Page 58 of Just a Plot Twist
“How about it’s my ride, and I’m letting you pick the tunes?”
“How diplomatic of you,” she says. She does a fist pump and then punches through the satellite stations, settling on a country station playing some classic Travis Tritt.
I almost protest her choice of music. I don’t listen to country very often, but I told her she could pick the tunes. Besides, it fits her. And it’s fun music, which is exactly what we need right now.
Fun. Laidback and casual. Not like the beach, where everything in me was tumbling down a one-way lane to…a whole lot of feelings I can’t be having.
“So, what are you going to tell your kids about the…” She lowers her voice in a whisper. “…gala?” Her smile is amused.
“There’s so much I could say.”
She whistles. “Right? The swans and falling flat on our butts. And my grandparents are…” She gives a little shudder. “Complex people.”
“One of the biggest things that strikes me is that they’re unapologetically themselves.”
“Um, yes. True.”
“They are who they are, and they want what they want,” he continues. “And they’ve made their marriage work for sixty years, quirks and all.”
She hesitates. “Grandma and Grandpa do have their quirks. And they are still in love.”
“There was something else that came up tonight. Peter Schiller, the president of Foundations was there, along with his wife Mandy.”
She raises a brow and twists her mouth to one side.
“Peter’s also my father’s best friend, although it sounds funny to describe him like that.”
“You look like you’re about to give me bad news.”
I grunt. “There’s evidence that Peter’s readying himself to break his contract with the company. Illegally.”
“Oh, no.”
“We’re not sure, and please keep this confidential, but it looks like he’s going to start his own company, which is in breach of contract. He’s not supposed to be able to do that until he’s waited a year after leaving Foundations.”
“Did you talk with him tonight?”
“Briefly. I didn’t find out any info but there was a vibe.”
She’s quiet for a long time and then: “That’s too bad for your father.”
I nod. “He’s had a hard time getting ready to retire.”
We arrive at the remodeled colonial event center, and Claire says she’s fine to walk herself to her car, but I give her a look before scrambling out to help. She has a terrible track record this last week or so.
We make it to her car. I open her door for her and instead of climbing in right away, she leans towards me.
“Thanks for all your help tonight, Benson.” We start hugging even before she finishes the words. I run my fingers down a soft tendril of hair before smoothing it over her shoulder.
“I’m glad I came,” I say. “And not just because I got to carry you out of the ballroom.”
She draws back, searching my eyes.
“I mean that. I could get used to it.”
“I liked it too…a little bit.” Her cheeks pucker as she smiles. “If I forget all of the embarrassing parts.”
I tug her closer and plant a barely there kiss on her temple, the warmth of her skin tantalizing my lips. “I’m sorry you were embarrassed.”
