Sold As Is

by Holley Trent

  “That’s it, folks. See you at next month’s meeting unless you need me before then. Miranda, thank you, sweetheart.”

  Jasmine raised a brow for a fleeting moment, but busied herself with clearing away trash from the conference room.

  Michael was the last to stand.

  “Hey, Mirandy, you wanna go get some lunch? Don said he would be driving through on his way back from Asheville.”

  Aaron piped up before she could answer. “Sorry, Mike. I’m taking her to lunch.”

  She dropped the stack of papers she was holding and felt her stomach flop. “You are?” she asked from her crouched position.

  What’s he doing?

  “I think I owe my girl a hot meal. She’s shriveling up.”

  She looked down at what she could see of her body. “I am?”

  Mike was silent.

  “You work too hard, sweetheart. Hey, Mike — why don’t you offer to buy Eleanor and Tina lunch? They’re always looking for someone to mooch off, and I think they consider you sucker enough.”

  Mike shifted his weight to his good leg and managed a dry chuckle. “Do I get anything in return for my generosity?”

  “Yes, they might let you control the radio station the next time you’re in the van together.”

  Mike made a little whoopee do gesture with his hand, but smiled and picked up his cane. “I’ll see you at home, Mirandy.”

  “Yeah, I’ll see you after din — ”

  Aaron gave her ass a silencing pinch. “Sorry. She’s going home with me. Looks like you’ll have the apartment all to yourself.”

  Mike furrowed his forehead.

  She looked from her stepbrother to Aaron, who was giving the ginger a cool look. “Um … ”

  “Wanna meet me in the SUV, Mandy? I’ll be out in a minute,” Aaron said with a cheerful voice.

  She opened her mouth, closed it without saying anything, clutched her papers to her chest, and hurried out. The tension was so thick in the room that whatever was about to go down, she didn’t want to be within twenty feet of the fallout. They were big boys. They could take care of themselves whatever the problem was. She hoped. She hoped it wasn’t a car problem. She couldn’t help with that.

  • • •

  Mike leaned against the closed office door and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you seriously fucking around with Mandy?”

  Aaron put his feet up on his desk and crossed his legs at the ankles. “Whether or not we’re fucking is none of your business. Am I pulling her chain? From this moment forward, no. No, I’m not.”

  “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means I’m not going to let anyone tell me how to live my life and who should be in it. I love Mandy and I intend to marry that woman. Do you have a problem with that, Mike?”

  Mike’s bottom jaw ground left to right.

  Aaron’s curled his lips into a smirk. “You carrying a bit of a torch for her?”

  Mike scoffed, hobbled to the armchairs in front of Aaron’s desk and sank into one. “Let’s put it this way. I’ve known her since before our parents hooked up. I’ve had an awareness that she was a pretty girl and that I was a hot-blooded boy since middle school. Of course I had a crush on her. Everyone did. She’s just one of those people that others notice. But then Dad met Adriana and there was this hush-hush super-quick courtship, and boom. They were married.”

  He cracked his knuckles and looked at Aaron over them. “She’s my best friend. She’s smart and funny and kind. She’s a truly decent person, and I couldn’t love her more even if were blood siblings. That’s why I’ve been steering boys away from her since I was in tenth grade.”

  Aaron twirled his pen in his fingers then tossed it at Mike who caught it handily. “I’ve been carrying that pen around for about three years. It was from the first batch of bills my father signed into law after inauguration.”

  “It’s a nice pen.” Mike stuck it into his own pocket with a smirk.

  “Yeah. All these years I’ve been carrying it around as a reminder of who I’m supposed to be. How I should act.”

  “You giving up?”

  “On Miranda? No way. I don’t want to be some forty-year-old man who regrets the things he didn’t do ten years before because he was waiting for permission from someone who was never going to give it. Miranda may not be cut from the kind of cloth Rick and my father like, but I think it drapes me pretty well.”

  Mike tented his fingers and nodded. “If you hurt her, I’ll fuck you up.”

  “Is that what you told all the other guys? The ones that dumped her?”

  “Yes.”

  “And I take it you’ve made good on that threat before or else they wouldn’t believe it.”

  Mike held out his hands and shrugged.

  Aaron grinned. “Good to know. Really. Go buy Eleanor lunch. I think she likes you.”

  Mike smirked. “Wow, you’re actually not afraid of me. You must be like King Arthur pulling that sword out of the stone. You pass the test.”

  “I’m worried less about the gatekeeper than what it’s keeping me from.”

  And it was true. Mike’s consent in the scheme of things meant nothing if Mandy wouldn’t have him.

  “Go on,” he nudged. “I happen to know Eleanor has a Mike Leonard mini-poster taped inside her toolbox. She wouldn’t say no if you offered to buy her a meal.”

  Mike stood with some effort. “Well, maybe I can show her some of my tricks.”

  Aaron laughed and walked him to the door. “Godspeed.”

  CHAPTER 17

  Mandy was standing next to the front passenger door of the SUV, digging through her purse for her lipstick when a long black car pulled up next to her in the CTW lot. The driver, an older man with gray hair wearing dark sunglasses, rolled down his window. “Miss McCarthy?”

