Chapter 22

Lee and Amanda excused themselves right after dinner, pleading tiredness and the number of things they needed to get done before Amanda flew back to Texas on Monday. As Lee turned the Corvette towards the apartment, he said, "He didn't say a word about us being late."

"We weren't late. We said six, and we got there before six. We weren't late."

"He would have said something before."

"No doubt, but give the man credit for being able to change, Lee. Besides, think about it: we were on time, and before we got there, he had Francine all to himself. He'd be crazy to complain under those circumstances."

"Yeah, you're right. She sure has mellowed him out, that's for sure."

"Oh, I think he was more mellow before they met; it's only been two days, after all, but she certainly encouraged the process."

"What did you two talk about in the powder room?"

"Stetson, you should know better than to ask that. What goes on in the powder room stays in the powder room. Clay said as much tonight, remember?"

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope."

"Not even a teeny tiny hint?"

"Nope. Classified, need to know, Scarecrow."

"I knew telling you that all those times, even when I didn't really have to, would come back to bite me on the butt."

"Uh-huh. What goes around, comes around."

"Well, I couldn't get a damn thing out of my uncle."

"Of course you couldn't, Lee! Robert Clayton is a gentleman of the old school. Men like him don't indulge in locker room talk, especially when it comes to women they truly admire, and believe me, he admires her a great deal."

"He looked very relaxed and happy. I guess that says something."

"It says they had a wonderful night last night and a wonderful day today, that's what it says. Draw your own inferences from that."

" Do you think they're….."

"To quote someone we both know, "Get your mind out of the gutter, will ya?"

"Amanda, do you remember everything I ever said to you?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"I'm just amazed, that's all."

When they got to the apartment, Amanda said, "You've been eyeing this box of chocolates ever since Francine gave it to me."

"So sue me."

"I don't want to sue you, Stetson, I want to bribe you."

"With chocolate? To quote someone we both know, 'We can make a deal'. What are your terms?"

"One chocolate for every closet you clean out."

"Not good enough. Three."

"There are only twelve here, Lee. I'd like to have some of them!"

"What did you say when you gave Francine the DeVarona box? 'A moment on the lips, forever on the hips'?

"Oh, so you're saving me from myself, are you?"

"Yep. I'm just that kind of guy."

"Uh -huh. Two for every closet."

"Five for every two closets."

"Clean out the bureau drawers, the kitchen cabinets and both closets and you can have half of them."

"If you're going to throw in the bureau drawers and the kitchen cabinets, I want nine. That's a lot of work and I need to keep my strength up."

"Nine? No way. Six."

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Oh, all right, seven. Deal?"

"Deal." She put out a hand, suddenly remembering the handshake in the kitchen in the Betsy Ross Estates nearly four years before. He took it, but instead of shaking it as he had then, he kissed it and then tugged her into his arms for a real kiss.

"Amanda?"

"Hmmm?"

"What I said that night about getting your mind out of the gutter? Well, I take it all back."

"If this is a cheap way of getting out of cleaning closets tonight, Stetson, it's working."

"Oh, good, I was hoping it would."