“Your mother will, if just to annoy my mother. Then you’ll have to stay to make sure the two don’t come to blows.”
“Did anyone ever mention you’re a rotten listener? My mind is made up.”
“You can always change it.” Grabbing her hand, he planted a quick, warm kiss on her unprotected palm. “Thanks for walking with me. It was great. We’ll do it again, someday.”
“We certainly won’t,” she shouted after him.
Jogging down the driveway, he waved cheerfully without glancing around. Frustrated and well aware that she’d come off second-best in that exchange, Thalia gritted her teeth and turned to the door. Lucas Dalton drove her crazy!
But he sure did know how to kiss.
“LOOK,” THALIA SAID, “I don’t want you to think there’s anything going on.”
Lorraine looked up from the cup of hot chocolate resting on the tabletop, cradled between her hands. “Going on where?”
“Between me and Luke.” Thalia sat down and reached for the second cup her mother had prepared.
Lorraine feigned surprise. “Something’s going on between you and Luke?”
“Mother! I know you saw us when you drove in.”
“Saw you doing what? You mean kissing?”
“Of course, I mean kissing. But he was doing the kissing and I was getting ready to give him a piece of my mind, which I did as soon as you went inside.”
“Honey,” Lorraine drawled, dropping all pretense of misunderstanding, “from what I saw he wasn’t doing all the kissing. You were doing your share or you’re no daughter of mine.”
“Mother!”
“Calm down, Thalia honey. Luke’s a great guy. You could do worse. In fact, you did do worse.”
“Mother!”
“Oh, pshaw.” Lorraine finished her cocoa and carried the cup to the sink. “I wasn’t born fifty-one years old, you know. I was young once. I had a life.” One brow rose. “In fact, I still have a life—or will soon, if I’m not mistaken.”
“You and Four-Jay?” Thalia stared at her mother, who looked like the cat with canary feathers decorating the corners of her mouth.
Lorraine shrugged nonchalantly. “Who knows? But it’ll be fun finding out.” She started for the door. “See you tomorrow.”
“One more thing before you go—”
“Yes?”
“You won’t be staying for Luke’s birthday party, will you?”
“Absolutely not.” Lorraine shook her red-gold head vigorously. “Under no circumstances. I’m going to work, and then I’m out of there.”
“Thank heavens,” Thalia muttered to herself.
Until Lorraine’s voice sailed through the kitchen door. “Unless somebody gives me a good reason to change my mind, of course.”
THALIA HAD NEVER BEEN to the Dalton mansion, as it was generally called. It had been built after she went away to college. Before that, the Daltons had lived in a splendid ranch house five or six miles out of town.
“Sylvia decided she needed the grandest house in town to support her social ambitions,” Lorraine explained contemptuously while parking the Pretty Posies delivery truck around back near the service entrance. “Joe built this place for her and then died before he ever got a chance to move in. It was just pitiful.”
“You can hardly blame her for wanting to live closer to town,” Thalia pointed out in the interest of fairness.
“I didn’t care where she lived, so long as it wasn’t right down the road from me.” Lorraine made a face. “Then when Luke decided to come back here to practice, she practically forced him to move in with her.”
“She’s got the room, that’s for sure.” Thalia looked around at the impressive three-story stone structure. Surrounded by landscaped gardens and walkways, it really was quite impressive. Over to the far side she could see the matching enclosure, which must shield the pool. Living here alone would certainly be lonely, especially when Sylvia had thought her husband would be here with her. Thalia felt a flash of sympathy, which she carefully hid from her mother.
Lorraine set the brake, then smiled at her daughter. “Are you ready? Sylvia wants a Hawaiian luau and that’s what we’re going to give her. The flowers alone are costing her a small fortune and the guys over at Bob’s Barbeque have dug a pit big enough to cook a whole pig, but what the hell? It’s only money.”
“I guess so.” Thalia took a deep breath, glad it wasn’t her money. “I’m ready.”
“Then let’s synchronize our watches and do it.”
“LADIES, THE DECORATIONS LOOK great,” Luke announced. “Now you’ve both got to stay for the party.”
He looked expectantly from Thalia to her mother and back again, figuring he knew where the power lay. The daughter nodded no while the mother nodded yes.
Lorraine added with a grin, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Thalia glowered at her mother. “I’m afraid it’s out of the question.”
“Why?”
“For openers—” She glanced down at her jeans and sneakers and simple plaid shirt. “I’m not dressed for it.”
He laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You look great. Of course, if you want to go home and get a bikini—”
“In your dreams.”
“Okay, failing that, you’re perfect.”
“Really, Luke, I wouldn’t feel right—”
“Thalia! I’m so glad you’re here!” Emily came through the door between the house and the flower-bedecked pool area, carrying a white package wrapped with blue bows. “Isn’t this great? Happy birthday, Luke, and many happy returns.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “Where do I put this gift? Mrs. Myers, I’m so glad to see you! What—”
While Emily gushed on, Luke caught Thalia’s glance and smiled encouragement. Somehow he didn’t think it would be much of a celebration without her.
THE PARTY DIDN’T START winding down until nine o’clock that evening—not a minute too soon, Thalia thought. She’d spent most of the preceding six hours trying to avoid Luke, which wasn’t as difficult as it might have been. As the host and the “birthday boy,” as his mother announced prior to the cake cutting, he’d had duties of his own. But time and again, he’d appeared at Thalia’s side to make sure she had a drink, food, someone to amuse her—simple enough since she knew practically everyone there.
Thalia had tried to make herself useful by keeping an eye on the proceedings: picking up, cleaning up, making sure the dishes and platters were refilled regularly, that no one’s glass remained empty for long. Many of the guests came prepared for a dip in the enormous Dalton pool while others were content to lounge in the sun, at the many patio tables or around the bar set up in an open-sided cabana at the far end.
Everybody seemed to be having a good time but no one more so than Sylvia. At one point, she’d surprised Thalia by slipping an arm around her waist and whispering, “Thank you so much for staying. It means a lot to Luke.”
Not knowing how to respond, Thalia simply smiled and nodded.
But now, at last, everyone was leaving. She’d help clear the pool area and then maybe she could coax her mother into leaving. Of course, that would only happen if Four-Jay left first. The two had staked out an umbrella table near the bar