A Man Worth Marrying. Phyllis Halldorson
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was the consummate hero-worshiper, and anyone in the public eye was hero material for her. Eve couldn’t help grinning, even as her own stomach filled with fluttering butterflies and tickles rippled up and down her spine. Gray projected her into orbit, too, but it wasn’t hero worship. It was a much more perilous attraction than that.
“Thank you, Jess,” she said without satisfying the other woman’s curiosity. “Will you keep an eye on the kids? I won’t be but a minute.”
Without waiting for an answer, she left the room and headed for the office. Why was Gray calling her? After all, they’d agreed that she couldn’t tutor Tinker. Last time they saw each other, he’d sort of indicated he might be in touch with her again, but that was four days ago. Besides, she hadn’t actually believed he meant it.
She walked into the outer office and picked up the telephone. “Gray, this is Eve Costopoulos.”
“Eve,” he said, and sounded relieved. “I’m sorry to bother you at school, but I neglected to get your home phone number.”
“That’s okay,” she replied. “Is something wrong?”
“No. Actually something’s very right. Tinker has agreed to be tutored, and she wants you to do it.”
“Oh?” Eve said skeptically. That sounded somewhat suspicious given the way the youngster had objected when first approached about it. “Are you sure you didn’t coerce her into it—?”
“I swear, I didn’t put any pressure on her,” he interrupted. “Bambi and I just explained to her why it was so important that she have help in catching up with the rest of her classmates.”
Eve’s stomach muscles knotted. “You and Bambi?” Her tone betrayed her uncertainty. “And how did you get her approval?”
He chuckled. “I don’t blame you for being skeptical. I admit Bambi’s pretty scatterbrained, but she does want what’s best for her daughter. Once I went over the situation with her, she understood why it was necessary—and helped me convince Tinker.”
“Well, I think that’s great,” she assured him. “I know several teachers who are looking for summer employment. If you like, I can give you their names—”
“No. Wait,” he interrupted. “Didn’t you hear me? Tinker wants you to tutor her. I didn’t even mention you. It was her own request. She asked for you.”
Eve felt her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Really,” Gray assured her. “Look, we don’t have time to discuss this now—I know you have to get back to your students. I’m calling to ask if you’ll have dinner with me tonight. We can work out the details then. I have a baby-sitter I can call.”
Common sense told Eve that she should say no to a social engagement disguised as a business meeting, but then, when had she let common sense stand in the way of something she wanted to do as much as she wanted to go to dinner with Gray? After all, she wasn’t his daughter’s teacher—yet.
“I’d like that,” she admitted. “I usually get home by three-thirty.”
“Good,” he said, and he really sounded pleased. “Okay if I pick you up around six-thirty?”
“Fine,” she agreed. “If you have a piece of paper and a pencil handy, I’ll give you my address and phone number.”
Eve was bathed, dressed and ready to go early, so she used the extra time to straighten up her already immaculate apartment. It consisted of a living room, kitchen/dining area, bedroom and bath in one of the city’s newer apartment complexes. This one had been built by her dad’s construction company.
She heard the doorbell ring, and a wave of warmth swept over her. That would be Gray! She hurried to the door, and a glance through the peephole revealed him standing on the other side. Quickly she unlatched the locks and opened the door.
For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. Gray was wearing a dark blue suit, and looked suave as always. She was glad she’d selected her above-the-knee burnt-orange long-sleeve chemise—very plain but elegant. With the addition of a glowing amber necklace and earrings, she could go anywhere and be appropriately dressed.
She finally broke the spell. “Please, come in Gray.”
There was no foyer; the door opened right into the living room. She stepped back to let him enter. As he walked past, she caught a faint whiff of his expensive shaving lotion. It was heady stuff: understated, but enticing.
She closed the door, and Gray’s gaze roamed over her. “You look lovely,” he said huskily.
“Thank you,” she replied, at a loss for words to express how much his admiration meant to her. “How...how much time do we have? Can we sit down and talk for a while or...”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I made reservations for seven, and the restaurant is clear across town.”
“Oh, then I’ll get my purse,” she said.
Outside, he led her to a bright red Jaguar and helped her in.
“What a beautiful car!” she exclaimed. “It looks new.”
He beamed as he climbed in behind the steering wheel. “It is. It’s my one extravagance.”
“What a joy it must be to drive,” she said. “My poor old buggy is ten years old and badly in need of a paint job—but I’m not complaining, it runs well.”
He glanced at her as he started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “You’re going to have to convince me that you’ve been driving for ten years. You don’t look old enough.”
She smiled. Even when using a cliché, he sounded sincere. “Ten years ago, I wasn’t even old enough to get my learner’s permit. Dad and Mom gave me the car secondhand when I graduated from City College. I had enrolled at the University at Brookings to get my BA, and needed something to get around in.”
She thought she saw him wince. “I feel like I’m robbing the cradle. I’m thirty-six,” he admitted.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Lighten up, grandpa,” she teased. “It’s not as if you were taking me out to propose marriage. This is just a business dinner, remember?”
“I’ll try my best not to forget,” he muttered so low that she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.
The restaurant Gray had chosen was the newest and the nicest one in town. The walls were paneled in wood, the lights were dim, and the diners were seated in secluded booths with shimmering votive candles in stained glass holders on the tables.
“Oh, it’s lovely,” Eve breathed as the hostess seated them and handed them each a large menu.
“You haven’t been here before?” Gray asked.
“No, I haven’t,” she admitted. “I’m afraid it’s out of my price range, but I read the food critic’s review when it opened.”
“The menu is pretty much all American, but their chef is a master at cooking it.” He opened his menu. “They’re already known for their prime rib, and with good reason. I highly recommend it, but don’t hesitate to order anything that appeals to you.”
The cocktail waitress came, and Eve asked for white wine; Gray ordered Scotch on the rocks. When the woman had gone, he closed his menu and laid it aside. “So, are you glad there’s only one more week of school?”
She looked over the top of her menu. “I’m positively ecstatic,” she said with a sigh.
Before Gray could answer the cocktail waitress returned with their drinks, and almost immediately after that their server came to take their order. Eve followed Gray’s lead and asked for the prime rib, but the petite cut.
When