“I didn’t—” she began.
He cut her off with a quick kiss. “You did. It’s one of the things I like best about you.”
The rest of the meal passed in a blur. Madeline talked in what she hoped were all the right places and laughed at the jokes, but everything had gotten kind of confusing. She wasn’t sure what was real and what was pretend. What she knew for sure was that Jonny was even more charming than she’d thought possible. He was attentive and funny, and when he looked at her with what felt a lot like desire, she melted. If this was acting, imagine how powerful he could be if it was real. No woman would stand a chance.
The waiter spoke as he cleared their dinner plates. “We have a special dessert for the holidays. Chocolate waffles with homemade peppermint ice cream and a special sauce the chef has created.”
Marigold sighed. “That sounds scrumptious, but I couldn’t possibly—”
“We’ll have one for the table,” Jonny said smoothly.
“It does sound delicious,” Madeline told him.
He put his arm around her. “That’s my girl.” He looked at Marigold. “What are your plans for the holidays?” he asked.
“We’ll visit my family. We do it every year. I’m from a small town in Iowa. What about you?”
“My sister’s getting married the day after Christmas. Madeline’s been helping me with that.” He smiled at her. “I couldn’t have managed it without her. She’s taking care of all the details.”
Ted sat up straighter. “That’s it! She’s working for you. You hired her to plan your sister’s wedding. She’s not a date, she’s an employee.”
He sounded both triumphant and relieved. Madeline wasn’t sure what to say in return, while next to her, Jonny tensed.
“I’m not paying Madeline,” he said, his tone low. “She doesn’t work for me.”
She thought about their arrangement. She had refused money. She’d wanted the experience and being paid had just felt wrong.
“I have a job,” she told Ted. “I wasn’t looking for part-time work. Actually, Mayor Marsha’s the one who brought us together. Jonny needed help and she suggested me. I was happy to step in.” She smiled at him. “When you think about it, it’s a very strange way to meet.”
“But a great story.”
Madeline shifted closer to him, but looked at the couple across the table. “Ginger is Jonny’s younger sister. She’s getting her PhD. Talk about the smartest person in the room. But she’s totally adorable. I’m so happy I can help her. The wedding’s going to be lovely.”
Ted looked at his wife, then back at her. “You’re really with him.”
Madeline shrugged.
“I don’t...” He nodded. “Okay. Well, I hope you’ll be happy together.”
* * *
Madeline shivered slightly in Jonny’s SUV. He had the heat on high and the seat heaters going, but it was well below freezing and snowing. Her light wrap, while pretty, didn’t exactly warm her.
The wine helped. And the lemon drop she’d had as her cocktail. But still—it was winter. She was looking forward to getting into her warmest pajamas and climbing into bed.
“That was the strangest dinner ever,” she said. “I don’t know what to think.”
“You’re not going to hear from Ted again.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No. He had something to prove and now he knows he can’t.”
“Do you think we hurt their feelings?”
Jonny glanced at her. “How long have they been coming here?”
“Three years.”
“And at the end of every dinner, you feel worse about yourself and wish you didn’t have to see them again.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And you’re still worried about their feelings?”
“I can’t help it.”
“That makes you a good person.”
She supposed she should just go with that. Not about being a good person, but that for once Ted and Marigold hadn’t been able to beat up on her. Of course, a case could be made that she’d allowed them to do it, which made everything confusing.
She turned to Jonny. “Thank you for tonight. For taking me and being my date and saying such nice things about me.”
He pulled up in front of her house and turned off the engine. “You’re welcome.”
She got out of the car and started toward her front door. He walked with her.