Dangerous Pleasures (15 page)

“Daddy, what a nice surprise,” Annie said as they went into the house. “No golf?”

“The club is having the summer tournament. I won’t be ready for that until next year,” he said. “So how was your week, baby girl?”

“Incredible! And wait until I tell you what happened! I’ve been offered a job up there, Daddy. A real job. I’m going to take it. I’m tired of having to watch every penny, and to rely on Lizzie. I know she does it willingly, but enough is enough.”

“Good for you, baby girl,” her father said. “But what about the kids?”

“My hours let me see them off in the a.m. and be home for Wills’s bus in the afternoon,” Annie said enthusiastically.

“Part-time,” Bill Bradford noted.

“To start with, but Mrs. Buckley, the spa manager, says Mr. Nicholas thinks I’ve got potential, and there’s room for advancement.”

“Who’s this Nicholas fellow?”

“CEO of the Channel Corporation,” Annie said. “They’re the people who opened the Spa. He’s the nicest man, Daddy. About your age. Very courtly. Has just a slight British accent. And the Spa is gorgeous. I never realized such luxury existed. Well, I suppose I did, but I never expected to partake in it. I made friends with one of the other guests there—Elise Van der Veer. She’s one cool old lady.”

“That cool old lady is the head of Van der Veer Diamonds,” Annie’s father said. “Worth a couple of gazillion dollars. Well, baby girl, you were really hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Anyone else I might have heard about?” He grinned at her.

“No, just some press people who had been invited to write the place up, and one or two others, unknowns like me. The Spa doesn’t open officially until next weekend.”

“So what will you be doing there?” her father wanted to know.

“I’m going to be running the gift shop they’re opening,” Annie said. “I told them I’d never done anything like that, but they said they would teach me, and pay me while I learn. And they’re giving the kids and me medical!”

“That’s really generous,” Bill Bradford mused. “Just women go there, right?”

“That’s right. A spa for women only. And each guest is assigned a personal assistant who handles her schedule for the day, and makes certain her stay runs smoothly. It was really wonderful! Oh, and the facilities are all available to me as an employee of the Channel Corporation.”

“Sounds like a perfect setup for you, honey. Now, listen, Nathaniel’s plane is delayed until eight this evening. I’ll go up to the airport and pick him up for you.”

“Oh, Daddy, thank you! I’d invite you to dinner, except there’s nothing in the house. I’ve got to go shopping,” Annie said.

“Go shopping tomorrow,” he told her. “We’ll eat at the club tonight, baby girl.”

Annie unpacked her bag while her father waited. They drove out to the Egret Pointe Country Club and sat out on the terrace having a drink while they waited for the dining room to open. The club bartender made the best daiquiris, and Annie loved them. She nursed one carefully. She had lost over eight pounds, and she wasn’t about to pack them right back on. She ordered filet mignon and salad for dinner—no potato.

“But you love the club’s baked stuffed potatoes,” her father said.

“Potatoes are bad carbs,” Annie told him. And so were daiquiris.

“You lose weight up at that spa?” he asked her.

“Yep, and I’m not gaining it back,” Annie said.

“You’ve always looked fine to me,” Bill Bradford told his eldest daughter.

“Thanks, Daddy, but no potato. I had a drink, remember?”

As they ate she learned that her mother had fallen in love with Tuscany.

“Next August, she wants to rent the farm villa where they stayed, just for the two of us,” Bill Bradford said. “I told her to go ahead. I haven’t told her we’re going to Arizona right after the New Year. I’ve bought a little condo on a golf course near Phoenix.”

“Sight unseen?” Annie was surprised.

“Nah, I ran out there for a few days this week while you were up at the Spa. Some of the guys at the club told me about it. Your mother calls my cell phone rather than the house phone, ’cause she says she can never be sure where I am.” He chuckled.

“Mom is going to be furious,” Annie told him.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “It’s got a big clubhouse, and a population of old hens just like your mother. They go into the city for the ballet, concerts, museum trips. She’ll have a heck of a lot more to entertain her next winter than here in Egret Pointe, and after a bit of initial grumbling, along with a reminder that we’re going to Italy next August, she’ll settle down, baby girl. Dessert?”

“Do you have any fresh fruit?” Annie asked their waiter.

“Yes, Mrs. Miller. Melon with berries. Shall I bring you some?”

“Thank you, yes.”

