by Anita Hughes
He would have to find out before he proposed. His head throbbed, and there was a pain in his neck. If he was going to ask her a difficult question, he needed a stiff drink. He grabbed his key and walked out the door. He hurried down the staircase and entered the Piano Bar.
* * *
Oliver signaled the bartender to refill his glass. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting in the booth. It was long enough to finish two Bellinis and watch an older man wearing a gold watch pick up a young woman in a spandex dress.
He remembered when he and Lily were first together. They spent hours in restaurants observing other couples. Lily laughed and made him promise he would never leave her for a younger woman. Oliver assured her that couldn’t happen if they were married for fifty years.
How could they have been so sure about everything and let it slip away? And what if he got things wrong again? But Angela said she was falling in love with him. Maybe it was an old pregnancy test, and she took it again. How reliable could something that came with a two-for-one sticker at the local pharmacy be?
“Oliver, there you are.” Angela entered the bar. She wore oversized sunglasses and carried a shopping bag. “Why did you want to meet here? I thought we were going out on a boat.”
“I needed a drink first,” he stated.
Her mouth was painted red, and she’d never looked more stunning. Maybe he should forget the whole thing and board the catamaran. They would drink champagne and marvel at the turquoise ocean. After he proposed, they would make love on a round bed in the cabin. It would be like an adult version of the Rose Ceremony on The Bachelor.
But there couldn’t be secrets in their relationship. Look what had happened to him and Lily. He had to find out if Angela was hiding something.
“I’m going to order an Orange Cervo,” Angela said. “I had it at Cala di Volpe last night: mint leaves and orange juice and sugar. It was the most delicious drink I ever tasted.”
They waiter disappeared, and Angela looked at Oliver. “You shouldn’t be sitting in a bar in the afternoon, you’re quite pale. We’re on the Emerald Coast, you need to spend more time in the sun.”
“I was writing you a poem and found something,” he began.
“A poem?” She raised her eyebrow.
“I was going to propose on the catamaran. I bought a ring this morning from the Extremely Piaget collection. But I knocked over the garbage can in our suite and discovered your pregnancy test,” he said and stopped. “It only had one pink line.”
The waiter arrived with Angela’s drink, and she took a long sip. She fiddled with her earring, and Oliver thought it was the longest moment of his life.
“That’s because I’m not pregnant,” she said.
“I don’t understand,” he stuttered. “You were pregnant yesterday. You insisted I marry you.”
“I would never make you do anything,” she corrected. “It was your choice.”
“Were you ever pregnant?” he gasped.
“I guess not,” she said slowly. “It was Ricky’s idea.”
“Ricky?” Oliver looked around for a paramedic; he was certain he was having a heart attack.
“I ran into him at the pharmacist while I was buying a pregnancy test. I thought I was pregnant, but it turned out to be indigestion; the clams at the Yacht Club were a bit off.
“Ricky was standing in line, and we exchanged greetings. A few hours later I ran into him on the dock. He said he wanted to talk about something and suggested we get a cup of coffee. He said he happened to notice I was buying a pregnancy test and wondered if I was pregnant. I told him it was a false alarm, and he asked if I could do him a favor.” She paused. “He saw the way you behaved at the Yacht Club and thought you still had feelings for Lily. He wanted me to pretend I was pregnant. He’s quite taken with Lily and doesn’t want to lose her. He thought if you were committed to me, Lily would allow herself to fall in love with him.”
“At first I thought it was a ridiculous idea. But you got so upset when I mentioned I wanted a family. I didn’t want to keep dating you and miss my best childbearing years.
“Don’t worry, I was going to invent a miscarriage before our wedding. You would have had time to bow out if you were only marrying me because I was pregnant.” She sipped her drink. “Now that it’s out in the open, we can forget the whole thing. Ricky doesn’t have anything to worry about because we’re getting married. And Lily would be crazy not to fall for him. He looks like an Italian film star.”
