Read the book: «Love's Wager»

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Dear Reader

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Epilogue

Copyright

Chapter 1

Holding a glass of her favorite Chardonnay, Nina Torres followed the hostess to her booth. Lua el Sol had been her father’s idea. The restaurant featured the best food, music and decor his Brazilian home had to offer.

Lua el Sol was a riot of color with green palm trees at various intervals, fan-backed wicker chairs at the tables and booths along the walls upholstered in bright blue. Huge carnaval masks hung on the walls, the brilliantly colored feathers swaying with the air currents. Birdcages dotted the huge restaurant with bright-hued, plush-stuffed parrots inside. Nina’s father, Manny Torres, had tried to use real parrots, but they squawked too loud and distracted the diners. He’d donated them to the Los Angeles Zoo and replaced them with stuffed ones.

Nina waved at her mother, Grace Torres, as she slid into the booth. Grace was a beautiful woman with smooth, mahogany-colored skin, masses of black, curly hair tumbling down her back and slanted brown eyes. She was still slender despite having seven children. Nina, the eldest of the only two girls, looked just like her mother except for being several inches taller and slimmer. Her chin-length black hair, more wavy than curly, framed her narrow face and pointed chin. Her eyes were more amber than brown.

Nina loved her parents’ restaurant. She loved the boisterous atmosphere as waitstaff maneuvered through the tables, trays piled with an array of enticing, delicious food. The aroma of spice hung heavy over the room.

“Nina, sorry to be late, traffic was horrible.” Kenzie Russell dropped her purse on the table and reached out her arms to Nina.

Nina jumped to her feet. “Kenzie, don’t worry, I’ve only been here a few minutes. Hello, Miss E.” Nina embraced her best friend and leaned over to kiss Kenzie’s grandmother on the cheek. Nina and Kenzie had met their first year at UCLA when they’d roomed together and had been best friends ever since.

Miss E. hugged Nina tightly. She was the grandmother Nina never had, since her father’s parents lived in Brazil and her mother’s parents had passed away when Nina had been a child.

“Kenzie tells me you won a hotel/casino in a poker game. Good for you.” Nina slid back into the booth. Miss E. sat and Kenzie slid in to sit next to Nina.

Kenzie was a gorgeous woman with shoulder-length black hair that she’d pulled up into a French knot at the back of her head. She wore a stylish, blush-pink dress from the Michael Kors spring line that fit her voluptuous curves to perfection. Matching pink stilettos adorned her feet. Kenzie was always elegant and stylish while Nina tended to go for more flamboyant clothes like the Alexander McQueen black-and-yellow print dress she currently wore. Shoes were her downfall. She loved unusual shoes and the pair she wore with her dress today were shaped like fish with the mouth as the toe and the heels looking like fins.

“When are you coming to work for me and make my new casino and hotel the hippest place on the planet?” Miss E. asked.

Nina chuckled. “I have never planned a media campaign for a casino before.”

Kenzie nudged her good-naturedly. “You’d do a terrific job. You always do. Look at how you saved Sam Beaumont’s career. That man was dead-drunk, facedown in his own vomit on Sunset Boulevard. And now he’s an Oscar winner. Why? Because you knew how to clean up his reputation and make him bankable again. You Nina’d him.”

Nina clapped her hands. “I’m a verb.”

“And Restaurant des Roux used to be a burger joint,” Kenzie continued. “And now a line wraps around the block with people who want to get in and eat thirty-dollar hamburgers. That was one brilliant media campaign.”

“I need your magic touch.” Miss E. glanced around the restaurant and waved at Nina’s mother who waved back and started to weave her way to the table.

Nina opened her mouth, not certain what to say. A hotel/casino!

“And don’t forget the new spa,” Kenzie added. She leaned toward Nina. “My soon-to-be sister-in-law and my brother are converting the hot springs on the back of the property into a spa. They broke ground six weeks ago and the walls are already up. It’s supposed to be completed by Christmas, barring any emergencies.”

Nina had heard Hunter was engaged to be married. He and Donovan were the only Russell brothers she’d ever met. Scott never seemed to be around when she and Kenzie visited with Miss E. and now that their careers had gone in different directions, they barely got together more than once in a blue moon.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nina speechless before.” Wry humor colored Kenzie’s voice.

