Colorado Billionaires Boxed Set (The Wedding Wager, The Wedding Hazard, The Wedding Venture)

by Regina Duke

  “Jilly planned to have a second elevator installed, but never got a chance.” She rolled her suitcase down the hall toward the front of the house. “You can carry on for her. Get the place in shape.” She paused in front of a door opposite the Peach Room. “Here we are. The Bison Room.” She opened the door and turned on the light. “Jerry used to love this room.”

  Vicky could see why. The Bison Room looked like a hunting lodge. Rifles hung on the walls. Large prints of hunting scenes took pride of place. When she got closer, she realized they were original oils. The decor was hunter green with two walls papered in a light cream with a hunting dog motif. The bed was covered with a cream-colored duvet.

  “Would you like me to freshen the bed?” asked Vicky. “I have a feeling no one has touched it in a long time. Jason had to fire Dolores’ personal assistant because she’d cut back hours and fired staff.”

  “No need to fuss over me,” said Grace. “And from now on, dear, you do not make beds. You will have servants to make the bed. As for me, I’ll be fine for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll do what I can to help Jason get the staff back to normal. I take it your family is not from old money?”

  Vicky shook her head. “We’re not from any kind of money. In fact, my mother is about to lose her house. That’s why I accepted Jason’s offer.” She drew a breath in alarm. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Grace patted her arm. “I know all about it. Jason has called me twice, no, three times if you count his plea for me to come to Colorado. He’s a good man, and he’ll treat you fairly. Besides,” she winked, “it looks to me like the two of you are getting along famously.”

  Vicky was relieved and more than a little surprised by Grace’s frankness. “You think it’s okay to marry for money?”

  Grace waved a hand. “The rich do it all the time. You and me, we come from a world where no one makes enough money and love is one of the few pleasures we have. That’s why we seldom give it up. But when enough wealth is involved, people are motivated to marry sensibly and let love grow slowly over time.” As she spoke, she opened her suitcase and carried her clothes, already on hangers, to the closet. “That’s the way they used to do it, you know. Women were chattel in the old days and parents often used them for bargaining chips to make sure they found a marriage that would benefit the family income.”

  Vicky was taken aback. “You really think that?”

  Grace winked at her, smiling the whole time. “I’m probably putting a negative spin on it, dear, but historically I’m not too far off. Am I, Jason, dear?”

  Vicky turned to find Jason at the door, carrying a tray with tea pot and china cups. He had changed back into his shoes, and Vicky’s were tucked under one arm.

  “Sorry, Vicky, I should have warned you that my aunt says exactly what she’s thinking. I brought your shoes up.” He set the tea tray on a bedside table. “Gracie, do you need anything else before we say good night?”

  “No, dear. Thanks for waiting up and I’m sorry about the vase.”

  “Sorry that it broke, or that the original was stolen?”

  “Both.” Grace embraced him and kissed his cheek. “You’ve got excellent taste in fiancées.” She let him go and picked up the tea pot.

  “You two must be worn out. Time for bed. I’ve got to go check the house and set the alarms. I’ll see you in the morning.” He paused at the door to add, “Wait until you hear Vicky play the piano. She’s every bit as good as mother was.” And he was gone.

  Grace froze and stared at Vicky blankly. “Jill never played the piano. She didn’t have a musical bone in her body.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  7:00 a.m. Wednesday

  Vicky’s eyes popped open and her first thought was for her keyboard. Her late night caused her to sleep two hours later than usual. She sat straight up in bed. The delightful ambience of the Peach Room reminded her where she was and what had happened since her arrival in Eagle’s Toe on Monday.

  Could her life really be changing so fast? Was she really about to become the wife of a billionaire? The plush decor and rich accoutrements of the room assured her that she was, and the canopied four-poster she was sleeping in hinted at the luxury in store for her as Jason’s wife.

