"Why not? It'd be easy in Vegas."
"I know, but let's just go back for a visit, so Dexter can meet his grandparents, and vice-versa. If that all goes well, we'll talk about making the marriage legal." Her stomach twisted at the thought.
"They're not going to welcome you and Dexter unless we're married, you know."
"I know, but if you're lying about everything else, why not lie about this part, too? What difference does it make?" Lainie thought of the ring Harry had bought her, but she wasn't about to offer that as part of the bargain. If Joey wanted her to look like a married lady, he could come up with his own ring.
Joey sipped his coffee, as if deep in thought. "All right. We'll go back to Vegas, get Dexter, and then we'll all fly to New York day after tomorrow."
She panicked at the idea that she'd have to leave with Joey and spend hours in the car with him. She didn't really believe he'd try to hurt her, but the drive back would be disgusting. Plus she wouldn't have a last chance to be with Harry.
"I'll get myself back to Vegas," she said. "You can come and pick up both me and Dexter from the apartment day after tomorrow."
He didn't look happy about that idea. "How do I know you won't try to run again?"
"Because I'll give you my word that I won't. I just talked to your mother, Joey. She's invested in this, and I wouldn't dream of letting her down, now that you've told her she has a grandson." Celeste's excitement was something Lainie couldn't ignore. Her parents hadn't ever acted like that. But maybe Joey was right. Maybe her mom and dad would change their attitude if she was married to Dexter's father.
Joey set down his coffee cup. "Okay, then. I guess I'll have to trust you. Just don't forget what's in it for Dexter."
"Believe me, I won't." She pushed back her chair. "Call my apartment when you have plane tickets."
"About your apartment. .."
"I know you busted the door. I'm assuming you did some other damage. Obviously, it's not in my best interests or Dexter's to prosecute you for it."
"You've got that right." But he looked relieved, as if he hadn't been sure she'd let that business go.
"Call me when you have information." She stood and headed down the sidewalk toward where the Lexus was parked. She hadn't even started this new chapter of her life, and already she felt like a condemned inmate taking that last walk.
Joey grabbed his coffee and walked back in the direction of his car. He'd had to park way the hell and gone, in the exact opposite direction of where Lainie was parked, apparently. He'd be so glad to get out of this godforsaken place and ditch this dopey rental car. As he walked, he hit redial on his cell phone.
Mandy picked, up immediately. "How did I do?"
"You did good. She totally believed you were my mother."
Mandy sighed. "Whew, that's a relief. I did my best to sound older. But for what it's worth, I think it sucks that you have to marry her after the way she's treated you."
"Don't worry. It won't slow me down. The marriage thing is for the parents. What they don't know can't hurt 'em. But I wish she'd go through with the marriage part right now, and she won't. She wants to wait and see how my folks react to her and the kid."
"What a fool. Too bad I can't do it instead of her. I'd stand in front of Elvis and promise to love and cherish any old day you asked me, Joey."
"Thanks." Joey just bet she would. She'd been dazzled by the tennis bracelet he'd promised when he'd asked her to help him with this phone call.
"I mean it."
"I wish I could take you up on it, Mandy." As if. "But right now I have to get this project off the ground. My idea was to surprise them with the kid and the new wife. And that should work for the first twenty-four hours, but I know my dad. Once the shock's worn off, he'll assign a flunky to find out if the marriage is real. If it's not, I'm screwed."
"Wow. Your dad must not trust anybody." "I guess that's why he's got billions." Except Joey didn't trust anybody, either, and he wasn't exactly rolling in it. But he would be, if Lainie didn't crap out on him.
"From what you're saying, Lainie is your whole problem. Without her, you could do whatever you wanted. You really only need the kid, right?"
"Yeah." Joey kept coming back to that same conclusion. "I really only need the kid."
Chapter Twenty-five
Harry followed Lainie at a safe distance as she walked back to the Lexus. He could tell by the droop of her shoulders that something was definitely wrong, but then, he couldn't imagine how anything could be right when she had to deal with a creep like Joey. The guy looked even more obnoxious than he had the first time Harry had seen him.
