Never Dare a Tycoon (14 page)

 

“Where are we going?” Antonia asked, too tired and confused to argue the point.

 

Belinda stared at her blankly. “To get your wedding dress, of course,” she said as if it was the most obvious conclusion in the world.

 

Chapter 7

The four of them pushed a stunned Antonia into her bedroom and told her to shower and change. Antonia stood in the middle of her bedroom, realizing that she was quickly losing control of her life. Others were directing it, making sure she was playing her part, but ignoring her if she wasn’t and just continuing with the play.

And she couldn’t figure out how to gain control again. Like a robot, she showered, standing under the scalding hot water, hoping to come up with some way to get out of this insanity her life was becoming. But nothing occurred to her. She walked back into her bedroom and stood in front of her closet, wondering what one wore to pick out a wedding dress.

She was just about to reach for something that might be appropriate, but then changed her mind. Pulling out a black, short sleeved sweater and jeans, she added a plaid, tan, wool men’s jacket she’d found at a consignment shop a few months ago. A pair of burgundy loafers and she checked her appearance in the mirror. Her sisters-in-law would be shocked that the debutante look was gone. But she liked her appearance. She felt much more like herself.

Walking out of her bedroom, she expected them to take one look at her outfit and suggest that she put on something prettier for shopping. But they were all sitting in her living room drinking tea and coffee, munching on cookies and discussing ideas for a large wedding.

When they saw her, they all stood up and moved to the kitchen to rinse out their cups. Not a single comment was made regarding her outfit. In fact, none of them even blinked or looked twice at her. Antonia didn’t know what to make of their reaction. Or lack of one, she corrected.

“I’m riding shotgun with Antonia,” Belinda called, and all the others laughed.

 

“Got your keys?” Jennifer said to Antonia, smiling her excitement over the snappy new car.

 

Antonia held up a set of keys for the various locks on her door.

 

“Not those keys,” she said, laughing. “These!” she said and handed Antonia the keys to the Porsche.

 

“Hold on everyone. We can go shopping, but I’m not buying a wedding dress. And that’s final!”

Belinda laughed. “Well, just humor us then, ok? We’d like to see what you look like in a big, formal wedding dress. It’s in our nature to dream and plan functions so humor us, Okay?”

Antonia shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Marsha laughed. “Sure it is. You’ll love dressing up in all those gorgeous gowns. But if we try doing it, the salespeople will get mad since we all have wedding rings. They’d know we were lying. You’re our only hope.”

Antonia dropped her keys in into the deep pockets of her jacket along with her wallet then followed them out the door, shaking her head in reaction to Marsha’s pleading. “No way.” But she followed the women out the door, eager to get a closer look at the Porsche.

Down on the street, Antonia stared at the little car. It was more impressive close up. She was itching to find out how it handled. But also a little afraid to accept such an extravagant gift from a man she wasn’t going to marry, no matter what everyone said.

“Try it out,” Belinda said, getting into the passenger seat.

 

“We’ll meet you at La Tessa’s,” Marsha called as Jennifer and Barbara got into her car.

Antonia sat down in the soft leather seat, loving the texture and the fit. It was as if it was made for her. She moved the seat forward slightly then turned over the engine. It purred like a kitten. Antonia had never heard such a wonderful sound. Letting herself go for the moment, she decided to experience the car today. She would think of it as a sort of test drive, extended for the afternoon. “Got your seatbelt on?” Antonia asked, turning to Belinda with a huge smile on her face.

“You bet!” Belinda replied, excited at the prospect of riding in the fast looking car.

Antonia pulled out carefully enough, then tapped the accelerator slightly, springing the car into action as it sped down the street. Eager to test it out, Antonia drove onto the interstate and headed west out of the city. With the top down like this, it was just like her motorcycle with the mask up. She loved it!

She was flying down the highway, testing out the engine, seeing how fast she dared to drive it. The machine cornered and held to the road like nothing she’d ever experienced. Antonia was in love.

The sirens rose over her joyful laughter. Checking in her mirror, her fears were confirmed. She’d been nabbed. Antonia looked over at Belinda and both women laughed. Carefully, she pulled to the side of the road and waited for the police officer to come forward.

