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“That’s so cool!”
I didn’t know about Harvard for me yet. “But you got them all.”
“Yeah,” he admitted. “I did. It’s the STEM programs.”
“I’m so proud of you,” I told him. “Don’t dismiss it. That’s awesome. We’re just one step closer to all being up there.”
I had mental fingers crossed for Coop and Ian, too.
That called for another glass of wine, which both Archie and I turned down, but we did toast. By the time we wrapped the meal with his grandfather, Ted had regaled me with the most delightful stories of Archie as a kid, and he’d taken it all like a champ.
We walked out to the cars together, and the two shared a hug, then Ted surprised me by giving me a kiss on the cheek and clasping my shoulder gently. “Sprout’s going to make sure you have my number. You call me if you need anything. Don’t worry about your mother or Junior. We’ll get you clear of any fallout. And I still expect you two out at the golf course.”
“Promise, Grandpa.” Archie slid his arm around me. His driver arrived with his car first, and he gave us a little salute before he slid into the back.
Once we were in the car, he said, “Sorry about the test thing.”
“It’s fine,” I promised him. “Now that I get it, it’s almost funny. Annoying, but funny.”
“He just worries, but he really likes you.”
“I’m glad. I really like him, too. It’s hard to believe that…”
“He’s my father’s dad? Yeah. But I figure he’s mellowed as he’s gotten older. He’s tough as nails and it’s still there, under the surface. Maybe he was a different guy. I don’t know.”
“He reminds me of you,” I admitted.
“Thank you, I’ll take the compliment.”
“And, Archie, I am proud of you for getting in to all the schools. I know you think it’s just because of your last name, but you are worth so much more than that. You work hard, and you are so smart. You and Jake make robots and shit.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybe about it. You’re a smart cookie. Just another reason I like you so much.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“What are the other reasons?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “I plead the fifth.”
“It’s going to incriminate you?”
“No, but it might stroke your ego.”
With a snort, he countered, “You can stroke anything on me you want.”
The drive didn’t take us as long as it had to get to the restaurant. “We’re not going home?”
“Nope,” he said. “I got us a room for tonight, if that’s okay with you. I wanted an evening away from all of it—the house, the worries, school, or the nascent fear Edward would show up at my place or your mom will come to yours.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“And I want to be greedy. I want you to myself.” He pulled straight through to the valet before glancing at me. “If that’s okay with you.”
“I’m not complaining.” I wasn’t. “Do we need to call the guys?”
