Vegas Sunrise

Book 3: Vegas

by Fern Michaels

Genres: Romance

Synopsis

Fanny Thornton, the proud matriarch of the Thornton dynasty, will do anything for her family. Her four children, now grown, mean everything to her, as does Babylon, the most dazzling casino in Las Vegas and the Thorntons' crowning achievement. But her children have dispersed across the globe, and so she chooses Jeff, the illegitimate son of her deceased husband, to run the casino.

But Jeff has plans of his own, and soon devises a scheme to turn Fanny's four children against her. As the siblings vie for their rightful heritage, deceit, distrust, and thwarted dreams of power threaten to divide the Thorntons once and for all.

Release date: May 20, 2014

Publisher: Kensington Books

Print pages: 416

Sample

At three-thirty in the afternoon, the loudspeaker in the offices of Babylon crackled to life. The decibel level remained high; customers continued to gamble. “This is a reminder, ladies and gentlemen, that Babylon will close its doors promptly at 6:00 P.M. and will not reopen until one minute past midnight. This announcement will be repeated six times during the next three hours.”

“Oh, Marcus, do you really think it’s going to be a surprise?” Fanny asked her husband. “What I mean is, Bess and John are smart, don’t you think they’ll see through that little ruse we conjured up to get them out of the casino?”

“No, I do not. Bess knows you never ask her to do anything unless it’s important. She thinks she’s going to the chicken ranch to coax Ruby Thornton, your—what is she, Fanny, your half sister-in-law—to come to the casino? I think it’s wonderful of you to want to include her in the family.”

“She’s part of this family even though Ash said she came in through the back door. She has Thornton blood, and that’s good enough for me and the kids. The same goes for Ash’s son. It’s not right to deny either Ruby or Jeff Lassiter their rightful place. They’re both wonderful people. I know it and so do my children.”

“I hope it works out, Fanny.”

“Of course it will work out. Why wouldn’t it? Don’t rain on my parade, Marcus.”

“As if I would ever do that. Did the boy really agree to come in here and take over for Bess and John? I find that . . . amazing.”

“I had to do some fast talking. His mother helped convince him. He’s worked in the casino summers and holidays while he was in college. He knows the business and what he doesn’t know, he’ll learn. We signed a three-year contract with him two days ago. It has to work, Marcus, because I had no other options. If Birch was here, it would be different. He isn’t here, so I did what I had to do. It’s settled, so let’s not talk about it. What am I going to do if Bess and John balk at their retirement present? Just because I think a year-long trip around the world is wonderful doesn’t mean she and John will think the same way. Her children packed her bags and brought them over earlier. The limo is coming for them at midnight to take them to the airport. Everything is set unless she balks.” Fanny clenched and unclenched her hands as she paced around the office. “She won’t, will she, Marcus?”

“Not a chance.” Marcus’s voice was airy, offhand. “She’s going to love it. Stop fretting, Fanny. Let’s check the dining room to see if your decorations are finished.”

“Billie did it all. She even planned the menu, all of Bess and John’s favorite foods. For five hundred people. She didn’t even blink, Marcus. My daughter never ceases to amaze me. She said Bess and John weren’t the only ones who were going to be surprised tonight. What do you think she meant by that?”

Marcus chuckled. “It’s probably one of those inside Thornton family jokes. You love surprises. Guess you’ll have to wait.” He steered her into the dining hall, then watched as she darted across the room to embrace Billie.

“Oh, honey, it’s beautiful. We have to take pictures.” Fanny hugged her daughter.

“The ice sculpture goes in the middle of the main table,” Billie explained. “There’s a gizmo under the table that keeps it from melting. Sage hooked up the fountain. Chue brought the orchids earlier this afternoon. Aren’t they gorgeous?”

“Only half as gorgeous as these tablecloths. Seed pearls sewn on linen, Billie?”

“I’m going to use them at our next trade show. I have a machine that does it. I wanted this to be really special. They’re bringing the balloons at five o’clock. When Bess and John walk through the front door they’ll drop. From there on, it’s fun, fun, fun. Our own private night. Bess’s family and friends, the Colemans, all our workers and their families. Josh Coleman is about to arrive from Virginia with his family. He called last night. We’re going to have a full house. Think about it, Mom. Our blood family and our working family.”

“It’s like a dream. I just hope Bess and John love it all. Marcus and I are going upstairs. We’ll be down at five-thirty. Call me when Aunt Billie and Thad get here.”

