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So when she lobbed that teasing little challenge of a question toward me, I didn’t want to disappoint her. I’d go to DC if that’s what she wanted. The way I felt, standing outside that old house that morning, I’d go to the moon if she asked me. But I wasn’t interested in going alone.
“Sure, I’ll drive up. But you’re coming with me.” I walked around to the passenger side of my Maserati and opened the door for her. She was going to love cruising down the highway with the windows down in this baby. And I was going to love watching her auburn locks go wild in the wind. “Hop in.”
She folded her arms and pursed her pink lips. The sun made her skin glow, a gust of wind flinging her hair over her shoulder. I wanted nothing more than to press my lips to hers. “You really think we’re going to bring back five hundred marquee bulbs in that coupe?”
I blinked back thoughts of Charlie’s lips and looked at my vehicle. “Good point.”
“We can take my car,” she offered, and the driver’s side door creaked when she opened it, a patch of rusty paint fluttering to the ground.
“Absolutely not.”
“You got a better idea?”
Twenty minutes later, I was trading keys with my childhood pal. “She’s all gassed up for you,” Rex said, and he patted the shiny blue Silverado like it was a good ole girl. “And don’t worry about your Maserati. I’ll take good care of her.”
“Thanks.” I knew I had to give them up, but I hesitated handing him my keys. “Now remember, this car isn’t a pickup, it’s a fine Italian piece of machinery. You’ve got to treat her like a goddess.”
“Don’t worry. I know how to handle a lady,” he said with a wink, and lowered himself into the driver’s seat, sliding on a pair of sunglasses. “You two drive safe.”
I hoisted myself up into the truck and looked over the wide dash. This beast was gigantic compared to my sports car. Nothing I couldn’t handle. Plus, the view from up here wasn’t bad. Charlie hopped in and soon we were heading up on 29 toward Arlington.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, the air became hot and thick and Charlie turned up the air. “Summer’s going to be brutal. I really need to get my car’s AC fixed. This is nice.”
“See, modern life isn’t so bad, is it?” I said, and she shot me her classic eye roll.
Charlie leaned her face in front of the vent with a satisfied smile, which was slightly reminiscent of the one I’d inspired in the theater over the weekend. I’d have done just about anything to get her to smile. She caught me staring at her, and her cheeks flushed. “Hey, eyes on the road, Anderson.”
It was easier said than done. Why did she have to look so damn cute all the time? She’d been beautiful from the start, but when she was around I couldn’t take my eyes off her. There was just something about her.
“So,” I began, “I was able to run some numbers yesterday, and I think your boutique hotel idea could definitely work.”
Charlie straightened and turned to me, and the look she gave me made lightning shoot down my spine. “Really? That’s incredible. I’ve got a really good feeling about it. It’s the best of both worlds. I’m thinking we call it ‘The Monticello—A Historic Theater Hotel.’ You are planning to keep the name Monticello, aren’t you? It’s practically legendary.”
“Of course.” I wasn’t sure now was the time to tell her that ultimately the hotel wouldn’t belong to me. But in the end, did it really matter? Theo would get his hotel. Charlie would get to be the hero who saved the beloved theater. And I’d be the new owner of The Bach Company. Everybody would win.
The only problem was that I wouldn’t be staying in New Elwood. And that wasn’t a problem; that had been the plan all along. I couldn’t change it now. Not for anything.
Still, when I glanced over and saw the soft smile on Charlie’s face, the light shining in her eyes, a pinch in my heart made me wince.
We spent the rest of the drive discussing our pitch to the councilmembers while Charlie typed out all of our ideas on her laptop. The collaboration felt effortless, and that pain in my heart returned. I was beginning to feel sorry that I wouldn’t actually be able to see it through with her. When we crossed over the county line and passed the “Welcome to Arlington, Virginia” sign, I remembered that New Elwood was my deep past, but my future was here. It had to be.
After a good thirty minutes of stop-and-go NOVA traffic, we drove over the Potomac on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge into our nation’s capital. Charlie’s nose was practically glued to the passenger window as she caught a glimpse of the Capitol and the Washington Monument in the distance.
“Is this like your historical wet dream come to life or what?” I joked.
She swatted my arm and promptly went back to admiring the view. “I haven’t been here for so long. I forgot how beautiful it is.”
When you lived in the area, you could get a little jaded. All of these ancient structures became the backdrop to your ordinary life. Seeing the look of awe on Charlie’s face reminded me that they were fascinating and worthy of a wide-eyed gaze. People traveled from all over the world to catch a glimpse of American history. Just more proof that Charlie was right. There was so much more to old-ass buildings than what met the eye. Maybe I’d needed the reminder more than I wanted to admit.
After driving around loopy streets in the pickup, we pulled up to the lighting warehouse where the marquee bulbs were being held hostage. But we quickly learned we’d have to wait a little longer to pay the ransom.
“We weren’t expecting you so soon,” the warehouse guy told us. “Your order should be ready around four.”
“That’s three hours from now. What are we going to do until then?” Charlie asked as if she’d forgotten where we were. This was Washington DC, one of the most historical sites in the entire country. I knew exactly where to take her.
“C’mon,” I said. “I know the perfect place.”
Somehow, I not only managed to find street parking but wedged the gas guzzler between two other cars without a scratch.
