Page 43
With that, Groff headed into the hangar.
Turning to Jack, Millie waggled her eyebrows and smirked. “And that, sir, is how it’s done.”
“How what’s done?”
“Setting an alibi, of course. Now I have a witness who can attest that I couldn’t possibly drive Constance home. I tried everything to keep you two apart, but alas, the car wouldn’t cooperate. You’re the only way she can get back to Brooklyn this evening, I’m afraid.”
Jack couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her scheme. It was genius. “Thank God you’re on my side. I’d hate to think what lengths you would go to in order to stand in my way if you weren’t.”
Millie chuckled. “Just because I married Ernie doesn’t mean I think he’s always right. He’s being pigheaded about this, and believe me, I’ve been giving him an earful about it. He’ll come around in time. He just needs to see how good you two are for each other.”
“Are we?” He desperately wanted to think so, despite the years he spent trying to convince himself otherwise.
“There’s only one way to find out, dummy.” She backhanded him in the gut, making him burst out laughing all over again. “Now, our story is that the car needs a part replaced and can’t be fixed until a mechanic comes. What would be a good part to need replacing? We have to make this convincing.”
“The starter?” It made as much sense as anything if their story was that the car wouldn’t start.
“The starter it is. Now, I’m going to go have a drink with my friend Gertie while I wait for the mechanic, and you—” She poked her finger into his chest. “—are going to drive Constance home. And if you happen to stop somewhere along the way for a cozy chat, how would anyone know? You can always blame the traffic.”
“Millie, you are a godsend. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” He reached out and squeezed her arm. He would have hugged her, but if anyone saw them, he didn’t want to give them the wrong idea.
“And there’s Gertie now,” she said, waving to the driver of a car that was just pulling into the lot. “Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she said over her shoulder as she ran up to the car and hugged the woman who got out.
Jack chuckled to himself. He knew exactly what she and Ernie got up to when they were pretending to everyone else that they were worst enemies. A few stolen kisses with Constance would be tame by comparison. Not that he was going to kiss her.
Nope. No kissing. None at all. Just good old-fashioned conversation.
Bracing himself, he headed back inside to where Constance sat waiting with big, bright eyes and a smile that made him want to dance a jig and melt into a puddle at the same time. “Hi, Constance.”
“Hi, Jack.” Was it just him, or was there a new, sultry tone in her voice?
Keep it together, Jack. It’s just wishful thinking.
“So, Millie’s having car trouble and asked me to take you home. Are you ready to go?”
She broke into a smile bright as a runway floodlight. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Then, let’s go.”
“Yes, lets.” She grabbed her handbag and looped her hand through his arm, and he wanted to die of happiness on the spot. This was so perfect. She was so perfect.
He just had to find a way not to mess this up. Fortunately, they had a long drive home to talk things through, and maybe they’d stop along the way for a romantic meal. No one would be the wiser.
17
Constance was alone with Jack at last. Thank God for Millie’s clever scheme! She’d have to find a proper way to thank her for this.
As soon as they were out of sight of the airfield, she turned to Jack. “Is there somewhere private we could go to talk?”
She didn’t want to have such an important conversation in the car or in any public place for that matter.
Jack gulped. “More private than the car?”
So he was nervous too. That was a relief. “Don’t you and Ernie split the cost of a room near here for nights when you don’t want to drive all the way back to Brooklyn?”
She’d heard Ernie mention it but had never visited.
Jack tensed beside her. “Umm…yes. But are you sure that’s a good idea? It’s tiny—just a bed and a miniscule bathroom.”
