Crazy For You (23 page)

“I want what’s best for Roxanne,” Frank said, as if
he really meant it. “But I just can’t help but wonder…”

“What?”

“If what you say is true…was it wise to send Frankie
up there to be with her?”

“Roxanne is no threat or danger to her son,” Jerry
said. “Fact is…he seems to be her only link to reality. And the
only time she’s truly okay, is when she’s with him.”

“Well I guess I have to trust your judgment.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Jerry asked,
but didn’t wait for a reply. “What exactly are your intentions
toward Roxanne?”

Frank resented that. “If it’s any of your business…I
intend to marry her. Which is something I should have been given
the opportunity to do a long time ago.”

Frank had a point there. One that even that
fruitcake shrink would have a hard time arguing.

Frank didn’t know if he could buy all this psychotic
nonsense. Sure, she’d done some pretty stupid things in her time,
but he didn’t think the reason could be labeled as
crazy
.
Still, he couldn’t take the chance of refusing to believe it. He
had to make certain she stayed sane long enough for him to
accomplish his objective. After that, he didn’t give a damn what
happened to her. If she really was nuts, it would make his job a
whole lot easier. But until that time came, he had to play the role
of the concerned husband-to-be.

***

Chapter 21

R
oxanne’s home sat on the
south shore of Lake Ellen. Homes with private docks lined the
south, east, and west shores while the north shore housed an elite
Country Club. Roxanne’s home sat near the center of the south
shore. Two walls of windows lined her study located on the second
floor of the western corner. On a clear day, she could see the
entire lake and its surrounding areas.

Sometimes, she’d just sit and stare out the window,
taking in the goings-on around the lake. Today there was nothing
going on. The rain fell steadily while she tried to work on her new
book, but her attention kept slipping back to the scene outside.
With her elbow propped on the desk, she rested her chin in the palm
of her hand.

She gazed toward the lake toward the golf course.
Naturally it was deserted today. The golfers probably had to resort
to work due to the rain.

The lake was empty, too. Usually, there were three
or four boats out there and some pulled water skiers behind them.
But not today. Nothing was going on out there today. No one on the
golf course, no one on the docks, and no one in their boats on the
lake. The desolate scene left Roxanne with a lonely feeling.

A sudden chill of lonesomeness rushed over her and
she thought about Frank. She’d always loved him so much, but she’d
also hurt him. Although she believed he’d forgiven her, she had to
wonder why he’d done it so easily. Deep down she knew it was all
wrong. She also knew she couldn’t do anything about it. She needed
to be with him. But more importantly she needed to be fair to him
for a change.

The knock at the door brought her back to reality.
Usually, she knew in an instant the identity of the person on the
other side of the door, but this time she had no idea who was out
there. “Yes,” she called out, a little puzzled.

The door crept open and Frank walked in with a
smile, obviously proud of himself for some reason. Yet, he still
wore those damned sunglasses. Roxanne tried to smile, wishing he’d
take them off.

He strolled across the room and stopped in front of
her desk. “You know,” he said, looking around, “you need a chair in
here.”

“I have a chair in here,” she said of the one she
was sitting in.

“I’d like to talk to you. But there’s nowhere for me
to sit.”

She rested her chin in the palm of her hand.
“There’s a chair out in the hallway.”

Frank’s spirit never faltered as he headed for the
hall and retrieved the chair. He brought it inside and placed it
directly in front of her desk. Sitting down, he stuck his hands
inside his jacket pockets.

“What’s up?” she asked, her chin still in her
hand.

“You know that I love you.”

“So you say.”

“Do you believe it?” He fiddled with the
velvety-soft box in his pocket.

Roxanne didn’t say anything right away. It was like
she was thinking about it. “Yes,” she finally said. But the look on
her face suggested she didn’t know why she believed it.

Frank took the black jewelry box out of his pocket,
opened it and set it on the desk in front of her. “Will you marry
me?” he asked with overwhelming confidence.

