THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS

by Ava Miles

  “Liz,” Jane said, rising from her chair and sitting on the arm of the couch. “I won’t mention Vixen at all if you’d prefer. I can’t promise they won’t figure it out, but I’m not asking you to go public too. I know how hard that would be for you.”

  Elizabeth reached for her hand and squeezed it tight. “I know you do, but I’ve realized I need to break free of the past too… You’re right, it’s better for us to do it on our own terms. And Rhett promised to teach me how to shoot a gun.”

  Rhett coughed at that, his throat clearly clogged with emotion.

  Abbie reached across Rhett and took Elizabeth’s other hand. “I don’t tell many people,” she said in a quiet voice, “but I was date raped when I was in college. You can always talk to me. I know what it’s like to be scared.”

  “And I can promise to keep tabs on this guy if it will make you feel safer, Elizabeth,” Rhett said.

  Rare tears sparkled in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Thank you, everyone,” she said with a sniff. “I think we all need to say boo to the ghosts. Isn’t that what you always say, Rhett?”

  “I remember him saying the same to me,” Abbie said, and they shared a special smile.

  “Peggy prefers to say boo with a shotgun and a police vest, but that’s her,” Mac joked, making everyone laugh.

  The room slowly quieted. Jane stroked Elizabeth’s hair before walking over to Matt again. This time she didn’t sit.

  It was time to make a stand.

  “Rhett, I hope you don’t think it’s a conflict of interest for me to play in the tourney.”

  “Please. You’ve supported me behind the scenes for years. It’s time for me to support you. Jane, I’m going to sit this one out. I’ll be your poker babe, but I draw the line at the heels and sequins.”

  Her laughter was nervous and giddy. “I think you’d look wonderful in the stage makeup though.”

  “Does this mean I’m losing you for good, Jane?” Rhett asked.

  She lifted her shoulder. “I don’t know…I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’m scared and excited about playing poker in a real tournament, but I’m not sure I’ll like the spotlight.”

  “Then we’ll take it one step at a time,” Rhett said with a smile. “You’re going to do great.”

  Her hand rubbed her tight diaphragm. She turned to the other man she respected, one whom she would be challenging in the tournament. “Mac, is it okay with you?”

  “I have no problem with playing against you, Jane. I’ve always known that you and Elizabeth have a rare talent. I think you’re going to surprise the other players.”

  “And I want them to know it’s me,” she added. “Or a new version of me. Elizabeth, will you help me dress the part?”

  “I have just the dress in mind. And I’ll be happy to act as your publicist for the day.”

  “Thank you.”

  “With everyone’s blessing, I’m going to give an interview to Matt’s uncle,” Jane said. “You all know Arthur. I think he’ll surprise people with what he writes.”

  “Your family is going to have a coronary,” Rhett murmured.

  “I tried to call them a few weeks ago to…I don’t know. See if things were different. They never called back. That was their decision, so this is mine.”

  They probably would reach out to her once the article was published, and it wouldn’t be a Hallmark moment. Her father’s run for the U.S. Senate would be hurt by this revelation, no two bones about it, but that wasn’t her business.

  “They’re assholes,” Rhett said. “We’re your family, and we’re the ones who are going to be in your cheering section at the tourney.”

  “Even I’ll come to see this one,” Abbie said.

  Rhett kissed her right then and there. “Oh, darlin’, how did I ever get so lucky?”

  “Of course, you’ll have to have a serious conversation with Dustin,” Abbie said. “I caught him ogling both Raven and Vixen more times than I can count. He’ll be more than a little surprised to find out the truth about you two.”

  “He’s a teenage boy, Abbie,” Rhett said. “Don’t worry. He’ll be a little embarrassed, but we’ll throw a big party after the tournament and let him mingle with the girls as they really are. We’ll all get over any awkwardness. You did.”

  “Thank you. I try.”

  “Yes, thank you, Abbie,” Jane said, and Elizabeth seconded it.

