Melinda’s flirtations were interrupted when an attractively dressed woman in her mid-forties asked if she could join the movie star. Melinda waved her off, slurring, “Sorry lady, I’m not into chicks.”
The woman answered, “Oh for heaven’s sake, neither am I. You just looked like you could use a friend to talk to.”
Surprising herself, Melinda jumped at the offer and motioned for the woman to sit down. Two hours and four cocktails later, she had regurgitated her entire life story. She started at the beginning, when she was born Monica Funk in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She told about all of her years trying to make it in Hollywood, relaying story after story about the seedy affairs she’d been involved in and then admitted to being the blow job queen of the movie industry. She didn’t come up for air until she had relayed every detail of the huge fight she had just had with Jessica Wentworth in her lawyer’s front yard.
The lady listened intently and offered comforting words throughout Melinda’s sad tale. Then she got up to use the ladies’ room. What Melinda didn’t notice was that her new friend never went to the bathroom. Instead, she walked over to the bartender and slipped him her business card. After whispering something in his ear, she continued out the front door.
The bartender approached Melinda and told her that her friend had to leave but asked if he might join her.
Melinda batted her eyelashes at him and answered, “Sure you can.” Patting the seat next to her, she drunkenly slurred, “Why donchoo jus come right over here and sit down?”
Jim Farrel asked, “So what brings a famous movie star to a bar in Bentley in the middle of the day?”
Melinda smiled sloppily, “I’m celebrating my freedom. I’m breaking up with my boyfriend, my agent and my lawyer. I’m celebrating!”
Leaning in to nuzzle her ear, he asked, “Want some help?”
She slid her hand up Jim’s thigh and purred, “Are you offering?”
He enthusiastically answered, “You bet I am.”
Not five minutes later, Melinda and Jim left the bar together. All the cocktails she consumed were seriously starting to affect her equilibrium. Melinda could always handle her liquor, but at only one hundred and six pounds, she was definitely feeling its effects. She wasn’t about to let that get in her way though. This was the first time in days a member of the opposite sex had paid her the slightest attention and she was going to enjoy it for all it was worth.
Jim steered Melinda to his ancient Camry with the intent of taking her back to his grungy apartment and living out every man’s dream. After an eventful afternoon, he’d top off the day by calling the number on the business card and make himself some extra cash.
* * * * *
B
arry Stratton could not stop thinking about the adorable blonde who kissed him at the swimming pool. She was unlike any of the other women he usually met. As the heir apparent to the Stratton Corporation, he found most of the women he talked to were more interested in his money than in him. But Miss Cynthia Flynn seemed to have no idea he was a global software giant and claimed not to be in the least bit interested in him, all the while nearly sucking the lips off his face.
Barry thanked his lucky stars he had chosen this time to redecorate his house on Chicago’s North Shore. Otherwise, he would have been lying out by his own pool rather than the one at his parent’s club. Had he known The North Hills Country Club was attracting such an interesting array of guests, he would have joined the club himself.
Barry smiled and wondered why he lied to Cynthia about his name. He had always like the name Barrington, but when she announced she thought it sounded pretentious, he made the snap decision not to antagonize her further. Plus, he was hoping to get to know her better. Happily that opportunity came when she attached herself to his mouth. Unfortunately, when the delightful exchange ended, she refused to talk to him and proceeded to read her trashy romance.
Barry, who had been up till all hours the night before working on a new corporate acquisition, dozed off, and by the time he awoke, Cynthia was gone. He was disappointed he hadn’t found out where she was staying but was not going to let that deter him. Turning on the full wattage of his charm, Barry asked the girl in charge of the sign-in book who Cynthia Flynn was a guest of. Not only did he discover the name of her sponsor, but he got the phone number as well.
On his way to his parent’s house, Barry laughed to himself and thought, “Who knew that all this time I was looking for a white trash girl from Kansas?” He decided he had better wait until their wedding day before he confessed his real name to her though. No sense courting trouble before he had to.
W
hen Creigh got back from Chicago, Jessica approached him in his library and announced, “I need to talk to you.”
He looked up from his newspaper and said, “Sure thing Jessica. What’s on your mind?”
