After she walked away. Leo shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Harry. "So, are you gonna pop the question?"
"With Dexter around?"
"Well, yeah, I suppose that's not the time. Don't wait too long, though. You just played the hero. Take advantage of it."
"I wasn't trying to be a hero. I... I don't really know what happened to me. It was like I had no choice but to annihilate the guy."
Leo nodded. "It's called love, kid. And you need to—"
"Here she comes, and no Dexter."
"He wants to stay there with Fred," Lainie said. "I keep forgetting how easily kids bounce back. And he's a real celebrity in that van. Everyone's talking about how smart he was to use his little bottle of sunscreen to write on the back window."
Leo gave Harry a glance filled with meaning. "Then take off, you two."
The first few minutes of the ride in the Jag passed in silence. Lainie thought Harry might be concentrating on driving the new and unfamiliar car. Neither of them wanted to be responsible for damaging another of Leo's vehicles.
But as the silence stretched out. Lainie concluded that Harry was feeling awkward, now that she was a free woman. It was one thing to say he wished for a different outcome when it looked as if they had no future together. He might have said it to make her feel better, knowing they didn't have a snowman's chance in hell. But now they had all the chances they wanted.
Harry could very well be getting cold feet.
She cleared her throat. "I just want to say that I'm not holding you to anything you said in the heat of the moment."
"Lainie, I think we should get married."
She groaned. He thought they should get married, which meant that he was willing to step in and fill the gap in her and Dexter's lives. "No, we shouldn't."
"Why not?"
"Because all along you've given me the distinct impression that you want someone with an ordinary job, someone who'll be home at five to cook the dinner and tack the kids into bed. We both know I'm not that woman."
"That's okay! We could work it out fine, with me babysitting at night and you babysitting in the daytime. The kids would be covered. That's a more logical arrangement than two parents who both work during the day. I see that, now."
She cringed. "This is about logic? You're basing a marriage proposal on logic?"
"No, not totally, but I've had time to think about it, and I see how everything could work out for us. And Dexter seems to like me, so there's—"
"Dexter does like you." And I love you. "But if this is about giving Rona the grandmother experience, then we don't have to get married for that. I'd be thrilled to continue taking Dexter over there for visits. I'll even have Dexter start calling her Grandma Rona if she wants him to."
"This isn't about Rona's grandmother experience." Harry's jaw clenched. "It's about us. Getting married is the next logical step. We wouldn't even have much moving to do. We could pick your apartment or mine, whichever you'd rather."
"Actually, I'm leaving that apartment complex." She'd been toying with the idea before, once she saw what having Fred around meant to Dexter. "I'm moving into a place that allows pets."
"Fine! We'll move into a place that allows pets!" He pulled into the parking lot behind the Nirvana. "Lainie, why can't you see that this is the best thing for everybody? You, me, Dexter... everybody?"
She stared at him and wondered how such a smart man could be so dumb. "You figure it out." She opened her door. "Thanks for the ride." Then she walked to the back door of the Nirvana.
At the door, she turned around and glanced back. Harry sat behind the wheel of the Jag, looking completely confused and completely adorable. But she wasn't going to marry a man who insisted that it was the "logical" thing to do.
She wanted a lot more from Harry than that. She knew he was capable of more, or at least she thought so, judging from what a hottie he became in bed. Then again, maybe he was one of those men who couldn't get himself to say those three little words.
If so, then she'd have to learn to live without him.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Thank goodness Tim hadn't replaced her, Lainie thought as she stepped back on the Nirvana stage that night. Dancing was exactly what she needed to recover from the emotional roller coaster she'd been riding for the past few days. She'd spent the day taking care of details, but for the moment, all she had to think about was the music, the rhythm, the routine.
Between numbers, thoughts crept in, though. She had to consider herself one lucky woman now that she and Dexter had escaped Joey's clutches and Dexter's education fund was a reality. She'd bought the CDs today after retrieving Dexter and her "Fever" costume from Rona's house.
