LITMIR.BIZ

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and who knows what else!”

      Dominique folded her arms beneath her full breasts, pushing them higher into view over her low cut, body hugging T-shirt. “That’s so unfair. You know my job at the nonprofit barely covers my hair appointments.”

      “What you do is what’s more important,” Lee Ann chided. “Young, single, poor mothers come to you for help, and when they do that’s worth much more than a paycheck.”

      “I know that. I do love my work, but personal satisfaction doesn’t pay bills.”

      “Then don’t accumulate them. Live within your means.”

      Dominique stood as if catapulted off the bed. They were at eye level. “Live within my means! We’re rich for heaven’s sake.”

      Dominique looked so astounded and bereft that Lee Ann seemed not to understand that fact, that Lee Ann did all but burst out laughing. Instead, she turned away to keep the laughter out of her eyes.

      “I’ll loan you three,” she conceded. “You’ll have to figure out how to get the rest. Go bug Rafe.”

      “Ooh, thank you, thank you,” she said, wrapping her arms around her sister and kissing her on the cheek.

      “I’ll deposit the money into your account when I go out later.”

      It was then that Dominique noticed her sister was getting ready to go somewhere. She lifted one dress from the bed and then the other. “Where are you off to?”

      “Out.”

      “Out where? With who? Anyone I know?”

      “Out for brunch if you must know,” she said, spinning out of her sister’s web of questions.

      Dominique eyed her with suspicion. “Why are you being so evasive? Why can’t you just tell me where you’re going? Suppose something happens to one of us or you. No one will know where you are. And don’t you watch The First 48?” she added dramatically. “The first 48 hours are always crucial in an investigation.”

      Lee Ann held up her hand to stop the onslaught of Dominique. “All right, all right. I give up. But…don’t read anything into it,” she warned. “I’m having brunch with Senator Graham.”

      Dominique frowned for a moment, and then her eyes popped with excitement. “The gorgeous new Senator Graham, Daddy’s protégé?”

      “Yes.”

      “Well I’ll be. Still waters. It’s about damned time you went out on a date.”

      “It’s not a date.”

      “Of course it is.” She rocked her head from side to side. “You aren’t planning to spend the entire time talking business and politics as usual, are you?”

      “I don’t know what we’ll talk about.”

      “Then it’s a date!” she said triumphantly. “And since that’s the case, you are not wearing the blue one. Peach is soft and feminine and brings out the color of your eyes.” She held up the peach spaghetti strap dress that smoothed along the curves of Lee Ann’s petite frame and stopped just above her knees.

      “You think so?”

      “I know so.” She held the dress up in front of her. “And I have the perfect accessories.” She shoved the dress at her sister and darted out of the room.

      Moments later, she returned with Desiree in tow.

      “You’re going on a date with Preston Graham?” Desiree said as if he were a rock star. “That is so awesome. He’s yummy. I didn’t know you knew him like that.”

      “I don’t,” Lee Ann said. “It’s just lunch.”

      “It’s a date,” Dominique said. “Don’t listen to her.”

      For the next hour, her twin sisters fussed over her as if she was getting ready for her senior prom. By the time she was ready to leave, she was exhausted from their chatter and advice. You’d think she’d never been out with a man before in her life. She knew how to handle herself. After all, she was the oldest sister—although Dominique had all three women beaten in the men department.

      The afternoon was hot and muggy. The umbrella of trees only gave the illusion of cool. She was thankful for her short hairdo that held up against the onslaught of Louisiana weather. She turned on the air conditioner full blast in her gunmetal-gray, two-seater Mercedes-Benz convertible. The color was custom-mixed for her, and it drove like a cloud. It was a gift to herself on her thirtieth birthday, three years earlier. She checked her GPS built into the dash and made the right turn then navigated her way along the narrow streets. She spotted Treme up ahead and drove into the parking lot behind the restaurant.

      Nerves overtook her, racing her heart and making her legs feel weak as she drew closer to the entrance. She pulled in a long breath of calm, tugged the door open and stepped into the cool dimness.

      “Good afternoon,” the hostess greeted. “A table for one or are you meeting someone?”

      “I am meeting someone, actually,” she said, peering into the restaurant space and the tables dotted with afternoon diners. “I’m a bit early. I can wait at the bar.”

      “If you leave the name of your party, I can direct them to you when they arrive.”

      “Graham is his last name.”

      The hostess jotted it down. “I’ll let him know as soon as he gets here.”

      “Thank you.” She walked over to the bar and slid onto the stool.

      “What can I get for you?” the female bartender asked.

      “White wine spritzer,” came the deep voice from behind her left shoulder.

      Lee Ann slowly turned on the stool and looked up into his smiling face. Her heart banged in her chest, momentarily stunting her breath.

      “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He leaned down and placed a featherlight kiss on her cheek.

      “Not at all. I just sat down.”

      “Next time we’ll arrive together.”

      Next time, she thought. A happy bubble tumbled in her stomach.

      “You want to sit here with your drink, or should we get a table now?”

      “Let’s get settled.”

      The bartender returned with the drink.

      “Thanks. You can add this to our tab,” Preston said, taking the drink and helping Lee Ann to her feet. “I got a table by the window just in case we get tired of talking to and looking at each other. We can then pretend to watch street traffic.”

      Lee Ann laughed, feeling the knots of anxiousness begin to loosen. “Very funny. But definitely an idea worth having.”

      “Although I can’t imagine not wanting to look at and talk to you,” he said. His voice drifted to her over her shoulder, the heat of his words warming her cheek and fanning out to her limbs. She glanced behind her for an instant to measure the sincerity of his voice with his eyes, but he was looking ahead and not at her.

      Preston guided her to their table, and several heads turned in their direction as they crossed the restaurant, his face recognizable from the local papers and the news. He offered a casual nod but didn’t stop. Lee Ann was thankful for that. She wanted this first time to be for them and not turn into a circus.

      They came to their table, and Preston pulled out Lee Ann’s chair for her then sat down. Once they were settled, he asked, “So…how have you been since the last time I saw you?”

      Lee Ann chuckled. “I’ve been just fine, and you?”

      “You have a great laugh, you know. Rich and honest.”

      She lowered her gaze for

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