From the cockpit came a loud mechanical voice blaring out words she couldn’t quite make out.
“Perfect. It’s my NOAA. The marine weather station. I have it set to come on every hour.” He pressed one more kiss on her swollen wet lips. “I’ve got to find out what’s going on.”
Her entire body, from her tingling toes to her excited hair follicles, throbbed with sexual frustration. Staring at the cherrywood ceiling, she thought about the day in her office when she looked up at the molding and imagined she heard and saw the Fates laughing. This time they must be under the bed having hysterics.
She threw on her clothes and followed Drew into the cockpit.
Legs wide apart, he stood at the wheel.
The sun had set. There were no stars. The sky rolled dark gray, and off in the distance, lightning flashed through black, billowing cumulus clouds.
“This storm came up unexpectedly,” he called to her. “We’re going to motor in.”
The storm turned the surface of the lake silver. The boat quivered as it dove into trough after trough of turbulent lake and out again.
She wasn’t afraid. She saw the hard, almost detached look on Drew’s face. Like he welcomed the challenge of the wind and waves and rain and knew he could survive all of them.
Through the pouring rain, lightning, and booming thunder, he took her right up to the clubhouse. “I have to go back to my berth. It’s the last one. But I want you out of this storm.”
At the gangway, rain pelting them, he caught her in his arms for one last fast kiss. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I know.” She ran down the gangway and into the shelter of the overhanging porch because she knew he wanted her safe. Fear for him, alone, kept her watching him maneuver away, back toward the entrance of the harbor where the bigger boats were berthed.
It felt too new, this sense of another beginning, of discovery, of realizing she’d been waiting for this since she was too young. A steady calm fell over her body and soul. At her core she felt certain she should be here with Drew and from this point on there would never be another mistake, another regret to haunt her. He understood she’d been trying to protect him all those years ago, and she knew in her heart that when her father returned, somehow, they’d work through what happened at Clayworth’s and fix it together. Nothing could separate them now. She wouldn’t let it. Nor would Drew. This was too right.
A clap of thunder made her jump, and she strained her eyes, trying to make sure Drew had safely reached his berth. She glanced at her watch.
“No!” She flew back toward the gate, realizing her sisters must be waiting for her in this drenching downpour.
At first all she saw was umbrellas. Then she could make out the guard holding a huge green umbrella over Diana. He was gazing at her as men often did, like she must be some ethereal creature come to life whom he needed to protect. In reality Diana was the most resilient of them all. The last to complain. The last to give up.
Beside the guard, Venus held a glorious red Tiffany glass–inspired, oversized umbrella. Athena could hear her arguing with the guard, like a Greek Fury.
“I’m here,” Athena shouted, breathless and soaked to the skin.
“Thank you so much.” Diana smiled and moved away.
The guard visibly wilted. “You’re leaving?” he asked, looking at all of them with dazed eyes.
“Yes. My sister is here now. Bye,” Diana waved.
Venus grabbed her arm, pulling her under the enormous Tiffany umbrella, and Athena huddled on the other side.
“It’s about time. We’re soaked.” Venus sighed. “Diana had the guard nearly talked into letting us into the clubhouse to wait in comfort. We were in time to save you, right?”
Athena gave one shaky little laugh. “Yes. Definitely saved by the proverbial bell.”
CHAPTER
Since yesterday, excitement vibrated around her. This Monday morning the museum glistened, sandblasted by Chicago’s July sun, and the lobby hummed with tourists pouring in.
Leonard’s “Good morning, Miss Smith,” sounded crisper, brightening her day even more than usual. She floated up the marble staircase and into her office.
Edna Keene turned from talking to Makayla and frowned.
Okay, so maybe happiness isn’t contagious.
Athena refused to be daunted. “Welcome back, Edna. Isn’t it a glorious day?”
“Without a doubt,” she sniffed. “I wouldn’t miss our staff meeting this afternoon. You’ve been a busy bee while I’ve been away.”
It didn’t sound like a compliment. Athena lifted her chin, waiting for the next shoe to drop. She’d handle it. At last she truly felt like Athena the wise.
“Well, Athena, I’ve come to tell you that since you acquired the two Bertha Palmer gowns, the museum board has given the green light for your new exhibit and three trustees have called to renew their support of the scholarship fund.”
Drew kept his promise.
Overfilling with warm, tingling joy and excitement, Athena beamed at Makayla. Now all her dreams could come true. “I’m delighted. I hope you are, too, Edna.”
Even Edna’s deep sigh couldn’t faze Athena today.
“I’ve always admired your tenacity.”
Then why do you always give me a hard time?
“Will you throw your full support to this?” she asked, hoping for the best.
“We’ll see.” Edna glanced toward Makayla, who had gone to work in the corner library nook to give them a semblance of privacy. “You know, I was once a gifted intern here myself.”
On that cryptic note, she stalked from the room.
Athena did want happiness to be contagious. The world would be better for it. All at once, she was wise enough to know how to help Edna.
Athena laughed. “I think Edna gives us a hard time because she’d like to be more involved with the collection, instead of being upstairs, juggling the budget. If only we could find Bertha’s last two dresses, we could give her a little dose of truth serum. It might be just what she needs to seize what she really wants.”
Makayla giggled. “Awesome idea. Do you think you and Mr. Clayworth will find them soon? I mean, is it hard, like, to be with him because of, you know, the old BFF thing?”
She shook her head, refusing to give in to doubt. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll find them soon. Mr. Clayworth and I have come to a meeting of the minds.”
I wish it were our bodies.
With great difficulty, she kept her voice neutral, or at least as calm as possible considering her desire to be whispering into his ear, murmuring against his warm mouth, and nibbling on his full lower lip right this minute.
The minute Drew strolled into the flagship John Clayworth and Company store, which took up a square city block in Chicago’s Loop, he felt its beat. This would always be the living heart of the chain.
By day, the first floor’s wide aisles, pillars, and curved glass counters glowed from the chandeliers and the light from the Tiffany dome ceiling six floors above.
With time to spare before his meeting with Connor, he made his way through the Food Hall, a series of large, long rooms flowing one into the other through wide arches.
He stopped at the Confectionery Department’s marble countertop to buy Clayworth Chocolate Mints.
Janette smiled at him. “Hello, Mr. Clayworth. Your usual?”
Nothing’s usual about today.
He grinned at her. “Throw in an extra box today. Thanks, Janette.” Athena had always loved these. The vision of feeding them to her one by one, licking the chocolate off her lips, taunted him.