“I don’t miss this place at all,” Fanny said as she unlocked the door to the penthouse. “It’s a shame it sits here empty. I offered Jeffrey the use of it, but he said he prefers to live at home. I don’t think his mother is well, and he likes to look after her. I respect that in a son. Ash was proud of the boy even though he wouldn’t admit it. I think he’s going to do very well.”

“Does that mean you like our little house better than these sumptuous surroundings?”

“Marcus, I love our house. What I really love is seeing you cook in that state-of-the-art kitchen. It’s cozy. I love cozy things. I guess I’m just a snuggler. It reminds me so much of our old house back in Sunrise. We have a front porch, a back porch, a garden for flowers and vegetables, a dog run, a gorgeous fireplace, a Jacuzzi. You to share it with. I couldn’t ask for more. Retirement is so blissful. Being able to wake up and decide at a moment’s notice to take a trip is . . . what is it, Marcus?”

“It’s wonderful. I have an idea, let’s take a shower together.”

“Mr. Reed, you do come up with delicious ideas from time to time.”

“I do, don’t I? Last one in has to wash the other one’s back.”

Sage Thornton stood at the end of the jetway, his stomach muscles churning. He wondered if he was going to get sick.

He would have known his twin anywhere even though he was seeing him in profile. And then Birch turned. Air hissed from between Sage’s lips. He stared at his father’s image. Somewhere during his life, he’d seen this exact same scene. Probably sometime during his teens when he picked up his father from the airport.

Even from this distance Birch looked lean and fit, with a bronze tint to his skin. A baseball cap that said Thornton Chickens was pushed back on this head. It was worn and frayed. A tee shirt with “Babylon” across the middle, equally worn and frayed, faded blue jeans, and scuffed hiking boots completed his outfit. A canvas carryall was slung over his shoulder. His eyes were bluer than sapphires against his tan. His teeth pearl white. At six-two, Birch could see over the heads of his fellow passengers. The moment he spotted Sage he dropped his bag and shouldered his way through the crowd of deplaning passengers.

They stood eyeball to eyeball as passengers milled about them. Sage’s voice was choked when he said, “It’s been a long time, Birch.”

“Too long. The only thing I missed was you and Mom. C’mere, you big lug. Jesus, it’s good to see you, Sage.” His voice was just as choked as his brother’s. “I knew you’d be the one to get married first and have a family. I want you to meet my wife.”

Sage’s jaw dropped. “You’re married!”

“Yep, to the most wonderful girl in the world. We lived in a tent for three years so that should give you some kind of an idea of what she’s like. She’s simple and earthy like Mom. She’s standing over there because she wanted to give us a few minutes alone. You’re gonna love her.” Birch motioned for his wife to join them.

She was tall like a showgirl, thin but well proportioned, with blond hair faded white from the sun. Her eyes were dove gray, almost translucent against her honeyed tan. An eerie feeling washed through Sage when he met Celia’s gaze. Somewhere within him an alarm sounded. He backed off a step and held out his hand once the introductions were made. He saw the puzzled look on Birch’s face. His brother had expected him to hug his wife and welcome her into the family. Later he was going to have to think about this scene.

Celia’s voice was sweet, almost honeyed when she reached for Sage’s hand. “I feel like I know you. Birch spoke about you every single day.”

Sage forced a laugh. “I hope it was good.”

“Only wonderful things. I’m looking forward to meeting your family. We hung the pictures of you and your family in our tent. We used safety pins. Those pictures were the first thing we saw in the morning and the last thing we saw at night.”

“I’m flattered. You could have written more, Birch.”

“You know me. I was never a letter writer. You aren’t either. Who’s kidding who?”

“Okay, I’ll give you that one. Do you have a lot of luggage?”

Birch and Celia burst out laughing. They pointed to their duffel bags. “This is it. We lived very frugally. I’m going to have to borrow some clothes or else show up at the party in this attire. I’m assuming it’s black tie.”

“You assumed right. Big doings. Mom and Billie have been planning this for weeks. Probably months. Is this just a visit or are you staying? You didn’t say.”

“We’re here to stay. When you wrote that Bess and John were retiring I knew it was time to come back and run the casino. That’s why I’m here. It’s time.”

Sage thought his stomach was going to lurch right out of his body.

“I figured we’d live in the penthouse if no one objected,” Birch went on. “How do you like living at Sunrise, Mr. Family Man?”