  She squinted at the man. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

  He opened the door and stepped out. He reached for her elbow.

  She drew back.

  “Miss McCarthy, if you’d join the governor in the vehicle, you’d do him a great boon.”

  She took another step backward. “The governor? I’m sorry, if you want to speak with Aaron,” she hooked her thumb in the direction of CTW’s back door, “he’s inside the building. He’ll be out here shortly.”

  One of the rear passenger windows motored down. Rick’s face appeared in the opening. “We don’t want to talk to Aaron. We want to talk to you.”

  “You can set an appointment with Jasmine in the office. I’m very busy.”

  A second head appeared in the window, this time one that made her feel like her heart stopped beating.

  “Yes, I’m sure you are, Miss McCarthy, but certainly you understand that I am as well?”

  She looked to the back door and saw no one darkening the hall. Where was Aaron? What had held him up? She wrapped her fingers around her phone inside her purse and toggled up the speed dial screen to Aaron’s number. She let it ring without putting it to her ear.

  “I don’t think I need to get inside that car to have a conversation with you, sir.”

  “No, no. Of course not, but certainly you understand how valuable privacy is?”

  She cut her gaze to Rick. “That’s rich coming from you.”

  “I’m truly sorry for causing you any embarrassment, Miss McCarthy. It wasn’t my intention to intrude on anything so … ” Rick waved a hand around while he fumbled for the words. “Personal.”

  “Do you regularly make a habit of barging in on other businesses that have nothing to do with you and manhandling the staff?”

  “Well, manhandling’s a strong word. We’d just like to discuss some things with you.”

  “You’re not going to discuss anything with
her.”

  Finally, Aaron to the rescue. He used the remote clicker to unlock the doors of the SUV and helped Mandy up into her seat. He offered his father, Rick, and the driver a rude gesture just before shutting her door.

  The limo was still idling there when Aaron climbed up into the driver’s seat and started the ignition. He turned to her and gave her a winning smile. “So, lunch? I know a great little vegetarian place downtown. Best flatbread you’ll ever sink your teeth into.”

  “Are you taking me out on a date?”

  “Yes, I am. Later, we can move your things back into my apartment. My toothbrush has been really lonely in its little cup without yours.”

  “Uh, hold up a minute here.” Mandy watched the limo following them in the side mirror. “What is this sudden change of heart?”

  “My heart’s always been the same. It’s my degree of courage that’s changed. Do you like falafel?”

  “I’d prefer chicken nuggets.”

  Aaron blanched. “Ugh.”

  “You don’t eat meat?” She had to think back on it. All those nights at his apartment he’d let her order what she wanted, and when pizza came he always picked his pepperoni off without complaint. Why hadn’t he just asked her to order cheese?

  “No, except under duress. I haven’t eaten a chicken nugget or a hot dog since seventh grade. I’ll tell you that story one day when it’s not lunchtime.”

  “How do you get that big not eating meat?”

  He wiggled his brows.

  “Ugh! Not what I meant.” She slumped in her seat and covered her face with her hands as the limo pulled up in the lane beside them. She peeked through her fingers at the driver. “Aaron?”

  “Yeah, I see ’em.”

  “Is this about to turn into a Lady Di and Dodi Fayed situation?”

  “Nah.” He swung a hard U-turn, cut across a couple of lanes of traffic, and steered the SUV onto I-40 West. “Let’s see ’em keep up with that. Pretty sure I get better gas mileage.”

  “What difference does your gas mileage make?”

  He cocked a brow up at her over the top of his mirrored sunglasses. He didn’t explain, but two and a half hours later they were burning rubber into Chowan County and the limo finally stopped for gas.

  “Heh heh.”

  “Aaron, of all the places you could have driven, why here? You could have driven in circles around Durham.”

  He shrugged and motored on toward the rural county. “I guess I was feeling nostalgic.”

  She studied the countryside around whipping past through her window. “Are we — ?”

  “Yes. I actually have a blanket this time. Figured you’d like to make love horizontally.”

  She felt a hot blaze behind her cheeks and crossed her legs in the other direction. She checked the mirror on her side. No one behind them.

  He pulled into that secret driveway.

  She waited there in her seat until he got out on his side, fetched something from the cargo area, and walked around to her door to assist her.

  “What’s that expression on your face all about?” he asked, smirking as he unfastened her seatbelt.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you planned this.”

  “No, sweetheart. I just know an opportunity when I see one. I am the offspring of a politician, after all.”

  His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pant’s pocket, glanced at the display, and then shoved it into the glove compartment without answering. He held his elbow out to her. “Come on, sweetheart. Old time’s sake? You’ll never know when we’ll ever have a chance to come back out this way.”

  Now her phone rang. She held up a finger to still him and regarded the number flashing on the screen. “It’s my mother. She never calls me.”

  “Think it’s important?”

  She muted the phone and shrugged. “If it is, she’ll leave a message. Maybe Archie’s bad karma finally caught up to him and he needs bail money or a blood donation or something.” She stuffed her phone into the glove compartment to join Aaron’s.

