Faith and Grace watched Slade closely. He didn’t seem to notice.
“I bet you never turned down any of his gifts.” Slade led their entourage out to the parking lot and hit the magic starter button that ensured the air conditioner would be humming when they got in.
The girls gave up on him or were just too hot, and raced to the truck.
“He gives me the gift of advice to this day.” Sometimes she even turned it down.
“I’m going to let that slide.” He opened her door this time. “How does dinner and bowling sound?”
“Excuse me?”
“The partnership has a team. We’re playing the mayor’s team tonight and there’s not enough time to take you home before our game.”
“Oh, Larry asked me if I bowled.” She climbed into the front seat.
Slade continued holding the door open, watching her. “And what did you tell him?”
“The truth. That I suck at bowling. Now, what are you feeding us?”
Slade took them to what she would have called a hole-in-the-wall and her dad would have called a joint with character. When they were seated, Christine did a double take at the menu. “These burgers are twenty dollars. You picked this place to prove the thickness of your wallet, didn’t you?”
He had a subtle grin. Sly.
She liked it more than she should.
The twins didn’t notice. Their heads were together as they reviewed the menu.
Christine set hers down. “Okay, come clean. Why the aversion to buying used? It has nothing to do with your wallet, does it?”
He shrugged, visibly uncomfortable. “I struggled a long time. Made money. Made some bad decisions. Went broke.” There was a catch to his voice that seemed to surprise even him. Slade’s hand drifted to the Windsor knot at his throat. He swallowed, dropped his gaze to the menu, and dropped his hand. “I vowed never to be broke again.”
She winked at the twins, who were now an avid audience. “You mean you don’t have money to burn?”
His smile was sad, touching her heart for no reason other than she hated to see him look so defeated. “I appreciate your efforts to save money today.”
“A gracious recovery.” Christine grinned. “Now, if I order the thirty-dollar walnut, cranberry, and chicken salad, will you think I’m crass?”
CHAPTER TEN
WHEN THEY ARRIVED at the bowling alley, Slade was a fifth wheel on his own team. Will had returned from San Francisco and was there with his fiancée and bowling ringer, Emma. Flynn had brought Nate. His friends encouraged him to bowl with Faith, Grace, and Christine. Even Takata shooed him off.
“Guys are so competitive. Chill out.” Christine gave him an affectionate shove. “You’ll have more fun bowling with your daughters.”
Slade knew she was right, but the feeling that he was outliving his usefulness to the partnership wouldn’t go away.
While they put on their bowling shoes, Mayor Larry approached Christine. “You say your logo is a horse on a weathervane? I can silk-screen that on my shirts.” He unbuttoned his purple tie-dyed bowling shirt and flashed them a look at the T-shirt with a weathervane logo beneath.