Page 96 of Kiss My Glass
“Oh! Yes, that would be lovely,” says my surprised but ever-gracious mom. “Shall we say three o’clock?”
“Three it is. See you then, Mom.” I end the call.
“What did you just do, Danny?” Frankie’s voice is low and threatening.
“Dad wants to talk,” I tell her. “I don’t know about what but I can’t imagine it’s anything good. Sorry for roping you in but I could really do with the support.”
She nods her understanding. “Okay. Then I’m definitelygoing to need a nap, or I’ll be super cranky.”
“And by ‘nap’, you mean…?”
“I mean if Lil Danny wakes me up before I’m ready, I won’t be answerable for my actions.”
“Got it,” I say on behalf of Lil Danny and also my now shrunken balls. “Let’s go get some rest.”
* * *
I set my alarm for one o’clock in the afternoon, to give us time to get ready before we hit the road. With Frankie lying naked beside me, I expect not to sleep at all but as soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m out, until the alarm jangles us both awake. Frankie has her just-woken-up face on, so I don’t suggest a quickie. We both shower and dress, and then it’s time to go.
Soon as I shut the car door, I let out a sigh. “I had better plans for this afternoon, you know?”
Frankie gives my knee a squeeze. “I know.”
I lean over and we kiss, and I seriously consider ditching my parents, but Frankie breaks us apart.
“Sooner we get there, sooner we can get back here” are her words of wisdom.
We hit the road, and far too soon are at my family home. It’s the first time Frankie has been here, and I’m a little anxious at what her reaction will be.
As it happens, it’s not what I expect. “This is nice,” she says, as we pull up outside the house. “I’d imagined something way more insufferably swanky. But it looks really homey.”
She turns to me. “You being rich makes me uncomfortable. Stupid, I know, but there it is.”
“Technically, I’m only moderately well-off,” I say. “Like I said, Dad’s made it clear to all of us that there’ll be no handouts, ever.”
Frankie frowns, like she’s only now processing that information. “Not even if you were about to go bankrupt?”
I shake my head. “Not even then.”
“Huh,” says Frankie. “Your dad’s kind of a hard ass, isn’t he?”
“And on that note,” I say. “It’s time to find out what His Hard Ass-ship has to say to me.”
Mom greets Frankie with a kiss on the cheek and a genuinely pleased smile. Mom likes Frankie. I’m glad at least one of my parents approves.
“I thought we’d have afternoon tea in the garden,” Mom says. “Come through. Mitchell is there already.”
Dad is seated but rises as we approach. Takes Frankie’s outstretched hand and gives it a firm shake. No smile, but then we weren’t expecting miracles.
“I trust the harvest went well, Miss Armstrong,” he says, as we all take our seats.
“Very well, sir,” says Frankie politely.
She is way more composed than I am. I’m dying to grab my father and demand he tell me what’s on his mind. But that would be extremely counterproductive. No Durant likes being backed into a corner. Besides, seems Dad hasn’t finished interrogating Frankie.
“And once the baby is born, how long do you intend to stay? I assume you’ve not taken indefinite leave from your job?”
“I haven’t,” says Frankie. “But I’m not sure I’ll return to my law firm.” She hesitates ever so slightly. “I’m considering moving to L.A. to be with Danny.”
