Champagne Romance (Romance Novel)

by Suellen Smith

  CHAPTER 39

  Swan was snuggled under a mound of covers as Slater had left her. She was not used to the cool Malibu nights. So, before they had gone to sleep, Slater had found a cozy plaid flannel shirt, which substituted as a nightgown along with a pair of gray leggings from her overnight bag. She woke to the feel of covers being slowly pulled down her back. She frowned in a drowsy half sleep as she realized that there was something sort of creepy about the way the covers were descending down her body. She sat up quite startled to find three grinning derelicts from south of the border ogling her with obvious malice. The one with a missing front tooth had the corner of the blanket, which he now tossed back with glee to the foot of the bed.

  Swan leaped from her prone position and made a mad dash for the open courtyard but her move was anticipated. She was immediately surrounded as they began to play the cat and mouse game. There was nowhere to run, she knew it and they knew it, but her desperation was what made the game fun and exciting to the creeps confronting her. This continued for a short while longer before the leader lost patience and grabbed her from behind. He had rotten breath and a smelly body which galvanized Swan into fighting with every ounce of strength that she could muster. Kicking, screaming, and scratching, she fought with the will of a tigress. Because she had been in this situation of desperation before in the halls of her alma mater, she had taken a few self-defense courses that she prayed would help her in this dreadful moment.

  Swan’s defense action was all the distraction that was needed for Slater to locate her and to evaluate the situation. Assuring himself of burglar’s numbers and their positions, Slater stepped out from behind the three-second position that he had held from around the corner of the bedroom wall.

  In a non-emotional voice, he trained his magnum on the group before saying, “Move and you’re dead.”

  Two banditos froze in place, but the one holding Swan thought that he had the upper hand. He stared straight at Slater and their eyes locked. He gave Slater a toothless grin as he tauntingly raised one hand to pinch Swan’s breast causing tears to swell in her eyes and hoping to distract Slater. With his other hand, he reached for the gun in his back pocket. As he did so, he realized his mistake.

  This was not some preppy white boy who had only shot a few jackrabbits and rattlers; this was an experienced macho that was no novice to killing. The creep was savvy enough to understand that one minute after he issued a challenge for Slater’s woman. Suddenly, he knew he had unlashed a fury so intense that he saw death and understood that he would soon be a citizen of Hell. That was his final thought that flashed in front of him before a bullet pierced him between the eyes. Swan screamed and fainted as they both fell to the ground simultaneously. A swarm of officers immediately appeared around the corner and surrounded the motley group of drug traders before Slater had a chance to execute the other two.

  Slater was kneeling beside Swan before the piece of trash hit the ground. He was horrified that he might have hurt or killed Swan as too much male hormone had clouded his judgment the moment the slimy hand of this pathetic excuse of a man had reached to touch what belonged to him and only him. He was relieved as he realized that the blood that covered Swan belonged to the killer/rapist and was not hers.

  As Swan lay limp in his arms, Slater gathered her up as he snapped orders to the Malibu police officers while he carried Swan into the bedroom and shut the door. There, he stripped off her bloody clothing, threw them in the fireplace, and washed all traces of the tainted blood away before she regained consciousness. He held her, soothed her, and loved her until her hysterical tears turned into soft sobs and then stopped all together.

  Disaster had threatened to separate them, but was kind enough to snap them back together again. They celebrated by giving their bodies to each other with all the passion of young lovers after a long separation and a much extended journey. The solace of sharing their love with each other consoled and comforted each other after the traumatic and harrowing day.

  That afternoon, Slater informed Jake that the cattle thieves had been caught and were in jail waiting to be expedited to the L.A. county jail. Jake knew there was more to the story, but he also knew that Slater would only tell him about it when he was ready.

  Meanwhile, it was time for Swan and Slater to depart back to Newport and reunite with their precious baby boy. They climbed into the twin-engine plane and headed for their life back at the beach hoping for a quick heal from their harrowing experience.

