My Man Pendleton(76)
Author: Elizabeth Bevarly

“Because, sir, Kit’s sort of, um… Well, she’s… Actually, sir…”

“Spit it out, Pendleton.”

Okay. If he insisted. “Kit’s run off again.”

“WHAT?!”

Atomic wind couldn’t be more powerful than that one word was as it erupted from McClellan, Sr.’s mouth. Pendleton imagined himself in an anti-nuke suit and repeated, “Kit’s gone, sir.”

His employer shot to his feet with his son not far behind. “Gone?” he demanded as he thrust his fists onto the table. “Where the hell did she go?”

Pendleton shrugged, and with that simple gesture, he felt an enormous weight just tumble right off his shoulders. Wow. That felt really, really good. “I don’t know,” he said with a smile.

McClellan, Sr. glared at him. “You don’t know?”

“No sir,” he confirmed, his smile growing broader. “I have absolutely no idea. She just took off while I was at work one day, and I haven’t heard from her since.”

McClellan, Jr. stared at him, his expression, like his father’s, one of stark, raving terror. “Well, when did she leave? How much of a head start does she have?”

Pendleton pretended to think about that. “I guess it’s been a little over a week ago. You know, she could be anywhere by now.”

“And you didn’t bother to tell us about this?” McClellan, Jr. demanded.

Pendleton shrugged again, and any little pebbles of obligation and responsibility that might have been left just rolled right off. “Well, considering Kit’s history of running away, I didn’t think you guys would be too concerned about her.”

“Not concerned about her?” This time the question came from McClellan, Sr. “Well, of course we’re concerned about her! We have less than a month left to get her married!”

“Oh, that,” Pendleton said mildly, leaning back in his chair. He cupped both hands behind his head in a gesture that indicated very clearly just how worried he was about the McClellans’ financial state. Specifically, not one iota.

“Oh, that?” both McClellans echoed in one thunderous voice.

“Her mother’s will thing, I mean,” Pendleton clarified, though he was quite confident that no clarification was necessary. “You’re worried about losing all that money, aren’t you? Ninety-nine-point-four million dollars, right?” As blandly as he could, he added, “Wow. Golly. Gee. I completely forgot about that. You’re right. I should have called you guys the minute I realized she was gone. Imagine my chagrin.”

Out of nowhere, a bubble of something warm and wonderful fizzed up in Pendleton’s midsection, effervescing in a tickle of pleasure he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Freedom. That was what it was. He felt utterly and completely free, for the first time he could recall since childhood.

He suddenly realized that he didn’t have to work for Hensley’s anymore if he didn’t want to. He no longer cared about whether his ex-wife was impressed by his earning power. He no longer had a point to prove. He didn’t have to wheel and deal with the big boys and wear eight-hundred-dollar suits to be of value to anyone. He didn’t have to make six figures and drive a bitchin’ car to be important. Though, mind you, he really did like his bitchin’ car.

What was far more important than that, however, was the fact that he’d found infinitely more meaning elsewhere in his life. He had Kit. He loved Kit. And Kit loved him. Nothing else in his life mattered except that.

Nothing.

Once he found her—and naturally, he would find her…eventually—they could settle down in their house in Old Louisville with Maury, and he could get a job doing…well, something. Something he would enjoy. Something where he could feel productive, could feel good about what he was doing. Where he could just be himself. Be appreciated for himself. Be loved for himself.

Yeah. That’s the ticket.

“Sir?” he said as he stood and collected his things.

His boss still looked ready to explode. “Yes, Pendleton?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Pendleton smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I have something very important I need to do right now.”

McClellan, Sr. fumed, and Pendleton paused for a moment to see if smoke would come out of his ears. Unfortunately, none did. “And that would be?” his boss demanded.

Pendleton buttoned up his suit jacket and tucked his portfolio under his arm. “I need to find Kit and make her my wife.”

Immediately, the storm cloud above the CEO evaporated, to be replaced by a chorus of glorious sunlight. “That’s the spirit, Pendleton,” McClellan, Sr. said with a victorious smile. “I should have realized you were only joking in that strange way of yours. I knew you were our man all along.”

This time Pendleton was the one to glare. At his employer. “I’m not your man. The reason I’m going to marry your daughter is because I love her, not to keep you two…” Somehow, he managed to not say the word ass**les. “To keep you two rolling in dough. But whether the wedding takes place in six days, or six months, that’s entirely up to Kit.”

“Pendleton…”McClellan, Sr.’s voice trailed off before he completed his sentence, but his warning was unmistakable.

Pendleton ignored it. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he said again as he made his way around the table full of gaping, incredulous executive vice presidents, “I’ve got better things to do with my time than sit here and bullshit with you guys all day. Oh, and one more thing, sir.”

“Yes, Pendleton?”

He hesitated just before opening the door to the conference room, no longer caring whether he insulted the man who employed him. “I quit. If you sorry sons of bitches want to make more money, you’ll have to do it without me.”

That said, Pendleton touched a finger to his forehead in salute, then exited gracefully and went to look for his wife.

Chapter 18

“She’s out in the backyard with Mom and Dad.”

Carny repeated the announcement she made over the phone the night before as Pendleton entered his parents’ house. Filled with relief, affection, exasperation and so much more, he pulled his sister into a massive bear hug, and dropped his duffel bag onto the floor with a comfortable thump. An emotion so strong he dared not try to identify it shuddered through him, and for a moment, he could only cling to his sister and will his taut body to relax. Then he pushed himself to arm’s length and cupped his hands over Carny’s shoulders, studying the face that looked so much like his own.