  “Well, I guess it’s on,” Matt said. “And I promise to be one of your poker babes too, if you think you can handle two men.”

  She circled her arms around her waist. “Nah, I’m a one-man kind of girl.”

  “Cut me to the quick, why don’t you,” Rhett said, stabbing himself with his hand as though it were a sword.

  “You can be my poker babe,” Abbie said and then giggled. “You have become a bad influence on me.”

  “I always was, and you love it,” he whispered, earning him another elbowing.

  “I guess that’s that,” Jane concluded. “I’m going to play in a major poker tournament.”

  “Don’t worry one minute, darlin’. You’re going to kick ass and take names.”

  She sure hoped Rhett was right. If she lost in the early rounds, she’d be labeled a stupid poker babe for the rest of her life.

  Chapter 38

  Elizabeth rushed up the stairs of The Grand Mountain Hotel, cursing the heels she’d worn. She was late, and she hated that. Rhett had kept her for longer than expected to go over the press release she’d drafted.

  Today she was coordinating with Mac and his public relations director, Darla Adams, over the upcoming announcement about Raven and Vixen. Mac and Rhett were planning to go public at the same time. It would be interesting to see how Darla, with whom she’d worked in her capacity as Rhett’s publicist, treated her now that she knew she was Vixen. Mac had told Darla everything so they could create a detailed media plan. Elizabeth was here to help. The goal was to make things as smooth as possible.

  Not that she thought there was much hope of that.

  But she loved Jane, and if her best friend was willing to go all in, then she was going to support her.

  When she hit the landing, she collided into a man. On the verge of falling, she reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt. His arms closed around her and pulled her away from the top of the stairs.

  “Whoa now! Never wise to rush like that on the stairs,” the man said in her ear, and the gravel and spice in his voice made her hands clench on his shoulders.

  Terrance? Not again.

  When they eased apart, her breathing choppy from the fear, she felt as though she were falling down the stairs after all.

  Terrance Waters stood before her in a gunmetal gray Fendi suit that perfectly suited his lean, rock-hard frame.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her, releasing his hold, but keeping a hand to her back for support. The heat of it burned her.

  “I’m…fine.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. “You look like you’ve had a few decades shaved off your life.”

  Say something, Elizabeth, she told herself. “I’ll be fine.” Right. Being held again by this man she had loved. This man she’d run from. The only one whom she’d been tempted to tell… well, everything.

  Compose yourself. She held out a quivering hand. “We didn’t officially meet before. I’m Elizabeth Saunders. Rhett Butler Blaylock’s publicist. I was just going to meet Mac.” He would find out the truth of who she was soon enough, but she had no desire to be present for his reaction.

  “Seems we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other. I’ve just accepted the job as Mac’s new head chef here at the hotel.”

  Her mouth parted. Oh God. This could not be happening.

  “That’s great,” she managed, trying not to hyperventilate.

  “I doubt that’s what you’re thinking,” he said with shuttered eyes. “I’m Terrance Waters, by the way. But you already know that…” He trailed off, as if he had
more left to say.

  For a moment, she felt like a trap door was about to open.

  “Vixen.”

  She fell through the hole. “You must have me confused with someone else,” she replied with her best poker face. “I need to go. Mac’s waiting on me.”

  Fortunately, he didn’t stop her.

  Chapter 39

  The week leading up to the poker tournament was chaotic, messy, and surprisingly blissful. Once the story broke about Jane and Elizabeth being poker scouts, there wasn’t a quiet moment, which was good because Elizabeth was still freaking out about running away from Terrance when he’d called her Vixen. Rhett fielded calls from top poker officials in the World Series of Poker and other big tournaments and satisfied any concerns. He talked to other professionals too, and Mac added his support by making over ten calls a day on his friends’ behalf. The fans were shocked, and there were some interesting tweets and posts on various poker blogs with pictures of Jane and Elizabeth as poker babes with captions like Smart Girls in Trashy Costumes and Rhett Butler Blaylock Creates the Ultimate Bluff.