“I love it. Iris and the kids don’t even want to come to town anymore. She says we’re hermits. Maybe we are.” He could feel the translucent gray eyes boring into his back.

“We have to buy something to wear, Birch. I didn’t realize how awful we looked until I saw all these people so dressed up. Living in a Third World country is not conducive to fashion.”

“It’s not a problem, honey. We’ll just go to one of the boutiques in the casino and get whatever we need.”

“Just like that!”

“Uh-huh.”

Sage concentrated on positioning the bags in the trunk of his car.

“God, I can’t wait to take a shower. I’m going to stand under it until the water runs cold,” Birch said.

“Sweetie, we have to shop. We don’t want to embarrass your family.”

“No, Celia, we don’t have to shop. We call downstairs and they send the stuff up. We pick and choose and they take the rest back. You can do that while I’m standing under that nice hot shower.”

Sage scrunched his big frame into the driver’s seat. “Mom and Marcus are in the penthouse. I got you a room.”

“A room?” Celia said.

“Actually it’s a suite,” Sage said. He wondered why his voice sounded so defensive.

Birch’s voice was cheerful when he said, “Guess you’re going to have to wait a while to move into that fancy penthouse, honey.”

“It doesn’t look the same, Birch. Mom redid it when she moved in. She hated all those mirrors, chrome and glass. She smashed the place up one day. It kind of looks like Sunrise now. She’s got a set of those red chairs.”

“What does Sunrise look like?” Celia asked from the backseat.

“Comfortable and worn. Green plants, bright colors. Home,” Birch said.

“Oh,” Celia said.

“You’re gonna love it, honey.”

“I’m sure I will.”

“So, tell me about this party tonight. No, on second thought, tell me about the family. How’s Mom?”

“Mom’s great. She’s happier now than she’s ever been. She has a wonderful life with Marcus. They live on the outskirts of town in a small house. They garden, they travel, they take the kids for days at a time. She really is happy. She and Dad made peace the last few years. There at the end he turned out to be quite a guy.”

“If you call pumping a bullet into your brother quite a guy, I guess so.”

“You weren’t here, Birch. It was wrong, but it was right, too, in a cockamamie way. It’s over, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Sure. I want you to know, Sage, I tried to get a plane out but it was the rainy season and I couldn’t. I was sick over it. Hell, we couldn’t even get to a phone for ten days. I figured it was just better to stay where I was at that point. I did grieve, Sage.”

“We all did.” Jesus, what was wrong with him. Why was he acting so . . . so stupid? This was Birch. This was his twin. This was his best friend sitting next to him, and he was acting like he had a burr in his Jockeys. He struggled with his emotions. “Sunny’s doing great. She’s in a remission state right now, and she’s living permanently at the center. She has a whole new life. There aren’t any words to tell you how I admire our sister. She’s good with the kids, too, considering her limitations.”

“I don’t think I could ever give up my children for adoption,” Celia said from the backseat.

Loyalty ringing in his voice, Birch said, “If Sage was your brother, you could. I bet Iris is a wonderful mother to Sunny’s kids. She’s like Mom, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. Yeah, she is. Mom gave her all her recipes. She taught her to sew and do all those mother things. She helped a lot with Dad at the end. Iris gets along with everyone. When the kids are older, she might want to go back to teaching at the university but then again, maybe she won’t. Wait till you taste her strawberry-rhubarb pie. You can’t tell the difference between hers and Mom’s.”

“Billie?”

“She’s on top of the world. Three years in a row she was voted Woman of the Year by the textile industry. She managed to sell sixty-five million Bernie and Blossom dolls. They’re still going strong. She’s thinking of creating little brothers and sisters now. She’s working on the prototypes. We’ll test-market them in a few months.”

“Guess that means the Thornton coffers are full, eh?”

Sage took that moment to look in the rearview mirror to check on an eighteen-wheeler behind him that wanted to pass. He felt his shoulders stiffen at the sight of Celia’s glittering eyes.

A devil perched itself on Sage’s shoulder. “You know Mom. She siphons the money out as soon as it comes in. It goes right to the rehab centers.”

“How is the casino doing? The last letter I had from Mom said it was bigger and better than ever. She even sent me a clipping from one of the newspapers. The article said Vegas expects to host 33,000,000 visitors this year. It went on to say each visitor is expected to gamble $154.00. That’s some very heavy money.”

“You never showed me that article, Birch,” Celia said.

“I didn’t think you’d be interested, honey. I threw it away.”

