“No,” Vienna said.
“You don’t have to sound so incredulous. They do exist. I’ve seen a lot of them around here.”
“You’re in New York, baby,” Vienna said, pillaging her closet for the right purse. “This is Terre Haute. Try again.”
“Um, a hot farmer?”
Vienna laughed. “No. He’s just a really great person. A gentleman among men. We’ve gone out a few times, and he’s very sweet. That’s all I can tell you for now. Do you want to talk to Derek?”
“Of course,” Davii said. “How’s he doing?”
Vienna paused to drop her wallet and a lipstick into a Stuart Weitzman clutch and said, “About the same. Remember Natasha?”
“The überbitch? Of course.”
“We…did something—”
“Oh, no.”
“—and now she’s not herself. She’s repressing, but I can tell she’s about to snap. Her focus isn’t on her job at all. Which has taken a lot of pressure off Derek at work. But he’s still not happy.”
“I’m sure that’s because of Hunter,” Davii said.
“Kind of,” Vienna said. “It’s more about Derek and his needs. He’s responsible for his own—”
“I get the picture, Dr. Talbot.”
“Anyway, he’s sullen and needs to get out of the apartment. I’m going to the Big Bang tonight—”
“You are?” Davii interrupted. “You hate that thing. I tried to get you to go every year, but you never would.”
“It’s a whole new Vienna, baby,” she said. “The point is, I want Derek to go, but he won’t. Try to talk him into it. It would be good for him to be out with his friends, instead of home sulking about Hunter.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Davii promised.
Phone in hand, Vienna knocked on the door to Derek’s bedroom. He opened the door and said, “Hey.”
“I’m on my way out. Sure you won’t come along?” she asked.
Derek shook his head and said, “Nah. I’d rather stay in.”
“I’m sure there’ll be lots of Congreve guests at this thing,” Vienna said. “I’ll bet Hunter will be there, too. Why don’t you get dressed up and show him what he’s missing?”
“Trust me. He knows,” Derek said. “You go and have fun.”
“Suit yourself,” Vienna said and kissed him on the cheek. “Your navy Hugo Boss suit would be great.”
“Nice try,” Derek said.
She handed him the phone and said, “Talk to Davii. See you later.”
A half hour later, she was waiting outside the planetarium for Cart Man. The courtyard of Mall of the Universe was decorated with pink streamers, twinkling lights, and lots of flowers. The center was cleared for dancing, although everybody was standing in small groups or sitting at tables. Cater waiters carried trays of appetizers through the crowd, and Sheree Sheridan was singing on a bandstand, accompanied by a pianist, bass player, and drummer.
Vienna spotted Emily-Anne Barrister greeting guests while hanging on the arm of a distinguished gentleman that Vienna assumed was her husband. She saw Christian, Bianca, Meg, Drayden—everybody but Cart Man. She assumed she was on time but couldn’t be sure, since she hadn’t worn her watch.
“Vienna, you look fabulous,” Christian said as he approached her.
“Thank you,” Vienna said. “Do you know what time it is?”
“A little after seven.”
“I’m right on time,” she mused. She’d mentally prepared to be escorted to the Big Bang and felt a little awkward standing in one spot on her own. She considered going to the bar to get a drink but didn’t want to move in case Cart Man showed up and couldn’t find her. Unless he’d stood her up. She reminded herself that he was only a few minutes late. She was obsessing over nothing, and Christian was staring at her with curiosity, so she said, “You’ve done a great job getting this thing together. I love all the pink lilies.”
“Thank you,” Christian said. “And thanks for the suggestions you made about the mall restaurants. Did you come alone?”
Suddenly Vienna wanted to slap Cart Man. If only he were there to be slapped. But then I wouldn’t need to slap him, she thought.
“I meant to say, is Derek coming?” Christian clarified.
“Oh. I don’t think so,” Vienna replied. “He’s probably worried about running into Hunter.”
“I haven’t seen Hunter,” Christian said. A loud crash pierced the din, followed by people shrieking. Christian groaned and said, “But Emily-Anne’s here! Excuse me.”