“What do you mean we’re getting married!” Oliver exclaimed. “You lied to me.”
“Please, Oliver.” She sighed. “I don’t expect our marriage to be an open book. I’m sure I’ll keep a secret bank account, and you don’t have to tell me about every office flirtation, as long as they don’t get out of hand.”
“Honesty is the most important part of a relationship,” he declared. “Without it, you have nothing at all.”
“That’s interesting, coming from you,” she said. “The whole reason you got divorced was because you lied to Lily.”
“It was the greatest mistake of my life. I’m not going to repeat it,” he insisted. “I can’t marry someone who isn’t truthful.”
“We’re not even married yet. Think of it as an exercise they do in premarital counseling. You see how each member of the couple reacts to an unplanned pregnancy. You get an A +.” She looked at Oliver. “We don’t want one little setback to ruin our future. You’re handsome and dynamic and caring. I really think I’m falling in love with you.”
“We’re not going to have any future,” he seethed. “I want you to leave.”
“You want me to leave?” she repeated.
“Get out of my room. Go back to New York.” He waved his hand. “I don’t care what you do. I don’t want to see you again.”
“You really want me to leave?” She wet her lips. “I suppose I could join Gaston in Mykonos. He’s the celebrity-wedding planner I told you about. He’s doing a wedding next week, and the florist dropped out. It’s very hush-hush, he couldn’t tell me who’s getting married. I’m sure you’ll read about it in Us magazine.”
“That’s an excellent plan.” He nodded. “Your passport is in the hotel safe.”
“Are you sure you’re not overreacting?” she offered. “Why don’t we go out on the catamaran, and you can calm down. I bought ceviche and Sardinian flatbread. It’s excellent with a cold chardonnay.”
Oliver studied her plump mouth and realized he would never kiss her again. And those breasts! How could anything bring him so much pleasure just by existing? For a moment, he was tempted to help her pack. They could have one more frolic in bed or interlude in the shower. But he was too old to have sex without a relationship. It was like when he’d become a teenager and grown out of comic books.
“Why don’t you collect your things?” He handed her the key. “I’ll sit here until you leave.”
“I think you’re being a little heartless. I put a lot of effort into our relationship. Everyone makes mistakes; you know that better than anyone. I really think we had something special.” Angela stood up. “But I’m not going to beg. I’ll pack and be gone before you go on up.” She grabbed her bag. “It’s too bad. We could have had a wonderful life if you had given us a chance.”
“Angela, wait.” Oliver stopped her.
She turned and rubbed her lips. Her dress clung to her hips, and he noticed the mole on her cheek.
“Yes, Oliver?” she asked.
“I am grateful for the time we spent together. It couldn’t have been easy dating a newly divorced man,” he answered. “You helped me find my old spark again. Good luck with your business.”
“Good-bye, Oliver.” She tossed her hair over her shoulders. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other in New York.”
* * *
Oliver stood on the balcony of his suite and watched speedboats skim over the waves. Yachts gleamed in the harbor, and the sea was the color of topaz.
A
few hours ago, he’d imagined he could steer a Jet Ski while shoving a Russian villain into shark-infested waters like James Bond. Now he felt as ineffectual as the purple dinosaur on Louisa’s television show. How dare Ricky interfere with his life?
But he couldn’t blame Ricky. Angela only had to say no. What kind of woman agreed to pretend to be pregnant as a favor? Ricky hadn’t asked to borrow a cup of sugar.
Of course it was better that he’d found out what Angela was capable of now. And he really wasn’t ready for marriage. But he had gotten used to her. Angela had a way of making him feel important and successful.
He entered the living room and thought of everything he had to do: cancel the catamaran and return the engagement ring and tell Lily.
Lily! Would Lily think this was his fault? If he hadn’t tried to save her from eating the tiramisu, Ricky never would have asked Angela to lie. It didn’t matter if Lily was angry with him. She had to know what Ricky had done.
