them since he’d been one himself. Some of his friends joked that his string of female friends were young enough to be classified as children, but he knew their comments all sprang from jealousy.
Beth returned. ‘‘I’ve put them in water. Thank you again. They’re lovely.’’ She picked up a small handbag from a table by the door. ‘‘Shall we go?’’
‘‘Certainly.’’
He waited while she locked the front door, then escorted her to the car. R.J. held the rear door open for them. Beth slid onto the seat, and kept moving until she was practically pressed into the far corner.
Todd settled into the soft leather, then motioned to the champagne chilling in an ice bucket. ‘‘May I offer you a glass?’’
Beth shook her head. ‘‘I’m sure it’s nicer than anything I’ve ever had but…’’ The car started moving. She clutched at the door handle to her left. ‘‘I just don’t think I should.’’
Todd frowned. Was she afraid he was trying to get her drunk? ‘‘Beth, you are perfectly safe in my company.’’
Her blue eyes widened. She gave a little laugh that turned into a strangled moan. ‘‘Like I don’t know that,’’ she said.
‘‘Then I don’t understand.’’
She angled toward him, although he noticed she was careful to keep herself anchored in the corner. ‘‘I mean this in the nicest possible way, Mr. Graham, but I really don’t want to be out with you tonight.’’
He was so stunned he could barely speak. ‘‘You don’t want to be on our date?’’ He couldn’t believe it. While it was fine for him not to want to be there, he couldn’t believe that she wasn’t thrilled.
‘‘I think I would rather have a root canal…without the painkiller.’’
That was telling him, he thought, and longed for the respectful, often shy, young women he dated. ‘‘Then why did you bid for me at the auction?’’
‘‘I didn’t.’’ She drew in a deep breath. ‘‘Some very well-meaning friends bought this evening for me. They thought it was time for me to start getting out into the world, and this seemed like an easy way to make that happen.’’ She shook her head. ‘‘Easy for them. They aren’t the ones who are going to throw up in the car.’’
Throw up? He inched back slightly. ‘‘Would you like me to roll down the window?’’
‘‘No. I’m fine. I meant that more in an emotional way than physically, although it’s why I don’t want to risk the champagne.’’ She looked at him ‘‘To be honest, I haven’t been on a date in twenty years. I don’t remember what to talk about, or how I’m supposed to act. I don’t imagine I’m your idea of the perfect partner anyway, what with me being well over twenty-five.’’ The last comment was delivered with a slight smile. ‘‘From what I’ve read, younger would be your preference.’’
He didn’t like the direction this conversation was going. ‘‘So you know who I am.’’
‘‘It’s hard to live in Houston and not have heard about you, Mr. Graham.’’
‘‘Then we’ll agree that I’m the expert in this dating situation?’’
Her gaze narrowed. ‘‘Maybe.’’
She didn’t trust easily and she wasn’t a fool. Despite her obvious nerves and the fact that she was so ill at ease, she was saying awful things about him, Todd had to respect her honesty. ‘‘I’m going to give you some dating advice.
Use my first name. Mr. Graham makes me feel like I’m the high school principal.’’
She stared at him, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. A flush of color crept up her cheeks. ‘‘I have been calling you that, haven’t I?’’ She shook her head. ‘‘I don’t think I should do this. I wasn’t good at dating when I was young and I know I haven’t improved since then.’’
He liked her vulnerability. Maybe this evening wasn’t going to be so horrible after all. ‘‘It’s like riding a bike— everything will come back to you.’’
‘‘You say that like it’s a good thing. I’m not so sure. I distinctly remember being tongue-tied and incredibly nervous in high school. I don’t want to go back to that.’’
‘‘How about if I handle the difficult parts? I’ll introduce topics of conversation and keep things running smoothly. All you have to do is remember to breathe and respond where appropriate.’’
Some of the stiffness left her body. ‘‘Should I take notes?’’ she teased, as she flashed a smile that momentarily made her quite attractive.
‘‘I think you’re smart enough to remember the highlights.’’
‘‘Keep the instructions in single-syllable words and I’ll be fine.’’ She leaned forward a little. ‘‘Actually, I do have a few dating questions, if you wouldn’t mind answering them.’’
‘‘Not at all.’’
‘‘Do you like all the dating you do? Don’t you get tired of all those different women? And how on earth do you keep their names straight? I’ve always wondered about that. Do you use a common endearment? Are they all honey, or in this case because they’re so young, baby?’’
Todd’s first instinct was to be insulted. If one of his male friends had asked him the last question, he would have decked the guy in about two seconds. But Beth wasn’t one of his male friends, and as he gazed at her, he realized she wasn’t trying to be rude.
‘‘I’m only asking because your life is so different from mine or from anyone’s I know.’’ Her mouth turned up at the corners. ‘‘I was married, all my friends are married. The most romantic excitement at my house is when there’s a good love story on television.’’
‘‘Flash cards,’’ he said, pretending seriousness. ‘‘I have my secretary write out flash cards on each of the women I date, then I memorize the information. If I start to get confused, I just pull it out for a quick review. Of course it gets more difficult in the bedroom, what with me not having access to my pants pocket. In that case, I either tuck it between the mattress and the box spring, or under the pillow.’’
Beth stared at him for a long time, then she smiled again. The smile broadened and soon she was laughing. He joined in. His gaze drifted over her face. She was prettier than he’d first realized. Her blue eyes seemed to signal her emotions in the most charming way.
‘‘Flash cards,’’ she said. ‘‘What a great idea. Should I ever find myself in your situation, I’ll remember that. Although the odds of it being a problem are quite slim.’’
‘‘I think you’ll do fine. You’re all right now, aren’t you?’’
Her hands rested in her lap. He stared at her long, bare fingers and could easily imagine a slender gold wedding band on the ring finger of her left hand. Beth was one of those women born to be married.
‘‘If