Vienna scanned the crowd again. More people had arrived, and some had begun dancing. She began wandering around, wondering what was keeping Cart Man, until she nearly ran into Bianca. “Bianca! Hi.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” Bianca said.
“Actually, I wasn’t either,” Vienna said.
“No, really, it’s my fault. I’m so clumsy,” Bianca insisted.
“If you say so. You look pretty,” Vienna said, instantly regretting offering the compliment. Not because it wasn’t true. Bianca looked radiant. Her dress was stark white, simple, with clean lines. Her hair was twisted up and piled on top of her head, with one wisp floating over her face, sometimes hooking around her ear as she moved. Vienna had always imagined that Bianca would fade into the woodwork in white, leaving a mass of red hair hovering on its own. Instead, she seemed lit from within, like a star. Vienna studied her curiously and asked, “Are you pregnant?”
“No!” Bianca squealed. Several heads turned in their direction. Bianca put one hand on her stomach and cupped the other around her mouth as she whispered, “Why? Do I look fat in this dress? Be honest.”
Vienna put her hands on Bianca’s cheeks and said, “Look at me and listen. You are beautiful. Do you believe me?”
“I’m in love with Christian Mercer,” Bianca said in lieu of an answer.
“You are?” Vienna asked with surprise.
“I’ve been spending time with him. Sitting for him.”
“He’s got a kid? I had no idea,” Vienna said, wondering how Christian could hide such a thing.
“No. For a portrait. I was so nervous, being stared at for hours. But after a while, I loved it. It was like he needed me so much. It felt good. He’s wonderful, kind, everything I dreamed he’d be. I know it sounds silly.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Vienna said. “Good for you.”
“He doesn’t know. I mean, there’s no reason to tell him because—can you let go of my face?”
“Oh. Sorry.”
Before Vienna could find out why Christian had to be kept in the dark, he walked up and said, “Vienna? Do you mind if I steal Bianca? I’d like to introduce her to the Barristers, now that Emily-Anne is finished terrorizing the waiters.”
“Yeah, sure,” Vienna said. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”
As she watched them drift away, she felt a pang of jealousy. They were gorgeous together. She walked to an out-of-the-way table and sat down, still looking for Cart Man, angry because he was late. She’d wanted to introduce him to her friends. She wanted them to see the same wonderful things about him that she’d experienced. Now she was starting to regret putting so much faith in him, trusting him. Maybe he was already getting bored with her, like Kevin had.
“Is this seat taken?” Vienna looked up to see Drayden Lvandsson standing next to the table, martini in hand. She shook her head, and he sat down. “This is a great party. They do this every year?”
Vienna nodded, then decided she should probably answer properly. She heard her mother’s nagging voice in her head, reminding her that Drayden was her superior and deserved respect. “When the planetarium opened, they threw an annual Spring Solstice celebration. Even with partial funding from the mall, it became expensive, so Emily-Anne Barrister partnered with them to turn it into her Big Bang Benefit for Breast Cancer. This year, they’re raising money for a mobile mammogram unit. Drayden’s is one of the sponsors. But you probably kne
w that part.”
“I’m sure it will be a success,” Drayden said, looking around. “I’ll have to make a hefty personal donation. Who was the event planner? The original Drayden’s is going through a renovation. We’ve installed a herring pond on the main floor. I want to throw a party when everything’s finished.”
“Christian Mercer,” Vienna said. “Hershel Wicks can put you in touch with him.”
“Fantastic,” Drayden said. “Mind if I talk shop?”
“Be my guest,” Vienna replied.
“I hear you haven’t accepted Melanie’s proposal.” When Vienna gave him a blank look, he clarified, “For you to enter the management training program.”
“I have thought about it. I just got busy with the sale,” Vienna replied, thinking it was probably the safest answer she could give.
“Why do I feel like I’m being stalled? Do you have another offer?”
Vienna hesitated, thinking that the only offer she’d received had been from Cart Man, who obviously wasn’t going to be serving it up with a side dish of hope that evening. She wished she did have a legitimate reason for declining the promotion. She didn’t want to make Melanie look bad.
