“But at least you get out of the kitchen and get to be in love,” Cookie said as she went back in the house.
When Nigel finally managed to skirt away from the fishing chatter, he made his way to Vanity’s side. She was seated in a large Papasan chair where he joined her as she seeded tempting ideas in his head about the plane ride in the morning. “You know, I think I am going to like this whole dating thing with you.”
Blue eyes met hers with a feint interest, “And why is that Darling?”
“I am looking forward to making out with you tomorrow... in the car on the way to the airport.” She squeezed his thigh. “In the privacy of the plane... we finally get to really touch each other...”
“Goodnight,” she told him as she planted a feathery light kiss upon his lips that lingered as she flicked her tongue between his lips. It was a bold move, but a necessary one. It was a taunt to make him long to board the plane right now just so they could be alone.
HE WAS UP EARLY, DRESSED and having a cup of tea with Cookie when she arrived downstairs. His eyes were bright and he greeted her with a kiss, holding her so closely it seemed as if she could feel the beating of his heart through his clothing. He wanted to be alone with her, if for no other reason than to allow his hands some freedom to move from her waist to other parts of her body.
Her phone chirped. Their car had arrived. Elena and David Sr. stood in the living room to wish them a safe journey. Elena hugged her daughter closely whispering in her ear, “trust, let go, and be happy.”
She kissed her on the cheek and passed her to David Sr. who swallowed her in a bear hug.
“I love you Daddy.” His eyes were brimming with tears as he released her, still holding one of her hands as he shook Nigel’s.
David Sr. took his daughter’s left hand and placed it in Nigel’s, telling him, “You take care of my Baby.”
Nigel nodded his consent to her father before planting a quick kiss on Elena’s cheek, and they were out the door.
It was only a twenty-minute ride to the airfield from her parent’s home, but the two were lip-locked from the moment the driver closed the door. They smooched like teenagers until they arrived at the airfield where Finley and Chuck were waiting to assist the driver with loading their bags.
Vanity was super cheerful as she greeted Chuck, who stood dumbfounded at her friendliness. “I will see you next week in New York, okay?”
She grabbed him and hugged him tight. Chuck only gawked as he watched in amazement at the transformation in her demeanor.
Finley was equally shocked by Nigel, who shook Chuck’s hand, thanked him for the hospitality he showed to Finley, and said, “I look forward to reciprocating when you hop over the pond.” Nigel headed towards the plane and reached his hand back to grab hold of his bride-to-be. No medication, no cold sweats, no terrors before boarding the plane. Chuck boarded briefly to secure Vanity’s rolling cooler. The happy couple barely noticed him as he left the aircraft and Finley secured the doors.
There was no word from the two as Finley taxied the plane, received his clearance, and took flight. Nigel felt like a naughty school boy as he kissed Vanity, allowing his hand to run down her thigh. Vanity was equally happy as her fingers trailed across his chest. An hour later, they were landing in Vegas and Nigel could not stop grinning. Finley asked if they wanted to disembark as he secured the plane, but Nigel said, “I need you to stand at my side as a citizen of the Crown.”
As the plane was “parked” and secured, the lip-lock love fest ended. “Well, my darling, it is time for us to be married,” Nigel told Vanity.
Finley opened the door and Vanity and Nigel stepped outside the plane to be greeted by a short African American woman with a natural hairdo and very tall, very flamboyant Latino man wearing a string of pearls. “Nigel, Finley,” Vanity said as she walked toward to the two, “this is my assistant Jessica and Clarke, Stylist Extraordinaire.”
Jessica and Clarke both curtsied, and Finley’s eyebrows shot up. He also attempted to raise his hand to point out that men did not curtsey, but Nigel grabbed his wrist. Vanity tried not to laugh, instead focusing her attention on Jessica, who immediately started listing information from a tablet as she ushered the three of them to towards the limo.
It could not be said by anyone that Jessica Malone was not the world’s best assistant. A certain skill set is required when dealing with a different lifestyle. Vanity Devons lived a very different life and Nigel was about to find out firsthand. The petite woman wore a cordless headset that she used to communicate with the driver. Once the car doors closed, Jessica went to work.
