Page 89 of S.O.S. Perk

“Oh, my goodness!” Mrs. Perkins once again had her hand on her chest. “I’m… I’m going to be agrandmother.”

Geeze.Was everything about her?

“Congratulations,” Sloane told Alison warmly, right after Perk had given his affirmations. “I’m assuming you’re having morning sickness?” She glanced pointedly at the woman’s still full plate.

Dirk nodded. “She’s barely been able to keep anything down, and we’ve already spent a couple days at the hospital getting IV fluids into her.”

“How far along are you?” Mrs. Perkins finally showed an interest.

“Fourteen weeks,” Alison told her shyly. “We wanted to wait until I was through with my first trimester, then thought it would be a nice thing to announce at Christmas.”

Amongst more felicitations, which were coming a little late as far as Sloane was concerned, Dirk then let them know he’d only spilled the beans before present-opening time because Alison had a hard time looking at food, so she wouldn’t be helping with cleanup.

“That’s fine, dear,” Mrs. Perkins stepped up. “I’m sure Buffy and Sloane will take up the slack.”

Sloane wouldn’t complain. For Alison’s sake.

She got up and did her Suzy-homemaker impression; actually getting kudos from Mrs. Perkins on her dishwasher loading method. Like it was rocket science.

****

The conversation around the tree while everyone opened cardigans, tweed blazers, collared shirts, and pants with whales on them, continued in the same vein as it had in the kitchen. And by the time Perk had opened his cartoon character slippers and a briefcase that he’d never in a million years use, Sloane was pretty much done. She was just waiting for Dirk and Alison to leave—the woman was looking a little green—so she and Perk could make their exit, as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Perkins must have figured that the day was winding down, because they began picking at Perk again.

“So, when will you be able to come back and take a closer look at the job your father is offering?” Mrs. Perkins simpered.

“Mom,” Perk remained patient, and that said a lot for their own burgeoning relationship. Sloane had a tendency to blow up at times, but with Perk’s calm demeanor, she had a feeling her occasional rants wouldn’t scare him off. She silently cheered him on, now. “Sloane told you. We’re in the middle of an important case right now.”

“We?” Buffy/Muffy scoffed. “You include your secretary to make her feel more involved?”

Okay.It was time for the bullshit to end.

Perk looked amused, but with a roll of his hand, he gave Sloane the floor.

“I’m actually not a secretary,” she informed the wannabe socialite, “nor am I employed by SOS,” she revealed.

“You’re not?” Alison put in, grinning.

Thatwoman was a smart cookie. Even with her stomach doing flip-flops, it was clear Alison had figured out that Sloane was about to blow a few minds.

“Nope,” Sloane confirmed. “My official title is Agent Vessers. I work for the FBI.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Perk didn’t want his and Sloane’s time in the wilds of Maine to end, even though the majority of his family had been grade-A assholes on Christmas.

After watching Sloane that day do a slow burn over breakfast, Perk had known she would eventually blow, and he’d been right. He wished, however, that he had a picture of his family’s faces when she’d finally made her big reveal. Buffy and Steve had gone especially sour-pussed, and although his parents had eventually managed a few insincere platitudes before he and Sloane had taken their leave, they had displayed horrified looks of disbelief.

Yup.How could their perpetually youthful boy get himself hooked up with one of the Fed’s finest? It probably still hadn’t sunk in.

Dirk and Alison, on the other hand, had been over-the-top pumped, and had subsequently met up with Perk and Sloane a few times over the ensuing week. They’d been very excited to hear more about what he and Sloane actually did. It was heartwarming to know that they, at least, appreciated him. Their support over his career choices had been a surprise, and had gone a long way toward making the trip memorable.

The only thing—other than his three family members and Buffy being jerks—that had colored the twelve days with a less-than-vibrant brush for him, was that Sloane had yet to acknowledge his “I love you”. Sure, he’d shut her down when he’d first said it, wanting her to mull things over, but not once during the nine days following Christmas had she made mention of it.

What choice did he have but to wait?

Perk tamped down a sigh. He’d give her a few more weeks.

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