by Regina Duke
“That makes sense. Do you realize I haven’t thought about my own mother since I woke up this morning? Amazing what a little improvised wedding will do to a girl.”
“I’m still waiting for a phone call about her status. I haven’t forgotten, don’t worry. We should hear something soon.”
Ashley shrugged. “It’s okay. Even if I never learn where she is, or never see her. It’s not like she was part of my life growing up. Besides, it’s probably for the best. I’ve been reading daddy’s letters to her. So many times he either misled her or worded something very carefully. In a couple of places, he flat out lied. He was so afraid she would come after me. That’s so sad.”
They rode in silence for a few minutes. Then Thor said, “Maybe we can sneak away to the cabin by ourselves tonight.” Then he caught himself. “Oh, I mean, you know, to talk. I don’t want you to feel pressured to, you know, get physical.”
Ashley’s cheeks turned a charming pink. “I like the idea of talking. Alone. At the cabin. Just the two of us.” She paused, then added, “And Rocky, of course. Let’s go get him first.”
“You are amazing. Do you realize you just proved you are perfect for me?”
Ashley couldn’t stop smiling.
Until they pulled into a parking space at the Cattleman’s Inn next to Ashley’s SUV. Her smile died on her lips when she saw a very put out Britney Beth sitting in the vehicle, arms crossed. Ashley could swear she saw smoke coming out of the woman’s ears.
“Uh-oh,” she said.
Thor made a disgusted noise. “Now what?”
“Is it too late to pull through and keep driving?”
“Rats. She already saw us.”
“Quick. Call your mother and find out what’s going on.”
“You mean, call for help?”
Ashley nodded quickly.
Thor squeezed her hand. “Just remember our ace in the hole.” He looked at her meaningfully.
Ashley flashed a sweet smile. “Got it.”
Then Thor looked puzzled. “If she’s sitting out here, where are my dog and my mother?”
Once Britney Beth saw them drive up, she made a big show of getting out of the car and stomping up to the the driver’s side door.
Thor got out. “What’s going on? Where’s Rocky and mama?”
“They’re at your office. Half the town is at your office. Reporters and everything. All of them wondering where you took off to, and what the hell you’ve been doing!”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
“Where’s your Mercedes?” asked Thor.
“Parked over there.”
“Why were you sitting in Ashley’s car?”
Britney Beth’s eyes sparked fire. “It’s your vehicle. You bought and paid for it. And it was the only way I had to be close to you, and alone at the same time.”
Thor opened the back door of the older car. “Get in. You’re going to freeze to death out here.”
She got in.
Ashley offered a neutral smile. “Hi, Britney Beth.”
The greeting was ignored.
Thor got back behind the wheel. “Guess we better go see what’s going on at the office,” he said.
As soon as they turned down his street, they could see several cars and a white limo parked near Thor Security. Several people were standing in the cold evening air, and there was a photographer with lights snapping pictures of the front of the building.
Ashley brightened. “It’s Karla and Minion. They must have won the window painting contest. Oh, look at it. Isn’t it grand?”
Britney Beth was not impressed. “It’s spooky and creepy.”
“It’s for Halloween. It’s supposed to be spooky.”
Thor parked as close as he could, which was in front of The Muffin Man. They got out and walked to his front door.
Karla Fineman Wake was splendid as a vampire queen. A dark-haired man built like a lumberjack stood next to her, beaming with pride. A tall blond woman with a noticeable baby bump was wrapping a wool scarf around the neck of an eight-year-old Frankenstein. She glanced up as Thor and Ashley approached. By way of greeting, she remarked, “Her makeup skills rival the best artists in Hollywood. Hi. I’m Megan. I’m Karla’s sister-in-law. You two are Thor and Ashley, right?”
“Nice to meet you,” said Thor. “You know us?”
Megan pointed to the limo. “I’ve been driving her around after school. You couldn’t see me through the tinted windows. Our regular car is in the shop.”
Ashley nodded. “We heard all about it from Wilhelmina.”
