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“Yeah, I stopped bringing him up ages ago because people think I’m lying if I say we’re related.”
“I was just figuring a lot out. He was gearing up for his third tour and I was considering the early stages of my medical transition. There werea lotof women, and some men, vying for his attention. I didn’t know what I wanted or where my life was going, so I ended it,” Daniella told her.
“But now, she totally has her shit together and Duke is still in love with her. You know ‘Angel’ is about her,” Kayla said.
“Oh my god,” Meegan said. “I knew it.” The pop ballad had been number one for weeks.
“Anyway, I think they are meant for each other and I just need Daniella here to get hip to the game.”
“So Meegan,” Daniella said, folding her hands under her chin. “How did you and Olin meet, again?”
Meegan took the hint. The Duke talk was done for the night, which was fine. It gave her time to launch into the elaborate story she’d come up with during the week.
“It’s new, but he’s a cutie, so I think I might keep him.”
“Please do,” Kayla said. Meegan tried not to think about what would happen in six months when they “broke up”. She wasn’t sure Kayla Bradbury wouldn’t be at her door, trying to get them back together.
six
Olin and Michael finished up their conversation with Kyle, an old colleague of Michael’s whose son had just lost a ton in bad real estate investments. Olin didn’t care for his dickhead son, but Kyle had helped him out a lot along the way. Too bad a good sense for business wasn’t genetic. They were able to talk him back a few feet from the ledge, then headed back across the plaza across toward the ladies.
“So, when you asked me about hiring a date?” Michael asked suddenly. Olin knew Michael wouldn’t judge him, but he and Meegan had an agreement.
“Didn’t go down that way. Xeni introduced us. She’s Duke’s cousin.” Olin almost laughed as Michael squinted, looking in Meegan’s direction like Duke’s face would suddenly appear. The fact that Meegan’s back was to them only made it funnier.
“I’ve only met a few of his sisters,” Michael admitted. “Does Duke know?”
“This is only our second date. If we make it through a third date successfully, I will interrupt his world tour to tell him the news.”
“When you put it that way,” Michael laughed. Duke was their third musketeer. He wouldn’t care if they reached out to him, but this also wasn’t earth shattering news. Besides, Meegan knew the family dynamic better than he did. Duke would find out soon enough. “Just treat her right and he’ll be more than fine with it.”
“That’s my plan.” Meegan glanced over her shoulder at that exact moment and caught Olin’s eye. She flashed him the most beautiful smile that lit off something in his chest. The feeling agitated him in a way that was weird, but good, and he suspected he’d have to get clarification by the end of the night.
“Another successful business conversation about business?” she asked as he leaned over the back of her chair.
“One the best I’ve ever experienced. You wanna join me on the dance floor?”
“Oh sure.” They excused themselves and joined the dozen or so couples who were already swaying to the music. Olin couldn’t name the slow song that the orchestra was playing, though it sounded familiar. He was just happy when Meegan slid against him with this sort of comfort and ease, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. This was business, but he wanted her to be comfortable.
“I didn’t think dancing was your thing,” she said.
“My dad is big into dancing. When my brothers and I had too much energy, he’d put on music and just make us dance it off for like two hours. Worked every time. We’d be exhausted.”
“Xeni implemented that into her class. She would give the kids ten minutes to dance it out. I was never cool enough to pull it off, but if my kids were good, I would bring both classes together and Xeni would lead a big old dance party.”
“When my brothers and I each got to high school, he made us take etiquette classes at our community center and it had a segment on ballroom dancing. He said he knew he’d drop the ball with us somewhere, but he didn’t want to send three uncultured bums out into the world.”
“How did you like the class?” Meegan asked, smiling up at him. He told her the truth.
“I loved it. I like structure, direction and tasks.” Olin noticed Meegan’s smile falter a bit. He didn’t like to make excuses for how his autism worked, but sometimes explanations were helpful. “I know it sounds strange.”
“It doesn’t, trust me. Go on.”
“Let’s just say, I crushed that class.”
“I believe it and now here we are, crushing it on the dance floor. I’ll have to thank your dad. Did the classes also teach you that ‘hand on the small of the back’ move too?”
“Oh.” Olin didn’t think much of the gesture, but clearly Meegan had noticed. “I guess I just did it to stay close to you. You know, moving through a crowd.”
