Playing for Keeps

by Rhonda Laurel

  Derek had finished his talk with Jonas and was headed to the arena. Dana, Beverly, and Trina had a group conversation going. They wanted to have brunch soon. Her relationships had improved drastically with her cousins. They now included her when they wanted to get together and hang out and that made her feel good, feel wanted. Jared was checking in from Texas. He’d seen the e-mail about the client and would be in town next week for meetings, which meant Autumn and Bingo would be coming with him. She’d have them over for dinner. She just had to make sure she had some of the pup’s favorite gourmet food in the house.

  “Hey, Charisma,” Someone said from a distance. It was her friend and travel agent Theresa coming her way.

  “Theresa.” She stood and gave her a hug. “I like the new look.”

  “Thanks. Ethel worked her usual magic, and I let Persephone give me a makeover.”

  “They are angels from cosmetic heaven.” She beamed. Theresa looked really good. “I guess that’s why she named this place Seraphim’s Dream. What’s the occasion?”

  “I was invited to tour a new health spa and resort in Montana. So I thought I’d do a little something for myself before I went just in case there were any eligible men around.”

  Charisma grinned. “I was going to stop by the travel agency today. Michelle’s husband Tyler is heading up an exclusive new hotel brand, the Blake Hotels. She thought you’d like to be part of the dry run they’re going to do before they open the doors for business. It will be a fun-filled weekend. You get to rate the service, and they’ll have seminars there too. They want tailor-made packages that will be advantageous to their hotel and to small businesses like yours. They want to make a great impression in the hospitality industry right out of the gate.”

  “Are you kidding me?” she replied. “I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll tell Tyler it’s OK to send a packet out to you.”

  “It’s so nice that they thought of me.”

  “Hey, you’ve been the Reed family travel agent for years. And Morgan and Michelle have been in the small business trenches. They know opportunities like this can do wonders.”

  “I miss seeing them scurrying around Reed Bradley, but it’s comforting to see Dana tootling around there these days.”

  “Yeah, it worked out perfectly. She needed a job, they needed a manager after Shayla moved to Pittsburgh to take care of her mom.”

  Theresa cleared her throat. “Have you talked to your brother lately?”

  “I talked to him the other day.”

  “How is he?”

  “He’s great.” Charisma gave her a quizzical look. “He’s in Prague. He said he was coming for a visit soon.”

  “Really?” Theresa’s voice raised an octave. “I received a promotional travel agent’s package from Prague the other day.”

  “What a coincidence.” Charisma nodded. “What did it include?”

  “The typical info about the culture and its customs. Best places to eat, drink, find entertainment, and best hotels. Places to avoid and a few souvenir trinkets. They even included brochures of all the opera houses.” Theresa ticked each talking point with her fingers.

  Uh oh. What was her brother up to? “Sounds amazing to get all that information. Have you ever received other packages like that from foreign lands?”

  “Yes. This company, Fantasy Locales Travel, said I signed up at a travel conference and won the raffle. I don’t remember doing it, but I must have. It’s so much fun waiting for those boxes to arrive.”

  “So you mean most of those items in your office are authentic?”

  “Yeah, and the information is unbelievably detailed. I keep the notes in a binder. It’s almost like I’m reading someone’s personal travel journal.”

  “It sounds like Fantasy Locales Travel goes through an awful lot of trouble for their contest winner,” she smiled. “You and Trevor used to talk about traveling all the time.”

  She shrugged. “I just knew I was going to be on the first plane to somewhere as soon as I graduated high school, but things got in the way.”

  “It’s never too late to take a new course.” Charisma touched her arm. “Look at me. I’m a reformed super bitch who no longer chases after bad boys and news cameras.”

  Theresa laughed. “I knew that was never really you. Trevor said you never really had anyone to love you the way you needed. He said one day you’d find what you were looking for and stop all that acting out.”

  “He did?”