  “Miranda, you’re the most compassionate woman I’ve ever met. Your generosity makes me want to strive to be a better man. Marry me.” His face was very serious. She stared at him for a full minute then both burst into laughter.

  He spread a large beach blanket on the overgrown grass and used his feet to mash down the ridges. He smiled at her as he unbuttoned his shirt and heeled off his brogues. “You know, sweetheart, there’s a vegetarian festival in Moore Square this weekend. We should go.”

  She took a step forward and relieved him of his belt. “That sounds interesting.” Actually, it didn’t sound interesting at all. She loved meat. Especially meat that had once oinked. She did, however, like the idea of flitting around town on the arm of arguably the sexiest man in the state. Hell, country.

  “Or if it’s more your thing, there’s a muscadine celebration Mom was going to drag me to by my ear. She’s got to make a speech. We could all go together.”

  She raised one brow at him as he peeled her light sweater over her head. “Your mother?”

  “Yeah. She knows.” He drew her in close and pressed hot lips against the crook of her neck. “And Elly.”

  Mandy tipped her head back to let him access the erogenous area over her throat. He handily released the clasp of her bra and flicked the offensive undergarment away. “And your father, obviously.”

  “Yeah, he’s not so important.”

  “I’m sure millions of people would disagree.”

  He pushed her skirt down to her ankles along with her panties before giving her ass an appreciative caress. “I’m only worried about the person in front of me right now.” He kicked his pants along with his briefs to the side and pulled her down to the ground with him. He laced his fingers through her hair and pulled her close, searching her mouth her tongue as he leaned back against the blanket.

  She edged backward down his torso until his erection nudged her swollen clit. He lifted her up and eased her slowly down onto his shaft.

  “I love how you’re always ready.”

  “Hard not to be given the cause of my arousal,” she said, bracing her knees at his sides and planting her hands on his chest for leverage.

  “God, you’re perfect.” He skimmed his hands up her sides from her waist to her breasts, pausing there to apply the pads of this thumbs to her perked nipples.

  She let a grin span her face as she bent down to reach his lips. “Save it for when I’m dressed.”

  “I’ll tell you again and again, Miranda.” He tucked her bottom lip between his teeth and drew it out, scraping it gently as she pulled back. He tightened his grip on her ass, forcing more of himself into her sex, increasing the pace of their joining.

  She closed her eyes and let herself go at the same time he rolled her to her side and pulled out to aim the product of their coupling into the grass.

  “I appreciate that,” she said, panting as she stared up into the Carolina blue sky.

  He lay back with her, scooping her in close to his side and studying the few fluffy white clouds along with her. “Long ride back to Durham. Wanted you to be comfortable.”

  • • •

  As Mandy dexterously fastened the buttons of Aaron’s shirt there in the open door of the SUV, he checked his voicemails. He listened once, groaned, and replayed the message on speaker. He held it out for her.

  “Aaron, this is your father. Rick and I are at A-1 Autos. We’ll be waiting here for you as long as necessary. If I were you I wouldn’t try passing us by.” He tucked his shirt in and fastened his belt while Mandy retrieved her own phone from the glove box.

  He watched her blanch, and then blush as she listened to her own messages. She requeued it and held it out to him. It was her mother.

 
“Mandy, the governor is here. We need to talk. I don’t understand why you’re doing this. There are other men.”

  Her hands shook as she ended the call and tucked her phone away. Her face was set with shock, even a sort of revulsion he didn’t understand.

  “So, what do we do?” Mandy scraped her bangs back from her eyes and held them in place with her sunglasses.

  Aaron helped her up into the passenger seat and laid a kiss on her lips before shutting her door. “I’m not going to be bullied.” He growled as he walked around the front of the SUV, getting the vitriol out of his system so that by the time he climbed into the driver’s seat, he was all smiles and charm.

  They rode to AA1A in silence. When he noticed her wringing her hands, he wrapped his right hand around hers and squeezed. “Sweetheart, everything will be fine.”

  “Aaron, if this is going to — ”

  “Shh.” He parked right in front of the trailer steps and killed the engine. “Stop it.”

  • • •

  Adriana watched them from the door of the hospitality lounge, a scowl marring her pretty face.

  “Shall we?” he asked, hitting the door lock switch.

  Mandy sighed then shrugged. “Might as well get it over with.”

  They walked hand-in-hand up the concrete block steps and through the door Mom held open.

  Archie was sitting at the end of one of the Naugahyde sofas with his arms folded over his distended belly. “I knew that little bitch would get me in trouble eventually. No better than her father.”

  Aaron took a step forward seemingly impulsively, but Mandy yanked him back.

  “Don’t.”

  “Now, now, Mr. Leonard,” Rick said from his perch on the adjacent sofa. “As we’ve said, Miss McCarthy is quite lovely. It’s just this is a delicate situation for the governor.”

  “I’m having a hard time understanding how my and Mandy’s relationship merits this conference.”

  The governor stood and pushed his shirtsleeves up his forearms as he strolled over to his son. “Aaron, understand I always know more than you.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “I’m not saying Miss McCarthy has been withholding information from you, but there are things you don’t know that can mar my reputation. She probably doesn’t know herself.”