Son of Stone (Stone Barrington 21)

“What time is it?”

“You have an hour and a half until dinner,” Stone said.

“Peter just got home from the movies, and he’s showering.”

She sat up. “I think I’d better do that, too. It will wake me up.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Oh, yes, I was just tired from the trip. I’m feeling much better after my nap.” She got up and began unpacking her bags and putting her clothes in the second dressing room. “Is there anything I should know about your conversations with Peter before we sit down to dinner?”

“Yes. I got him an iPhone for his birthday, which I know is against your wishes, but there will be a condition that he leave it with you when he returns to school in January. I’d like him to have it while he’s in New York.”

“I suppose that’s a good idea. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Peter has some ideas about his future, but I think you should hear them from him.”

“Anything that will give me a heart attack?”

Stone laughed. “I doubt it, and I think you should hear him out.”

“Peter can be very persuasive,” Arrington said, slipping out of her suit and hanging it up.

“You’ve lost some weight,” he commented.

“Yes, I’ve been trying.”

“You look very elegant.”

She slipped off her underwear and tossed it into the hamper, then came and put her arms around him. “I hope I haven’t lost anything you liked.”

He caressed her ass and her breasts. “Nope, it’s all still there.”

She kissed him. “You can explore later,” she said, then went into her bathroom to run a tub.

They walked up the stairs into the Four Seasons restaurant and checked in at the desk.

“Is this the power lunch place?” Peter asked, looking around.

Stone thought he looked very handsome in his blue suit. “Yes, right over there, in the Grill Room. We’re dining in the Pool Room.”

“They play pool here?”

“No, they have a pool.” They were led to a table at poolside. Stone ordered champagne for Arrington and himself and Peter asked for fizzy water and was brought San Pellegrino.

When the champagne came, Stone raised his glass. “Happy birthday, Peter.” He nodded to the captain, who brought over two giftwrapped boxes. “The smaller one is from your mother.”

“But she already gave me my laptop,” Peter said.

“It’s a second gift,” Arrington said, “and it has strings attached.”

Peter ripped off the paper. “Wow!” he said. “You’re letting me have a phone?”

“The strings are: you leave it with me when you return to school.”

“Oh,” he said, lookin

g disappointed. He opened the other box. “An iPad! Wonderful.” He switched it on.