“It’s an important decision, Mr. Lvandsson,” she stated. “As I told Melanie and Hershel, I need to give it careful consideration. I don’t want to let anyone down, including myself.”
Drayden clapped his hands, saying, “Well said, Miss Talbot. Let’s put our party hats back on.” He looked around. “I suppose I should meet Mrs. Barrister. Which one is she?” Vienna pointed her out, and Drayden said, “We’ll talk again later.”
After he left, Vienna put her head in her hands and said, “I have to get out of this place.”
“If it’s the last thing you ever do?”
“Derek!” She looked up and saw that he was wearing the navy Hugo Boss suit she’d suggested.
He sipped at his cosmopolitan before he rested it on the tabletop, then sat down, crossed his legs, and asked, “What have I missed? Anything exciting happen?”
“Of course not. In fact, you’re just in time for my dramatic exit,” Vienna said.
“Got a pumpkin to catch?” Derek asked. “Please don’t go. Not after Davii worked so hard to get me to come here.”
“Oh, sure. I tell you to come and you decline. It’s because I don’t have a penis, isn’t it?”
“It’s the accessory of the season,” Derek said. “Speaking of dicks, have you seen Hunter?”
“Stop that. You know that’s not how you really feel.” When Derek made no comment, she added, “Although he is a man. My opinion of men is rapidly deteriorating. Present company excluded, of course.”
“Let me guess. The guy you’ve been seeing in secret stood you up?”
“Damn Davii!” she said vehemently. “That boy has a mouth bigger than the Grand Canyon.”
“He also told me that I should come here to support you,” Derek said. Vienna eyed him warily, wondering what other information Davii had divulged. “That’s pretty much all he said. That it’s a big deal that you came to this thing, and I should be here for you in his place.”
Vienna bit her lip, holding back the words that threatened to tumble from her mouth like an avalanche. Derek’s eyes were full of concern. He reminded her briefly of Davii, and she realized she could trust Derek with anything. They were, after all, partners in crime.
“My mother died of breast cancer shortly after my divorce was finalized,” Vienna said. Before Derek could respond, she continued. “I had no idea she was sick. None. Mama and I were a lot alike. If anything was wrong, we’d deal with it on our own. We put our faith in ourselves and the Lord, everybody else be damned. That’s just what she did with her cancer. She didn’t even tell my father until it was too late.”
“I’m sorry,” Derek said when she paused for breath.
“I never got to say good-bye to her. Our last conversation was an argument. She was angry that I’d gotten myself into a bad marriage, accusing me of not looking out for number one. She said that I’d allowed Satan to lead me down his path and all sorts of other nonsense. Did you know that Satan’s path leads to Bloomington?”
“Sounds reasonable to me,” Derek said.
“I didn’t want to hear any of that,” Vienna said, remembering how angry and defensive she’d been. “I didn’t want to be Vienna the Preacher’s Girl any longer. I couldn’t even be in Bloomington without being under their thumbs. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Just up and moved here quietly. When Mama died, Kevin’s lawyer tracked me down, and Daddy called with the bad news. I was such a mess.”
“That’s understandable,” Derek said quietly.
Vienna nodded and dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. “Daddy and I had a long talk after the funeral. He took me to a park near the cemetery and explained a few things to me. Mama was hard on me because she wanted so much for me. She was proud of everything I accomplished—getting my degrees on my own, being in a practice and helping people. He said she bragged about me to everyone. What bothered her was my shame. How I ran from Gary and did everything I could to hide where I came from. That I latched on to the first boy who came along and got into a loveless marriage. And she was right. That’s exactly what I did. I was just too stupid to see it. Too ashamed to admit it.” Neither of them said anything for a minute. She took a deep cleansing breath and exhaled slowly. She felt free. “Anyway, that’s why I’m here. Here in this mall. Here in Terre Haute. Here at this party. To’ up from the flo’ up, and stood up.”
“What kind of idiot would leave you here alone?” Derek asked.
Before Vienna could answer, Sheree announced that she was taking a short break. She stepped offstage and into Drayden’s arms, receiving a kiss on her cheek.
