High Stakes (The Kingdom Book 2) (7 page)

AFTER DEFEATING THE PURPOSE
of actually getting washed and freshened up in the bath, we both shower. Separately, I might add. There is no way we would have been ready in time if we had showered together, it’s just not possible. So here I am, sitting in Denham’s lounge, waiting. My knee bounce is getting higher, threatening to smack me in the chin at any minute, and my nerves are starting to fray. I try and talk myself into the logic of the situation, but it’s not working. It’s just making every minute take longer to get here, and although I know it’s ridiculous, I can’t help it.

Of course, I’m waiting for Denham’s mom to arrive. I tried to convince him that I really didn’t need looking after, but he wasn’t having any of it. And, I really shouldn’t be as nervous as I am. She’s just another person. I’m sure she’s pleasant enough, and it’s not like I haven’t met a boyfriend’s mom before. Boyfriend? Is that even the right word for us? Isn’t that a word teenagers would use? I’m certainly not a teenager anymore, but I have no idea what I would even call him. It’s too soon to be anything like partner, or other half … Oh hell, I don’t know. I wasn’t this nervous when I met Aaron’s parents. Then it dawns on me. I wasn’t nervous because it didn’t matter, because I didn’t care if they liked me. This matters. I don’t want to try and make her like me, but I want her to like me for me, and I’m not even sure who that person is right now. I seem to have caused so much trouble, so much worry since I stumbled into Denham’s life, that I’m afraid she will be protective of her son and think I’m no good for him … and maybe she would be right.

I need to call Lottie. I need her no nonsense, straight talking, kick up the butt to bring me back to reality before self-doubt sets in and my feet make a path out of here.

I know she’s at work, but I try and call anyway. Lucky for me she has her cell in her pocket when she’s at work, so she’s able to pick up.

“Hey, babe,” she answers chirpily.

“Lottie, you have to help me,” I answer desperately.

“What’s happened? Is something wrong?”

“No … Yes … Oh, Lottie. I can’t do it …”

“Arianna Fraser, will you get a grip on yourself and stop talking in riddles?”

“His mom, Lotts. Denham’s freakin’ mom is on her way here. You have to leave work, right now, and come save me.” I feel the pitch of my voice getting higher as I talk, but I can’t do anything about it. Lottie replies with a snort and a full belly laugh. “Lottie, this isn’t funny. I don’t want to play ‘meet the mom’ … I’m not ready.”

“Oh, I’m sorry babe,” Lottie answers, trying to compose herself after her little outburst. “Dana is lovely, she’ll love you.”

“See, I didn’t even know she was called Dana. I would have looked really fucking stupid answering the door to her and saying ‘Oh, Hi …Um ... Uh ... Mom … wouldn’t I?”

“Chill, chica!”

“So, here’s the plan … you’re going to leave work, tell them you’re sick or something, and you’ve come down with a fever, that you have to leave right away, then you can come and save me from this fate worse than death.”

“No.”

“NO, what do you mean … NO? Lottie, I’m seriously reconsidering your position on my friends list.”

“Arianna, I am your only friend, I’ll always be at the top …”

“And the bottom.” I grumble.

“Look, Dana is lovely. I get along with her really well; she’s almost like a second mom to me. Me! The one who never gets along with anybody. Why’s she coming over anyway?”

“Because my overprotective boyf … um … Denham thinks I shouldn’t be left on my own after passing out.”

“Well, your overprotective
boyfriend
is right. You shouldn’t be left on your own until we know you’re better. How are you feeling today?”

“Better, like I don’t need looking after.”

“I’m being serious, Arianna, stop being a baby and answer me honestly. You worried me, us. You had everyone freaked. I only just got you back and you wound up in the hospital, again.”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry for being a baby, or sorry for freaking us the hell out?”

“Both. I just … I’m meeting his mom, Lottie. And it matters to me that she likes me.”

“I know it does. It’s probably the only time it’s ever mattered, huh?”

