Chapter 64

Lunch was at a place called Checkers in downtown Santa Rosa. Kelli had some business in town and meeting there made it convenient for her. I ordered the Linguini Monterey and Kelli ordered the Arugula and Prawn salad. The meal was delicious, but the company was better. We sat close and talked closer, with interruptions caused by occasional kisses.

"One more date where I don't come home all night and you're going to have to meet my parents," she said, mostly serious.

"I look forward to it," I said, completely serious. "When would you like that date to be?"

"I'd like it to be tonight's dinner date, but I have to cancel, I'm afraid." she looked down at the table as she said this.

"Cancel? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, but I have to fly to Scottsdale this afternoon. We've got a business meeting there and my father has asked me to accompany him."

She had told me before that her family owned hotels in California, Oregon and Arizona with a smattering in Nevada. I had to assume this was about the restaurant business there.

"Well, I'm disappointed of course," I admitted. "But business is business, and if your father is including you in his business like this, it must be a good thing."

"It is a good thing," she nodded and looked up, smiling again. "He believes I represent the future of the family business, for several reasons, but mostly because I'm the only one of my generation who has expressed an interest in learning the business and then followed that up with action."

"Ah, that suggests that someone might have expressed interest without taking action," I speculated.

"Yes, my cousin Roberto. He is two years older than I am, the oldest of the children of my father and his brothers. He assumes he will take up his rightful position, but he has done nothing. He has gone to college; four different ones, and finished none of them. He works at the corporate offices as a purchasing manager."

"He believes he will just rise up the chain from there, based on the experience that a series of jobs in the corporation will give him," I said, not asking, but stating what I saw as obvious.

"He does, and perhaps it would work, if he showed any talent for management or business," she laughed. "But he expects it to happen just because he is the eldest male. He expects it as his due. This my father does not like."

Kelli had a predatory look on her face as she said this. I didn't blame her. I knew her well enough already to know that a sexist with delusions of entitlement would annoy the hell out of her.

"How long will you be gone?"

"Overnight tonight and back late tomorrow."

"How late?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and wiggling it.

"Too late," she giggled and buried her face in her arms on the table, managing to miss the remains of her meal.

"Sorry," I said.

"No your not," she looked up, eyes twinkling. "But I do have good news. Since we're making this middle of the week trip, I have the rest of the week off when I do get back, so..."

"So..." I smiled.

"So I'm free if you're free to do ... whatever," she looked down at the table again, embarrassed by her forthrightness, vague as it was.

"Good, I look forward to lots of ... whatever. But perhaps we should do something special?"

"I'm in favor of special," she punctuated that with a kiss. "What did you have in mind?"

"I have no idea," I said, my mind spinning. "We could go somewhere quiet for a long weekend perhaps?"

"You have good ideas. I expect to be pleasantly surprised when I get back from Scottsdale."

"You wouldn't mind going somewhere right after a business trip?"

"Not if its with you and its not business."

"Boating, hiking, golf, tennis, anything like that?"

"I said surprise me, but sure, I"m game for any or all of the above. Now kiss me Cooper, 'cause I've got to get going."

So I did, and while we kissed, all thoughts of the coming long weekend flew out of my head. I watched her walk out of the restaurant and the minute she was out of sight the wheels began spinning in my head. A long romantic weekend, but where?

I had an appointment with Mrs. Trinh tomorrow at 10. Kelli would be back late tomorrow night, so our long weekend couldn't begin, practically, until at least mid-morning the next day, Thursday. We could conceivably leave Thursday midday and return Sunday evening without messing up our schedules too much.

This still left the decision of what kind of long weekend it was going to be, and how close to home it would be. We were both active people, and this is California, where activities seem boundless. I thought about it as I drove home.

"Harley, what do you think?" I asked.

"What, you want my opinion?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," I told him." What's more, I think you need to start taking a more active part in our life. Just because you gave up control to me doesn't mean you aren't still participating in everything we do."

"I guess," he said with little enthusiasm.

"Try to be a little more enthusiastic," I laughed. "Now that you're our in charge of our telekinetic harness lock, you need to be closer to the forefront."

"But you need to be in control," he argued. "Things definitely work better when you are in charge."

"I won't disagree," I told him. "But my being in charge doesn't mean you can't be right out there with me, ready at any moment to contribute however you can. Especially when we're talking about offering your opinion or making a suggestion. There's no cost to me or us by your doing so."

"But I don't want to be a distraction."

"I trust you to know when you would be a distraction and hold your peace until it was safe. At the same time, I know you see some things differently than I do, and that different perspective is valuable to us. That value is lost if you remain silent."