Angela had left her shopping bag on the coffee table. He opened the bag and took out a gold maillot. His fingers touched the fabric, and he sighed. First he would take a cold shower, then he would worry about everything else.
Chapter Thirteen
LILY ARRANGED CUSHIONS ON A striped love seat and wiped her hands on her dress. It was mid afternoon, and she had been working at Lily Bristol all day. Tomorrow was the grand opening, and she was so excited.
The showroom had a beamed ceiling and rounded plaster walls. There were linens she’d discovered at an outdoor market in San Pantaleo and woven rugs from Olbia. And the colors! Turquoise towels were stacked on an antique dresser, and magenta cushions were strewn over a daybed.
She noticed a new text on her phone and smiled. Ricky had dropped her off at Hotel Cervo this morning. He’d already sent a dozen texts, and a bouquet of tulips had arrived with a note asking her to dinner.
They still had so much to work out: how they would keep in touch, and when they would see each other. But they could Skype and send messages. And it only took eight hours to fly from Sardinia to New York.
She caught her reflection in the window and laughed. Her eyes sparkled, and a smile lit up her face. She wanted to bottle the feeling and sell it at the cash register next to the tins of almonds.
A bell tinkled over the door, and Lily looked up. Oliver stood at the entrance, clutching a shopping bag.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I brought you a gift for the grand opening.” He handed her the bag. “It’s a statue of Vesta, the Roman goddess of the home.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” She took out the statue. “Thank you, it’s lovely.”
“I always bring you a gift when you open a new store.” He glanced around the space. “Everything looks fantastic.”
“I’m terrified the caterer will run out of ravioli or I didn’t buy enough champagne.” She paused. “But I do like it. I’m so glad I decided to open a store on the Emerald Coast.”
“Do you remember when you opened Lily Bristol San Francisco?” he asked. “You were worried that no one would come because there was a Forty-niners playoff game. But we couldn’t fit all the people in the store and ran out of mimosas in the first hour.”
“Grand openings are always exhilarating.” She sighed. “So much can go wrong, and then I’m relieved when everything turns out.”
“This is going to be your most successful store yet,” he declared.
Lily glanced at her watch and remembered she was meeting Ricky in a few hours. “I still have a lot to do. Thank you for the gift, but I have to go.”
“That’s not the only reason I came,” Oliver began. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“If you want more advice on your wedding, now isn’t the time.” She moved through the store. “You and Angela can come to the opening.”
“It’s not about Angela and me.” He paused. “It’s about Ricky.”
“Don’t tell me you were spying when Ricky dropped me off at the hotel this morning!” Her eyes flashed. “Honestly, Oliver, I can sleep wherever I like. I’d appreciate it if you stay out of my love life.”
“You spent the night at Ricky’s?” he gasped.
“Yes, Oliver. I’m not a postdivorce virgin anymore.” She flushed. “Now can I get back to work? I’m sure Angela is waiting for you to work on the guest list.”
“Angela and I aren’t getting married,” he said.
Lily stopped and turned back in surprise.
“But you were so excited about proposing to her.”
“I was going to marry her because she was pregnant,” he began. “That wasn’t the only reason; she didn’t force me to do it. I admire her and thought I was falling in love with her.” He shuffled his feet. “But she wasn’t pregnant. She lied to me.”
“Oh, Oliver, that’s awful. I don’t understand.” Lily perched on a stool. “Angela is so focused on her career. She’s not the type of woman who would fake a pregnancy to get a man.”
“She didn’t do it for herself.” He looked up. “Ricky asked her to.”
“What did you say?” Lily gasped.
“Ricky and Angela ran into each other at the pharmacist. She thought she was pregnant but it turned out to be a stomachache. Ricky said he needed a favor. He was afraid I still have feelings for you. He was worried that you might not let yourself fall in love with him. He asked Angela to pretend to be pregnant so he wouldn’t lose you.”