“I need a good divorce lawyer.”
They spent the next half hour together setting up an appointment for the following afternoon. Jessica learned that it was vital that she move back into her own house as soon as possible so that Charles didn’t do to her what she was planning to do to him, namely change the locks and establish the marital home as her own.
After getting off the phone with her new lawyer, Jessica told Creigh all about her feelings for Oscar. She lamented, “When he finds out I’m not who I said I was, I’m afraid that he’ll think that I’m just another betrayal. Oh Creigh, what should I do?”
Creigh assured her that he would do everything in his power to smooth things over with their house guest. He encouraged her to pack her bags while he spoke to Oscar. Jessica agreed, but as she left the room, she ran smack into Oscar. Beyond nervous, she stammered, “Hello, Oscar. I’m…I’m sure you’re here to talk to Creigh, so I’ll see you later.”
As she tried to pass him, he reached out and caught her hand, “No Jessica, I want you to stay. I think you should hear everything I have to tell your brother.”
Jessica sat back down in the chair she recently vacated with her heart pounding in a nervous tattoo. Creigh stood and motioned Oscar to the chair next to Jessica’s, “Sit down Oscar. Your timing is perfect. Jessica and I have something we’d like to tell you as well.” He continued, “Why don’t you go first?’
Oscar looked to Jessica and announced, “I wanted to tell you both that I’m breaking things off with Melinda, once and for all.”
Astonished, Jessica asked, “You mean it? You’re really leaving her?”
Oscar reached for her hand, “I really am and I owe it all to you. I would have never done it if you didn’t show me how deeply I could care for another person. You’ve shown me that life without love isn’t a life at all. You’ve also made me realize I would have never been happy growing old with Melinda.”
Creigh cleared his throat and smiled, “Are you two sure you want me here for this?”
Oscar answered, “Yes, Creigh. I want you to hear what I have to say to your sister.”
Shifting uncomfortably, Creigh confessed, “Well Oscar, that’s what Jessica and I need to talk to you about.” Creigh proceeded to relay the whole story, including the truth behind the pictures of him and Melinda in the tabloids, and the fact that Melinda really did try to seduce him. Then he divulged how he recruited Jessica and Cynthia in his plan. He added, “I wasn’t really sure how things would play out, but I knew with Melinda under the same roof with two other beautiful women, she was bound to show her true colors.”
Quietly Oscar asked Jessica, “How do you know Lila and Creigh?”
She answered, “I went to grade school with Lila and Creigh happens to be the man that Lila loves.”
Creigh smiled when he heard those words. The truth was he loved Lila, and now that Oscar was dumping Melinda, there was no reason they couldn’t go public with their feelings.
Oscar asked Creigh, “So where does Cynthia Flynn fit into all this?”
Creigh answered, “She’s Lila’s friend from L.A. And Oscar, I should tell you, while Cynthia really is an agent at Quest, she has no intention of taking Melinda on as a client.”
After a few excruciatingly silent moments, Oscar burst out laughing. “You see what I mean? You’re the kind of people I want in my life. Do you think that Melinda would have ever put herself out for anyone like this? But here the three of you are going to great lengths to help somebody you care about.”
Tentatively, Jessica interrupted, “Oscar…”
But he wouldn’t let her finish, “Jessica, have you lied about your feelings for me in order to help your friend?”
Shocked, she exclaimed, “Never! I care for you very, very much.”
He smiled at her, “Then there’s no problem is there? Everything has turned out for the best.”
Jessica couldn’t believe how well Oscar was taking their subterfuge. If nothing else, it confirmed that she wanted to spend her life with him. He was an exceptional man. She announced, “Oscar, I have to go back to my house today. My divorce attorney advised that I go right away so that Charles doesn’t try to lock me out.” After a deep breath, she asked, “I don’t suppose you want to join me?”
Oscar asked Creigh, “Would that complicate the divorce proceedings?”
Creigh shook his head, “Jessica has proof that Charles has had several extra-marital affairs and she won’t be suing for alimony. So the only danger would be if Charles decides to become violent.”
