Page 55 of Kissing the Debutant
“And what do you enjoy besides dance, Lillian?”
She knew little besides ballet and school. Yet, there was one thing looming that had been a focus for so long. “I’m in my deb year.”
“Your what?” Mr. Butler looked from Lillian to his wife.
Cara smiled. “I’m guessing you mean debutant?”
Lillian nodded.
“That’s wonderful. They don’t do debutant balls around here. Let me guess, you’re from the south.”
She nodded. “Lexington.”
“When is your ball?”
Lillian chewed on her lips. She hadn’t brought it up with Jack or told him how her mom had been trying to set her up with different boys for the event. And now… she either had to find someone to take or suffer the embarrassment of going unescorted. “Next weekend.”
Jack’s eyes shot to her.
An idea rose in her, one she wasn’t sure anyone in this house would understand. The best way to show her mother she couldn’t control her life was to bring someone of her choosing, despite his background. It would cause a stir at the ball to bring someone without a large family name behind him, but maybe that was the wake-up call her mom needed.
And besides, she couldn’t picture herself arriving with anyone else on her arm.
She turned to Jack. “I know it’s last minute and all, but do you want to come with me? You’d have to wear a suit and walk me down the stairs. We’d have to do the dances together, but you could pick up on those easily. I mean… if you want to. You don’t have to. You can say no.” She sucked in a breath to cease her rambling.
One corner of Jack’s mouth tilted into a smile. “Well, going to a ball isn’t exactly my style, but who am I to turn down Cinderella?”
“You’ll go?”
He nodded, one finger grazing her cheek. “Lillian, right now you could probably ask me to go to this thing naked and I would.”
She laughed. “Please don’t do that.”
He leaned toward her. “Only because you asked.” The moment his lips pressed against hers, his siblings started yelling and throwing balled-up napkins at them, reminding them they weren’t alone.
Lillian would have been embarrassed if not for the pressure of Jack’s hand in hers. She took a bite of pizza, wondering how she’d kept herself from eating it before. It would be rude to refuse food his family served her, right?
That night, she ate three whole slices.
19
Lillian
Jack tugged at the tight collar threatening to cut off his air supply.
“You look handsome.” Lillian took his free hand, swatting his other away from his father’s red tie.
“You should know you’re special, Lil. I don’t put on a suit for just anyone, much less a tie.”
“Well, I appreciate it.” She squeezed his hand, happy to have someone with her she genuinely liked as her escort for cotillion. Lillian was a pro at navigating these stuffy society events. She had a lifetime of experience behind her. “Tonight will be a lot more fun with you here.”
“It’s definitely fancy.” Jack gave her a nervous look.
“You’ll do fine.” Lillian smiled. “Just be yourself.” She glanced through the open archway into the crowded ballroom at her mother’s country club. The elite of high society were out in full force this evening, anticipating showing their accomplished daughters off. And her mother was at the center of attention, fully in her element among the other mothers.
“Is it just me, or is this whole thing kind of weird?” Jack asked. “We just walk down the stairs and let everyone ooh and ahh over you and your poufy white not-a-wedding-dress dress, and then we dance? And that’s it?”
“Pretty much.” She glanced down at the billowing white skirt of her dress. “It is poufy, isn’t it?” She laughed. “I look like something that goes on top of a cake.”
