“So they did actually give him that outrageous excuse. You gotta admire their nerve.”
“He knows I have the recipe and wants to make sure I bring it along.”
“No problem. It’s still in my briefcase.”
She rested against his chest, kissing his rigid jaw. “You won’t mind guiding them through the recipe, will you?”
“No. Wouldn’t want Gerald to think I’d hook into a family of culinary bunglers.” Closing his eyes, he drew a pensive breath.
“All in all, I’d expect you to be leaping for joy right now.”
He shifted her pelvis over his strained zipper. “Plainly, I am in no condition to leap anyplace at the moment.”
“Are you trying to tell me in your own frisky way that I come before even Gerald?”
He grinned wickedly. “At this moment, you come before all others. Now, where were we?”
“Your hand was in my shirt.”
“Oh, yeah…”
IT WASN’T UNTIL MICHAEL was dressing for the evening that the recipe turned up missing. Krista’s wail brought him rushing from his bedroom to the suite’s desk, where she was rummaging through papers.
He stared at the contents of the briefcase with a grunt. “Relax. This isn’t even my stuff.”
“What?” She half turned, glaring up at him in surprise.
“This case is Randy’s.”
She picked up his key ring from the desk and held it in his face. “As I told you, I managed to open it with the community key.”
“I’m sure this is an innocent screwup. The cases simply got mixed up at the Larkin’s brunch.”
“Even so, we have to switch them back, get that recipe. Fast!”
Michael sifted through the contents. “Randy won’t like this, either. His contest forms are in here, even his ID badge. Funny he hasn’t missed it yet.” He reached for the phone and dialed the Norquists’ room. After a brief conversation he hung up. “Randy is coming over.”
“He seem surprised?”
“A bit off his game, yes. Stuttered an apology, too long an apology.”
She tapped her chin. “Wonder what that means.”
He grew impatient as his close friend came under her scrutiny. “Krista, the Norquists have no reason to want access to my briefcase at this point. Even if my recipe was in there, it wouldn’t put them ahead. And you yourself said, their Cinnamon Spice doughnut is spectacular.”
“Maybe the switch was just a fluke.”
He thrust an extended finger at her bedroom. “Get in there. Put some clothes on.”
“I like you better when you’re taking yours off.” Pivoting on her bare heel she marched off.
Moments after a knock sounded on the suite door, Krista emerged from her room, wearing a short-sleeved powder-blue sweater and white capris. She moved to the open doorway where Michael stood talking to Randy, who presumably now had his own briefcase in hand. He was dressed rather sloppily in gray sweats, with sandals on his feet.
“Hey, Krista,” he said awkwardly. “What a crazy mixup.”
“It is strange.”
Michael smiled easily. “We’ve realized both our cases were in the Larkin bedroom during the brunch.”
Randy smiled anxiously. “Yeah. I sent Beth after mine. We left first, remember? She just grabbed the first one she saw.”
“You did seem in a rush to leave,” Krista noted.
Michael grimaced. She was going out on a limb to intimate that the couple was anxious to view the contents of Michael’s briefcase. Seemed a silly accusation. Just the same, when the normally assured Randy flushed, Michael couldn’t help wondering why.
“Look, I don’t know what you guys are thinking,” Randy blurted out. “But—well, this trip is like a little second honeymoon to us. Sure, we’re deep into the contest, just like you. But after you’ve been married a few years, have a kid, some things have to be scheduled. Including sleep, movies, even trips to the grocery store!”
Suddenly Michael threw back his head, laughing uproariously. “So I got you out of the sack. No wonder your shoes don’t match!”
Randy jabbed a finger at him. “Ham it up, big shot. Your time will come. Kids change everything.”
Michael made an effort to sober. “I expect they will. I intend to be the most attentive suffocating father on earth when the time comes. But seeing you, the ultimate operator of the old neighborhood, standing there looking so disheveled, I can’t help enjoying the moment.”
