The Wedding Deal

by Duke, Regina

  “There she is,” he said expansively, “the woman who gave us our next big star. Mrs. Summerlin, the world owes you a debt of gratitude.”

  Darcy looked flustered. “Mom, please have some supper. We’ll never eat all this food. Steaks, baked potatoes, and rolls, wow. Coffee?”

  Lulamae responded. “Of course, cherie. She needs a hot cup of coffee and a dinner roll. Mrs. Summerlin, come sit with me and tell me all about Darcy’s childhood. That sort of background helps me identify roles that will be perfect for her.”

  Any qualms Tony had about misleading Darcy’s mother were erased as Lulamae began selling her part as a talent agent. Mrs. Summerlin was wringing the life out of a white handkerchief, but she did as Lulamae asked, settling next to her on the sofa. Darcy filled a cup with coffee, and Tony brought her plate to the coffee table.

  “It’s not crumpets and clotted cream, but we’re not in England, are we?”

  Mrs. Summerlin looked up at him. “You sound American to me,” she said.

  “Oh, I am. One-hundred percent. But I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe and we filmed my last movie in London.” Okay, he told himself, you went to London for a break and you did take video of the changing of the guard. Close enough.

  “Oh really? What’s the name of your movie? Is it in theaters now?”

  Tony warned himself to stick to fibs he could get away with. “Oh, uh, well….” He pushed confidence into his voice. “In the film industry, sometimes all the pieces fall into place and you get a big premiere. And sometimes you’re plagued with unexpected difficulties and…. Well, let’s just say the film is in the can, as they say, but our release date has been postponed. As soon as we settle on a new title, I’ll be sure to let you know.” He clicked his tongue and winked at her.

  Darcy poured her mother’s coffee. When she straightened up, she muttered at him, “Don’t overdo it.”

  Tony cleared his throat and pretended she hadn’t spoken.

  Mrs. Summerlin asked, “And you say Darcy is doing a film for you? Is she an extra?”

  “Good Lord, no. Producers don’t hang out with extras. Darcy has the leading role.”

  “What kind of movie is it?”

  Tony thought fast. “Oh, it’s going to be romantic and grand. I can’t reveal any details about the script because of legal commitments, but I promise you, Darcy will be the next big star in Hollywood.”

  Mrs. Summerlin sipped at her coffee. “That sounds wonderful.” Her face filled with hope. She turned to Darcy. “I knew you’d make it, sweetheart, but I thought it would take you a year, at least.”

  Darcy’s mouth opened, then closed. Lulamae held up a finger. “Oh, it will take at least a year to make the movie, so it won’t seem like an overnight success. But it’ll come. When I first laid eyes on Darcy, I knew she was something special.”

  “A year?” Mrs. Summerlin’s features darkened with worry. “Does that mean…?” She chewed her bottom lip. “Darcy, dear, are you…will you be paid during the year of filming?”

  Tony answered before Darcy had a chance. “Of course she’s being paid. I have to make sure she is available when filming starts.” He had no idea if that was how movie makers worked, but he knew they were trying to slip Darcy’s mother a loan, so he just let the words flow.

  Mrs. Summerlin relaxed and cut into her steak. “When does that happen? Filming, I mean?” Her eyes widened. “Oh my, are you here to film on location?”

  “Yes,” said Lulamae.

  “No,” said Tony. “I mean, yes, we’re scouting some locations nearby. But we aren’t filming yet.” Flustered, he gestured toward Austin. “Let’s get some behind-the-scenes photos, shall we? The trade papers will love this. Rising star Darcy Summerlin and her mother, reunited after a long separation.”

  Darcy said softly, “I only left for Los Angeles ten months ago.”

  But Tony was on a roll. “No, no. You’ve been away from home, working on your career. Austin? Let’s take some mother-daughter moments. Variety will eat this up.”

  Darcy looked like she was ready to chew on something but it wasn’t a photo. “Maybe we should postpone the hype until the movie comes out,” she said. “Meanwhile, I’d like to make sure my mother has all the cash she needs. After she drove all the way from California, I don’t want her to leave empty-handed.” Her tone made it clear she was hoping her mother didn’t stay long.

