them here tonight who can be a bit zealous in their pursuit. They can’t
take a hint, but I thought—”
“You brought me here to run interference.”
Mina pinched her lips trying to hide the smile. “You want me to tackle them.”
Brody laughed. “That’s why I like you.
You get it.” He pulled up to the front of the large three-story house with its
terra cotta roof. As soon as the engine died, the double mahogany doors opened,
and Mrs. Carmichael rushed out, phone in hand, followed by two young women.
Both of the girls looked to be in their late teens, one a stunning brunette
with laughing blue eyes and suntanned skin, the other a striking redhead with
full, pouty lips and pale skin. They stayed on the steps, and when Mina exited
the car, their faces flickered annoyance.
“Brody, you kept our guests waiting.”
Mrs. Carmichael turned and noticed Mina for the first time. “Oh, I’m sorry. You
must forgive me. Please call me Melody. And you are?” she chimed.
“Mina,” Brody cut in, standing behind her.
“She’s a friend from school.”
The words “friend from school” cut her a
little deeper than expected. Granted, he’d never verbally stated they were more
than that, but hearing it still hurt.
“Mina. Let’s go to the sitting room and
get started.” Melody didn’t miss a beat.
Mina didn’t even know new houses still had sitting rooms. Her own house did of
course, because it was hundreds of years old. But apparently the wealthy still
liked to follow tradition. The sitting room was lovely with a large family
portrait on a taupe-colored wall above the marble fireplace. Two Victorian white
sofas faced each other across a white coffee table. An antique grandfather
clock towered next to the bay window. Two high back chairs brought the room
together in a perfect little circle, made for intimate conversation over tea.
She could very well envision Melody sitting here with her friends talking about
the latest news and gossip.
Once Mina was seated, Melody left to call
the caterer for the event. Mina sat in a high back chair, and Brody sat on the
sofa across from her. The redhead and brunette joined their party. The redhead slid
onto the sofa, closer than necessary to Brody. She gave a slight tug on her
white shorts before crossing her legs to dangle them in his line of sight. Her
foot bobbed up and down, the tinkling of her charm anklet acting as a lure.
“So what happened?” she asked. “You’re
late, and you kept us waiting.”
Brody sat a little straighter and shot
Mina a worried look. She mentally kicked herself for sitting so far from Brody.
Brody answered, “I needed to pick up
Mina.”
“Oh! So you’re going to help us with the
planning?” the brunette asked. Mina heard a slight southern accent.
“No, I’m here for moral support.”
The redhead’s leg froze, and her eyes
narrowed. “Like one of those twelve-step programs?” she whispered.
“ No !”
Brody and Mina answered at once.
The conversation was a bit awkward and stilted
after that. Brody politely introduced the two guests. The tall brunette was
Lara, and the spicy redhead, Daphne. Mina couldn’t help but picture Lara and
Daphne as the video game heroine and the cartoon detective, although the girls
in front of her were nothing like the fake ones.
Lara opened up a magazine from the coffee
table in front of them and pointed to the full color spread from last year’s
ball. “See, it frequently makes the headlines in Glitz & Glam Magazine .”
Anxiety filled Mina as she scoped the page—photo
after photo filled with ruffles, flounces, and feathers. Not to mention a few
close up photos of Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael. Mina’s gaze was instantly drawn to
the photo of a very dapper Brody in a tux, with none other than Daphne on his
arm. Her dress was a sweet peach that brought out the color of her hair and added
a warmth to her cheeks.
Lara smiled, showing even white teeth.
“It’s one of the biggest events of the
take a hint, but I thought—”
“You brought me here to run interference.”
Mina pinched her lips trying to hide the smile. “You want me to tackle them.”
Brody laughed. “That’s why I like you.
You get it.” He pulled up to the front of the large three-story house with its
terra cotta roof. As soon as the engine died, the double mahogany doors opened,
and Mrs. Carmichael rushed out, phone in hand, followed by two young women.
Both of the girls looked to be in their late teens, one a stunning brunette
with laughing blue eyes and suntanned skin, the other a striking redhead with
full, pouty lips and pale skin. They stayed on the steps, and when Mina exited
the car, their faces flickered annoyance.
“Brody, you kept our guests waiting.”
Mrs. Carmichael turned and noticed Mina for the first time. “Oh, I’m sorry. You
must forgive me. Please call me Melody. And you are?” she chimed.
“Mina,” Brody cut in, standing behind her.
“She’s a friend from school.”
The words “friend from school” cut her a
little deeper than expected. Granted, he’d never verbally stated they were more
than that, but hearing it still hurt.
“Mina. Let’s go to the sitting room and
get started.” Melody didn’t miss a beat.
Mina didn’t even know new houses still had sitting rooms. Her own house did of
course, because it was hundreds of years old. But apparently the wealthy still
liked to follow tradition. The sitting room was lovely with a large family
portrait on a taupe-colored wall above the marble fireplace. Two Victorian white
sofas faced each other across a white coffee table. An antique grandfather
clock towered next to the bay window. Two high back chairs brought the room
together in a perfect little circle, made for intimate conversation over tea.
She could very well envision Melody sitting here with her friends talking about
the latest news and gossip.
Once Mina was seated, Melody left to call
the caterer for the event. Mina sat in a high back chair, and Brody sat on the
sofa across from her. The redhead and brunette joined their party. The redhead slid
onto the sofa, closer than necessary to Brody. She gave a slight tug on her
white shorts before crossing her legs to dangle them in his line of sight. Her
foot bobbed up and down, the tinkling of her charm anklet acting as a lure.
“So what happened?” she asked. “You’re
late, and you kept us waiting.”
Brody sat a little straighter and shot
Mina a worried look. She mentally kicked herself for sitting so far from Brody.
Brody answered, “I needed to pick up
Mina.”
“Oh! So you’re going to help us with the
planning?” the brunette asked. Mina heard a slight southern accent.
“No, I’m here for moral support.”
The redhead’s leg froze, and her eyes
narrowed. “Like one of those twelve-step programs?” she whispered.
“ No !”
Brody and Mina answered at once.
The conversation was a bit awkward and stilted
after that. Brody politely introduced the two guests. The tall brunette was
Lara, and the spicy redhead, Daphne. Mina couldn’t help but picture Lara and
Daphne as the video game heroine and the cartoon detective, although the girls
in front of her were nothing like the fake ones.
Lara opened up a magazine from the coffee
table in front of them and pointed to the full color spread from last year’s
ball. “See, it frequently makes the headlines in Glitz & Glam Magazine .”
Anxiety filled Mina as she scoped the page—photo
after photo filled with ruffles, flounces, and feathers. Not to mention a few
close up photos of Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael. Mina’s gaze was instantly drawn to
the photo of a very dapper Brody in a tux, with none other than Daphne on his
arm. Her dress was a sweet peach that brought out the color of her hair and added
a warmth to her cheeks.
Lara smiled, showing even white teeth.
“It’s one of the biggest events of the
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