“What exactly do you want?” The fact that they’d come all the way from Reno meant this new project was really important. Nina had managed to do a little research about Reno and the Casa de Mariposa, which had given her a few ideas, but she needed more information.

A waitress came over to take Kenzie and Miss E.’s drink order. Nina saw that her mother had gotten distracted and stopped to talk to a friend.

“I want the Nina mojo.” Miss E. laughed. “You made this place,” she spread her arms wide to indicate Lua el Sol, “the place to be seen in LA. I want Casa de Mariposa the place to be seen in Reno.” She waved her hand. “I’ve been here five minutes and already I’ve spotted an Oscar-winning director, an Emmy-award-winning actress and two musicians. In the corner over there is that Grammy-winning jazz band, which, by the way, I adore. And if I’m not mistaken, isn’t that,” she pointed at a center table, “one of the Monaco royals?”

Nina followed Miss E.’s gestures. She was so used to seeing the rich and famous that it never impacted on her. Lua el Sol was a fun place to come and be seen without being bothered. The paparazzi weren’t allowed within three blocks so celebrities wouldn’t have to shove their way through throngs of people to get in. They could have their meal in peace and enjoy the atmosphere.

“Miss E.” Grace Torres finally arrived at the table clutching a platter of appetizers. She set the platter down in the center of the table just as the waitress brought the drinks.

“What have we here, Mama Torres?” Kenzie asked eyeing the food. Kenzie loved trying new foods and once told Nina every morsel that came out of her father’s kitchen was amazing.

“Papa’s experimenting in the kitchen again. The balls that look like crusty hush puppies are acarajé, shrimp with black-eyed peas and onions. These are bolinhos de arroz made with rice and fried. These little drumsticks are chicken coxinha.” Grace’s voice still held the cadence of her Alabama childhood. Tonight she had tucked a spray of yellow orchids in her hair to match her bright yellow dress.

“They look delicious,” Kenzie said, her fork out ready to spear the shrimp.

“Our special tonight,” Grace continued, “is a lovely black-bean stew called feijoada with pão de queijo, which is cheese bread. And for dessert we have brigadeiros, which are little chocolate-and-caramel truffles.”

“Chocolaty caramel goodness,” Kenzie gasped in delight. Kenzie had never met a chocolate-anything that she didn’t devour. And Nina couldn’t believe she was still a model-slim, perfect size four.

Grace patted Kenzie on the cheek. “I knew you were coming.”

“I love you.” Kenzie took a bite of the savory shrimp balls and moaned. “Incredible.”

“You do realize you have to share, don’t you?” Nina teased.

“You always were a spoilsport.” When Kenzie pouted men turned to look.

“Enjoy,” Grace said. “I will return with the next course in a little bit.”

“Is your mother going to sing tonight?” Kenzie asked. “I’d hate to come all this way and miss your parents’ music.”

“She sings almost every night. And the great thing is you never know who’s going to join in.”

Miss E. clapped her hands. “That is what I want for the resort, Nina. This incredible joy and fun wrapped up in old-world elegance. Casa de Mariposa is a lovely lady, but dull and uninteresting. I want you to make her interesting.”

“First, let’s eat, dance, and if so inclined we’ll sing. And tomorrow I’ll work out some ideas and come up on Wednesday to go over everything with you.”

Miss E. filled her plate with an assortment of food and dug in. Nina had one hand on the plate and the other with her fork when a voice sounded behind her.

“Nina. Darling.”

She turned to find her ex-husband Carl Durant standing behind her. Carl was a handsome man with whitish-blond surfer hair, dark blue eyes and a fine, blond stubble on his chin. He was impeccably dressed in black jeans and T-shirt. He’d told her once that wearing black made him look mysterious. Nina thought he looked ridiculous. The black made him look washed-out and tired.

Hanging on his arm was his newest love, the tiny, barely legal, bubblegum-blonde Tiffani Diamond he’d dumped Nina for. Tiffani wore a tight white dress with black shoes and clutch purse. The white did nothing for her fair complexion though she’d tried to make up for it with heavy eye makeup and her hair pulled into long ringlets about her face.

