Chapter Sixteen
She was glad to see the rain had ended sometime during the day, puddles barely noticeable as she left the building, looking around for Zee. Erika caught sight of him at the same time she saw a familiar figure striding toward her from the parking lot. A bright smile lit up her face as she crossed the pavement.
“Vianne!” Erika hugged her tightly, unaware of Zee leaving the SUV and heading toward them. “Are you working for the resort now?”
At thirty-six she barely looked thirty and grinned at her friend. “I get special privileges since Charity took over PR, but not quite working for them. Not yet,” she hinted with a wink. “You started your new job?” She waited while the crew cut blonde made himself known. “A friend of yours?”
“Xavier Moore,” Erika began with an arm looped through his. “This is a friend of mine, Vianne Summers.”
“A reporter,” he said but offered his palm politely.
“A friend,” Erika said firmly.
“Who happens to want to talk to you because I’ve information.”
“And you want something in return?” Zee suggested dryly.
“Cynical type, isn’t he?” She scowled at Zee and shook her head. “Would I mind a tit-for-tat situation, no. Do I insist on it? Again, no. We’re friends first.”
“Zee is protective, Vianne. It takes some getting used to,” Erika confided with a wink at her friend. “You heard about the charges against my mother.”
Vianne Summers pushed a thick, slow breath between her lips.
“I spent the better part of the morning trying to figure out what I was missing when I read the file and charges,” she sunk her hands into the pocket of her jacket. “Can we go somewhere out of the winds? Even just inside the car.”
“The SUV is over here,” Zee gestured, guiding them toward it. “What were you hoping to read in the file, Miss Summers?”
“That there was a mistake. That…that there was something I missed somehow,” she said flatly. “I’ve known Erika and her parents for a few years. This isn’t something I could have predicted and won money on in Vegas!”
Erika sighed. “Yeah. You and me, both.”
Vianne slid onto the back seat with a little shiver when the door closed.
“I keep wishing for heat,” she said in the silence of the interior, grateful when Zee turned the engine over and sent the heater to high. “Thank you. I’m not going to ask for an explanation, Erika. I saw the video…and I can tell from looking at you, you’re not ready to talk about it yet. But I have this…friend…who works one of the exclusive clubs up in Seattle.”
“A spy?” Erika said with a little laugh.
“Such a harsh word,” Vianne chided with a low chuckle. “Adam Wayne is extremely upset with you,” she tsked mildly. “Which, by the way, all of your sane friends are very glad to see you finally woke up.”
“It’s going to take the rest of my life to figure out how I let that happen,” Erika growled back, her head against the rest and eyes closed. “I remember cramming for exams, trying to finish my outline for the resort position and always having so many things inside my head. It was like…he’d ask me out and just to shut him up, I’d say yes. Then he’d go away and show up when it was time to go out.”
“We could say something like you were under the influence of some kind of drug that kept you compliant,” Vianne immediately saw the spark of interest in Zee’s gaze while Erika merely shook her head.
“No. No, that would be…too science fiction. I was always crowded. Always…thinking, busy…” Erika turned in the seat, staring at Vianne. “It’s my fault,” she said firmly. “And I fixed it.”
“Should I ask about your current choice?” Vianne leaned back, arms stretched along the wide bench seat.
“Vianne!” Erika spun on her friend, embarrassed and glaring.
“Fortunately…” Vianne said while Zee simmered. “We have friends in common with Mr. Moore who give him a very good recommendation.”
“Vianne,” Erika whispered, one palm over her face. She felt the heat in her cheeks. “Zee…”
“You have protective friends, Erika,” Zee reached for her hand, turning to face Vianne Summers. “I only wish you’d gotten through to her before it got as far as it did with Wayne.”
“You, me and a dozen of her other friends. Every time we called, we were shuttled to voice mail,” Vianne scowled at Erika, one pale brow arched. “When I tried the house on dozens of occasions, I was told you were occupied with plans for your future.”