  Dare Valley’s reaction was equally messy. Florence Henkelmeyer had a field day, as expected. Within a day, signs were posted with pictures of Jane as Raven with the caption: Do you want your mayor dating that? Some people stared at her and Matt when they went to Don’t Soy with Me or Brasserie Dare. Others thought it hilarious, thanks to Jill, who had posted a new sign in the window of her coffee shop. Women. Don’t Judge a Book By Her Cover.

  Matt added over fifty meetings that week to his schedule to talk with different groups about the news. Sometimes Jane attended; other times, she let him handle it, which he did with aplomb.

  His campaign wasn’t totally on the ropes by day three, and Rob was upbeat about Matt’s ability to sway voters to his side.

  The most important reaction came from his family, all of whom were standing behind them. Just as Matt had said they would. His sisters thought her alter ego as the mysterious Raven—a gorgeous poker scout—was awesome. His mom had actually laughed over the whole thing. And when Natalie had asked Jane where she’d bought her enhancements because she might want to try some, everyone had laughed. She’d felt accepted and loved, and the ice in her stomach had melted away.

  Her parent’s reaction had been just as expected. Her father finally returned her call, his voice booming with outrageous indignation as he accused her of ruining his chances for U.S. Senate. He ordered her to retract her comments and say it was a lie, that she’d made it up to hurt him. After trying to get in a word edgewise for fifteen minutes, she hung up. She cried for a moment over this final fissure in their relationship, and then she took the dogs for a walk.

  She watched endless hours of tape. Studied the files of the players coming to the tournament. And played poker every night with Elizabeth, Rhett, Cincinnati Kilkelly—Mac’s long-time deputy and a professional player himself—and Tanner, who was surprisingly good.

  Her dreams danced with cards and sequined dresses. The pressure was enough to make her feel like she was wearing one of Lady Gaga’s corsets.

  Her alone time with Matt dwindled to the few hours they managed to spend talking and making love before falling asleep for the five hours their schedule allowed.

  By the time the three-day tournament rolled around, Jane was edgy from too much caffeine, and her stomach was fluttering with nerves. But thanks to her best friend, she looked gorgeous.

  “The dress rocks,” Elizabeth said, studying her in Jane’s bathroom mirror.

  The silver sequins on the 1920s-style flapper dress sparkled under the floodlights. It required no jewelry, and they’d gone with soft eye makeup but bold red lips. She looked like a woman who would have graced The Grand Mountain Hotel when it had first opened before the Depression.

  And damn if the sequined ballet slippers didn’t feel like butter.

  “I look like a million bucks,” she breathed out. Even she could see it. Who needed butt and breast pads? She just needed to wear clothes that suited her natural body.

  “I’m ready,” she announced, knowing Rhett and Matt were waiting for them to leave. “You still don’t have to go. I don’t want you to run into Terrance and getting upset.”

  Her friend dropped the lipstick she’d been holding and reached down to pick it up. “Don’t worry. I’m overreacting and have decided to take a chill pill. What we had was a fling. And it was two years ago. He’s been with tons of women since. I’m sure he’ll leave me alone.”

  Jane knew Terrance’s reputation, but she’d seen him with Elizabeth. She was certain Terrance’s feelings for her friend had run deep. “Okay, if you say so. Let’s go then.”

  When they emerged, Rhett whistled, and Matt ran his gaze over her body.

  “Holy moly,” Rhett cried out. “Just look at you, Jane. The shitty players won’t be able to take their eyes off you, and they’ll bust out faster than buttons popping off a fat man after Thanksgiving dinner.”

  Matt took her hands and smiled. “You look beautiful. Powerful. Like a woman who knows what she wants.”

  “Thank you. That’s how I feel…you know, beyond the whole I-might-puke-before-the-tourney-begins thing.”

  “I used to puke all the time when I was a rookie,” Rhett announced, patting her on the back and then picking up Annie for a kiss. “You’ll do fine. And I’ll be holding this sweet thang like a good poker babe the whole time.”

