Page 56

“Kudos for even going. Mom suggested it once, and we all turned her down. I believe she then went on a rant about how unfortunate it was that she didn’t have any daughters.”

Grace laughed. “Mom always told me that I didn’t have to go if I didn’t want to. But I didn’t want to let her down, you know?”

I was starting to understand that she sometimes did things because she didn’t like to displease others.

“You’re a great person, Grace.”

She tilted her head, then straightened it, taking a sip of her drink. “Do I detect surprise in your tone?”

“No, not at all.”

“There’s prejudice because of my brothers. I swear to God, every time I’m out in the Quarter and I say the name Deveraux, people do a double take. Not everyone assumes I’m related to them because the name isn’t so uncommon in the South, but enough put two and two together.”

“Anyone giving you grief?” I asked bluntly.

“If I say yes, what will you do?”

“You don’t want to know.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “You have a dangerous side, don’t you?”

“I like to call it protective.”

“Yes, let’s go with that. Protective sounds much better.” As she downed her second Pimm’s, she rolled her shoulders back. “I’m starting to feel my body go soft already. I’m not really used to coming out to bars to drink.”

“I thought it was a favorite pastime for all New Orleans locals.”

“No, I didn’t even do it when I was in college.”

“Where did you study? Loyola?”

“Of course. You?”

“Same.”

She looked around several times.

“What do you need?” I asked.

“A comfy place to sit.”

I laughed. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t think there’s a bar in the whole Quarter that can boast comfortable seating. Not even Julian’s bars. I swear those chairs are torture devices.”

“Ha! See, I knew there was a reason I don’t like going out even though I do enjoy drinks.”

“I have a proposition,” I said.

“I’m listening.”

“Let’s take the party somewhere else.”

“Such as?”

I didn’t even hesitate. “My house.”

Grace looked down at her feet and then back up. Fuck, I wanted to push this. I wanted to flirt, and I definitely wanted to kiss her, right here and now. But I needed to be certain that she wanted it. The last thing I would do was corner her somehow. She was special and needed to be treated as such.

“Sure. Is it close?”