I glanced at Michelle. She grinned at Liam and asked for a four. She loved her brothers as much as any mother would. And leaving them was just as hard for her.
Jim caught my eye and winked a second before he groaned and his stomach rumbled.
“Aden ate half my lunch. Can I have a snack, Michelle?”
Aden giggled and shook his head in denial.
“I’ll see what I can find,” she said, standing.
“There should be chips at my place,” Jim said with a grin.
I followed her to Jim’s kitchen and watched her open several of Jim’s cabinets before pulling her away from her search. She turned in my arms, smiling up at me. I loved that face. Gently, I set my hands on her cheeks, feathering my thumbs over her skin and lips.
“Do you know you’ve been here a month?”
Her smiled faded with each swipe of my thumb, and her scent sweetened.
“Let me take you to dinner tonight. Please.”
Her pulse skipped and she slowly nodded.
“Wear the dress,” I said, stepping back to open a nearby cupboard. The chips were right inside. I took them and waited for Michelle to walk with me.
Her steps were slow as she followed me.
“I’ll watch the boys,” Winifred said for Michelle’s benefit. I began to doubt Michelle even heard, until she nodded.
“Could we leave in an hour?” I asked her while handing Jim his chips.
Michelle frowned slightly. “Sure.” She began backing away, then turn and ran up the stairs.
I glanced at Winifred.
“Nerves most likely. Probably because of the dress.”
“Why?” Jim asked, beating me to it.
“It’s more daring than I would have picked for her.”
“Daring how?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.”
Jim stretched and patted Aden’s head.
“Be right back.”
He was out the door before I could catch him. We raced up the stairs and I caught him by the ankle. We fell a few steps, and we each wrestled for our own purpose. His was to get away. Mine was to reach the landing first.
“Boys! I suggest you both stop, or you will lose dessert.”
The warning in Winifred’s tone had me delivering one last punch to Jim’s thigh. He bit me in return.
“Damn it,” I said quietly. “Go find something else to do.”
“No way. Annoying you is more fun. Come on. Let’s see what fancy clothes you brought home with you.”
He followed me into my living room, leaving the door open behind him. We could both hear Michelle moving around in her apartment, mumbling under her breath. Jim grinned at me.
“You going to shower first?”
“And leave you without supervision? No.” I shoved him toward my room just to ensure he didn’t go bother Michelle.
“What if she needs help with a zipper or something?”
“Then I’ll help her. Not you. If you want to be useful, call the restaurant for a reservation.”
He pulled out his cell phone. While he spoke to someone, I opened my closet where the only nice clothes I had were hanging. Dark dress pants, a sport coats and a thin grey V-neck sweater. I took the sweater from the closet.
“You’re going to sweat in that thing,” Jim said when he hung up.
“Nope. It’s one of those thin ones, not the kind Mom tried making us wear during the holidays.”
I tugged my current shirt off and put on a clean white tee, then the sweater. Jim sat on my bed and waited as I finished changing.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“Yes and no.”
“Want me to give you a pep talk?”
“Depends on your idea of a pep talk.”
“Don’t stare at her chest, and if you do, put a protective hand over your baby maker.”
“I should have said no.”
He clapped me on my back as he stood. “Let’s go see how she’s doing. Ten bucks says she tries to back out.”
As soon as I reached the hall, I knew Jim might be right. The sound of her rapid pulse filled my ears even through the closed doors.
I didn’t hesitate to let myself into her apartment and follow the sound. Stopping outside the bathroom door, I listened to Michelle’s shallow breathing and the slight rustle of clothes.
“You should go,” I said to Jim.
“Not a chance. I want to see the dress.”
“She might not even be dressed yet.”
“Then I’m definitely staying.”
His words didn’t bother me because I knew what he was doing. Michelle and I were both nervous. Jim was our comic relief. It was a role he’d filled many times in our lives.