Page 174 of While You Were Trending

“And what are your intentions with my friend this evening?” Dori’s asking below.

“I’m driving her to see a drag show in San Francisco,” Declan answers.

“Will you wear your seat belt?”

“Yes.”

“Will you refuse to drive until Ginny puts on her seat belt?”

“Yes.”

“What are your dinner plans?”

“Fish tacos at a place I know on the wharf.”

“Dessert?”

“Sprinkle Cookies next door.”

“Alcohol?”

“None for me.”

“Are you telling me that so I’ll quit asking questions, or do you mean it?”

“Staying sober is the smart move when your brother knows you’ll be in the audience at his drag show.”

“I’d think it would be the opposite.”

“You’ve never met my brother.”

“Maybe I should.”

Declan’s smiling at her when I turn the corner of the staircase into the main hallway, but his smile freezes on his face as he sees me.

I freeze too.

He’s in casual pants and a striped blue button-up that hugs his thick arms, and I’m suddenly worried that I’m overdressed or that there’s an unspoken rule against wearing a copper-colored sundress to a drag show or that now that he’s thinking about taking me out in public, he’s changing his mind.

Declan visibly swallows. “I— Wow. Hi. You look lovely.”

“We expect her returned looking just as lovely,” Mabel says.

He blinks her way like he didn’t see her coming down the stairs after me. “Of course.”

“Just to clarify, you’re not implying it’s unusual for her to look lovely, are you?” Dori asks.

He shakes his head, still watching me. “Never.”

“Good. Because if you were, I’d accidentally on purpose spill red wine all over your favorite shirts.”

Declan sweeps a glance from my head to my toes and back up again, then visibly swallows.

“Ready?” he asks.

No.

Yes.