Her grin widened. “Is there a fee? I’m not sure I brought enough money, and my credit card is close to the limit.”
“I’ll float you a loan. Come on.”
Tucking her arm in the crook of his elbow, he led her through the rooms downstairs. Looking at it from someone else’s eyes was positively enlightening.
“This place is incredible. Big and beautiful. And the decorations. I can’t even begin to imagine what some of this stuff cost.”
As she raised her hand to touch one of the vases on a low shelf in the library, she peeked over her shoulder at him. Did she think he’d yell at her not to touch?
“It’s only stuff. Most of it doesn’t have any sentimental value to anyone. My mother didn’t even pick out much of it. She has a decorator do it. They renovate at least one room every year on a rotating basis. Heaven forbid the decor is out of date.”
“Don’t you like this house?” Her voice was hesitant.
“Like you said, it’s beautiful. But it’s also sterile and cold. It’s not like your parents’ house where you can stretch out on the sofa with your feet on the coffee table. If you did that here, my mother would have a coronary.”
“Don’t think my mother doesn’t give my dad and brothers a hard time if they have their shoes on the furniture. It doesn’t get replaced every few years, but she likes to keep it in good shape.”
He reached out and held her shoulders. “I could tell. Their house was warm and cozy and comfortable. It’s a place you can relax and be yourself.” Often, he wondered exactly who that was. Being raised here in this showplace, then becoming a doctor who lived in a fancy townhouse in Back Bay. Was that who he was?
“I always thought so, but then I grew up there.”
“I haven’t seen much of your apartment, but the living room and kitchen seem comfortable and relaxed.”
She shot him a glance from the corner of her eye. “There isn’t much else to the apartment, other than my bedroom and Mercedes’.”
“You’ll have to give me the tour someday.” Was that too forward?
“You want to see Mercedes’ bedroom?” The little imp thought she was funny.
Reeling her in closer, his gaze locked on her lips, the ones grinning at him right now. “Definitely not hers.”
He leaned in, the expression on her face excited. Expectant.
“There you are, Blake,” his father’s voice boomed from behind him. “Your mother said you got here hours ago. Have you been hiding in the library all night?”
Spinning around, he tucked Carli closer to his shoulder. “Hey, Dad. No, I’ve been around. I was giving Carli a quick tour of the house.” They’d gotten stalled in this room with their conversation. The dark wood and stacks of books surrounding them hinted at privacy.
“Carli?” His father scrutinized the woman at his side. He couldn’t tell if she made the cut, but he didn’t honestly care. Who he dated was up to him. They’d pushed him on Priscilla and look how that had ended.
“Carline Jameson. We work together at the hospital. Carli, this is my father, Charles.”
She took a step forward with her hand out. “Mr. Wentworth, it’s nice to meet you. Thank you for having me in your lovely home. Blake’s been showing me around.”
“Good, good. Yes, nice to meet you, too. Come on out while your mother does her Christmas wishes.”
Darn. He’d forgotten this part. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on Carli’s back and guided her from the room to the large entryway where his mother perched on the second floor between the two staircases. His father climbed up to be at her side. Harrison and Annie stood halfway up the left staircase.
“I’m supposed to be near my brother, so mom can show us off.”
“Go ahead. I’ll stay right here.” She bit her lip and reversed a few steps like she wanted to fade into the wallpaper.
“If I have to do it, as my date, you do, too.”
She shook her head, but his softly mouthed, “please,” had her succumbing.
The tinkle of a bell got everyone’s attention.
“Thank you, my dear friends, for your gracious presence tonight,” his mother’s voice rang out as he placed himself and Carli a few steps down from Harrison. His brother’s look told him he was in the wrong location. Typically, as the older brother, Blake should be above Harrison. Not tonight. He hated the attention.
