“I’m serious. And it feels very unhealthy,” he added, and Stacy had to laugh again.
“I need to call Eli. Your whole family is here,” Stacy told him.
“In a minute. I just want to hold you,” he said, pulling her back down on top of him and stroking her hair. “What’s that?” he said, rubbing her stitches.
“Stitches. And they cut my hair,” Stacy said, smiling into his chest remembering the kitchen scene.
“God help them!” Niki said. “How long have I been out?”
“Two days.”
“Two days! No shit?”
“Yeah, so I really need to call your family,” Stacy said. She tried to get up but Niki wouldn’t let her.
“Only if you say you’ll marry me,” he told her, and Stacy laughed. When she didn’t answer he squeezed her tighter, “Say it,” he said. “Yes I will marry you, Niki,” he coached.
“I can’t breathe,” Stacy laughed.
“Say it,” he repeated. “Yes, I will marry you, Niki, and have twelve of your children,” he said laughing, then he winced and moaned.
He started to tickle her and Stacy was laughing and screaming, trying to get away. The nurse came barging through the door and both Niki and Stacy jumped.
“He’s awake!” Stacy exclaimed, stating the obvious.
“So I see,” the nurse said, and a broad smile spread across her face.
Stacy got off the bed still laughing and picked up the phone.
“What’s Eli’s number?” she asked. Niki called it out and she dialed it then handed Niki the phone. “Here, you talk to him.”
Eli answered after the first ring. “Yeah,” he said.
“Why aren’t you over here, asshole?”
“Niki!” Eli yelled into the phone, and everyone at the table froze. “It’s him! He’s awake! We’ll be right there,” Eli told him, and he hung up before Niki could say anything else.
“He hung up,” Niki told Stacy, handing her the phone.
Eli threw money down on the table and they all ran out of the restaurant before the food arrived. They were at the hospital within twenty minutes, and the group blew past the nurse’s station and flooded into Niki’s room all at once. Stacy moved over to the windows and watched as his family greeted him, then Carlos and finally Jason, but every chance he got, Niki was looking over at Stacy. Holly was standing with her and she put her arm around Stacy’s shoulder.
“He is so in love with you,” Holly said, watching the way Niki looked at Stacy.
“I know. And he hasn’t even seen me at my best!”
The nurse came in and tried to chase everyone out but they all ignored her, and it took three more appearances from her before anybody made any motions toward the door. Niki was talking to his mother and he lapsed into French and Stacy just about had a cow. As if you weren’t sexy dangerous enough. He gestured for Stacy to come over, and he took her hand.
“You speak French?” she asked, completely besotted.
“Sometimes,” he said, kissing her hand. “I assume you met my girlfriend,” Niki said to his mom.
“Yes I did,” his mother said, smiling. Niki looked happier than she had seen him in ages, bullet wound or not. Lillie watched Niki put his arm around Stacy’s waist and pull her close to him. He wasn’t the least bit self-conscious in front of his mother and it was exactly the way she would have predicted he would act with the woman he finally fell in love with.
“Can you stay for a while?” Niki asked Stacy.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She ran her hand through Niki’s hair and kissed him on the forehead.
“You should get something to eat,” Lillie told Stacy in her sweet voice. “You’ve hardly eaten a thing today.” She looked to Niki for support.
Niki thought about it for a second. He wanted Stacy to stay, but he knew his mother was right. “We’ll make Eli go get her something,” Niki told his mother, and she nodded in agreement.
Everyone had left the hospital and Eli had returned with food for Stacy and had left again. The doctor had come in and examined Niki, and finally Niki and Stacy were alone in the room. At the risk of being confronted by the nurse, Stacy climbed into bed with Niki and lay down on her side facing him.
“Jason told me about your father,” Niki said. “How are you, mentally, I mean?”
Stacy thought about it for a minute. “It was either him or you. And I wasn’t going to let it be you. I did what I had to do and I’ll just have to live with that.” Stacy went quiet and Niki reached over and touched her cheek. “He did kill my mother.”
