Page 65 of Loving the Enemy
“You’re serious?”
“I am. I need to run it by Pop, but I am sure it won’t be a problem.” I pause and look at her sheepishly. “But when you do take over, you may need to find a new personal assistant.”
“Why?” she asks, and I hear hesitation in her voice.
“Remember the girl I was with at the welcome party for the Knights? Well, she and my assistant are one in the same.”
“Oh, you didn’t! Michael, dating your assistant!”
“What can I say, darling? I can be an asshole at times. I wanted to make you jealous, and Laurel was too easy.” I pause and quickly say, “But I didn’t sleep with her.”
“Well, that’s a good thing.”
“Oh, baby, I’ve been faithful to you since the day you hit your head and forgot all about me.”
“Speaking of Laurel, that reminds me. Remember when you were on your date at the MC dinner and we argued about her?”
“Yes.”Where is she going with this one?
“That night, you called me Cleopatra. Why?”
My laughter comes out before I realize she is dead serious, but I can’t help it, and I can’t stop laughing.
“Michael, answer me,” she demands.
When I finally am able to get a hold of myself, I say, “What is another name for Cleopatra?”
She thinks for a minute. “I don’t know.”
“Okay, but she was a queen, right?”
“Yes.”
“Queen of what?” I ask.
“Egypt.”
“Broader than that. She’s also known as the Queen of the…”
“Nile!” She narrows her eyes with confusion, and I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t get it.”
“Queen of the Nile. Queen of Denial?” I chuckle. “Get it?”
“Oh, you rat!” She squeals and punches on my arm teasingly. When she stops, she looks at me all serious again and says, “You know, you were the only person I felt I knew. It was your eyes, Michael. They’ve always been captivating and kind. I could never forget them.”
I turn toward her and pull her into my arms. “Have I initiated you into the mile-high club yet?”
“Um, yeah, I think you did.”
“Well, darling, it’s time to pay your club dues.” I get up from my chair and drag her to the bedroom. And of course, she’s not complaining.
