Arianne gazed into the face of Derek’s father, a compassionate face with steel gray eyes that smiled down at her. “I…I’m…I’m so glad to meet you.”
Derek extended his hand. “I wasn’t sure you would come, sir. Thank-you.”
“I decided to meet the next generation.” After shaking his son’s hand, Derek’s father turned to face Arianne’s parents. “You must be—”
“Forgive me, Dad. Your appearance surprised me. But still, my manners. Ron and Kathy. This is my father, John Davenport.”
Ron stood and introduced himself as they shook hands. “Pleased to meet you.”
John stood behind the chair next to his former wife. “Well now that we’ve gotten through that awkward moment, let’s sit and enjoy this meal. As I understand it we are going to have something to celebrate.”
Derek pulled out Arianne’ chair. As she sat, he whispered, “If you need to talk rub your chin.” He walked to the head of the table and sat. When all the guests were settled, they removed the white linen napkins from their silver napkin rings and draped them over their laps. Two servers entered and quickly filled everyone’s glass with a white wine.
“The table is gorgeous,” said Kathy. “The flowers are so…perfect.”
Every detail was carefully planned, from the white china dishes, to the gleaming silverware, to the numerous crystal wine glasses that sat by each plate. Silvers candle sticks held tall white candles whose flames added a softness to the room’s atmosphere. A centerpiece of white roses, edged with silver was displayed in cut-crystal bowl. The crisp white linen table cloth had fine threads of silver woven though. On each plate set a hand printed copy of the evening’s menu.
Dinner – prepared by Chef William Davis
Pistachio Paté with garlic toasted baguette bites
Portabella Mushrooms and Sweet Potato Crisps served in a cream sauce
Grapefruit Mint Sorbet
Warmed Vichyssoise garnished with chives
Grilled Romaine Hearts with Parmesan and a red wine vinaigrette
Beef Tenderloin with Parsnips and Black-Truffle Butter
Dark chocolate Soufflé with a Raspberry Mousse
Coffee
Hawaii Island Kona Mauka
Wines
White Montrachet (2006, Chassagne, France) .
Red Cabernet Sauvignon (2002, Napa Valley, USA)
Champagne
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut (1999, Champagne, France)
The guests read their menus in silence. Oohs and ahs were heard as interesting courses were studied.
Caroline placed her menu on her plate. “Davis is a wonderful chef—so talented. I just adore the sweet potato crisps.”
Arianne’s mother looked up from her menu. “Everything sounds so…exotic.
Caroline proceeded to explain the dinner selections to Arianne’s parents.
The soft strains of a ballad floated in the air. Arianne rubbed her chin. Derek walked to her end of the table. She looked up. “Can we dance? I mean would it be okay. I need some space.” He held out his hand.
“Excellent idea,” said John, “Caroline, would you do me the distinct honor of sailing once around the floor with me.”
Derek had escorted Arianne to an open space in the main room. “Your father seems nice. He doesn’t look like what I had pictured.”
“I didn’t think he’d come. I haven’t seen him in over a year. And we didn’t part on speaking terms.”
“Your mother seems shocked.”
“She still loves him. She plays the bitter woman, but deep down she still cares.” Derek stopped dancing. His eyes searched Arianne’s. “I don’t want us to become like them. I’ve given Mother permission to kick my butt if I start behaving like Dad. But how do I convince you and your parents I am not him? I am not going to leave and I truly and passionately love you.”
“Just speak the truth and speak from your heart. The song is almost over. Let’s sit, eat and after supper, settle this.” When the song ended and everyone had taken their place at the dining room table, Arianne requested, “Rule. We chat about anything and everything except…you know what until after dessert. When the coffee arrives the discussion may begin.”
Derek allowed the parents to control the evening’s conversations. Both sets of parents told embarrassing stories about their children. Arianne talked about their island vacation and Derek remained politely quiet through the meal, answering when spoken to, but not contributing stories of his own.
Each course brought new flavors as the next dish was artistically presented and professionally served. Sighing, Arianne swallowed the last mouthful of raspberry mousse. She whispered to her mother, “Is it socially okay to lick the dish?”
“I’ll distract everyone’s attention.” Both women laughed.
* * * *
Too soon for Derek’s liking, his coffee cup was filled with a rich, aromatic coffee, which did little to calm his nervous state. He cleared his throat and turned to Arianne’s father. “I would like the honor of asking for your daughter’s hand in marriage. I love Arianne, more than I can express. You understand my financial position so you know that she will always be well provided for.”
Kathy smiled at Ron and let him have the honor of replying. “It is with a happy heart that Kathy and I agree to this. I trust Kathy’s instincts and she says this match is a good one. And I know you love Arianne. At our house you said there was no ignoring her. It was the tone of your voice. I knew then you truly loved our daughter.”
“Thank-you, Sir. I will do my best to protect her.” Derek picked some papers off the sideboard. “I spent a good part of the morning with my lawyer drawing up a prenuptial agreement.”
John nodded. “Wise decision.”
Derek handed them to Arianne. “I am giving you an instant settlement on the day of our marriage of ten million dollars.”
“Pardon?” Arianne caught her coffee before it splashed onto the white linen table cloth.
“I want you to read this. Take it to a lawyer. Get all the fine points understood. It is a standard agreement.”
“Or as standard as one can be when marrying a billionaire,” said John.
“I don’t want this,” said Arianne. “And I don’t have a lawyer.”
“It is your protection and our children’s. As to a lawyer, look one up in the yellow pages. I am not going to recommend one. He could be on my payroll.”
“Take it,” said Caroline. “Read it. Sign it.”
“But I trust you,” said Arianne.