Megan continued, “It was so nice of you to let the girls paint your window.”
“My pleasure,” said Thor. “Hey, a blue ribbon? They won first prize?”
The photographer seemed satisfied with his shoot. “Thanks, girls. You’ll be on the front page of the Gazette tomorrow.”
Minion was hopping up and down. She didn’t look very vampire-like.
Karla, however, was gloriously horrific. She never broke her character. With a dignity that belied her fourteen years, she approached Thor and Ashley and intoned solemnly, “Ye have proved the perfect hosts for the expression of our artistic efforts, and we are pleased.” She hissed on the esses. “As a reward for thy magnanimous offer, letting us paint yon glass, we shall allow you to continue breathing throughout this All Hallow’s Eve. Come, Minion. We must hunt!”
“Okay, okay, coming,” giggled Minion.
Megan held up a hand and spoke like a character in a play. “Oh Powerful Mistress of the Night, I beg a favor of thee.”
Karla paused. “Speak, One Called Megan.”
“Might you guard this young one as you hunt? Thy followers shall not be far behind, in the white coach.”
“As you wish,” said Karla with great aplomb. “Stay close, Master Keegan, for the spirits are running wild tonight.” She took her brother by the hand and headed off down the street in the wan light of early evening.
Ashley watched them fondly. “Karla is such a wonderful girl. You must be very proud.”
The lumberjack spoke. “We are. Hi. I’m Kevin.”
“The Rocking Eagle,” said Thor. “It’s great to meet you finally.”
Kevin and Thor shook hands.
“Karla gushes about you two. She worked very hard on this window design. It’s almost too dark to see it now, but trust me. You two make fine vampires.”
Megan was heading for the limo. “Kevin, honey, I don’t want the kids to get too far ahead of us.”
“I’m coming, sweetheart.” He pulled a card out of a pocket in his sheepskin jacket. “Give me a call, will you? My mother has been worried about security at the ranch, now that she and the kids are living there full time. I’d like to discuss our options with you.”
“Sounds great.”
“It can wait until after the honeymoon.” Kevin winked. “Your mother told me you’re getting married Friday. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Thor reached out and pulled Ashley close. “You’ll definitely hear from us soon.”
Kevin joined Megan in the limo, and they pulled away from the curb, slowly following their young charges down the street.
Britney Beth pushed past them and went inside.
Thor and Ashley followed. As soon as they were inside, Rocky leaped into Thor’s arms in a frenzy of welcome. In his exuberance he bumped Mina’s shopping cart. She still hadn’t retrieved it. Thor shoved it against the wall by the sofa.
Polly Garrison got up from Thor’s desk and tucked her cell phone into her purse.
Britney Beth walked silently into the back room. The sound of a door closing signaled that she had entered the bathroom.
Polly’s curly blond do was looking frazzled. She drew close and said in a worried voice, “Thank goodness you’re back, darlin’. I hope you don’t mind that I used my emergency keys to get into the office. I think Britney Beth is having a nervous breakdown.”
Thor and Ashley exchanged wide-eyed looks.
Polly said, “I’m not kidding! That girl has been distraught ever since you drove off last night.” She cocked her head to listen for sounds from the other room. Silence. “She is in a very bad way. Told me she was heartbroken over losing you to a stranger. No offense, dear.”
“None taken,” said Ashley.
Thor spread his hands. “I’ve never led her on, mama. You know that. I have been telling her since high school that we have no future together.”
“I know, darlin’. If anything, I’m the one to blame. I just want to keep my best friend happy, and making Britney Beth happy was the best way to do that. Or so I thought.” She wrung her hands. “She has been on the phone several times. I know she called her mama twice, and I’m embarrassed to say it but I think she called Lulamae Franklin in Vegas. I let it slip that you went down there to talk business with the Franklins. Did Lulamae say anything to you when you were there?”
Thor hesitated. Then, “She might have mentioned an early morning phone call.” He left it vague.
