Until death, p.9
Until Death, page 9
“Dad, can I ask you something personal?”
“As my daughter, it’s your prerogative,” he announced cheerfully.
“Have you ever considered Callie might be after your money?” she asked and attempted to keep from cringing at the question.
Otto tensed then drew a deep breath and sighed. “Raina, I know you and Miller don’t approve of Callie,” he announced. “You haven’t exactly disapproved, but your lack of enthusiasm speaks volumes.” He stared into her eyes. “I know she loves me, and there’s nothing you can say that’ll stop me from marrying her.”
“Yeah, I told Miller that,” she muttered.
“You didn’t let me finish,” he announced. “I know there’s a very real possibility I may not approve of the young man you bring home either, so that being said, I required Callie to sign a prenuptial agreement the same as I’ll require your young man to sign one. I couldn’t possibly expect you to do what I wouldn’t.”
She stared at him with surprise. “And she signed it?” Raina gasped.
“Yes, without protest,” he replied. “Does that make you feel better?”
“A little,” Raina announced then stared into his eyes. “I want her to love you for you, not your money. You deserve to be happy, Dad.”
He hugged her affectionately. “Thank you, Raina.” He pulled away and gave her a serious look. “Now can I ask you something personal?”
She tensed at the question then laughed it off. “How can I refuse?”
“You’ve been in this house over twenty-four hours,” he announced. “Why haven’t you and Dane clashed yet? There hasn’t been a single explosion, one hurled accusation, or even a scathing insult. What gives?”
She hesitated, drew a deep breath, and smiled timidly. “It’s hard to fight with the man who saved my life,” she replied.
Otto stared at her a moment and nodded. “Yes, I suppose so,” he announced then frowned. “I guess I’m out twenty bucks. I should have known Levi was fleecing me.”
She stared at him with surprise to the confession involving another wager at her expense then shook her head in disappointment. “I think the people in this house need to find more constructive hobbies.”
§
Later in the afternoon, the rehearsal party of seventeen gathered in the garden before the gazebo, which wasn’t yet prepared for the lavish wedding the following day. Hanson stood fifty yards away and closely watched where every person stood and stepped on his precious lawn. The minister stood inside the gazebo with Callie and Otto, who faced each other while holding hands. Nole, Miller, and Farley stood alongside the groom, while Elana, and Callie’s two friends, Tia and Olivia, stood alongside the bride-to-be. Everyone was dressed formally informal, which in the world of the wealthy had the men wearing casual suits and the women wearing simple yet nice dresses. Even Jenna was wearing a dress for the rehearsal party, despite that she borrowed it from Raina. Her friend wasn’t about to be caught wearing her nicer jeans as originally scheduled.
The minister instructed each on their job throughout the ceremony and even had some fun at the expense of the groomsmen regarding their missteps.
“Then we’ll exchange the rings, and I’ll say those most important words,” the minister announced while grinning. “You may kiss your bride.”
Otto grinned and, on command, kissed Callie. She returned the kiss as several within the rehearsal party clapped and cheered. Miller frowned and clapped his hands with mild disinterest. Jenna and Raina glared at him from the area on the lawn where the chairs would be set. Miller caught their disapproving stares and sneered back in return.
§
The back terrace was set up for the after rehearsal party with three, large round tables. Each contained six elegant place settings, which included the good china, rarely used silverware, and the crystal champagne glasses. In addition to the wedding party, the seventeen guests included Gilda Nixon, Keefe, and a lanky man sporting a blue rhinestone jacket, Jimmy Love, the wedding planner. Jimmy Love was possibly in his mid-to-late thirties, although it was difficult to tell since it appeared as if he wore makeup or concealer at the very least. Raina couldn’t even tell if he was a good-looking man beneath his makeup. His over-the-top personality was as flashy as his jacket and somehow made him that much more appealing to the eye.
