climbed into the carriage first, then held out her hand to Jill. “Oh, wow, that was chivalrous,” Kay said as she watched. “Most guys let the woman go first so they can look at her butt.”
“I’m on my best behavior.” Shawn held on to Jill’s hand as she sat, then covered her with a blanket.
“That should make up for the fact that you didn’t bring hot cocoa.” Kay shot Shawn an impish grin and climbed into her seat.
Jill held up the blanket as Shawn settled in beside her and laughed when Shawn hissed as her body met with the cold vinyl of the seat. “The cold goes right through your spine, doesn’t it?”
“I thought this was such a good idea until my butt hit the seat,” Shawn said with a tight smile. “You took it like a woman. I’m so impressed.”
“I muffled my scream with the blanket.”
“Oh, yeah, y’all are locals. People from up north find our winters balmy.” Kay waited until they were wrapped tight like a burrito and said, “Harley, let’s give the ladies a nice romantic ride.”
As the carriage began to move, Jill realized that Rene was right. The closeness caused her entire body to tingle as she wrapped her arms around one of Shawn’s. “This is cozy, I’m glad you invited me, even if my butt is an ice cube.”
“I promise a great dinner in a warm restaurant after the ride if you’re interested.”
“I’d love to have dinner with you,” Jill said as she began to warm up inside and out.
A street performer sang in front of the crowd huddled inside Café Du Monde. The smell of beignets filled the air as they slowly passed. Lights, garland, and decorations hung from the balconies and stores. Jill had passed that place a million times, but on this night, it was magical.
“I kinda feel like we’re on parade. I have the strangest compulsion to wave,” Shawn said giddily.
“It’s gotta be queenly.” Jill pulled her hand out of the blanket and mimicked the Queen of England. “It’s a subtle wave of the wrist, fingers together.”
Shawn bit her lip and laughed as she watched Jill, but people on the street waved back the same way. “I love this crazy town, especially the food.”
“Aside from the noise, that’s the only bad thing about living in this area. We used to—what’s your favorite restaurant?”
Shawn gazed at Jill for a moment. “What were you going to say?”
“It’s never good to bring up your ex on a first date.”
“Were you together for a long time?”
Jill looked away and nodded. “Let me throw out a disclaimer here. I’m not still hung up on her. We broke up two years ago, and I’ve had plenty of time to resolve my feelings.”
“How long were you together?”
Jill turned her gaze to Shawn. “You’re going to make me break the first date rule.”
“There are no rules with me, at least not on the first date.”
“Ah, what kind of rules will be imposed on the second?”
Shawn smiled. “If you don’t like the first, please don’t accept the offer of the second.”
“That falls into the first date category because I assume if you enjoy my company you’ll ask me out again tonight.”
“So technical!” Shawn said with a laugh. “I’m gonna have to watch myself with you.”
Kay steered Harley onto one of the side streets, and the sounds of the crowds and music died away. Only the steady clip-clop of horseshoes echoed off the walls of the buildings. “Eleven years,” Jill said quietly. “And I was going to say that we used to eat out all the time because she didn’t like my cooking, and good restaurants were so close. Now you have to tell me how long you’ve been single.”
“Just over a year. We finally had to come to terms with the fact that we really didn’t have anything in common, and we were headed in separate directions.”
Jill nodded. “My ex just got tired of me, at least that’s what I gathered from the letter she left on the coffee table after she packed up her clothes and personal effects. She left
“I’m on my best behavior.” Shawn held on to Jill’s hand as she sat, then covered her with a blanket.
“That should make up for the fact that you didn’t bring hot cocoa.” Kay shot Shawn an impish grin and climbed into her seat.
Jill held up the blanket as Shawn settled in beside her and laughed when Shawn hissed as her body met with the cold vinyl of the seat. “The cold goes right through your spine, doesn’t it?”
“I thought this was such a good idea until my butt hit the seat,” Shawn said with a tight smile. “You took it like a woman. I’m so impressed.”
“I muffled my scream with the blanket.”
“Oh, yeah, y’all are locals. People from up north find our winters balmy.” Kay waited until they were wrapped tight like a burrito and said, “Harley, let’s give the ladies a nice romantic ride.”
As the carriage began to move, Jill realized that Rene was right. The closeness caused her entire body to tingle as she wrapped her arms around one of Shawn’s. “This is cozy, I’m glad you invited me, even if my butt is an ice cube.”
“I promise a great dinner in a warm restaurant after the ride if you’re interested.”
“I’d love to have dinner with you,” Jill said as she began to warm up inside and out.
A street performer sang in front of the crowd huddled inside Café Du Monde. The smell of beignets filled the air as they slowly passed. Lights, garland, and decorations hung from the balconies and stores. Jill had passed that place a million times, but on this night, it was magical.
“I kinda feel like we’re on parade. I have the strangest compulsion to wave,” Shawn said giddily.
“It’s gotta be queenly.” Jill pulled her hand out of the blanket and mimicked the Queen of England. “It’s a subtle wave of the wrist, fingers together.”
Shawn bit her lip and laughed as she watched Jill, but people on the street waved back the same way. “I love this crazy town, especially the food.”
“Aside from the noise, that’s the only bad thing about living in this area. We used to—what’s your favorite restaurant?”
Shawn gazed at Jill for a moment. “What were you going to say?”
“It’s never good to bring up your ex on a first date.”
“Were you together for a long time?”
Jill looked away and nodded. “Let me throw out a disclaimer here. I’m not still hung up on her. We broke up two years ago, and I’ve had plenty of time to resolve my feelings.”
“How long were you together?”
Jill turned her gaze to Shawn. “You’re going to make me break the first date rule.”
“There are no rules with me, at least not on the first date.”
“Ah, what kind of rules will be imposed on the second?”
Shawn smiled. “If you don’t like the first, please don’t accept the offer of the second.”
“That falls into the first date category because I assume if you enjoy my company you’ll ask me out again tonight.”
“So technical!” Shawn said with a laugh. “I’m gonna have to watch myself with you.”
Kay steered Harley onto one of the side streets, and the sounds of the crowds and music died away. Only the steady clip-clop of horseshoes echoed off the walls of the buildings. “Eleven years,” Jill said quietly. “And I was going to say that we used to eat out all the time because she didn’t like my cooking, and good restaurants were so close. Now you have to tell me how long you’ve been single.”
“Just over a year. We finally had to come to terms with the fact that we really didn’t have anything in common, and we were headed in separate directions.”
Jill nodded. “My ex just got tired of me, at least that’s what I gathered from the letter she left on the coffee table after she packed up her clothes and personal effects. She left
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