She'd promised Rona she and Dexter would be back in a couple of days, but she'd avoided any discussion of Harry. He'd been such a hero that she found it hard to believe he'd make such a boring proposal, but he had. She wanted a proposal she could tell her grandchildren about, and "we should get married" didn't cut it.
Unfortunately for her, she still loved the guy, boring proposal and all. She even looked to see if he was in his usual seat at the Nirvana, but he wasn't. Maybe he was rearranging his sock drawer.
Except... except he could be wild and passionate, too. She'd seen that side of him at the time-share. And then twice he'd risked his neck in her name. So why couldn't he sweep her into his arms and tell her he couldn't live without her?
Because that's not his first impulse. Deep in her heart, she understood that and loved him anyway, but damned if she'd marry him without something more dramatic than "I think we should get married." That wasn't getting cold feet, as she'd first imagined, it was reducing life to a spreadsheet. And she wouldn't have it.
After the last number ended, Lainie checked her watch and calculated how much she'd owe Mrs. Flippo for tonight. Mrs. Flippo was back on the job, even though Rona had said she'd be glad to babysit. Lainie had gently declined.
Besides the inconvenience of taking Dexter all the way to Rona's, Lainie didn't want to use Rona as a regular babysitter. That would be expecting way too much of a friend. Mrs. Flippo had to go eventually, though. She wasn't smart enough for Dexter. The trick would be finding someone who was.
Like Harry.
Oh, yes, Harry had made perfect sense in what he'd said today. Get married and juggle the babysitting. How terrifically romantic. When during that carefully mapped-out schedule of his would they have wild and crazy sex?
He hadn't mentioned that. She wanted it mentioned. A lot.
She was still thinking about that as she walked out to her car, keys in hand. Recently she'd been spoiled by automatic keys, but now she was back to the old-fashioned kind that you had to push into the lock.
As she started to tarn the key and open the door, an arm came around her throat.
"You ruined my life!" Joey hissed into her ear. "Damned bitch, you ruined my life!"
The stench of his breath told her he'd been drinking, but that didn't seem to have affected his strength. She used her elbows, as she'd been taught in her self-defense course, and connected satisfyingly with his ribs. She was more mad than scared, and quite ready to take this guy on. How dare he show up again, let alone attack her?
She kicked backward and missed his groin, but not by much. One more try and she'd disable him. Relishing the prospect, she planted her left foot firmly and started to swing her right foot back and up so it would land squarely on his crotch.
Then she heard a cry of rage and suddenly she was free. Gasping, she turned around to see Harry throwing punches like a madman. Joey went down, and Harry followed him to the pavement, his fists moving like pistons. He was going to kill Joey.
She rushed over and tried to tag him away. "Stop it, Harry! That's enough! Let me call the police!"
He didn't seem to hear her, so she started shouting for anyone who would. "Help! Someone help!"
"Excuse me, miss."
"Step aside, please."
/> As she watched in amazement, the two men who had been with Leo earlier this morning moved in and effortlessly pulled Harry away from his victim while Harry bellowed in protest.
"Hey, kid, that's enough, now." Leo stepped out of the shadows and over to Harry. "You don't want to get arrested for manslaughter. Rona would have a fit."
His chest heaving, his shirt splattered with Joey's blood, Harry stared at Leo. "He ... he tried ... to kill her."
"I know. I found out he never made the Chicago-New York leg of his flight. Probably spent the layover in the bar, nursing his grievances, then caught a flight back to Vegas. Good thing we all had the same idea, to hang around after the show and be sure Lainie got home okay."
Harry's gaze flicked to Lainie. "I... wasn't here for that."
"No? You were taking an evening stroll and happened upon this scene?"
"No." Harry looked directly at Lainie. "I came to tell her I love her and I can't live without her."
"You did?" Her heart leaped. "You do?"
Harry nodded. "I didn't expect to find this Neanderthal trying to choke her to death."