“The chapel been reserved, we are T-Minus ten on arrival, the property is prepared for your stay, and the fridge has been stocked. You will have use of a town car with a driver for your day of fun,” Jessica called out.
She handed Vanity a set of keys. “Finley, Clarke, and I will reside on the second floor, and you and the Duke will have the entire third floor.”
Nigel’s brows went up and he looked at Finley, who looked back at him with his mouth opened. Finley’s eyebrows had not come down, especially when Clarke opened what looked like a purse and begin to spritz and prep Vanity. Jessica’s phone chirped and she hit the button, “Go!”
The car begins to move. Vanity seemed nonplussed at the hectic pace of it all, as Jessica continued, “Your Grace, for today’s activities, Clarke will redress the two of you as American tourists. Finley, you will be with us, and we will show you the city.”
She never broke character or pace, “Vanity, lunch will be removed from the cooler and placed in a smaller container for portability. Dinner will be ready at the house for the two of you at 6 pm sharp.” Jessica handed Vanity the tablet to check the schedule.
Vanity checked the electronic scheduler, made a couple of swipes, and handed it back. Clarke remained quiet the entire time, only adding more gloss to Vanity’s lips. “Tomorrow’s activities will begin at noon with a photo shoot. Your Grace, you will receive some media training from Clarke before an early afternoon tea. Your dinner will be served promptly at 6 pm before the actual event at 8 pm. I told them to expect your arrival at 9:05.” Vanity held onto Nigel’s hand as she looked at him and smiled. He smiled back, lost in his thoughts.
I got on a plane without sedation.
Jessica was not fazed by the romance in the air. “Vanity, LAX nightclub in the Luxor has sent a check for $50,000 if you will make an appearance. The Chateau has offered you $75,000 if you stop in and say a few words and do a photo op with the owner," Jessica said, locking up briefly.
Vanity asked, “What about the Wynn?”
With a few clicks of her rubber tipped pen across the screen, “It appears that GaGa will be at XS and Jermaine Dupree will be at the Encore Beach Club.”
As Nigel watched her face, the wheels were turning in her mind, planning something clever.
She arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Nigel. “Jessica, send out a press release that I am in Vegas and stopping by Tryst with a very special VIP. Work it into the schedule and call TMZ on the burner and mention my arrival with a very special man in my life. Clarke, I will need to do a presto change after I leave the Jean Marc event.”
Finley had managed to find his voice, “I’m sorry Ms. Devons, but am I to understand these night clubs will pay you to stop in and have a drink?”
Nigel was still in his own world, sitting in the car smiling. Lost in his thoughts, he went over in his mind: I got on a plane. I am about to marry her. Pretty. Smart. Mine. Wife.
“Yes, I can up the price by choosing where I show up and doing the pre-press for the venue. Now, there will be crowds outside to get a peek at me in person. Most people think that I am cosmetically or surgically enhanced, so appearing now and then in person with little to no makeup is free hot press for the night clubs,” Vanity told him. Jessica, who had been typing away on the tablet, leaned across the seat and closed Finley’s mouth with the tip of her stylus.
She continued talk
ing as if nothing was amiss, “We are out the door tomorrow by 11 pm and Finley, we will need wheels up by 11:30 pm. Please spend much of the day tomorrow sleeping as we will be flying all night.”
Finley nodded. Jessica added, “We will arrive back in New York at 6:30 am, in time for a light breakfast. Your Wednesday meetings have been canceled to give you the day with your husband, and Thursday morning there are four meetings back to back because of the reschedule.” Jessica finally looked up from the tablet and she clicked the earpiece, “We are T-Minus two minutes. Are there any questions?”
Jessica reached inside her pocket and handed Vanity a black jewelry box. “Per your specifications, Jakob made what you asked for,” she remarked. The limo turned into an alley and the car stopped. Jessica stepped from the car, went inside the building, and came back a few seconds later. She peeped her head inside the door, “Show time.”
