He nodded. “I still don’t like it. You have your gun?”
“Yes.”
“Loaded?”
“Always.”
He let out a deep breath. “I have some things to tend to. I assume I’ll find you here?”
She smiled. “I have pictures to set up on my new bookcases. I have files already full of notes. I even brought some old scripts and sheet music to put in my closet.”
He gave her a chuckle and finally a smile formed on his lips. “You’re happy.”
“Don’t ever remember being happier.”
With a nod he was gone, and she was alone in her very special part of the world that Eduardo designed for her.
By noon she had a list of things that needed to be added to the room. She needed a fax machine, a printer/scanner, and a coffee pot. She’d seen John’s coffee pot in the trailer out back. It looked as though it were always full because of the grime of coffee on the inside of the pot.
Over the past few months she could say she knew him well enough to assume he’d say if it were cleaned it would ruin the taste of the coffee. However, having seen how he lived, she was surprised anything he owned was that dirty. Job site mentality, she decided.
She was on the phone with the company she would acquire the rights to produce Annie when John walked into the office with a burrito wrapped in tinfoil.
She motioned to him to set it on the table. He did so and then wandered around the office.
Arianna turned off her phone when she was finished with the call and looked up at him. “How is it you don’t weigh four hundred pounds eating those burritos everyday?”
“I never stop moving. I burn them off.”
“Well, I need to schedule some dance classes in this place soon so I can start to work mine off. I’ve see the way you look at me when I eat. It makes me nervous that it gives you such pleasure.”
He only smiled as he peeled back the foil on his lunch.
“Looks like you’re right at home here.”
“Getting there.”
“Ed said you’d need a table to spread out on. He said that’s what you’d do.”
She tucked her lips between her teeth to keep from smiling. She’d been pegged by a fifteen-year-old.
“I need to see what I’m doing. I’m a visual person.”
“And very appealing to my visual.”
“It’s a good thing you won’t be hanging around here much longer. I don’t know how I’d get any work done.”
He bit into his burrito. “When will you be done today?”
“I don’t know. I’m just plugging away. Why?”
“I think I’ll be late. I want to get a few more of these jobs done before next week. I want everything nearly complete before we leave for San Francisco.”
He took another bite and she watched him enjoy the homemade burrito. She on the other hand didn’t have an appetite for it.
“Maybe we should move our trip. Until everything here is running smooth.”
He nodded slowly. “Don’t want to go?”
“No, I didn’t say that. There is just a lot to do here.”
“Honey, there always will be.” He finished the burrito and wadded up the tinfoil. “I’m sure that even when this place is fully operational I’ll be spending my evenings here either popping popcorn, taking tickets, or building some set. As long as I’m with you everything will be perfect.” He stood and looked down at her. “Besides, I haven’t had a vacation in four years. I think I’m due.”
Arianna let out a sigh. “You’re right. So do you think anyone has ever been caught having sex on Alcatraz?”
That put some color in his cheeks and he was belly laughing by the time he rounded the desk to kiss her. “Younger women have some kinky ideas, don’t they?”
“Only to see if they can make their old men blush.”
He gave a grunt and a nod and left her alone in her office.
Arianna worked until five o’clock. It wasn’t until then that she realized the entire front of the theater had been deserted for hours.
The sun was still out, not that spring was pushing through, but there was a chill in the old building. It wasn’t enough to put on her heavy coat, but she’d want to bring a jacket and leave it in the office. Oh, and she should buy a coat rack too. She made a mental note as she walked out into the lobby.
The concession area looked almost ready for business, but she knew that was deceiving. She looked around. No one was there, but she didn’t feel alone.
“Is anyone here?”
There was no answer.
It was her imagination getting the best of her. Someone was probably working down the hall. She walked further toward the concession stand. The glass was dusty and the shelves had been left to be stained, but right in front of her was a business card, face down.
Arianna picked it up and turned it over.
PIERPONT OIL
PARIS, FRANCE
She looked around again. Who would have left that there? Surely John or Zach had it in their hand as they’d walked through the lobby at some point.
Arianna tucked it into her pocket and headed toward the theater to find John.
The theater was beginning to look beautiful again. The sconces had been rewired and walls had been painted a beautiful golden color. As she walked toward the stage she realized the floor had been repaired and it was obviously ready for the chairs and red carpet.
A few men were working in the cat walk, repairing the beams. Lights flickered up in the light booth. Someone was wiring the switches up there too. It wouldn’t be long and there would be performers on the stage and patrons in the seats and she’d be behind stage lapping it up. Who would ever have thought that she would own the theater and not just dream about being in one?
John was on his phone when she opened the trailer door and walked in. He’d narrowed his eyes at her as cold air blew in, but when he’d seen it was her, his face softened, but only slightly. There was something wrong and she could tell by the way he held his body and tapped his pen on the desk.
