The Consequences Series Box Set

by Aleatha Romig

  “Very nice to meet you, Mr. Rawlings.” Emily’s seemed to slowly make sense of Claire’s words. She looked at her sister quizzically, and asked, “Did you just say fiancé?”

  Claire continued with introductions. “And Anthony, this is Emily’s husband, my brother-in-law, John Vandersol. John, please meet my fiancé, Anthony Rawlings.” The two men shook hands and exchanged greetings.

  Gracious as ever, Tony said, “Please, we’re about to be family, call me Anthony.”

  Claire smiled and they all sat down to chat before dinner. Jan entered the room to offer hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Claire showed Emily her engagement ring and told them about Tony’s romantic proposal in Central Park. John and Emily were speechless, perhaps in shock. Tony was very attentive, holding Claire’s hand, putting his hand on her shoulder or thigh as she rambled on—cautious to not divulge any forbidden or personal information.

  During Thanksgiving dinner, Claire learned Emily had attempted to reach Tony around her birthday. Emily didn’t know what else to do. She had no way to reach Claire, and she’d seen pictures of the two of them together in magazines. Apparently, it wasn’t easy to get calls or e-mails through to Anthony Rawlings. Just recently, an e-mail finally reached him, and he called. It was during that telephone conversation, about a week ago, that Anthony invited them to New York City for dinner.

  Claire apologized for her inconsiderate behavior. She should have stayed in touch better. Life had been a whirlwind since she started working with Tony. The important thing was that they were together now. Claire asked her family if they were driving home to Troy or staying in the city. John said they decided to spend some time in the city. After all, it was a three hour drive home.

  Tony then surprised Claire again. “Well, Emily, Claire has a reservation tomorrow at a bridal boutique in Manhattan. I’m sure she’d love to have you join her to look at wedding dresses.”

  Trying not to stare at Tony, Claire looked to Emily. “Yes, I’d love to have you join me, if the two of you don’t have plans.”

  Emily looked at John. “Of course, I’d like to help you.”

  “Emily” Claire proposed. “I would also like you to be my matron-of-honor. Would you please stand with me at our wedding?”

  “You want me? Of course, I will.” Emily sounded cautiously enthusiastic. “But, did you say the wedding will be the eighteenth of December?”

  “Yes, it will. That’s all the more reason to find some dresses soon.” Claire smiled at her sister. “Hopefully they’ll have some bright, pink, puffy bridesmaid’s dresses.” Emily laughed.

  From her peripheral vision Claire saw Tony’s fleeting expression of disbelief. She turned to her fiancée and smiled. “Tony, it’s a long-standing joke. Emily made me wear a green dress at her wedding. Since pink is my favorite color, I’ve long threatened to have her wear the puffiest, bubblegum pink dress I could find when I married.”

  He exhaled and smiled, obviously relieved she wasn’t serious.

  Once they finished eating, Tony invited John to the living room for the 4:00 PM football game. He asked the ladies if they’d like to join them, but Emily said she would rather catch up with her sister. Tony kissed Claire before leaving the room. It appeared very sweet, but Claire saw the warning in his eyes.

  Jan poured the ladies coffee and cleared the table. Claire and Emily sat at the table, drank coffee, and tried to catch up. Once they were alone, Claire knew the conversation would be more difficult to dodge.

  Emily was full of questions. How was her little sister, a meteorologist in Atlanta, suddenly engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the country? How did they meet? Where has she been living? Why hasn’t she been in contact? Why is she so thin? Why is her hair blonde? Did she really like living this way, being waited on and having house staff do everything? She always liked cooking. Now she says she hasn’t cooked, why? What is Anthony like? Why were they marrying so fast? Is she pregnant? Isn’t he much older than her? Did she love him?

  Claire did her best to be evasive with some answers and more detailed with others. Above all, she told Emily she did love him. It didn’t start that way. It was strictly a working relationship. Tony could be a wonderful, kind, romantic, and gentle man. She also told Emily that Tony was very private and begged her to not repeat anything about their relationship to the media or anyone else. Claire didn’t understand at first how tenacious the media could be, but the longer she’d been with Tony, the more apparent it had become.