  “Yeah.” Theresa smiled. “Your brother was wise when he calmed his mind.”

  “He used to say you were the only girl he knew with any imagination.”

  “Well, he was the only interesting boy I knew.” Theresa’s eyes shined. “It’s funny how Trevor and I loved to talk about seeing the world when we were kids. Now he actually lives his dreams, and I send people on dream vacations.”

  “You never know. You could be tapped to be some kind of secret agent and jet set around the world.”

  “Wouldn’t that be something? I could be Bond, Janet Bond.”

  Charisma laughed. “If anyone could do it, you can, Theresa.”

  “I have to go. I have to pack for my trip. If you talk to your brother, tell him I said hey.” Theresa fumbled in her purse for her keys.

  “Will do and have a good time. We should have coffee sometime.” Charisma kissed her on the cheek. “And again, I like the look.”

  “Thanks. I’ll call you when I get back.”

  Charisma watched as Theresa high-tailed it out of the beauty parlor. She knew Theresa and her brother had been close in high school, but Trevor never elaborated on it. Maybe Charisma could pull more information out of her when they had that coffee. But then again, that was Trevor. His secrets had secrets. She was pretty sure he was sharing a few secrets with Derek as well. She didn’t pry. Both men knew how important they were to her and that there would be dire consequences if they were keeping something big from her. She was just delighted that Trevor liked Derek. After the obligatory macho stare down between them in which Trevor threatened to kick his ass if he hurt her, they’d become friends.

  She was just about to sit down again when Nicola came for her. She snagged a magazine and headed to the wash area with her. Nicola worked her magic as she massaged her scalp. So far, it had been a good morning. She’d only had to eat one graham cracker when she got in the car, and sipping on lemon water seemed to be doing the trick to fend off her nausea. She’d be thrilled if the morning sickness was finally subsiding.

  After a thorough washing and a deep conditioner treatment for fifteen minutes, she was ready for the dryer. Nicola combed her hair around in a swirl, secured it with pins, then set her under the dryer and put the machine on for thirty minutes. Charisma flipped through the pages of the fashion magazine, hoping to get some inspiration for a new style, but nothing spoke to her. She’d been thinking about a new haircut for the past month, but hadn’t been able to decide on anything she liked, so she’d have Ethel curl it the way she usually did. Once she relished radical, intricate styles. Now she just wanted something she could comb real quick and be out the door. Things would be changing soon with the baby coming. She wouldn’t have much time for elaborate hairstyles. She remembered Grandma saying something about an old wives’ tale about getting your hair cut when you were pregnant, but she hadn’t been paying attention. It would be tricky working that into the conversation with anyone she knew.

  When someone plopped down beside her in the next chair with a thud, she turned to see it was her mom Debra sitting there with a mimosa in her hand.

  “Mom.” She lifted the dryer. “What are you doing here?”

  “Ethel said she could fit me in today. I have a sorority function tomorrow and I want to look good.” Debra sat her purse down in the empty chair next to her. “Is this what I have to do to run into you? Catch you at the hairdressers?”

  “You know, I’m usually very busy when Jared is in Texas. I’m in charge.”

 
Her mom frowned but didn’t reply. Instead she asked, “Have you talked to your brother lately?”

  She nodded and put the dryer back down. Sure, she wouldn’t be able to hear her as well, but then again she didn’t want to talk about Trevor with her mom.

  “Well, is he all right? What godforsaken place is he at now?”

  “Last time we talked, Prague.”

  “I can’t understand why he’d rather be trotting around the world taking pictures of lions and tigers instead of being home with his family.”

  “Yeah, he could get the same sort of adrenaline rush from the family gatherings.” She bit back a smile. “He’s fine. He’s safe and more importantly, he’s happy.”

  “Still, I—”

  “Mom.” Charisma sighed. “If you start pushing again, he’s going to disappear, and we won’t see or hear from him for years again.” There. It had to be said.