Jimmy Love had his head shaved on both sides with a mound of Buddy Holly hair on top. It was difficult to tell what color his hair would have been since it was an array of colors streaked throughout. He wore a large, diamond stud earring in each ear, flashy rings on every finger, and an expensive, glittery watch on his left wrist. His skin was heavily bronzed, but it was impossible to tell if he’d spent too much time in the sun, had a spray on tan, or if it was his natural complexion. Raina’s best guess on his ethnicity was that he was from Venus or possibly Saturn.
The guests sat at the three tables and enjoyed their elegant meal, which Dane, Sloan, and Levi busily served. Dane was in charge of champagne and beverages. Levi and Sloan served the meal and cleaned away dirty dishes with their usual efficiency. Raina, Miller, and Jenna occupied a table with Jimmy Love and Callie’s two attractive bridesmaids and longtime friends, Tia and Olivia. Tia and Olivia were the same age as Callie since she knew them from high school. Tia was a perky blonde bombshell with her greatest assets being her hair and her large bosom. She fancied her makeup and wore it a little on the heavy side.
Olivia had sandy brown hair almost in the same style as her friend wore. She was just as attractive as her counterpart, except she wore less makeup. Her large brown eyes seemed to make up for her less ample breasts. Both women wore revealing dresses that displayed their cleavage and plenty of leg, which they willingly flaunted while giggling as they listened to Jimmy Love’s animated conversation. Miller attempted not to stare at the women’s cleavage while Jenna gave him disapproving looks.
“For a guy who’s not looking; you’re certainly looking a lot,” Jenna remarked to Miller regarding his straying eyes. She almost seemed jealous of the fact.
“They’re practically spilling out onto their plates,” Miller muttered while leaning closer to Jenna. “How am I supposed to not look? Besides, who says I can’t look while I’m not looking?”
Despite his overwhelming feminine characteristics, Jimmy Love appeared to shamelessly flirt with both of Callie’s friends. His enthusiasm was nearly exhausting as the man never stopped to take a breath.
“And I said to her, ‘girl, if it works for you, work it’,” he cried out in a shrill wail while dramatically snapping his fingers in the air.
Both women giggled and touched his flashy, rhinestone jacket. They loved his unbridled attention.
“I just love good wedding gossip!” Jimmy Love squawked in his voice that turned shrill the more animated he became.
Raina leaned closer to Miller while watching the exchange across the table. “He’s gay, right?”
“I don’t know,” Miller remarked while knitting his brows with confusion. “His outfit screams Elton John raided Liberace’s closet, but he’s working those girls like Don Juan had overdosed on Viagra.”
“A simple yes or no would have worked,” Raina muttered in response.
Dane approached their table and refilled Raina’s champagne glass once again, barely allowing it to go below half-full. She glanced up at him and offered a humored smile.
“I’ve had three glasses already,” she informed him.
“Me too,” Dane responded.
She looked at him and eyed his cheap grin. She hid her smile and had to look away.
“Woohoo, cutie pie,” Jimmy Love cried out while pointing to Dane from across the table and dramatically motioned to himself and the ladies. “Bring some of that expensive bubbly this way!”
“Did he just call me cutie pie?” Dane asked under his breath.
Raina smiled and shrugged. “I’ve heard plenty of men say you have a cute butt,” she announced while grinning.
Dane sneered at her then rounded the table and refilled Jimmy Love’s glass. The flashy man gave his backside a quick once-over while he poured the champagne.
“Hmm, you are delicious,” Jimmy Love declared loud enough for the entire table to hear.
Dane straightened with surprise, eyed him, and backed away, uncertain how to take the strange compliment.
Jimmy Love squealed and laughed. “Oh, I scared another one straight!” He returned his attention to Tia and indicated her cleavage. “Tell me, honey. How do you keep those things from just jumping out?” he asked while waving his hands around. “You have me in a tizzy with anticipation!” He gave her a quick once-over. “You, me, and your little honey there are going to jump, jive, and wail tomorrow night! Oh, baby!”
Miller leaned closer to Jenna without taking his eyes off the flashy, flamboyant man across the table. “Okay, now I’m really confused.”
