sure you’ll find your prince, my dear. You’re a sweet girl. I always liked you. I’d always hoped for someone like you for my Dan, but until recently he tends to run toward birds of paradise types, rather than sweet violets like you.”
Mary’s mother spoke in garden club comparisons, too, but had never referred to Mary as a “sweet violet.” Honestly, she’d always wanted to be like a bird of paradise, boldly posing, showing her color and flair. Flowers of the tropics were sultry and temperamental. How wonderful to be a woman who demanded attention—and received it—simply by her nature. Violets were evidently too nice to command and too demure to be noticed. Just her luck.
“That dress looks smashing on you, so just walk back out there with your shoulders back and act like you feel as good as you look. You’ll have to beat the men off with a stick.” Linking her arm with Mary’s, the older woman guided her out into the hall where almost as many people stood as inside the ballroom. “When you get your composure back, let’s get together. We should go out and have some fun. This is Las Vegas.”
“I’d like that, thanks.”
“Good girl. Now, I’ll get you back to Dan.”
Mary sighed, liking the sound of that very much.
* * * *
They found Dan with Pete, standing at the bar. “Hello, Mother,” Dan said.
“Hello, darling boy. Look who I found. She says she’s with you, but perhaps you’re more with her?”
“True.” Dan shifted his gaze to Mary. “I came looking for you. Pete told me where you’d gone. Want to dance a little?”
Pete stepped forward. “Oh, no. I claimed the next dance.” He shot Mary an intense gaze. “Let me take you away from this loser and we can have some fun.”
“I’ll stay out of this argument. Mary, I leave you with two handsome men.” Mrs. Higgins leaned in confidentially but spoke in a stage whisper. “But watch that scoundrel Peter Saunders. He’s a letch.”
“Mrs. Higgins, you wound me. All I know about women I learned from your son.”
“I don’t doubt that a minute. Now, Dan, have you seen your father?” She strained her neck looking over the crowd. “Oh, there he is. If you all will excuse me, I’d better find out what kind of trouble he’s getting into.”
Dan said, “See you later,” at the same time Pete and Mary said, “It was nice to see you.”
“So, Mary, dance with me?” Persistent, Pete cupped her elbow. His assumption of possession irritated her slightly, but not as much as Dan’s seeming not to mind. Had Pete’s earlier reference to sharing been serious? Technically, she shouldn’t be out with one man, much less escorted by two. Or maybe Dan was tired of her and wanting to pawn her off on his friend?
Her heart hurt at the possibility.
Mary looked at Dan. “Watch out, or your friend will sweep me off my feet.”
Putting his arm around Mary, Dan said, “Believe me Pete, anyone else and I might consider letting you work your charm, but not this time.”
With a reluctant shrug, Pete backed up a step. “Any other look but that in your eyes and I wouldn’t care if you tried to stop me.”
Mary held her hands up to form a T. “Too much testosterone around here. I think I want something to drink. Can I get you two something?”
“You don’t mind?” Dan looked down at Mary.
“Not at all.”
“Okay, I’ll have a scotch and soda.”
“A rum and coke, if you’re sure you don’t mind.” Pete raised one brow in question.
“I’ll be right back.” Mary left the two men and slipped between people to reach the bar. It took only a few minutes to get the drinks, and she returned with the drinks for the men and a Diet Coke for herself. Dan and Pete seemed to have set the limits where she was concerned. Pete stood back, but his eyes smoldered each time they met hers.
Mary listened to the two friends discuss golf and business, and finally Pete left them to greet one of the men from his district. Mary
Mary’s mother spoke in garden club comparisons, too, but had never referred to Mary as a “sweet violet.” Honestly, she’d always wanted to be like a bird of paradise, boldly posing, showing her color and flair. Flowers of the tropics were sultry and temperamental. How wonderful to be a woman who demanded attention—and received it—simply by her nature. Violets were evidently too nice to command and too demure to be noticed. Just her luck.
“That dress looks smashing on you, so just walk back out there with your shoulders back and act like you feel as good as you look. You’ll have to beat the men off with a stick.” Linking her arm with Mary’s, the older woman guided her out into the hall where almost as many people stood as inside the ballroom. “When you get your composure back, let’s get together. We should go out and have some fun. This is Las Vegas.”
“I’d like that, thanks.”
“Good girl. Now, I’ll get you back to Dan.”
Mary sighed, liking the sound of that very much.
* * * *
They found Dan with Pete, standing at the bar. “Hello, Mother,” Dan said.
“Hello, darling boy. Look who I found. She says she’s with you, but perhaps you’re more with her?”
“True.” Dan shifted his gaze to Mary. “I came looking for you. Pete told me where you’d gone. Want to dance a little?”
Pete stepped forward. “Oh, no. I claimed the next dance.” He shot Mary an intense gaze. “Let me take you away from this loser and we can have some fun.”
“I’ll stay out of this argument. Mary, I leave you with two handsome men.” Mrs. Higgins leaned in confidentially but spoke in a stage whisper. “But watch that scoundrel Peter Saunders. He’s a letch.”
“Mrs. Higgins, you wound me. All I know about women I learned from your son.”
“I don’t doubt that a minute. Now, Dan, have you seen your father?” She strained her neck looking over the crowd. “Oh, there he is. If you all will excuse me, I’d better find out what kind of trouble he’s getting into.”
Dan said, “See you later,” at the same time Pete and Mary said, “It was nice to see you.”
“So, Mary, dance with me?” Persistent, Pete cupped her elbow. His assumption of possession irritated her slightly, but not as much as Dan’s seeming not to mind. Had Pete’s earlier reference to sharing been serious? Technically, she shouldn’t be out with one man, much less escorted by two. Or maybe Dan was tired of her and wanting to pawn her off on his friend?
Her heart hurt at the possibility.
Mary looked at Dan. “Watch out, or your friend will sweep me off my feet.”
Putting his arm around Mary, Dan said, “Believe me Pete, anyone else and I might consider letting you work your charm, but not this time.”
With a reluctant shrug, Pete backed up a step. “Any other look but that in your eyes and I wouldn’t care if you tried to stop me.”
Mary held her hands up to form a T. “Too much testosterone around here. I think I want something to drink. Can I get you two something?”
“You don’t mind?” Dan looked down at Mary.
“Not at all.”
“Okay, I’ll have a scotch and soda.”
“A rum and coke, if you’re sure you don’t mind.” Pete raised one brow in question.
“I’ll be right back.” Mary left the two men and slipped between people to reach the bar. It took only a few minutes to get the drinks, and she returned with the drinks for the men and a Diet Coke for herself. Dan and Pete seemed to have set the limits where she was concerned. Pete stood back, but his eyes smoldered each time they met hers.
Mary listened to the two friends discuss golf and business, and finally Pete left them to greet one of the men from his district. Mary