Michael closed the door on his retreating pal with a grin. “I would’ve expected the amorous Simona to crack that mystery first. Relationships are your specialty.”
It was Krista’s turn to flush. “Oh, give me that case. Finish getting dressed.”
No sooner had he disappeared into his bedroom again than she was summoning him back with another cry of dismay. “It’s gone!” She sank onto the sofa amidst strewn papers. “The recipe is gone.”
Chapter Sixteen
Gerald had sent his limousine for the couple but the luxury was wasted on them. Someone bothering to take the recipe from Michael’s briefcase was a strange twist in the game. The question was, who was the culprit?
They were out beyond the glitter of the Strip now as their driver sped along I–15 toward Gerald Stewart’s home in southwest Las Vegas.
They traveled far beyond the Larkins’ middle-class suburb into a posh neighborhood of open space and gated mansions. The limo halted at a residence providing a stately anchor for a boulevard corner, pressed a code into a keypad and drove through yawning gates.
Michael squeezed Krista’s hand as they made the trek up a long ribbon of drive. “This is the pinnacle of success,” he said in hushed reverence.
The grounds, illuminated by generous lighting, were a spectacular array of palms, scrubs and rock formations. The house itself was a sprawling three-level masonry structure full of windows. There was an attached garage on the left, as well as a second freestanding building with a row of garage doors. The driveway jutted two ways, circling up near the front door on the right. The moment they emerged from the back seat of the limo, the front door opened and the aunts came outside.
“They’re here!”
“Welcome!”
The sisters descended on the couple.
Beverly captured Krista in her strong arms, her breath hot and fierce near her ear. “You got that blasted recipe?”
“No,” Krista whispered. “Lost it.”
“Don’t worry,” Michael said, peeling the small clingy Rachel off his chest. “I’ll help you every step of the way.”
“And in return,” Krista bargained, “you will help Michael shine before Gerald.”
Rachel rocked back on her spike heels. “Gee, for someone who misplaced a treasured old family recipe, you’re pretty snippy.”
Krista replied irritatedly, “You are the ones who insisted I take it back. Said you intended to burn the original!”
Michael stepped into the fray. “Surely you two can slip out of this silly obligation. Why not use your persuasive talents?”
Beverly’s bosom puffed along with her ego. “Normally, I too would call this task unnecessary silliness. Any man with a doughnut empire should be able to satisfy his own sweet tooth. But as it is, we’ve made sort of a compromise. We bake the cake, he shakes the rug. As we all know,” she said with feeling, “that rug has to go.”
No sooner were the words out of Beverly’s mouth than the dapper mogul was out on the doorstep dressed in a western shirt and jeans. His bald dome shone under the stoop lights.
“Good evening, Gerald,” Krista greeted him uncertainly.
Gerald nodded at the newcomers, quickly breaking the ice. “Must say, there is a unique pleasure in feeling the cool night air on my scalp. But let’s not stand out here when there’s a special dinner waiting for us inside.”
Several house staff bustled in the spacious interior of the house. The decor was modern, with large leather furniture and mission pieces.
“Built the whole thing up from scratch when Gloria and I moved out here back in the eighties.”
“Where did you get your start, Gerald?”
“Dallas, Texas, where both Gloria and I were born. Started with one shop. Within three years expanded to five. The rest is history.”
Dinner was soon served. The long dining room table was laden with choices. Huge slabs of roast beef drenched in barbecue sauce, corn on the cob, biscuits and a variety of salads.
Rachel cast Michael a sly look and announced that he was looking particularly dishy tonight.
Krista bristled. This wasn’t the kind of attention she meant for the aunts to bestow on him! But it was, in fact, the only kind of attention Rachel bestowed on a man. She was sincerely trying.
Happily, it brought Gerald out in the open. “As busy as I’ve been, Michael, I haven’t been able to shake your uniform shirt program from my mind. What amazes me most is that I never before gave the issue a bit of thought. Coming from a middle-class background, there was always cash from my father for any expenses. Charging for uniforms just seemed routine procedure from my point of view.”