Arianna walked to the far side of the trailer where there was a table, much like her table in her office, only this one was covered with blue prints of the theater and lists of jobs that still needed to be done.
John obviously knew the time frame for completion of the theater better than she had. She thought it looked almost done, but the number of items to be done on the list were many. Obviously, she didn’t know much at all.
She tried not to listen to the conversation he was having, that wasn’t part of her business, but his voice was raising and guilt was plaguing her—she should have stayed inside until he’d come for her.
A moment later he turned off his phone and let out a grunt. She figured that was prime opportunity for her to acknowledge him.
“Something wrong?” She had to ask the obvious.
“Inspection on the other build just failed. There is nothing we’ve done different than on any other building, but this certain inspector has a stick up his ass over Tyler Benson.”
“My nephew Tyler Benson?”
John let his shoulders drop and shook his head. “Of course not. Your nephew’s grandfather.”
“Who has been gone nearly five years?”
“Yes.”
Arianna could imagine his frustration. She walked around the desk, leaned up against it, and pulled John in front of her.
“I don’t think I ever met the man, but from what I’ve heard he was a very kind and generous man.”
John brushed her hair from her face and looked down at her. “He was. That’s why people like this make me so mad. But it’s a personal vendetta. Tyler fired his brother, so now he red flags us.”
“Is that even legal?”
“Oh, he’s straight up. Most inspectors would give you some time to fix things they find. This one wants to just close you down.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I’m going to have to head over there.”
“Will you
be long?”
“Probably. Don’t wait up.”
She forgot words like those existed in relationships. Then again the last relationship she’d had, in which they were spoken, had been said when Eric was home with his wife.
There was hurt there and she didn’t realize it until John had muttered the same phrase. This time, however, she knew he was off to a job site and when the job had been fixed he’d be home to her.
“Maybe I’ll see if my sister can get away and we can steel away the other two and go out for a girls’ night.”
This time he laughed. “You think you can steel away three mothers from their families?”
Arianna smiled. “I think I can.”
But even as she said it she began to wonder. After all she was the only one without responsibilities to anyone other than herself.
As John began to gather his paperwork she sucked in a breath. That was what she wanted, a life free of the complications of building a family. It would work out perfect in the long run.
Theater ran late into the night and sometimes early into the morning. John’s job called for him to start early and obviously the job didn’t always end at five.
They were going to be perfect for each other in this relationship. But she really wanted some time with her sisters and now that he’d brought it up, she wondered if they’d be able to drop everything just to spend time with her.
Chapter Twenty
It had taken some finagling, but Arianna was seated at Olive Garden waiting for her sisters to arrive.
Madeline had walked through the door first.
Arianna hadn’t noticed how much her hair had grown back in a year. It was still very short and lighter than it had been before. But for the first time in a very long time, Madeline didn’t wear a wig or a scarf.
She hurried over to Arianna and kissed her on the cheek. Her skin was cold, and it gave Arianna a chill.
“I’m so glad you called.” Madeline pulled her coat off and set it on the back of her chair. “I’ve been craving breadsticks.”
Arianna pushed the basket toward her, and immediately Madeline bit into one.
“Yep, that’s what I wanted.”
Arianna laughed. “Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding me? I have missed our impromptu dinners. Besides, Carlos is grading exams. He’s not the nicest person when he’s doing that.”
“Oh, I’ve seen the wrath.” Arianna took a breadstick too, and then noticed Simone and Regan both had walked through the door, each carrying an infant seat covered in a blanket.
Arianna stood from her seat as they headed toward her.
Regan’s eyebrows were drawn together. “What’s wrong? Why did you have to meet us?”
Arianna’s heart sunk right into the pit of her stomach. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to be with all of you.”
“I thought something had happened to you.”
“No. I missed my sisters and John had to work late…”
“So I’m being ungrateful and paranoid?”
Arianna wrapped her arms around her sister and held her tight. With all that was going on in her life, she hadn’t been too panicked about things, but obviously her sister had—with good reason.
She took her nephew’s seat from her sister and sat down, balancing the seat on her lap. Slowly she removed the blanket that had been draped over the carrier and peered down at Spencer, all bundled up and sleeping.
Could anything be more precious?
Then she looked up at Simone who had pulled a very alert Avery from her seat. She was dressed in a little pink dress with pink tights and a matching headband.
Arianna felt the sting of tears in her eyes, and she went about setting Spencer down between her and Regan and then walking around the table to reach for Avery.
Simone looked up at her as she picked up her niece. “Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just a little emotional.”
Avery’s eyes tried to focus on her and a small smile formed on her lips. That was what it was all about—the love of her sisters and their children. Oh, this sweet, little angel was going to be as spoiled as the others. Arianna felt it burning in her to give her anything she’d ever need.