The emerald-cut pink diamond shined with all its
brilliancy against the black velvet. The 2.19-carat intense pink
gem in its platinum setting took Roxanne’s breath away. The
diamond’s natural color, a vivid hot pink, could be compared to a
bright pink snapdragon or the fruit of a pomegranate.

The geological process that colors a diamond pink
remains a mystery—which is why Frank chose that particular color.
He was well aware that anyone who saw it would never suspect that
he had ulterior motives.

Finally, her eyes sparkled with an odd light, but it
was overshadowed by the smile tipping her mouth. She nodded before
she said, “Yes.”

A
few days later on
November 12th, Frank’s birthday, he and Roxanne married in a simple
ceremony. If he’d had his way the small guest list would’ve been a
lot smaller. While he was in favor of Rich, Frankie, Candy, and of
course the band and Glenna being there—he wasn’t happy about
Jameson and Rose’s presence as guests. They were servants and he
saw no reason for them being treated otherwise. He didn’t see the
point in Roxanne’s publisher or her agent attending. And he
wouldn’t have invited that fruitcake shrink to come nosing around
either. But they were her friends, and Frank had to agree to their
presence to get what he wanted. He didn’t have to like it
though.

Once the ceremony was sealed with a kiss, the
caterers served champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

At Candy’s request, Rich took her to Roxanne’s side.
“Can I get you girls anything?” he said, as if he knew Candy wanted
to talk to Roxanne alone.

“You can get us a joint.” Roxanne’s soft laughter
pealed through the room.

“One joint coming up. I’ll send it over with
Glenna.”

“Let’s step out by the pool,” Roxanne suggested,
leading Candy outside.

“How are you?” Candy asked, feeling for the table
and chair as she sat down.

“Fine.”

“Are you happy?”

“Yes.” Roxanne was glad Candy couldn’t see her face,
and she prayed the girl wouldn’t sense anything different in her
voice.

“I’ve waited so long for this,” Candy said, sadness
invading her tone. “And now that it’s happened…I can’t see it.”

“You will regain your sight. And when you do…you’ll
be happy to know there’s a video tape.” Roxanne wanted nothing more
than to shift the conversation away from herself. “I might add that
Rich looks incredibly handsome in his tux.”

Candy laughed softly, but didn’t say anything.

Glenna slipped out onto the terrace and joined
Roxanne and Candy. “A toast…?” She waved the joint in the air
before firing it up.

“What are we toasting?” Roxanne giggled. “Besides
the joint and us?”

“Us.” Glenna nodded. “That’s a good start…don’t you
think?”

“Just like old times,” Candy said softly.

From inside the house, Frank watched them pass the
joint around and listened as the air filled with their laughter.
Watching them reminded him of the old days. But a lot of time had
passed and a great many things had happened since then. They were
all wealthy, for one thing. And God knows a lot older. But watching
the three of them right now, it seemed like the time and changes
that had taken place had no meaning. They were acting the same as
they always had. Definitely three peas in a pod.

Can we change the rules

Or are we just a couple of fools

Maybe the rain can wash

All our troubles away

And bring us hope again

And the promise of a new day

F
rank and Roxanne hadn’t
planned a honeymoon, both had agreed they had too much work to do.
Just to placate her, he suggested they postpone it until the band
finished the new album. For the wedding night, he booked a suite on
the shoreline of Sunset Beach.

The word got out quickly once the newlyweds checked
into the hotel. But that didn’t bother Frank. He was counting on
the press to do their part. Frank wanted the whole world to know
Roxanne was his wife. He especially wanted Kirk Bronson and David
Faulkner to know that. More than anybody else, he wanted them to
know it.

Nothing that happened to Roxanne during their
five-year separation had eluded Frank. He knew all about her
affairs with her co-stars. First Kirk Bronson, then David Faulkner.
Frank wanted them both to know she belonged to him, she always had
and this wedding proved it. But more importantly, he wanted the
entire world to know that Frankie was
his
son.

