The Wedding Deal

by Duke, Regina

  “Weren’t you in a hurry to get back to your wives?” asked Tony.

  “Don’t worry. They appreciate having some alone time. I mean, away from us. And we really don’t care how much money they spend on the kids.”

  Tony scratched his forehead. “But you say your relationships are strong?”

  “Oh yes,” said Thor. “But I’m showing you marriage through the lens of a guy who’s moved into the parent phase.”

  “And the time-to-think-about-starting-a-family phase in my case,” said Uly. “For me and Belle, that requires a little extra effort.”

  Tony cocked his head to one side. “I don’t get it.”

  Uly and Thor exchanged quick looks. Then Uly explained. “Belle is barren. She can’t have her own, so we are looking into adoption.”

  Tony was surprised. “Wow. I didn’t realize.”

  Thor said, “So you shouldn’t let our sarcastic banter prevent you from looking forward to a future with Darcy, or anyone else, because we’re the first to admit that being married to hot babes is a whole lot better than being on the dating scene.”

  “Oh God yes,” Uly agreed. “The dating scene nearly got me killed in Kuwait.”

  “No kidding?”

  Thor ran a finger around the top of his glass. “Didn’t you hear all the gossip about that at Uly’s wedding?”

  “Too much jet lag,” confessed Tony. “I apologize, cousins. I’ve sort of let my own family dramas interfere with keeping in touch.”

  “On the other hand,” joked Uly, “you’ve spent some pleasant years skiing in Europe, hanging with all those Swiss ski bunnies!”

  “Well, yeah, there’s that,” chuckled Tony.

  “Like I said before,” said Uly, changing the subject a bit, “I was always a little jealous of you when we were kids, and you and your siblings used to make fun of our Texas accents. Part of us teasing you guys was getting even.”

  “I don’t remember that part. We gave you a hard time?”

  Thor stage-whispered, “You made Uly cry, man. I had to stand up for my brother.”

  “So you’re saying I was a New York jerk?”

  More laughter.

  Uly’s phone pinged. “Oh hey, it’s the girls. We better get going.” He paused to send a return text.

  They slid out of the booth and ambled out of the lounge. Tony felt it was the best hour he’d ever spent with his cousins. “Have you and Axel come to terms as well?”

  “Oh heck yeah,” said Thor.

  “Heck yeah?” teased Tony.

  “I have little kids, okay? I’m not using any words they might embarrass me with. Are you coming out to the house? The girls are picking up pizza.”

  Tony said, “Sure. Let me grab Darcy.” They were in the lobby now, but it wasn’t too crowded at that time of day.

  Uly pointed toward the elevators. “Isn’t that her? And Lulamae?”

  Thor frowned. “Leaving already?”

  Tony’s brows came together and his smile faded. “What’s going on?”

  Thor and Uly held back so Tony could approach Darcy. She was holding Lulamae’s elbow and moving slowly toward the front entrance, a bellboy pushing their luggage trolley.

  “Hey Darcy? What’s up?”

  “Lulamae wants to go home.” Her voice was measured, her tone cool.

  “You’re helping her to the limo?”

  “Of course. And I’m going back to Vegas with her.”

  “What? Why? I thought—”

  “You thought we had great fun together, and I agree. But my mother owes you money, and I have to keep earning a paycheck so I can start paying you back.” Her words were clipped, and she kept her eyes on Lulamae instead of meeting his gaze.

  Tony was stumped. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Darcy lightened her tone with what looked like an effort. “I want to thank you for maintaining my mother’s illusions about my career. But I understand you were just helping me because I came with Lulamae.”

  “Well, sure, but…. No! I mean…Lulamae, what the hell?”

  “Oh sugar, I miss my house and my pool, and y’all have been wonderful, but I need to go home. Planes go both ways, you know. Y’all could come visit me now and then. Darcy, cherie, I’ll give you two a moment to say goodbye.” She stepped carefully with her cane toward Thor and Uly.

  Tony was gobsmacked. “No, really, Darcy, what’s going on?”

