Tatum, Cole, Terrance, and Gene were standing together talking in the main entryway. “Where are you off to now?” Tatum asked back peddling until he was in Joan’s path.
“Out.”
“That’s right, out,” Fran said backing her up.
Her father took a step toward Brooke, but she shook her head. “No, we’re going out. You’re staying here,” she said to her husband in her mother’s scolding tone.
“Fran, I don’t know that I like you running out when there is so much to be planned and arranged.”
“I don’t much care what you like right now, Terrance,” Fran said smiling brightly. “We’ll be back when we’re back.”
Tatum opened the front door for them with a scared smile freezing his face as the three women passed by.
“Just let them go why don’t you, Tate?” Cole yelled.
“It was best,” Gene said.
Before the door closed, Joan was pretty sure she heard Terrance agree with her father.
“Who’s driving?” Joan asked.
“I think my man Tank would be a good choice,” Fran said tapping on her phone. “I’ll have him bring the car around.”
Joan pulled out her phone too and tapped out a group text as fast as her thumbs could fly.
Think you’re the only one who knows how to have fun and blow off steam, Liam? You’ve got nothing on me.
***
The phone call from Fran woke him, especially once Tatum started screaming like a woman. When Fran returned to their phone call he got an earful of a lecture and was told in no uncertain terms that if he didn’t get his ass back to LA soon, he’d find himself standing at the altar alone.
“What time is it?” he asked the captain who was handing him coffee.
“It’s nearly lunch, sir.”
Liam launched out of the chair he was sitting in, correction the chair he’d fallen asleep in. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“We tried, sir. You must have been exhausted. At one point, we tried to carry you to the master suite but you proved too heavy for Carl.”
Shaking his head Liam asked, “What?”
“I didn’t mean to drop you but you are heavy. Not fat, I’m not saying fat,” Carl explained his brown eyes widening. “Dense. Like muscular dense.”
“How did I end up in the chair then?”
“We put you back after Carl dropped you. Since your head struck the side arm on your way down we weren’t positive you didn’t suffer a concussion. We thought it best to keep an eye on you.”
Liam realized the throbbing headache he was having was probably the evidence of the drop. “This is like having two of the three stooges working for me.” He growled passing by the two of them. “Be ready to leave upon my command. I won’t be long.”
Carl pushed the button to lower the stairs and Liam raced down them three at a time. When he pulled open the door to the limo he found Evelyn and Westley both passed out inside the interior.
Evelyn’s usually neat hair was falling out of the updo from the day before. She was hugging Westley’s balled up coat to her chest with her legs stretched out across the bench seat and her feet pressed into Westley’s back.
Westley was drooling down the window he was pressed against, his hair a wet on one side and stiff on the other. Evelyn’s purse was under one arm, and one of her shoes in his hand.
“Good afternoon,” Liam said slamming the door as he sat in the seat running perpendicular to theirs.
Westley went to sit up and groaned in pain at the resistance pressed into his lower back. Evelyn yawned pulling her knees in and setting her feet on the floor. “Where are my shoes?”
“I took them off because you were stabbing me with them,” Westley said handing her the one in his hand.
“Where’s the other one?”
“Yes, Westley, let’s speak of trivial nothings and continue wasting Liam’s time.” Liam snapped. “Why didn’t you come and wake me up?”
“Don’t be a douche, Liam,” Westley said wiping the drool from his face and hair. “We fell asleep because we spent all night trying to get Alise for you. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Liam nodded. “Yes, fine. Thank you. Let’s get back there and get her on the phone with her father.” Liam lowered the dividing glass. The driver too was asleep but woke as the divider lowered. “Take us back to wherever these two were last night in Scottsdale.”
“To the house on Castle Front,” Evelyn said.
“Yes, ma’am.” The driver complied starting the car.
“Why are you still here? I thought you would’ve gone home. Genevieve is going to have your head,” Liam said.
