Max laughed and said, “You’re gonna owe him, boss.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Aubrey Grant, all five foot three of him, stood at the front door of the Emporium, swinging a set of keys around and around on his finger. We didn’t look like the sort who’d even say hello to each other on the street, let alone be good friends, but something about the bleached hair, nose piercing, gauged ears, and inappropriate T-shirts had long ago endeared themselves to me.
“I’m not getting any younger,” Aubrey called.
Or maybe it was his attitude.
“Car services exist for people like you,” he added.
“I don’t trust car services,” I answered as I stepped out of the office, tugging my messenger bag over my shoulder. “Your bell system has finally left customs, by the way.”
“Good news. Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why don’t you trust car services?”
“What if there’s an accident and their insurance doesn’t cover irreparable damages done to the antiques?” I picked up one of the spaniel statues from behind the counter, Max grabbed the other, and we made our way through the maze of the showroom.
“Oh, but my insurance will?” Aubrey asked.
“Don’t be silly,” I replied. “It’s your boyfriend’s sweet government policy that I’m after. It’s his SUV, after all.”
Aubrey rolled his eyes. He opened the door and held it as Max stepped outside first.
I glanced at Beth, who was still perusing my wares and had yet to leave and open her own store for the day. “You can have one book.”
She beamed with delight, well aware her unrelenting presence had finally broken me.
“But it has to be marked for under a grand.”
“Sebby!”
I left her pissing and moaning and walked out into the hot, muggy morning. Aubrey had double-parked outside the Emporium and Max was currently pushing his statue into the back seat before turning, accepting mine, and situating it beside the other. “Buckle them in,” I said to him.
Aubrey looked up at me and said, “There’s a back-seat entertainment system. Should we put onSesame Streetfor the kids too?”
“Very funny.”
Max climbed out, shut the door, and said, “All right—buckled up, tucked in, and I even gave them each a kiss goodbye.”
“Both of you are unbelievable.” I opened the passenger door, got in, and said, “Max.”
“Boss?”
“Any reporters call while I’m gone, just hang up.”
“Will do,” he answered, giving a mock salute. He gave Aubrey a hug before jogging across the sidewalk and back into the Emporium.
Aubrey came around the driver’s-side door a minute later and got behind the wheel. “Where are we going?”
I gave him Chris’s Fifth Avenue address and Aubrey whistled as he typed it into the GPS system on the dashboard. “Overlooking Central Park… is this guy a millionaire?”
“Yes.”
“For real?”