He took his time, making Antonia wait. She saw him talk on his radio a moment, then type up some information on a dashboard computer. He finally got out of the car and sauntered over to the driver’s side, one hand covering his weapon.

“May I see your driver’s license and registration please?” he asked politely, but it was more of an order than a request.

 

Antonia handed both to him, smiling brightly. “Is there a problem, Officer?” Antonia asked, pretending ignorance.

 

“I see you still have the thirty day tags on this vehicle, Ms. Attracelli.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“When did you purchase this?” he asked.

 

“I didn’t,” she said. “It was a gift from a friend.”

 

Belinda laughed. “Your fiancé now,” she corrected.

 

Antonia rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah.”

 

“Who’s the owner of the car?” he asked, turning the registration over to look at the back.

 

“I guess its still in Brett Hancock’s name,” Antonia surmised.

 

“Mr. Brett Hancock?” the officer asked, surprised. “Of Hancock Enterprises?”

 

“I think that’s what he said,” Antonia said, knowing where this was going.

 

“You mean you don’t know where your fiancé works?” he asked, his voice heavily laced with suspicion.

 

Uh,oh. She didn’t like the sound of this. “Well, we haven’t known each other for long. And we don’t usually discuss business.”

 

The officer eyed her suspiciously. “Would you mind getting out of the car, Ma’am?” he said, putting his hand back on his pistol.

 

Antonia didn’t believe this. “What’s wrong?” she asked, but she immediately got out of the car and stood next to him on the side of the highway. “Mr. Hancock is a large donor to the police officers’ fund raising campaigns. I’d like to check this out. Please step away from the car,” he asked.

 

Antonia and Belinda stepped out of the car, Belinda coming around to Antonia’s side which was away from the traffic.

 

“I’m never going to live this down, am I?” Antonia asked.

 

Belinda just threw back her head and laughed. “Not on your life!” she said, throwing an arm around her.

Even Antonia thought it was hilarious. The officer walked back to his patrol car and spoke into his radio. After several minutes, he came back and handed Antonia her driver’s license and registration.

“My apologies, Ms. Attracelli. Dispatch contacted Mr. Hancock and he was able to describe you. I’ll let you off with a warning this time,” he said, winking. “Mr. Hancock says the same thing.”

The officer chuckled as he walked back to his patrol car, his shoulders shaking with his mirth.

 

“I’m sure this is just the thing to brighten his day,” Antonia said.

 

“Mine too,” Belinda said, walking back around the car.

 

“I don’t suppose there’s any way you could keep this to yourself,” Antonia asked as she yanked the driver’s side door open and sat back down in the seat.

 

“You’re kidding, right?” Belinda said, laughing again as she got into the car.

 

“That’s what I thought,” Antonia sighed as she pulled back into traffic.

It took them another fifteen minutes to get back into the city and to the store where the others were waiting. Once inside, Belinda told the whole story, laughing along with everyone else as she did.

Since there was no way to convince them that she was not getting married, she resigned herself to the wedding dress ordeal. She didn’t admit to anyone that seeing the lovely dresses and imagining herself in them, coming down the aisle to a waiting Brett was more inducement than anything to try on the dresses. The store owner was on hand for the fittings and was gently guiding Antonia into the dressing room. The five women went through dress after dress, holding them up to Antonia or themselves, trying to determine which was the best style.

She was stuffed into the first one. Once she was all buttoned up, laced up and pinned, she moved back to the show room. Just like at Saks, she stepped onto the platform and turned to see her reflection in the mirror.

Antonia was horrified. There was so much lace and beadwork on this dress that she was consumed by it. She was covered in lace from her neck to her wrists and waist, then the full skirt flared out with pearls embedded everywhere, falling down to a cathedral train behind her.

All four women saw Antonia’s revulsion at her appearance and laughed. “I guess that’s not your dream dress, huh?” Jennifer said.

 

Antonia didn’t even respond. She simply went back into the dressing room and was stuffed into the next one.