“And bring me a slab of that apple crumb pie,” her father said. “With a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream, and coffee. The real stuff, not decaf.”

“Yes, sir. Coffee, Mrs. Miller?”

“No. I’ll just go with my water,” Annie told him.

“You going to be dieting the rest of your life?” her father asked.

“No, but I am going to eat more sensibly, and the kids will, too. The twins were getting a little chunky, although I imagine a summer at camp has cured that, despite all the wonderful food I remember at Stoneledge Lake.” Annie laughed. “Pan-cakes and corn and sloppy joes. I can’t wait to see them. Their weekly letters weren’t too forthcoming.”

“Just like you and Lizzie.” He chuckled.

They finished their meal, and he dropped her at home before heading for the nearby airport to pick up Nathaniel. Checking her larder, Annie found there really was no food to speak of, and so she called the local pizzeria for a cheese pie so her son would have something to eat when he arrived. And she did have the makings of a salad. The pizza came, and she put it in the oven to stay warm. A little after nine she heard her father’s car pull into the driveway, and hurried to the door to greet her eldest son.

“Mom!” He picked her up and swung her about.

“I think you’ve grown!” Annie squealed. “You couldn’t have grown! I’ve got pizza, ’cause there was no food in the house. I just got back this afternoon myself. There’s a layer of dust on everything. I haven’t even gone to the vet for the beasts.”

“Hey, sis!” Lizzie was standing in the door.

“I thought you were going back to the city,” Annie said, and she hugged her sister.

“When we were late from Rome, I decided I’d take the puddle jumper with my nephew and go home tomorrow.”

“Where’s Mom?” Annie asked.

“In the car with Dad. Wave! He just told her about the condo in Arizona. She’s still in shock.” Lizzie giggled.

Annie waved at the car, and her father pulled out of her drive and drove off.

“Hey, kid, save some of that pizza for me!” Lizzie called to Nathaniel, who was already mongreling down a large slice. “We ate on the plane, but it was hours ago. I want to hear all about the Spa. Is it incredible? Is it wonderful?”

“All of the above, and more,” Annie told her sister.

“And are you now fully introduced to the Channel?” Lizzie asked softly with a sly grin.

“Not in front of the children.” Annie giggled. “Wait until Nathaniel goes to bed and I’ll tell you everything.”

“You mean you, practical Annie, actually managed to dream up a fantasy? I think I am truly proud of you—unless, of course, it’s a home-and-garden thing,” Lizzie said, low.

“Even if the home builder wore nothing but his
tool
belt, and the gardener was in a breechcloth?” Annie teased Lizzie. Hmmm, that did have possibilities. Why hadn’t she thought of it before?

Lizzie gasped softly. “Ohh, you did get the idea, sis, didn’t you? Hey, kid, what did I say? Don’t eat all the pizza!”

“I left you two pieces,
Zia Elisabetta,
” Nathaniel said, grinning. “Mom, thank you! Would you mind if I go to bed? I’m really beat, and I’m still on Italian time.”

“Give me a kiss,” Annie said, hugging him as he did so. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night, sweetie.”

“Tell me!” Lizzie demanded as they heard the bedroom door close upstairs.

“Let’s go into the den, where I can close the door,” Annie answered her.

And as soon as the two women were settled, Lizzie eating her pizza, Annie began to tell her younger sibling about the Spa.

“Was your PA cute?” Lizzie wanted to know.

“Great pecs, and the cutest butt,” Annie replied.

Lizzie gasped. “You’ve stopped mourning!” she exclaimed.

Annie nodded. “Yes, I have. Nat loved life, and he would want me to go on with mine. Suddenly I find I can. Now, let me tell you about my fantasy. Remember my favorite fairy tale when we were kids, and Grandma used to read to us?”

Lizzie thought a moment, and then her mouth made an O. “‘Beauty and the Beast,’ right? Omigod! But that’s really such a sweet story,” she decided in a disappointed tone.

Annie laughed. “Not with this Beast,” she said. “He really is a beast.” And then she went on to explain in detail the way the fantasy was playing out. She restrained her amusement as she watched first disbelief, then shock, and then absolute admiration come over her sister’s face. “When I last left him I had just finished washing his dick and his balls as well as my own parts, because he had announced he wasn’t through for the night.”

“It’s actually twelve inches long?” Lizzie asked.

