Angels Everywhere - Debbie Macomber [209]
“Not yet.” He splayed his fingers through his hair, feeling less confident about his decision. “The fact is, I haven’t asked her yet. I’m not exactly sure how to go about it.”
“Just come right out and ask her,” Bob advised.
“But wine and dine her,” was Trixie’s advice.
“Yeah,” Bob teased, “get her good and soused first.”
Mary Lou shook her head slowly. “Don’t you listen to any of that. You tell that young woman what’s in your heart. That’s all you need to do, and if she feels as strongly about you as you do about her, nothing else will be necessary.”
“I shouldn’t take her to a fancy dinner, then?” Trey asked. His newfound friends confused him more than they helped.
“Dinner and champagne won’t hurt,” Trixie assured him, “but Mary Lou’s right. Just tell this special lady what’s in your heart and go from there.”
That sounded like a lot less trouble than getting down on one knee, Trey decided.
“You might try singing to her.”
Everyone turned to stare at Steve, Trey included. As far as Trey was concerned, there were certain things a man didn’t do, and break into song was one of them. One of Jenny’s male friends might consider that, but not him.
“Women like romance, and there ain’t nothing more romantic than to sing. You don’t even have to have that great a voice,” Steve added, a cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth.
“I won’t be doing any singing,” Trey said emphatically.
“You love her, don’t you?” Steve smashed the cigarette into an ashtray.
“Yeah.”
“Then romance her.”
“He’s right about that,” the assistant editor acknowledged. “There isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want to be courted by the man she loves.”
Singing was out of the question, but there were other ways to prove he was as tenderhearted as the men she’d dated in the big city. “What about flowers and chocolates?”
Only the day before, Trey had walked into one of those fancy sweet shops by accident. He’d been blown away at the prices. Why, a man could feed a horse for a month on what they wanted for a box of chocolates! French ones.
Mary Lou shook her head. “Be more imaginative than that.”
“Jenny loves those fat bagels vendors sell on the street corners here,” he said, thinking out loud.
“You can’t woo a woman with bagels,” the guy in advertising insisted. He folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm. “I’ve got to get to the office. You’ll let us know what happens, won’t you?”
“Sure thing,” Trey promised. He checked his watch. It was early yet. Jenny would still be sleeping, but he’d told her he’d be by to pick her up this morning. She wanted to take him up to the top of the World Trade Center.
Trey left some change on the counter. “I appreciate the advice,” he told his newfound friends.
“Good luck,” Trixie said with a smile.
“If he’s getting married, he’ll need it,” the short-order cook teased, then laughed when Trixie swatted him across the backside with a dishrag.
An hour later Trey stood outside Jenny’s apartment complex. He paced the sidewalk in front of her building, rehearsing in his mind what he wanted to say. It took another ten minutes before he’d gathered up enough gumption to go inside.
He’d no sooner knocked than the door flew open and there was Jenny, standing on the other side. When she saw him, her face lit up with a smile as bright as a July sun. As long as he lived, he’d never grow weary of seeing Jenny smile.
“Mornin’,” he greeted her, touching the edge of his hat in a genteel salute.
“Oh, Trey, you’ll never guess what.”
Before he could prepare himself, she leapt into his arms. Whatever it was that brought Jenny this close must be good, he thought.
“Irene phoned this morning!”
“Irene’s your agent, right?”
“Right.” Then, not giving him an opportunity to ask anything more, she blurted out, “John Peterman phoned and asked if she had an audio of me.”
Trey didn’t know who this John Peterman was, but he was fairly certain he wasn’t going to like the other man.
As soon as she could, Hannah left the deli to find Joshua. If she explained how she’d been pressured into setting a wedding date, surely he’d understand.