The Plan by Kelly Bennett Seiler

Author:Kelly Bennett Seiler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Infinite Words

CHAPTER

TWENTY

Texas was a blur. Their time in Houston flew by and, the next thing Claire knew, they were headed to Austin and then Fort Worth.

Claire had only been to Texas once in her entire life, in college to visit a childhood friend who’d married an Air Force Second Lieutenant and was stationed in San Antonio. Claire remembered she’d enjoyed her visit, though she had found the Alamo to be a bit disappointing.

“Did you know the Alamo’s now across the street from a shopping mall?” Claire had asked Jack, once, when he’d inquired about her one and only trip to the Lone Star State.

If Claire had remembered anything about Texas, it was that it was hot. Very, very hot. It was late August and the summer weather was scorching. Claire was thankful for the working AC in the van. If The Weather Channel was correct, it wasn’t going to cool down anytime soon.

As the team reached Austin, Mitch, who’d been driving at the time, called out, “Hey, Claire. Did Callum ever tell you he got his big ol’ tattoo in Austin?”

“No,” Claire said, turning her head to the back of the van where Callum was sitting with Frank. Claire was riding shotgun and Alison was sprawled out, asleep in the second row.

“He did,” Mitch said. “And it’s quite a story. Tell her about it, Callum.”

“You make it sound so sordid, Mitch,” Callum said. “I was living in Austin for a short period of time, before I began traveling and speaking. I’d always wanted to visit Texas. I grew up in Ireland, thinking everyone in Texas rides horses and wears cowboy hats.”

“And don’t they?” Mitch asked.

“Well, yes.” Callum laughed. “Anyway, I decided to live my dream of being in Texas by spending one semester taking some business courses at the University of Texas.”

“Just for fun,” Mitch added. “ ’Cause, that’s what people do, you know. Take business courses for fun.”

Claire laughed. She loved the banter between all the men in the group.

“I’d met some nice bucks in my classes and we all went out for a night on Sixth Street.”

“That’s where all the bars are,” Mitch said.

Claire nodded. She already knew this as she’d read up on Austin before their trip. She’d been trying to learn about all the cities they’d visit, though she didn’t mention this to anyone in the group. They’d tease her for being such a nerd.

“I might’ve had a few too many,” Callum said. “I ended up in this tattoo parlor. My buddies all already had tattoos. Little ones. Their girlfriends’ names, flags, skulls, those sorts of things. But, I, being Mister Tough Guy, decided to show them how it’s really done. So, Mango and I picked out the most complicated tattoo in the book. Even now, I find it to be quite intriguing.”

“Whoah,” Mitch called out. “Back up there, buddy. What was the guy’s name?”

Clearly, Mitch had heard this story a few times and enjoyed Callum’s telling of it.

“Mango. His name was Mango.”

“Whose name was Mango?” Claire asked.

Callum, Mitch and Frank all laughed.

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