Five in a Row
Page 31
“Maybe there’ll be a couple of quick settlements and the families can move ahead with their lives.”
“While the lawyers are on the payroll?” Adam quipped.
“Hey!” Gina punched him in the shoulder.
Adam grinned at Emily. “But on to more important things. What are you two doing for lunch?”
Ben drew Emily against him. “We’re getting a quick bite and driving back to Connecticut. I’m taking this afternoon and tomorrow off—a long weekend.”
“It’s about time.” Gina smiled. “You’d better hurry and get out, though, before Adam weasels an invitation or decides to tag along.”
They didn’t have to be asked twice. The two partners waited until Ben and Emily were gone before they brought up the topic.
“So, do you think he’s popped the question?” Adam asked.
“Ben’s been staying at her place every weekend. She and Conor have a permanent place at the Colter family dinner table in Westport every Sunday.” Gina smiled. “He’s nuts about her. He’s crazy about her son. And she’s grounded him just the way we’ve been hoping.”
“That’s an evasion, counselor.”
“Let me put it this way. I think Mrs. Colter is already making the guest list, which suits me just fine. I like weddings.”
Sixty-Seven
There was no traffic on the Merritt Parkway or Route 8, so they arrived in Wickfield a few minutes ahead of schedule. Since they were early, Emily asked Ben to drive past the café on their way to pick up Conor. Ben pulled into the alley next to the building and parked behind Jeremy’s pickup truck.
“He’s got better working hours than I do,” Ben teased.
“Liz said he’s been working a few late shifts this week, so he’s helping her with the painting in the afternoons.” They were planning to reopen the café by Thanksgiving.
“How are the living arrangements going?” Ben asked.
“Excellent, I think,” Emily answered. “You know, she’s thirty-four years old and this is the first time that she has actually moved in with her boyfriend.”
“Sounds like commitment.”
“I think so,” Emily whispered, not wanting to jinx them.
Liz and Jeremy were coming up on the four-week dating mark. She knew how jittery her sister got around that time. But Jeremy seemed prepared to make it work. He was already booking vacations for them for next summer. She looked up at the still-closed building.
“I don’t think much painting is getting done in there,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Maybe we should barge in on them.”
“Have you forgotten my office? This morning in New York?” He leaned toward her. His lips were only a breath away. “I remember someone whispering to me how glad she was that no one in Colter Associates barges into other people’s offices.”
Emily felt her face go hot. The big leather sofa in Ben’s office had been too much of a temptation. She’d actually been the instigator, and he’d been more than willing.
“Okay,” she said, kissing him. “Now that you put it that way, we’ll let them be.”
They drove to the high school parking lot next. Conor and Ashley were waiting for them in front.
“So, dog, car, dinner?” Conor asked after the two teenagers were done complaining about the hard day they’d had.
“No,” Emily responded, correcting the sequence of what they were going to do tonight. “Dinner, car, dog.”
Ben had been driving a rental, and the car he’d ordered was supposed to be ready for pickup tonight. They were also bringing their puppy home tonight, which was the reason why Ashley had come along. And, of course, they all had to eat.
“But we’re not hungry,” Conor complained.
“Okay then. Car, dinner, dog,” Ben stated with authority.
Emily was amused that Conor never voiced a complaint when Ben said something.
In the back seat, Conor was telling Ashley about the 1958 Aston he and Ben were helping Ben’s dad restore in Westport. Listening to the conversation, Emily was touched by the pride in her son’s voice, by the sense of belonging she could hear in his words. He talked as if Ben was his family, along with the entire Colter clan.
She glanced at Ben. He was adding a few words here and there to Conor’s story, adding to the authenticity of the work. She loved him for this. She loved him for who he was and for how he treated her and Conor both. She didn’t want to remember how empty her life had been before Ben and how horrible everything would have ended if she’d never run into him on the police station steps.
“Why are we stopping here?” Conor asked from the back seat as they pulled into the dealership.
“Car, dinner, dog,” Ben said again. “I’m picking up my car.”
“A Volvo?” the teenager asked, totally surprised.
This was a surprise to Emily, too. Actually, she’d never thought to ask what he was buying next. She was still driving her eight-year-old Honda. Things like car choices really didn’t matter to her, but she’d assumed it would be another sports car.
Ben pulled into a parking spot. A gleaming black sedan was sitting right in front the showroom door. “That one is mine.”
“But why a Volvo?” Conor asked again.
He turned to the teenager. “Hey, I saw what you could do to a car. Won’t you be driving in a couple of years? I figured, aside from a tank, this would be the safest thing for you to be tooling around in.”
Ben’s words affected Emily as much as Conor. He was talking long term. He was talking the future.
“Cool,” Conor said, letting out a satisfied breath. He looked from Emily back to Ben and smiled. “Can we check it out?”
“Absolutely. In fact, take your schoolbags with you. I’m leaving the rental here.”
Ashley and Conor got out. Emily picked up her briefcase from the floor.
“Could you check in the glove compartment,” he asked. “Make sure I didn’t leave anything behind?”
She opened the door and was surprised by a small wrapped gift. “Is…is this yours?”
“No,” he said, reaching over and caressing the back of her neck. “It’s yours.”
Emily looked at him, her heart pounding, her emotions welling up. “What is it?”
“Open it.”
She would never get used to receiving gifts. Her fingers fumbled with the gift as she unwrapped the paper. Inside, there was a velvet box.
“I’m too nervous.”
“I love you, Emily,” he whispered as she opened it.
“It’s a diamond ring,” she cried, staring at it.
“Will you marry me?”
Tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks. She threw her arms around his neck. She laughed. Conor’s face was pressed against the driver side window, nodding their answer.
Authors’ Note
We hope you enjoyed Five in a Row.
As we’ve said many times, creating fictional worlds that come alive for our readers provides a great sense of accomplishment for us. Many of you know that we often can’t let go of our characters. So, to all of you who have written to us, asking us to bring back a particular character from one book or the next, have no fear. They’ll show up somewhere, sometime. In fact, those readers who have been reading our Jan Coffey books from the beginning might even remember Special Agent Hinckey from Trust Me Once. There is no escape from the world of Jan Coffey.
We have so many people to thank for the extensive help they provided in researching this book, though we are not passing on the responsibility for any errors we have made. First and foremost is Nassim Hashemi, our dear friend who is like a sister to us. For your help and computer expertise—and for always knowing where to go to get answers—thank you, Nassim, for always being there for us. You are amazing. Extensive thanks to Samer Najia and Mark Light, as well, for answering so many technical questions and for allowing us to pick your brain. Your help was invaluable.
We want to thank Cindy and Andy Gallagher for sharing your vas
t knowledge of car racing. We loved our tea times…and our tee times. You are wonderful.
As always, we are so grateful to those of you who continue to read our Jan Coffey and May McGoldrick books. We cherish your kindness and support.
ISBN 978-1-4603-6273-0
FIVE IN A ROW
Copyright © 2005 by Nikoo K. and James A. McGoldrick.
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