Mid Life Love (Mid Life Love #1)(95)

I looked over their charts, noticing that some of the equations were similar to the ones I’d used to build former programs; a lot of this stuff wasn’t taught until college.

Claire had told me that they were practically geniuses when it came to books, but I’d never met any teenagers who were this well-versed in Physics.

“Do you have your own plane, Jonathan?” Ashley etched a diagonal line alongside my paper.

“I do.”

“What model?” “What type of engine?” “What’s the passenger capacity?” “Is the nonstop range over two thousand miles?”

“I have no idea...”

“What!” Ashley traced around my wing. “How is that possible? You bought a plane and you didn’t ask any of these questions?”

“I guess I have people to do that for me...” I shrugged. “If your mom says it’s okay, I’ll take you on a trip one day. I have an excellent pilot. I’m sure he’d love to give you a tour and answer all your questions.”

They both screamed and squealed, and then they went silent all of sudden, focusing on the task at hand.

“Dessert?” Claire poked her head through the door. “I made crushed Oreo and Butterfinger sundaes.”

“Nobody move!” Ashley yelled. “I need him to hold the wing steady for one more minute. You can’t bring the sundaes in here, mom?”

“No, that’s okay...I don’t want to mess up the new carpet.” Claire flinched. “They’ll be in the kitchen whenever you’re ready. Okay?”

The twins murmured, “Okay” and kept their eyes glued to the charts. Once they finished checking my wing-tracing and writing down the measurements, they dismissed me with an “Okay mom’s boyfriend, you can go now. We’ll be out for dessert eventually.”

I went back into the kitchen but I didn’t see Claire. The sundaes she’d made were sitting on a small tray, slowly melting onto the table, so I placed them in the freezer.

I circled around the living room and her newly finished hallways, looking to see where she’d run off to. I started to walk upstairs, but I heard the creaking of a rocking bench coming from her porch.

“You okay, Claire?” I stepped outside.

“Yeah...I forgot tonight was going to be a starry night.” She pointed up at the twinkling sky. “I wanted to look at it before I cleaned.”

I sat down and pulled her close. “Thank you for dinner tonight. I loved it.”

“You’re welcome. Maybe next time you can come over earlier and cook for all of us instead.”

“You’re referring to our future now? You sure you’re okay?”

She laughed and snuggled against my chest. “Could you please tell me what you want for your birthday? It’s this weekend.”

“Nothing. I never celebrate it.”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t.” I needed to stay off that subject. Forever. “Is there a reason why your daughters have iPhones and not sPhones?”

“Of course there is.” She smirked. “It’s because everyone knows that iPhones are better.”

“Are they really?”

“Yeah. iPhones are so sleek and modern. They do everything the sPhone does and more. As a matter of fact, the only reason I have a sPhone is because the CEO insists on making every employee have one. If it wasn’t for that, I would definitely have an iPhone. It even sounds better than sPhone.”

“Take it back right now or I’ll fire you.”

“I even think the commercials for the iPhones are better. I bet their marketing team would be a joy to work for. They make me want to trade in my phone every time I see them on TV.”

I pulled her into my lap and narrowed my eyes at her. “Take. It. Back.”

“Make. Me.”

I laughed and sealed my lips over hers. “I will.”

Chapter 21

Jonathan

I hit the lights in my office and froze: There were hundreds of bright silver streamers hanging from the ceiling. Blue and white balloons covered every inch of the floor, and there was glittery confetti all over my furniture. There was even a huge banner strung across the windows that read, “Happy Birthday, Jonathan!”

“Angela!”

She rushed into the room. “Yes, Mr. Statham?”

“Who did you let into my office? I thought we thoroughly discussed the rules. No one is allowed in my office when I’m not here.”

“She wouldn’t take no for answer,” she whispered. “She was very firm...”

“Who is this she?”

“Miss Gracen...”

“Hmmm.” I held back a laugh. “Okay. Thank you for telling me.”

“You’re not going to write me up for this are you? She threatened me...”

“Have I ever written you up?”

“No...” She grinned. “Your eight o’ clock appointment just arrived. Do you want me to have maintenance pick up all the balloons first?”

“No, they can stay. Send the guys inside in five minutes.”

“Yes sir.”

I walked over to my desk and spotted a small white cake in the shape of the letter J and a silver envelope. I picked it up and sliced it open: