“I won’t need anything.” Grandpa Collins looked at Stori. “Want to watch an episode of MacGyver with me?”
“Why not?” Stori waved at us. “Have a great evening, guys.”
I clasped my hand over hers, and together we took the elevator down and walked out to my Maserati.
Once inside, she glanced around, running her fingers along the seat and dashboard. “How many cars do you have?”
“Four, for now.”
“For now? Why do you need so many?”
“I don’tneedthat many. I just like different cars for different things.” Reaching for her hand, I gave it a light squeeze, loving the way it felt in my grip. That sexy escapade we had at my gym was forever etched in my head, making me want a repeat soon.
I’d never wanted to hold a woman’s hand as much as hers. It was as though I feared someone would take her from me. This protective emotion was something I needed to unpack—but not tonight.
“You mean like women with their shoe and purse collections?” she asked.
“Exactly. This Maserati is for fancy outings with a beautiful woman,” I said, and immediately regretted it.
She flicked an inquisitive glance at me. “So you’ve driven a lot of women around.”
That tricky statement was covered with booby traps. I could almost hear the ticking of an invisible bomb getting ready to erupt.
To be safe, I said, “Not really. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date.”
“But you were with a woman at the Boston Harbor Hotel.”
She’d been paying attention, and joy warmed my chest.
“That’s Shonda, my regional manager. We were there on business. Besides, Shonda’s lover is Hilary.”
A quiet moment thrummed in the car before Eva asked, “Isn’t tonight a business outing too?”
“It’s networking. Senator Falcone is hosting a charity event to raise money for The Falcone Educational Foundation. Theyoffer scholarships to low-income students with decent grades.” I lifted her hand to my lips. “More importantly, I get to spend it with you.”
“That’s a wonderful cause. Education is expensive. I only finished paying off my school loans two years ago.”
“I went to college later in life and was a recipient of that foundation’s scholarship. At that time, the senator had just entered the political arena.”
“Why did you start college so late?” She looked over at me. “Took a few years off to acclimate to life’s changes?”
If I told her the truth, she’d be too close to danger. I didn’t want a hint of the darkness to touch her. But if I didn’t tell her, she would never know the real me. I’d never shared my past with a woman before, but I wasn’t sure if tonight was the time to tell her. It might be too shocking, and the last thing I wanted was to scare her.
“That’s a story for another day, okay?” I asked.
She nodded.
I pulled into the parking lot of the Sheraton Hotel in Framingham. “Tonight, we enjoy the event and each other’s company.”
“Okay,” she said and never took her hand from my grip as we entered the hotel, making our way toward the banquet room.
The banquet room glittered with opulence. Crystal chandeliers hung from a vaulted ceiling painted with delicate frescoes that scattered warm light across round tables covered in ivory linen and polished silver. Each table was adorned with flickering candles and delicate arrangements of peonies. Soft music drifted around the room as servers circled, refilling the guests’ flutes with champagne.
Senator Falcone’s supporters and representatives from public colleges filled the room. These colleges offered freetuition through the scholarship program that had helped so many people earn a degree.
I disliked politics, and I didn’t trust politicians. They were all players in a chess game that benefited very few. Most of the time, discussions explored the various ways to increase their personal wealth while holding public office.
Senator Falcone differed in that he showed his concern for the people he served. But the vision of his deceased niece flashed before my eyes. Why didn’t he show the same concern for his relatives?
