Thanks to Glenda, Susan had retrieved her menus and somehow picked up a sous chef. She smiled when she thought about the opportunity to bond with Glenda. It made her relationship with Eric that much stronger, she thought.
She watched him pace around the bed as he readied himself to climb into it. Something was on his mind. He’d been in a hurry to leave his parents’ house. He’d been curt with Bethany about her staying in the house and letting him know where she was at all times of the day.
“Are you okay?” she finally asked.
“No. No, I’m not okay. My father knows that Elias is selling off the oil rights.” He raked his hands through his hair. “To get a cut he offered to move my mother.”
Susan climbed out of bed and stood, watching him. “So then if this is a done deal, why is someone destroying the properties?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. But you’re going to keep an eye on things at the dinner. Tyson and Lydia will be there. Bethany and I will be nearby. Douglas can be involved too, he already is.”
“So now we’re all C.I.A.?”
That caused him to chuckle. “Yeah, I guess we are.”
“Well, I never thought my culinary career would take me in this direction.”
His stance eased as he walked toward her and gathered her in his arms. “You’re the kind of woman that always stands by her man, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“I believe in your dreams, Susan. I want to see great things happen for you.”
“They will. Everything takes time.”
His smile was wide now and she pulled back to look at him. “What are you thinking?”
“Just of the future,” he said as he placed his hands on her waist and walked her back toward the bed. Easily, he laid her backward onto the mattress and eased himself down next to her. “Will you be here for the future?”
“If it’s my decision, then yes, I will be.”
“Then that’s what I’m thinking,” he said before he moved atop of her and took control of her mouth with the heat and need of his.