“Yup.”

“And it scares the hell out of ya …”

“Yup.”

“And you’re going to be just fine because she’s a sweetheart, and I know she will love you. I’ll come by later and you can catch me up, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Ari …”

“Yes, Lotts?”

“I love ya, babe,” she says softly, making my heart clench a little.

“You too, traitor,” I joke.

“Have fun with the mom. Bye!” Lottie chirps teasingly before hanging up. I slump back on the couch and sigh. I’m not going to be able to get out of it. I was hoping I could delay it a while longer, but the time is looming as she’s due to arrive any minute.

I get up to check my makeup and there’s a knock at the door. I freeze.

I’m not ready. I’m not ready.

For goodness’ sake, pull yourself together, girl. She’s just another human being. Act normal and go open the damn door!

Internal pep talk over, I rush to the door where I’ve now kept her waiting. I take a deep breath. Anybody would think there’s a fire-breathing dragon on the other side and I’m going into battle, but when I open the door wide, that really isn’t the case.

Standing at my height, wearing a tailored coral trouser suit, is Dana King. She is a very beautiful lady, and immediately I can see where Denham gets his sharp cheekbones, and Mediterranean coloring. The only indication that she’s in her sixties, are the fine lines around her eyes where she’s clearly spent many years laughing. She smiles a genuine, warm smile, and I find myself relaxing and smiling back.

“Hello, Arianna,” she says softly. “May I come in?”

“Oh god. Sorry, I mean, of course,” I say, flustered, realizing I kept her standing on the doorstep while I analyzed Denham’s genetics. I step back from the door and close it behind her.

She places her very expensive looking bag down on the floor and steps toward me. My hands fidget in front of me, picking at the skin around my nails. She gently takes my hands in hers, her skin is soft and her nails short but perfectly manicured, and she stands in front of me to look directly into my eyes.

“Now, Arianna,” she says in a firm but gentle voice. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine, thank you Mrs.—“

“Oh please, no formalities. Call me Dana. I think we need to get a few things out in the open and then we can get to know each other. What do you say?” There’s no edge to her voice, she’s perfectly lovely so far, but I know what women can be like. All pretty and cupcake sweet on the outside and then when you’re not looking, BAM! They strike. Viper status.

This is what I was worrying about. A mother’s protectiveness over her firstborn son, she’s going to ball me out for being a trouble maker, and for turning his life upside down for the last week. A lump forms in my throat, but I nod and reply in a shaky voice, “Okay.”

“Let’s go sit,” she says, dropping one hand but leading me to the couch with the other. She sits elegantly and pulls her length of long, straight hair over one shoulder before resting her clasped hands in her lap.

“I don’t know how much you know about me, and I don’t know you very well at all, yet. But my boy … well, it’s safe to say he’s smitten with you. You’re the only name that comes out of his mouth, and seeing how worried about you he was yesterday made me realize the he really does like you, very much.”

My hands take up their usual position, only now I’m fighting with myself not to pick up my childhood habit and start to chew on my nails. If I was a smoker, I would be craving nicotine right now, and even though I’ve never been alcohol dependent, I could really do with a very strong shot of something.

“Arianna, one day, I’m sure you will know what it feels like to be so protective of someone, you would give your life for them. My children are my life. They may be grown adults but they will always be my children, and when I brought them into this world I made a vow to keep them from pain and heartache. So, this is just my way of settling my own curiosities and making sure my boy is doing the right thing, okay?” she asks. She’s still speaking softly and there’s no condescending tone to her voice, just honesty and protectiveness. I nod, and she continues.

“Are you messing around with my son?” she asks, straight out.

“NO!” I answer immediately. “I …”

“I know you’ve had a tough time of things, but my son, well, he seems to have taken it as his responsibility to make sure you’re okay, and it’s all happened so fast that I wanted to make sure he’s not been blindsided and taken for a fool.”

