“Well, I guess it explains your bad mood,” Mary said, making a joke to cover her confusion. “You haven’t had a decent meal in six months.”

John laughed, and it startled her the same way it had the other times. It was a deep, rich laugh, but layered and two-toned just like his voice. Some people’s laughter lingered on their faces, echoed for long moments. But John’s laughter was always brief as a meteorite and then it was gone, leaving no trace to show it had ever been there.

“Hey, Mary?”

Mary jumped, as though she’d been caught doing something much more embarrassing than simply studying John. “What’s up, Joanna?”

“Was that a real offer? To let the three of us stay in your guest room tonight? Because our A/C should be fixed by tomorrow, and it would be awesome if we could actually get Jewel to sleep tonight. She’s been miserable in our sauna of an apartment.”

“Of course!” Mary was thrilled. She loved having guests. “I’ll make sure there are sheets and towels in there. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

“Thank God. Josh almost cried when I told him it was time to go home. But we’ll be back in a few hours with our overnight stuff.”

Mary laughed and said goodbye. She turned to John. “I’m gonna go get their room set up.”

She was glad for the short reprieve from the party. First Fin had planted ideas in Mary’s head, and then John had been so pink-eared and cute in the kitchen. She smoothed sheets onto the guest bed and quickly folded some towels.

Was it possible that John had changed his mind about their age difference? Was it possible that if he’d changed his mind, Mary no longer cared that he’d said that in the first place? First impressions were important, but they weren’t everything. Maybe John and Mary were outgrowing their first impressions of one another.

The thought was intriguing and made her heart gallop a little as she stopped into her own bedroom and checked her hair and makeup. She wore a blue-striped dress that swished at her knees, bare feet with a new red pedicure and her hair down her back. Mary didn’t think she looked old.

Maybe John didn’t think so anymore either. She smoothed her dress over her hips and took a deep breath.

Okay. If things were changing between them—which it kind of seemed like they were—then what happened next? Probably not anything today, because they were unlikely to get a moment alone together. Not with the Coates family staying over. But maybe she should secure a date in the calendar when they could be alone together?