Michael went on to supply some anecdotes to further boost his position.
The conversation took a sharp unyielding turn to business. For the next two hours the aunts blended into the woodwork, while Michael, Krista and Gerald discussed everything from display cases to insulated sacks to the ramifications of adding a delivery service. Krista even proposed the idea of a theme song. Though she didn’t say so, she helped promote many a company with the help of a tune.
“I feel as though I’m swimming in a virtual think tank!” Gerald came to say.
“Beverly and I are drowning in it,” Rachel grumbled.
“It’s okay,” Beverly said in a sweet voice virtually foreign to Krista’s ears. “All this shoptalk is growing on me.”
Rachel popped up from her chair with a toss of her blond head. “I think I’ll go call my boyfriend, if no one minds.”
Gerald waved her off with his fork. “Be my guest. There must be twenty phones in this place.”
When Rachel returned some thirty minutes later, all aglow, the conversation was finally winding down. Gerald made it official by dabbing a napkin to his mouth. “A wonderful spread,” he announced to his cook, Mrs. Beacon, who had come out of the kitchen to check on them. “All that is missing,” he said significantly to the ladies, “is the pineapple upside-down cake for dessert.”
Michael cleared his throat and rose from his chair. “Mrs. Beacon, if you will show us around your turf, we’ll get started. Won’t we?” he said firmly to the shrinking aunts.
Krista was left to her own devices when Gerald begged off to make an important phone call to Jonathan Smithers at the hotel. She wandered around the house, appreciating the recessed lighting, beamed ceilings and inlaid cabinetry.
It was in Gerald’s study that she lingered. At her leisure she perused his shelves of books, his abstract prints. By the time Gerald discovered her, she was holding a framed photograph in her hands.
“Ah, Krista.”
She whirled toward him with a start. “Gerald! I didn’t hear you.”
“This is exactly the place I intended to bring you.”
Her eyes darted with a nervous appreciation. “It’s quite a nice place for escape, I imagine.”
“Yes.” Shoving his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, he sauntered closer. “Gloria and I would sit in here to unwind. We’d read books to each other, listen to music.”
They both looked down at the silver frame she held tight enough to make her thumbs red.
“What you are thinking, m’dear?”
Krista laughed shortly. “I am thinking that for the first time, Aunt Bev has trumped her sister in the man department.”
Gerald gently took hold of the photograph of himself and a woman Krista presumed was his late wife Gloria. “It’s true that Beverly bears a remarkable resemblance to Gloria.”
“No wonder you made a beeline for us that day in the lobby. I did wonder about the draw at the time. Though Rachel was the most obvious assumption. She is an outrageous flirt with amazing magnetism.”
“Rachel is attractive in a flashy way, of course. But under no circumstances would I ever prefer her to a modest and stable woman like Beverly. In any case, it soon became clear that Rachel’s flirty act was merely a game. She never had any real interest in me, having a boyfriend at home.”
Krista was amused. “Obviously, you have her number.”
“Rachel is the type of woman who craves attention from all men. It’s harmless. I, too, like the limelight. Now, a woman like Beverly better understands the value of commitment.” His eyes crinkled. “After forty years of marriage, commitment is what I do best, what I miss most as a widower.”
“I assume Beverly knows about this resemblance?”
“Told her today. Reason I’ve waited this long is that I wanted to test my own intentions, take some time, however brief, to get to know her as a unique personality. If we didn’t click, I figured she’d never have to know any details. As things have turned out, Beverly is a fascinating woman in her own right, someone I’ve quickly grown very fond of.”
“I can see now why you’ve tried to entertain my aunts separately, away from the convention—in order to preserve your secret!”
“I was buying time, I admit. There was always the chance that someone might clue one of you in on Beverly’s resemblance to Gloria. It’s the reason I hustled her away from the Larkins the other night. If it had happened, I would have dealt with it.”