"Hey, kid." Leo, his ear to a cell phone, beckoned from the doorway of a shop.
Harry hesitated, not wanting to stop. "Leo, I need to talk to Lainie."
"I know. But first you might want to hear what was said during their conversation."
"You know?" Harry had tried to read lips, but between staying in disguise and moving around so Joey wouldn't see him, he hadn't been able to tell what was going on between them.
"One of our guys was right there at the coffee shop and picked up everything. And don't worry, another one's watching her all the way to the car. And we've checked the car out for explosives."
"Explosives?" Harry had a sudden horrible mental image.
"Standard procedure. Don't freak. Here. I'll have them play the tape again so you can listen." He gave instructions to the person on the other end. "Okay, they're ready. Just say hello and they'll start it."
Harry didn't take the phone. It felt like an invasion of Lainie's privacy. "Maybe I should just let her tell me."
Leo rolled his eyes. "You're so loaded down with scruples it's a wonder you can walk without tipping over. Take my word for it, when you're dealing with women, you need all the information you can get."
Harry didn't think he had so many scruples. After all, he had been trying to read lips to figure out the conversation. Leo's method was just more sophisticated. So he took the phone.
What he heard broke his heart. He was ready to strangle Joey for making Lainie choose between her career and her child. What a diabolical thing to do to someone, and the worst part was that Joey seemed oblivious to the carnage.
When the conversation ended, Harry gave the phone back to Leo.
"Not a pretty picture, is it?" Leo said.
"No." Harry didn't trust himself to say any more. His throat hurt from choking back words of fury. But other than wiping Joey off the face of the earth, he didn't know what options he had. And Lainie wouldn't thank him for eliminating Joey permanently. The amazing thing was his driving urge to do exactly that. He'd never felt so violent toward anyone in his life.
"I'll walk with you back to your car," Leo said. "Dudley hitched a ride with one of the Phoenix boys, and the other two are following Joey all the way back to Vegas."
As Leo fell into step beside him, Harry realized he'd forgotten all about the damaged Jag. "What happened with your car?"
"I'm pretty sure it's been knocked out of alignment." His tone was conversational. "I'm having it towed on a flatbed back to Vegas, so my regular garage can work on it."
"Leo, I'll pay for whatever it costs to fix it. The accident was my fault."
Leo chuckled. "Yeah, it was. And once I got over being pissed at you, I loved it."
"You loved that I leaped out of the car?"
"Absolutely. That's twice now you've acted out of character. It's good to know you've got an impulsive streak under that buttoned-down persona."
Harry chewed on that comment for a while and had to admit there was something to it. Lainie brought out a side of him he hadn't known existed, a side that ignored logic and simply acted according to what his heart told him to do.
But at the moment, his heart wasn't talking to him. It was still numb from the realization that Lainie was considering a loveless marriage to Joey for the sake of Dexter's future.
When he and Leo were
about half a block from the Lexus, they could see Lainie sitting in the passenger seat with the windows down. She was leaning back against the headrest with her eyes closed, as if she couldn't bear to look ahead. Harry didn't blame her.
Leo caught Harry's arm and pulled him to a halt. "You know what? I think you two need some time alone. I'll take a stroll back down the street. When you're ready to drive on over to the resort, call my cell."
"I have no idea what to say to her," Harry murmured.
"Just be your usual comforting self. She's got a tough row to hoe right now. And don't give up hope, kid. Nothing's cast in stone yet. She didn't agree to marry that nimrod until after she's met his folks."
"Yeah, but you know how everyone reacts to Dexter. His grandparents are going to love him. Once she goes back there with Dexter, it'll all be over."
"You never know. And I'm still not convinced Joey's put all his cards on the table. I'm going to have my boys keep a watch on him until that flight takes off."
"Good. Because if they weren't going to keep tabs on him, I was."