  She petted the adorable dog, who was dressed in a matching silver sequined cape. They even had sequins for dogs, she’d discovered.

  “Let’s get this show on the road,” Elizabeth said.

  The tournament ran two days, starting at ten a.m. on this cold Saturday morning. She’d likely be playing until eight or nine tonight, depending on how long the last hand took. And the tourney would go on tomorrow until they had a winner, and she’d seen these things go on for as long as eighteen hours sometimes. She hoped to make it that far.

  “My family’s meeting us there, FYI,” Matt said. “They can’t wait.”

  His family was coming? “Are you sure?”

  “They want to support you.”

  “Heck, even Dustin’s doing his part. He’s taking care of Keith so Peggy can come, and when he heard about Matt’s nephew, Danny, he offered to watch him too. They’re going to have a blast.” Rhett slapped on the signature white cowboy hat he’d worn to many tournaments. “For old times. Abbie gave me the thumbs-up this morning.”

  “Let’s go then. I want to take in the crowd.” See people’s reactions. Measure how much respect they were going to give her. She was a newbie to the circuit. And a woman.

  Until she proved herself, she might as well be Tiger Woods’ golf caddy.

  When they walked in, there was quite a crowd milling in the sleek lobby of the hotel. The wall sconces and unique gas lighting made it feel like another world. Add in the old cherry wood, perfectly restored, the stunning staircase shot with a red runner, and a crystal chandelier from an old Rockefeller house, and Mac had created another winning venue.

  Matt took her clammy hand as she moved forward, her head held high. Rhett shook hands as they walked the line, Annie tucked against his chest. He introduced her properly, he said, to some of the other players. No one was rude in front of Rhett. They all knew he’d punch them in the nose if they made one wrong step.

  But the men in the crowd scanned her frame. One even shouted out that he missed her old getup, and Elizabeth, who stood on the other side of Rhett, had to restrain him from going over and making a ruckus.

  “Rhett, I can take care of myself,” Jane said when they entered the main poker room, which was arranged with acres of the finest poker tables, islands of green stretching as far as the eye could see.

  It was time to stand on her own two feet.

  “Of course you can,” Mac said, appearing by their side. He gave her a warm embrace. “But I don’t tolerate any crap in my hotel, so if someone is unprofessional to you, they’ll receive a warning o
r be thrown out. I’ve told my crew to keep an eye out. You’re going to be the subject of a lot of talk, especially among the players. But hopefully everyone will keep it clean.”

  “I can handle it,” she said again.

  “Oh, and Elizabeth, my new head chef—Terrance Waters, you remember?—said he’s created something special to celebrate if Jane wins. He thought you might want to come see it in the kitchen and tweet about it.”

  Her friend gulped. “Wonderful.”

  She and Jane shared a look. It didn’t look like Terrance was willing to let bygones be bygones. But she needed to focus on herself. Elizabeth was a big girl.

  “Good,” Mac continued, “then I’ll tell you what Rhett always tells me when we play. For the next few hours, we’re no longer friends. Good luck, Jane.”

  “Back at ya, Mac. I need to find my first table.” She turned to Matt. “If you have to step out to meet with a local group—”

  “I told you. I’m here for the duration. No campaign business this weekend. I’m just here as your poker babe.”

  “Then you’re overdressed,” Elizabeth joked, leaning forward to kiss Jane’s cheek. “You’ve got this.”

  She pulled her friend in for a hug. “I’m playing for you too, you know.”

  “I know. Now go show the world what Rhett and I have always known. That you’re a woman to be reckoned with.”

  Matt caressed Jane’s arm and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the mouth. “I’m in awe of you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Then Rhett stepped forward and drew a silver jewelry box out of his leather jacket with one hand. It was wrapped up in a pink bow. “I thought this might be a fitting gift to commemorate your first tournament.”

  When she opened it, she had to battle to keep her poker face. The most beautiful Roman coin she’d ever seen lay against the white pillow.