  Claire asked again, “Please, Emily, not for Tony, but for me, please don’t share private information with anyone else.”

  Emily said she understood. She was very happy to hear Claire sound so happy and excited about Anthony and their wedding; however, what about her weight? She was too thin, and what about meteorology? Did she plan to ever work again in her chosen field?

  Claire was tired of all the questions. Formulating answers made her head hurt. She wanted to hear about Emily and John.

  Emily proceeded to tell her stories about John and the law firm and about her class and teaching. She also talked about some of their friends in Troy and Albany, people Claire knew when she lived with them. Emily even talked about some friends back in Indiana. Claire laughed as they remembered stories from childhood. The names were people Claire hadn’t thought about in some time. Her mind wandered, thinking about the guest list for the wedding. She wondered if she had anyone to invite, other than Emily and John. When she thought about college friends it reminded her of Meredith. Claire knew Meredith hadn’t intended for her sneak interview to produce such drastic consequences; nevertheless, it did. Perhaps college friends were better not invited.

  The ladies joined the men when they thought the game was nearing its end; however, it was far from over. It was getting interesting. Both men seemed to be cheering for the Saints. Claire had wondered how John and Tony would get along. They were both incredibly strong willed. Tony was not accustomed to being anything less than the alpha male. Thankfully, John seemed to respect Tony, after all he was Anthony Rawlings.

  Claire loved and respected John. Ever since the death of her father and her grandfather, John was the man of their family, an omnipresent influential part of her life. Now, seeing him next to Tony, she reconsidered her assessment. Tony dominated in structure, probably four inches taller, and in demeanor, more self-assured.

  They both shouted at the screen as the Saints regained the lead with less than two minutes to go. Then, the room fell silent when it appeared the game would be tied with a field goal. The Dallas kicker missed the field goal—wide left, and the men simultaneously stood and cheered. Seeing these two men united in a common goal, Claire felt her chest swell with delight. After the game they sat in front of a warm fire and enjoyed the lovely view of the city and delicious dessert. As Claire sipped coffee, forgoing dessert, Emily told Tony all about the pies Claire used to bake. She explained what a great cook and baker Claire was. Tony seemed very interested in this new information.

  They discussed the plans for the next day. Tony needed to work, and John graciously agreed to stay at the hotel and do some work also. Tony explained that Eric, their chauffeur, would bring Claire to the Vandersol’s hotel and pick Emily up for the bridal boutique. Emily offered to take a taxi—it was no problem, but Claire and Tony insisted. It was settled. Claire would be at the Hyatt Regency at 9:00AM to pick her up. Their appointment was for 10:00 AM.

  Tony then asked if he and Claire could join them for dinner Friday night since they planned to go back to Iowa Saturday morning. Claire now understood why Tony was so vague about their travel plans. John and Emily agreed.

  Before they left, Emily hugged Claire like she didn’t want to let go. “I’ve missed you so much. We’re all we have left. Let’s not stay out of touch again.” Her green eyes shone with sincerity.

  Claire’s began to tear. She wanted to say so much, but knew she was supposed to be elusive. Before she could speak, Tony injected, “Emily, we have a wedding in three w
eeks. I bet you’ll be tired of hearing from Claire after that!” He laughed.

  They all laughed.

  Tony offered John and Emily, Eric for the ride back to their hotel, and John politely declined. After Jan retrieved their coats, John and Emily left. When the door shut, Claire turned to Tony. “Thank you! Thank you so much. This was absolutely the best Thanksgiving ever. I can’t believe you surprised me like this.”

  He smiled, but she saw the message in his eyes. “Your sister is extremely inquisitive.”

  Claire agreed, “I know, my head hurts from working so diligently on appropriate answers.”

  Kissing her cheek, Tony suggested, “My dear, you should take an aspirin and retire to our room. I’ll be up shortly. I have some pressing matters in my office that I must attend.”