  Tony snapped his fingers. “Good thinking. Tomorrow morning I’ll have my office wire you some money, and you can help your mother out. Austin, have some dinner.”

  “Oh, the little woman is expecting me at home. Should I come back tomorrow?”

  “Definitely.” Tony walked him to the door. “We can’t have a movie star without paparazzi.” At the door, he leaned toward Austin and said quietly, “Thanks, cuz. I owe you big time.”

  Once her money troubles appeared to be handled, Sheila relaxed and ate heartily. Tony was glad she was a chatterbox because playing his role was tiring, and he had to be careful about how he answered every question. At last, with yawns and hugs, she said good night.

  “What time should I come by in the morning?” Sheila looked at them expectantly.

  Darcy looked like a deer in the headlights, so Tony replied, “How about eleven? Darcy and I will meet you here.”

  “Yes,” said Lulamae, loosened by a second cocktail. “Come up at ten, Sheila, and have coffee and croissants with me first, hear?”

  “Thank you, dear! And Mr. Garrison, thank you for looking out for my little girl in her quest for fame and fortune.” She shook his hand, kissed Darcy on the cheek, and moved a bit unsteadily for the door.

  After she was gone, Tony shot a questioning glance at Lulamae. “I didn’t notice that Sheila had a cocktail.”

  Lulamae put on an innocent face and avoided his gaze. “Why, Lordy have mercy, I don’t know what could have happened. She was only drinking Coca-Cola.” She used one hand to slide two small empty rum bottles out of sight, but not before Tony caught on.

  “You’ll pay for that in the morning,” he said, “because Darcy and I plan to be out of the hotel by nine. You’re on your own with Sheila.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Everyone overslept Thursday morning, and Tony wondered how much Lulamae had to do with that. She had furtively doctored Sheila’s Coke with rum, that he knew for sure. But had she dosed Darcy’s drink as well? As for himself, he’d tossed and turned all night trying not to think about the countess and her threat to come to the US.

  He used his new cell phone to text Darcy at 9:30.

  You’re the only person on my contact list so far. Good morning. I’m running late. I’ll get there as soon as possible.

  He knocked on the penthouse door at 10:12 but wasn’t sure how he managed it. Darcy let him in. She was dressed, but her hair was still damp. “I’ll be right back,” she said. “Got to blow-dry. Lulamae is up.” She forced a cheerful smile. “And she has a hangover,” she added sotto voce.

  “Thanks for the warning,” said Tony. “It’s okay. Go finish your hair.”

  A voice behind him called out, “Hold the door!” Sounding entirely too chipper for a woman who had wobbled out of the suite the night before, Sheila was quick-stepping from the elevator.

  Tony and Darcy looked at each other, eyes wide, then both suppressed a fit of giggles.

  “Good morning, Mom. I have to go dry my hair. The breakfast trolley is here.” She rushed toward her bedroom.

  Tony spread his hands and tried to find the energy to maintain his Hollywood producer role. “Hey, Mrs. S. Let’s get some coffee.”

  Fortunately, Lulamae was not shy about holding up a palm and grunting her disapproval when Sheila began to babble at her. To her credit, Sheila did a tick-a-lock over her mouth, took a Danish, and let Tony pour her a cup of coffee. She didn’t seem offended at all by being shushed.

  When Darcy reappeared with dry hair, he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the door. “See you soon, ladies!” And out t
hey went.

  Once they entered the express elevator to the lobby, Darcy asked, “Did you really wire an assistant to send five grand?”

  “Hmm? Oh, that. Don’t worry about it,” said Tony, feeling good about his adopted persona. “I’ll cover it.”

  “How?” Then Darcy clutched his arm. “Are you going to sell the jewels?”

  Tony was taken aback. “They aren’t mine.”

  “Finders, keepers?” asked Darcy.

  Tony laughed. It turned out that there was a branch of one of Tony’s banks in Eagle’s Toe, and it was only a few blocks away. “Shall we walk?” he asked.

  Darcy’s brows knit together. “Do we have time?”

  “It’s only 10:25. If we run over, Lulamae will cover for us.”

  By the time they finished at the bank, Darcy was in shock. “Wow. Your receipt has over six figures on it.”