“I’m sorry,” Niki said. “I was hoping you were wrong.”
“Yeah, me too,” Stacy said. “Let’s not talk about this any more tonight. I just want to be happy that you’re okay and look forward, not back.”
Niki smiled at her. She was as tough as nails and as fragile as glass. “Come here,” Niki said, and she moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest and he put his arm around her. “I’m tired,” he said, closing his eyes. “If that nurse tries to make you leave and I’m asleep, tell her I’m gonna buy the hospital and have her fired.”
Stacy laughed and closed her eyes. “I love you.”
Niki squeezed her tighter. “Not as much as I love you.”
Chapter 48
Eli, Jason, Carlos and Holly had all gone out to celebrate on the Riverwalk. They had done tequila shots and ended up in Niki’s hotel suite. Jason unlocked the door and reached back for Holly’s hand and dragged her in the door, and Eli and Carlos followed. Eli and Carlos made a drink and went out on the balcony and Holly fell onto the couch in a lump.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked, laughing at her.
“I think I’m gonna throw up,” she slurred.
“Oh, don’t do that!”
“Will you help me up?”
“Come on.” Jason put his arm behind her back and got her to her feet. “Do you want me to walk you to the bathroom?”
Holly shook her head yes. “Yes, please,” she said, with a drunken smile. She leaned her head against him as they walked. “You are so cute,” she told him, slurring her words. “How come nobody has snatched you up and married you?” She put her arm around his waist, then she stopped him and moved in front of him. “Did you know that you’re the first guy I’ve actually wanted to have sex with in ages.” She was teetering around and he had to grab her to keep her from falling.
Jason was having a hard time keeping a straight face. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“It’s true. I have had so many shitty dates where I couldn’t even kiss the guy. Don’t you just hate that?” She had gotten the hiccups and was hiccuping every three or four words.
“Yeah, shitty dates suck. Do you want to sit back down?”
“No, I need to throw up.” They walked a little further and she stopped in front of him again. “So do you want to?”
Jason couldn’t help it and he laughed out loud. “Do I want to what? Have sex?”
“No. Go out on a date. Where’d you get that? We were talking about shitty dates.”
“Never mind.”
“Although sex would be nice too,” she added.
Jason pointed his finger to the right then the left. “Which way are we going?”
“To the bathroom. I have to throw up.”
They got to the bathroom and Holly went in and threw up while Jason waited outside the door. When she finished she opened the door.
“I’m using someone’s toothbrush,” she said, with a mouthful of toothpaste.
“As long as it’s not mine,” Jason laughed.
He walked her to the bedroom and he pulled the covers back and Holly fell onto the bed. Jason took her shoes off and covered her up and she was passed out before he got to the door.
Jason made a drink and joined Eli and Carlos on the balcony.
“Where’s Holly?” Carlos asked.
“She threw up and passed out,” Jason said, and they all laughed.
Eli held up his drink. “Well, I guess this marks the end of an era.”
“To the beginning of a new one,” Jason said, and they all touched glasses and took a drink.
Chapter 49
Niki was released from the hospital the following day and everyone had gone over to Stacy’s condo to celebrate. Stacy had arranged for food to be brought in and they were all visiting out on the balcony after lunch. Niki’s parents and Charlotte were flying back to New Orleans later in the day, and Carlos, Eli and Jason would be going back to the island for a week then to New Orleans for Charlotte’s wedding.
Jason had not had a chance to talk to Holly in private since the night before, so he went over and sat down next to her and tried not to laugh.
“Are you feeling any better since you’ve eaten?” he asked.
“Maybe a little. I can’t believe you made me drink that much last night.”
Jason’s eyes got big. “Me? You were the one ordering all the shots!” he said. “So do you remember what you told me last night?” He smiled conspiratorially and nudged his shoulder into her.
Holly got a worried look on her face, “No,” she said, skeptically. “And I don’t think I want to know.”
Jason laughed and leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You told me you wanted to have sex with me.”
