Your Alluring Love (The Bennett Family 6)
Page 16
“Happy birthday,” I tell her, still stunned that an eighty-year-old is checking me out.
“Thank you, honey. Now let me relieve you both of those bags of goodies.”
After Ms. Williams heads to the large buffet lining one wall, Alice pulls me to one side. “Could we stay for a drink? It would mean a lot to her.”
“Depends. Will she give me more dubious looks if she drinks?”
Alice giggles. “Ms. Williams is harmless. She just likes to talk. Now Ms. Hannigan, she’s a feisty one.” She points to a white-haired, bubbly woman across the room, probably the same age as Ms. Williams.
“Define feisty.”
“Don’t let her rope you into playing poker. She’ll beat you to a pulp and try to get you to agree to naked poker. Or she’ll pretend she needs mouth-to-mouth.”
“You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”
“Nah. Trust me, they might not have all their teeth intact, but their libido certainly is. Especially with eye candy such as yourself.”
Ah, now this is an opportunity I just can’t pass up.
“What’s this eye candy doing for you, Alice?”
I enjoy immensely the way she drags her lower lip between her teeth. Her physical response is always strong when I speak her name. It makes me want to say it over and over until she succumbs to me.
“Don’t do this. It’s not fair and you know it.” Her low voice is almost a whisper, but it slays me. She’s right. I’m an ass. My lack of control around her is my problem, not hers, and it’s my duty not to make it her problem.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
She smiles. “Even if we’re still off the clock?”
“Technically we’re abou
t to have the first drink.”
Before Alice can respond, one of the seniors whisks her away, and I’m left watching her from a distance. That’s when I see someone from the staff—judging by the uniform and name tag—approaching me.
“Who are you?” she asks sharply. “Where’s your visitor badge?”
“I’m Nate Becker. I came with Alice.”
That seems to instantly win her over. “How do you know her?”
“Old family friend. The seniors really seem to dig her treats.”
They’re all at the buffet, surrounding Alice.
“Yeah, they love her. She’s been a blessing for this place. We would have been closed down if not for her.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is a state-funded center. A couple of years ago, officials said there weren’t enough funds. Alice made a generous donation. This place has survived off her donations ever since.”
Well, I’ll be damned. I thought I knew Alice well, but she just keeps surprising me.
***
Alice
One drink turns into… I’ve lost count. The seniors have mastered two arts: gossiping and living vicariously through others. Since most of them have alcohol restrictions due to their medication, they drink nonalcoholic cocktails. My drink definitely has alcohol in it. I’m hot and sweaty from it, and I tried going outside to cool off, but it’s a terrible evening. It’s not raining, but there is a thick and humid fog, and breathing in deeply feels like diving underwater.