She stood up, trying to maintain a dignified pose. “Would you mind if I walked you back to your place, Mark?”
“Nope.” Mark stood, giving a polite nod to her mother. “Thanks for a great meal, Cindy. I'm sure I'll see you again soon.”
*****
“Your mom's very nice.”
“She's a pain,” Brianna said, as they walked up the footpath towards the farmhouse. Unconsciously, she found she had reached for his hand, and that he had shortened his steps to match her stride.
“So is tomorrow okay? Or is Sunday night a bad night?”
“It should be okay,” she replied. “As long as we don't stay out too late. Unlike some people I know, I have to be up early for work,” she teased.
He nodded, not rising to the bait. “And unlike some people, I don't have a steady source of income. I got a three-book deal out of 'S