  Tony tucked his wallet away, along with the pocket money he’d withdrawn for himself, and handed Darcy the bank envelope with five thousand dollars in it. “For your mother.”

  She stared at the envelope, fat with hundred dollar bills. “You’re serious.”

  “Of course. We can’t let her lose everything just because she had a bad year.”

  “But you only just met her. You only just met me.”

  “Let’s just say, you worked some magic on me in the lounge the other night.” He reached out and pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Don’t you believe in first impressions?” he asked softly.

  “I must have made a good one.” Darcy blinked against the tide of feeling that threatened to overwhelm her.

  “We’ve laughed at Monty Python together,” Tony said. “We sort of bonded. Didn’t you feel that way?”

  Darcy gave a little shrug. “Well, yeah, but I thought it was just me.”

  He laughed. “You’re the first totally genuine woman I’ve met since I left for Europe. I don’t want you worrying about Sheila, and I don’t want you to give up on your dreams. Now, let’s go surprise your mother.”

  When they returned to Lulamae’s suite, they found Austin on the sofa next to her, working his way methodically through a croissant.

  Tony said, “Thanks for coming back, Austin. We’ll need photos today.” He tossed his cousin a conspiratorial wink. Sheila’s back was turned, but a moment later she surprised him by asking to go along while they scouted movie locations. Tony screwed his face into a question and pinned his godmother with a look.

  Lulamae lifted her glass. “Hair of the dog,” she said. “And I just innocently mentioned that y’all have plans for today.” She looked heavenward as Tony exhaled loudly.

  Sheila explained, “I need another night of rest before driving back to Forest Hill anyway. And I’m so excited about your movie. It seemed like a great way to catch up before I go home. Darcy, what happened to your cell? I’ve been trying your old number for days.”

  “Oh, um, well…” Darcy covered by thrusting the bank envelope at her mother. “Here.”

  Tony said, “We wanted her to have a studio phone. I just set that up for her yesterday. I’m sure Darcy will give you her new number.” He glanced questioningly at Darcy, because, in fact, he wasn’t so sure at all.

  “Of course,” said Darcy. “But Mom, I thought you’d have to return home quickly, to… pay your taxes.”

  “They sent me a notice,” she said. “I have a couple of weeks to make my payment. I’m just so thrilled that your career is taking off. This is the closest I’ve ever come to real-life Hollywood movie-making.”

  Darcy gave Tony a helpless look. He responded, “Of course! Today’s the best day to come along, because…we’re going to…” He flopped around mentally for what to say next. “…visit a reindeer and alpaca rescue site.”

  Sheila looked confused. “Is this a western?”

  “No, no,” said Tony. “It’s a romance. Just set in Colorado, where lots of animals live.” Oh gosh, that was original, he thought. And totally lame.

  But Sheila was enthusiastic. “I would love to see you in action. No cameras today?”

  “Just my photographer,” said Tony. “I don’t want news of our movie to get out to the press yet.”

  “Is Lulamae going?” Sheila was fondling the envelope of cash as if it were a small puppy.

  “Oh, no thanks,” said Lulamae. “I don’t want to hazard another fall. Farms have notoriously uneven terrain. Besides, I’m looking forward to annoying my other godchildren.” She grinned from ear to ear.

  “Well, I’m ready,” said Sheila, tucking her envelope deep into her purse.

  Darcy tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling.

  “How about you?” asked Tony. “Ready to work on our movie?”

  When she looked at him, the whites of her eyes were showing. “I guess so.”

  Tony could tell she wasn’t thrilled at having her mother tag along, but he was hoping that letting her accompany them would satisfy her and she’d be eager to leave for home the next day. “You ladies take your time. I’ll pull my car around and meet you by the front doors. Austin? You coming?”

  Austin snapped a few more photos, then followed Tony out of the suite. Once outside, Tony said quietly, “I need to stop by my room for a moment. I’d like you to text my brother and let him know about our charade. I don’t want to blow this thing in front of Darcy’s mother.”

  “I thought you were going to buy a phone?”

  “I did… but I don’t know Axel’s number by heart.” They exited on Tony’s floor. “I’ll just be a second.”

  Austin nodded. “Okay.”

  A few moments later Tony emerged from his room, patting the pocket of his jacket. “Come on, you can text Axel in the car.”