The robust man wilted a little as he placed the photo back on the desk. “Now that I am ready to court Beverly, there will be some people, among those who knew my late wife, who will jump to the petty conclusion that I am looking for a duplicate companion. That is the reason I invited you out here tonight, Krista. I want to explain to you my intentions. Assure you that I have nothing but the highest regard for Beverly and would cherish her.”
“To think I’ve viewed you as nothing more than a carefree threesome!” She paused, then gasped her own twist on words. “You know what I mean. Don’t you? Three innocent people. If Rachel can be regarded as an innocent.”
He chuckled indulgently. “Despite Rachel’s big vamp act I suspect she is fairly devoted to her boyfriend back home. Though I had no idea he existed until today. With her pride, I’m sure she wouldn’t like to hear me refer to her as the perfect third wheel, but her presence has given me the chance to move in on Beverly slowly, deliberately. It’s been three buddies at play up until this afternoon. While Rachel enjoyed a relaxing soak in my spa, I stated my case to Beverly. Miraculously, she welcomes my advances. The next and final step for me, is to convince you, a most valued relative, of my sincerity.”
“How very sweet, Gerald. Though there’s really no need to convince me of anything. Beverly is mighty picky about her relationships. Even though she has been known to dole out poor advice to others, she’s very careful about her own moves.”
He chuckled. “She is a woman with an opinion. Sure took an immediate stand on my toupee. Plucked it right off my head in the heat of…negotiation.”
Krista sized him up approvingly. “Must say, my sketch didn’t do you justice. You look very distinguished.”
“If I decide to redo my company logo, I hope I can count on your help.”
“Of course you can.” She gave him a gentle hug. “Welcome to my world, by the way.”
“That’s nice. Very nice.”
Breaking free she linked her arm in his. “Shall we go see about that cake?”
It was close to one a.m. when all except Gerald made the return trip to the Imperial Majestic in Gerald’s limousine. He was forgoing a night in his penthouse suite at the hotel to attend to business from his home office.
Rachel’s repining started even before the vehicle lef
t the driveway. “All that cooking for nothing! I shouldn’t even have had to help.”
“You didn’t help,” Michael replied evenly, settling back on the seat.
“Why should I, under the circumstances!”
He sat up straighter. “What circumstances?”
“A wonderful job you did, Michael,” Krista broke in to praise. “The cake was delicious. Gerald had three pieces.”
“Men!” Rachel wailed, clapping a ringed hand to her cheek. “You can’t understand them. You certainly can’t trust them.”
“So what if he’s fallen for me,” Beverly crowed. “May as well pull up your girdle and accept it.”
“Gerald has shown interest in you, Beverly?” Michael was astonished. “That’s the circumstance Rachel’s talking about?”
“We’ve sort of clicked,” Beverly admitted with pride. “Just told me today that he’d like to see more of me.”
“Wow. I had no idea.”
“Hard to say if it will go anywhere, but he is a nice man.”
Rachel gave her sister a sharp nudge. “I don’t wear a girdle.”
“Do so.”
“You’re the one who needs one with your wide—”
“Rachel!” Krista intervened. “You have nothing to gripe about. You have a boyfriend, Bob Freeman!”
“Your boyfriend is Bob Freeman?” Michael asked. “The managing editor at the Minneapolis Monitor?”
Krista’s heart raced. This revealing argument was bound to put unwelcome strain on the fabric of their lies—at a very unwelcome time. Here was Michael, on the brink of the big contest, and he was sorting through inconsequential details that would do him no good. His fragile ego was still in no way prepared to handle the news that Gerald’s interest in him was generated by his connection to the aunts.
As for the aunts’ connection to her boss at the newspaper, it was just another clue as to the real identity of Simona.
It was plain the charade was beginning to burst at the seams, as it was bound to eventually. But all she needed was tomorrow. The bake-off was in the morning, the judging in the afternoon and the award ceremony in the evening. After that, the truth would in no way interfere with Michael’s professional aspirations. He might need a stopover in a rest home to reenergize, but he would be in good stead with the Decadent Delights empire.
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