I sigh. “Mrs. King,” I say, thinking the respectful title is appropriate for the moment. “I never came here looking for a man, or money. I came to Las Vegas to find myself and my family. It just so happened that I found Denham and I don’t know where it’s going or if it’s going anywhere at all, but I really want to find out.”

“You know I’ll find out if there’s an ulterior motive,” she warns quietly.

“There isn’t one,” I assure.

“Good, I don’t ever want you to feel afraid of me, Arianna. Ask me anything you’d like at any time. All I ask in return is that you do the right thing by my son, and we will get along just fine.” She finishes her sentence with a genuine smile and I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been accustomed to living a pretend life, putting on a front and bowing to the illusion that everything is fine, but it makes me laugh. Denham is so much like his mother. She has clearly instilled her ways and upfront honesty in him.

“I’m not sure whether it’s a good thing or not that you’re laughing,” she says with a curious smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just Denham is so like you. He’s straight up and says what he’s thinking, and it makes life so much easier to know that you don’t have to spend time guessing how you’re thinking or how you’re going to react.”

“Well, I think it’s best we know how each other feels, don’t you?”

“Yes, it’s refreshing, but I’m just not used to it. I’ve not been lucky enough to experience such honesty.”

Dana covers one of my hands with hers. “I’m sorry you’ve had things so hard, Arianna. It makes me sad to think that. We were very lucky that up until three years ago, we had a wonderful life. My husband …” Her voice wavers a little, “He was a wonderful man. In many ways I was like you. Young, naive, unlucky in love. Until I met him. He turned my world upside down and back again. So, I know how you feel, I see it in your eyes, just remember that everything happens for a reason, and as long as you can sleep at night with a clear conscience then you’ve done all you can.” She dips her head to look into my downcast eyes. “Now, what do you say we get some coffee and talk about something else?”

“I think that’s a great idea.” I smile warmly back at her, relieved that this conversation is out of the way but also pleased that we’ve had it and that I now know that she doesn’t hate me. Lottie was right; she is very sweet, and it’s clear that her children are her world. Yes, she’s well dressed, and clearly likes the finer things in life, but it strikes me that she would give it all up in a heartbeat for her family. I follow her to the kitchen where we make coffee and small talk. I do my best to convince her that I’m not sick. I have no idea why I fainted yesterday, or how I did so much damage to myself when I did. I didn’t feel sick prior to it happening and now that I don’t feel so sleepy, I feel as normal as I ever have. I put it down to the last week being emotional overload. I hadn’t eaten properly, I was probably dehydrated, and the stress caught up with me when I least expected it to.

Dana hands me a mug of coffee and carries hers along with a mysterious little box out onto the balcony. We sit at the bistro table enjoying the warmth along with the cool breeze that’s blowing through today.

“So, what will you do now that you’ve decided to settle in Vegas?” Dana asks, popping open the lid of the box and offering me what looks like little round balls of chocolate. I frown and hesitate before taking one, but I don’t want to seem rude.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Arianna. Truffles, they are Belgian truffles.” She laughs, “Every girls needs truffles with coffee, especially after a trauma.” She winks and places the box on the table, taking a truffle and popping the whole thing in her mouth. I’ve never eaten truffles. They’ve never really appealed to me, but I feel like I would be rude not to try them. I take one and pop it in my mouth whole, just as Dana did. It starts to melt on my tongue immediately and the smooth rich chocolate flavor fills my mouth making me groan in appreciation.

“They’re good, huh?” she asks with amusement. “I discovered this little place just outside of town that makes them; it’s the best kept secret around. I don’t eat them often but I thought today would be as good a time as any. They taste like little drops of heaven, and as much as a girl needs to keep her shape, I figured it’s worth it for these little beauties.” She takes one more and pops it in her mouth, the mere act, making her smile. When she’s finished enjoying her truffle, she turns her attention back to me. “So, where were we? Oh yes … So what will you do now that you’re settling in Vegas?”