Leo grinned. "Before you decide to switch professions, let me tell you that you're terrible at surveillance. The Phoenix guys were cracking up watching you today. Lucky for you Joey's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, or you would've been made."
"And I almost wish he'd recognized me so I could take him on."
"See, that's what I'm talking about. Lately you've been showing a lot of spunk and a lot of heart. I'm glad to see it. I only wish we could make sure Lainie sticks around. She brings out all sorts of interesting things in you."
"Yeah, she does." Harry couldn't pretend that he wasn't involved right up to his eyeballs. "I wish we could get her to stick around, too."
Leo clapped him on the shoulder. "You go talk to her. Let her know she can count on you no matter what. You still have a shot, kid."
"Maybe." But he didn't think so.
"No maybe about it. Okay, I'm taking off. Call me." Leo sauntered away.
Harry walked over to the car, put both hands on the door, and crouched down so his face was even with Lainie's. "How're you doing?" he asked quietly.
She swallowed and didn't open her eyes. "I heard you walk up." Her voice was unsteady. "I can tell your footsteps, now."
"I could find you blindfolded, just by your scent."
"I... I could probably do that with you, too." She swallowed again. "Harry, the Benjamins could give Dexter the moon. How can I turn my back on a chance to give him everything I've ever wanted for him?"
Except a decent father. "What about Joey? I thought you were worried about his influence."
"I was. I am. But I doubt he'd be around much. In fact, I'm sure he wouldn't. He doesn't want a wife, just the chance to take over this business."
"But you thought his father wouldn't be so stupid as to give it to him."
When she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him, her gaze was dull with despair. "I don't, but I've been sitting here thinking about it and I realize Joey doesn't really matter. Doyle and Celeste Benjamin will fall in love with Dexter. Everyone does. Doyle won't retire for another fifteen or twenty years, probably. By the time he does, he could hand the whole shebang over to Dexter and skip Joey completely."
Harry had to admit it was a likely scenario.
"That's assuming I do the right thing and marry Joey. Doyle wouldn't give his empire to someone who didn't have the Benjamin name."
He searched her expression. "Is that the right thing?"
She studied him for a long moment. "Harry, we don't always get what we want in life."
"I know." And he was finding that out the hard way. "Lainie, whatever you decide to do, I'll support you."
As her eyes filled with tears, she swiped at them angrily and looked away. "Thanks. Listen, we should probably get back to the resort. We have a long drive ahead of us."
But his attention had been drawn to the flash of silver when she'd wiped away her tears. "You put the ring back on your left hand." Suddenly he had an awful thought. "You're not planning to use it when you go back to New York, are you?"
"Absolutely not!" She looked down at the ring. "I just... felt better with it there. For now."
Marry me. Forget this terrible plan and marry me. He choked back the proposal and pushed himself to his feet. "I need to call Leo. He went off to do some shopping."
Her laugh had a tinge of hysteria. "Oh, I'm so sure. He's giving us some private time, is what he's doing. I figured you'd both need to ride back with me when I saw Leo's car being hauled off on a flatbed. In fact, I expected Dudley to show up, too."
"Dudley's riding with one of the Phoenix guys. But I guess Leo still feels like he has to watch out for us, so he stayed."
Lainie sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "He's a good man." "The best." "So are you."
His heart turned over. "You're pretty damned wonderful, yourself, Lainie." Then he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Leo before he blurted out what he had no business saying.
Lainie didn't try to make conversation on the way back to the resort. Then while Leo waited outside, she and Harry packed up their suitcases in record time, not talking, careful not to touch. She tucked the little plastic toy for Dexter in her purse and fluffed the red wig before putting it in a plastic bag so it wouldn't get crushed. They were almost finished when someone rapped on the door.
Harry answered it. "Hey, Dudley."
Pulling her packed suitcase behind her, Lainie went to the door. "Hi, Dudley."
"I just came to say so long," Dudley said. "And to ask you one last time if there isn't some way you can buy a one-bedroom."
