Killer Party. Lynn Cahoon
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of The Castle. Do you want to join us?”
Her smile was wide, with too-white teeth. I hadn’t been expecting someone so beautiful. Especially since Greg talked about Levi as the ultimate computer nerd. I guess I’d thought his fiancée would be more geek goddess rather than beauty queen. Her black hair glistened in the room’s dim light.
“I’d love to—” Jessica started to say, but Levi shook his head.
“Sorry dear, we have to go to the room. The lawyer’s calling in a few minutes with the last changes on the pre-nuptial agreement. It’s just a formality, but my company’s insisting on it so if anything happens to me, the business has a clear right of succession plan.” Levi winked at me. “I wanted to elope and just surprise the shareholders with a mailing announcing: He put a ring on it. But Jessica wanted the big production.”
She grinned at me. “I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was five and my Barbie had to marry Ken at least three times a day. No one wants to just elope.”
Well, I didn’t. Especially now that I knew that Greg and his first wife, Sherry, had tied the knot in Vegas. But I thought it was a great idea for some people. Aunt Jackie should have just eloped. The wedding would already be over and she could have sent out announcements. But no. “I’m sure the wedding will be lovely.”
“It better be, for all it’s costing me.” Levi slapped Greg on the back. “Don’t think you’re getting out of doing shots tonight. That’s why I rented the whole place. No one has to drive anywhere and take a chance of getting pulled over for a DUI.”
“I appreciate your concern. My night deputy watches the roads pretty carefully out here. He’d love to nail me on an infraction.” Greg looked to me for confirmation.
“Really, we need to go, but tonight. We’ll get caught up tonight.” He put his hand on Jessica’s back and led her out of the room. “Nice to meet you, Jill.”
And then they were gone. Sometime during the last few minutes, John had also disappeared. I looked around the too-large empty room. “Wow, he kind of fills up a place, doesn’t he?”
“Levi’s always been over the top. Think geek with actor attitude. Of course, none of the girls saw his good side, just the class clown and a too-smart-for-his-own-good kid.” He stared out the doorway where they’d just disappeared. “I hope this Jessica has Levi’s best interests at heart.”
I stood on tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“What is that for?” He turned his attention away from the door.
I shrugged. “You’re a good guy. You worry about everyone and everything. It’s part of your charm.”
He put his arm around me as we walked through the room. “Just wait until you meet the rest of the guys. We were tight in school. We were the nerdy kids who read Tolkien and wanted real light sabers for our birthdays.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I really wasn’t. Greg’s brother, Jim, barely tolerated me after my dating Greg made it impossible for Jim to hold on to his fantasy of Greg and his ex-wife, Sherry, getting back together. Who knows what camp these guys would join. And from what Levi said, Jim was still in touch with at least him. I looked down at the map. “There’s supposed to be a great hall through this door. Ready to go see how the rich folk relaxed back in the day?”
“Sure.” He followed me through the next doorway. He scanned the room the way he always did when we entered a new house or room in a store. He was always looking for the worst rather than let it sneak up on us. Toby did the same thing. They called it being hyper-vigilant, according to a book I’d read. Cops were cops even when they weren’t in uniform.
We spent most of the rest of the afternoon wandering through the display rooms. For the place being so big, there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. Brenda must keep a tight rein on her cleaning staff. We stood waiting for the elevator, when the doors opened and Jessica walked out in a too-small white bikini.
“Hey, again. You guys still down here?” She nodded to the French doors leading to the back pool area. “I’m heading out for a swim before dinner. Do you want to join me?”
Greg looked at me. I don’t think he trusted his voice. Whatever accent I’d thought I’d heard had been replaced with the voice of a sultry stripper. I leaned closer to Greg, letting her step around us. “Maybe. I’m not sure we brought suits.” It was a total lie. I’d bought us both new suits just for the weekend.
She turned her head back to us and laughed. “Darling, we have the entire place to ourselves. Suits are totally optional.”
CHAPTER 2
We didn’t talk on the elevator ride to our floor. Greg started to say something, but I shook my head, not wanting to be overheard. When we got to the room, I flopped on the bed. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure, but I know I either need to turn in my man card for turning her down or my badge for not arresting her. Levi has himself a firecracker there.” He opened the closet and started digging through the suitcase.
“What are you looking for?” I peered at him from my reclining position.
He looked over his shoulder back at me. “Our suits.”
I threw the pillow and hit him right on his head.
“Hey, what’s that for?” He stood straight and threw the pillow back at me. “Does this mean we’re not going swimming?”
My phone rang, which saved me from killing him. He grabbed the remote and turned the television on as he took my place on the bed. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw Coffee, Books, and More’s number. There must be a crisis. Mentally, I went through the supply orders I’d completed the first of the week and tried to guess what hadn’t come in.
“Hello?”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
I looked at the room clock, Aunt Jackie should be on shift. Had she fallen? Heart attack? Was someone robbing the place? I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, “Hello? Aunt Jackie? Is anyone there?”
Greg muted the television. I saw concern on his face as he sat up, ready to spring into action if we needed to leave. My aunt might like to pretend she’s young, but in truth, the woman is getting up in years. I’m not sure how old she is exactly as she doesn’t celebrate birthdays anymore and she won’t let me see her driver’s license or her employee file at the shop. But she’s been in my life since I could remember. I repeated her name, “Aunt Jackie?”
“Sorry, dear, I dropped an earring.” My aunt’s voice came on the line and I felt my heart rate slow. She’d dropped an earring?
I bit my lip, not wanting to yell and making eye contact with Greg, I covered the phone and whispered, “Everything’s fine.”
“Jill, dear, are you there?” Aunt Jackie asked. She didn’t like being kept waiting.
I sank down on the chair by the bed. “Yes, I’m here. What’s going on?”
“I wanted to talk to you about the wedding reception. I’m thinking of having the florist put small bowls of roses on the tables. You know those little white ones that are so pretty? He says he’ll do a mock up for me, but I wanted your opinion before I told him to go ahead.”
“Aunt Jackie, the wedding’s six months away. You don’t think this conversation could have waited until I’m back on Tuesday?” I rolled my eyes and Greg chuckled, folding his arms under his head and getting comfortable. He was watching a show on alligators. Right now, I wanted to be cuddled up next to him, and not talking to my aunt about her upcoming nuptials.
“Pre-planning an event makes it run smooth. I thought I’d taught you that by now.” She sniffed, apparently put out by my lack of enthusiasm. “Oh, and Tina Baylor