“Not nearly as confused as Jimmy Love,” Jenna teased while grinning.
Chapter 16
Another Party?
Later that evening, the dirty china dishes and crystal glasses had been cleared from the tables allowing the guests to socialize and have drinks from the portable bar set up on the patio. Dane tended bar, although that was usually Levi’s job during parties. Levi undeniably had the better personality to play bartender. Jenna spent half the evening attempting to elude Nole, who now had his sights set on her after last night’s introduction. Music had been piped onto the terrace through hidden speakers. At the bride’s request, the music was more modern club music. Jimmy Love danced spiritedly with the lovely Tia and Olivia on the stone terrace. He had some impressive dance moves, and the women seemed to enjoy his company. They danced seductively around him, which he was giddy to reciprocate.
Elana and Keefe danced slowly despite the fast-paced music. Their dancing, which included a lot of bumping and grinding, was to the point of obscene. Otto attempted to learn some new dance moves with his future bride and the younger crowd. As expected, the Nixon’s stood together yet acted as if they didn’t know each other. Their marriage had to be a cold one. Raina felt a little sorry for Farley Nixon. He was a docile man who pretty much jumped when his wife said jump. When Raina looked at her friend alongside her, Nole had crept his way back to Jenna and resumed his play to win her attention. Raina almost felt sorry for her friend, but she had warned her about Nole. Although she wouldn’t admit it, Raina was a little perturbed that her friend seemed to have gone out of her way to make Miller jealous by approaching Nole in the first place.
Jenna had been pursuing Miller since she first met him; not that Miller had any clue how Raina’s friend felt about him. Raina grew bored with the game and desperately wanted to tell her brother about Jenna’s feelings for him, but she promised to keep out of it. Jenna didn’t want Miller playing ball in her court until he was ready. Raina hated to tell her; that day may never come without the proper prodding. Miller, who had disappeared for a while, made his reappearance and approached Jenna, who was still unable to escape Nole’s pesky persistence.
Miller politely extended his hand to her. “May I have this dance?”
Jenna appeared relieved and accepted his hand. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Raina was actually surprised her brother stepped up to the plate. Not that he hadn’t danced with Jenna at the nightclubs when they’d go out, but the intimate setting dictated he might shy away from dancing with a woman who wasn’t Alicia. Raina was interested to see how it played out. Miller led Jenna to what had been designated as the outside dance floor just as the song turned slow. Miller groaned and reluctantly caved to dancing the slow song with Raina’s friend. Jenna didn’t seem to mind and was grateful to escape Nole.
“That Nole; he’s--”
“Creepy?”
She groaned displaying her annoyance. “Oh, I hate when Raina is right all the time,” Jenna scoffed. “I can’t believe I’m going to spend the entire reception avoiding him and his tentacles.”
“Yes, he’s pretty persistent with his testicles,” Miller remarked.
Jenna glared at him while they danced. “I said tentacles,” she insisted.
“I know,” he replied then laughed at her expense. “Relax. There’ll be plenty of other guests. Over two hundred, I believe. I’m sure he’ll latch on to someone else.”
“I’m not so sure,” she remarked. “He seems pretty persistent.”
“Well, there is the extreme option,” Miller announced almost teasingly.
She gave him a puzzled look. “What’s the extreme option?”
“You could come as my date,” Miller stated matter-of-factly. “That’ll get rid of him.”
“You and me?” Jenna announced then chuckled while studying him with a sly smile. “I thought you had a prudish reputation to defend.”
“Hey, I was just trying to be nice,” he remarked somewhat defensively. “You don’t have to get snarly.”
“Yes, I’d like to be your date for the wedding,” Jenna quickly responded before he’d change his mind. “You’re certainly a step up from my original date.”
“Who was that?” he asked with surprise.
“Raina,” Jenna replied while grinning. “At least with you, there’s the option of a goodnight kiss.”