Sage risked a second glance in the rearview mirror. The glittering eyes looked hard and cold to him. He knew in his gut Celia was trying to calculate the amount of money in her head. He could feel a nerve start to twitch under his eye.

Birch, oblivious to his wife’s petulant face, continued to ask questions. “Can we stop and see Sunny?”

“She’s at the casino, Birch. Mom brought her and her friend over early this morning. It was almost like old times except you were missing.”

Celia leaned over the front seat. “In a wheelchair? Doesn’t that create a problem?”

“No, honey. Dad was in a wheelchair. The whole casino is wheelchair accessible. My grandfather made sure of that so Dad wouldn’t have any problems.”

The devil on Sage’s shoulder bounced back. “She has her dog with her. So does Harry.”

“In the casino! That’s so . . . unsanitary,” Celia said.

“They’re trained,” Sage said tightly. He didn’t like this girl leaning over the seat, didn’t like her warm breath wafting into his right ear, didn’t like the soap and water smell of her. He didn’t like her, period. Talk about instant reactions.

“Will you relax, Celia. Mom is closing the casino tonight—so it will be just friends and family. The dogs are special. The dogs enable Sunny to get out and about more. I think it’s great.”

Celia flopped back against the seat cushion. Sage knew her eyes were glued to the back of Birch’s head.

“Where are you from, Celia?”

“A small town in Alabama. Population twelve hundred or so.”

“Are you going back for a visit?”

“No.”

“Celia’s family is gone. There’s nothing to go home to. In a manner of speaking she’s an orphan. Was an orphan. Now she has me and our family. Right, honey?”

“I know I’m going to love your family, Birch. We never talked about anything else but your family. Morning, noon, and night. I feel like I know every single one of you, even the children.”

The devil on Sage’s shoulder moved slightly. “Didn’t you ever talk about your family, Celia?”

“There wasn’t anything to talk about. Your family is so interesting.”

And rich, Sage thought. “Do you want to go in the front door or up through the garage?”

“The garage. Neal would boot our asses right off the floor looking the way we look. What room are we in?”

“Dad’s favorite room, 2711.”

“What time should we be downstairs? Do you want me to hide and make a grand entrance? What’s the drill here?”

“The party starts at six-thirty. Bess and John are coming in through the front door and everyone is going to yell, SURPRISE! Balloons will drop. Billie said you should weave your way around the crap tables and then we’ll all yell SURPRISE again, at which point Mom will faint so be prepared to catch her. Nice meeting you, Celia. Oh, by the way, we all kicked in to get Bess and John a year’s trip around the world. Tap that trust fund, big brother.”

“A year’s trip around the world. That probably cost more than I could earn in a lifetime. What trust fund? Do you have a trust fund, Birch? Shame on you for not telling me. It was nice meeting you, too, Sage.”

Sage leaned against the wall. “This is not good,” he muttered. He sat on the trunk of his car, his thoughts chaotic as he smoked three cigarettes, one after the other. Maybe he was having an off day. Maybe he didn’t see what he thought he saw in the new Mrs. Thornton’s eyes. Keep your thoughts to yourself. Don’t look for trouble, an inner voice warned.

Sage walked over to the elevator. He shivered and didn’t know why.

“Here they come! Here they come! Get ready!” Fanny cried, excitement ringing in her voice.

The great doors opened. Bess and John Noble walked onto the casino floor to the shouts of “SURPRISE!” Colored balloons rained downward.

Fanny ran to her friends of forty years and swept them into her arms. “Don’t cry, Bess, I don’t have any tissues. We wanted to do this for you. It hardly seems enough for all you’ve done for our family.” She couldn’t hold the news back for one more instant. “We are giving you a trip around the world! A whole year, Bess, to do nothing but spend time with your husband. Please say you want it.”

“I’m saying it for both of us,” John said. “We were just talking about taking a trip last week. Nothing as grand as a trip around the world. We accept, don’t we, Bess.”

“Yes. But Fanny . . .”

“Shhh, it’s our pleasure. All the kids chipped in. Your kids packed your bags. I know they packed all the wrong things so if you play the third machine from the left in aisle two you’ll have enough money for a new wardrobe.”

“Oh, Fanny . . . what a good, kind friend you are.”

“Hey, I’m taking up too much time. The line behind me is getting longer and longer. Everyone wants to give you a kiss and a hug. Tonight you’re Cinderella and your limo will be by the front door exactly at midnight. I’m going to miss you so. . . .”