Westley shook his head. “We broke up.”
Liam could see the sorrow Westley wasn’t vocalizing. “When? Is this because of my selfish behavior at the benefit?”
“Not everything is about you, Liam,” Westley said as he laughed. “No, it was time is all. Genevieve deserves to be happy.”
“She was crazy about you, Westley,” Evelyn said as she let her hair down. “Talked about marrying you every time she opened her mouth.”
Westley exhaled. “Yeah, exactly.” Evelyn delivered Westley one of her questioning looks. “Didn’t mention that you got in another fight, Liam. Who kicked your ass?”
“I kicked Tatum’s ass. Joan’s father kicked mine when I was blindsided.”
“An old man kicked your ass?” Westley grinned. “I can’t believe I missed that.”
Evelyn wound her hair into a perfect bun without the use of a mirror or brush. “How is Joan? Did you two make up?” Evelyn asked as she pulled on her shoe.
“She’s fine. Probably a little irritated with me by now but fine.”
“I can’t blame her. Every ten seconds you run off after Alise and leave Joan to try to float your little scheme on her own.”
Liam rubbed his head finding a large welt just above his left ear. “Joan is sensible. She understands.” Finding a visor, he lowered it and grimaced at his appearance. The black eye was yellow and purple, his eyelid still very swollen. His crotch was no longer hurting as much. The lump above his ear made his hair stick out strangely on one side, while the dried blood at his hairline above his forehead was like a widow’s peak.
Evelyn handed him one of her makeup removing wipes and he tried to erase the blood only to find it was a big scab. Add that to his bloodshot eyes and the scruff on his face and he could be mistaken for a common bum or drunk.
“Did you take my advice? Did you tell her that you care about her? That you love her?” Evelyn asked.
“More or less.”
Westley snorted. “That means less.”
“Don’t sit there judging me. You’re too scared to find your lost love. Excuse me if I have trouble expressing myself in only a week’s time.”
“I’m not scared to find her,” Westley said. “I… can’t find her. I’ve been trying but I haven’t been able to track her down. I don’t know if I ever will find her, Liam.”
Liam felt like an ass. Of course Westley would’ve been looking. “I’ll help you find her, Westley. If you’ll let me.”
“It’s complicated. I don’t know if she’s hiding.”
“From you?” Evelyn asked.
Westley shook his head. “No, from the law, or her family. I can’t expose her if she finally escaped her old life.”
“So we’ll be careful,” Liam said as the car stopped in front of a huge ranch style home. “Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay.” Westley smiled. “Now go and give that door a knock. I’ve been wanting to see your face when that door opens.”
Alise got her lips injected again I bet. Or a bad nose job?
“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?” Liam walked up to the front door and knocked. When it opened, Liam took a step back. “Uh? I must be at the wrong address.”
Dr. Handsy stepped back. “No, you’re at the right place.” He waved a hand. “Come in. Alise is waiting for you.”
Liam fel
t like he was still dreaming. This couldn’t be real. Why would Alise be at Dr. Clark’s house? None of this was making any sense.
Westley grinned at Liam as he watched Liam go into the house.
Dr. Clark led Liam to an oversized living room where Alise was seated wearing a short pink sundress and cowgirl boots.
What the hell?
“Did he kidnap you?” Liam asked knowing full well that Alise would never wear cowgirl boots of her own free will.
“Noooooo,” Handsy said holding his hands up. “She was here when I got home the night of the benefit.”
Alise stood up. “Shush, you said you were going to let me tell him.” Alise pouted. “Liam.” Alise began. “I know I owe you an apology for leaving you at the benefit like I did. It’s just that after Xander and I kissed….” She blushed looking over at the man Liam had dubbed Handsy. “We’re in love.”
“You said terrible things about her at the benefit.” Liam pointed out. “I hit you because I thought you were talking about Joan.”
