She tried to keep the blush off her cheeks and just smiled, feeling inordinately pleased that he'd complimented her. “Red's one of my favorite colors. Purple's the other,” she said, and then felt a little ridiculous for telling him such inane details. One of the many things she loved about Christmas was that the color red was part of the theme.

When he suggested that they sing together in the weeks leading up to Christmas, she had to make a concerted effort to reign in her enthusiasm until she had her father's permission. “I'd much rather be singing than waiting tables... If it's only a few songs, my dad might agree, especially if they're Christmas carols.” He complimented her other suggestions, and her smile brightened a little. “I'll talk to him about all this first, if you don't mind.”

She twirled some spaghetti around her fork when he set the plate down in front of her. “Thanks,” she said, taking a bite. One eyebrow canted upwards in mild surprise. “It's good... Is there anything you can't do, Jim?” she asked, expression bemused. She'd definitely worked up an appetite dancing, and she happily took a few more bites.

Something about the overly casual tone of his admission gave her pause, but she certainly wasn't going to press the matter. “Well, we're very happy to have you and your music whenever you have time to be there.”