“Mom, look over there by the crap tables,” Sage whispered in her ear.

“Is that Birch? No! It is!”

Sage stepped aside as his brother swept his mother into his arms, twirling her around and around until she was dizzy. “Oh, Birch, it’s so good to see you. You look so handsome. Actually you look just the way your father looked when he wore his tux. This is such a wonderful surprise!”

“Mom, this is Celia, my wife.”

“You’re married, and you didn’t tell anyone!”

“Mom, she’s special. I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone like her. She’s so gorgeous she takes my breath away. We’re here to stay. I’d like to start to work on Monday if that’s okay with you.”

Sage, his wife Iris next to him, watched as Birch drew Celia forward. He was in a perfect position to see his mother’s raised eyebrows at the young woman’s attire. He didn’t think it was his imagination when he saw her shoulders tense.

Celia was wearing a strapless, backless black sequined sheath of a dress with a slit up the side. As she stepped forward, Fanny reached for her hands but didn’t kiss or hug her. “I’m so pleased to meet you, Celia. Welcome to the family. How do you like Babylon?”

“It’s . . . fantastic. I shopped all afternoon. Living in a tent and taking a shower under a waterfall is . . . this is just wonderful. I can’t believe you own all of this.”

“It is a bit startling at first. After a while, it’s just a place of business.”

Iris turned away to stare at the people surrounding Bess and John. “What would you do if I dressed like that, Sage? I feel like a Girl Scout leader compared to her. For someone who lived in a tent and showered under a waterfall she looks pretty good in those diamonds. I thought you said they only had raggedy stuff.”

“She went shopping,” Sage hissed. “Mom didn’t hug her or kiss her the way she did you when she first met you.”

“She’s taking a wait-and-see attitude. Birch was shock enough. Coupling that with a new bride who looks like she belongs in the chorus line should give you your answer. What do you think of her?”

Sage evaded the question. “Birch is in love with her. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. She just got here. She’s probably nervous, and by now she’s aware that she isn’t dressed right.”

“Oh, she’s dressed right. Those shoes she’s wearing cost $800. I saw them in the shop last week. What you’re seeing is who that young woman is. She’s a lot younger than Birch, too. She was pleasant enough, but I don’t think I’m going to like her.”

Sage’s sigh of relief was so loud, Iris shook his arm. “You don’t like her either, do you? You were waiting for me to say it first. We need to give her a chance. First impressions are not always what they seem. Let’s agree, Sage, to stand back and be fair. Okay?”

“Sure, honey. You don’t look like a Girl Scout leader to me. That’s a nifty dress you’re wearing, and you look great.”

“Aunt Billie made it for me. She made one for Sunny and Billie, too. Sunny’s looking better than I’ve seen her look in a long time. I guess it’s because she’s happy.”

“Guess so. I’m going to check on the kids. Lexie’s probably wading in one of the pools by now.”

“Marcus is watching them. They were picking flowers for Sunny in one of the hanging gardens.”

“I’ll check it out. It’s my turn to kiss Bess and John. I’ll see you later by the banquet table.”

Sunny waved from across the room. Iris weaved her way toward her. She bent over to kiss her and Harry, whose chair was parked next to Sunny’s, their dogs next to their respective chairs.

“There she is, one of my two favorite people in the whole world. Here comes the other one,” Birch said, as Billie came up behind Sunny’s chair. Iris watched as Birch kissed and hugged both his sisters before he introduced his new wife. She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at the expressions on Sunny’s and Billie’s faces. The expression of distaste on her sister-in-law’s face was so fleeting she thought she imagined it until Sunny, in her own inimitable way, let her know she’d seen it, too.

“Harry and I were wondering if we dare head for the banquet table. We forgot our bibs.” She looked pointedly at Celia when she said, “We drool and dribble our food at times. What would happen if you did that wearing such a fancy dress?” she asked Celia.

“I guess I’d have to get it cleaned.” Celia looked pointedly at her husband, who was talking to Harry, Sunny’s companion.

“The cleaners would ruin it,” Billie said.

Celia made a little face. “I think I made the wrong choice when I picked out this dress. Birch has always said this was such a glittery, shimmering place, I thought it would be appropriate. I was wrong. I just itched to buy it. I lived in cutoff jeans and raggedy tee shirts for so long. I just didn’t think. I hope I didn’t offend anyone.”

“Just my mother and me,” Sunny said. Billie cleared her throat. Iris looked away.

“Did I miss something?” Birch asked.

