Page 45 of Dream Date With the Millionaire
Maeve laughed. “Then my son’s not as smart a man as I thought he was. You’re absolutely gorgeous.”
An unwelcome heat crept into Dani’s cheeks. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her. “Thank you.”
“And modest, too,” Caitlin said.
“Wherever did he find you, Dani?” Maeve asked.
Dani shifted her weight between her feet. “Blinddatebrides.com.”
The two Delaney women smiled like a pair of Cheshire cats. They seemed happy over what they’d learned, not concerned.
Caitlin clapped her hands together. “Well, it’s about time.”
“I’ll have to give Joelle a call,” Maeve added.
Dani stood there, feeling as if they were speaking a foreign language.
“We’ve been telling Bryce to use his own site for dating since he founded it,” Maeve explained. “But he says he’s always working too much.”
“Bryce does work hard,” Dani said.
“We know,” Caitlin said. “But he’s always looking out for everyone else. It’s nice to see that he’s finally doing something for himself.”
Maeve walked to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. “Come over here and sit down for a little chat, Dani. I want to hear all about you and my son.”
“Uh…sure.” Dani sat, making a silent cry for help. She might have handled Gymguy on her own and the mimes on the bus, but the two Delaney women, who looked as if they’d stepped from a window display at Neiman Marcus, absolutely terrified her.
Where was her backup when she really needed him?
Bryce hopped out of bed. Dani was in his house, in his guest bedroom. No reason to stay in his room alone. Not when he could see her and maybe snag a good-morning kiss.
He opened the door to his bedroom. Her door was ajar.
Bryce peeked inside. “Dani?”
No reply. Just an empty bed with the covers turned back. He made a beeline for the stairs.
Halfway down the steps, the sound of feminine laughter drifted up. Not just Dani, either.
His heart plummeted to his feet.
Today was Saturday. He was supposed to go out to breakfast with Caitlin and…
His mother.
Bryce sprinted down the stairs, taking them three at a time. Poor Dani. He loved his mother, but she wasn’t known for her subtlety. He skidded into the kitchen.
The three women sat at the kitchen table with steaming coffee cups in front of them. Uh-oh, they’d been there a while.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said.
Three heads turned toward him at the exact same time like a trio of synchronized swimmers. But one person wasn’t wearing the same uniform as the other two.
His gaze focused on Dani, trying to assess any damage already afflicted upon her. At least she was smiling. And he didn’t see any blood or bruises. Though her cheeks had more of a pink tinge than normal.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“I did. Thanks.” She looked into her coffee cup as if she could see the secrets to the universe inside. “I was coming down to get my clothes out of the dryer—”
“And she found us,” Caitlin interrupted.
“I used my key,” Maeve added. “I see you forgot about our breakfast date this morning.”
The warmth in Dani’s gaze made his senses reel. “I’ve been busy.”
“I can see that.” Maeve smiled. “But, this time, I understand why. We’ve enjoyed chatting with your…friend.”
His mother emphasized the last word.
“Dani is my friend.” Bryce didn’t want Dani to feel uncomfortable, but that seemed impossible under the circumstances. “She and I are dating.”
“You might have mentioned it,” Maeve said. “Her.”
“He hinted, Mother,” Caitlin added. “Remember what I told you, but I’m sure he just wanted to keep Dani all to himself.”
As the color on Dani’s cheeks deepened to a bright red, Bryce’s chest tightened. His sister was right. He did want to keep Dani for himself. He wanted to pull her away from his family and spend the morning with her. The afternoon and evening, too.
Caitlin leaned forward. “Dani, I don’t know if Bryce has talked to you about—”
“Later,” he interrupted.
“But—”
“I promise.”
His sister nodded, her face glowing as if she were walking down the aisle today, not in nine months. “I have a great idea. What if the four of us go to breakfast and then Mother and I can take Dani shopping?”
“That would be a lovely way to spend the day,” Maeve said. “We could stop in at the Fairmont afterward. The Laurel Court puts on a nice afternoon tea.”
“Oh, afternoon tea would be perfect.” Caitlin clasped her hands together. “We could always go to the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel. I love the harpist there.”
