Chelsea is gorgeous, hair mussed, freckles glowing, her legs wobbly as we shuffle toward the front of the cabin. It was a nice variation on the mile-high club. I really enjoyed it.
But now I have a new plan. Chelsea glances at me before she meets Lorraine’s eyes, but Lorraine just gives her that plastic, professional smile. Chelsea straightens a little and heads for the stairs to the waiting town car, walking on clouds the whole way.
Jack catches up to her and takes her hand. She flinches back just momentarily and then settles into it, smiling sheepishly.
That’s it. Just a normal weekend. A beautiful lady and her boyfriend, like she said. And her other boyfriend.
“You guys cool if we push lunch back a little bit? Like an hour?” I ask as we pile into the back seat.
“You are the schedule guy,” Jack remarks. “We are here to obey, Chance.”
“An hour sounds perfect,” Chelsea smiles.
She still has that glow about her. I hope she isn’t tapped out quite yet.
Following instructions, the driver takes us out of the airfield and heads for the other end of the county. It’s a beautiful drive, hilly and bucolic, kind of dramatic for Illinois. There are bluffs and hillside farms with sheep. Endless horizon. Bright blue sky with very little wind.
We pass the Eagle Ridge golf course, and Jack points out the site to Chelsea.
“That is the forty-first best public golf club in the entire country,” he informs her.
“Well, now, that is interesting!” she exclaims. “I like that. Tell me more, tour guide!”
“Ha ha, very funny,” he rolls his eyes. “But actually, this area has a whole bunch of history. It was the first mineral rush in the US.”
“Really? Gold?”
“Well… no. Not gold. Galena.”
“And Galena is a…”
“Mineral.”
“Really!” she excla
ims. “So it was a Galena Rush!”
“Yes it was,” he answers smugly. “It’s an important mineral for silver.”
“Oh… No, I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.”
“See, smartass?” he gloats. “I know a couple of things, Chelsea.”
She pushes herself up onto his lap, straddling his hips so that she can kiss him and nuzzle his nose with hers. That seems to shut him right up. That’s a good trick. I wish I could do that.
“You’re absolutely right, Jack,” she murmurs sweetly. “I apologize.”
“Apologize for what?” he grumbles.
“I apologize for mocking you, Mr. Tour Guide.”
Normally he wouldn’t take that apology, but she is wriggling on his lap. He folds his hands behind her waist and pulls her closer to him, smiling as he nips at her nose and chin.
“Knock it off, you guys,” I announce as the car slows. “We’re here.”
“We’re here?” she giggles, brushing her wavy hair back from her face with the palm of her hand. “Where exactly is that?”
“You’ll see.”