Colton smiled.
“Does that happen to you a lot?”
He shrugged. “From time to time.”
“You’re a handsome fella. Girls like that. In my day, I liked the wild ones, but my Stanley swept me off my feet and I never looked back.”
“Where is Stanley now?”
“He passed last year after sixty-three years of marriage. Four children, a ton of grandbabies and now I’m a great-grandma.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, honey.” She sipped her coffee. “So, you got yourself a sweetie?”
“I thought I’d foundthe one.”
“You know how you know for sure?”
He shook his head.
“Here’s something I tell my young-uns when they come to their Grandmama for advice.” She gave him a little smile. “Can you imagine living your life without her? If you can, move on. If you can’t, well, then never, ever let her go. But that means you gotta stick by her, even when things get tough. You got to weather the stormstogetherso you can bask in the sunny days.” The elderly lady winked, pulled out her knitting and got busy.
“Thank you,” Colton murmured, then looked out the window as the plane went wheels-up.
When they landed, Colton took the woman’s roller bag from the overhead compartment and placed it on the aisle for her.
“Good luck, honey.”
He tossed her a nod and exited the craft.
After checking into his Hilton suite, Colton headed downstairs. Midweek guests moseyed in and around the busy lounge. He scanned the room for Wilson Montgomery. Good thing the slimeball wasn’t there or he’d kill the son of a bitch. Marjorie sat at a lounge table, too focused on her phone to notice him roll out the chair and ease into it. “I made it.”
She looked up. Her pleasant expression fell away upon seeing him. “Where’s your crack wealth manager?”
Colton was done answering everyone’s fucking questions. Time for some damn answers. “My crack wealth manager’s been delayed. Her past has caught up with her.”
Marjorie furrowed her brow. “What does that mean?”
“She was shot, though nothing life-threatening. Chad booked them on the last flight tonight.”
“We’re expecting a big snow. Let’s hope they land before the runways ice over.” Then her eyes grew huge. “Did you say she wasshot?”
“Some nut job posing as a courier ranted about their past, called herEve, then shot her. Bullet grazed her arm. She was carted to the ER for stitches.”
As the color drained from Marjorie’s face, she inhaled her beverage.
That’s what I thought.“Hope that wasn’t vodka or you’ll be no good to me tomorrow.”
“Club soda. I’m going to swim in the good stuff tomorrow. I don’t care what time the shareholder meeting ends. Even if it’s eleven in the effing morning, I’m having a shot of something good and strong.”
“Brigit Farnay never added up until today.” Colton shot Marjorie a stern look.
The server appeared. “What can I start you off with? Would you like to see our menu?”
“Your best whiskey, neat.” He looked at Marjorie, “Would you like a refill and something to eat?”
“Another club soda,” Marjorie said to the waiter, then looked at Colton. “I can’t eat. Shattered nerves.”