Holly turned beet red. “I never would have said that,” she exclaimed.
He put his arm around her and squeezed her. “I’m kidding,” he lied. “You asked me out on a date.”
“I am so embarrassed. I don’t remember anything after we left the bar,” Holly said, and Jason laughed at her.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You just threw up and passed out,” he told her. “You want to go to Charlotte’s wedding with me?”
Holly smiled and her eyes lit up. “In New Orleans? I’d love to!”
“Good. Consider it a date,” he said smiling. “I’ll come back here Wednesday or Thursday and we can fly over with Stacy and Niki.”
“That sounds great,” Holly said. She looked over at Jason for a minute then narrowed her eyes. “I did tell you I wanted to have sex with you, didn’t I?” Jason couldn’t keep a straight face. “Oh my God!” she said mortified, covering her face. “I am so embarrassed. Don’t even tell me what else I said. And don’t ever let me drink like that again,” Holly scolded him.
Eli walked up to the two and smiled. “Well, what do we have here?”
Holly leaned over to Jason and whispered, “You didn’t tell him what I said, did you?” and Jason laughed out loud.
“I haven’t had a chance. But I’m sure we’ll discuss it in detail on the flight home,” he told her.
Stacy had gone into the kitchen for something and Charlotte had followed her in. They hadn’t spoken much since that day in the waiting room before Niki woke up.
“Stacy, I want to apologize for everything I said to you earlier. I was so worried about Niki and I know that’s no excuse, but I had no right to say those things to you,” Charlotte said. Stacy started to say something, but Charlotte held her hand up and continued. “I’ve seen how happy you make my brother and I can tell how much he loves you. And I hope that you can forgive me for being so hateful and cruel. Eli was right, I don’t think Niki would ever forgive me if he knew how I had treated you.”
Stacy smiled at Charlotte. She looked so much like Eli. “Apology accepted. Let’s not discuss it again.”
“Let’s not discuss what?” Niki said, walking into the kitchen.
“None of your business,” Stacy said. She looked at Charlotte and smiled, and Niki shook his head.
“Great. We’re not even married yet and you’re already conspiring with my sister.”
Charlotte looked from Niki to Stacy. “Are you two engaged?”
“No,” Stacy said.
“Not yet,” Niki clarified.
“You’re coming to my wedding aren’t you?” Charlotte asked Stacy.
“Absolutely,” Stacy said.
Charlotte looked at Niki. “What are you going to do until then?”
“Play with Stacy.”
Stacy put her arms around Niki’s waist and leaned her head against him and closed her eyes. “I’m going to take good care of him,” she said. “Actually, you should probably be sitting down. You’ve been up for a long time,” Stacy told Niki.
Everyone had come inside and they were getting ready to leave for the airport. They said their good byes and Stacy and Niki walked everyone to the elevator.
“We’ll see you next week,” Niki told them, and he and Stacy went back inside.
“How about we lie in bed and watch movies,” Stacy said.
“How about we lie in bed and do something else,” Niki suggested.
Stacy smiled. “Even better.” They walked hand-in-hand back to the bedroom, and Stacy asked Niki, “Do you think we’re soul mates?”
Niki smiled. “Without a doubt.”
Chapter 50
Niki and Stacy and Jason and Holly had gotten adjoining rooms at a hotel in the French Quarter and the girls were drinking champagne and getting ready for the rehearsal dinner in Holly and Jason’s room. They were laughing about something when Niki and Jason walked in ready to go. The room smelled of expensive perfume.
“If nothing else, you two smell good,” Jason said.
Stacy walked out in a short red dress with spaghetti straps, a long scarf around her shoulders and three-inch heels, and Niki’s jaw dropped.
“Shit,” he said, checking her out. “Let’s just stay here.”
“Fine by me,” Stacy said, and Niki pulled her into their room and closed the door.
Jason could hear them laughing on the other side of the door and he banged on the wall, “Cut that out in there!” he yelled, and Holly came out laughing.
