by Megan Hart
They returned to Julien’s mother’s office and Julien opened the door that led to the back porch. She wrapped one arm around his back and kissed him.
“No, no,” Salena said, wagging her finger. “We want to lower his blood pressure, not raise it.”
“Oops.” Remi pulled back. With one private smile at Julien, she whispered, “It hurts to say goodbye to you. So I won’t. I’ll see you on the other side.”
He kissed her forehead, and she left him and Salena alone in the office. The last thing she saw was Salena shoving a needle into Julien’s arm and Julien collapsing onto the floor.
As she drove away from Capital Hills, two ambulances and a police car passed her. She knew exactly where they were going, and soon Merrick would be on his way here as well.
Julien and Salena were doing their part. Merrick would do his part soon. Only one thing left to do tomorrow morning.
Her turn.
Chapter Eight
Mr. and Mrs. Brite
At dawn, Remi got out of bed like usual, got dressed to go riding, and headed to the stables. Arden Farms was so large that workers drove golf carts between the stables, but she preferred to ride one of the working horses—usually one of their Tennessee walkers. This morning, however, she picked Benvolio. There wasn’t a horse on the property that could jump like Benvolio could. Perfect.
“Don’t be mad at me,” she whispered to Benvolio as she tightened the girth. “I’m going to do something very stupid, but I won’t let anyone blame you.”
She fed Benvolio an apple and stroked his long nose. “You won’t get turned into glue for this, I promise,” she said, brushing a tangle out of his mane. “I’m crazy in love with someone and you’re going to love him too when you meet him. So just trust me, okay?”
Benvolio didn’t answer with anything but a nuzzle against her shoulder. She took that as a sign she had him on her side.
She stepped into the stirrup and swung her leg over his back. With a twitch of the reins he started down the path toward the practice track. She warmed Benvolio up with a few cross-rail jumps. Good. They could do this. As she neared the track she saw her father leaning against the fence like he had for as long as she could remember. Coffee cup in hand, newsboy cap covering his bald spot, and an intense look of concentration on his face as two of their strongest four-year-olds pounded down the practice track.
They passed the finish line, and she saw her father hit a button on his stopwatch. Finally he looked away from the track and noticed her. She waved at her father. He waved at her. And just as he was starting to look away again, Remi gave Benvolio the signal to break into a canter. She pointed him at a low fence, and he obediently jumped. Even though she knew she’d have one hell of a bruised ass from this little stunt, Remi let go of the reins in midair and fell from the saddle.
She hit the grass with a thud that rattled her teeth. Any other time she’d been knocked off a horse, she’d gotten right back up again. But not today. Today she was on a mission.
Instead of getting up, Remi closed her eyes.
Only seconds later she sensed herself being surrounded by people, nervous and scared. She heard her father’s voice shouting for a doctor. She heard one of the trainers saying they should call 911 immediately. People called her name, patted her face, tried to pry open her eyelids.
Ten minutes later, she was in the back of a speeding ambulance. Her father had yelled he’d follow right behind in his car. As she was being loaded, she pretended to come to just long enough to ask her father to bring her mother, too. He promised he would.
Now it was on.
As soon as she was alone in the ambulance with the EMTs, she miraculously recovered and started talking. The EMTs said she’d be checked at the hospital for a concussion and monitored for a few hours. Of course she would. She knew exactly what would happen once she got to the hospital. In her twenty-six years she’d fallen off horses and bumped her head half a dozen times and had gone through this routine every time. She hated that she had to scare everyone like this, but she knew Merrick was right—this was the only way to guarantee both of her parents would be away from the farm long enough for him to do his digging. The guilty feeling gnawed at her, but considering her parents had involved the farm in possibly illegal activities, she decided giving their parents a brief scare was a fair trade for the hell they’d put her through.