  “I don’t want you to think you owe me anything, based on Monty Python and a few slow dances,” she said. “I sort of thought you might appreciate a break. You know. To think things over. I mean, I heard you and the guys talking at the elevators, and…well, it was clear you had other plans for our relationship.”

  “No way! I mean…what did you hear?”

  “It’s okay,” said Darcy smoothly. “I’ll be working for Lulamae until something better comes along. I appreciate your help. And I’m sure my mother does, too.” She held out her hand.

  Tony felt like a deer in the headlights. He took her hand, not wanting to let go. When she tugged at it, he shook it but held on. “This isn’t exactly what I expected.” He felt his cheeks warming. Obviously, he’d fallen for Darcy, but she wasn’t ready to commit. This was her way of telling him she needed time to think things over. “I guess it’s okay,” he stumbled. “I mean, things were moving pretty fast. I just thought—”

  Darcy cut him off with a tight smile. “It’s not exactly goodbye forever,” she said, freeing her hand. “I’ll be with Lulamae. I’ll email you about when I can send you a payment.”

  Lulamae called from the entrance, “Our limo is waiting, cherie.”

  Darcy stepped around Tony. “Got to go.”

  Tony stood dumbfounded and watched her leave. A few moments later, Thor and Uly joined him.

  “Okay,” said Thor, “no arguments. You’re coming home with us for pizza.”

  Tony blinked hard. “What did I say? What did I do?”

  “Okay, cousin, this is where we let you in on the big secret. Women are a mystery.” Uly clapped him on the shoulder.

  Thor shook his head. “Maybe she’s still focused on her career,” he said. “Come on. It’s not the end of the world. Lots of fish in the sea.”

  “Move,” said Uly. “I just heard a familiar accent coming from the elevators. Unless you want Lysette to know you’re here alone….”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Ordinarily, Darcy would have been super excited about traveling on the private jet again. And the limousine was just as glorious as it was the last time. But it all looked different to her now. The fun and glamour was gone, and everything seemed gray and dingy, viewed through her lonely eyes. Had she done the right thing? Part of her was certain that going back to Vegas was a smart move. Anyway, she owed Lulamae. After all, none of her Eagle’s Toe adventure would have happened if she hadn’t been working for Lulamae. And yet….

  Leaving without Tony had been much harder than she’d imagined. No matter where she looked, she saw his face. Fortunately, Lulamae slept almost all the way home, so Darcy didn’t have to make pleasant conversation. On the other hand, it was all she could do to fight off tears. She longed to hold Tony’s hand and dance with him again.

  Back home in Vegas, Lulamae’s exhaustion was much more obvious. Darcy helped her get ready for bed, and then she wandered through the big house looking for…. What? Tony? Well, that was a lost cause. She ended up in the kitchen, where Maria had laid out a meal for her before she left for the day. She nibbled at the rib roast, played in her mashed potatoes, and then headed for the freezer to look for ice cream. She found half a quart of Death by Chocolate and took it back to her room where she turned on the TV and curled up to eat in front of an old Rock Hudson-Doris Day movie. It was amusing enough to keep her tears at bay, and she slipped into an uncomfortable sleep while still holding her spoon.

  By morning, she was once again sure that separation was the best decision. After all, if Tony was being coached by his cousins on the pitfa
lls of marriage, that meant he was only going to want a physical relationship, and that was not what her heart longed for. She wanted forever. And she had almost convinced herself in Eagle’s Toe that Tony was the man for her.

  By day three, Lulamae was feeling much better, and they gravitated to the pool.

  “Did the doctors say you’d be ready to swim by now?” Darcy asked.

  Lulamae slipped out of her long terry robe, looking remarkably good in her one-piece for a woman her age. She used the cane to reach the pool steps, then grabbed the railing for safety, lowering herself slowly into the warm water.

  “I don’t care what they say,” she opined. “I want to spend time in my pool.”

  It was still early, and the Vegas sun wouldn’t hit the surface of the pool for another four hours.

  “As long as the shade lasts,” said Darcy, “we should be fine.” She grinned as Lulamae dove softly forward and swam like a swan to the other end of the pool. “You’re truly gifted in the water,” said Darcy.