“I lost my phone and I’ve been busy,” she hastily lifted the leather case, digging into the pockets until she came up with the new one.
“When did you lose it?” Vianne asked, the casual tone one she’d cultivated over the years. Soothing interview victims, asking questions someone else had forgotten to mention.
“I don’t know,” Erika shrugged, thinking back. “About a week after I met Adam. He was coming to my parents for something and I was rushing out to one of the interviews at the resort and we collided in the hall at the house. I had stuff flying everywhere. When I was finished with the interview I was going to order a pizza and crash, I was so worn out and I couldn’t find it. So I got a new one.”
“And all your friends were calling the old one. Curious,” Vianne arched a brow at the look on Zee’s face. “Why does the word conspiracy come to mind.”
“Sci-fi,” Erika growled. “You’re making it seem like there was a group of people conspiring to get me into a marriage with Adam. Okay, I’m not going to handle both of you looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe there was a little conspiracy…”
“Interested in what my spy had to tell me?”
“Give…I need off the hot seat,” Erika groaned, eyes rolling back.
“Seems Annalise overheard him telling someone, she didn’t get a name of the other person and only recognized Adam from a photo of the two of you at some charity thing a couple weeks back. But…it seems Adam is considering a breach of promise suit.”
“A…are you serious? The man is gay!” Erika’s hand flew to her mouth the instant the words were out of her mouth, eyes wide and a curious gleam lighting up Vianne’s eyes.
“Well, well, well…” Vianne pursed her lips, letting the silence simmer. “Should I ask just how you know this?”
Erika pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I saw him. I went out into the garden to finally tell him it was a mistake and no one got in my way and I saw them and…and heard them talking,” she finally said, breathing an almost sigh of relief that she’d shared it with someone besides Zee.
“You knew?” Vianne asked, looking at Zee.
“She told me. That was when she packed her stuff, loaded the car, left a note with the ring and tried to hide from them. Roughly ten days ago,” Zee kept his eyes on Erika.
“And that’s when you entered the picture,” she nodded to herself thoughtfully. She kept her gaze on her friend. “Who was he with, Erika?” She watched a too familiar look enter her eyes. “Don’t even tell me you want to protect the creep?”
“It might be a way to get them to back off,” Zee said thoughtfully. “But I’m not letting you put her on camera.”
“A story…” Vianne continued to watch Erika. “You know I can find sources that won’t even implicate you, Erika.”
“You know that political debacle a few months back,” Erika said carefully, watching that pale brow go up a little higher. “Well…it’s going to be worse, I think. Maybe not…I’m pretty sure no one’s been murdered,” she mumbled.
“Who, Erika?”
“Ross Richardson.” Erika held her breath, watching as Vianne sat straight up, both brows up and her mouth open for a quiet minute before it snapped closed. “They were in the garden together. Ross told Adam he knew it wasn’t easy tolerating being with a woman, but he had to do it for their future. That they had been together too long to lose it now. At first they argued, I think Adam said somet
hing like they hadn’t had any time together and he was…was tired of playing second fiddle to…to the bitch wife,” she winced, recalling the words.
“I think I almost…I know I was close to hyperventilating,” she whispered, her fingers tightening around Zee’s hand. “Then they…they started kissing…and…I couldn’t watch so I ran. Just ran. I don’t even remember stuffing things into my case and hauling it out to the car. I left him a note and the ring in an envelope for the housekeeper to give him. No one was there but them in the garden. I was supposed to be out most of the day, so I guess they thought it was safe. I drove south and stopped at the park. I didn’t cry. I think I was relieved. I think my stomach hurt but then I realized I was hungry and found Zee’s sandwich shop.”
Vianne and Zee just let her talk.
“He has a wife and two children,” she said with a sad shake of her head. “But I think…from something they said…I think she knows. And she’s part of it because she likes being an active part of the political arena,” Erika recalled the words, blinking but not seeing anything but the garden behind her parent’s house. “Then yesterday, we have two feds show up at the shop,” she sighed and let her head fall to the seat.