Luckily, at the ER she was considered a low-priority patient as she was awake, alert, and seemingly unharmed. She was shunted into a side room and semiforgotten. Every fifteen minutes a nurse would peek in the door and make sure she was still conscious. The nurse asked if she wanted her parents back in the room. She politely declined the offer. Instead she turned on the television and found nothing on but soap operas.
So this is what Julien went through—sitting alone in a hospital room staring at a television and waiting for his life to start.
Finally, Merrick texted her.
Got it, was all the text said plus a rocket-ship emoticon.
Get here, she wrote back, and just because she loved him a little bit today, she added a smiley face.
And a banana.
Half an hour later, Merrick walked through her hospital room door. He had a file folder in his hand, two ledger books, and a sheaf of printed pages.
“Is that it?” she asked, as he sat on her bed and tossed the papers in her lap.
“All of it.” He wore an ear-to-ear grin. The only thing that made Merrick happier than getting into trouble was getting someone else into trouble. “Read.”
She read through everything he’d brought her—thinly veiled messages from Balt, payments recorded in her dad’s old-school ledgers that weren’t on the official set of books, and a damning e-mail from Julien’s father to hers that implicated them all.
On the one hand she was thrilled they had hard evidence. On the other hand, she was more furious than ever.
“I’m going to kill them,” she said once she’d finished reading.
“We’re in a hospital. If you try to murder them, the doctors will just revive them,” Merrick said.
“They might try to kill me,” she said. “Probably good we’re here.”
“I won’t let them, Boss. I’d kill for you, die for you, I’d even take a bare bodkin for you.”
“You’d take a dagger for me?”
“I thought a bare bodkin was a penis.”
“It’s a knife.”
“I’ve seriously been misreading the subtext of Hamlet then.”
“Come on. We have two sets of parents to freak out.”
She grabbed the pile of papers, and together they found her parents waiting in the lobby. Her father was on his phone, no doubt checking in with the farm. Her mother was flipping through a magazine without making eye contact with any of the pages.
“Good news,” she said to them. “I’ll live. No concussion.”
“Oh thank God,” her mother said, and reached out to hug her.
“You gave us a little scare there,” her father said, stoic as always.
“I’m about to scare you two a little more,” she said, refusing to return the hug. Merrick’s find had implicated not just Julien’s mother and father in this mess, but both her parents as well. “Merrick, what room is he in?”
“He’s in 5515,” he said.
“Who? What are you talking about, young lady?” her father asked, narrowing his eyes at her. “And is that my ledger book?”
Remi took a step back and crooked her fingers at her parents. “I have someone you two need to meet,” she said. “I think you’ll like him.”
The elevator ride to the fifth floor was a bit awkward, but Remi refused to answer any of her parents’ questions. “You’ll see...” was all she said. On the fifth floor they walked past the nurses’ station. A young nurse demanded to know whose room they were visiting.
Remi sighed. She was afraid this would happen. It was okay. She had this. “Julien Brite, room 5515.”
�
�His parents have requested family only can visit.”
Remi grabbed a sheet of paper off the nurse’s station desk, then scrawled a few choice words onto the paper and handed it to the nurse.
“Oh,” the nurse said. “Go right in.”
“Thank you,” Remi said.
“Remi Olivia Montgomery, you tell us right now what is happening,” her mother demanded.
“Julien Brite?” her father repeated. “Young lady, didn’t we tell you that you were never to see him again?”
“You did. I ignored you.” Remi pushed open the door to room 5515. Julien was sitting up in bed surrounded by his family. She nearly cried at the sight of him in the hospital room. Hopefully this would be his last trip to a hospital for the rest of his life. Instead of crying, she kissed Julien.
“Excuse me, miss” came a woman’s voice from behind her. Remi ignored it. She looked Julien in the eyes.
“Did we get it?” he whispered the question. He could have shouted it if he wanted to. Everyone in the room had recognized each other at once. Her parents began fighting with his parents. A nurse shouted over them all to shut them up. And in her peripheral vision she saw Merrick standing to the side and taking pictures of the melee and grinning.
