by Alexis Gold
“Gracie Johnston?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s me,” she said, surprised. “How did you know?”
The chauffeur laughed. “It wasn’t hard.” Gracie glanced around. Of the sixty some passengers she was the only black woman. This was, after all, the northwest territory, not Compton. “Plus, I have a photo,” he added, holding up the shot Nana had taken of her for the application. “Though I have to say, it was hard prying it away from Mr. Stone.”
That was a good sign, Gracie supposed. “Well, now he’s got the real thing.”
The chauffeur laughed at that. She was beginning to find him quite likeable, and hoped that geniality reflected on his employer as well. “I’m George Jones,” he said, “like the country singer, though I can’t carry a tune half as well.”
Gracie had never heard of George Jones before, but she smiled and held out her hand, “Nice to meet you, George.”
George took her bag and led her to a sleek black limousine parked just off the concourse. Plane-side service, Gracie though. Impressive. Unlike an airplane, Gracie had been in a limo before. For senior prom; her, Becca, and a group of other single girlfriends had decided to splurge on the princess treatment. That limo had smelled of stale cigars and the leather seats had seen better days. This one, however, appeared off-the-line new. It was large enough to fit six people comfortably, and came equipped with a telephone, laptop port, 14” television, and wet bar. Helping Gracie in, George offered her a glass of champagne.
Why not? She thought. Might help with the nerves.
Gracie wasn’t a big drinker. Never had been. At that very same prom she had been the sober friend who had ended up holding Becca’s hair while she puked, and rescuing their friend Crystal from making a serious mistake with a varsity lineman. She knew that drinking was a no-no during pregnancy, and wondered what the rule was on conception. Conception. The very thought made her take a big swig of the sweet, bubbly liquid. She couldn’t help feeling like Pretty Woman, a simple country girl being escorted in a private car to pay a call on a mysterious millionaire. For sex, essentially, though the sex wasn’t the main operative, it was only a means to an end.
She’d been telling herself that for months now. Only a means to an end, not prostitution, and certainly not romance. She had tried to get herself in the mindset that she and Derrick Stone were just animals, two organisms that must come together to meet an intended purpose. It was biology at its most simple form, that natural selection thing Darwin had been spouting off about for years. In order to pass down desirable traits and ensure the survival of the species, male and female organisms had to copulate. Darwin had been talking about apes but the outcome was still the same. Humans were just the only ones who put an unnecessary emphasis on the sex part. The key was to look at it in a strictly scientific way. She had, after all, been a biologist before embarking on the lucrative career of waitressing. Forget about Derrick Stone being a handsome millionaire movie star; he was just an animal like everyone else.
“So George,” Gracie called through the open divider window, “what’s the scoop on Derrick Stone?”
“Derrick? He’s a great guy,” George answered emphatically. “The best. I got a buddy who drives for Rocky Lockridge, you know the hunky guy from that NBC show Space Police? Says he’s a real jerk. Treats all his employees like the mud that got stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Not Mr. Stone though. He’ll just as likely have a beer with you as ask you to deliver his dry cleaning.” As if sensing her nervousness he added, “You got nothing to worry about.”
“You know why I’m here then?”
“Nope. I don’t ask Mr. Stone’s business, I just do it.”
That was a relief. So maybe the people at Stone’s ranch wouldn’t look at her as the baby-maker. Maybe she could pass as an old friend.
As they passed under the massive oak sign that read Slow Hand Ranch, Gracie’s butterflies began to dissipate. Maybe it was the champagne. Or maybe it was the down-home cozy look of the place. She had been expecting a giant timbered mansion like you see on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, with two separate wings, a glassed-in pool, and maybe a fountain out front. This was more like a log cabin. Large, yes, and obviously very nicely made, but still approachable. There was no swimming pool in sight, and no fountain, though they did pass a large pond on the way up the drive.
