Of course, the Davenports had to try, and Jon ground his teeth, determined to win the grand prize: a giant giraffe that would require special help just to get in the car. Jon took the mallet and let out a huge grunt as he brought it down and we watched as the puck rose to the top of the tower. Bridgette tensed, no doubt hoping her man would win. I didn't care, personally, and thought this show of “manliness” was the epitome of childishness.
The puck came close to the bell. So close. But then it fell and Jon's face fell with it.
Ash took the mallet with a confident swagger, struck with seemingly little effort, and made the bell ring with a loud clang.
Jon didn't look to Bridgette for comfort when he lost. He looked to me, which Ash and Bridgette noticed.
Ash handed me the prize, and we walked back to the car to stow all the stuffed animals away before returning.
"Are you and Jon done being idiots?" I asked him as we paid to have our photo taken at an old fashioned photo booth.
"Probably not."
I wanted to be mad at him, but he grinned, and his chin dimpled and I melted. "You're impossible, you know that?"
We climbed into the booth, and he cupped my face in his hands. "I love you, Catelyn. But I need to know. Has Jon tried anything with you?"
I pulled away from his hands. "No! God, Ash, I'm sick of being caught in the middle of whatever you two have going on. You need to get over it."
I was about to get out of the booth before the pictures started, but he pulled me back in, closed the curtain and kissed me. "I need you. Now."
He pulled off my shirt and sucked on one nipple as he slid his hand down my pants.
The picture snapped once.
I freed his cock from his jeans, pulled my panties and pants off one leg and spread myself for him.
The picture snapped twice.
He thrust himself inside of me, and we fucked hot and dirty and fast and hard.
The picture snapped the last time.
And we both came.
***
Later that night we met back up with Bridge and Jon and challenged each other to a maze race. The four of us each began in different places and the first one out won. I'd gotten to the midway point when I ran into Jon.
"Cat. I was hoping we'd meet up in here. Just the two of us."
"Have you seen anyone else?" I asked.
"No, but I wanted to talk to you. Look, I feel really guilty about the thing with Molly. I just wanted you to know that she was happy with the arrangement and grateful to have the funds she needed to raise the baby right."
I doubted it was that simple in the girl's mind, but I smiled. "That's great, Jon."
"I'm worried about Bridgette though."
"Why?"
"She's been super emotional lately. Kind of crazy. Not like you, Cat. You're so stable and even tempered. You always know what to say to make things right."
He leaned in to kiss me and I backed away, shocked. "Jon, we can't. And what if someone saw?"
He frowned, but stepped back, shaking his head. "You're right. Not now. Bridgette would kill me if she found out."
Chapter Seventeen
Life and Death and Weddings
PRESENT DAY
BRIDGETTE WAS LUCKY her family was rich. They arrived at the police station, convinced Molly not to press charges, talked the police into letting Bridgette go citing emotional PTSD from Jon's death as the reason for her insane behavior, and promised to get her help. Since Mr. Beaumont still hated me, I left with the promise to call her soon. She seemed so pale and sad, I worried for her even more than I already had.
Knowing Ash would still be working, I drove to Harvard and hoped that Professor Cavin would be keeping his office hours during the summer. He'd known my mother quite well, had been her mentor, and even her lover for a time. I wanted him at my wedding, and since we wouldn't have time to send out new initiations, I wanted to make sure he had the information for the new date and location.
Another student, a freshman by the looks of him, was leaving the office as I arrived. Professor Cavin smiled warmly when he saw me and came around his desk to hug me. "How are you holding up, Catelyn?"
"As well as can be expected," I said. "Better than Bridgette." I filled him in on what happened at the art auction.
He shook his head sadly. "This murder has caused ripples of fear through our community. Especially for those who knew him."
He filled a mug with coffee, adding three sugars and enough cream to turn it light and handed it to me.
"Thank you," I said, taking in the aroma. "I actually came by today to invite you to our rescheduled wedding." I handed him a note with the details on it. "Not as fancy as the first batch, but it'll have to do. Many of my mom's closest friends will be there. The Davenports and Beaumonts, Maxwell Fisher… "
"I understand. I'd be honored to attend. Anyone who was close to your mother would be thrilled to see you happy and in love."
After making his own coffee, he settled behind his desk and stared at me for a moment. "It's good that you're not putting it off. Love shouldn't have to wait at the hands of death."
"That was our thought, too," I said.
"Do the police have any leads? Any ideas why he was killed? Or by whom?"
"No, none. I can't believe they have nothing. It worries me. What if they give up and the case goes cold?"