“I could say the same thing about you, times two. Of course, I told you the first one wouldn’t work out when I stood up for you at that Vegas chapel. Didn’t we have to wait for Elvis to get done with his drive through couple?” Levi Walker slapped Greg on the back. “You should have listened to me and run that night.”
“You’re right there.” Greg turned toward me. “Levi, this is Jill Gardner. Jill, meet my best friend since seventh grade. Even if the guy doesn’t call, email or visit me unless one of us is getting hitched.”
“Jill, so nice to meet you. Greg has told me so much about you. And Jim had nice things to say too.” He came over and gave me a quick hug. “This is the love of my life, Jessica soon–to-be Walker.”
The woman came up and held out a hand. “Jessica Cole. I haven’t decided on if I’m taking Levi’s last name or not. It feels so archaic, like I’m property.”
“Jill Gardner. So nice to meet you.” I took a step toward Greg who pulled me into a hug. “Are you originally European? I can’t place the accent.”
“Jessica’s family is from Germany and we just came back from a tour of Europe. I told her that she was picking up the local flavor.” Levi beamed with pride at his fiancée.
“That must be it.” Greg shot me a questioning look, but I ignored him.
Holding out the map of the building, I asked. “We were just starting our tour of The Castle. Do you want to join us?”
Her smile was wide, with too-white teeth. I hadn’t been expecting someone so beautiful. Especially since Greg talked about Levi as the ultimate computer nerd. I guess I’d thought his fiancée would be more geek goddess rather than beauty queen. Her black hair glistened in the room’s dim light.
“I’d love to—” Jessica started to say, but Levi shook his head.
“Sorry dear, we have to go to the room. The lawyer’s calling in a few minutes with the last changes on the pre-nuptial agreement. It’s just a formality, but my company’s insisting on it so if anything happens to me, the business has a clear right of succession plan.” Levi winked at me. “I wanted to elope and just surprise the shareholders with a mailing announcing: He put a ring on it. But Jessica wanted the big production.”
She grinned at me. “I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was five and my Barbie had to marry Ken at least three times a day. No one wants to just elope.”
Well, I didn’t. Especially now that I knew that Greg and his first wife, Sherry, had tied the knot in Vegas. But I thought it was a great idea for some people. Aunt Jackie should have just eloped. The wedding would already be over and she could have sent out announcements. But no. “I’m sure the wedding will be lovely.”
“It better be, for all it’s costing me.” Levi slapped Greg on the back. “Don’t think you’re getting out of doing shots tonight. That’s why I rented the whole place. No one has to drive anywhere and take a chance of getting pulled over for a DUI.”
“I appreciate your concern. My night deputy watches the roads pretty carefully out here. He’d love to nail me on an infraction.” Greg looked to me for confirmation.
“Really, we need to go, but tonight. We’ll get caught up tonight.” He put his hand on Jessica’s back and led her out of the room. “Nice to meet you, Jill.”
And then they were gone. Sometime during the last few minutes, John had also disappeared. I looked around the too-large empty room. “Wow, he kind of fills up a place, doesn’t he?”
“Levi’s always been over the top. Think geek with actor attitude. Of course, none of the girls saw his good side, just the class clown and a too-smart-for-his-own-good kid.” He stared out the doorway where they’d just disappeared. “I hope this Jessica has Levi’s best interests at heart.”
I stood on tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“What is that for?” He turned his attention away from the door.
I shrugged. “You’re a good guy. You worry about everyone and everything. It’s part of your charm.”
He put his arm around me as we walked through the room. “Just wait until you meet the rest of the guys. We were tight in school. We were the nerdy kids who read Tolkien and wanted real light sabers for our birthdays.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I really wasn’t. Greg’s brother, Jim, barely tolerated me after my dating Greg made it impossible for Jim to hold on to his fantasy of Greg and his ex-wife, Sherry, getting back together. Who knows what camp these guys would join. And from what Levi said, Jim was still in touch with at least him. I looked down at the map. “There’s supposed to be a great hall through this door. Ready to go see how the rich folk relaxed back in the day?”
“Sure.” He followed me through the next doorway. He scanned the room the way he always did when we entered a new house or room in a store. He was always looking for the worst rather than let it sneak up on us. Toby did the same thing. They called it being hyper-vigilant, according to a book I’d read. Cops were cops even when they weren’t in uniform.
We spent most of the rest of the afternoon wandering through the display rooms. For the place being so big, there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. Brenda must keep a tight rein on her cleaning staff. We stood waiting for the elevator, when the doors opened and Jessica walked out in a too-small white bikini.
“Hey, again. You guys still down here?” She nodded to the French doors leading to the back pool area. “I’m heading out for a swim before dinner. Do you want to join me?”
Greg looked at me. I don’t think he trusted his voice. Whatever accent I’d thought I’d heard had been replaced with the voice of a sultry stripper. I leaned closer to Greg, letting her step around us. “Maybe. I’m not sure we brought suits.” It was a total lie. I’d bought us both new suits just for the weekend.
She turned her head back to us and laughed. “Darling, we have the entire place to ourselves. Suits are totally optional.”
CHAPTER 2
We didn’t talk on the elevator ride to our floor. Greg started to say something, but I shook my head, not wanting to be overheard. When we got to the room, I flopped on the bed. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure, but I know I either need to turn in my man card for turning her down or my badge for not arresting her. Levi has himself a firecracker there.” He opened the closet and started digging through the suitcase.
“What are you looking for?” I peered at him from my reclining position.
He looked over his shoulder back at me. “Our suits.”
I threw the pillow and hit him right on his head.
“Hey, what’s that for?” He stood straight and threw the pillow back at me. “Does this mean we’re not going swimming?”
My phone rang, which saved me from killing him. He grabbed the remote and turned the television on as he took my place on the bed. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw Coffee, Books, and More’s