Nina pasted a half smile on her face, prepared to be nice to Carl.

“Carl, how...how’s tricks?” Since their divorce, his career had nose-dived. He’d decided he didn’t need her anymore since his career was made. How ironic. She tried not to gloat—it was bad karma. Maybe for a moment.

“I have a lot of balls in the air, juggling a lot of things. Just thought I’d drop by to say hello. And Tiffani here landed a part in CSI.”

Nina leaned forward. “As a dead body?”

Tiffani stiffened with a glare at Nina

“Be nice, Nina,” Carl chided softly.

“I thought I was. What brings you here?”

“Tiffani wanted some of your mother’s quickies.”

For a second, Nina had no idea what he meant. “You mean quindim.” She was surprised Tiffani ate. She didn’t look like she’d had a decent meal in years.

“Those coconut flans,” Carl explained. “Tiffani loves them.”

“Really, Tiffani,” Kenzie said. “You eat?”

“Not since 2010.” Nina was being nasty and knew it, but couldn’t seem to play fair.

Tiffani flashed an angry scowl at Kenzie and Nina. “Come on, Carl. Maybe we should just leave.”

“We just got here. This is the place to be, sweetie. Look, there’s Benny Simmons. I hear he’s looking for a new leading lady for his next show. Let’s talk to him.” Carl guided Tiffani away and Nina watched them glide toward Benny, who looked like he wanted to dive under the table.

“What did you see in him, Nina?” Miss E. asked curiously.

“Looking back, I loved his passion, his artistic vision and a part of me wanted to bring that to the world.”

“So you were more in love with the possibilities rather than the realities.” Kenzie studied Nina, a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes.

“I wanted us to create art together. But eventually money got in the way. And don’t get me wrong. I understand about business and the adage ‘you’re only as good as your last film.’ Carl started believing in the hype I worked into his media campaigns. He wanted the perfect Hollywood life and that included an up-and-coming actress, not me.”

“Rule number one,” Miss E. said sagely. “Never believe your own press.”

“He stopped being grateful and started being demanding. He thought I would continue working on his career after he cheated on me and left me.” Her parents had brought their vision of music to Hollywood and never compromised on it. “I saw him compromise his vision and our marriage. I felt hurt. Betrayed. He left me when I told him how disappointed I was in him. In his mind, I didn’t have the right to be disappointed. While he was escorting Miss Tiffani around, I was supposed to get back on the train and keep promoting his career.”

“You didn’t, did you?” Miss E. asked.

“Not a chance. Since I quit being his marketing bitch, the only films he’s gotten recently are Space Dogs from Mars and Baby-Momma Slashers and Shark-A-Conda.”

“Would it be bad form if I snorted?” Miss E. said.

“Go ahead, you’re not drinking,” Nina said.

Miss E. snorted and Nina burst into laughter. “How poetic that the only offers he’s getting are these films when he thought he was the next Scorcese. Who by the way, still takes my phone calls.”

“That’s a litter box moment,” Miss E. said.

“I don’t understand.” Nina frowned.

“You were being catty, dear,” Kenzie said with a pat on Nina’s hand.

Nina found her gaze straying to Carl and Tiffani. Her mother had gently pried them away from Benny Simmons and eased them to an empty table nearest the dance floor. Benny looked relieved and Tiffani looked disappointed.

“You know he’s not going to stop hounding you.” Miss E.’s gaze had followed Nina’s and she studied Carl and Tiffani.

“I had that impression.”

“You should come to Reno and put yourself out of his sphere.”

“So my taking the job and coming to Reno would be doing me a favor for my mental well-being.” Nina grinned at Miss E.

“Exactly. He’d be too stupid to find you in Reno.”

“He’s not stupid. His problem is that his ego wins over his intelligence every time.”

“Don’t worry, dear, you’ll find love again,” Miss E. said with a sympathetic pat on Nina’s hand.

“I know,” Nina said with a sigh. “I like to think of him as my training-wheels husband.”

“At least you found a husband, unlike some people I can name.” Miss E. directed a gaze at Kenzie.

