Mary was just stood up by Elijah Crawford, she’s at that restaurant Mellow. I’m sure you’re still at work, so be a dear and head over there to see the poor girl home.

John watched Mary mouth the words poor girl.

“Your mother is ruthless!”

He tucked in his smile. “I told you so.”

“I know, but I just couldn’t picture it. She actually made sure I’d get stood up so that you would have a reason to walk me home. Either she’s the greatest wingman of all time or she should see a therapist.”

John, still trying to contain his smile, raised his eyebrows. “Could be both.”

“Wow. I mean wow. I can’t believe she went this far. For all she knows, I’m completely crushed right now.”

“Well, in her defense, if you were crushed, she had just sent her charming, handsome son to pick up the pieces.”

Mary laughed. “John, you’re many things, but charming isn’t quite one of them.”

It was silly for his stomach to swoop at the fact that she hadn’t refuted the handsome part of his teasing statement. Was it possible that she thought of him as handsome?

“You’re all paid up?” she asked.

He nodded, all different strains of adrenaline racing and twisting through his system.

“Shall we? No reason to stay if Elijah isn’t coming.”

No reason. No reason. No reason.

Give her a reason! he internally shouted at himself. There was an empty stool next to him. Getting her to sit on the stool was just as good as sitting down at the table across from her, which was no longer an option. But...wait, was it as good? Buying her a drink and telling her he wanted to kiss her somehow seemed sleazier and less romantic than physically and metaphorically taking Elijah’s seat.

Besides, she was already walking across the restaurant toward the door. Was he really going to sit there and watch Mary Trace walk out of a restaurant again? Hell no.

He nodded at the bartender, left the second half of his beer and hurtled after her.

“Which train are you catching?” she asked as they fell into step down the sidewalk.

“Oh.” He cleared his throat, nerves and adrenaline playing his heart like an accordion. Every other beat talked him into and out of saying what he wanted to say. “I’ll walk you home. I can catch the train from there.”

Mary grinned up at him. “Estrella would be so proud.”

He frowned playfully. “We can never tell Estrella her plan worked.”

“Actually, I think it was technically our plan.”

“Well, either way, she got exactly what she wanted. We can’t reward bad behavior, Mary.”

She laughed that sparkly laugh, but after a moment of strolling, it kind of rolled into a gusty sigh. “What a way to spend a Friday night.”

“What do you mean?” he asked carefully.