Miller hesitated and stared at her a moment at the last comment. He immediately covered and offered a grin. “Oh, Raina’s not your type, huh?”
“Now who’s being snarly?”
Raina watched her friend and stepbrother share a slow dance and hid her devious smile. Maybe it would work out between them after all. Finally realizing she was now bored, Raina noticed Farley Nixon had been abandoned by his wife. Raina decided to make a little small talk. The poor guy looked like he needed a little light conversation. Raina approached Farley and attempted her best, approachable smile. She barely knew the man, which would make for awkward conversation, but he looked like he could use the company.
“Hey, Mr. Nixon,” she announced in a cheerful tone. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
He smiled when he saw her. “Raina,” Farley announced. “It’s nice to see you again. You can call me Farley.”
So he said. She remembered calling Mrs. Nixon by her first name a few years back and was immediately corrected by the insufferable woman.
“Beautiful night, isn’t it?” Raina asked while scrounging for something to say to the man who was her neighbor for years yet practically a stranger to her. She mentally rolled her eyes at her own words. She couldn’t believe she was actually talking about the weather.
He looked up to the clear sky and the many bright stars then smiled as he looked back at her. “Yes, it’s an astronomer’s heaven out here,” Farley informed her. “I always wanted to study the stars.” He grinned. “Or be the captain of my own starship.”
Raina laughed at the comment. Her amusement with his conversation allowed him the opportunity to relax, and he spontaneously combusted into a charming man. Farley indicated the nearly full moon with a gentle nod.
“When I studied abroad, I’d spent time in a small village,” he informed her. “They believed getting married at midnight under a full moon would bless the couple with a lifetime of happiness.”
She found that interesting, although she couldn’t imagine it would help her father’s marriage to Callie. His marriage was almost certainly doomed before it began. Raina grinned and eyed him.
“Were you able to prove that theory?” she couldn’t help but tease.
He considered the comment as Gilda approached. “I can’t say for certain,” Farley replied then raised his brows. “But being married under no moon spells doom for a marriage.”
Raina stared at him a minute with bewilderment as Gilda paused alongside her husband. The look his wife gave him was enough to make Raina understand the significance of the comment. Despite his warm smile, she knew he was secretly crying for help. Gilda seemed to effectively silence her husband with her mere presence then eyed Raina and put on a false smile.
“Raina,” she announced with a strange hiss to her voice. “We were surprised you actually showed up. You and Miller haven’t been home in years.”
“No, we haven’t,” Raina replied and shifted uncomfortably. “Not since the murders.”
“Yes, I’m very sorry about that,” Gilda remarked even if her tone didn’t convey sorrow. She gave her a strange look while cocking her head to the side. “I heard you and Miller share an apartment together. A bit strange. I mean, strange for brother and sister, but almost unusually strange considering you’re technically not blood relatives.”
Raina found it odd how so many people wanted to put her and Miller in a relationship just because they were close but not technically related. In her mind, Miller was her brother. On the few occasions she’d caught him walking to the kitchen in nothing but his briefs, she found it mildly creepy and disturbing. Miller was a handsome man, and she loved him to death, but she wasn’t the least bit attracted to him. Raina brushed off Gilda’s tone and attempted to be polite, despite what her instincts were telling her.
“It’s not strange at all,” Raina announced proudly. “In our souls; we’re brother and sister. The trauma the murders had on us made us that much closer. We share an unbreakable bond.”
“It must be awkward for your boyfriend,” Gilda remarked while eyeing her.
Raina knew the woman was fishing for information, but she wasn’t sure what information and for what purpose. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Oh, then that probably explains why you looked so cozy talking to my husband,” Gilda announced while displaying little to no emotion.
She stared at the woman with shock and surprise, although not nearly as much as poor Farley. He appeared embarrassed and couldn’t even look at either of them.
“That’s not what was happening,” Farley insisted in a timid tone to his wife.
Gilda didn’t take her eyes off Raina and smirked almost evilly. “If you’re done fawning over my husband, you can go back to your friends now.”