  Swan curled into a protective ball after the twin engine took off from the private runway. She soon fell asleep from all the drama of early morning. Slater was a little worried about her, but he knew that this delegate woman was a steel magnolia and would be eventually be all right.

  CHAPTER 40

  A sober Swan and Slater entered her Newport condo. The lights were out and there was total silence. There was no running of little feet to greet them, which caused Swan to go into near hysterics as her imagination began to run amok. Slater was immediately on his cell trying to locate Maria when the lock in the door clicked and a bundle of energy flew into Swan’s arms. Maria’s grandson had broken his leg in a soccer game and she had been needed immediately at the emergency room.

  Quinn, oblivious to his mother’s churning emotions, began to elaborate with the enthrallment and excitement of a three year-old. He excitedly told of the hospital’s loud speakers, twirling red ambulance lights, and the white coat medical staff. He shared every detail that he could think of as his distraught mother held him and tried to listen tentatively. Now that Swan had returned, Maria said that she would be returning to the hospital and would be helping her daughter over the weekend. She went into pack her bag.

  When the door shut behind Maria, Slater looked directly at Swan as his eyebrows wiggled up and down at the prospect of being alone and spending the weekend in her bed. Swan had other ideas as he soon was going to find out in spite of the delectable weekend that they had shared in Malibu.

  Slater didn’t even remember how it started, but immediately after Maria left and putting Quinn to sleep, Swan, still extremely emotional from not finding Quinn tucked safely in bed when she arrived home, stiffly escorted him into the living room. Suddenly, the weekend events were all his fault and they were in a full fledge argument. He left slamming the door behind him and shouting that he wasn’t responsible for everything that had gone wrong in her life, but somehow he didn’t think he had convinced her.

  For the insecure and irrational Swan, the sound of the door banging shut only signified that another chapter of her existence had closed. In her irrational mind, when Slater left to get the newspaper in Malibu, he had let her down just like everyone else in her life. She was not going to let it happen again nor would he have the opportunity to let her son down as well!

  Slater’s night was restless. He was furious with Swan--partly because she was being unreasonable and partly because he felt a little guilty for not being in the hacienda when she was attacked. He had never had anyone jerk him around like she did and he didn’t like it one bit! He lit a cigarette and decided that she needed to call HIM and apologize and then maybe he’d think about taking her back. Who was he kidding, if she called, he’d be there in a split second.

  By Monday morning, a stubborn Slater was in a real bitchy mood. It was 10:00 A.M. and Swan had not appeared to put the finishing touches on his office. He finally gave in and called her condo---no answer. He called her cell---no answer. He had a sick premonition that Swan might have disappeared just as she did in Breckenridge.

  By mid-afternoon, Slater finally located Maria who had spoken to Swan. She only told him that she and Quinn would be away for a while and not to worry. Slater got off the phone and angrily threw the arrangement of flowers that were on his desk against the wall. He rarely lost his cool, but then again things usually went his way. Right now, they were not going the way he wanted! Damn her for running away again and damn her for taking Quinn with her! He drummed his fingers on th
e desk and then shot into action.

  Swan had never had a relationship or a special someone in her life. Interacting and giving was a difficult concept. It, also, was a scary one. She was much like a turtle, when the going got tough she retreated back into her protective shell. If she really thought about it, she was scared. To put total trust in someone was giving a part of herself and taking a chance. If she were to take a gamble and things did not work out, she was afraid that she would break into a million tiny pieces. For her, suddenly the risk was much too great. The shattered weekend had given her an excuse to end something before it continued and before Slater could dump her and Quinn. She had worked hard to keep her life simple and uncomplicated without turmoil. What she didn’t realize that there were never any guarantees in life and that taking a risk with someone else was what life was all about.