“Granny, don’t even start,” Kenzie said, warning in her tone, one finger held up.

“I was referring to your brothers, Scott and Donovan.”

“Miss E., Hunter is getting married. That’s the best we can do at the moment.” Kenzie shook her head with a sigh, though her lips quivered with laughter.

“You guys are just a funny as ever.” Nina grinned widely at Kenzie and Miss E. She’d always felt comfortable around Miss E. and Kenzie, despite the tragedy in their lives. Kenzie and her brothers had Miss E. to fall back on. Nina’s family wasn’t so different. Her parents shared the same values with Miss E. “I need to juggle some things around. I can be in Reno on Wednesday. That gives me enough time to flesh some ideas.” She could do this.

“I know you’ll come up with a powerful campaign.” Miss E. rubbed her hands together. “I can barely wait.”

“I hope you’ll be pleased.” Nina’s fingers itched for her iPad, but she’d left it in the car. “What about your brothers? I know Hunter has already taken charge of the new spa. What about Donovan and Scott? I’ve never met Scott in all the years we’ve known each other.”

Kenzie leaned her elbows on the table. “Donovan is taking over the restaurants and updating the menus. Scott is done playing army man and is taking over security. He’s back in DC right now, packing up his condo and getting it ready to be sold. He should be back in another week or so.”

“And what about your job at Saks?” Nina queried Kenzie.

Kenzie grinned. “I’m working for the family now.”

“I can’t believe you’re leaving Manhattan.”

“Already done. Sold my apartment two weeks ago and I already have a lot of ideas for updating the boutiques.”

Mama Torres returned to the table, a plate in her hands.

“We’re spiriting your daughter away to Reno, Grace,” Miss E. said.

“Good, she needs to get out of this town for a while.” She set the plate on the table. “And now for dessert.”

“Chocolate,” Kenzie said reverently.

“Share,” Nina warned.

Kenzie frowned. “If you insist.”

Mama Torres distributed the tiny chocolate brigadeiros. Kenzie looked like she’d just died and gone to heaven. Her eyes practically rolled back in her head as she took a delicate bite of one of the candies. “Oh. Oh. This is... Words just aren’t enough.”

“Heavenly,” Nina finished for her.

* * *

Scott Russell stood in the center of his empty living room, looking around to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. He owned very little. Military life did that to a person. Scott had never been someone to accumulate possessions. Everything he had was currently packed in a half dozen boxes, sitting in a stack by the front door ready to be loaded into his car. He wasn’t coming back.

The apartment was small, but he liked it. The living room opened to a balcony overlooking a tiny courtyard he’d shared with the family in the apartment below.

Danny Esposito opened a closet and looked inside. Danny was a tall, lean man with wavy black hair, deceptively calm brown eyes and olive skin showing his Latin parentage. They had met in Iraq and been friends ever since. When Danny jumped from military security to private security by starting his own firm, Scott had gone with him.

“Looks like you have everything,” Danny said closing the closet door.

“Not much to show for three years in one place.” Scott wondered how his footprint could be so small in such a large world.

“I’m the same way,” Danny replied. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Scott opened the door and Danny maneuvered the dolly, piled with the boxes, through the door.

“I’m going to miss you, Scott,” Danny said.

“Yeah, me, too.” They reached his SUV parked in the carport to the side of the apartment building. Scott unlocked it and opened the rear hatch. The two of them shoved boxes in. After he closed the rear hatch, he and Danny leaned against it for a moment.

The day was warm, but overcast. Scott heard the distant rumble of thunder and knew the predicted storm was on its way. A few tentative drops splashed the asphalt.

“Reno is the ends of the earth, man,” Danny said.

“No,” Scott replied. “The Hindu Kush is the ends of the earth.”

Danny chuckled. Silence fell between them. Scott listened to the sounds of traffic on the roadway outside along with the distant roll of thunder.

Washington, DC, was a city that didn’t sleep. In a way, Scott would miss the energy, the sense of history being made and the undercurrent of power pervading the city. He wouldn’t miss the traffic, the crowds or the politicians who too often made his life miserable.

“Why Reno?”