It was just as horrible, but this one was the opposite. The beadwork was on the bodice, coming to a choker at her neck. The skirt was covered in lace that fell in layers to the floor. She felt like a Spanish dancer.

Three stores and twenty-three dresses later and Antonia called it quits. “I can’t take anymore,” Antonia held up her hands. “It’s almost two o’clock. Please, feed me and then let’s discuss something else.”

Everyone agreed. They moved to the closest restaurant and ordered salads and fruit plates. Antonia couldn’t do it. She was starving. Instead of a salad, she ordered a cheeseburger, medium rare with lots of French fries. She expected everyone to give her a lecture on eating properly, but when the waiter left, they launched into a discussion about flowers and colors, completely shocking Antonia yet again with their lack of a comment on her unladylike choices.

With everyone making suggestions, she had no idea what anyone was talking about. Belinda thought pink was the ideal color for a spring wedding. Marsha argued for something stronger and more creative, like a soft orange. Jennifer thought that was much too brassy for spring and should only be used during fall weddings. She suggested periwinkle. But Barbara said that too many weddings were being done in periwinkle now. She thought fuchsia was a nice change.

Their meals arrived and everyone dug into their salads except for Antonia who took a huge, fortifying bite out of her burger. It was exactly what she wanted. The juice dripped down her chin and onto her fingers. ketchup and mustard to both the burger and the fries. afternoon and since she hadn’t eaten dinner last night and couldn’t stomach food this morning, she was famished.
She concentrated on adding She felt exhausted from the

After having a lively argument over the use of colors, they turned to Antonia and waited for her opinion. Swallowing the huge bite of beef as quickly as possible, Antonia wondered what the appropriate response was at this moment.

“Sorry. I’m still going with the assertion that this wedding is not going to happen,” Antonia explained.

 

All four women laughed.

“I’m not sure you understand how insistent Brett is about all this,” Marsha explained. “Father Bruno has already placed the bans, the church is reserved, Sal suggested that we have the reception at the house. I think a buffet dinner by the pool would be perfect, followed by a formal dance in the ballroom afterwards. What do you think?”

Antonia stopped listening after she heard that the church was already reserved. “Who reserved the church?”

 

Jennifer laughed. “Brett did. He called first thing this morning,” she said.

Antonia groaned pulled her burger closer, taking another fortifying bite. Things were happening too fast. Why wasn’t anyone asking her opinion about these things? Well, to be honest, they were asking her opinion. She just couldn’t deal with the decisions.

Why in the world did Brett want to marry her? Surely there was a logical explanation for all this. An explanation besides sex, she told herself. seem like the type to fall into marriage just for mind-blowing sex. conversation drift along around her as she finished her burger and most of her French fries, going over possible reasons in her mind. Each one, she discarded as too silly or not really fitting into Brett’s personality, or what she knew of it.
Brett didn’t She let the

“We’d better get out of here,” Belinda said. “Antonia’s got to get ready for her night with Brett.”

 

“What’s going on tonight?” Antonia asked, suspicious about the secret looks the four of them were giving each other.

 

“You’ll find out,” Jennifer said. “I think there’s something waiting for you at the house,” Jennifer said.

 

“I’m not going back to the house. In fact, I have to call Mike, my boss, and make sure I still have a job.”

 

Marsha shook her head sadly. “There’s no need to call. You’ve been terminated.”

 

Antonia fell back into her chair. “Why?”

Marsha’s eyes widened, as if Antonia should already know the answer to that question. “Officially, for lying on your application, Ms. Mazzuchelli,” Marsha said. “Unofficially, because your fiancé thought it wasn’t appropriate. What that means, I have no idea. But that’s what we were told.”

After a moment of silence, Jennifer ventured, “Are you going to tell us?” she asked hopefully.

Antonia shook her head. “No. I’m not,” she said. Then a thought struck her. “I guess my stuff has all been moved out of my apartment by now?” she asked, not believing how much of a sucker she was.

“Of course. Your clothes are at Sal’s house. Your furniture is at Brett’s.”

 

“Why is my furniture at Brett’s house?” she asked, feeling the noose tighten.

 

The four women looked confused. “Well, that’s where you’ll be living, silly.”