“The candidates’ wife believes Erika sent her a note,” Zee picked up the story. “Something campy and simple. ‘I know your husband’s secrets. Prepare to pay for the privilege to keep them.’ And she politely signed her initial,” Zee said dryly.
“Considerate of her,” Vianne pursed her lips, the taut bow puffed out just a little. “I’m guessing the feds didn’t bother to check your financials?”
“Is there something I’m missing with that question that keeps coming up?” Zee met the blue eyes that blinked at him with a tiny frown.
“He doesn’t know,” Vianne said with a chuckle.
“It’s never come up,” Erika replied with a little shrug. “I don’t guess I think about it, though, either. It’s just there. My grandmother left her estate to me, except the house. That she left to my parents.”
“Erika doesn’t need to blackmail anyone for funds, Zee,” Vianne translated with a laugh. “Which means whoever wrote the note, doesn’t know her at all.”
“The feds were split on the politics thing,” Zee commented, remembering the men from the previous day. “One very much for the candidate. Security detail. You’d think they’d know what was going on with the candidate.”
“So this isn’t quite making sense to me. Adam is gay. Ross is gay. Your father is politically supporting Ross and employs Adam,” Vianne laid out her thoughts. “Those two go completely against what the party supports, not to mention everything your father has backed for years, Erika.”
“Puzzling, huh?” Erika agreed.
“You should have a talk with Faith,” Zee froze in place when both of them stared at him, mouths open. “She just had a theory…”
Erika offered a half shrug. “It is Faith. She’s very smart.”
“Being the cynic that I am…I’m thinking I need to do a little investigating,” Vianne said with a cheerful smile at the couple. “You two are so cute together. Love the flower shirt. Reminds me of Hawaii. So given information that I didn’t have, I seriously doubt there’s a thing Adam can do as far as breach of promise is concerned. I’m sure he was simply venting to a sympathetic ear.”
“Good grief, Vi, he never even kissed me! It was like being out with…someone a little fun but totally asexual,” Erika nodded at her description. “I wasn’t even a little attracted to him. Please don’t suggest I was drugged again, okay?” She added when she saw her friend’s mouth start to open. “I promise you, my head is focused and I am exactly where I want to be.”
“What are you going to do about your mother?” Vianne asked softly, the pain evident in her friend’s eyes. “I wish I had an answer, Erika…something to help.”
“If it matters, she probably won’t go to jail,” Zee said, not entirely thrilled with the statement. “They’ll probably claim she was distressed over the broken engagement and it’s her first offense. Suspended sentence, probation, possible counseling and Carter is going to ask that she not contact you unless you’re with someone you trust.”
“You’ve spoken to Carter?” Erika listened to the outline and sighed. “I don’t want her to go to jail. I…I don’t know what should happen, to be honest.”
“I talked to Carter earlier. I told him you would agree to what he suggested,” Zee smiled at the fingers that tightened around his. “I don’t know how to handle it, either, babe, but I know I don’t want you around them until we figure out why it’s so important to them for you to marry Wayne.”
“I heard a glimmer of a rumor that you’d already married him,” Vianne raised one brow, looking from one to the other.
“Zee got a little carried away with his protective nature when we were at a party on Saturday,” Erika explained slowly.
“So? Make it legal. That totally ends the problem,” Vianne reached for the handle with a bright smile. “I’m off. I’ll work up a story for you and we’ll talk, Erika. I’ll keep you as far from the expose’ as I can, and believe me, with what I can dig up, you won’t even be a footnote,” she promised with a wink. “Nice meeting you Xavier Moore. Take care of my friend. You make her smile. I like that,” she confided with a teasing wink. “Bye.”
“Ready for some dinner?” Zee tugged on her hand when she stared after her friend.
“I can’t believe that…that person is actually thinking of breach of promise,” Erika frowned.