  Today they would sign the official documents outlining their agreement. She hoped she’d be able to establish her account right away with the promised advance and then she could call her mother and tell her a big check was in the mail. She smiled at the thought, then frowned. Should that much money be sent through the mail? She’d have to ask Jason how to handle it. The most money she’d ever received in the mail was a thousand dollars. Her mother’s checks had helped pay for her education. At fifty dollars an hour, each check represented twenty hours of piano lessons, spread out over weeks. Vicky was all too familiar with the vicissitudes of booking those lessons. Kids would fail to show. Parents would skip a month because they had to buy school clothes. And most of her students took half-hour lessons because they could only afford twenty-five dollars. Some of them only saw her once or twice a month. It was a sketchy way to supplement the household income. Elsa was always scrambling to find new students.

  With her marriage to Jason, Vicky could make it all up to her. Soon her mother could pick and choose her students. She could even take time off from teaching if she wanted.

  She scanned the room and spotted her keyboard case. Madlyn was still sleeping soundly on the other four-poster. She could use her headphones, but it would be hard to set up the keyboard without waking her friend. Even though her fingers itched to play, practice would have to wait.

  Then she remembered the baby grand downstairs and smiled. Jason had promised she could practice there. She rolled out of bed as quietly as possible, gathered a fresh outfit and tiptoed into the en suite bath.

  Today she would go casual with black jeans and a long sleeved white tee with a ruffled hem. She showered and dressed, letting her hair air dry. She knew the sound of a hair dryer would wake Madlyn. She hoped the shower itself hadn’t done so. She pulled a comb carefully through her hair and let her thoughts drift to Jason.

  Their adventure on roller skates had shown her his lighter side. She loved it when he smiled. Even now the thought of him sent heat through her body. The memory of his torso pressed against her on the marble floor filled her with fantasies of undressing him, pulling his shirt off and having his naked chest lowered against her eager waiting form.

  Eager? Where did that come from? She blushed at her reflection in the mirror as she realized her thoughts had stirred intense longings for her pretend husband-to-be.

  But they wouldn’t be pretending, not totally. They would sign the financial agreement and then, before the end of the year, they would be legally married.

  She fought to remind herself that Jason had economic reasons for getting married. And so did she. Just because he was handsome, funny, gentle and caring, she couldn’t let herself lose sight of the realities behind their arrangement.

  Her blush faded. Better. Time to go down and face her future.

  She found Jason in the dining room. A sideboard held warming dishes filled with scrambled eggs, sausage and buttered toast. A silver coffee service bubbled away.

  “Good morning.” Jason took a sip of coffee. “Cook has been busy. Help yourself.”

  “This is amazing.” Vicky picked up a plate and helped herself to toast and a spoonful of scrambled egg. She filled a cup with steaming coffee. “Do you get this every day?”

  “Usually she asks what we’d like the night before, but with all the chaos yesterday, I told her to do what was easy.”

  Vicky sat down and munched her toast. “Mmmm. Why does toast taste better when someone else makes it?”

  Jason grinned. “One of the great mysteries of life, if you ask me.” He lifted his cup in a tiny salute. “Here’s to Mrs. Johnson.”

  “She’s a gem.” Vicky lifted her cup and clicked Jason’s very lightly. “A toast to the Cook. A toast to having a cook. Wonderful.�
� She looked around. “Where is she, by the way?”

  “She doesn’t usually join us at table. Last night was special. At the moment she’s taking a tray upstairs to Gran.”

  “Does she know about her morning problems?”

  “We had a little chat. She thought Gloria had informed me about Gran’s mental deterioration. It’s been going on for months. She’s thrilled to be back, by the way. And she says she has a niece who would love to come to work here, helping in the kitchen. I told her to call her in. If it works out, we can make it permanent.”

  Vicky raised her brows and let out a breath of mock exhaustion. “I had no idea it took so much work to have other people work for you. Does it run in the blood? You were away at school. How do you know how to do all this?”

  Jason shrugged. “I spent summers here. And now that you mention it, my aunt and uncle made sure I knew how the house ran. They would show me spreadsheets, and fill me in on hiring and firing. Lots of details about running the estate. That’s funny. I never gave that a thought. How did they know all that stuff?”