“That’s absurd.” Lily jumped up. “Why would Ricky think you still have feelings for me?”
“We all had dinner at the Yacht Club, and I saved you from eating the tiramisu,” he explained. “He thought I was still in love with you.”
“That was hardly a declaration of love. If someone’s choking and you perform the Heimlich maneuver, it doesn’t mean you want to marry them.”
“Ricky thought so.” He shrugged. “He didn’t want the competition.”
“That’s a charming fantasy, but I don’t believe a word of it.” She straightened a pile of napkins.
“You have to believe it,” he insisted. “Why would Angela make it up?”
“Angela lied about being pregnant,” she reminded him. “She could lie about anything. That’s the problem with online dating. People make up so many things, they forget how to tell the truth.”
“Angela and I didn’t meet online, we met at a restaurant opening.” He fumed. “And you just said she didn’t need a man. I’m hardly some marketing genius who can help her career. And I might be good-looking, but I’m no Brad Pitt.”
Lily studied Oliver’s dark hair and blue eyes and smiled. There were new lines on his forehead, but he still looked like the boy she’d met at the train station in Naples.
“Ricky would never do such a thing. We’re having dinner tonight and we’re going to talk about our future. He’s hardworking and sincere and…”
She suddenly thought about Ricky hiding his proposal to Poppy and felt slightly dizzy.
“Are you all right?” Oliver asked.
“I’ve been working too hard. I just need a glass of water.”
“I know that look.” He poured a glass of water from a pitcher. “It’s like when they killed off your favorite character on Scandal. There’s something you’re not telling me about Ricky.”
“Ricky did shade the truth about something, but it’s not important.”
“The truth is always important,” he urged. “What happened?”
“He said he’s never been in love before,” she said. “But then I found out he had been engaged and didn’t tell me. I asked him about it, and he said she was American. It turned out she wasn’t in love with him. She only agreed to marry him to make her boyfriend jealous. He was too ashamed to mention it.”
“You mean he lied to you,” Oliver said.
“It was a little white lie,” she said, and her eyes narrowed. “I know what you’re doing! Angela jilted you, and you don’t want me to be happy. You made all this u
p so I would break up with Ricky.”
“Why would I do that?” he demanded.
“Because you can’t stand the thought of me being happy,” she answered. “Well, I am happy, Oliver. That’s not going to change. If you’ll excuse me, I have a dozen things to do.”
“You’ve got it all wrong.” He walked to the door and turned around. “But I guess you’ll have to find out for yourself.”
* * *
The door slammed, and Lily leaned against the glass. Would Oliver really lie to her? He had never hurt her intentionally. But he couldn’t be telling the truth; it was too terrible to think about.
She tried to thread the story together, like one of Louisa’s daisy chains. It was possible Angela was lying, but she couldn’t see why. With Angela’s brains and figure, she could have any man she wanted.
Ricky was warm and caring, and he was truly in love with her. She had never been more certain of anything. But he had lied about Poppy. What if there was some truth to what Oliver said?
If only she could talk to Poppy, she could find out if Ricky had been telling the truth about their engagement. But she didn’t even know Poppy’s last name. She could hardly scroll through Ricky’s contacts or search his emails.
She suddenly remembered the woman she’d met on Christoff’s yacht who had known Ricky for years. All those people moved in the same circles. Their lives consisted of flitting between the Greek Islands and the South of France. Maybe Marjorie knew something about Ricky and Poppy.
Lily smoothed her hair and rubbed her lips with lipstick. She grabbed her purse and hurried out the door.
* * *
Lily leaned against the railing of Christoff’s yacht and sighed. She had searched the shuffleboard court and movie theater. She’d interrupted a chess tournament, but she couldn’t find Marjorie.
She was about to leave when she saw a woman in a blue bathing suit. Her eyes were closed and there was a magazine folded on her stomach.
“Do you remember me?” Lily hurried across the deck. “We met a few days ago.”