Frank made the casual suggestion that they go down
to the beach—knowing how much Roxanne loved it—and watch the sun
set and maybe the stars come out. He made no attempt to conceal
their intentions, parading her through the hotel lobby on one arm
and a blanket under the other. His intent was to make sure that all
who noticed could easily guess their destination. If Frank turned
out to be as lucky as he thought, then it shouldn’t take the press
much more than twenty minutes or so to swarm them.

He spread the blanket over the sand and lay down on
his side, propping his head in his hand. Roxanne sat down and
leaned against his chest.

There weren’t too many people left on the beach now
that the sun had slipped behind the horizon. The fact that the
press wouldn’t have to look too hard to find them pleased
Frank.

“Look.” Roxanne pointed toward the sky. “The evening
star.”

“You’re right.”

“When I was little...I used to wish on the first
star of the evening.”

“Did your wishes ever come true?”

“Sometimes.” She gave him an optimistic smile.

“You going to make a wish now?”

“I will if you will.”

“Do I have to tell you what it is?”

“No!” she said quickly. “You have to keep it a
secret. Or it won’t come true.”

“Okay.” He smiled to himself. Her optimism was
infectious. But he had to remember why he was really here.

They sat silently for a time, making their
respective wishes.

I wish
, Roxanne thought,
that we can be
happy together
.

Frank savored the thought of a wish. There were lots
of possibilities, but the one he favored best:
I
wish
...
that she really is crazy
!

Confident that he’d made the best of all possible
wishes, he said out loud, “What did you wish for?”

“I can’t tell you that. It won’t come true.”

“I’ll tell you mine,” he said. “If you’ll tell me
yours.”

“Tell me yours first?”

“All right. I wished that our love would last
forever.”

“Really?” she said, as if that surprised her.

“Really.” He looked her straight in the eye. “What’d
you wish for?”

“I wished we could be happy together.”

Yeah. Like that’s going to happen.

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked, searching his
face.

“Sure.”

“Are you going to wear those things forever?”

What, the sunglasses? Frank knew why she wanted him
to take them off, and that’s exactly why he wouldn’t. She’d seen
inside his soul, and he refused to let that happen again.
“Roxanne...” He paused, merely for effect. “I do love you,” he said
with a twinge of honesty. “I always have and I always will.” But
that didn’t change the fact that she had to be punished for what
she’d done to him.

She looked at the rings he’d placed on her finger
and hesitated, eyes glued to the jewelry. She finally looked back
at him with the beginnings of tears glistening her eyes. “My heart
is in your hands,” she said. “And I do love you.”

Frank heard chattering voices behind them, thankful
for the interruption. He looked over his shoulder and saw the
oncoming reporters.
Finally
. He jumped to his feet and
extended his hand to Roxanne. “Come on,” he said, helping her up.
“It’s the press.”

As the crowd approached, she clung tightly to
Frank’s hand and stood close to him, as if he were her
protector.

“Frank,” someone yelled out. “Is it true?” Camera
flashes lit up the night. “Did you marry Roxanne today?”

“Yes,” he said coolly. “That is true.”

Flashes continued to go off and Frank realized the
pictures would be plastered everywhere tomorrow. In every
newspaper, tabloid, and magazine. He took Roxanne’s face in his
hands and kissed her sweetly. The photographers tried to capture a
shot of the kiss. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

This was the picture he hoped ended up in all the
papers around the country. That’d increase the chances of Kirk
Bronson and David Faulkner seeing it.

“What about your son, Roxanne?” A reporter squeezed
to the front of the crowd. “How is he taking this?”

Once he came into view, Roxanne recognized him right
away. It seemed, over the years, this guy had nothing better to do
than to follow her around wherever she went. “Max.” She gave him a
dry, unfriendly greeting.

“Well…how about it?” he challenged her. “How is your
son adjusting to having a step-father?”

Roxanne didn’t imagine that inquiry sat too well
with Frank.

“I’d like to set the record straight,” Frank said,
proving her right. “Roxanne’s child…Frankie is my biological
son.”

Max directed his curiosity at Roxanne. “Is that
true?”

“Yes.”