Page 14 of Beauty and the Grease (Midlife Meet Cute #4)

Chase

Pre-dinner drinks presents more of the same endless talking about things I can speak easily on but don’t care much about.

I sent off texts to the kids, promising a video chat tonight.

Kevin’s words from yesterday haunt me. I don’t want to ignore Emma so she moves on to dating and YouTube.

She can do those things, but I want to be there before, after, and during those phases.

I want to be there for Emma and Owen, no matter what they’re doing.

I wish I was there now instead of here.

I’m sulking and I know it. That’s when I look up and see her.

Jenny crosses the lobby in heels and a dress grazing her knees.

She carries her sweater over one arm, her shoulders bare except for thin straps.

Wild strands of hair fall loose around her face.

Her white streak looks bleached but maybe it’s gray.

It looks great on her. She walks like a woman who knows what she wants.

And she’s walking toward me.

“You didn’t leave,” falls out of my mouth.

“I know.”

She could be on her way out, but I don’t ask. I hold out my arm for her. By some miracle, she takes it. I lead her into the banquet hall.

A flashback hits of our wedding, walking down the aisle, the beach, where I felt like a million bucks with Jenny on my arm.

I feel like a million bucks now. And when I get that big account, I’ll be making our company millions, along with a hefty bonus. Life is looking up.

“I spent some time talking with my new friends today.” Jenny says this low in my ear.

It feels sexy. Her telling me anything this close to my ear feels sexy.

“I realized a few things about who I am, and about the people in my life who support me. I’m in a good place.

It felt like unfinished business not to close out this weekend at your dinner. I said I was all in, so I’m here.”

I want nothing more than to leave this place, right now, with her. We can talk about her day. About anything and everything. “I’m grateful you’re here. Thank you.”

“I’m going to charge you so much for repairs.”

I crack up at her wide, bright smile. “Maybe I’ll outfit the Audi with new tires. A new transmission. The works.”

She frowns. “That’s a real problem if you need to replace your transmission. I hope you haven’t been driving your kids in that car.”

“The transmission is fine.”

Angelina approaches. Her smile is frozen stiff. “Chase, can I talk to you for a sec?”

Angelina and I never have much to talk about. Our accounts don’t overlap. “Can it wait? I’m hoping to find a table at the back and make an early exit.” I want to spend time with Jenny.

“It’s just—” Angelina is interrupted by a retreat staffer urging us to find seats.

I spy a spot with easy access to the door. Linda crosses into our path. “You two will be at the front. By request.” It’s not a question.

Jenny raises a brow. “Must be good news if you’re up front with the big cheeses. Is that the proper way to address multiple executive cheeses?”

I laugh and tell her Owen has a T-shirt with a cartoon slice of cheese on it and the word GOUDA. He wears it specifically on pizza nights, even though gouda isn’t a cheese used on most pizza. “Maybe that’s not funny to anyone else.” My kid stories might be too much.

She’s grinning. “It’s cute. Your kids have unique personalities. It sounds like you have fun with them.”

The executives are spread out around the room, but of course we’re sharing a table with Cliff. He smiles as we approach. It’s off-putting. Then again, he doesn’t smile much. No lie, I’m nervous. I promised Cliff big stuff, but I’m ready for the challenge.

The soup and salad round begins. We still have a few empty seats at our table. Cliff engages in rigid conversation about the retreat grounds with the rest of the table.

I try to focus, but it’s tough with Jenny next to me. She came back when she didn’t have to. This feels like an actual second chance.

I want something more with her. It’s too early to say what more will look like, but I know I don’t want to close the book on us. Jenny showing up tonight feels like the promise of what could be a new beginning.

“How are things going with your ex-wife?” Cliff asks.

Whoa, what? I glance around the table. The others are talking among themselves and didn’t hear his question. Just play it cool. Muster up confidence. “Lisa is doing well, thank you. She and the kids will be—”

“Not Lisa. Your other ex-wife.” Cliff spreads butter on a roll, not bothering to look directly at me.