Vanity and Nigel climbed out of the car and walked into the chapel. Jessica presented documents that had been prepared by Khalea to the Chaplain. From nowhere, Clarke plopped a veil on her head and boutonnieres on Finley and Nigel’s lapels. Jessica pushed Nigel and Vanity forward, placed Finley at Nigel’s side, and she stood beside Vanity. Clarke added a small bouquet of Gerber daisies to Vanity’s hands and the wedding began. The entire ceremony lasted less than five minutes.
Nigel said his vows and added a diamond-encrusted band to Vanity’s left hand, and she placed a sapphire-studded silver band on his left ring finger. Jessica ushered them back to the car and soon they were underway to the rented house.
Finley looked at Nigel. Still amazed that one could get married so quickly in America. His boss, was still zoned out and in a world all of his own, with an affixed grin plastered to his face. Vanity wasn’t far behind him. She was truly happy and soon the world would know, that Vanity Devons was now married.
{11] Presenting Mr. & Mrs....
Clarke helped the driver unload the bags, tipped him, and sent him on his way as they reached the rented space that would be home for the next 27 hours. Seven minutes later, a black town car arrived and instructions were given to the driver to pull into the garage and wait by the service elevator. When they entered the house, everything was the same color and Nigel blinked several times to adjust his eyes to all the beige. Jessica handed them both small bottles of water with a command to “Drink please,” as she led them to the elevator. She pointed toward the kitchen and the dining area that would be converted for media training and photos for tomorrow. When the elevator reached the second floor, she gave a gentle nudge to Finley as the three of them exited the lift.
The third floor was the last stop and Vanity and Nigel stepped into a big space with a king-sized bed in the middle of the room, two large side doors, and in the corner, a sitting area with a television and desk. This room was all white. Nigel was frowning. He hated this room. I got on a plane for this?
A loud buzz filled the cavernous white space as Vanity made her way to the wall to press a button that opened the elevator doors. Clarke entered with a hanging bag for each of the newlyweds. “Your Grace, your dressing area is to the left,” he said, handing him a bag and pointing.
Vanity knew the drill. She took hers and headed to her dressing area, changed quickly into the pink scuffed-up Keds, a pair of sweat pants, and a pink and white tee with a green strawberry in the middle. As she stepped from the room, Clarke clipped a fanny pack around her waist and slipped a clear green visor on her head as he prepared a coil of her braid on the back of her head with butterfly hair clips. A pair of strawberry earrings was now bobbing from her ears, and he applied a layer of truly greasy lip gloss with shades slipped into the cleavage of her tee. Her look was complete.
Nigel not only hated the room, but truly detested what Clarke had given him to wear. The dungarees were saggy, the belt was worn, and the tee shirt was not fit to be worn to clean his stables. It was a Rolling Stones shirt with just the red tongue sticking out. The shoes were the unfamiliar form of a trainer with no real support, even though they covered his ankles. Clarke removed his Jaeger-LeCoultre watch and replaced it with a Timex with a plastic band. Vanity tried her best to stifle her laughter as Clarke added a camera around his neck and a blue baseball cap with the flag of Great Britain embroidered above the bib.
She held out her hand for him to take, but Nigel shook his head no. Her laughter rang out and filled the white space as she grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him toward the elevator. Jessica was waiting inside and pushed B as they headed to the garage to meet the town car and spoke briefly with the driver before handing them both burner phones.
She spoke in the same droll tone, “I have taken your phones so that you will not be tempted to make or take any calls during your day of nuptial sightseeing. These have been programmed with all important numbers, including both your respective parents, and the driver.” She handed a phone to Nigel, “and Finley for you.”
She handed the second phone to Vanity, “Both of course have my number programmed into it.”
Jessica opened the car door and Vanity slid in with Nigel following suit. “It is 11 am. We will see you back here at 5:45.” She loaded in the lunch cooler and closed the door. The driver pulled away and Nigel sat staring her with his mouth opened. She started to laugh.
“Bloody hell!” he said as he looked at her incredulously, “What the bollocks just happened and what am I bloody wearing?”
She laughed harder. He held up his foot, “What the bloody hell are these things that are offending my feet?”