“We got everything,” she said and gave him one more long, lush kiss.
“Excuse me?” Remi felt a tapping on her back. She stood up, turned around and faced Mrs. Deidre Brite.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“I was just slipping the tongue to your son,” Remi said with a smile.
“You were what?” she gasped.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Julien said. “Remi and I are sleeping together, so she’s allowed to kiss me.”
“Julien!” his father yelled.
“I’m going to need everyone to shut up and sit down right this second,” Remi said. “Or stand. I don’t care. But you all do need to shut the hell up, because Julien and I have a few very big announcements.”
Julien hopped out of the hospital bed and stood at her side. Just then Salena in her white doctor’s coat and blue scrubs entered the room and stood by Merrick. Good. They didn’t want her to miss the show.
“Announcements?” her father said. “You drag us to a hospital to tell us you’re dating Julien Brite? Remi, what the hell is going on here?”
“First of all, you should know Julien and I are fine. Neither one of us is sick or injured. We faked it to get you away from the farms so Merrick could do a little digging. He struck gold, in case you were wondering.”
“Julien, you scared your mother and me to death—” Julien’s father started, but Julien raised his hand, cutting him off.
“Yeah, well, you all scared me a little, too, by engaging in illegal activities. I think faking a faint is barely a misdemeanor, considering you all are committing felonies,” Julien said.
“What are you talking about?” Mr. Brite demanded, his face red and angry.
“We’ll get to that in a second,” Remi said. “The second thing you need to know is that Julien and I are together. And that’s the least of your problems.”
“Problems?” Mrs. Brite repeated, looking nervously at her husband.
“Big problems,” Julien said. “Remi, you know this stuff better than I do. Can you explain it?”
“Happily,” she said. “You see, Tyson Balt owns Verona Downs. And Hijinks and Shenanigans are the favorites for the Verona Downs Stakes race. Everybody bets on the favorites. If they lose and one of the long shots wins, Tyson Balt and Verona Downs will be swimming in money. Mr. Balt paid our parents ten million dollars each to whip the press into a frenzy over the biggest horse-racing rivalry in decades and then throw the race. Neither Shenanigans nor Hijinks will win, and Balt will be richer than God.”
Remi held up a sheaf of papers Merrick had printed out.
“Tyson Balt paid you all off to throw the Stakes race, and I have the proof right here. Don’t even bother to deny it.”
“Remi, honey,” her mom began.
Remi held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear any excuses,” she said. “Do you know how much trouble you all could be in if the racing commission found out about this? Do you?”
All four parents remained silent.
“Do you have any idea how humiliating this would be if the scandal broke? It would be all over the racing news for weeks. Arden and Capital would become laughingstocks and pariahs. Pariahs,” she repeated, knowing how much her family and Julien’s cared about public opinion. “And all for what? Money.”
“That money is your money, too,” her father said. “We did this for you and the farm. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to run a Thoroughbred farm?”
“Of course I do,” she said, pointing at herself. “I’m the damn farm manager, Dad. I know we’re doing fine. We’re not billionaires, but nobody’s starving around here. And did you really think I wouldn’t notice what asses you all were being in the news? That stupid feud should have never started to begin with. Julien and I got a little carried away, but it was nobody’s business but ours. Did you think I would just stand by and let you all drag our good names through the mud? Did you think I wouldn’t notice you bought the new farm and paid cash? Do you all think I wouldn’t notice the Brites dropping ten million at the auctions? How stupid do you all think I am?”
She waited. No one wanted to touch that question. Wise decision, she thought.
“Here’s the thing,” Remi said as she took Julien’s hand in hers. “I had my suspicions, and I needed someone in the Brite family to help me confirm them. Julien did. And in addition to helping us get all this lovely evidence, he and I...well, how would you put it?”
“We’re in love,” Julien said. “Madly and completely in love. For starters.”