“I know,” Xander said still smiling at Alise. “I told her to her face everything I said and more but she just wouldn’t take no for an answer.” He was smiling as he spoke, which was confusing to Liam as he watched Alise and Xander sharing the same smile.
“I still don’t understand,” Liam said. “If you came here to be with Xander, why didn’t you call me or at least your father?”
Alise sighed. “Daddy was set on you and me getting married. He isn’t going to approve of Xander, even if he is the sexiest, naughty boy I ever did see.”
“Let’s stay on topic.” Liam jumped in when Xander started giving Alise an encouraging nod. “Why do I have to be here? You couldn’t have told me this on the phone?”
Alise shook her head. “No. I had to tell you the truth about me and Xander in person and about our dads.”
“Our dads?”
“Yeah. See, your dad blew a lot of money back when we were kids. My dad loaned him money to pay off the guys who were gonna break your dad’s legs.” Alise swatted Xander’s ass giving him a snarl.
Liam clapped his hands together trying to interrupt them as Xander growled back.
This is what it looks like when crazy meets closet kink.
“I know about that. My dad paid your dad back.”
“Not the interest.” Alise sang out. “He garnished all the money your business made Terrance. He said he did it for me so I could have you. He’s got Terrance on a hook right now to get back his half of the laboratories but my dad,” Alise shook her head, “he’s not giving up the laboratories. He likes having Terrance owing him.”
“Why are you telling me all this?” Liam asked.
She shrugged. “It’s my apology. I know I must have broken your heart and made you worry when I disappeared.”
“I was worried,” Liam said. “I think you know we weren’t in love. My heart isn’t broken. I am happy for you, Alise.”
She shrieked leaping off the couch and onto him like a monkey. Alise rained kisses down all over his face. “Okay, Alise,” Liam said trying to peel her off. “You can stop now.”
“Now who’s bad?” Xander said to Alise.
“Wait, just let me out before you two get started.” Liam pleaded trying to pry her hands from around his neck.
Alise unwrapped her legs from his waist but she wasn’t letting go. The woman had the grip of a gorilla. “So when I call Daddy, he’s going to back out of the deal with your dad.”
“You know what?” Liam said. “Don’t call him. I’ll call you here after I get my dad his full rights to the laboratories back.”
Alise was still holding on even though he’d backed them up all the way to the door. “You want me to trick my dad?”
“You are so bad,” Xander said in a gravelly tone that Liam would have given his left ear not to have heard.
“I am bad,” Alise said tightening her hold on Liam even though she was looking at Xander.
“So you’ll wait?” Liam tried to confirm.
“Spank me, Xander.”
“I’m going to take that as a yes,” Liam said opening the door and walking out onto the front porch. “Let go, Alise.”
She shook her head. “This is too exciting.” She squealed.
“I can’t bear to watch you two together,” Liam said.
Alise kissed him then, her lips sucking on his as she continued hanging from his neck.
Liam pulled free as Xander smacked her ass.
“Oh Daddy.” She smiled racing back into Xander’s house. The door slammed shut and Liam stood on the front porch trying to understand what the hell had just happened.
“Hey, Big Daddy, you ready to go?” Westley grinned holding up his phone.
“Did you film that?” Liam growled.
“Hell yes I did.” Westley laughed.
Perfect.
Liam’s phone started ringing. It was Evelyn.
Why is she calling me?
“Not what you expected was it?” Evelyn asked as Liam got back into the limo with Westley, Evelyn nowhere to be seen.
“No. It definitely wasn’t. Those two are crazy.”
“Yeah, for each other,” Evelyn said. “Dr. Clark hasn’t been back to work since the benefit. He’s been with her the whole week.”
Liam tapped the speaker icon so Westley could be in on the conversation, not that he wasn’t already eavesdropping. “Why would you tell me that? Gross.”
“It’s sweet.” Evelyn laughed. “Just because it isn’t your idea of paradise doesn’t mean you have to crap on theirs. At least they can tell each other that they love each other.”