  “I miss my baby, that’s all.”

  “I miss him too.”

  Debra shifted in her chair. “How are things going with the designing?”

  Charisma perked up. Did her mom just ask her how her job was going? “Things are great. My clients are happy. But my best project yet is going to be our new apartment. Sophisticated Living wants to do a spread of an apartment in the building, and Jared recommended mine. Since we have the entire floor, it is now a unique space of Philadelphia real estate. My apartment is going to be in a magazine.”

  “Maybe I’ll get to see it,” Debra said.

  “You could have seen it at the housewarming, but you had the flu. You could have seen it that weekend I asked you over, but you claimed you hurt your hamstring kickboxing.” Charisma rolled her eyes.

  Debra gave her a look. “Did you just roll your eyes at me?”

  “No ma’am,” she mumbled. “You’ve had plenty of times to visit, but you keep canceling.”

  “OK. How about we pick a day and time when Derek is out of town?”

  “Why?” She narrowed her eyes.

  “I thought we could spend some time alone. I know you won’t be open and honest if he’s around.” Debra motioned at Nicola that she needed another mimosa.

  She put the magazine down and turned her full attention on her mother. “Don’t you think it’s time you tried to get acquainted with Derek?”

  “I don’t understand why you have to date that rough Russian brute.”

  “Derek is a gentleman, and the only time he participates in violent activities is when he works.”

  “Yeah, he does more punching than blocking those puck thingies.” She motioned her hand like she was moving a hockey stick around.

  “But you celebrated the fact that Lamont played football, which is also a full-contact sport. He wasn’t exactly out there doing needle point on the field.”

  “There were fewer fights.”

  “When he did fight, he was the one that started them.”

  Debra looked at her. “Can we talk about this when you’re not under the dryer?”

  “You started it.” She looked around at everyone looking at her. “Excuse me, everyone. Can I get a show of hands? Who thinks football is a less violent sport than hockey?”

  Charisma smiled when no one raised a hand.

  “Oh please.” It was Debra’s turn to roll her eyes. “They’ve been under some kind of spell in here ever since that day Derek came inside and picked you up. Half of them didn’t know that hockey was a sport.”

  Ethel laughed as she sat in her stylist’s chair waiting for Charisma’s dryer to finish. “And we’re eternally grateful that he did come here. That is one hunk of a man.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “I have to admit, meeting Derek is what got me interested in hockey.” Nicola came back with two mimosas and handed one to Debra. She offered the other one to Charisma, but she refused it. Debra gave her a strange look.

  “Me too.” Another stylist shouted as she colored her client’s hair. “Nothing wrong with loving a sport for the sexy men playing it.”

  “See,” Charisma said. “Everyone loves him. I love him.”

  “Where do you see this relationship going?”

  She wanted to scream, we’re going to be parents, but she didn’t want to tell her mom. The rest of the world would know before Ethel could finish the last curl on her head.

  “I see us growing closer as we get accustomed to living together, and then we’ll take it from there.”

  “How can you be sure he’s serious about you?”

  “Well, he put the deed to our new apartment in my name. Against my wishes, but he did it just the same. And before you bring it up, Lamont never put forth any effort like that. The controlling bastard gave me a key and an allowance, and I was foolish enough to take it. Derek may not be what you want in a mate for me, but he makes me happy. I don’t have to worry about ulterior motives with him.”

  “Have you met his parents yet?”

  “No. But I have met his siblings. They’re nice people. His brother Alex has two kids that I adore, and they feel the same about me.”

  “I would imagine his family would have rushed to the states to assess if you were good enough for him.”

  The timer on the dryer dinged, signaling that it was powering down. Charisma pushed it out of the way. “There have been scheduling conflicts. I’ve video conferenced with them. They’re nice people.”

  “If they really thought you had a future with their son, they would have been here by now.” Debra took a big gulp of her mimosa.