When the limo pulled up to the front door a man in faded jeans, flannel shirt, and cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes came out the front door, followed closely by a small boy and an energetic yellow dog. Stone had sent more employees to greet her? George came around the side of the limo and handed her out. Immediately the boy ran up to her. “Wow, you’re pretty!” he exclaimed, “Are you Miss Gracie?”
“Thank you!” Gracie laughed. “And yes, I am. Who might you be?”
“This little fella, who seems to have forgotten his manners for the moment, is Benny Mantle,” said the man, walking up and ruffling the boy’s hair. “Though I have to admit, he does have a point.”
Gracie looked up at the smiling man and realized with surprise that it was Derrick Stone himself, though looking quite a bit different than he did on the covers of US Weekly. Though he wasn’t wearing one of his signature tailored suits, he actually looked even more handsome in regular Joe clothes. He had a smile that needed no Photoshop touch-up to make it brilliant, and his hazel eyes twinkled merrily, with the beginnings of crow’s feet at the corners. Under the hat, his sandy blonde hair hung shaggy and natural as it did in most of his photos (though previously Gracie had always though that natural look was something that actually took hours in a stylist’s chair to accomplish).
“Mr. Stone, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you!”
“That’s okay,” said Derrick, surprising her again by taking her up in a big bear hug. She felt sparks at the warmth of his body. “I’m probably not looking like you expected. But this is the country and here we like to be comfortable. Benny, why don’t you run down and get your dad. He’s been waiting to meet you, Gracie.”
Taking Gracie by the arm, he led her up to the house. “Benny’s a great kid. In fact, he’s part of the reason I want one of my own. He doesn’t know about our arrangement though. I just told him you were a new friend I’d met at a shoot in Virginia. I hope you don’t mind being in on my white lie.”
“Not at all,” said Gracie. “I can see how it would be hard to explain to a child. Honestly, I’ve sometimes had trouble explaining it to myself.”
Derrick stopped and turned to look her in the eyes. “You are comfortable with this, right? I have to admit, this is new to me too. But I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to.”
Gracie was touched by his frankness. Already this man was not what she had expected from a Hollywood movie star. He wasn’t pushy or patronizing and he hadn’t thrown her over his shoulder and dragged her off to the bedroom. Already, Gracie didn’t think she’d mind if he did.
“No, no,” she said, “I’m fine. I’ve been mentally psyching myself up for months. It’s just that I didn’t expect you to be…”
“What? Drop dead gorgeous?” he joked.
“No,” she laughed, “that I expected. I guess I didn’t expect you to be…a real person.”
“Yep,” he said, tapping his chest, “blood, and bones, and everything. One hundred percent genuine American made.” Derrick opened the front door and motioned her into a large, open foyer dominated on one end by an oak staircase and on the other end by a gigantic stuffed bear. “That’s Fred,” Derrick said. “Don’t let him scare you. He came with the place; I can’t claim him for myself. I’m not half the marksman my movies portray me to be. Come on up, I’ll show you to your room.”
Up the stairs and at the second door on the right he stopped. The room hosted a four-poster bed made up of natural wooden beams and complete with a calico quilt, a dresser, wardrobe, and a big stone fireplace where there was already a fire waiting. It looked like a place where anyone would feel right at home. Gracie wen
t in, placed her bag on the dresser, and stood by the bed, waiting to see what would happen next. Derrick followed her into the room, but he didn’t shut the door behind him.
This is it, she thought. Down to business. Let’s get this thing started.
Suddenly the butterflies sprang back to life as he approached her. But rather than throwing her down on the bed he gently took her hands and said, “I know we only have the weekend but we can take this slow. I’ve been reading about you for months now; I feel almost like I already know you. Heck, I know that you got a C in tenth grade English Lit and that you broke your arm when you were eight. But I want to get you know you a little better first. Come on down when you’re ready and I’ll show you around.”
Derrick had left Gracie perplexed. What a surprising man. But what had she expected? That they would just jump into bed like a couple of rabbits? She had hoped she could stand the guy, but she hadn’t expected to actually like him. And she hadn’t expected to actually be looking forward to the rabbits part.