“I like your friend. Even if she is a reporter and maybe she’s right.” He met the puzzled look as he started the SUV and put them in the loop to exit the area. “Marry me.”
Erika knew her mouth opened and closed a few times.
“That’s…very noble of you, Zee. Sacrificing yourself like that,” she managed to swallow, her fingers shaking as she buckled the belt and held on to keep them semi-steady.
“Huh…and here I bought this in a store this morning to add to your new costume collection,” Zee pulled a little velvet box from his jacket pocket and set it on her knee.
She looked at it like it would bite her.
“Thought you’d been there before…the married thing…”
“You can open it. I’m pretty sure it won’t bite,” Zee had spent most of the day arguing with himself while waiting on the few customers that braved the climate. Kyle was shutting down for the night and he had still been arguing with himself when he pulled before the hospital to find Erika. “Wrong partner before. This time I have the right friend and partner,” he groaned softly when she turned a pair of wide blue eyes swimming in tears. “I should have waited until we were home.”
“It is home,” she whispered, picking up the small case and lifting the lid. “Zee,” she looked down at the sparkling large blue oval stone surrounded by diamonds and nestled between a band it fit into the center of. “Oh, Zee…it’s beautiful.”
“You only get the sparkly part now,” he teased, pulling the SUV off to the side of the road and taking the case from slender fingers that were shaking. He popped his belt and slid over, his palm beneath her chin and lifting until their eyes met. “I love you. I’m not making it legal just to piss off Wayne and your father, although it is a perk,” he relaxed when she offered a smiling scowl. “Are you going to break my heart?”
“I hope not,” she whispered, her palm up and on the side of his face. “I love you. Even if we don’t get married. But it would look really nice on my finger,” she teased, watching as his hand shook when fingers too big worked to separate the rings and slid the sapphire onto her finger.
“It belongs there. And you belong with me, Erika. Maybe I should thank Wayne for being a jerk and sending you running to the shop to hide out,” Zee leaned in and kissed her. “You have to tell me yes so I don’t spend the night worrying that you only like the ring.”
“Yes…oh, Zee, yes,” Erika wrestled briefly with the seat belt before flinging her ar
ms up and circling his neck. The reassuring warmth of his arms around her sent a shudder racing through her. “Yes, yes, yes!” She whispered against his throat, one palm up and stroking over his head.
“I don’t know what kind of wedding you want. I was thinking Idaho tomorrow,” Zee met the sparkling eyes when she lifted her head and kissed him.
“Tomorrow. Just you and me.”
Chapter Seventeen
Vianne Summers inhaled deeply and stood staring at the people inside one of the spacious lounges that occupied the resort. A few weeks until her birthday and she’d be officially thirty-seven.
“When did I get too old for this scene,” she murmured, watching the couples dancing on the floor; others scattered around the large bar or many tables.
“And here I was thinking I should have you carded to make certain you’re old enough to be here,” whispered a low, deep voice next to her ear.
Vianne froze. Somehow she knew the purpose of the firm, strong hands on her waist was to assure that she wouldn’t bolt. Which made no sense, because she wasn’t the naturally skittish type. Not at her age, she reminded herself. But something in that low timber made her insides quake. She felt each of the warm words whispered for her and shivered.
“Dance with me, Miss Vianne Summers,” Tanner Clayton took the lead. His hands were up to remove the trench coat and lay it over a chair by the table he’d claimed before she made her appearance. He led her to the dance floor, nodding at the person playing the music and guiding her easily into his arms. He had a plan to put into effect and after spending the last four months chatting with her in emails and texts, it was time things moved to the next step.
Vianne couldn’t remember the last time she’d been caught so off guard. She wasn’t sure if it was the thoughts of Erika and her little problem or the upcoming change in the direction of her life. Pale lashes blinked in the semi-darkness, taking in the lean, muscled man holding her close as he moved them to the seductive song.
WindSwept Narrows: #22 Erika & Vianne Page 16