I go numb. My vision tunnels around me, sharpening at the center to Cliff’s white, nutritionless dinner roll battered by a stiff butter pat. A squeeze at my knee jolts me to reality. Jenny. She blinks at me, but her expression is unreadable.

“I’m uh, not certain what you’re referring to.” Confidence lost.

Cliff looks up. “Am I mistaken? I thought you were married another time. Before Lisa.”

Nobody at work knows this. It’s the only real secret I have. I know I didn’t refer to Jenny as my ex around them. Ever.

Linda arrives to the table. “Excuse me, I was caught up talking. Hello, everyone.”

Conversation resumes about today’s activities, but I’m shook. Cliff rattled me. No one else but Jenny seems to have heard Cliff’s questioning. I guarantee Cliff knows they could have. He’s flexing his power over me. Again.

Jenny leans in. “If you want to go, say the word.”

Go? I’d love to. But I can’t.

Discussion dies down, and Cliff sits back, looking smug my direction. “I know it’s not my business, but if I may ask, how long have you two been dating?”

He knows. But how?

“It’s recent,” Jenny says for me. “But we knew each other already.”

I want to melt. I want to go boom and bye-bye, a funny thing Owen said when he was four and it became a family tagline for leaving somewhere you don’t want to be. At the same time, I’m furious. Cliff set me up. This is what bullies do. Humiliate and destroy.

“And you’re a mechanic, I understand?” He growls out a laugh that sounds as mean as he meant it to.

Linda looks sharply between Cliff and then me.

“I am,” she responds, then shares a bit about the plan to revitalize Derby.

Cliff shifts in his seat, seemingly irritated by Jenny’s redirect. “We demand honesty in this company, it’s in our mission statement.”

“Cliff,” Linda warns. “What are you—”

“She’s his estranged first wife!” he blurts.

The conversation deadens around the table. If awkward was a dinner course, it’s being served now after soup.

Another squeeze comes to my knee, courtesy of Jenny. “Our marriage was annulled,” she says plainly. “So technically, you’re incorrect.”

Cliff sputters. “Technically, you legally wed.” A cruel glint in his eye gives him away. He enjoys this. He enjoys the fight.

Jenny isn’t done. “Is the marriage valid if it’s annulled? Perhaps that’s a philosophical question you can ponder. Seems you’ve already invested significant time researching such a trivial domestic matter. It sure is curious how much you care about our personal lives.”

I can’t believe this is happening. Jenny is so calm. She’s dishing it right back to Cliff. Our secret is cracked open, but she made the call. She took back power.

Linda looks at Jenny. “My apologies for this behavior. Cliff, I need a word with you. Now.”

“He talked back to me in front of staff.” Cliff scowls my direction. “He’s been insubordinate for months.”

Not true. He’s mad I pushed back at all.

What’s the end game? That’s what Jenny asked me. Why does Cliff test loyalty, only to throw it back in our faces after we grovel? If this is the kind of test I’m expected to do for the next six months, the next six years, I’m out. It’s over.

“She’s a mechanic, for Pete’s sake.” Cliff trembles with rage. His cheeks deepen to purple. That can’t be healthy.

And I can’t let it go. “She’s a business owner. And she was my wife.” Every restraint I’ve built around this man springs loose. “Do not speak to Jenny as if she’s inferior. Do not speak to her at all. Only a small man goes to this much trouble to humiliate someone.”

A few people at the table look away in discomfort. Others are clearly disgusted, glaring at Cliff, including Linda. Jenny watches me.

“Thank you for making this an easy decision.” I stand. “This is my official notice. I quit. I’ll be filing an HR report on this harassment and a federal employment discrimination report for all the other nonsense I’ve put up with. I have documented logs of Cliff’s little loyalty tests.”

Cliff grumbles something I’m no longer interested in hearing.

“Jenny?”

She stands. “I’m ready.”

Linda pushes back her chair. “Chase, you have every right to be upset, but please—”

“It’s not worth it.” I feel it to my bones. “I know my worth, and it’s more than this.”

I grab Jenny’s hand. “Let’s go.”