Stay with Me

by Sheryl Wright

  “And this office,” she said with a grin.

  Lori just shook her head. Twenty-one and astoundingly gorgeous, her niece often suffered bouts of insecurity and Lori was more than aware of it. She believed it to be the driving force behind her aggressive behavior with women. “Peachy says you haven’t been out to the club in months, lost your dancing shoes? Or did you just find something better to do with your time?” She watched as Zoe colored. She hadn’t seen that happen since she was a teen and Lori had asked straight out if she was a lesbian. “Okay, no pressure but hey, even I’ve had bouts of monogamy. They don’t take your player’s card away for giving it a try.”

  Just then both their phones beeped notifications. Before Lori could even open her text messages, Zoe read hers aloud. “Marnie wants to see the finalized plans.”

  “Let her know you have them finished and I’ve signed the approvals.” Looking at her own phone, she noted the time. “Ask her if she can fit me in at lunch. That will give me a chance to pop in and check on Georgie before we sit down.”

  “Can I come?”

  There was so much hope in her eyes, Lori grinned. “Oh, so I take it your interest can be found lurking in the DiNamico building? So, spill kiddo, who is she?”

  Zoe blushed, waving off her insinuation. “It’s not like that, we’re just friends. She helped me with these and I—”

  “Aydan!” Lori reared to her feet, her body language and tone revealing her distress. “No way, Zoe!” She paced the tiny office, needing room to move. It was one of the reasons Zoe had added more office room to the expansion plans. It was a good call, but this wasn’t. “Look kiddo, I don’t want to be a bitch but leave Aydan alone. She’s a bucket full of broken and doesn’t need any of your…” Suddenly aware of her language and threatening posture, she backed off.

  Looking like she’d just been slapped, Zoe fired back, “None of what? My bullshit?”

  “Look, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that she’s been through a lot. Besides, she’s not even a lesbian.”

  Zoe snorted at that. “You really are a big dumb butch sometimes! You think she’s straight just because she wears that scarf thingy or because she’s pretty? Really Lori, this isn’t about you unless…Oh my God!” She clamped her hands over her mouth. “You like her!”

  “Do not!” Talk about sounding like a stupid lovestruck teen. Maybe I do like her that way. Oh shit, now what do I do?

  Triumphantly, looking like she had bested her aunt, Zoe stuck out her hand. “May the best woman win.”

  Recoiling, Lori forced herself to think. Did she really want to go head-to-head with the hottest lesbian in town? “We can’t hurt her that way. I won’t—”

  “I won’t do anything untoward. Let’s make this a gentlewomanly wager. We will both continue offering our friendship only. If things progress to a kiss, and only a kiss, the kissee wins.” Lori was still panicking when Zoe added, “If I win, you take me to Aunt Joanne’s dress shop and buy me anything I want. If you win, I’ll do the same.” At Lori’s raised brow, she amended, “Fine, I’ll buy you something butchy from Uncle John. Better?”

  Normally, Lori would never consider such a thing but Zoe’s mischievous grin and her own desire overrode her common sense. “Two, no three rules!” At Zoe’s mounting enthusiasm, she listed her conditions, ticking them off on her fingers. “This is a secret bet. If anyone learns about it, especially Georgie, Marnie, or Aydan, the bet is off and I’ll tell everyone it was your idea. Second, no funny business, you have to pledge to treat her with respect. She’s been through enough—let’s not make her feel used too. Got that?” At Zoe’s nod, she added the last point. “If, and I mean if, she kisses one of us and wants to, you know…no! I don’t mean sex you pig. If she’s interested in one of us and kisses one of us, it has to be her starting things. Then the other one backs off completely. Agreed?”

  Zoe stuck her hand out again. “So, will I be accompanying you to the meeting with Marnie?”

  Lori groaned for show but couldn’t hide her grin. She liked having the kid working at the boatyard, liked her irrepressible spirit, not to mention her mockery for anything she considered in her way. “Well I guess it would be ungentlewomanly of me to say no.” Rolling up the large-scale prints of the construction plans, she slipped them into a cardboard tube. Then she sat down again. “Okay kiddo, time to spill. You’ve been pissed with this whole Georgie thing for weeks.”