"So, boss?" The guy with a shaved head had dragged Joey to his feet. His nose was spouting blood like a broken fire hydrant. "What are we gonna do with him?"
Leo stroked his chin. "That's a good question, Brett. Joey, I thought you understood that you weren't to set foot in Vegas ever again."
Joey began to blubber. "Please let me go! I promise this time! I'll never come back here. Please don't feed me to the fishes!"
"We wouldn't do that," said the blond guy. "It's too far to Lake Mead from here. I think dropping him off the balcony at the Rio sounds like a good idea."
"Noooo. I hate heights!"
"Then maybe the Rio it'll be. Good idea, Eric," Leo said.
Lainie started getting nervous. "Couldn't we just have him arrested?"
"That's no fun," Eric said.
When a patrol car cruised into the lot, lights flashing, Lainie sighed with relief. "Oh, good. The police are here."
"The police!" Joey broke away from his captors and ran toward the cruiser. "Arrest me, arrest me! I'm afraid of heights! They're going to kill me!"
Lainie thought Leo and his boys would fade into the night once the cops arrived, but to her surprise, Leo sauntered over to the cruiser.
"Hi, Bob," he said. "You might want to slap the cuffs on this one. He assaulted this young lady, and I'm sure she'd be willing to prosecute."
"I would," Lainie called out.
What followed was an incredible amount of paperwork which they filled out under the lights of the parking lot. All the while Lainie kept glancing over at Harry. Had he really said that he loved her, or was she just imagining it?
Finally the cruiser left with Joey in the back seat.
"So that's that," Leo said. "You'll get your day in court, and Joey Benjamin will undoubtedly get off with his family's money behind him. They won't want a jailbird in addition to a gay guy. But I don't think he'll try this a second time."
Harry was looking at Leo with great interest. "You acted like you were good friends with those cops."
"I am, as it happens."
"But... isn't that kind of unusual, in your line of work? To be friends with the cops?"
Leo glanced from Harry to Lainie. "If I tell you something, you have to swear you'll never repeat it to Rona."
"We won't," Lainie said.
"Definitely not," Harry added.
"The thing is, I'm not connected to the Mob. I own a personal protection business, hired bodyguards, if you will, and I have a great relationship with the cops around here."
Lainie still didn't get it. "Why wouldn't you want Rona to know you have a legitimate business?"
"Because she thinks me being a Mafia type is mysterious and sexy. And with Rona, I need all the help I can get-Harry started to grin. "You're kidding." Leo shrugged.
"I'll be damned." Harry glanced at Lainie. "There's your answer. Leo's not the Godfather, after all."
"I wouldn't mind being a godfather," Leo said. "If you get my drift."
Harry walked over to Lainie. "That's up to this lady. What do you say, Lainie? Care to make Leo a godfather?"
She gazed up at him. "Would you say it one more time?"
"Care to make—"
"No, the other thing. The reason you came here tonight."
"You mean that I love you and I can't live without you? That thing?" "Uh-huh."
He held out his hands, which were bloody, and looked down at his bloody shirt. "I should be holding you at a time like this, and I'm a mess."
"I don't care."
He wiped his hands on his pants, anyway. Then he gathered her close. "I love you and I can't live without you. Please marry me, or I'll die. Not literally, but in every other way. I'll shrivel up and become nothing but a human calculator, with no heart, no soul, no—"
"Sex life?" She smiled.
I think this is where we fade out of the picture," Leo said. "But before I leave, let me put in a plug for you to name your first kid after me."
Harry gazed down into Lainie's face. "How do you feel about a girl named Leo?"
"Sounds fine to me."
"Great," Leo said. "Then we'll be off."
As the maroon Jag pulled away, Harry tightened his hold on Lainie. "Your turn."
She didn't have to ask what he meant. "I love you and I can't live without you. If you won't marry me, I'll die. Not literally, but in every other way. I'll become a dried-up showgirl with no heart, no soul, no—"
"You couldn't be dried up if you tried. Me, I could dry up, but you will always be one juicy woman."