“She’s got you there, Big Daddy.”
“Stop calling me that, Westley. I mean it.”
“Hey, she’s happy. That was the deal you made with Crenshaw, wasn’t it?”
Liam pressed his palm against his forehead and laughed as he realized Evelyn was correct. “Yeah. It was.”
“Then we’ve averted another crisis. Now you just have to keep yourself occupied until the jet gets back for you.”
“What do you mean, gets back? It’s at the airport.”
Evelyn’s high pitched “No it isn’t” told Liam and Westley that she was trying not to laugh. “Joan invited me and her friends for a bachelorette party. I knew you wouldn’t want to keep Joan waiting, so I told the captain to take off.”
“Her friends? I thought the hospital was too short-staffed to allow them to attend the wedding.”
“Reinforcements must’ve been called.”
“And you thought it was a good idea to leave me stranded?”
Evelyn was quiet, probably trying to control her laughter. “You were fine with it when you left me there last night.”
“Cocky, Evelyn. Very cheeky.”
“I’ll send it right back for you.”
Liam glared at Westley, who was laughing openly at Liam. “She’s due a night off after the last one she spent trying to figure out your shit for you.”
“Evelyn, I don’t want Joan out on the town going crazy. She’s probably just mad at me.”
Evelyn laughed this time without trying to hold back. “Joan isn’t asking you though, is she? This woman isn’t going to wait around for you to strap on a pair and be there for her, Liam.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Sorry, boss, I’m clocking out. See you at the wedding tomorrow.”
Liam shook his head with his hands palms up. “What is wrong with them?”
“I thought this whole wedding thing was a farce. What wedding?”
“It’s still a fake. I need to get to Crenshaw before the wedding and get him to sign over his shares of the laboratories back to my dad. After that, I call off the wedding and that’s it.”
Westley chuckled. “So, you’re going to pay for a wedding that you’re not even going to have?”
“Joan needs the wedding aspect of our arrangement to appear just as legitimate as I do. It’s just best to follow th
rough and call it off when we’re saying our I do’s.”
Westley nodded. “Seems to me if Joan is getting publicly rejected by you tomorrow she should get to party tonight. Right?”
Shit. She’s still going to be dealing with the media when we break up.
“I’ll make sure the blowback isn’t bad for her. We’ll say that we’re postponing the wedding. It’s just too soon for us after all. We’ll phase out slowly.”
Westley managed to frown and smile with his eyes at the same time. “Sounds like you’d like to drag this thing out.”
“So. What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s selfish. You’re such an asshole, Liam.”
Liam met Westley’s eyes. “You’re the asshole who drug things out with Genevieve. Now it’s wrong?”
The playful glint that was always so present in Westley’s eyes disappeared. “It was never right. Commit or let her go.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“You are making me nervous, Liam. Sit down, son. Stop pacing. Crenshaw will be here any moment and you’re sweating like you’re the fried bacon to be served up to him on a breakfast platter.”
Liam ignored his father and continued to pace the floor in front of his father’s desk. It was nine thirty on Friday morning and not a sign, hint, or word of Joan since he’d heard she was having a bachelorette party.
He couldn’t blame her for needing to blow off steam when he’d failed to be here the next day. Of course Liam had hoped that Evelyn would help Joan to understand what he was doing in Arizona instead of being at Joan’s side.
When Fran and Joan’s mom came in around midnight without Joan, Evelyn, Mae, or Amanda, Liam met them at the door and tried to ask after Joan. Fran and Brooke were too busy laughing and chatting like two lifelong best friends to give him any real answers.
They didn’t know what time Joan planned on coming back. They didn’t know where she and the others were heading next. They didn’t ask if Joan planned on being back in time for the wedding.
“I think I know what has you troubled,” Terrance said taking to his feet. “Here,” he said handing Liam a stack of paperwork.
Liam took the stack without looking at it. “I’m not worried about the business with Crenshaw.”
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