She was wearing an off-the-shoulder black velvet dress and she had worn her hair up with long ringlet curls hanging down around her face. “Wow! You look awesome,” Jason said.
“You clean up pretty well yourself,” she said smiling.
A limo took the foursome to the rehearsal dinner at a plantation mansion outside the city. There was a sit-down dinner and everyone had made a toast to the bride and groom afterwards. The event was over before midnight, so the limo took Niki, Stacy, Jason and Holly back to the French Quarter and they went bar hopping on Bourbon Street. They went inside a club and Jason and Niki grabbed a window table and Stacy and Holly immediately hit the dance floor. Niki and Jason drank beer and caught up while Stacy and Holly danced for the next half-hour. They just sat down for the first time when two guys came over and asked them to dance.
“Do you mind if I dance with him?” Stacy asked Niki.
“You can dance with anyone you want, as long as you go home with me.”
Holly looked at Jason and he waved her off, and the girls went back out to the dance floor. They danced several dances when AC/DC Thunderstruck came on and Niki and Jason watched as Holly and Stacy cleared the dance floor. Even their dance partners had backed off as the two head-banged all over the dance floor.
“They’re wild,” Niki laughed.
“They’re trouble,” Jason said.
Niki nodded his head. “I’ve always been drawn to trouble.”
“Me too,” Jason agreed. “When’s the wedding?”
“She’s turned me down four or five times,” Niki said, and he took a long drink of his beer. “So what’s up with you and Holly?”
“She’s hot,” Jason said, watching her dance around with Stacy.
“She is hot,” Niki agreed. “As overbearing as she is, she kind of grows on you.”
“Kind of like someone else I know,” Jason said, motioning to the dance floor, and Niki laughed.
A slow song came on and Stacy and Holly returned to the table. Stacy sat down in Niki’s lap and put her arm around his neck.
“Did you miss me?” she asked, taking a drink of his beer.
“What’s to miss?”
“Hey!” she said,
elbowing him in the side.
Niki laughed and put his arms around Stacy’s waist and squeezed her. He called the waiter over and they ordered a bottle of champagne and the four talked and laughed for another hour before they headed back to their hotel. Jason and Holly were walking arm and arm ahead of Stacy and Niki.
“They look good together,” Stacy observed.
“Yeah. It would be cool if things worked out.”
They got back to the hotel and Stacy and Niki went to the bar for a nightcap and Holly and Jason went back to their room. Holly kicked her shoes off as soon as they walked in the door, and Jason came up behind her and put his arms around her and kissed her neck.
“I’ve had a really good time with you tonight,” Jason told her.
“I have too,” Holly said.
She leaned her head back against his chest and he kissed her again, then he turned her around and put his arms around her waist and kissed her on the lips. He reached up her back and unzipped her dress and Holly did a little shimmy and it fell to the floor.
“That was cool. Do that again.”
“Oh, you liked that?” she teased. “I’ve got a lot better moves than that,” she said, and she pulled his head to hers and they kissed a long kiss like the one at Stacy’s condo. When it was over Holly threw her hands in the air.
“Okay, I give up, just take me! You know I’m a sure thing anyway because I already told you I wanted to have sex with you!”
Jason laughed out loud and pulled Holly down on to the bed with him and rolled on top of her and kissed her again. “You’re too much,” he was about to say Lois, but Holly covered his mouth before he could get the words out.
“Don’t you dare call me Lois!” she yelled. When she removed her hand Jason was laughing.
“Okay Lois,” he said, and Holly slugged him.
“Jason! I really don’t like you to call me that.”
“I know. That’s why it’s so much fun,” he said, laughing at her.
They stayed up laughing and talking and messing around, and it was 4:00 a.m. when Jason hung the Do Not Disturb sign out and they finally went to sleep.
Stacy and Niki sat in an overstuffed chair in the hotel bar listening to a saxophone player while they sipped on a Sambuca. She had her legs slung over his and Niki had his hand on Stacy’s knee.
Back on Solid Ground Page 33
