now-familiar scent.

“Is this dress okay?”

“You’re supposed to say thank you.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

“That’s better.”

He opened the car door, and I scooped up my skirt to sit.

He sat in the driver’s seat, and once he’d pulled the car out into the busy weekend traffic, I asked, “Do I get to ask where we’re going?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, where are we going?”

He grinned his beautiful smile at me. “It’s a surprise.”

“I knew you’d say that.” I slapped his arm, and as I turned my attention to the surrounding scenery, I reflectedon the factthat Clayton had saidexactlythe same thing when he took me to lunch on my birthday. Other than their age, the two men were very similar in personality. I wondered what else they had in common.

“So, do you have children?” I couldn’t believe I’d blurted that out.

He looked at me, weird-like. “Yes, I do.Apigeon pair.My son is twenty-six, and my daughter is twenty-three.”

“Oh.” I had no idea whether this additional knowledge influenced my opinion of Henry. It certainly had with Clayton.

“No, they don’t know about you . . .” Henry said. “In case you were wondering.”

“Ummm . . . no, I wasn’t, actually.”

“What were you thinking then?”

Oh God, why do I always walk into thesedifficultquestions?

“Quick, answer, or I’ll think you’re making things up.”

“Really?”

“Yes, come on. Tell me.”

I let out a huge sigh. “I’m not sure youreallywant to hear it.”

“You’re wrong. I want to know everything about you.”

No, you don’t.

“Whatever it is, Jane, it won’t change my opinion of you.”

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