Stacking the Deck (A Betting on Romance Novel Book 2)(52)
Dan laughed and caught up with him in the hallway. “Hey, Carter! Which door is it?”
They were alone. The door to the kitchen had shut again. The Whitmeyers’ back hallway looked like the set of Alice in Wonderland with black and white tile floors and doors up the wazoo. Carter looked toward the back door where the rain fell in sheets off the eaves. He gestured with the tip of the cigarette to the pantry and decided he didn’t feel like standing in the rain. He pulled out a lighter, lit up and took a few deep drags.
Dan chuckled and flexed his fingers as if preparing to play the piano or something. He wiggled his eyebrow at Carter and grinned. “Wanna watch?”
Carter coughed, cleared his throat. “Excuse me?”
Dan nudged him with his elbow. “Is that why you’re standing out here? Hoping to watch? Learn a few things from the master?”
“I just came for a smoke, man. That’s all.”
Dan laughed and pulled a Chapstick out of his pocket. He smeared it over his lips.
The beer from earlier churned in Carter’s gut. Maybe he’d go outside after all.
Dan shrugged. “I’m game if you want to.” He gestured toward the pantry and leaned closer. “I’ll bet little Beth in there will like it, too. She’s all into learning, that one. What do you say we give her an education she won’t forget?”
Carter blew out a long, measured breath, the menthol of the cigarette cool in his throat.
“I don’t think so,” he said.
Dan shrugged again. Smacked his lips. “I would have thought you were more adventurous than that what with your Rebel-Without-a-Clue jacket and all.” He laughed again, a low chuckle. “My mistake.”
Carter dropped his cigarette and wordlessly ground it out with his heel as Dan reached for the pantry door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
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“THANK YOU ALL for coming tonight!” Valerie beamed from the podium. She wasn’t exactly behind the podium, Liz noted somewhat cattily, more lounging against it, no doubt to allow the audience a fuller appreciation of the designer knock-off column dress she wore. Liz watched as Valerie slid one leg out the side slit of her dress in a feat that seemed to defy gravity considering how far she had to lean the opposite way to maintain verticality. “It was getting a little warm in here with all these hot bodies, so I had the management crank up the A/C,” she cooed, fanning herself with a wine menu she’d snatched off a table and smiling silkily at the men in the audience.
Truthfully, Liz was stunned at the turn-out. Nearly half their class was probably in attendance, which just proved that either her class hadn’t made it far in life and were still milling about Sugar Falls, NH, or there were more of them scared of Valerie than just her and Carter.
“It just so happens we have none other than our valedictorian—Beth Beacon—here tonight, so let’s give her a hand and invite her up to tell us what she’s been up to these past ten years!”
Liz blanched and swallowed her bite of dinner roll as half-hearted applause filled the room. “I don’t think anyone’s that—”
“Oh, Beth, don’t be shy!” Valerie crooned, eyeing her like the wicked witch she was. “We’re all old friends here, aren’t we? And if our valedictorian doesn’t have anything to crow about, we’re in sorry shape, aren’t we? Come on!”
Liz pushed back her chair and nodded to her classmates as she stepped up to the microphone.
“Hello, everyone,” she smiled, her eyes skidding over the crowd. Carter caught her eye and thrust his chest out, presumably to remind her not to slouch. Liz pushed her shoulders back slightly and nodded as he gave a thumbs-up.
“So, you want to know what I’ve been up to,” Liz said, hating Valerie for putting her on the spot like this. No doubt it was the vile woman’s way of trying to make Liz look like a fool.
Valerie wanted a few words? Fine. Liz could handle this. She turned a warm smile toward her former classmates. “Well, I think you’ll find the life of a valedictorian isn’t so different from anyone else’s.
“Like many of you, I went to college, earned my degree and found a job. Or two. The first one doesn’t really count, I don’t think, because the interns were making almost as much as I was, if you know what I mean.” Some small chuckles from the audience encouraged her.
“I’m sure many of you have married and started families. I, on the other hand, have had eight cats, which isn’t the same, I know. Except one cheated on me with the family next door who lured it away with luncheon meats, so maybe some of you can relate to that. I hope not!”
“Oh!” Valerie interrupted. “Even her cat left her! Oh, Beth, that’s so sad!”
“It was a terrible shock,” she said dryly, “but I’ve recovered. Anyway, it’s good to see you all again. I know the alumni committee has worked hard to put together a great evening for us, so I won’t keep you from it. Have a terrific night, everyone.” She waved and stepped from the podium.
“Hold on,” Carter strode toward her.
“For those of you who might not recognize him, may I welcome the man voted Mostly Likely to Smuggle a Keg to Graduation, Carter McIntyre!” Valerie cooed into the microphone as Carter body-blocked Liz in the aisle.