"All right, then, I'll float away on my tears of grief."
"Can't have that. Are we on, then? Wedding, reception, honeymoon, the works?" "We're on."
"Good, because it's really the logical thing to do, you know."
"Harry Ambrewster, if you use that word one more—"
"Just kidding! Still have your ring?"
She held up her right hand to show him. "I decided to keep it on the right hand for now, but if you want me to switch it over, I will."
He took her hand and kissed her fingertips. "Mine's on the right, too. I think we should wait and put them on our left hands when we're standing in front of the minister."
She was so happy that nobody would ever be able to wipe the grin off her face. "Sounds good."
"Come on, I'm taking you home."
"What about my car?"
"We'll get it tomorrow. I want to take you home in my car, which is the equivalent of riding off with you on my trusty steed. And I'm staying the night."
"Oh, really?"
"Yep." He circled her waist with one arm and led her over to his Lexus. "And the night after that, and the night after that, and so on."
"Okay."
"That's all you have to say?" "Nope." She wrapped her arm around his waist. "I'd say Mrs. Flippo is so fired." "Anything else?"
"Yeah." She gave him a squeeze. "I want the one-bedroom."
Epilogue
The 'TITS’ occupied the front row of folding chairs, and as mother of the groom, Rona sat in the middle. Suz and Trixie flanked her to the right and left, with Babs and Cherie each one seat over. They'd drawn numbers to figure out the order so that nobody felt slighted.
Rona gripped her friends' hands and blinked back tears as Harry, dressed in a dark gray tux, walked across an emerald lawn and took his place next to the minister in front of a makeshift altar. She'd never seen her son look so handsome or so happy.
Next to him stood Leo, also gorgeous in his tux, and Dudley, far less gorgeous and already tugging at his collar. An arched trellis behind them framed red rock formations rising above a green velvet fairway. A breathtaking setting for a wedding, if Rona did say so, and well worth three months of concentrated effort on everybody's part.
The rest of the wedding guests sat in neat rows arranged on the newly landscaped patio behind
the renovated Crimson Canyons clubhouse. Inside the clubhouse, caterers prepared the tables and chairs for the reception. A recording of flutes and drums, Lainie and Harry's choice for the pre-ceremony music, wafted from state-of-the-art equipment concealed behind a folding screen.
"Doesn't he look yummy?" Suz whispered.
"You mean Harry or Leo?" Rona would have been hard-pressed to say who looked the yummiest of those two. One inspired her mother's pride and the other one flipped all her switches, even if he had given up his underworld connections to go into this time-share business with Harry. Leo wasn't getting any younger, and he probably needed to try something legitimate for a change.
"I mean Dudley," Suz said. "What a man. Hubba, hubba."
Rona managed not to laugh. She never would have guessed that Suz would meet Dudley and fall madly in love, and vice-versa. Suz stood at least five inches taller than her new conquest, but neither of them seemed to give a damn. And thanks to Suz's tutoring, Dudley had become quite the salesman.
The Crimson Canyons project had turned out to be a shot in the arm for all the TITS, as a matter of fact. Everyone had bought in and were now part of the sales team. Business was booming. Babs had even sold a time-share—Rona paused and corrected herself. Babs had sold resort ownership to Lainie's sour-faced parents.
Rona, Leo, and the TITS split their time between Sedona and Vegas, and Suz had announced that once she talked Dudley into marrying her, she'd move here permanently. Lainie and Harry could only come once in a while, though, because Lainie needed to stay close to work. That girl would be a headliner before long, or
Rona didn't know her stuff. And Rona definitely knew her stuff.
As for Dexter, he was about the happiest kid Rona had ever seen. Harry and Lainie had bought a house in Henderson near Rona's condo, and the yard was perfect for a dog. Everywhere Dexter went, there was Mitzi, a little bundle of champagne-colored Shih Tzu energy who also had a crush on Fred. When Dexter came to visit Rona, Mitzi always came along to profess her doggie love.
The Nerd Who Loved Me Page 31
