Eraser Platinum by Megan Keith

“Plus it’s like four-thirty in the morning back home.”
    “What?”  The vibration of his laughter, while he was pressed against her, shook her whole body.  He rested his head on top of hers and his arm over hers, too.  “I’m just lying here,” he said with fake innocence. 
    “You’re naked and on top of me.”
    “So?  I like it here.  Stop talking and go back to sleep.”
    She was exhausted and couldn’t find it in her to argue.
    Before he fell asleep, he moved the lower half of his body off her, he didn’t want to crush her.  But he didn’t go far, he always slept better when they were touching in some way.
     
     

     
     
    As soon as Nate and Mackenzie had ventured out of the bedroom they had been separated.  Nate went god knows where with his dad so Carol could play, as Lincoln put it, ‘twenty questions’ with Mackenzie.
    “What a view to wake up to everyday!” Mackenzie said, taking the coffee from Carol’s hand.  They were standing in the yard and could see rolling green hills for miles.  “Do you farm?”
    “Oh no dear, it’s not all ours.  Do I look like a farmer to you?”  Carol smiled and pointed.  “See that fence a few hundred yards away?  That’s our property line.”
    “Oh right.”  Mackenzie laughed, her nervousness lightening a little with Carol’s friendly expression.
    “Come sit.”  Carol motioned to a small round metal table with two chairs.  “Tell me about yourself.”
    It took a while to open up but over the next little while Mackenzie managed to answer every single question that came her way.  She told Carol about where she grew up, about her parents and the fact they weren’t close; Carol was saddened to hear that.  She filled her in on Nate wanting to buy The Blue Room; Carol was impressed.  She told her about her friends Alex and Andrea and she gushed about Nate.
    Carol in turn told a few stories about Nate as a kid; he was determined to get his way from a young age but was always polite about it.  She told Mackenzie how as a teen he was always very studious and serious.  That he’d always been thoroughly loyal to his family and never one for much socializing.
    Mackenzie found herself feeling more and more comfortable with Carol as they spoke.
     
     

     
     
    They were seated in the den, discussing work.  It was the only place in the house his mother allowed smoking.  His father had held a lot of meetings, and made a lot of business decisions in this way, relaxing over a cigar and a glass of Glenfiddich.  It was also how Nate had spent a lot of father/son time over the years and as this was the only time since he was a teenager that he’d brought a girl to ‘meet the parents’, he knew the discussion would turn from business to Mackenzie eventually.
    “So tell me about her,” Lincoln said, before taking a drag of his cigar.
    “She’s amazing Dad.  She’s intelligent and funny and strong-minded.  I love the way she looks at life.  I just love everything about her.  We complement each other.”
    “And you’ve been together for how long now?”
    “A few months.”
    “So what’s the hold up?  If she were a business deal you’d have sealed it by now.”  His dad smirked at him.
    “Hmm … she’s stubborn.  She’s turned my life upside down.”  Nate shook his glass of scotch and watched the ice swirling around.  “But in a good way.”  He smiled before having a drink.
    “I’m pleased for you Nate.”
    “I’ve worked hard to get us this far, and it wasn’t smooth sailing.  She’s so worth it though, Dad.  With a little more effort I’m sure we can make it work.”
    “Well, you got her to move into the house, that’s a good start, and if she says yes to the bar purchase you’ll have secured her position in your life as a co-owner at the very least.”
    “Here’s the thing – I wasn’t planning on investing personally in The Blue Room.  I plan on buying it for her.”
    “A gift?”  Lincoln nodded