“Because you’ve never met my grandmother.” Scott pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “When she wants something, it happens.” And right now she needed him. After spending the last few weeks at the casino, studying it, looking for ways to improve security, Scott could almost understand why his grandmother wanted it. “Reno and Miss E. have a lot in common. Reno has this sense of being wild and untamed. My grandmother is sort of the same.”

“I don’t know, Scott.” Danny shook his head.

“Come for a visit and take a look at the city. You’ll see. Reno is just different. And I like it. I didn’t think I would, but I do.” The pace was different and the people were different. Reno had no illusions about what kind of city it was. Washington, DC, was all about illusions.

A rumble of thunder sounded again. The rain increased in intensity until the sound of it on the metal roof of the carport sounded like gunshots.

Scott didn’t regret quitting his job. He was tired of self-important senators who thought they could get away with anything. He was tired of the political games that made the government look like Saturday Night Live. At times he felt like he was dealing with five-year-olds in ten-thousand-dollar suits. And watching their bratty, over-privileged children was like riding herd on Chihuahuas.

Suddenly he was anxious to get on the road. The drive to Reno would take four days, driving ten hours a day. He planned to make it in three.

He and Danny shook hands. Scott watched Danny climb into his SUV and drive away. Scott stood in the alley looking up at his apartment. He’d made his decision to leave. He’d lived a gypsy lifestyle long enough. The time had come to settle into something more stable. He’d felt for a while that something was missing in his life, he just wasn’t sure what.

A Cadillac Escalade roared down the alley and slammed to a stop in front of him. Water sprayed his shoes and he glanced down in irritation. The driver’s door opened and Anastasia Parrish jumped out.

“My father told me you quit your job and you’re leaving Washington.”

Scott’s eyes narrowed. Twenty-five-year-old Anastasia Parrish, daughter of Senator Richard Parrish, was tall with pixie-cut brown hair, brown eyes with a touch of green and skin the color of braised almonds. She was also crazy. Scott had been hired to keep her out of trouble while her father ran for re-election. Keeping her out of trouble had turned into a job and a half.

“How do you know where I live?”

She shrugged elegant shoulders. “I looked you up on Google.”

“Then Google your way home.”

“How can you leave me? I’m in the middle of a crisis.” Drama poured off her in waves.

“Of your own making,” Scott said.

“But Scott, I need you.” She touched his arm.

Scott stepped away. “Get back in your car and go home, Miss Parrish.” Pretty as a picture and crazy as a loon, that was Anastasia Parrish in a nutshell.

“Let me come with you.” She looked dejected. “You’re the only one who understands me. You saved me from that stalker.”

“And your stalker is in jail, you’re safe, and my job is done.”

“What do I do if he escapes?” She turned desperate eyes on him.

“Tell your dad and he’ll hire protection. The company I used to work for will be happy to help you again.”

“But I want you.”

“I don’t work for them any longer.”

Tears gathered in her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. “You can work for me privately.”

A lot of the guys he’d worked with would have been happy to be Princess Anastasia’s sex toy. Scott wasn’t one of them. Behind that gorgeous face, beautiful body and designer wardrobe was a lost little girl with major daddy issues and his job wasn’t to find her.

“But, Scott,” she pleaded.

“Go home, Miss Parrish, call your therapist and talk to him.” He opened the car door.

“Please, don’t go. Daddy needs you. I need you. I think I love you.”

What she needed was a good psychiatrist. Though he was probably better than the rock singer, the polo champion, the reality star or the football player she was frequently seen with—at least he wouldn’t take advantage of her.

He took her by the arm and led her back to her car, rain pouring down on them. “Go home, Miss Parrish.” He opened the car door and pushed her inside. He closed the door and walked back to his car.

She stared at him for a moment, then started the car, put it in gear and drove off.

He stood in the rain watching her drive away. Water dripped down the back of his jacket, plastering his shirt to his skin. He felt sorry for Anastasia Parrish. She had everything money could buy, but she didn’t have what she needed, a father who cared about her and a mother who didn’t brush her off and tell her to make an appointment.

He got in his SUV, started the engine and backed out of the carport. Time to get on the road. Miss E. was waiting.