  “Go get your suit on and join me.”

  “Excellent idea. I’ll be right back.” She returned to her room via the sliding doors that faced the pool, kicked off her shoes, and changed into her own suit, which was stiff with chlorine. She should have laundered it the night before. But she pulled it on and kicked off her shoes and headed back outside. She paused at the sliding doors, then slipped back inside to fetch her new phone. Having it close would allow her to pretend that Tony was nearby. She set it on the table between their lounge chairs and entered the water much less gracefully than Lulamae had.

  Floating on her back, Lulamae said, “Did I ever tell you about the time Belle and Uly came down here to play in my pool?”

  “No, ma’am.” Darcy dog paddled lazily around her employer.

  “Oh, that was a fun week. Uly came down in a cast. He’d had an accident back in Kuwait, where he worked for his father. Seems he got into a pickle over there, and after his accident, he was sent home to the States. His mother hired Belle as a private nurse, you see. And she was trying to make Uly toe the line with his meds and all.” She laughed at the memory. “You should have seen him trying to get that cast off his leg.”

  “Before it healed?”

  “Oh, it was fine. He was faking it. At least as far as that cast was concerned. What a mess.” She laughed again.

  Darcy smiled. “I’m glad things worked out for them.”

  “Well, they almost didn’t, but the universe has a way of bringing people into our lives when we need them most. Uly really needed Belle, and she needed him. They got married here in Vegas, at a wedding chapel, I think. Can’t quite recall. I wasn’t there. But we gave them a splendid gift.”

  “That’s lovely,” said Darcy, wishing she didn’t have to hear how happy everyone else was. She sighed mournfully.

  “I heard that,” teased Lulamae. “Help me out of the pool before I turn into a wrinkled prune, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  Once they were back on their chairs with big towels spread over them, Lulamae sipped her iced tea. “If you’re missing Tony this much, why don’t you call him?”

  Darcy looked away. “He doesn’t want to hear from me.”

  “How do you know? How can you say that?”

  Darcy fought back tears. “I heard them talking by the elevators. He said it sounded like marriage wasn’t the best option. It sounded like he wanted to stay single indefinitely, and I….Well, that’s not what I’ve been hoping for. You know? Being someone’s significant other. I want to be someone’s wife.”

  “Did you ask him about it? Did you talk to him?”

  “No. I was really upset. So I decided I’d better come back to Vegas with you. At least here, I have a job. And it looks like I’ll have to be the one who pays back that loan he gave my mother. When she left Eagle’s Toe, it sounded like she had few prospects.”

  “My, my, my. You do have a talent for building skyscrapers out of popsicle sticks, don’t you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you’re making negative assumptions based on overheard comments that were never intended for your ears. Tony was talking to his cousins. Men always complain about marriage. They think it’s part of being a husband. But you know, if some poor fellow loses his wife, within six months, he’s out there looking again. I know that Uly and Thor are very happy, more so than ever, since they got married. And Thor loves being a daddy. No, my dear, I don’t think you should assume that Tony doesn’t want to be with you. Not until you ask him straight out.”

  Darcy gave a little shrug. “I was sort of hoping he’d call me or something.”

  “Well, where’s your phone? Is this it?” Lulamae lifted Darcy’s cell off the table. Then she made a rude noise. “Cherie, I am beginning to worry about you. You’ll never get a call on this phone if you don’t turn it on.”

  Darcy froze. “It’s not on?”

  “No, it’s not.” She pressed the power button and booted up the phone. As it came to life, a series of pings rang in the air. “Sounds like you’ve missed a few messages.”

  “From Tony?!” Darcy reached eagerly for the phone. Her face crumpled with disappointment. “They’re all from my mother.”

  Lulamae sipped her tea. “No missed calls?”

  “No messages.” Then she peered at the screen more carefully. “Wait. Yes. There are some missed calls. Oh my gosh, do you think Tony was trying to call me?”

