“Right.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Kylie grinned. “I’m going to take it.”
An hour or so later they were back in Lena’s car and exiting the mall. “You never told me how things went last weekend with the camping trip,” Lena said.
Kylie glanced over at her. “Didn’t think I had to. I’m sure Tiffany told you everything you needed to know.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t mention anything about you and Chance.”
“Was she supposed to?”
“I guess not, if the two of you are keeping your affair a secret.”
Kylie gave her friend a direct stare, although Lena’s eyes were glued to the road and didn’t notice it. “Chance and I are not having an affair.”
“Oh. The two of you just meet every so often to lock lips, right?”
Kylie rolled her eyes heavenward. “So, we kissed a few times, no big deal.”
“I would think after fifteen years of abstinence that for you it was a big deal. And you even admitted he was a good kisser.”
“Oh, my gosh, he’s the best,” Kylie breathed and then regretted that she’d admitted it.
Lena laughed. “Bingo. So how did you manage to keep those overzealous hormones under control?”
“It was hard but I managed.”
“And the two of you didn’t kiss not even once?”
“No, not even once. Marcus and Tiffany kept us much too busy. They wanted to do everything and by the end of the day we were too tired to do anything but sleep.”
“Oh, how sad.”
Lena and Kylie looked at each other and burst out laughing again. A few moments later, Lena said, “You know he’s coming to the ball, don’t you?”
Kylie tried to keep her attention on an object outside of the car’s window. “What Chance does is his business.”
“And he’s bringing a date.”
Kylie jerked her head around. “What!”
Lena laughed out loud. “Gotcha!”
Kylie frowned. “That’s not funny, Lena.”
“It is, too. You should have seen the way your head snapped around. It’s a wonder you didn’t break your neck. For someone who claims what Chance Steele does is his business, you were definitely interested in that piece of news.”
“Well, is it true? Is he bringing someone?”
Lena shrugged. “Don’t know. Cassandra Tisdale mentioned at committee meeting yesterday that her cousin was going to be in town that night from D.C. and she was going to ask Chance to be the woman’s date.”
“Good for her.”
“Umm, do I detect a little jealousy in your voice?”
“Not on your life.”
Lena smiled. “Okay, if you say so.”
Lena was right, Kylie thought as she got ready for bed that night. She was jealous. Of all the nerve!
She had to admit that Chance had been on his best behavior last weekend, probably because she didn’t give him the chance to be otherwise. After that first night when he had invited her to sit out on the porch with him, she had gotten smart and made sure the opportunity never presented itself again. She went to bed when Tiffany went to bed and she stayed there.
Still, she thought things had gone rather well that weekend and Marcus and Chance had been perfect hosts. They had seen to all of her and Tiffany’s needs, and with Tiffany and Marcus carrying on more like siblings instead of a couple the majority of the time, it was as if the four of them were a family.
Chance had been wonderful with Tiffany when he showed her the proper way to use a rod and reel, after Marcus had thrown up his hands and given up. And then there was the time Chance taught Tiffany how to paddle the canoe, and how he was the only one who actually seemed interested in her obsession with bird-watching. Seeing them together actually made her wonder if perhaps Tiffany had lost out by not having a father figure in her life all these years. At least Tiffany would have the chance to spend time with her grandfather this weekend. Kylie’s parents had called a few days ago and asked if Tiffany could go with them to Disney World for the weekend.
Since both Friday and the following Monday were teachers’ planning days, things worked out perfectly. Kylie would put her on the plane Friday morning and then pick her up from the airport on Monday evening. That meant she wouldn’t have to worry about her daughter while she attended this weekend’s ball.
The phone rang and Kylie glanced over at the clock, knowing it was Chance. How could he talk to her every night and not mention he was taking someone to the ball? It didn’t matter to her one iota that she hadn’t taken Lena’s advice and invited him herself. It was the principle of the thing.