Polly waved her hands in the air. “I am at my wits’ end.”
“Has her mother called you yet?”
“No, but I know she must be expecting me to call her any time now, to fill her in on Britney Beth’s state of mind. She expects me to look after her girl when we’re in the same vicinity.”
Ashley moved to the sofa and sat down. Rocky hopped up beside her for a cuddle. Ashley obliged.
Thor shrugged out of his jacket. “When does dad arrive?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“He’s feeling okay?”
“Oh, sure. Same old diagnosis. Working too hard, not sleeping enough.” She waved his concern away.
“Why don’t we—”
A crash from the other room interrupted his suggestion.
Ashley sprang up from the sofa and was the first into the back room. She banged on the bathroom door. “Britney Beth? Are you okay?”
Thor and Polly were right behind her. Thor thumped loudly on the door.
No response. He tried the knob. It was locked.
“Do you have a key?”
Polly began talking through the door. “Britney Beth, darlin’? Answer me now, girl. You’re scaring me.”
Nothing.
Thor fumbled with his key chain, but none of the keys fit the door.
“Screw it,” he grumbled. He put his shoulder to the door and the old wood shattered. He reached in and unlocked it, then pushed it open.
Britney Beth lay on the floor, propped against the old claw tub. An empty bottle of Thor’s sleeping pills lay on the floor beside her.
“Mama, call 911.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
The Fineman Memorial Hospital in Eagle’s Toe was small but remarkably well equipped for its size. Polly insisted on staying with Britney Beth every moment, from the ambulance to the ER to the private room on the third floor Psych Ward.
Thor and Ashley didn’t feel comfortable leaving Polly to deal with all of it alone, so they spent several hours at the hospital.
By the time it became clear that Britney Beth’s life was not in danger, it was one a.m. Polly was determined to stay nearby and asked the nurses to bring a cot. She quietly shooed Thor and Ashley out into the hallway.
Ashley sagged against the wall. Thor wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.
Polly dropped her voice to a whisper. “They said she was really lucky there were only a few pills in that bottle. They want to keep her here overnight for observation, and have a psychiatrist talk to her in the morning.” She put a finger to her lips. “I told them I was her mother so I could stay with her.”
Ashley’s eyes grew big but she looked away so Polly couldn’t see her face.
Thor’s voice was beginning to sound ragged around the edges. “Mom, you won’t get any rest here. Let us take you back to the Inn.”
“No, no, I’ll be fine. You two go on. Get some sleep. Your father’s coming tomorrow. Later this morning. I’ll stay. When I talk to her mother, I need to be able to tell her I stayed.”
“Can we bring you anything?”
“There’s a vending machine down the hall, and the nurse is going to bring me a coffee. You go.”
“All right,” said Thor. “Keep us posted.”
“I’ll call you when she gets released. You can pick us up.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“Thor Baby? I don’t know how we’re going to have a wedding Friday if Britney Beth is still in the hospital.”
Thor gave his mother a hug. “Not a problem. You do what you have to do, but call me if you need me.”
On their way out of the hospital, Ashley said, “I guess we’re not going to the cabin tonight.”
“I’m sorry,” said Thor.
Ashley squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. You need to be close for your mother’s sake. All is forgiven if you feed me. I’m starving. And we need to get back to Rocky.”
“He’s warm and safe at the office for the moment. There’s always breakfast at the twenty-four hour Truck Stop Cafe.”
“Sounds great.”
The coffee was hot and the eggs were perfect. Ashley munched her toast, a look of contentment on her face.
Thor smiled at her. “How can you be so happy? Your life has been a roller coaster since Sunday morning.”
“Why shouldn’t I be happy? Sunday morning I had nothing and thought my crazy mother had been murdered in her kitchen. Three and a half days later, I’m driving a luxury SUV, a deadly Doberman pinscher thinks I walk on water, and I’m married to a Norse god who happens to be filthy rich.”
Thor pretended to be offended. “I’ll have you know that we keep our money in very clean and sanitary conditions.”