  Grace’s voice floated from the doorway. “I’m surprised it took you this long to ask.” She poured herself some coffee and joined them at the table. “There’s something I’ve been wanted to tell you, dear, but Jerry thought it was better left unsaid.”

  Jason stood and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  Grace looked nervous. “I’m so glad you did that. You may not want to kiss me after I answer your question.”

  “Now I’m really curious,” said Jason fondly. “Out with it. What’s the big dark secret?”

  Grace glanced back and forth from Jason to Vicky. She was visibly uncomfortable with what she was about to say. “Your uncle and I were on Dolores’ payroll.”

  “What?!” Jason set his coffee cup down hard. “What are you talking about?”

  Grace turned a hand over. “That’s why your uncle never told you, dear. He feared your reaction. He wanted you to know that we loved you for who you are, not because Dolores sent us a check every month.”

  Jason looked crestfallen.

  Vicky moved to the chair beside him and laid an arm around his shoulders.

  Grace was eager to ease Jason’s mind. “I was horrified that your grandmother sent you away to boarding school. Jerry and I loved you so much. It was Jerry’s idea to go. Back then he could get around pretty well. Most people didn’t even know he was sick, but we both knew he couldn’t hold down a regular job. He volunteered as Coach at your school. Didn’t you ever wonder how we made a living, dear?”

  “I was a kid. Kids don’t think about those things.”

  Grace nodded. “That’s what Jerry was counting on. But he’s gone, God rest his soul. And I can’t stand to keep secrets from you. When Dolores learned of Jerry’s diagnosis and discovered that we had moved to be close to you, she was angry at first. She thought we’d try to poison your mind against her. But Jerry reassured her that we wanted the best for you, and we definitely wanted you to grow up to be her heir. He told her we would never do anything to endanger your future. So she offered to put us on the payroll and asked us to teach you some of the things you would need to know. She sent detailed instructions every month along with household accounts and other details that she wanted you to be familiar with. And we would come up with crazy ways to make sure you got the information.” She spread her hands. “We did it for you, dear.”

  Jason relaxed in his chair and patted Vicky’s hand. He nodded. “I see that. And I even understand why you kept it from me. I’m really glad to know that you had already moved closer before she made her offer.”

  “We adore you, dear. Both of us. You’re all that’s left of my sister. You’re the closest I’ll ever come to having a child of my own. Please don’t be angry with me.”

  “Never.” Jason gave her reassuring smile. “And thanks for teaching me so well. I’ve really needed those skills this week.”

  Vicky patted his shoulder and returned to her toast and coffee. “Jason, would it be all right if I practice on the baby grand until the lawyers get here? It’s been hours since my fingers touched a piano, and I’m going through withdrawal.”

  Grace tilted her head to one side. “That’s right. Jason said you play. How many hours a day do you have to practice?”

  “While I’m preparing for a competition, I play nine or ten hours a day. But since I missed that last one,” she added ruefully, “I can settle for six to eight. But that’s really not enough.”

  “Oh, my. And why did you miss a competition?”

  Vicky looked at Jason and he met her gaze and shrugged.

  Vicky said, “It’s a very long story. Come with me and I’ll fill you in between pieces.”

  “Do you have your music with you?”

  “I’ll play from memory today. I need to send for my sheet music.”

  Jason said, “You two go and get better acquainted. I need to talk to Mr. Lopes and check on a few things.”

  Madlyn dashed into the room. “Vicky! Why didn’t you wake me? I’m going to be late for work! Oh, breakfast.”

  “Help yourself,” said Jason. “Say, when you see Mina, would you have her give me a call? My mother needs a personal maid.”

  Vicky and Grace exchanged greetings with Madlyn, then moved into the music room.

  “This piano is so beautiful,” said Vicky. Lovingly, she lifted the cover off the keys.

  Grace sat on an embroidered chair. “I wonder why Jason thought Jill played the piano?”

  “He told me he had memories of music filling the house before the accident,” said Vicky. “After his parents died, the music stopped.”