That settled it for Oscar. “I’m definitely going with you. If that bastard wants a fight, I’d be more than happy to kick his ass.” He gave Jessica’s fingers a light squeeze and said, “Come on fair lady, let’s go reclaim your castle.”
Creigh asked, “What do you want me to tell Melinda when she comes back?”
Oscar answered, “Don’t tell her anything. Jessica and I will be back tonight after we get her locks changed and I’ll tell her myself.”
Creigh remembered what he and Lila had discussed on the train home and said, “Be here by seven then. Lila and her parents are coming over. She has something she wants to tell everyone.”
Oscar said, “I don’t even know Lila yet. Are you sure you want me here?”
Creigh smiled, “You’re part of the group now, Oscar. So the answer is yes, we want you here.”
As soon as the love birds left, Creigh picked up the phone and called Lila. She answered after the first ring, “Montgomery residence.”
“You sound like you were sitting by the phone waiting for my call.”
She laughed, “I was.”
He asked if she had talked to Jilly and Jessica yet. She said that Jilly was definitely coming and that she left a message on Jessica’s cell. She confessed, “I’m terrified, you know?”
He consoled, “There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone coming loves you as much as I do and they are going to be delighted for your success, unconventional as it may be.” Before hanging up he told her how proud he was of her and then mentioned he had a full bar at his house should she need it.
Lila laughed nervously, “Six or seven kamikazes will definitely help, thanks.”
When he hung up, Creigh went out to the guest cottage to fill Cynthia in on all of the new developments of the day.
She was lying on the couch when he knocked on the door, “Cyn, can I come in?”
Lazily, she replied, “Of course. What’s going on?”
He sat down on a chair and informed her, “Oscar is breaking up with Melinda and Lila and her parents will be here at seven for dinner.”
Cynthia nearly cheered at the good news, “Oh thank god it’s finally over! Lila will be so happy to have all of this behind her. And you’ve been her knight in shining armor the whole time. What’s going to happen with the two of you?”
Creigh assured her that he and Lila were in love. Other than that, he wasn’t willing to say what their future held.
Cynthia didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know something big was afoot. She was so thrilled her friend finally met a man worthy of her. Now, if only she could find her own prince. A brief image of Barry Stratton popped into her head but she banished the thought. She was not going to wind up with a preppy, rich boy for anything in the world.
* * * * *
L
ila sent her parents off to Creigh’s promising to be right behind them. They told her there was no reason for her to bring her own car, but Lila claimed she was picking up a surprise for everyone on her way. As soon as they left, she ran up to her room and started getting their surprise ready. It took her ten minutes longer than she expected but she chalked that up to nerves. After all, once she showed up at Creigh’s there would be no going back.
C
reigh’s living room was full of Lila’s family and friends. Jilly and Bill were there along with their three children. Jilly’s mom, Libby, was there so that she could take the kids home right after dinner. Jessica and Oscar were cuddled up on the couch and Cynthia was pacing around in great anticipation of seeing her friend again. There was still no sign of Melinda, but that was actually good, considering what was about to happen.
When the doorbell finally rang, Bitsy declared, “Thank goodness she’s finally here. She said she was right behind us.”
Will announced, “She did say that she had to pick up a surprise first. Maybe it took longer than she expected.”
Instead of sitting in the living room and waiting for Lila, everyone followed Creigh into the entry hall while he answered the door. To their astonishment, Jasmine Sheath walked into the house larger than life with her red hair, rose colored sunglasses and four inch heels.
Bitsy ran forward and exclaimed, “Miss Sheath, what a wonderful surprise! How in the world did Lila get you here?” Then she peaked around Jasmine looking for her daughter and asked, “Where is Lila anyway?”
Jasmine drawled in her slow southern accent, “She’ll be along any ole minute.”
Jilly, Jessica and Cynthia gathered around the novelist next and welcomed her to their little party. Lila was so surprised to see Cynthia that she almost broke character and asked what she was doing there. Then she saw Oscar Solomon. While she had never actually met Oscar Solomon, she certainly knew what he looked like. Then she noticed that Oscar had his arm around Jessica in a proprietary way and she wondered what was really going on here.