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"Manly," he said with a smile and bent down to kiss me. "What am I going to do without you for a whole week? Are you sure you can't convince Sharon to let you take a vacation?"
I sighed and kissed him back. "No can do. We have this slave driver of a CEO who wants the Spring Lineup finished before the end of the month."
"What a bastard," he said and sighed, pressing his lips against my forehead. "Maybe they should replace him."
"I heard he has an arm's-length relationship with the book publishing business, but
he still demands we meet all our deadlines."
We stood still in each other's arms and just enjoyed the moment. Josh was going away for a week to LA to do whatever it was he was doing there, which he had postponed for over a month after we started being a regular thing. He'd pushed it back and back and finally, told me he had to go this week, or he'd be behind schedule.
I didn't want to see him go, and would miss him, but it would give me a week to get caught up with my own writing, which I'd put on the back burner since we started seeing each other.
"What will I do without you?" he asked, brushing hair off my cheek. "I'll have to resort to the old manual method."
"It's a tried and tested method," I said with a grin. "You have Mr. Manuel. I have B.O.B."
"Oh, God. Maybe we can do phone sex."
"How about Skype sex? I'd like to watch you," I said, raising my eyebrows playfully.
"I'd like to watch you watching me watch you," he replied, grinning. He bent down and kissed me.
"It's a date. Call me just before you're ready for sleep and we can sext each other."
He pulled me tightly against his body and we hugged.
"Now, unfortunately, I have to finish packing and take a taxi to the airport."
"And I should go back to my place and get ready to meet my parents for lunch."
We kissed once more and went about our various tasks. I finished dressing and gathered up my things and went to him for one last kiss and hug before I left.
"Have a good trip," I said, smiling up at him while he pulled on his jacket. "I'm sorry it has to start out so sad for you."
"Me, too. Have a good week," he replied and kissed me deeply once more.
Then I left the penthouse and went down the elevator, a sense of sadness that I wouldn't be with him for a full week.
I kicked myself mentally. We'd talk every night and probably text each other. Plus, the sexting.
I'd manage fine...
4
Josh
My early flight to Montgomery gave me some time to read more about Grant's death.
Apparently, he was involved in a single vehicle crash that killed him early on the previous Tuesday morning. That made me feel somewhat better, in a strange way. Maybe he didn't kill himself after all. The accident happened early in the morning so perhaps he had fallen asleep at the wheel and went into the ditch.
I rented an SUV and drove to the Millbrook cemetery just in time for the service. I found my way to the family row of seats and went to Mr. and Mrs. McNeil so I could pay my respects.
We exchanged a few words, and they thanked me for coming. I sat in a seat in the back and waited for the service to start, checking around for Grant's little sister, Penny, but she wasn't there. That surprised me. Grant and Penny were very close so I would expect her to show up.
Finally, just a couple of minutes before the service was scheduled to start, Penny arrived, stumbling over from the road that circled the small cemetery. I felt bad when I saw she was either drunk or stoned. Her long blonde hair was still wet as if she had just come out of the shower moments before. Her dress was wrinkled, and her shoes were spike heels that sunk into the soft grass, making her gait even more unsteady.
"Sorry, everybody," she said, her voice audibly slurred, "but as usual I'm the one holding up everything."