  “You live in the same city and you won’t even give their son a chance.” Charisma stood up and grabbed her purse. “Ethel is waiting for me.”

  “I wouldn’t be so insistent if I didn’t love you so much. I only want the best for you.”

  “I have the life I want, but you want the best for me on your terms. Derek isn’t going anywhere. No matter what you say. If you care anything about me, stop this. Trevor was the smart one. He’d rather roam the globe going into hostile countries instead of having you micromanage his life. If you want to keep either of us in your life, I suggest a change in attitude, again.” Charisma walked over to Ethel’s chair and plopped down.

  “Are you OK?” Ethel looked at her. “I can get you a mimosa.”

  “No thanks, but some water would be fine.”

  Charisma was happy when Ethel finally turned her chair and started curling her hair. She didn’t want to see her mom. Her mom made some strides a few years ago, but now it seemed Debra couldn’t fully let go of whatever drove her to meddle in her children’s affairs.

  It had bothered her that she’d never had a face to face with his parents, but she wasn’t about to tell her mom that. The one time they did come to the United States, they went to see Alex and the kids in Portland. Which was totally understandable. They wanted to see their grandkids. Derek didn’t seem to be bothered by it, but they could have coordinated an effort to get them to come to Portland too. She’d been so anxious about their response to her and Derek living together, she’d left the responsibility of telling them up to him. He said they were happy. But she was pretty sure he wouldn’t tell her about any reservations they might have had. The real test would be when they found out she was pregnant. She intended to be clear and present when they announced that. She would be able to read their reactions right away, and that would tell her exactly where she stood with them.

  Ethel asking her to take a look in the mirror brought her out of her daydream.

  “You’ve done it again, Ethel.” Charisma smiled.

  “I aim to please my most glamorous client.” She smiled back. “Maybe next time you’ll get that new haircut.”

  “Maybe. I’ll see you in two weeks.”

  She went to the reception desk and pulled out her wallet. Charlene was finishing up with a call.

  “Charlene, can you schedule me for the same time two weeks from today.”

  “Sure.” The receptionist scanned the appointment book. “Do you want me to make one for your
mother to come in as well?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She called today and asked if you would be here. Luckily Ethel was able to take her.”

  Charisma looked to the back of the salon. Her mom was sitting in a chair chatting with the girl who did the hair coloring. She had foil wrappers scattered about her head. So she’d engineered a run-in since Charisma had been avoiding the lunch date. She hated when her mom did things like that.

  “No, she can make her own appointment.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Charisma felt like a thief as she carefully opened the door and put the shopping bags down on the foyer table at Grandma Reed’s house. According to her cousin Dana, grandma should have been at the church participating in a fundraising event for the youth choir. That would give her enough time to drop off the goodies and leave her a note. She knew the wise Reed matriarch would take one look at her and deduce that she was pregnant. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but she wanted to keep it quiet until she’d had a chance to tell Derek.

  Still, it was too bad she wasn’t there. Charisma could use a hug after that scene with her mom. She was still irked Debra had orchestrated meeting her there, but that in itself wasn’t a big surprise. She simply didn’t feel like hearing her mom’s objections about Derek. But it was odd that she’d been OK with the relationship until they’d moved in together. She couldn’t, for the life of her, figure it out.

  Oh well, maybe decorating her grandma’s living room would cheer her up. While shopping for a client, she’d seen the prettiest pastel-colored blanket that would look great on the sage green couch in the living room. Then she’d seen a few decorative pillows that would enhance the overall look. By the time she’d finished, she’d had a cartload of knickknacks that would spruce up the place.

  She kicked off her shoes next to the couch; her feet were killing her. She’d tried on four pairs of high heels this morning and these felt the best. She had a feeling the days of her effortlessly sliding into a pair of Manolo Blahniks were coming to an end. Flats would be more comfortable and practical as her body changed, but she barely managed to reach Derek’s chin with the heels.