  “I…I just don’t see it. Why does everyone run to her? It’s not as if she’s the prettiest or anything. I mean, she can barely carry on a conversation yet you’re all there at her beck and call.”

  “What else?”

  “Nothing, that’s it. I’m just…why do women go for her? I mean she’s…”

  “That’s your ego talking, chicklet, and women don’t go for her or at least they haven’t in years, unless…aah, Tyler. You want to know why Tyler would fall for her and put up with her bullshit?” When Zoe didn’t answer, she knew it was the true question. “Let’s see, Georgie is a lot older than you so you should have the upper hand in that category. You’re hands down better looking; even Tyler will admit you won the DNA jackpot and that’s coming from a woman who thinks we’re all pretty hot. What else, hmm…you know how to have fun. You can outdance anyone and you are charming. It makes sense you’re confused. Anyone would look at the two of you and agree you’re the hands-down winner. So then, why did Doctor Hot-Body choose our broken leader when she could have grabbed the diamond in the crown?”

  Lori watched as the kid lifted her head. She was embarrassed for raising the subject but looked very much as if she needed to hear the answer.

  “Sweetie, I think she fell in love. I know it doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it works. At least that’s what Marnie always says. If you want my theory about those two, I think Tyler fell in love with Georgie’s intensity and intelligence.” Holding up a hand, she begged Zoe to listen. “Whoa there, kiddo! I’m not saying you’re not intense or not intelligent, but no one has those two things in spades like our Georgie Porgie.”

  Before Zoe could argue, her phone beeped and she checked her message. “Marnie has already ordered lunch for all of us to be served up at Georgie’s. I guess she wants Georgie and Granddad to be part of the final signoff, but she wants us in her office at half past eleven.”

  Checking her phone for the time, Lori nodded. “I’m going to run next door and make sure everything is in order. Meet me at my Jeep in twenty.”

  “It’s a wee bit early, don’t you think?” It was just past nine.

  Lori couldn’t hold back the smartass grin, challenging, “I thought we had a little gentlemanly wager going on?”

  “Gentlewomanly,” Zoe corrected with a grin before returning to her phone and replying to the text.

  * * *

  Lori hemmed and hawed over the selection of scarves. “These aren’t really doing it for me, Uncle John. Do you have anything…I don’t know, more special?”

  “Everything I carry is special, especially as a sweet memento.” Watching her roll her eyes, he pantomimed slapping her upside the head. “Tell me about this customer—or is it a supplier who is so important you are giving your favorite uncle such a difficult time? Hmm, help me out here.”

  “I…” she stalled. In the category of old-school gossip, old John was the family winner, as fast on the phone as Zoe was with instant messaging. Still, if she wanted him to cough up the good stuff, she’d have to give him something. “It’s for an employee. Georgie’s new assistant. She used to have this really gorgeous silk scarf she liked to wear. I think it was one of those antique ones. Unfortunately, it got wrecked so I would like to get her something nice to replace it.”

  “Antique?” He shook his head.

  “Okay, I know there’s a proper name for it which I don’t care to learn. Just tell me if you have something…better?”

  He examined her carefully, arms crossed over his barrel chest. “And I should ask if our little Georg
ie knows of your, uh hum, interest in this one?”

  Trying desperately not to look like a caught-out adolescent, she forced her head up high. Before she could figure out what to say, he began laughing lightheartedly, turning for the back storage room without further comment. She listened as he whistled and sang amiably to himself until finally he carried out two small boxes, setting them on the counter. From them he unfolded several silk scarves in a variety of designs and colors. Compared to the synthetic versions she had already seen these were magnificent. She picked up one that looked like watercolor splotches on snow. Surprised by the difference in weight and the delicate texture, she held it up for closer examination. “This is real isn’t it?”

  “Of course! Now these are from Vincelli Silk, quite lovely. That one you are holding is a Fattorseta.”

  “A fat whata?”