“I’m so sorry.” She grew serious.
Thor nudged her under the table. “I was kidding.”
“I know. I was just feeling bad that Britney Beth was so mentally unstable that she tried to kill herself.”
“No need to feel bad. She had no intention of killing herself.”
“But she took those pills! Didn’t your mother say she was just lucky the bottle was almost empty?”
Thor humphed. “That was my back-up bottle of sleeping pills. Sometimes I need help sleeping, and I left these here for those nights when I stay in town. It was at least half full. If she’d taken all of’em, she’d be in a bad way. She staged this whole drama to keep us from getting married on Friday.”
“Oh. I see.” Ashley spread jelly on her last piece of toast. “She’s going to be pissed when she finds out we’re already married.”
“Yes, she is.”
“What will she try next?”
“I don’t know. And that’s what really scares me,” said Thor.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Ashley did not want to part with Thor that early Thursday morning. She wanted to twine her fingers with his and press up against him in the cafe booth forever. But she was also bone tired.
Thor seemed to feel the same way. He kept an arm wrapped around her long after the waitress had carried their empty plates away. They chatted in murmurs, but Ashley didn’t have a clue what they’d said. She was either too tired or too in love to make sense of anything other than Thor’s arm curled around her.
The waitress reappeared with a coffee pot. “You two lovebirds need dessert?”
Ashley and Thor stiffened.
Thor cleared his throat. “Guess we’re pretty obvious.”
“No problem here, honey. Refills?”
“No, we should go.” He pulled out his wallet and laid a twenty on the table.
“I’ll get your change.”
“Keep it.”
“Thank you.” She swept up the money and moved on, refilling people’s coffee mugs on her way to the register.
Ashley forced her body to stand up. “Once again, I am one outfit away from hygienic disaster. Do you think once we get settled in, I can install a closet at the office? Keep half my wardrobe there? Or
do you actually get to sleep at home when Britney Beth is not in town?”
“I’m sorry about that,” said Thor, helping her into her coat. “But hey, falling in love and getting married was not on my calendar this week.”
Ashley’s breath hitched. “Falling in love?” she said softly.
Thor shrugged. “If I’d planned for it, I would have grabbed you that first day and hopped a plane for Hawaii.”
Ashley’s insides fluttered. “I hadn’t exactly planned on it either. I guess Cupid doesn’t send out memos.”
Thor intoned, “Memo. From: Cupid. To: Thor. Sunday morning, the prettiest woman on the planet will walk into your office. Be prepared. Clear your calendar.”
Ashley wrapped her arm around his. “I like it.”
“Followed by one from Insanity: Britney Beth Beale will show up on your doorstep at the worst possible moment to ruin your chances with Ashley.”
She turned to face him. “I don’t think she succeeded. Besides, I spent the first eight years of my life living with a truly sick woman. Britney Beth is a pale imitation in comparison.”
“You don’t think she’s really nuts?”
“Oh, she’s nuts in many ways. She’s nuts about you. She hates me beyond reason. And she is obviously being eaten up by guilt or something. That whole Texas tragedy thing. It’s not just your tragedy, is it?”
Thor sighed.
Ashley instantly regretted the question. She’d broken the mood.
“I’m sorry, Thor. My timing is awful.”
“It’s okay. Let’s go get Rocky, then grab rooms at the Inn.”
Rooms, thought Ashley. I definitely ruined the mood.
Rocky was delighted to see them. Ashley was happy to have her overnight bag from the SUV. After some thought, she asked Thor to carry the garment bag containing the wedding dress up to her room.
When they arrived at the lobby of the Inn, it was obvious everyone knew Thor and Rocky. The night clerk had dog biscuits at the ready. No one else seemed to be awake.
Thor took their keys. Their rooms were on the fourth floor, right next to each other.
Ashley went inside and took a few minutes to wind down. She decided separate rooms were better, since Thor’s family didn’t know they were already married. Besides, she didn’t want him thinking about the hospital on their wedding night.