  “Oh.” Grace stared at her hands and said nothing more.

  Vicky began to play. She soon lost herself in the music. The piano’s rich vibrant sounds filled the room and drifted throughout the house. She began with Chopin. She intended to move on to some Bach, but as usual when she began with Chopin, she just kept playing. Her elegant fingers flew across the keys. Her whole body played, moving and swaying with the music. Her soul soared as the music poured out of her, poured through her, and onto the keys. She was oblivious to the world around her, filled with the joy of the music.

  She didn’t see Dolores coming at her with hands raised, eyes wild, until the old woman screamed, “No music! No music! No music in this house of pain!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Grace shouted, “Stop! Don’t hurt her.”

  Dolores lowered her hands and blinked in confusion at Grace.

  “Is that you, Grace? Are you here for the funeral?” Dolores’ eyes filled with tears.

  Vicky got up and moved to Dolores’ side. “There’s no funeral today, Mrs. Darby. Everything is fine. I’m sorry if my playing disturbed you.”

  Dolores stared at Vicky. “Jill? Oh, Jill, I had the most awful dream. I dreamed you and Thomas died on the catamaran. Please don’t go sailing anymore.”

  “I promise,” said Vicky. “No more sailing.” Jason and Mrs. Johnson arrived at the music room door at the same moment, drawn by the shouting. “Mrs. Johnson,” Jason said softly. “Would you give Gran’s doctor a call and see if he’ll come by for a visit?”

  Mrs. Johnson nodded and left.

  Jason moved into the room. “Gran? Is something wrong?”

  Dolores turned and upon seeing Jason, her face lit up with love and hope. “Thomas! You’re all right. Thank God.”

  Jason took her elbow. “Not Thomas. It’s me, Jason. Your grandson.”

  Dolores’ look of confusion returned.

  “My grandson is a little boy. Thomas, why are you trying to trick me? I know my grandson when I see him.”

  Vicky shot Jason a warning glance, then reassured Dolores. “He’s just being playful. Someday Jason will probably look like Thomas. Don’t you agree?”

  Dolores nodded. “He’ll be the spitting image of his father when he grows up. He already looks exactly like Thomas did at ten.” She blinked at Vicky. “But you al
ready know that, Jill. I don’t have to tell you.”

  “Have you had breakfast already?” Vicky took Dolores’ hand and began moving slowly toward the dining room.

  “Cook brought me a tray. She’s a wonderful woman.” Her brow furrowed. “She’s looking old and tired, if you ask me. We should give her a raise, and hire an assistant.”

  “What a lovely idea,” cooed Vicky. “Would you like to have some tea with me?”

  Dolores looked around, as if wondering where she was. “Where is my maid? She should be helping me do my hair.” She put a hand to her head. “I must look a fright.”

  “Not at all,” said Vicky gently. “But if you like, I can help. Shall we go upstairs?”

  “Yes, that’s a good idea.”

  Vicky steered her toward the elevator.

  ****

  Jason watched the elevator doors close, then turned to Grace. “This is the worst I’ve seen. What brought it on?”

  “She came in screaming, ‘No music in this house of pain.’ I think she’s reliving the morning of the funeral.” Grace touched Jason’s arm. “Last night you said Vicky plays better than your mother did. But Jill never played the piano.”

  Jason walked to the baby grand and slapped a hand on its shiny black surface. “I remember music before the accident. Someone played this piano every day of my life until mom and dad died.”

  “It was Dolores,” said Grace. “She loved it. She would come in here and play for hours. It was her favorite room in the house.”

  Jason dropped onto the piano bench. “How could my memory get so twisted?”

  Grace sat down next to him. “Grief is a powerful thing. It can destroy us, if we’re not careful. Losing your father was the tipping point for Dolores. She turned this house into a funeral parlor. She couldn’t bear to be reminded of what she’d lost.”

  “So she took all the family pictures and stashed them away in my parents’ room.”

  “And she sent you away to boarding school. And she quit playing the piano.”