*
Gracie found Derrick in the den quicker than he had expected. From his experience, women left to get settled in usually ended up taking an hour to wash, reapply makeup, restyle hair, and change wardrobe before making an appearance. But Derrick could already tell that Gracie wasn’t like most girls he had experienced. She was more down to earth. Despite the quick turnaround, Gracie reappeared looking fresh, lively, and beautiful as ever.
“Are you up for walking?” he asked. “I know you’ve had a long flight.”
“I’m up for anything. It takes a lot to tire me out,” Gracie said, then blushed, realizing how that must sound.
“Great!” Derrick said. “I brought you a coat, since I didn’t know what you had in that little bag of yours. You never know what it’s going to be like around here in September; the nights tend to get a little chilly. I wanted to show you around the place before dinner.”
“That was thoughtful of you,” said Gracie, allowing him to help her into the warm wool-lined coat. “In Carolina it’s still in the eighties but that could change by the time I get home. During hurricane season the weather can be ‘as fickle as a possum in the middle of the road,’ if you want to coin a phrase from my Nana.”
Derrick knew that Gracie and her two brothers had been raised by their elderly Nana when their parents had died in a car crash when Gracie was only six. He could tell already that the woman had a huge influence on Gracie’s life and he admired the tight family bond. As they toured the property, Gracie told him about her family and the small town where she lived back home.
“It’s not Hollywood,” she concluded, “but everybody knows everybody, and we all look out for each other. I guess that sounds pretty lame to you.”
“Not at all,” argued Derrick. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve actually found myself longing more for that kind of life. That’s why I like it so much here. There’s only about twelve of us total on any given day but I think of everyone here as family. It’s been a welcome change from LA. When I’m there everybody knows me, but nobody really knows me. And they’d all sooner stab you in the back than save you from a runaway car, like the man you were just talking about.”
“Old Pete, yeah, he’s quite the character. A regular haunt at the diner, but he does have a heart of gold.”
“I’d like to meet him someday,” said Derrick without thinking. Stupid thing to say. As they rounded the pastures and headed back past the pond where the calf - now dubbed Lucky - had nearly met its end, Derrick had forgotten that this wasn’t a date. This woman wasn’t an old friend, and she wasn’t a potential fling. She was just supposed to be a woman who had accepted the offer of one million dollars to bear his child. Of course he would never be meeting Old Pete. In fact, if all went as planned after this weekend he’d probably never even see Gracie again. He tried not to let the thought dampen his spirits.
“I’ve been blabbing on about myself for nearly an hour now,” Gracie said. “Now tell me something nobody else knows about you. Who is the real Derrick Stone?” She pantomimed holding a microphone up to his face.
He laughed. “Haven’t you read the tabloids? It’s all true! My life in print for the past twenty-five years.”
“Even the stuff about Anicka Andersen?”
“Well, maybe not all of it. The part about finding me in bed with another man, totally not true.”
“I should hope not.”
“It was actually two men.”
“That sounds more like it,” Gracie laughed and shoved him playfully.
“Hey watch it,” he said, raising his hands as if to defend himself. “I hear you’re a black belt in Karate.”
“Brown belt,” she corrected, “but I could still show you a thing or two.” She made as if to lunge at him and he grabbed her in his arms. For a moment they were nose-to-nose, within kissing distance. Gracie lowered her eyes shyly, and the spell was broken.
“Come on,” Derrick said, “we better get inside. Gladys will throw a fit if we’re late for dinner.”
Inside they had a pleasant dinner of roast pheasant and with wild mushroom stuffing and butternut squash. Gracie declared the meal delicious and ate with gusto, a welcome change from Anicka’s carb-counting ways. Derrick wondered where she was putting it all; as far as he could see there wasn’t an ounce of fat on her body. They ended up talking until well after midnight. When Gracie gave a hearty yawn, Derrick realized he had kept her awake far too long.
“You’ll have to forgive me,” he said, “I was having such a good time I forgot that you’ve been on a cross-country flight today.”
