97. Senior Citizen Kink
“I’m sorry, Chloe. We can’t let you in.”
I stopped, mid-text to Carter, and looked up at Fred. Dear sweet Fred, who shared his banana bread with me when I got grouchy. Dear sweet Fred, who had stepped out of the security shack and now stood in front of me. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “Mrs. Brantley called. Said to take you off the list.”
“I have a purse in her trailer. That’s all I’m here for.” And… maybe one last order of cheese biscuits from the catering truck. “Five minutes,” I pleaded. “Maybe ten.”
He shook his head at me and I wished for the old days. When I could just pull out a hundred and buy the ability to break some rules. “Escort me,” I offered. “You can handcuff me to your side if you want. I know you’ve been dying to use those cuffs.” I gave him my best smile and saw him weaken slightly.
“Well…” He glanced toward the shack.
“Five minutes,” I repeated. “Just straight to Nicole’s trailer and back.”
And that was how I ended up handcuffed to an eighty-year-old man.
Just kidding. He didn’t use the handcuffs. And he was more like mid-sixties, but that doesn’t have near the storytelling punch. He shuffled toward Nicole’s trailer, and I trailed behind him, texting Hannah, hoping to get a goodbye in before I left.
I opened the upper cabinet and moved a bag of chips aside, tugging on the edge of the black bag until it fell out. There. Just as beautiful as the day I left it. I clutched it to my chest and turned to Fred. “One last stop,” I said. “Joey Plazen’s trailer. I just have to drop this off there.”
He glanced at his watch. “It’s been ten minutes already, Chloe.”
Ten minutes because he walked slower than death. I could have hit both trailers and gotten cheese biscuits in the time it had taken us to walk here.
“It’s on the way back. Two doors down.” I jumped up and down a little and gave my best doe eyes.
“Fine,” he grumbled, and I swooped out the door ahead of him.
“Shut the fuck up.” Hannah stood at the counter in Joey’s trailer and gawked at the bag. “You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “I know. I’m amazing.”
“Seriously?” She ran a tattooed hand over the front of it.
“You quit?” Joey asked the question for the third time and I finally turned to him.
“Yes. And yes,” I said to Hannah. “Seriously.”
“Why?” he asked, standing from the couch and walking over, the kitchen in his trailer too small for the three of us. Fred coughed from the open doorway, and we all glanced his way.
“Umm… ” he said tentatively. “Miss Madison…”
“I’m not allowed on set,” I said, filling in the others. “Fred wants me out.”
“Here.” Joey pulled out his wallet and shuffled through some bills, pulling out a handful and holding them out to Fred. “I’ll watch the klepto. Make sure she leaves straight from here.”
“With a stop at the catering truck,” I chimed in, giving Joey a hopeful smile.
“No,” he said. “No catering truck.”
“What the F?” I stomped my foot, mostly for dramatic effect. “Why?”
“I’m not shuttling your ass around the set while you complete your shopping list.”
“So … I can go?” Fred asked, stuffing Joey’s cash in his pocket.
“Yeah,” Joey said, and Fred nodded his goodbyes, the door creaking shut behind him.
Joey waited until he was gone, then nodded at me. “Talk.”
“Yeah, Nicole was having an affair?” Hannah perched on the counter and unzipped the bag, peering inside and checking out the inner pockets. “And she’s pregnant?”
“Yep.” I said, hoping she wouldn’t press for details.
“Who was it?” Hannah asked, looking up from the bag.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged, opening Joey’s fridge. I grabbed a beer and avoided eye contact, shredding the skin on my palm before I realized it wasn’t a twist off.
“You don’t know?” Joey stepped closer, and Hannah pushed him away.
“She doesn’t know. Stop hounding the woman.”
“You still with Carter?”
I looked up, the beer finally open, and met his eyes. “Yeah. No thanks to you.”
His mouth twisted. “I’m sorry about that. I…” He grimaced. “I was an asshole.”
“Wow.” Hannah raised her eyebrows. “The truth comes out.” Joey glared at her and she giggled, refocusing on her new bag.
“You were,” I agreed, tipping back the beer. “Total asshole. You know how you could make it up to me?”
“Tickets to the premiere?” he offered.
“I was gonna say cheese biscuits, but sure, throw in tickets to the premiere. Two,” I said pointedly.
He clutched his chest in mock pain. “You won’t be my date? I’m heartbroken.” He raised his eyebrows in hope. “And forgiven?” He looped an arm around my shoulders and waited for my answer.
“And forgiven,” I affirmed, smiling when he pulled me to his chest. “Now, get me cheese biscuits before I change my mind,” I threatened.
“Yes, ma’am.” He lifted a chin to Hannah. “You coming?”
“Oh no,” she said. “I plan on getting some one-on-one time with my new lover.” She patted the side of the Balenciaga.
“Enjoy it,” I said, waving at her as Joey dragged me to the door. “Courtesy of Victor Worth.”
She laughed. “I’m an equal-opportunity slut, I’ll take gifts from anyone. Feel free to send that Maserati my way!” she hollered, the words catching me right as Joey tossed my beer in the trash and shut the door.
The Maserati. I wondered what happened to it. I’d signed the title over and left it in the glove box. Had overnighted Vic the keys. And a few days later, it was gone.
“I’m gonna miss you,” Joey mused, reaching out to tug on the end of my ponytail.
“I’m gonna miss this place.” I held up my fingers an inch apart. “Just a bit.”
“And me?”
I scrunched up my face. “A little.”
He stopped at the back of the catering line, pushing his hands into the front of his pockets and looking at me, all hints of teasing gone. “I really was an asshole, pushing you to date Vic. Carter … I can see you guys together. You’re a cool girl. He’s got his shit together—always did.”
I grinned at him. “So, you approve?”
He laughed. “Yeah. You have the Joey Plazen blessing of approval. It’s kinda a big deal.”
“Thank God,” I breathed. “I can go to sleep happy.” The line moved, and we stepped up to the window. I placed my order, almost groaning with pleasure when I got the cardboard box of mini biscuits, steam rising out, the smell almost as good as the taste. Joey walked me all the way out, promising to call Carter and see me soon. I waved to Fred and stepped out the gate.
And just like that, my time at Boston Love Letters was done.