Читать книгу An Act of Love - Marion Ekholm - Страница 14

CHAPTER FIVE

BRANT ARRIVED HOME after several days at the ranch visiting with his sisters and their families. His father, who had asked to speak with him, had taken off with Brant’s mother, so Brant never did have the opportunity. Now he was back in the Phoenix heat, dodging people who recognized him. Several actually asked for his autograph. He didn’t look forward to hiding in his condo until his gig in New York.

His answering machine had several messages, and, for a moment, Brant hoped one might be from Marley. Wishful thinking. She wouldn’t know his number. Plus their last meeting pretty much put the kibosh on anything neighborly between them. Tough, because she intrigued him, and he’d really like to know her better.

Three messages were from Gus, and he sounded stressed. Maybe he’d found another musical instrument Brant could add to his collection. Brant picked up his home phone and dialed Gus’s store.

“What is it, Gus? Another instrument? I liked that mandolin you showed me the last time, but I still feel it’s a little pricey.”

“No. This is something different. Could you come down to my shop?”

Brant checked his watch. It was nearly nine, and Gus rarely kept his store open this late. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“No. It’s important you see this tonight.”

“Okay. It’ll take me a few minutes.” Might as well see what he wants, Brant thought as he locked his door and headed for the elevator. In the few years he’d known Gus, the man had sold him several beautiful instruments, including a banjo and guitar. Gus opened the door when Brant arrived and led him to the back. A policeman stood at the counter where Marley had purchased her ring.

“There’s a problem,” Gus said, not making eye contact with Brant. “When your fiancée paid for that ring?”

Brant chuckled. “She’s not my real fiancée.”

“Let him finish,” the officer interjected.

Brant turned to him, aware that the usual relaxed atmosphere in the shop had disappeared. He looked back at Gus. “What about my fiancée’s ring?”

“She paid for this one.” Gus held out one that looked exactly like the ring Brant had pointed out to Marley. “It costs less than fifty dollars. She walked out with the one for five thousand.”

“How...?”

“I don’t know.” Gus held up a hand and glanced at the officer. “I’m not saying she stole it.” He swallowed. “But if you could pay for the ring, there won’t be any...problems.” He cleared his throat.

“And if I return it?”

“I’ll take it back. No questions asked.”

Brant stood there for several moments, his hands braced on the glass counter. Wow. Five thousand dollars. An okay price to pay for a real fiancée, but not for a possible thief. What did he know about Marley? For that matter, what did he know about Gus?

Swiftly coming to a decision, Brant pushed away from the counter, reached for his wallet and handed Gus his credit card. “Put it on this.” Gus had never cheated him in the past, and Marley owing Brant wouldn’t hurt one bit. She played a guitar better than most professional musicians he knew. If she wouldn’t return the ring, she could teach him a few things about playing the guitar—a good five thousand dollars’ worth of lessons.

But he had no intention of waiting until his “fiancée” returned to Phoenix to acquire that ring.

By the time he reached his condo, Brant had a plan. He’d follow Marley and trade the expensive ring for the one she actually bought. Besides, he wanted to get out of the city, and, as he’d told her, Pennsylvania was a lot closer to his New York gig. Well, it might be a plan if he knew where she had gone. Pennsylvania was a large state, and there had to be hundreds of people with the last name Roman. Still, there couldn’t be that many Romans marrying in Pennsylvania this coming weekend. He turned on his computer and began searching social media.

* * *

MICHELLE WAS NEARLY finished with her pancakes when her mother came into the local restaurant and gave her a quick kiss. “How was it?” Chloe joined them in the booth next to her daughter. Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, she in no way looked pregnant. “You ready to have a dozen kids?”

“Only if I can drop them off on someone else occasionally.”

Chloe reached over and gripped Marley’s hands. “Thank you, a thousand times over.” She leaned back and sighed. “I feel good today, and, hopefully, I’ll make it through to the wedding.”

“He’s at the house.”

Chloe turned, her forehead puckered. “Who?” Then in delight she blurted, “Brant!”

Startled, Marley immediately shook her head. “No. Red. Our father.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Chloe glanced at her daughter. “Oh?” She leaned over and wiped some syrup off her daughter’s chin.

“He’s giving Lindy away. Did you know about this?”

Chloe studied her hands and swallowed. “Yes.” She looked up. “We all did.”

“I don’t believe this.” Marley shifted in her seat and glanced at her niece. Instead of having the screaming fit she felt entitled to, she controlled herself so as not to disturb the little girl with her outburst.

“When was anyone going to tell me?” Marley stood, choking back tears. She bent over and kissed her niece on top of her head. “You have fun, sweetheart. I’ll see you...” She turned to Chloe. “When will I see her? You dropping her off when you get back?”

“No. She’ll stay with us.”

Marley went for the door, ignoring all the pleading calls behind her.

* * *

MARLEY FUMED. How could she avoid her father during her stay? Why hadn’t anyone told her he’d be there? That question she could answer herself. Because you’d never have come. Well, the family was right on that score. She drove to the house and parked in the driveway. Easy access in case she wanted a quick escape.

Poppy sat in the living room with a newspaper when she entered. “Hi, Poppy. May I speak to you a moment? In my room?” She headed for the stairs after he nodded.

Marley took a seat on the bed and waited for him to take the rocking chair. “You heard?” he asked as he took the seat.

“Are you okay with this?”

Poppy sighed. “If there’s one thing my old age has taught me—you can’t force people to do what you think is right for them. You’re parents are grown and maybe they might even have developed a little maturity over the years.”