Lainie smiled, blessing this funny old guy for lightening the mood a little. "No, Dudley, I'm afraid we can't." But dumpy as the place was, she wished she could buy a time-share here . . . with Harry.
"Thanks for all your help, though," Harry said.
"You're welcome. And I still can't shake the notion that you two are going to buy a one-bedroom unit."
Dudley handed them each a very cheesy business card that looked as if he'd typed it up himself. "So don't lose this."
"I won't," Lainie said as she held out her hand. "And thank you, again, Dudley. For everything."
"My pleasure." Dudley shook her hand and touched the brim of his hat, like a true cowboy.
Then he shook hands with Harry and left, careening away in his golf cart, backfiring all the way.
"I'm going to miss that guy," Harry said.
"I'm going to miss everything about this place." Lainie took one last look around.
"Even the ants?" Harry said, his voice tender.
"Yes." She glanced at him. "Even the ants." Then she drew in a breath and let it out. "Ready?"
He held her gaze for one long, intense moment. "Yeah." He grabbed his suitcase. "Ready."
Lainie gave Leo the front seat and she took the back, telling them she wanted to sleep on the way to Vegas. In fact she couldn't bear to ride all the way home next to the man she wanted so much, the man she couldn't have. So she pretended to sleep and tried to put emotional distance between herself and Harry.
She didn't have much success. Instead she spent most of the trip watching him through half-closed eyes. She studied the back of his neck and the way his hair grew into a neat little point. She noticed that his ears were nicely shaped and close to his head.
When he turned his head to say something to Leo, she admired his profile. He had a good nose and a great chin. She'd been so swept up in lust that she hadn't taken time to register that sort of thing, so she took the time now. She might never have another chance to observe him and record every little gesture, every variation in tone as he and Leo talked.
Their conversation was relaxed and easy, the way it would be between two people who'd known and liked each other for twenty years. The subject was usually Rona. But they also talked about Crimson Canyons, and how somebody with vision could fix it up and mm it into a gold mine.
<
br /> "I don't dare tell Rona that, though," Leo said. "Or she'll talk me into making it our project. And she wouldn't care a bit about the snakes, either. I'm the one with the snake problem. She'd think they were exotic. And she'd want to get the TITS involved. It would be a nightmare."
"Probably," Harry agreed, "although as an investment, you could do worse than Crimson Canyons. The location is excellent."
"Wanna go in on it with me?"
As Harry hesitated, Lainie held her breath. If Harry said yes, then he'd be coming back here many times. And he'd be without her. Selfishly, she didn't want him to.
"No, I don't think that's my kind of deal," Harry said.
Lainie sighed in relief.
'Too risky?" Leo asked.
"Yeah. Too risky for me."
"Then I don't want to do it, either. And we have to make a pact not to mention it to Rona, or I'll never hear the end of it."
"Can't you just tell her it's a terrible investment? You'd be the one taking the financial hit if it fails."
"I know, but once she gets hold of an idea, she won't let go. She'd make me do it." Leo sounded exactly like Eeyore.
Lainie couldn't help smiling. Leo, the man who put the fear of God into other men with one piercing glare, was a complete slave to the woman he loved. Then Leo started discussing a houseboat trip Rona wanted to take on Lake Mead, another thing Leo wasn't crazy about doing but probably would.
As the guys debated the pros and cons of houseboats, Lainie found herself getting sleepy, after all. Maybe it was the sense of absolute safety she felt riding in the car with these two men. Maybe it was the soothing quality of Harry's voice. In any case, she drifted off and didn't wake up until Harry pulled into the driveway of Rona's condo.
When she opened her eyes and realized where they were, she scrambled to unfasten her seat belt and climb out of the car so that she could see Dexter again. But as she hurried up the walk to the front door, she paused to glance back at Harry, who was hauling the suitcases out of the trunk. Her special time with that special man was over.
The Nerd Who Loved Me Page 28
