“So…what are we doing?” I asked, hoping I didn’t sound as dorky as I felt.
“I decided I felt like a little window shopping and then some dinner.” He paused. “And then some sight-seeing.”
“Okay.” I held my hands up and let them fall to my sides again. Wow. As if he had needed more reminders that I was not the smooth, sexy lady he’d left behind in Colorado. But he didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he smiled and held his hand out toward the crosswalk.
“Shall we?”
At first, I was just as nervous as I’d been in the car. But Derrick made it easy to relax. We went in and out of shops, and he spent most of the time making fun of expensive accessories and clothes. I could see the manager in one of the stores giving us dirty looks, which made me giggle nervously and only encouraged him more. Then he launched into a diatribe about how bad the acting was in the show, which, of course, brought out the fight in me, which in turn, chased away the rest of my nerves. Arguing with Derrick was easy. I knew how to do that.
But as we passed a jewelry store on the corner, I saw the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in the entire world.
“What?” he asked as I stood there, hands pressed against my heart. Then he looked at what I was staring at. “Oh, boy.”
“It’s the Beauty and the Beast rose,” I whispered as if that explained it. But it was truly breathtaking. The rose itself was made of rose gold with a red ruby that glittered in the center. The leaves curled out to where they met the gold ring itself.
“That’s your dream ring?” he asked, an amused smile on his face.
“It’s incredible,” I whispered. Then I remembered who I was talking to and laughed. “I’m afraid to know the price, though. It’s why I never go in places like this. But it’s just so pretty to look at.”
He looked back at the ring, but instead of making fun of it the way he’d made fun of the shoes I’d liked at the last store, he just said, “Huh.”
Eventually, I dragged myself away from the display window and we went to dinner.
“Have you ever been here?” he asked as he led us toward a little Euro bistro with an outdoor eating area visible over a short wall. A live band played catchy jazz songs, and the smell of breadsticks filled the air.
“No, but it looks good,” I said as I followed him inside. There was a waiting area in the lobby. I stood in line to check in as Derrick went to get us menus to look at.
“Are you sure you want to eat here?” I glanced at him over my menu. “You’ve spent a lot of money today.”
“Jessie!”
I looked up to see Madison and Sam and a few second grade teachers already standing at the front desk. Madison ran over to hug me, and Sam followed. But he looked far less thrilled, and judging by the way Derrick was returning the look, the feeling was mutual.
“What are you doing here with him?” Madison turned around so Derrick couldn’t see her face. “I called to see if you wanted to join us tonight, but you never returned my call.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been busy all day.” I glanced over her shoulder at Sam and Derrick, who were still sizing each other up. “Derrick won that bet I told you about, so he’s been picking what we do all day.”
“And you’rehere?” She looked at me in disbelief. “I would have thought you guys were going to a fight club or something.”
I was about to answer her when Sam stepped toward us.
“Sam,” I said, pasting a smile on my face. “This is Derrick, Jade’s older brother. Derrick, this is Sam Newman, one of my neighbor teachers.”
Sam’s face tightened slightly, and Derrick looked just a tad smugger.
“Sam, party of four and Derrick, party of two,” the waitress called, and I let out a deep breath as I started to follow her away from the awkwardness.
Derrick, however, shocked me by raising his hand. “Excuse me,” he called politely. “If you have a big booth, we’d love to sit with them.”
I looked at him incredulously, as did Sam, but the waitress went back and looked at her little blueprint of the seats before nodding. “I think we can squeeze you all in. Follow me.”
This evening was turning out weirder than I could have imagined it. And yet, I obediently followed and slid into the outdoor booth then waited as everyone else crowded in, too. And who else could I be doomed to sit between but Derrick and Sam?
I was suddenly all too glad of the menu as I held it up like a wall to keep me safe from the rest of the table. Madison kept sending me frantic looks, but it wasn’t like I could tell her or even text her anything. Not with Sam and Derrick sitting right next to me.
“So, you’re Jade’s brother,” Sam said. “I hear you’re also engaged. Congratulations.”
I started scanning the wine section.