“I am a little sleepy,” she admitted, then quickly added, “but not too sleepy.”
Derrick helped her to her feet and escorted her up the stairs and to her bedroom. At the doorway he stopped. This would be the time now. He should go in, undress her and make love to her. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am. That was the point of it all right? What was it Gracie had said? Natural selection. Like animals. But looking at this fascinating woman who was nearly dead on her feet, something didn’t feel right. He could imagine himself making love to her for hours on end, exploring every inch of her tender body, taking his time to deeply penetrate and release his seed inside her. After over a year of planning and preparation, he suddenly didn’t want to do it like animals.
He bent his head and kissed her gently on the lips. She received the kiss hungrily, with an open mouth. But before he could let himself get carried away, Derrick broke the kiss and took Gracie’s face in his hands.
“Get some sleep,” he said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He left a confused Gracie standing in her doorway and turned to head to his own bedroom alone.
Chapter Four
Gracie slept lightly with images of Derrick floating through her dreams. The day had gone nothing like she’d expected. She’d arrived ready for business, but ended up feeling like a contestant on The Bachelor. Except for in this game she was the only contestant. She wasn’t competing for the hand of the handsome bachelor. In this game you won one night of passion with him and the take-home prize was a new life growing inside you. This wasn’t a happily-ever-after Cinderella story.
Except Gracie had found herself liking Derrick from the get-go; too much in fact. As the day went by she felt as if she had known him for years, like the old friend he was pretending to be. Something about him made her feel comfortable in a way she would never have expected from a man who spent his time with starlets and super models. Given enough time, she could easily find herself falling for him. That would never do. The next morning she determined that she would march up to Derrick and tell him it was time to do the deed. No more mincing around it, no more getting to know each other; time to get the job done, go home and get on with her life.
But when she came down to the kitchen the next morning, letting her nose lead her with the smells of cooking bacon and freshly baked bread, she found Derrick dressed and ready for the outdoors.
�
��Morning sunshine!” he greeted, bright eyed and bushy tailed even though it was only eight AM.
“I didn’t think you movie stars woke until after noon. Something about beauty rest?”
“Not me,” Derrick winked at her, “I don’t need it. Now grab some breakfast. I thought we could go for a ride. The view is great in the morning when the mist is just starting to rise off the mountains.”
Derrick’s positive attitude was contagious and Gracie couldn’t help but comply. Maybe she could tell him that they needed to get down to business after their trail ride. She ate quickly and soon she and Derrick were outside in the stable. The sun was on the rise and so was the temperature. The light frost that had settled in overnight was beginning to disappear as the golden glow fell on the landscape. It promised to be a beautiful day. Derrick led Gracie down the center aisle of a large barn, rows of stalls lining both sides. Horses from both sides whinnied their greeting to Derrick as he passed, as if asking to be chosen for the day’s adventure.
“Calypso will be a great horse for you,” said Derrick, stopping in front of the stall of a white horse with brown spots on her face and body. “She’s gentle and patient. Lex’s boys actually learned to ride on her. She does all the work for you, all you have to do is climb on.”
“Oh I know how to ride,” Gracie replied. “In fact, I practically grew up riding.”
“Really? You didn’t mention it before, you know, in the application.”
“There wasn’t a space for it,” Gracie smiled, “unless I skipped that page.”
“Tell me about it,” Derrick asked. “How’d you learn?”
Gracie thought back a moment. “After my parents died in the crash and my brothers and I moved to Carolina to live with Nana I was a pretty lost little girl. Everything I had known was gone, and I needed something to cling on to, something to occupy my mind. Nana had a friend who owned a farm. He boarded horses and taught lessons, and Nana thought that it would be the perfect thing for me. And she was right. Being around the horses made me feel comfortable and safe. And once I mastered riding - being able to control an animal ten times my size - I realized that I could be in control of my own life, I didn’t have to live in fear of the unpredictable fate that had taken my parents away.”
