Isabel sighed, "If you heard what they said, you must have heard my response."
Howard's lips twitched, "I didn't actually."
She stared at him. It wasn't like him to fish for compliments.
"I told them that you're only a few years older than me," she said.
"Oh, was that all?" he asked.
"I may have said that you're handsome," she whispered shyly.
"Oh did you?" he asked, his eyes suddenly bright.
"They misunderstood the situation," she answered, trying to change the conversation. "It's not their fault, really. I got married pretty suddenly, and I'm very young. It makes sense they'd overthink it. Besides, Janet put the idea in their heads."
He looked at her thoughtfully, "It's true. You are quite young."
She stared back at him. For a moment she detecte