  “Could be. Why don’t you go in and tell Maria we’ll have breakfast out here by the pool? And try giving Tony a call.”

  “Okay. I won’t be long.” Darcy was almost afraid to hope that Tony had been trying to get hold of her. She knew there was a way to tell on the phone, but if it wasn’t Tony, she’d feel worse than ever. She padded barefoot toward the kitchen.

  Maria was preparing trays, and Darcy delivered Lulamae’s message. Then she ran down the hall to her room for some privacy. A sense of guilt made her read her mother’s messages before dialing Tony.

  Have you checked your email? I’m trying to send you good news.

  The one after that was just as enigmatic. How can I share with you if you won’t answer my messages?

  And finally, Text me or email me! I want to tell you all about my new business venture.

  Darcy stared hard. Business venture? Her mother was stone cold broke. What was she talking about? She texted back quickly, What business?

  Then she waited. And waited. Groaning with frustration, she dialed her mother’s number.

  “It’s about time you called me,” said Sheila. “My taxes are paid, and I found out that Maggie—you know, my old summer boss—didn’t retire after all. She closed her shop in Placerville because her rent was jacked up. So we’re pooling what’s left of our resources and going into the gift shop business. Also, I found three alpacas up for rescue, and they love the pasture around our house. I’ll be selling alpaca fur before you know it.”

  “Oh. Well. Gee, that sounds very enterprising of you.”

  “Aren’t you happy for me? Your producer solved all my problems. Now don’t worry, sweetheart, I know this came off your paycheck as an actress, and I’ll start paying you back as soon as I can. How is Tony, anyway?”

  “Oh, uh….” Darcy battled with herself. Should she tell her mother the truth and get it over with? No. Not now. She wanted to call Tony, and if she started explaining to her mother, it would take an hour or more. She knew that from past experience. So she fished around for a little white lie. “I’m just about to call him,” she said, glad that half of her story was true, “and ask when to report on set.”

  “Well, go ahead and call him, then. We’ve got work to do here, setting up the new shop.”

  “I’ll keep you in the loop,” said Darcy. That sounded sufficiently Hollywood.

  It took Sheila another five minutes to hang up, but as soon as she did, Darcy found Tony in her contacts list and tapped the screen. As the phone rang on the other end, she wo
ndered if she was doing the right thing. What if he didn’t want to talk to her?

  * * *

  Tony slumped on Axel’s big leather sofa. It was a corner unit, with recliners and cup holders and USB ports for computers, but to Tony it might as well have been a stone bench. “I think I lost her,” said Tony. “I’ve been trying to call for three days. Maybe I never had her in the first place. I think she must have played me for that money her mother needed.”

  “Don’t be so paranoid. Lulamae would never introduce you to a woman who was a game player. Right?”

  “I guess. If you really believe Lulamae has second sight.”

  Axel made a rude noise. “That part doesn’t matter. What she does have is a knack for keen observation and a deep understanding of people.”

  “If you say so.” Tony drooped. “Where’s Taylor this morning?”

  “She insisted on going into town to check on the feed and grain store. She’s tired of everyone fussing over her.”

  Tony nodded. He focused on the back of one hand, his thoughts on Darcy.

  Axel said, “Call her again. If that doesn’t work, call Lulamae’s land line. She’s living there while she’s working, right?”

  Tony lifted his head. “Oh. I never thought of that.”

  “You’re too worked up to think straight,” said Axel. “Where’s your phone?”

  Tony pulled it out of his pocket and stared at it glumly. “What if she doesn’t want to talk to me?”

  Axel growled in frustration and yanked the phone out of Tony’s hand. “I can’t believe my most rebellious sibling is afraid to talk to a woman! Here.” He jabbed at the screen a couple of times and handed the phone back to Tony as it rang. It went straight to voice mail.

  “See?” said Tony.

  “Now call Lulamae.”

  “Oh, I don’t know….”

  “Are you fond of Darcy?”

  “Very.”

  “And you still want to play at being a producer and making movies?”

  “Without her, it’s no fun.”

  “Of course it isn’t. That’s why I’m telling you to call Lulamae.”