  When Swan didn’t hear from Slater all weekend, she accepted the end of a relationship and because of her insecurities retreated back into her safe cocoon. Packing her bags in her silver Mercedes on Sunday afternoon, she, Quinn, and Cleopatra headed for a friend’s beach house in San Diego, which was only a few hours south of Newport.

  Slater had contacted all his sources for information. Swan had not left the country by plane, train, or bus that much he had deducted. So, she probably was headed to somewhere nearby. He put an alert out for her silver Mercedes with the Orange County license tag 759385. So far, his search yielded nothing. He didn’t think that she would be gone too terribly long, but the anxiety of not knowing was a little disturbing. He wanted her back and he wanted her back NOW! He had tried to contact her again by cell. She either had turned it off or had chosen to avoid his calls. Either one, more than pissed him off! They obviously needed to have a conversation and get a few things understood and he was just the one to initiate such a verbal confrontation if necessary. He had finally figured out that he had better get a ring on her finger so that just maybe he could get the ring out of his nose!

  CHAPTER 41

  Quinn was delighted to be living in a beach house. It was a private stretch of sand with a little distance between other homes. It was like living in a dollhouse as the entire backside that faced the ocean was glass. A sundeck off the bedroom was on the top floor. The bedroom contained a king sized bed and fainting couch in the corner, which was a perfect size for Quinn. It was a comfortable “get away” for Swan.

  All the rooms were painted a soft white with white modern couches, lamps, and drapes. Cleopatra blended right into the surroundings and almost was totally camouflaged. The drapes were linen and let in a lot of light whether they were shut or open. Various palms and flowering cactus plants gave it an inviting homey look. It was simple, but sophisticated.

  Her dearest gay friend, Ted, owned the beach house. He extended an open invitation to Swan whenever it suited her. Most of the time, Ted’s business took him out of town, but this weekend he would be there for part of the time. Swan was relieved, as she needed his help and guidance on what was going on in her life. He always helped center her. He also had been like an uncle to Quinn since the day he was born.

  Ted was the first one to appear in the hospital room with flowers the day Quinn came into her life. He looked like Troy Donahue and everyone at the hospital speculated that he must be the father in spite of Quinn’s dark hair.

  Ted also knew about Slater, he just didn’t know what had transpired in the past few weeks. Swan had the need to share all aspects of this complicated relationship with one of her best friends. She knew that he would be comforting and nonjudgmental.

  Ted arrived at his beach home the next day. Swan was relieved to talk to him and did so for hours, not leaving out one detail of her new relationship with Slater. He listen tentatively, gave sound advice, and friendship comfort.

  The week ended all too soon with an outing to Sea World. Quinn squealed with delight at the whale show. But, his biggest thrill was petting the dolphins. Watching Uncle Teddy with Quinn made her wish that Slater were here. With a sigh and some regret, Swan hoped that Slater might someday want to take Quinn back to this water world and have the opportunity to watch his happy baby boy.

  CHAPTER 42

  It was a long trip back from San Diego. The traffic was more horrific than usual and took twice as long as it had to travel south. The only consoling travel bonus was that Swan’s friend, Ted, had offered to ride back with her, as he wanted to visit another friend. Swan was happy to have his company as Uncle Teddy had kept a cranky Quinn entertained with antics and stories until he fell asleep in exhaustion. They arrived at Swan’s condo around midnight.

  Ted handed a sleeping Quinn over to Swan in the parking lot. Then, he lightly touched her face and gave her a soft peck on the lips before giving her a little bear hug. It was just a friend giving another friend solace, but to Slater who couldn’t sleep and had decided to cruise by Swan’s place in hopes of catching a glimpse of Swan’s arrival, it looked like a weekend spent with a lover.

  Slater was livid as his black jag raced past the two people at the entrance of the condo oblivious to his presence. His grip on the steering wheel almost cracked it apart. He knew he needed to keep going as his hands had an urge to ram the handsome face of Swan’s lover into the nearest concrete wall and smash it beyond recognition.

