“Yes?”
“Thanks for coming today. It meant a lot to me.”
As soon as Colin got out of his car, Evan stepped onto the porch holding a plastic shopping bag.
“Here,” he said, holding the bag out. “This is for you. And you owe me some money.”
Colin stopped in front of the porch. “For what?”
“Lily thought you might need something to wear tonight.”
“I have clothes.”
“Don’t blame me. I said exactly the same thing to her. But she’s Lily, and she dragged me through the stores anyway, and like I said, you owe me some money. The receipt is in the bag.”
“What did she buy?”
“It’s actually not as bad as it could have been. I had visions of her selecting something with tassels or bells or whatever, but she didn’t. It’s black slacks, a red button-down shirt, and black shoes.”
“How did she know my size?”
“Because she bought you clothes last Christmas.”
“And she remembered?”
“She’s Lily. She remembers things like that. And would you take the bag, please? My arm is getting tired.”
Colin reached up to take it. “What’s going to happen if I don’t wear them?”
“For starters, you still have to pay me. Then, you’ll also hurt her feelings, which is the last thing you should do after all the dance lessons. And, of course, you’ll have to explain to Lily why you’re not wearing them.”
“How will she know whether I wear them or not?”
“Because she’s here. And she insists that you drop by before you go out. She wants to talk to you.”
At a bit of a loss, Colin said nothing.
“Just wear the damn clothes, all right?”
When Colin still didn’t respond, Evan squinted slightly. “You owe me.”
Colin stood in front of the bathroom mirror, acknowledging that it could have been a lot worse. The shirt was actually more burgundy than red, and though it wasn’t something he would have picked out for himself, it wasn’t half bad, especially with the sleeves rolled up. He’d been planning all along to wear black slacks – more leftovers from his courtroom days – and the shoes were a lot like the ones he already owned, without the scuffs, which meant he’d probably needed a new pair anyway. How Lily had known was beyond him, but he’d long since given up being surprised by anything she did.
In the kitchen, he scribbled out a check to Evan, grabbed his keys, and turned off his lights on the way out the door. Rounding the house, he went up the steps, noting that the door had been left ajar. Pushing it open, he saw Lily and Evan in the kitchen, each holding a glass of wine. Lily set her glass on the counter with a smile.
“Well, aren’t you handsome?” she declared as she approached. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “The color is perfect on you, and I’m certain that Maria will find you quite dashing.”
“Thank you,” Colin said.
“It was my pleasure. And I’m hopeful that you remember everything we practiced. I assume you went through the steps today?”
“Not today.”
“What on earth did you do?”
“I went to the gym.”
“Of course you did,” she said, not hiding her disappointment. “You really need to learn to prioritize, and I simply can’t let you go until I know for certain that you retained everything you need to know.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. And I’m supposed to pick her up in a few minutes.”
“Then we’ll have to make it quick. Evan?” she called out. “Will you please put on some music?”
“Sure,” he said. Grabbing his phone, he tapped a few buttons as he walked over. “I just happen to have a song right here.”
Obviously, Lily had been planning this all along. She reached for Colin’s hand. “Just run me through a bit of everything, okay? At full speed.”
Colin complied before finally separating from Lily. “Good enough?”
“You’re going to dazzle her.” Lily winked. “Just like you did with the flowers.”
“And you know what else will dazzle her?” Evan asked. When Colin turned toward him, he knew that Evan’s thoughts had taken a serious turn. “First your car starts, and then you don’t end up getting arrested.”
Colin had barely finished knocking when Maria pulled the door open. For a long moment, all he could do was stare. Her blouse hugged her curves and her skirt reached only to midthigh; her strappy high heels made her nearly as tall as he was. With a touch of mascara and lipstick, she looked nothing like the professional he’d gone to lunch with only a couple of days earlier, nor did she resemble the sun-kissed woman on the paddleboard. As he stood before her, he wasn’t sure which version of her he most preferred, though this one, he had to admit, was pretty stunning.
“You’re right on time,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m impressed.”
His hands automatically went to her hips. “You look beautiful,” he murmured. Up close, he caught a whiff of perfume, something floral and understated. Perfect.
“Thank you,” she said. She patted his chest. “I like the shirt.”
“It’s new.”
“Yeah? For tonight?”
“You could say that.”
“I feel special,” she said. “And, I have to say, you clean up pretty well.”
“Sometimes,” he admitted. “Are you ready to go?”