  By the time Tony had pulled up in front of the hotel lobby, Austin already had a reply.

  “Axel wants to know what you’re up to. He says it sounds fishy.”

  Tony groaned. “Tell him I’m trying to impress a woman.” Austin bent over his phone as Darcy, Sheila, and Lulamae came through the doors.

  Austin gave up the front passenger seat to Darcy and joined her mother in the back seat. Sheila was obviously feeling more comfortable. She was speaking more freely than ever.

  “Darcy, honey, how much are you making for this movie? Do you think it will be a big hit? How long before I can brag to my friends?”

  Darcy sounded subdued. “Not yet,” she said. “I’m sure the movie will do well.”

  Tony smiled reassuringly. “As for her salary, that’s a trade secret between her and the studio.”

  Sheila asked, “What’s the name of the studio?”

  “Tick-a-lock,” said Tony. “If I give you the name, a smart lady like you will Google it and the cat will be out of the bag.”

  Darcy turned to the window to hide her smile. Tony took that as a good sign. “Okay, Austin, help me find this rescue ranch.”

  Thirty minutes later, Tony parked the BMW in front of a two-story house. Axel and Taylor waved from the porch. As if to reassure them that they’d gotten the message, Taylor rushed over to greet Darcy when she got out of the car. “I’m so glad we’re getting to know you before you hit superstardom,” she said. “I can’t imagine we’ll see much of you after the premiere.”

  Axel was more subdued but still supportive. “Good to see you, Tony. I wondered what you were doing in Europe. Didn’t know you were making movies.”

  “In the States, you mean,” said Tony. “Yes, I decided it’s time to move my career to Hollywood. And Darcy will be my star.”

  Axel tried to hide his amusement. “Tony, you never fail to surprise me. So, what do you want to see first?”

  “The animals,” said Tony. “Have you got enough to look good on film? Or will I have to rent extra reindeer?”

  Sheila was glued to Tony’s side, so Darcy was, too. She looked like a woman who’d been talked onto a roller coaster against her will. But she cheered up at the sight of the reindeer. “I thought they’d be bigger,” she said
. “I mean, how small is Santa’s sleigh? They aren’t very tall.”

  “They aren’t horses,” agreed Axel. “Wait until you see the alpacas. I built some shelters and pens for them behind the barn.” He addressed Tony. “I had to separate the males and females because I already have four pregnancies. In eleven months, we’ll have baby alpacas.”

  Darcy seemed charmed by one of the reindeer who walked up and shoved her gently in the chest. “Who is this?”

  “That one is Ruby. At Christmastime we put a red nose on her and the kids call her Rudolph. She’s probably the tamest reindeer I have.”

  “Good,” said Tony. “Do you have a trainer? Or will I have to hire one?”

  “I have at least a dozen trained to harness. And we do have an animal trainer in Eagle’s Toe. Her name is Sunny. She’s married to Brady Felton who owns the garage.”

  Tony asked doubtfully, “The garage? You mean there’s only one?”

  “We’re still a small town. There’s a franchise trying to convince the town council that we need their oil-changing services, but we haven’t decided yet.”

  Tony looked grim. “That may limit our vehicle choices.”

  Alex seemed a tad irritated that Tony was still talking about the non-existent movie, but he played along. “Well, there are lots of places in Pueblo to get cars. Don’t let that stop you.”

  Sheila was clearly enamored of Ruby the Reindeer. “How sweet. I never met one in person before. Will Darcy have to learn how to drive a team of reindeer?”

  Tony shrugged. “I’ll use a stunt double for that sort of thing.”

  “Good idea,” said Axel, “because reindeer can’t read a script, and you never know exactly what’s going to happen. There are reindeer in your movie?”

  Sheila said, “I thought it was a romance.”

  “It is,” said Tony. “It will be. But why not have two people fall in love on a reindeer ranch?”

  Axel grinned. “It worked for me and Taylor.”

  The alpacas were less social but just as interesting as the reindeer. Axel was getting in the groove with his supposed mission to educate the big producer. “Alpaca females decide when they will mate. They just lie down on the ground, and when she spits at him and walks away, she’s done. And most likely pregnant.”