Love's Wager
Page 20
“Miss E., Ms. Torres,” someone said, “let’s get you back inside. And safe.”
As Nina walked back into the casino, a line of patrol cars followed the vans at a distance. Gary wasn’t going to get away. Nina felt immense satisfaction knowing he would get his reward soon.
* * *
Nina lay on her sofa, an ice pack on the side of her face. She allowed its coldness to ease the ache. Her mother and father fussed over her.
“I’m fine, Mom,” she said.
“You have a black eye, a wrenched shoulder and a bruised wrist.”
“Mom, I have five brothers. Trust me, this is nothing.” Nina recalled a number of glorious fights with her brothers with them ending up with the ice packs while she’d gloated bruise-free.
“You could have been killed,” Grace said, worry adding new lines to her face.
“I wasn’t. He had no intention of killing me or Miss E. Gary is nothing but a punk and a bully. In his mind, he was hurting Scott.”
Her mother sat down next to her. “But he hurt you and if I’d a gun he’d be dead.”
A knock sounded on the door to her suite. Manny opened it to let Scott in. He gestured at Grace who stood. She leaned over and kissed Nina on the forehead. “We’ll leave you two alone and check in on you later.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Her parents left after asking about Miss E. Scott assured them his grandmother was fine. Jasper was with her and would take good care of her.
“That’s a shiner.” Scott sat down next to her, looking critically at her eyes.
“I’m kind of proud of it. If Gary hadn’t had a gun on me, he’d have suffered worse.”
“Then it’s a good thing he’s now in police custody.”
“I was so angry. He ruined my date with you.”
Scott kissed her, his lips soft against her. “Ruined my date, too.”
She tried to grin, but her mouth hurt a little, too. “Now, about those three little words.”
“I said them. I meant them. What else is there to say?”
She studied him with her one eye. “Now is the right time to say them. I’m safe and except for the tenderness in my shoulder, wrist and face, I’m mostly healthy.”
“I love you.”
Nina gripped his hand and pulled his fingers to her lips. She kissed them. “I love you, too. I didn’t know for sure until Gary pointed that great big gun at me and I saw my life spread out in front and the only thing I’d done of any real importance was work. That’s not what I want to be.”
“No. You’re more than you think. You’re a great daughter, a great sister and you were a good wife to Carl.”
“And look how that worked out for me.”
“You and I are going to have a terrific marriage.”
She stared at him, her mouth open. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Isn’t that what I just said?”
“You smooth-talking romantic.”
“I love you, Nina.”
“If my face and body didn’t hurt so much, I’d show you how much I love you, but I think I need more ice packs.” She paused and grinned slightly at him. “And yes, I love you, too, and I want to be your wife.”
Epilogue
Nina danced the samba across the floor. Someone had found a disco ball in storage and hung it to illuminate the bar. Nina’s parents stood on a makeshift stage at one end of the bar providing the music. Scott tried to copy Nina’s moves, but he wasn’t quite as limber as she was. She floated on a breeze of happiness. Scott wanted marriage and a family and she did, too. Her love for him filled her as she moved across the dance floor.
The casino was a blaze of light. People laughed and danced and in the background the sound of slot machines chiming added to the festive air.
“Five minutes to midnight,” Grace Torres announced in the middle of her song.
People stamped and clapped. Nina found herself too breathless to continue. She grinned at Scott and left him to his sister. Kenzie grabbed him and kept him in the middle of the floor.
Nina took a glass of champagne from a waitress moving through the crowd with a tray.
“This is amazing, Nina, you did it.” Miss E. glowed. Jasper hovered over her protectively. “You put the Casa de Mariposa back on the map.”
“What’s amazing,” Nina said, “is your grandson out on the dance floor having fun.”
“Miracles happen,” Miss E. said. “I thought for sure he’d forgotten how to have fun.”
“He was just repressing his fun gene.”
Miss E. shook her head. “What he needed was the right woman.”
“It’s a tough job, but someone had to volunteer,” Nina said with a grin.
“Speaking of jobs, I hear you’re going to be working for the city of Reno. What happened to Milan and the House of Armani?”
Nina laughed happily. “Who wants Milan when I can have Reno? Besides, Lydia’s mom has shown herself so adept at promotion that I decided to hire Caroline and give her the Armani account.”
“Who knew?” Miss E. said.
“They wanted old-world elegance and Caroline is perfect for that.” Nina was so pleased with the way things were turning out
Scott shook himself loose from Kenzie and moved determinedly toward Nina.
“Two minutes to midnight,” Grace yelled into the mic.
Scott grabbed her and kissed her. She cuddled into his embrace. This was where she belonged.
Carl waved at her. He pulled Anastasia along with him onto the dance floor. Nina couldn’t keep the happiness she felt for him off her face. Carl and Anastasia had gotten married a couple hours ago. Maybe Nina should go into the matchmaking business, too.
Lydia and Hunter danced past Nina. Kenzie grabbed her brother Donovan and pulled him after her, showing him the dance moves.
Scott pulled her away from the dance floor.
“Is everybody safe?” Nina asked.
“As safe as I can make them.”
“Then I think it’s time we left the party for our own private celebration.”
“One minute to midnight,” Grace Torres sang out.
“I like that idea,” Scott said.
Slowly the dance floor stilled as people gazed expectantly at Grace.
“Thirty seconds.”
As the minute hand wound around the clock people started chanting. “Ten, nine...”
Nina held Scott’s hands. The happiness on his face filled her with joy.
“Five...four...three...two...one. Happy New Year!” The crowd roared, stamped their feet and clapped. Somewhere in the casino, someone was winning the ten-million-dollar jackpot.
Nina kissed Scott and then whispered in his ear. “I love you. Let’s go make a baby.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460343845
Love’s Wager
Copyright © 2014 by Miriam A. Pace and Jacqueline S. Hamilton
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