  “I will,” she replied obediently; however, first, Claire went to the kitchen to thank Jan for her hard work. She told her that she really appreciated all Jan did to make their Thanksgiving special. Jan seemed genuinely touched and surprised by Claire’s appreciation. While walking up the stairs, Claire thought about the estate and the top-notch surveillance. Her stomach twisted as she wondered if Tony’s pressing work was to review video footage of her conversation with Emily in the dining room. Claire told herself if it was, it would be all right. She’d followed all his rules.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  A sister shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams.

  —Author unknown

  Friday morning, Tony left the apartment early, so Eric could drive Claire and Emily to the boutique. On her way to Emily’s hotel, Claire contemplated her fiancé. By the time he came to bed the night before, she was sleeping. She faintly remembered him kissing her and turning out the lights. Maybe he hadn’t been reviewing surveillance. Maybe he was doing actual work—on Thanksgiving night? No matter, she was relieved that when he came to bed, he wasn’t upset. This morning, before leaving, he hugged her tight and told her to have fun with her sister choosing her wedding gown. Claire wanted to believe her life was as it appeared.

  Traffic to the hotel was crazy. Until Claire saw the multitude of people, she’d forgotten all about Black Friday. The department stores were inundated with hoards of shoppers. Seeing the mayhem around her, made their destination of a private boutique all that more appealing.

  The associates at the boutique would be totally devoted to them. None of this mad rush she witnessed from the windows of the limousine. Smiling faintly, she fondly remembered Black Friday shopping with her mom and Emily when she was young. To save twenty-five, fifty, or hundred-dollars, they would wake at 3:00 AM and stand in multiple lines. Although it sounded unpleasant, the memories were warm.

  Eric approached the Hyatt Regency a few minutes before 9:00 AM. Emily wasn’t waiting. “Miss, would you like me to go to the front desk and inquire of Mrs. Vandersol?”

  Claire thought a moment. “No, we’ll give her a few minutes, and then I’ll go in.” Emily hadn’t read the Anthony Rawlings’s rules of punctuality memo. Claire decided she deserved some slack. Five minutes after 9:00 AM, Emily emerged from the lobby. Eric quickly got out of the car and opened the door. Emily entered the limousine and hugged Claire. She looked around at the leather seats and splendor.

  “Seriously, this is how you get around New York City?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you don’t feel ostentatious? Perhaps you haven’t heard, but our country is in the midst of an economic downturn.”

  Eric pulled away from the curb, and they entered the magnitude of cars. It wasn’t the stop-and-go traffic causing Claire’s neck muscles to tighten, more the sudden onset of defensiveness. “Emily, please don’t judge me or Tony. I want you to be part of our wedding. Let’s have fun looking for dresses.”

  Emily exhaled and sat back on the seat. “Claire, I want to. I really do.”

  Claire could tell there was a but coming—

  Emily continued, “But, John and I sat up for hours discussing you and Anthony.”

  Sitting straighter, Claire asked, “What did the two of you decide?”

  “We decided we love you. We’re so happy Anthony invited us to get to see you, but there is one of our concerns.” Claire raised her eyebrows. Emily inquired, “Why did Anthony need to invite us? Why couldn’t you?”

  Claire’s head almost touched the ceiling, she sat so straight. Looking Emily directly in the eye, she replied, “Emily, that’s ridiculous. I could. I told you things have just been busy. With his schedule, we’re all over the place, as I’m sure you’ve read about in the media. I didn’t even know until last week Tony was needed in New York.” Then to clarify, she added, “He didn’t know until last week. He has a lot on his plate.”

  “Uh… hmmm, please know we’re just concerned. It seems like you’re a different person.” The conversation paused and Emily continued, “That isn’t necessarily bad, but it makes us uncomfortable.” Claire was still Emily’s little sister; however, she was now polished and refined. The stylish, elegant, and worldly woman commuting in limousines didn’t seem like the woman of months before. Emily continued to explain her concern, “I’ve tried to learn about Anthony Rawlings. Everything I found about him on Google is business related. He has an impressive reputation as a businessman, but I can’t find anything about him personally.”

