As I watched her car retreating from view, I tried and failed to stifle the laugh that was bubbling up in my throat.
Fucking hell. What were the chances that a beautiful but bitchy girl with a screaming kid and terrible driving skills would be just the thing I needed to snap out of my self-destructive rage? I shook my head and walked back to my now dented rental car. Slumping back down into the driver's seat, I took a deep breath.
"Sir?" the voice from my speakers bleated, making me nearly jump out of my skin.
"Holy shit, Miles. Did you really stay on the line all this time?"
He sounded wounded. "Of course I did, sir. You asked me to."
"Well I—" I paused and looked in the direction my still nameless good luck charm was heading. I could almost see her tan car disappearing into the horizon, shortened by the slope of the mountain that hulked to the west of here. I squinted until heat that shimmered up from the pavement hid her from view and then took a deep breath. "I'm glad you did," I told Miles. "Because I need you to do something for me."
"Sir, are you sure you're okay? That was a really loud bang."
I waved my hand, dismissing the accident entirely. "That's not important. What's important is that I'm staying in Reckless Falls now."
"Sir?"
"It was heads," I explained. "So, I want to you call the Granger Firm and find out where the meeting's been rescheduled to tomorrow, then I need you to check for a hotel room in the area and also maybe I need you to find me a dry cleaner because I only brought the one suit..."
"Sir?" Miles interjected. "There's no need for me to call about all that."
I was on a roll and it took me a second to register his interruption. "What?" I demanded irritably. Now that my mind was made up, I didn't like having my plans derailed.
But Miles knew me too well to pay attention to my annoyance. "While you were off the line they beeped in," he said, sounding inordinately pleased. "I took great pains to let them know all the misfortunes that had befallen you."
"What?" I laughed. "What misfortunes have befallen me?"
"Sir, I may have... embellished the accident a bit. So be sure to limp a little when you go to lunch."
"Lunch? Wait, no one said anything about lunch." As if on cue my stomach started to growl.
"I know," Miles said. "It's going to be a late lunch slash early dinner I guess. I took great pains to let them know that their scheduling mishap had not only deprived you of a meal, but also caused you to be mowed down by a careless driver on their Main Street."
"Jesus Christ, Miles," I chuckled. "Remind me to give you a raise."
"Gladly sir," he sniffed.
"So where is lunch?"
"At a new restaurant in town. It's right in the waterfront development. Just got four stars from the Times."
"The Times?" I laughed. "You mean the Backwater Times? They do restaurant reviews?"
Miles waited until I was done laughing at my own joke, then calmly said, "No sir. The New York Times, sir."
"Really?" I looked back over my shoulder at the quaint, seemingly unchanged Main Street. "Shit, this place has changed a bit since I was fifteen."
"Yes sir, and the Granger Firm is a big part of that. They own the building where Indigo is located and it's their flagship establishment. It would be worth checking out on the side, see how well run it is."
"Nice thinking Miles."
"Oh, but sir that's not all." He dropped his voice and I could picture him leaning forward, his wire-framed glasses glinting like they'd somehow caught ahold of his excitement. "Now I'm not one hundred percent certain on this, but you tell me to always trust my gut."
"Absolutely," I agreed. "It's the only thing you can trust in this world."
"Well sir, my gut is telling me you can use this whole mishap — the scheduling conflict that caused your accident you know? — you can use it as leverage."
"Leverage, Miles?" I was impressed.
"Get a bigger stake than what you were initially angling for," he clarified and there was no mistaking the evil glee in his voice.
"You think so?" I asked. Without meaning to, my hand went to my pocket and touched the lucky coin through the fabric. "You think they'll blink?"
"I'm almost positive, sir. They seemed very conciliatory on the phone. I think if you press your point and stick to it, they'll cave."
I slammed the heel of my hand down on the steering wheel and let out a whoop. "Hot damn," I crowed. "You're right. You're absolutely right."
"I'm glad you agree with me, sir."
"This is going to make me stupid rich."
"You're already stupid rich sir. But yes, even more so."
I thought for a second. "Guess I should thank the girl that plowed into me, huh Miles?"
My assistant laughed. "Send her a dozen roses, sir. I think she's your good luck charm."