“What do you want with us?” Julien’s stern father asked.
“That is a fantastic question,” Remi said. “And luckily we have a fantastic answer. Capital Hills has a nice crop of yearlings. Arden just bought a second farm. You’re going to give me and Julien the yearlings and the farm. We’ll sell the yearlings and you all can call it a donation. Oh, and we want Shenanigans and Hijinks, too. You all don’t deserve those horses.” She would take Benvolio, too, since he was a coconspirator.
“You want what?” Mr. Brite asked, utterly aghast.
“A plague on both your horses!” Merrick shouted.
Remi turned around and glared at him.
“Sorry,” he said. “I always wanted to say that.”
“We want your ill-gotten gains,” Julien said. “And we’re going to use them for good. Remi and I are going to turn the farm into an equine therapy nonprofit to help sick, disabled and poor teenagers. And you all are funding it. Congrats. Criminals to philanthropists in one afternoon.”
“We are, are we?” her father asked, sounding both angry and skeptical. “I’m not entirely sure I’m on board with this plan.”
“Tough shit,” Remi said. “You lost your vote in this matter when you put our entire farm and our family’s reputation at risk. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. And even if you’re not, you’re going to make amends for it anyway.”
“She’s so sexy when she gets tough like this,” Merrick said.
“Totally agree,” Julien said, and he and Merrick fist-bumped.
“The Brites and the Montgomerys can’t simply start a nonprofit together,” Mrs. Brite said. “We’re incorporated businesses. And the rivalry in the press—”
“Is over,” Remi said. “Done. Finished. Kaput. It’s history. Now and forever. And you all will be holding a press conference in one week to announce to the world that the feud is over. The Brites and the Montgomerys have forgiven each other. The press will eat it up. Then you’ll announce that the creation of Shenanigans—a day camp that will be funded by Arden Farms and Capital Hills for needy, sick and disabled teenagers. And you won’t be taking another cent from Tyson Balt ever again. You won’t be betting money on horse racing ever again.
And you won’t be throwing another race. Ever. Again.”
Remi paused and let the words sink in.
“And if we don’t?” Mr. Brite asked after a minute’s pause.
“Your son and I will be giving the racing commission a call.”
“You’d turn on us? Your own family?” her father asked.
“Me? I’m the one turning on the family?” Remi was aghast. “You got greedy and put our good name and reputation at stake. Julien and I could have just called the commission. Instead we’re giving you all a way to exit this idiocy with grace and dignity.”
“I don’t even know who you are anymore. This isn’t the Remi Olivia Montgomery I know and love,” her mother said in her most scolding tone.
“No, it isn’t,” Remi said. “Because I’m not Remi Olivia Montgomery.”
“What?” her mother gasped.
“She’s Remi Olivia Brite,” Julien said with a wide victorious smile. “We got married in Paris. Merrick took pictures.”
“They’re right here,” Merrick said and held up his iPhone. “Doesn’t Remi look pretty in her dress? I picked it out. Oh, and here’s the marriage document-license-thingie.” He held the certificate up for the room to see. “Voila! That’s French for ‘Voila!’”
“It’s a good thing we did get married,” Remi said, turning to kiss him quick on the mouth. “The nurse said family only was allowed in your room. I wrote her a little note that said I’m your wife and these are your in-laws.”
“Hi, in-laws,” Julien waved at the room.
“You got married?” Mrs. Brite breathed, staring bug-eyed at her son.
“I know it’s a little sudden,” Julien admitted, wincing. “But it was the best way to guarantee...What did you call it, Merrick?”
“A merger,” Merrick said. “And these two kids have been merging like crazy. In your house last night, even.”
“I can’t help it,” Remi said without apology. “I missed my husband.”
“My daughter and Julien Brite got married,” her mother repeated. “Married? Married to Julien Brite?”
“Say ‘married’ a few more times,” Merrick said. “It’s starting to sound like ‘Merrick.’”