Derek shook his head. “Don’t. I am ruthless in business and I have all the money. If we get divorced, I will eat you alive in court. This prohibits me from doing that.” Arianne stared at the paper, unable to comprehend the words. “Want to dance?” he asked. “A moment alone together to ask me whatever it is that is going though your head.”
Dazed, Arianne followed then slipped into his arms. “This is all too much.”
“But you do understand why?”
“Yes. I’m just overwhelmed. I’ll ask around and find a lawyer and do all that. Ten million dollars?”
Derek guided her around the small dance area. “You will be a wealthy woman in your own right. You can use the money for whatever you want. It is an equalizer. Bigger than a lot of trust funds.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The girls I dated were only rich because daddy had set up a trust fund. Which they only had access to once they reached twenty-one. Think of it as your trust fund. And the moment you say `I do’, you are ten times richer than the girls who are going to be complete bitches to you because you married me.”
“I get it! You’re evil. Me, little poor person is going to be richer than the rich people. I am beginning to like that word—rich. Rich!”
“So when they look down their noses at you, laugh. You’ve got ten mil and me and they’ve got—”
With a grin stretching from ear to ear, she said, “Squat!”
Derek laughed.
“Good word.”
“We can go back now. But I reserve the right to haul you back out here when panic sets in again.”
“I don’t mind dancing. I get to hold you in my arms. Your breasts rub against my chest. If it wasn’t socially inappropriate, I’d grab your ass.”
She looked into his eyes. “And I’d rip that shirt open and lick your chest.”
Breathing the words into her ear, he said, “And I’d pull down your dress and suck one of your beautiful breasts.”
“And I would drop to my knee and offer to serve you. I would lay myself bare, spread myself wide and let you take me.”
Derek closed his eyes. “Don’t say things like that. You’ll make me hard and we’ll never get off this dance floor. Social niceties can be such a bother. Come on.” He held out his arm.
Arianne’s wicked smile favored one side of her face. “I wasn’t just talking. What I said is a promise of tonight’s pleasures.”
Settling back into her chair, Arianne said, “I’m okay with this now. Derek explained it. He’s right. I’ll look into it.”
“Any other things to be dealt with?” Derek looked around the table. His eyes rested on his mother.
“My turn,” she said. “I did my best this afternoon to dissuade you from this…from wanting to marry Derek. But I see I failed.”
“Oh no, you almost succeeded,” said Arianne. “Derek tried to reassure me ,but you shattered my confidence. Everything you said is true.”
Caroline shook her head. “It’s a truth, not the truth. The absolute truth is, I came from where you are.” Arianne tilted her head to the side and waited for Caroline’s explanation. “You are an artist. I purchased some of the children’s books in which you had done the illustrations. They are beautiful. I wasn’t anything like that. I was a Vegas showgirl when I met John Davenport. He was newly rich man. Just finished his first big merger—without daddy’s help. He had money and he wanted someone to spend it on. So you see we are similar. What Derek sees in you must be what John saw in me, then.”
John nodded. “A beautiful young woman, alive with a fire and passion for life. One who doesn’t let roadblocks stop her—smashes her way through and keeps on living.”
“Derek tried to convince me he loves you. I’ve known that for some time.”
“The first time I met you at the art museum,” said Arianne.
Caroline nodded. “I have only known Derek to crave two things.” She looked at her former husband. “The first was Davenport Enterprises and the second is you, Arianne. As I promised him, I vow to you, to support and guide you. You are the woman for my son.”
“You never cease to amaze me, Mother.” Derek turned to Arianne. “In that case there is only one last thing.” He stood, walked next to Arianne and held out his hand. She placed hers in his and stood.
Facing his love, Derek held both her hands. “I never thought I would find true love. That was just something from a romantic Hollywood movie. When we first met, I said it was all about me. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is about us. We are a unit. No one dominates the other. We will stand side by side. But first,” He dropped to one knee and pulled a small, blue-velvet jewel box from his tuxedo pocket. He opened it to reveal a glittering diamond solitaire. “I love you Arianne. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and letting me share your life?”
“I love you more than I ever thought possible. You try to be the tough business tycoon, but inside is a warm, compassionate man. Yes. Yes! I would love to marry you.”
Derek stood and slipped the ring onto her finger. “I love you.”
“I love you, Derek.”
Their lips met. Their arms embraced. Their bodies touched. The passionate future of Arianne and Derek had begun.
Epilogue
With a loving mother’s gaze, Arianne watched her son suckle her breast. She glanced at a sleeping Derek and listened to the clock chime three a.m. How unbelievably content she felt. Tomorrow would be the third wedding anniversary of Arianne and Derek Davenport and the second month of D.J. Davenport’s young life. In the three years of their marriage, she had adapted to Derek’s lifestyle and found her own niche. It had been rough at first, but soon people began accepting her, not only as Derek’s wife, but also as Arianne Davenport—the person.
He had shown her the world. He had made her rich. But all of that paled in importance to the moment she delivered him their son.
D.J. burped and sighed. Arianne snuggled her son close and returned him to his crib. Gently placing the blanket over him, she stood and watched him sleep. What a lucky woman she was, with a wonderful, loving husband and a beautiful, healthy baby.
She crept back into their bedroom, dropped her nightgown to the floor and slipped back into bed. Pressing her body against his, she dragged her fingers up his back. Derek rolled onto his back. Arianne stretched her naked body out and lay on top of his. She kissed his lips, neck and began working her way down his chest. Against her belly she felt his excitement begin to grow. In the darkness Arianne smiled and lowered her open mouth.
The End
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A Kept Woman
Copyright © 2011 Daryl Devore
Cover art by Dee Dawning
All rights reserved.
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