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“It’s just where I live,” I said.
“Well, something tells me it’s a little better than the motel I was thinking of checking into when I arrived. But I like the way you put it,” he added. “Let me get my bag.”
I followed him back to the rental car. He took out his suitcase and paused to look at my car.
“This is an Aston Martin,” he said. “Someone else visiting?”
“No, this is my car. It was my graduation gift.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Don’t make a big thing of it,” I said, pretending to be annoyed. “You’re driving it tomorrow. We’re going to Lexington to visit the store and have lunch with my uncle and dinner with my father and Lucille.”
“Well, I’ll cancel my appointment with the president in that case.”
“You’d better,” I quipped. He laughed and put his arm around my shoulders as I led him up the steps and into the Heaven-stone mansion.
I didn’t notice it until after I had introduced him to Mrs. Dobson and Doris and after I had shown him his room, but it was something I had been feeling all day.
Or, rather, something I had not been feeling.
Cassie was gone.
And in my heart, I harbored the hope that it was forever.
Arrival
IT WAS MRS. DOBSON who told me, “For goodness’ sake, let the young man catch his breath, Miss Semantha.”
I had immediately been dragging him through the house and was about to show him the grounds as well. She leaned over to add in a whisper, “He hasn’t even unpacked.”
Ethan laughed, but I realized I was overdoing it and insisted he march back up to his room and get his things out of his suitcase.
“Just leave anything on the bed that needs ironing,” Mrs. Dobson called after us as we started back up the stairs. “Doris will stop by in an hour.”
“You always live with this sort of service?” Ethan asked as we turned to go to his room.
“No. Before my mother passed away, we all worked on keeping the house and our things in order. Cassie was probably the best at it and the most dedicated. Despite the size of this house, my mother wanted to be in charge of its maintenance. It was a lot of work, but she wasn’t at all involved in the Heaven-stone business, and she enjoyed our privacy, our intimacy.”
“I’m sure that was hard to do, considering how famous your family is in the state. She must have been quite a woman.”
“She was,” I said. “And she was very beautiful. I’ll show you albums and pictures later, unless Mrs. Dobson thinks I’m overwhelming you again.”
He laughed and pulled me closer to him. “I like it when you overwhelm me, Semantha. Don’t stop,” he said, and kissed my cheek.
“My father and Lucille should be home soon. Why don’t we both shower and change and get ready to meet them for cocktails before dinner?” I said.
“Sounds like a plan. Knock on my door when you’re ready.”
He kissed me again, and we parted in the hallway. I hurried to my room to prepare for what I hoped would be a wonderful night. Just after I showered, Daddy called to tell me they were on their way.
“Your young man arrived safely?”
“Yes, Daddy. We’re just dressing to meet you and Lucille for cocktails.”
“That’s very good, Semantha. Lucille has gone ahead and made a reservation at Melvyn’s for us all tonight.”
“Oh, no, Daddy,” I said. “Mrs. Dobson has made an extra special dinner, lobster Alfredo. I asked her to prepare something Italian because Ethan loves Italian food, and she came up with that. I thought it was a very good suggestion, so I told her to go ahead.”