“That’s interesting,” Derek said obliquely.
Vienna grabbed Derek’s arm and pointed, saying, “Derek, look.”
Natasha Deere had just paid her entrance fee and was scanning the crowd. A woman on the greeting committee tried to pin a pink ribbon on her dress, but Natasha swatted at her hands and stalked away.
“She doesn’t look so distraught anymore,” Derek observed.
“What are you talking about? Her hair’s a mess,” Vienna countered. “And look—she’s wearing two different shoes.”
“But her determined stare and evil glow are back,” Derek said.
Vienna scrutinized Natasha. Her jaw was set as she walked around the courtyard, seeming to look for something or someone. A man holding a slice of cake accidentally stepped into her path. He said something and laughed, but stopped when Natasha knocked the plate out of his hands, sending the cake flying. She pushed him out of her way and moved on.
“Uh-oh,” Vienna said.
“Remember that dramatic exit you were about to make?” Derek asked.
“Yeah,” Vienna replied.
“Can I come with you?”
“Uh-huh,” Vienna said. “Only let’s change it to a covert exit.”
“I’m right behind you,” Derek said.
They slowly got out of their chairs and crouched down, ready to crawl away unnoticed, when Vienna bumped into a pair of legs. She looked up and said, “Cart Man. You came.”
“Did someone lose a contact?” Cart Man asked.
“Hey, Ed,” Derek said.
“Ed? Is that your name?” Vienna asked. “Where have you been?”
“You’re dating Ed? That’s great,” Derek said. He glanced back and warned, “She’s getting closer. Can we work this out somewhere else?”
Vienna, indifferent to anything but Cart Man, said, “No. I want to know where he’s been. I’ve been waiting here forever, and he hasn’t even apologized. I don’t know who you think you are, but—”
“There you are!” Natasha said, pointing at Derek and advancing toward him.
“Save yourself,” Derek said to Vienna.
“Derek!” Emily-Anne cried, emerging from a nearby crowd of people. “Everybody’s been complimen
ting me on my shoes all night! Thank you so much.” She stepped forward and flung out her arms to hug Derek. Unfortunately, her left hand connected with Natasha’s nose, sending her reeling into a waiter who was carrying a tray of champagne flutes. “Oh, no! That’s the second time tonight I’ve done that.”
Natasha held her bleeding nose and shrieked, “You bitch! I’ve never liked you. I hate you, Emily-Anne Barrister!” Emily-Anne’s mouth dropped open, and Natasha pushed her aside and looked at Derek. “You! Where are my dolls?”
“Cortlandt!” Emily-Anne shouted. “Call security!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Derek stammered.
“Natasha,” Vienna said as calmly as she could, “why don’t we talk about this rationally?”
“Don’t give me that crap,” Natasha said, her eyes fixed on Derek. “I’ve got it all figured out.”
“Natasha? Are you okay?” Drayden Lvandsson interceded while Sheree looked on. “Is there something wrong here?”
“He took my dolls,” Natasha said, pointing a bony finger at Derek. “I was at home, watching Straight Talk, and it reminded me of you.” Her finger jabbed the air in front of Vienna, and Vienna felt Cart Man’s hands fall protectively on her shoulders. “Dolly is a newly separated woman who gets a job as a radio show psychiatrist. Which instantly made me think of Miss Talbot.”
“Me?” Vienna asked.
“I know all about you,” Natasha proclaimed. A piece of spittle flew from her mouth as she spoke, and she absentmindedly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing her lipstick. “RB’s not the only one who can find out people’s secrets.”
“RB,” Sheree and Vienna said at the same time.
Vienna wasn’t sure what the name meant to Sheree, but she had a feeling it was one of those details she shouldn’t have overlooked when Natasha whirled around to stare at Sheree and said, “You know him, don’t you?”
“It’s on the Sun level,” Sheree said. “I love their roast beef sand—”
“Not Arby’s,” Natasha hissed. “RB. You’re all connected. Jonquil told me that Derek lives with you,” Natasha said, pointing at Vienna again, “but he used to live at the Congreve.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a pillowcase, waving it in their faces.
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