  “Oh, my girl. Thank goodness Uncle John is here to help you. Now this is House of Fattorini, these two are the exquisite design of bella Carolina Fattorini. Are they not beautiful?”

  Lori stood in awe, thinking of what it would be like to see Aydan swap out the horrid gray head wrap thingy she had been forced to wear. “Good. Perfect, fine,” she choked out. “Wrap them up, I’ll take them all.”

  “All?” He almost choked too. He showed her the retail tags, just to be sure she understood.

  The whistle that followed could have cleared traffic for a mile up Niagara Street. “Are you kidding me? What the hell are they made of, gold?”

  He grinned, smiling at his god-niece and her lack of fashionomics. “Very few places can still produce silk of this quality. It is expensive, but a piece like this will last generations to come if treated kindly.”

  “Won’t we all,” she said. “Okay, I guess I’m getting one. I like this one and this other, the Carolina something or other.”

  “Fattorini,” he corrected. “I cannot help with the price on this one, but if you would also like the Vincelli, that one I have some room to discount. Should I go look at my books and see what the cost was?”

  She needed a minute to think about it and told him so. He didn’t seem bothered at all, collecting the other silks from the counter and taking them with him back into storage. Lori took a hard look at the remaining two. Each screamed Aydan to her and she so wanted to buy them both. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t afford them or needed to hesitate, but this was Aydan, practical, sensitive, Aydan. The last thing she wanted was the woman thinking she was trying to impress her, but hell yes, that’s what she was doing. Besides, Aydan needed something for herself. Something to help her reclaim her personal identity, whether or not she wore a head cover, that was a personal choice only Aydan could make and Lori didn’t care one way or another. The Aydan she cared for was shy and modest and somehow the scarf suited her. Plus she made it look damned sexy. If she ever got her hands on Aydan’s brothers, she’d teach them a thing or two about what women can do.

  John shuffled back in, handing her a piece of scrap paper with several numbers scribbled on one side. With a heavy discount on the second scarf, he had pared the price down to just below a thousand dollars. What the hell. She pulled out her credit card. “So…can we keep this just between us, man to man?”

  With a kind, open smile, and snatching her credit card, he promised, “Man to man, my sweet girl, yes I think we can.”

  * * *

  Lori tapped on the open door to Tyler’s office. Waved in, she took a seat across the desk and tried to ignore the heated phone call in progress.

  “Then let me make myself crystal clear. I am her partner and I will make the final decision, not you.”

  She couldn’t guess who Ty was arguing with, but she knew from experience not to go head-to-head with Tyler Marsh. “Poor fool,” she whispered.

  “Oh, for God’s sake. Margaret, get over yourself!”

  That answered that question.

  “Be my guest, go ahead call Marnie. Call Henry. You can call the fucking governor for all I care!” Tyler slammed the phone down.

  “What the hell is old Mags bugging you about?”

  “Argh,” Tyler grunted, both fists flying up in frustration. “I hate that bitch!”

  Lori smiled, trying not to enjoy her discomfort; after all, she had been through enough already.

  “Can you believe it? She wants Georgie put into trauma counseling. I explained very patiently that any needs she may have, both she and I would arrange. She actually accused me of not putting Georgie first!”

  “Whoa there, Tiger, don’t let her get to you. If I had to guess, I think this is all about old Mags coming to terms with the fact that Georgie Porgie is truly and completely off the market. I never told you this but Margaret’s been trying hard to get all chummy with me over the last year, you know, ever since she first saw you with our girl. Oh, she’s always chipper, pretending to be checking up on Henry, but she never fails to fish for something on you two.”

  “Why? Why would she care? She’s the one who left Georgie and that was six years ago.”

  Lori nodded. She liked these talks with Tyler. It was like having Georgie back but without the math. “She walked out on our girl the minute it looked like her ‘for better or for worse’ pledge was going in the worse direction. I’m sure she thought she’d have some new sugar mama on the hook in no time but in her scheming little mind, she thought she would always have Georgie to fall back on. Then you came along. Geez Ty, she was a bitch on wheels to deal with when she thought you were just the hired help, but when she got a load of that rock!” she said, pointedly looking at Tyler’s engagement ring, “I think that fantasy fell apart, big-time.” She made a sound of something blowing up, her hands pantomiming the explosion of her head. “Kind of boggles the mind what some folks can tell themselves.”

