The Acceptance
Page 29

“Well, I’ll be damned! Courtney Field, how are you, darlin’?”
“I’m well, Ms. Hilary.”
“You are good with those voices aren’t you?” The woman moved in closer and her fragrance grew heavier. “I’m really sorry to hear about your brother. He was a good boy.”
“Thank you.”
“Your mama and daddy must be very upset.”
“My father is very proud of him, of course, even though you’re correct, he’s very sad. My mother, well, it’ll take a long time I’m sure.”
“Of course it will.” Hilary placed her hand on Courtney’s shoulder. “How are you dealin’?”
“One day at a time. Tyler here has been very supportive.”
“You look awful familiar. I’ve been here a hundred years, you belong to someone.”
She heard Tyler chuckle and felt his arm move past her. Surely he was shaking Hilary’s hand.
“Tyler Benson, I’m…”
“Oh, dear, Lord! You are Zach’s son. Tyler’s grandson.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Courtney could hear the smile carry on his voice.
“You look just like your granddaddy. I served him a lot of ribs.”
“I’ve always been told this was his favorite place.”
“I’ll be damned.” Hilary made a little noise as if she were still looking at Tyler and taking in the sight of him. “Well, c’mon. I’ll seat ya.”
Tyler let her take his elbow and he led her through the sounds of conversation, music, and children’s laughter.
“It’s a booth, is that okay?” he whispered in her ear.
“Fine.” She felt the edge with her knee and slid on in, then felt him slide next to her so she slid to the end.
“I’ll be back in a few. What do you want to drink?”
“I’ll have a beer,” Courtney said softly.
“I’ll have one too.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Tyler leaned back against the booth and she could feel his eyes on her. She turned to face him.
“You’re grinning, aren’t you?”
“I’m still not sure you can’t see sometimes. How do you know that?”
“There is a feel to it.”
“Well then yes. I’m grinning. This whole town knows you and you know each and every one of them by voice.”
“Just as you’d know them by sight. Of course, Hilary’s perfume gives her away first.”
“I didn’t smell her perfume.”
Now Courtney laughed. She wondered how he’d missed it.
“So you look just like your grandfather, huh?”
“I’ve been told that on occasion.”
“You never met him?”
“No. He died years before I was born. He had a heart attack while he and my grandmother were in New York.”
She reached for his hand. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I know she’s tried to move on, but I think my Grandmother misses him still.”
“If someone is your true love I don’t suppose you ever move on.”
He gave a hum and she could hear the menu brush against the table.
“What do you get here?” she asked trying to clear the air again.
“I was thinking that bar-b-que platter for two.”
“Alright, but I warn you, I’m a messy rib eater.”
He set the menu down on the table and lifted his hand to her cheek. “Are you tempting me?”
“With what?” Her voice had gone airy having him touch her in public.
“Wanting to lick it off your lips.”
She caught the breath that tried to escape just as Tyler pulled back his hand and Hilary set their beers on the table.
Tyler ordered and Hilary walked away.
“So what were you going to show me?” he asked as he took a drink of his beer. She could smell it as it transferred from his glass to his lips.
“Um—I…” She tried to gather her thoughts, but all she could think about was his tongue on her skin. His hands. His words. She squeezed her eyes and clenched her stomach. They’d have to discuss it. Where was this going and was it going right where she wanted it to go?
Courtney collected herself and pulled her computer from the bag on the seat next to her.
She felt for her beer, pushed it back, and opened the laptop. “Here. Read this. What do you think?”
Tyler moved the laptop and Courtney reached for her beer. She sipped and waited and sipped again.
“Well?”
“Hold on. I’m not a very fast reader.”
Courtney sipped at her beer again, then set it down and rested her anxious hands in her lap. Finally, she heard him lower the lid of the computer.
“It sucks?”
“What?” He turned to her. “No. God, no! It was…I didn’t know…I’m…” he let out a breath and then sucked one in. “I’m in over my head. I didn’t know some of these women went through all that.”
“What did you think?”
“I didn’t know. I knew some were homeless. Some were abused, but…” He reached for her hand and brought it to the top of the table. “You took time to find these women and talk to them.”
“Yes.”
“Where did you find them?”
“I searched. These are specifically women who had something about the Diamond Gift in their profiles on social media or business sites.”
“That one woman was stabbed.”
“She was the most dynamic one to talk to. She was an alcoholic and a heroin user. She now works in D.C. trying to change the laws.”
“We need to invite all these women to the gala.”
“They all said I could contact them. I have permission from all of them to publish their stories.”
He’d grown quiet again, but she was quickly learning this meant he was deep in thought.
“Will you work with me?”
“Me? How?”
“Avery hates doing these. She’s promised to show me the ropes, but I want to do this long term. I want to help my aunt raise as much money and bring as much attention to this organization as I can. She’s done a great job up till now, but now there are stories to back it all up. Look at these successes. Over twenty years of successes. You brought this to light for me, and very well I might add.”