He looked past Marley and his expression neutralized. Poppy got out of the chair and started for the door, acknowledging the man standing there. “Hello, Red. I guess you and Marley may have some catching up to do. Well, see you around,” he said over his shoulder as he stepped through the doorway.

Basil Roman hesitated in the door frame. “Heard you had returned from Phoenix.”

For a split second, Marley could only stare. “Dad?”

“Have I changed that much?” he asked, moving into the room.

The puffy quality in his jowls and his additional girth hardly resembled the athletic man she remembered. “Red,” as family and friends called him, had provided the genes that gave her hair its distinctive color and curl. What little he had left no longer resembled its former brilliance. She wouldn’t have recognized him if she’d met him on the street.

When she didn’t answer, he said, “Lindy asked me to give her away.”

Marley cleared her throat. She moved over to the rocker and stood behind it, not only distancing herself but also providing a barrier between her father and herself. “She mentioned you were coming to the wedding.”

“I’m staying here with your grandfather until the wedding.” When Marley didn’t respond, he added, “He invited me.”

Marley couldn’t handle it. Not when painful memories impaired her ability to see straight. She gripped the back of the rocking chair so hard her knuckles turned white. Why Lindy? Marley’s thoughts screamed. Why had he chosen to give Lindy away, when he’d never bothered to even attend any of his other daughters’ weddings? Lindy was the youngest, the one he’d abandoned soon after her birth along with the rest of his family.

He must have honed in on her thoughts because he said, “I was hoping to give you away, as well. Sort of make up for lost time.”

Coldness slithered down her spine. No way would she ever allow that to happen. “Thanks for offering, but I don’t plan on marrying for quite a while.”

“No? I thought your mother said you’d just gotten engaged.”

Of all the stupid... Marley twirled the ring around her finger with her thumb. How had she forgotten that minor detail? “Right. I...I...” She looked down at her hand. The fake diamonds caught the sunlight and tossed rainbows around the room. Placing her hand in her pocket, she tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t jeopardize her engagement and still keep her father out of any future wedding. “We haven’t set a date.”

“I look forward to meeting your young man.” He nodded and walked toward the hall, only to retrace his steps. “I know you took all the problems between your mother and me hard. We pushed a lot of responsibility on you because you were the oldest, and I’m sorry for that. I hope you can forgive me and let me make it up to you.”

Like that’s ever going to happen. She remained silent until he left. Marley tried shaking off the unwanted thoughts. More than half her life had been spent despising her father for destroying their family and hurting her mother.

She paced her room, feeling drained emotionally by having to participate in yet another wedding. Just once she’d like to see a wedding from the front pew and not have to deal with all the backstage drama. Then to top everything, her father had to show up asking for her forgiveness? She couldn’t face it. Not now. Maybe never.

She took out her cell phone. A little after nine o’clock. The three hour difference from Arizona switching to Pacific Time when everyone else went on Daylight Saving Time meant Dede might still be at home before heading for work. “¡Hola!” Marley said. “I really need to talk.”

“You sound horrible. Didn’t the engagement thing go okay?”

“Yes and no.” Marley paused, hoping to control her voice. “Everyone’s happy about that, but my father’s here!” She ended on a high note, unable to contain her frustration.

“What?”

“He’s staying with Poppy and giving Lindy away.” Dede knew all the details of Marley’s past; she’d understand her friend’s dilemma.

After a short pause, Dede chuckled. “So the soap opera goes on.”

“It’s not funny.”

“Right. But there’s nothing you can do about it, so chill out.” After another pause, she continued, her voice lilting. “I saw your betrothed.” When Marley didn’t offer any remark, Dede added, “He asked about you. Sounded very concerned. Wanted to get in touch.”

Marley collapsed onto the rocker and began to rock. “Right. The guy’s an actor, remember? Did he give you his ‘I adore you—let’s make love’ smile?”

“No.” Dede giggled. “He must save that one for you, although it comes close on that poster you see everywhere. He’s having a hard time dodging all the people who recognize him.” After another short hesitation, she said, “He hopes to connect with you, maybe go out on a date. He wasn’t specific, but he asked for your cell phone number.”

Marley stopped rocking. “You didn’t give it to him, did you?”

Dede sighed. “No. I don’t do that without people’s permission.”

“Thank you.”

“What do you plan to do? Move to avoid him?”

Marley loved her condo, but... “If I have to.”

“Forget your ditsy rules. This guy could be the one. Give him a chance.”

Remembering how much Brant’s nearness had upset her, Marley shuddered and said, “No way.” Totally flustered, she stood up, headed for her bed and flopped onto it. “Getting engaged was a mistake. The groom’s brother is in the wedding, and he’s Richard Brewster, my old flame from college. If I wasn’t in this fake engagement, I might be able to start something with him.”

“Oh, so there is some man around who intrigues you? I was beginning to worry.”

Even though she hadn’t heard from or seen Richard in years, he still brought back fond memories. “You got me into this mess with Brant. Now how do I get out of it?”

After a long pause, Dede said, “I have the solution.”

“I’m listening.”

“Tell everyone you broke off your engagement with Brant. That frees you to start something with this new guy. Then you move back to Pennsylvania so you’ll never have to deal with Brant again. Problem solved. And I’ve got to run.”

Agape, Marley just lay there. The call hadn’t helped one bit. She had to come up with a solution, but telling everyone she’d just broken her engagement? No. That would require fabricating a whole new set of lies.