“One of the best I’ve ever had.”
I took another sip of wine, then tilted my head. “As a side note, where did you get the Margo from?”
Leaning back in his chair, Mick smiled. “That’s not your nickname? I could’ve sworn you’re more Margo than Margaret.”
I sat down my glass, not meeting his eyes. “It was ... a long time ago.”
“I’ll tell you why it suits you.” He paused until I met his gaze. “Because when you smile, it’s way too bright and energetic for Margaret. You’re a Margo, lighting up a room, plain and simple. But for the record, I don’t think there’s anything plain and simple about you.”
I quickly downed my wine, leaving only a few sips. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could linger at this lunch without my heart bursting and my mind going to mush. Spending time with Mick’s compliments pouring like lava from a volcano was surely a way to get burned.
“So, your daughter. Does she look like you?” he asked, changing the direction again, keeping me off-kilter.
“She does. Although not quite as fair. She’s such a sweetie and smart. I know Priscilla seems like an uppity name, but she’s named for my grandmother.”
Mick ran a hand through his hair, and for a moment, I allowed myself to pretend it was my hand. Still justifying to myself I wasn’t doing anything wrong by having lunch and chatting about my daughter—and accepting overblown compliments—I forgave myself for the fantasy.
“Must be such an honor. I can tell you loved your grandma from your smile.”
I swallowed. This wasn’t where I wanted the conversation to go.
“I was closer to her than my with my own mom. Our relationship is ... difficult.”
When I didn’t continue, Mick deftly smoothed out my discomfort. “She must have been amazing. Priscilla, that is.”
Oh, Mick, Mick, Mick. Where were you fifteen years ago?
He was probably having fun like most twenty-somethings. Only I shacked up with my college sweetheart and then got married.
“How old are you?” I blurted, then my cheeks flamed. “Oh God, that was so rude.”
Laughing, Mick shook his head. “Hey, we’re beyond that. We’ve already traded all kinds of secrets. I’m forty.”
“Oh,” popped out of my mouth.
“Young to be where I am,” he said, “but not without sacrifice, which is why I’m single. There’s nothing wrong with me ... I just focused on making money. Sounds kind of selfish, but when you grow up like I did ...”
“It’s not. That’s not what I was getting at. Seriously, I wasn’t insinuating that,” I said, stumbling over my words. I’d made Mick feel less than, and no one knew better than me what less than felt like.
“Hey, don’t go overthinking it. I know you didn’t mean anything. I wanted to put it out there, that’s all.”
“Thirty-seven,” I blurted.
“You didn’t have to return the favor,” Mick said with a wink.
“It was only fair.”
“If you didn’t claim to have a twelve-year-old daughter, I wouldn’t have guessed it.”
This made me giggle like a schoolgirl, or maybe it was the wine. My brain told me to get the hell out of there quickly, but instead, I just grinned at him.
As I finished the last dregs of my wine, Mick asked, “Another?”
I shook my head. “It does sound fun, but I have an evening of TV waiting for me.”
Finally, my mouth and my brain intersected.
“Got it,” Mick said, and looked for Zeus.