“I don’t have a ruler, so I can’t be certain, but he’s bigger than Nat by far, and we did measure Nat once. He was eight inches. Beastie has a few inches on him, so I expect he is twelve inches,” Annie said.

“I never thought to use a fairy tale,” Lizzie responded thoughtfully. “Do you really think Sleeping Beauty slept alone for a hundred years?”

“Or who was Rapunzel really letting her hair down for?” Annie teased.

“Did you program a second fantasy yet, or were you having too much fun with the Beast?” Lizzie wanted to know.

“Haven’t done a second fantasy yet. This first one is just about all I can handle,” Annie said. But she was thinking of a second fantasy. One in which Devyn would play a major part. But could she do it if she was going to work up at the Spa? “Oh, I haven’t told you the most exciting thing yet,” she exclaimed. “I’ve been offered a job at the Spa.” And then Annie went on to explain to her sister what had happened.

Lizzie listened carefully, and then she said, “You’re going to take it, of course. What a coup for you. Sounds like this Mr. Nicholas likes you. I’ve heard a little about him. In an age of media overkill he seems to be pretty much a mystery. Almost a recluse. Yet now and again there’s something said. And the Channel Corporation is one of the fastest-growing companies on the planet. Much of what they seem to be involved in is geared toward entertaining, pleasure, and I hear they are working on a fountain-of-youth pill that would let people live on indefinitely in good health. Very hush-hush. My firm has been trying to get their business forever. They don’t seem to have anyone on retainer. I ought to give myself a long weekend at the Spa.”

“Ms. Buckley says they’re booked a year in advance,” Annie told her sister.

“They always keep something open for important clients who call at the last minute. That’s the way these places are,” Lizzie said cynically.

“I am going to take the job,” Annie said.

“Good girl!” her sister said approvingly. “And don’t let Mom guilt you into changing your mind.” She yawned. “I’m exhausted. Guest room bed made up?”

“Always for those last-minute important clients,” Annie replied, smiling. “Lizzie, thank you so much for everything. Taking Nathaniel to Tuscany, sending the girls to camp, entering me in that contest, Princeton. No one could have a better sister.”

“Hey, what’s family for if we can’t help each other?” Lizzie replied.

They went upstairs together and parted, each heading to her own room. Annie debated whether she would use the remote and the little television Nat had kept in the bedroom, but then she decided she was actually tired. A good night’s sleep was in order.

Lizzie headed back to the city the following day. Nathaniel began to gather everything he felt he was going to need at Princeton. Wills arrived home from Disney World filled with tales of Cinderella’s castle and pirates. And finally Annie drove the Dodge van up to the central meeting place to pick up her daughters from the camp bus.

“Any livestock in your luggage?” Annie asked suspiciously, and the twins laughed mischievously.

“Nah,” Rose finally said. “They wouldn’t let us bring home the salamanders.”

“Or the chipmunk with the half tail,” Lily added.

“Thank you, Stoneledge Lake Camp!” Annie said with a sigh. “Where’s Amy?”

“Over there with her new BFF, Brittany,” Lily said, a tiny hint of disapproval in her young voice. “We’ll see how good a BFF Brittany is when high school begins.”

“Amy,” Annie called. “Over here. Let’s go!”

Her daughter turned an exasperated look on Annie. Turning, she whispered something to Brittany, hugged her friend, and hurried to join them. “You embarrassed me,” she said in a surly tone as she got into the van and fastened her seat belt.

“I have other things to do than wait for you,” Annie said sharply. “And when we get home, I have something to tell you all.”

“How was the Spa?” Amy asked. “Brittany says it won’t last long. They should be trying to get Lindsay and Paris.”

“The Spa was wonderful, and trust me,” Annie told her daughter, “the Spa will last. It’s for rich grown-ups, and there seem to be plenty of them. They aren’t interested in the likes of Paris and Lindsay. I was interviewed by reporters from
Pampered Woman
and
Chic
. They will be in the December issues.”

“You look like you lost weight,” one of the twins said.

“I did,” Annie replied, pleased that someone had noticed besides her dad.

“You’ll gain it back,” Amy muttered.

Annie laughed. “Not this time, sweetie. Oh, what the heck, I’ll tell you my news now. I’ve been offered a job at the Spa, and I’m going to take it.”

The twins squealed excitedly.

“Oh, Mom, that is so cool,” Rose said.

“Can we have cell phones then?” Lily inquired.