“No. Sunny was just agreeing with me that I’m dressed all wrong. She said I probably offended your mother.”

“See, I told you, but you wouldn’t listen.” Birch tweaked Celia’s cheek before he walked over to Bess and John Noble.

“Are those diamonds real?” Sunny asked.

“The jeweler said they were. Birch insisted I get them. He said he wanted me to sparkle tonight.”

Sunny’s voice was prim when she said, “We’re not a showy family. Actually, we’re all rather modest. Mom always said less is more if you know what I mean.”

“Yes. Thank you for pointing it out to me.”

“My pleasure,” Sunny said.

“Excuse me. Birch is motioning for me to join him.”

“Sunny, that was uncalled for,” Billie said.

“Damn straight it was. I saw the expression on her face when she looked at me and Harry. It was distaste. Ask Iris if you don’t believe me.” Iris nodded, her face miserable.

“She’s in a new environment. We’re all strangers to her. So she dressed wrong, so what. All of us at one time or another either overdressed or underdressed. Don’t create a problem, Sunny, where none exists. She’s Birch’s wife,” Billie said.

Harry, silent until now said, “I used to paint portraits. I was pretty good, too. The critics always said my eyes were the best. That’s because they’re the mirror of one’s soul. That young woman has no soul. That’s strictly my own opinion. Let’s try the banquet table, Sunny. My hands are more steady than yours are today, so I’ll hand you the food. We’ll come back here to eat it out of the way, okay?”

“Sure. Will you guys watch our dogs?”

“Sure,” Billie said.

“I admire Sunny so,” Iris said, a catch in her voice.

Billie’s voice was soft when she said, “Me too.”

“Birch’s timing was off. I think that’s what this is all about. It would have been nice if he’d waited and made it a family thing where Celia could be the center of attention. However, I understand where he’s coming from. Sage said he expects to start work on Monday. Did anyone tell him about Jeffrey? Sage said it wasn’t his place to tell him. He also said Birch doesn’t know how to play second banana. Does that mean there’s going to be a problem, Billie?”

“Off the top of my head, I’d say yes. Let’s not worry about that tonight. We’re here to have a good time, so let’s have a good time.”

“Do I look dowdy and frumpy, Billie?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then why do I feel that way?”

“Because your quiet, peaceful world has been invaded by a smashing blond bombshell. I feel a little dowdy myself. I thought I looked pretty good when I left the house.”

“So we’re jealous is what you’re saying.”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. We’re who we are, and Celia is who she is.”

“Sage sees something we aren’t seeing. He was so hyped about going to the airport to pick up Birch. He hasn’t slept for three nights, that’s how excited he was. He wanted to take the kids to the airport to show them off. He wanted his brother to see his kids. When he got back, it was . . . sad. I felt so bad I wanted to cry for him. He had these wonderful plans, these great expectations, and suddenly a new wife on the scene wiped all those plans away. He knows there’s going to be some kind of blowup when Birch finds out Jeff signed on to run Babylon.”

“Everything will work itself out, Iris. Mom will step in and do what she always does, bring order and sense to everything.”

“Not this time, Billie. Birch has a wife now, and she’s going to have a voice in everything he says and does.”

“There’s Jeff now. He does look a lot like your dad. Ruby’s really nice. I like her a lot. I’m glad your mom welcomed her into the family. She belongs. Right off she wanted to know what she could do. She pitched right in. She looks so damn normal compared to . . . Celia. I thought you were bringing your boyfriend tonight.”

“He had duty. Detectives are on call twenty-four hours a day. He might stop by later. It’s not serious, Iris. We’re good friends. I like him. He likes me. He doesn’t just listen to me, Iris, he actually hears what I say. I like that in a man. I’m not about to get serious. I like being my own person, making my own decisions. It works for me the way being married and having kids works for you.”

“What do you think works for Celia Thornton?”

“The Thornton money.”

“I’m of the same opinion.”

“Sunny’s dribbling. Let’s go clean her up.”

“Billie, earlier Jake . . . what happened was Sunny was drinking a soda pop and she let the bottle slip. Jake . . . that little kid was so good about it. He wiped it up and said, ‘Heck, Mom, I do that all the time.’ Sunny’s eyes filled up, and Jake wiped away her tears. He whispered to her for a long time. I guess he was giving her a pep talk because she started to laugh. He was grinning from ear to ear. He’s really good with Harry, too. Ash made sure Jake understood his mother’s limitations. He really understands, Billie. Do you