Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
“Open it and see,” Beau answered, leaning back in his chair.
She wrestled with the package for a brief moment before grabbing the scissors and cutting it open. “Cotton candy! The blue kind. That’s always the best.”
“Of course, nothing but the best for you.”
Maisie rolled her eyes at the screen. “You. Don’t you have some world domination that you need to do?”
“You saw me at Dad’s fundraiser event.”
“You needed a date. Couldn’t you find someone from an appropriate family to take?” Maisie half teased and crossed her fingers, hoping that would never happen.
“My date wouldn’t fly back for the event,” he said easily as he reached for the wispy treat bag he’d kept for himself.
“Your dad would have freaked out.”
“He’ll have to get over it. I only have eyes for one Little girl.”
“Beau! What if my roommate had been here?”
“She isn’t. You would whisper if she was.”
“You know me too well,” Maisie said with a laugh.
“I’m coming to see you this weekend.”
“We’ve been over this time and time again, Beau. Don’t come. It’s not that I don’t want to see you. I miss you tremendously, but I need to concentrate on my studies, and you need to find someone that will pass your parents’ heredity tests.”
“I’m never giving up on you, Little girl.”
“You will—eventually. You have to. I only have one shot at getting all the benefits of my scholarships. I don’t have another chance and I can’t blow this. There is nothing to fall back on for me. If I don’t do my best, I’ll end up back in Avondale with a genius IQ, working at the Wash n Go.”
“I’ll give you space and support your academic efforts. But as much as I know the world needs your brain to make it a better place, I know I need you, too. If it takes twenty years or more, Maisie, you’re mine.”
Tears sprang into her eyes as she looked at him through the screen. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too, Little girl. And I always will. Thanks for taking a break. Go study.”
He dropped his head to his desk after she disconnected. Beau knew she needed to be exactly where she was and he wouldn’t distract her from her path, even if it killed him now. He also planned to never let her go. He would make sure they ended up together, forever.
CHAPTER 4
Twenty years after high school graduation
Beau adjusted his bow tie in the reflection of the glass barricade that separated the people waiting from those arriving at the airport. From the side glances of those around him, he knew they had identified him. That happened a lot. He acknowledged the few who met his gaze with a nod. His security staff would roast him alive tomorrow, but he needed to see Maisie just as himself. Not as a legislator.
A stream of people appeared, and Beau searched through the faces to find her. Yes. There she was. Maisie.
Dressed impeccably, she walked alone without exchanging any banter with the other passengers. Beau knew she would never chat with anyone on the plane. Not because she was unfriendly, but because the flight was a perfect uninterrupted time to work.
“Hi, Beau. You didn’t need to come in to meet me,” she said with a smile as she stepped into his arms for a friendly hug.
“Of course I did. Let me take that from you,” he said as he forced himself to move away from the delectable armful that was his Little girl.
“Not my laptop. It stays with me.”
“Of course. How about if it stays with you on my shoulder? You must have a brick inside here,” he said, lifting the strap.
“No, Beau. It stays with me,” Maisie said firmly.
“Gotcha. I’ll handle the suitcase. You handle the answer to the universe’s problems. Are you okay with leaving it in the car at Murphy’s during the reunion or would you rather drop by the hotel first?”
“I’m definitely not leaving it in the hotel. There are too many people wandering around with keys.”
“Do you want to put it in my safe? You could just stay with me,” he suggested.
Maisie looked at him, and he could see her evaluating the options. “How much political heat will that cause you?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Your safe would be perfect.”
“Let’s drop your things by my house and then we’ll hit Murphy’s,” he urged, clicking a button on his phone to call his car. Beau placed a hand at the small of her back to guide her to the exit.
“Good god, at least it’s not a limo,” Maisie sighed as the driver jumped out of the large SUV to take the luggage.
“Albert, we’ll hold on to the laptop. Take me back home and we’ll drop off all this stuff at the house before hitting the reunion.”
As if used to changes in the routine, Albert nodded as he opened the back door for them before placing the small suitcase into the trunk. In just a few minutes, they were smoothly merging with the heavy airport traffic as if it were a drive on a country lane.