Page 65 of Tuxedos and Tinsel

“Relax. I wasn’t trying to criticize the guy.”

No, only lobbing a passive-aggressive comment in his direction. “Lewis is a lot…more…than people give him credit for,” she told him. “He’s smart, he’s gentle, he’s considerate…”

“Handsome.”

Her sister-in-law lay in bed, her eyes half-closed, with Maddie curled up by her side. Exhausted from the excitement, the little girl was nearly asleep but Rosalind had clearly been listening.

Rosalind stroked her daughter’s hair. “He’s very handsome,” she repeated. “The tabloids don’t do him justice.”

“No, they don’t,” Susan agreed. There were times when she would look at him quickly and the sheer perfection of his profile made her breath catch.

“I still can’t believe my sister is going out with Champagne Lewis,” Thomas said.

“Why?” Because she wasn’t a supermodel? Because she was a pathetic shrew? “Is it really such a big stretch?”

“You’ve got to admit, you two are different.”

“Not as much as you’d think,” she replied. Maybe on the outside, but on this inside they were two odd peas in a pod. The thought made her smile. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. We’re not…”

Her brother, who’d been staring at his newborn son, turned his head. “Not what?”

“Running off and getting married anytime soon.”

She almost said they weren’t really dating. But it was a secret and if she told Thomas the truth, he’d use it to justify thinking Lewis was still some kind of “bad boy.” Which he wasn’t. He was everything she said and more.

And she was going to hold on to the illusion for as long as she could.

“For goodness’ sake, stop interrogating the woman,” Rosalind said in a sleepy voice. “Her love life is none of our business. We don’t need to butt in.”

“If you remember, she had no problem butting into ours,” Thomas said.

Susan winced. Sheknewhe still held a grudge over her interference last winter.

“That was different,” Rosalind said. “We had our collective heads in the clouds. We wouldn’t have had Noel if she hadn’t said anything. Now be quiet so I can get some sleep.”

“Thank you,” Susan replied. Her brother looked down at his feet.

“You’re welcome,” Rosalind said. “Besides, we already know he’s special or you wouldn’t have brought him to the hospital.”

We already know he’s special or you wouldn’t have brought him to the hospital.

Her sister-in-law’s words stuck in Susan’s head the entire way home.

When Lewis and Linus had returned from the cafeteria, she noticed a distinct change in her faux boyfriend’s manner. He seemed distant.

“Thank you for coming to the hospital with me,” she said. “I know it wasn’t quite the fun day you had planned.”

“You’re welcome. I just hope I wasn’t in the way.”

“Hardly. I was more worried my brothers would pin you down and interrogate you. They didn’t, did they?”

“No.”

“Linus didn’t say anything stupid when the two of you went to get coffee?”

“No.”

The distance was driving her insane. Reaching across the seat, she brushed her fingers across the back of his hand. “What’s wrong?”