  Tyler just sat for the longest time. “I want to say that’s ridiculous but…I can’t. I will never forget the look in her eyes when she accused me of abusing Georgie. It wasn’t so much anger as some sort of twisted glee to think me at fault.”

  It had been a defining moment for Lori too. Not just seeing Margaret’s true colors—she already knew what kind of woman she was. It was in the way Tyler had charged in to protect Georgie, her only care for her lover. Lori wondered if anyone would ever fight for her, respect her, or believe in her the way Georgie and Tyler did with each other. “Listen kiddo, before we go upstairs I need to confess a few things to you.” She quickly assured her, “No real headaches, I promise, okay?” She watched Tyler sit back in her chair and force herself down a notch. “Okay, so here’s the thing you need to know. When Georgie wants to do something special for you she can’t go to her human world interpreter. That’s you, in case you didn’t know…”

  Tyler was starting to smile. “I know she turns to you when she wants help but doesn’t want Marnie to just take over. So, I take it you’re not too sure about her latest appeal?”

  Lori was trying to find a way to talk around the request when she realized she was always better off just coming clean with Ty. “Here’s the thing. She’s really feeling like a piece of shit. She thinks she let you down…”

  “She did let me down,” Tyler insisted, “but go on.”

  Groaning, Lori cleared her throat, stalling for time.

  Tyler stepped around her desk and took a seat in the chair next to her. “Yes, I’m mad and yes I will get over it, but with time and attention. By the way, did she mention she asked me to marry her now, as in today?”

  It was easy to admire Tyler Marsh. She was tough and forthright and a perfect match for Georgie. “She loves you, Ty. She wants to fix this and she’s completely lost as to how. She sent me a list of things she thought would be a good starting gesture but she’s terrified of getting it wrong and frankly I’m way out of my league on this one.” She fished out her cell phone, opened her text messages, and passed the phone to her.

  Tyler read the lengthy text through once then again. “This is…” was as much as she could say before choking up.

&nb
sp; “See? She just wants to do something big to prove herself. Don’t worry, I told her I didn’t think she needed to buy you a new car or a bigger ring. Adding your name to the deed to the condo did make sense. What did you think about the idea of buying out Dad’s apartment?”

  “I…we talked about annexing one of the guest rooms.”

  Wrapping her arm around Tyler’s shoulder, Lori declared, “She just wants things to be perfect for you, but she doesn’t know what you need to see from her. If you want my opinion, I think she should add your name to everything. She was planning to, right after the wedding. But I don’t see any point in waiting, do you?”

  “Marnie would freak!”

  She chuckled at the thought. “God I do love yanking her chain. Don’t worry on that point though; even Marns is on board with the make-Tyler-happy plan.”

  “I don’t know whether to be happy or scared.”

  Lori withdrew her arm from Tyler’s shoulder, giving it a friendly nudge. “So, did you two decide on the wedding? Are you moving things up?”

  “Honestly, when she asked me last night, I wanted to go then and there. It’s probably good we don’t live in Las Vegas or someplace where you can get married at two a.m.”

  It was always a pleasure to see Tyler’s stabilizing self. She did that for Georgie, kept her on an even keel, and righted her whenever the winds listed heavy against her beam. There was something else she hadn’t quite understood until now. Tyler needed her too, needed Georgie’s confidence in her. It was more than need. They complemented each other. That’s what set them apart and what she was counting on to get them through this. “I have an idea about that. Leslie mentioned you guys are facing some seating constraints for the wedding. I was thinking we could move everything out to the boatyard. Leslie says she can cater it out there just as easy as here and if the weather cruds out we’ll still have here for a backup. We’ll get the big catering tents and all the fancy tables and chairs, whatever you want.”