  “Emily, he’s an impressive private man, too. I must emphasize private. He asked me to join him in his private, personal life. I want you and John there. You must respect the importance of his confidentiality.”

  They sat in standstill traffic. “Okay, we can do that. We still worry about you. Don’t you get to have a life too?”

  Claire felt her blood pressure rise. She needed to defend the life she’d despised for months. It was time to utilize the compartmentalization. Bring out the good stuff. “Just because I haven’t contacted you, doesn’t mean I don’t have a life. I do. I have a very full and rewarding life. I live in a beautiful home. We attend a number of events and functions. I’ve met wonderful friends in the Quad Cities area.” She surveyed Emily’s reaction. “I’m not doing meteorology, currently. But I’m working with Tony. As I said, he’s a very busy man, with a busy schedule.” She didn’t need to offer more explanation.

  The car moved again. Emily stared incredulously. “Are you living with Anthony? How long have you been living with him?”

  Claire exhaled; as much as it killed her, she knew she couldn’t spend her day like this. It was too much work, and although it was early, her head pounded. “Okay, Emily. I’m sorry this didn’t work.” Claire pushed the button and opened the window to the front of the car. “Eric, we have a change of plans. You may drop me off at the boutique, but Mrs.Vandersol will be going back to the Hyatt.”

  Emily stared at Claire in disbelief.

  Eric answered, “Yes, miss.”

  Claire shut the window, sat back against the seat, and didn’t speak or look at Emily. She should be sad, but truly she was mad. Claire realized she’d behaved like Tony. Perhaps she was being too cautious about his rules, but she knew too well behaviors had consequences. Given the choice, she’d choose to err on the side of Tony.

  “Claire, I’m sorry. You’re obviously a strong independent woman. I think of you as my kid sister, someone who needs us to look out for her. Anthony Rawlings is lucky to have you in his life. I still don’t understand how it all happened, and I don’t care how wonderful he is. He’s the fortunate one in this relationship. I love you and want to be a part of your wedding. If this is what you want, we’ll support you 100 percent.”

  Claire was too emotional to be completely like Tony. Overwhelmed with a sense of relief, she reached over, hugged Emily, and smiled. “Good! Let’s put this behind us and have fun looking at dresses!” Pushing the button again, she said, “Eric, we’re both going to the bridal boutique.” She closed the window.

  “One more thing though.” Concern showed in Emily’s green eyes. Claire exhaled; she didn’t want to hear one more thing. “John i
s planning to speak to you tonight about your prenuptial agreement.”

  “What? I don’t know anything about that. He should talk to Tony.” Claire thought about that scenario. “On second thought, no. Tell him not to worry about it. I totally trust Tony, and I honestly could care less about his money. It’s really not an issue. Just tell John to forget it.”

  Emily said, “I will, but I can’t make any promises. John’s an attorney, and he thinks of you as his kid sister. He only wants what’s best for you.”

  The entrance to the boutique was a grand ten foot high door surrounded by limestone. Above the door was a street number, but no visible store name. There were no gowns in the window or advertisements evident. It was a completely different experience from when they’d shopped for Emily’s dress. Claire knew from past boutique shopping to enter the boutique you needed to ring the bell; however, Eric had called ahead and as he parked the car at the curb and opened the door for Claire and Emily, the door of the boutique opened.

  A woman in her fifties or sixties dressed in posh business attire rushed out to welcome Ms. Nichols to their modest boutique. She introduced herself, Sharon Springhill. As she ushered the women into the shop, she gushed, “Ms. Nichols, we’re so happy to receive Mr. Rawlings’s call, yesterday. Since that moment we have worked diligently to create a collection especially for you. We truly hope that you, the future Mrs. Anthony Rawlings, will find the dress of your dreams today.”

  Claire did her best to play the person she’d become. Looking at Emily and sensing her sister’s uneasiness, Claire decided this was an opportunity to educate her. “Ms. Springhill, I’m very excited to be here today. Mr. Rawlings told me the wonderful reputation of your boutique. I appreciate you taking the time to personally assist me on this holiday weekend.”