“These are called Converse, Chuck Taylor editions,” she held back the laughter.
He did not miss a beat, “Well, I need to converse with Mr. Taylor about his taste.”
She moved closer to him, “Nigel, today we are your average American couple on honeymoon in Vegas. We are supposed to blend in and be incognito, like undercover or something.”
“Undercover as what, the village idiots?” He tugged at the seat of his baggy jeans, “I think I lost my twig and berries in these pants!”
She fell over in the seat, her body racked with laughter. He touched the fanny pack, “And what in the bollocks is this supposed to be?”
She explained to him the many uses for the fanny pack, opening it to pull out wet wipes, hand sanitizer, the atrocious lip glosser she was wearing, and a few loose bills. “I think Clarke replaced the pounds in your wallet with some American dollars,” she said as she snuggled close to him, wrapping her arms about his waist.
“Dear Jesus in Heaven,” was all he said as she inched closer and convinced him he needed to check the wear ability of this lip gloss.
The afternoon of honeymoon fun was an entire blast and the laughter continued. Vanity felt the most priceless moment occur when they stood in front of the Bellagio watching the water show. She pointed for Nigel to look to his left where an Asian man was wearing the identical outfit, including the camera. To his right, a young white male was wearing a similar outfit with a brown tee that said Lynyrd Skynyrd. The young man looked at Nigel and said, “Duuuude!”
Nigel mouthed to her, “Kill me.”
They ventured low and high to the top of the Stratosphere hotel, then over to the MGM Grand to a watching the feeding of the lions, and last a quick hop over to Treasure Island to see the Mutiny on the Bounty. They had two hours to spare and she wanted to head to the Freemont experience. Their stay did not last long when someone recognized her and wanted a photo. She pretended not to speak English and lapsed into Portuguese to ward the fan away, but he was insistent and Nigel stepped in to be her hero.
She was impressed, but the young man was with a group, and things could go really wrong, really fast, so she pulled Nigel by the arm, speed dialed their ride that met them at the corner, and they headed back to the rental house.
INSTINCT TOLD HER TO take the elevator all the way up to the third floor and head to the bedroom to change for dinner; Nigel followed along without question. In her dressing closet, she was pleased at Clar
ke’s selection of attire for the evening and thought Nigel would be wowed. Tonight, she would release the braid and let the hair hang freely down her back. She popped in the shower and was feeling tingly about her evening.
NIGEL ENTERED HIS CLOSET to find on a male mannequin his attire for the evening. It was a combination of his clothing and a few new pieces. It was definitely his jacket but the brocaded waist coat was a snazzy burgundy color with blue faux gemstone blue buttons. The blue shirt with burgundy cuffs and collar were pretty sharp. He actually forgave Clarke for the earlier shoe disaster when he looked down and saw the beautiful shoes he had put with the ensemble. He peered outside the door to see if his wife was watching. He hopped in the shower and made quick work of his routine while his stomach reminded him that lunch was a bit light, and he was famished.
Husband and wife excited their dressing rooms at the same time. Vanity looked impeccable in a strapless off-white satin tulle princess-style A-line ankle-length wedding dress with a burgundy lace sash. Her hair was hanging freely down her back and she had added a pop of color to her lips. Nigel’s breath caught when he saw her standing there. My wife. He looked at his left hand to eye the blue sapphire band. I am married. He considered himself the luckiest man in the world to have such a stunning creature at his side. He extended his arm, “Shall we, my Dear? I am rather famished.”
They took the stairs, only to find a trail of rose petals at the bottom. The photos they had taken earlier with the digital camera had been framed and were sitting about the foyer on the credenza. Nigel did not remember sitting the camera down in a common area, but Jessica must have gotten hold of it and printed the images from the disk. Vanity smiled as she looked at the photo she had taken of Nigel standing next to his doppelgänger. The happy couple followed the trail of roses to a perfectly set a table for two that rivaled the best table in any restaurant. A waiter materialized from the kitchen to take their orders from the limited menu and Nigel chose the steak with lobster tails and Vanity the grilled chicken and shrimp.
Vanity's Pleasure Page 6