She walked back around the table and sat down with Avery in her arms.
Madeline reached for another breadstick. “So, are you getting excited for your trip?”
“Trip? Oh, San Francisco? Yes, I think it will be good for us to have some alone time.”
“A honeymoon, in a way?”
Arianna hadn’t really thought about that, but she supposed it was. After all, she had the ring and the man. “Maybe. I told him we should have sex on Alcatraz.”
Simone’s eyes shot open wide, Regan shook her head, and Madeline busted out laughing and had to cover her mouth to keep the bite she’d taken from falling out.
Regan readjusted the blanket at Spencer’s feet. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“Yes you can. C’mon, you’re getting soft on me.”
“Motherhood will do that to you.”
Arianna could see that. Madeline was a bit more free. Her brush with death and the fact that her children were older allowed her to not be so uptight. Regan and Simone, on the other hand, were a bit more ridged.
Avery watched Arianna as she fussed with her dress. “Simone, how are plans going for your new business?”
“It is not a business, really. More of an organization to help.” She sipped her water. “It is going well. We are still in the planning stages, but I am very proud of it. In fact…” She stopped and picked up her purse. After searching, she pulled out three business cards and handed them to everyone.
“A Better Day. That is the name of your organization?”
“Yes.”
“I like it.” Arianna ran her finger across the raised print. “You know, maybe we can mix my grand opening with your organization. We can fundraise for you and build a community for me. Who knows, by then I might even have some job openings.”
Simone’s eyes lit up, though she remained poised. “I think that would be wonderful.”
Madeline held up the card. “This card reads Simone Keller.”
Simone smiled. “Pierpont no longer holds any value for me. The connections that I have, and those I will make, will know me as a Keller, so I thought it appropriate.”
Arianna felt those tears again. Keller. It was a name of pride, and it was hers. And if someone like Simone Pierpont wanted to give up a name that meant prestige and wealth all over the world in order to take on the name Keller, Arianna knew for sure she didn’t want to ever give it up.
The evening had been just what Arianna had needed. A night with the women she loved, and Simone fit right into their group.
She thought it was wonderful to hear Madeline talk about Clara’s excitement about performing with her aunt. And when Arianna had told her about the office Eduardo had built for her, Madeline had broken down into tears.
Arianna had also been filled in on just how good Christian was at baseball. College scouts were already looking at him, and he had years of high school left.
It floored her that any of their children would be athletic. She knew Zach ran, but really, that was the extent of athleticism in the family. Christian was changing that. Madeline said his dream was to go pro, and from the sounds of it, he’d make it.
The rest of the night had been spent cuddling her niece and nephew and trying to get Simone to spill wedding plans. They’d had no luck. Simone and Curtis were planning a secret elopement with a big party after. Not one detail had been dropped.
The house was still dark when she pulled into the driveway. It was almost nine-thirty. She was sure John would have been home already.
Arianna parked the car and walked up to the door. She slipped the key into the lock and the door pushed open.
How could she have forgotten to lock the door?
She closed the door and locked it behind her and then
proceeded to turn on the lamp in the living room. There was a moment when she decided her mind must be slipping. The house was freezing. Had she forgotten to turn the heat up, too?
Arianna walked through to the kitchen and turned on the light.
Her heart began racing when she noticed the back door wide open.
“John! John!” Her voice shook. She was frantic and frozen in place.
Someone had broken into the house. What if someone was still there?
She heard noise in the basement—in John’s place.
Arianna took a breath to yell for him again, but her voice had stilled in her throat. She heard footsteps on the stairs.
With the only moment of clarity she’d had, she realized her purse was still on her shoulder.
She patted the side of it and could feel the shape of the gun. Slowly she unlatched the hook and pulled the gun from her purse.
She shook as she gripped the gun. Her feet planted firmly, she took aim at the basement door as the footsteps grew closer.
As the person in the basement neared the top of the stairs, she swallowed hard and cocked the gun.
“Arianna? Are you home? The heater is…” John stopped in the doorway and looked at her standing there with the gun pointed right at his head.
Her body shook until she thought the gun might fall from her hands. John walked slowly to her, and tears began to pour down her cheeks.
“Sweetheart,” he said softly as he walked slowly toward her. “Put the gun down.”
She lowered it to her side.
John took it from her hand carefully and uncocked the gun. He set it on the counter and pulled her into his arms.
“Honey, you’re shaking like a leaf. Calm down.”
“The door. The house was…”
“Shh.” He smoothed a hand over her hair. “The furnace went out. I’m trying to fix it. I had the door open so I could go out to my truck.”
“I thought…” She couldn’t even get the words out.
John let go of her long enough to shut the door. Then he guided Arianna to the living room and set her on the couch. He reached for a throw and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Center Stage (The Keller Family Series) Page 14