  Not once during the entire week did Slater ever picture Swan in someone else’s arms, loving him, holding him. The very thought made him see red with rage. Jealousy was a new emotion for Slater. He didn’t realize how irrational and out of control it could make one feel. It was just another thing that he didn’t like one bit!

  Now, that Slater was getting the concept of jealousy, he contemplated how he could use it to his advantage. He was getting a little tired of Swan yanking on his dick and it was time that he returned the favor. He was gambling on the fact that Swan had the same emotion. He intended to get her attention by jerking her chain a bit as well. With Quinn in the picture, he was not averse to using him as a bit of leverage if necessary so long as Quinn was not involved and knew nothing about it. One thing for sure, under no circumstances would he ever let his son slip from his life. He would fight for this relationship if he had to go to every court in the land. Hopefully, he could get things resolved long before any legal antics came into the picture.

  With the incentive of a dangling carrot in front of his nose, Slater proceeded to put a plan in action. It was time to renew some old acquaintances. The first woman that came to mind was Lolita. She was fun, stunning, and lived up to her name. Dialing her number, he turned on his charm and soon had a lunch date for the next day.

  Slater arrived at a popular lunch bistro that he knew Swan frequented with Lolita hanging on his arm. Lolita was her usual clingy self, which was just what Slater was counting on as they weaved in and out among the tables upon which sat a single colorful daisy adorning the tablecloths. Lolita dressed a little flashy, which was just what Slater had hoped for when he made the date. He wanted to be noticed. He got his wish.

  Lolita wore a clingy tight dark green knit with a very low neckline that bordered on tastefulness with lots of gold jewelry, most of which had been given to her by Slater when their relationship had been in full swing. She had shoulder length blond hair, very red nails, and very red lipstick, which she always enjoyed smearing on an annoyed Slater. She liked to swing her hips with just enough tail to invite everyone in the restaurant to look and insinuated that maybe you would be lucky enough to be invited to touch---the perfect woman of choice for Slater’s plan.

  Swan picked Madeline up for a lunch date at the local French bistro that they often frequented unbeknown that Slater would be there with a date. Madeline was part of Swan’s circle of friends that she had acquired at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport. She was not an original California gal, but was born, bred, and wed in Connecticut.

  Unlike Kat and Swan, Madeline came from wealth. She had grown-up in a large household with servants, cooks, and gardeners. She never knew anything different. She was the only pr
incess of a divulging mother and father. She had traveled the world by the time she was eight. She was well versed in art, culture, and other languages by the time she was twelve. Before she went away to college she knew all the social graces and was able to present a dinner party at a moment’s notice if necessary.

  Most of Madeline’s summers were spent in Hyannis Port with her cousins swimming, horseback riding, and water skiing. All the families came and were members of the elite yacht club. All the parents of Madeline’s cousins were also graduates of Ivy League schools. There was never any doubt that when she grew up that she would be educated at Wellesley just like her mother. There, she would be married to the man of her dreams just like her mother.

  The union of Madeline and her husband-to-be was approved by both sets of parents as they became pawns to their wealthy families doing what was expected. She would even be miserable just like her mother. The men in the family always seemed to have a roving eye for some young thing that sauntered by with invitations in their big round eyes. Unfortunately, Madeline’s husband soon joined the club of the unfaithful and the cycle continued.

  There was never a question of divorce. Generations of good catholic families never gave that a consideration and they would be no different. So, Madeline and her husband led a life of misery pretending to be happy to the rest of the world. They had two children. Their lives would also mimic the life of their parents.

  Slater arrived with Lolita just before noon as he knew that Swan would pick Quinn up from preschool at 11:30 A.M. and deliver him home for Maria to feed and put him down for a nap. IF she were coming, she would be picking up a friend or her lover and be at the bistro by noon. Should everything not go according to plan, he would bring a different date for lunch every day this week until he “accidentally” ran into Swan.