The Lawson Boys: Marty (33 page)

“Tim whipped
your arse at pool, huh?”

“Man’s a
cheat. He should have told me that he was the champion of his
university pool club when he was there studying to be a vet.” Marty
grinned, but it faded just as fast. “Belle and Cindy were talking,
and when we left Belle seemed okay, but she was quiet. I thought
she was just tired, you know? But since then…” When his father said
nothing, Marty sighed and turned to face him. “It was only a couple
of weeks ago, but now when I talk to her on the phone and when I
went to see her last weekend, she was vague about her plans for her
holidays. Some nights I ring her and I only get her voice mail.
It’s a couple of hours before she rings me back. It never used to
be like that.”

Mr Lawson
studied him seriously. “You’re worried that she’s drifting
away.”

Marty clenched
his jaw in an effort to swallow the sudden lump of fear in his
throat. “Yeah.”

Getting out of
the chair, his father crossed the room to him and placed his hand
on Marty’s shoulder. “I think you should ask Cindy what she talked
about with Belle.”

“I did.”

“And?”

“It wasn’t
about the long hours or trips I do that bothered Belle, it was the
social side.”

“The dinners
and the parties?”

“Yes.’

“Its part of
our networking, son.”

“I know.”

“So what are
you going to do about it?”

Marty shook
his head. “I don’t know. I’m scared I’m losing her because she
doesn’t want to be a part of the social scene, and I can live with
her not going to parties and things as long as she’s in my
life.”

“Did you tell
her that?”

“I tried.
Holly was there and Belle was starting to get uneasy and shooting
her these glances and so Holly kept changing the subject, and -
hell, Dad, I didn’t really know what to do!” Unable to stay still
any longer, Marty paced the room while shoving his hand agitatedly
through his hair. “I didn’t want to push it, didn’t want to have an
argument that might make Belle decide that…that…”

“You’re not
worth it?” Mr Lawson filled in the gap.

“Yeah.”
Stopping in the middle of the room, Marty’s shoulders slumped. “I
love her so much, Dad. I love her so much and I’m scared I’m going
to lose her.”

“So like I
said, you can shift to her town and do business from there.”

Marty looked
at him. “What if she doesn’t love me back, Dad? What if she’s
realising it?” That bloody lump swelled in his throat. “What if I’m
losing her?”

Moving close,
Mr Lawson laid his hand again on Marty’s shoulder. “Marty, you’re a
man worthy of love. Once you give it to someone, it’s for
life.”

“I’ve given it
to Belle.” His voice was husky. “I just don’t know if it’s
enough.”

“Maybe you’re underestimating her. Belle is a special girl,
she’s not stupid.” Mr Lawson gazed seriously into his eyes. “I
think you need to talk to her, Marty. I mean
talk
to her, tell her
everything.”

“Spill my
guts.”

“All over the
floor if you need to.”

“Never had to
before.” Marty’s smile was tight. “Didn’t know how hard it would
be.”

“To tell
someone you love them and want them forever?”

“To hear them
say no.”

“Son.” His
father’s eyes were gentle. “You asked Belle to trust you. Maybe you
need to learn the same thing.”

“I do trust
her. I’m just scared. Yeah, I’m scared.”

“Love has a way
of twisting us up in knots. Women think it’s just them but little
do they know.” Mr Lawson shook his head. “I had to get your mother
knocked up before she’d marry me.”

“Dad!
Jesus!”

“Hey, she
wanted to wait another year. I wanted a ring on her finger and her
in my bed before that other idiot chasing her got to her
first.”

“You want me to
knock Belle up?”

“Your mother
would kill you.”

“Don’t see
why, after all-”

“You ever tell
her I let that secret slip and you’re history.” Mr Lawson poked him
in the chest. “Son or not, I’ll make your life a misery.”

“Blackmail
works both ways.”

“That’s nothing
compared to your mother finding out. Blackmail or not, she’ll have
both our hides then.”

Marty
grinned.

“God, I love
that woman.” Mr Lawson smiled.

“You’d do
anything for her, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes.” Mr
Lawson looked soberly at Marty. “I’d fight for her. But one thing I
learned early on in our marriage was that we had to talk, to be
honest no matter how worried I was at the outcome.”

Marty was
silent a moment before he nodded slowly. “Yeah. I get it.”

“So what are
you going to do?”

“There’s the
Maiton dinner tomorrow night.” Marty crossed to his desk and picked
up his phone. “I won’t be there.”

“Good
plan.”

Marty phoned
the flight booking centre but all the early flights were booked
out. The only one he managed to get was the last seat on the
afternoon four o’clock flight. It would have to do. Replacing the
phone on the cradle, he turned to his father. “Don’t tell anyone,
not Mum, not Cindy. Please. I don’t want to risk Belle knowing I’m
coming.”

“They wouldn’t
tell if you asked them, but nevertheless my lips are sealed.” Mr
Lawson hugged Marty and gave his hair a fatherly ruffle. “You know
where I am if you need anything. And I mean anything, all
right?”

“Thanks,
Dad.”

Alone in the
office once more, Marty stared out at the now dark horizon. By this
time tomorrow night he’d be at Belle’s place, and this time he
didn’t intend to leave without knowing for once and for all if she
was going to share his life forever. He couldn’t bear the
uncertainty of what was happening, her vague answers, the thought
of the woman he loved slipping through his fingers.

Catching sight
of his reflection in the window, he saw how pale he looked, his
hair rumpled, his tie askew. Christ, he looked like a man watching
his life slipping away.

What the hell…? No way!
No way was
he going to stand by and let her say no and just run back home like
a whipped dog.

No freakin’
way, that wasn’t Marty Lawson, the shark of the business world. The
man who’d had countless women chasing him. No way. Marty Lawson had
always known what he’d wanted and he’d gone after it come hell or
high water. He’d enjoyed the chase as much as the capture.

Shoulders
straightening with renewed vigour and determination, Marty swung
away from the window and strode across the floor of the office.
Belle Broune was his and nothing on this earth was going to stop
him claiming her. They were meant to be together and he’d do
whatever it took to bind her to him. To bind them together.

It was time to
find a jewellers and make it legal. Hell yes.

Marty Lawson
was back.

~*~

Belle’s house
was locked up and the lights were off. The garage was locked. She
wasn’t answering her phone.

Belle wasn’t
home.

Standing in the driveway with his suitcase at his feet, Marty
was bewildered. What the hell was going on? What the
hell
…?

He dialled her mobile phone again.
Pick up pick up pick up!
No,
straight to voice mail. He texted. Again. Nothing.
Again.

Frustrated, he punched in Holly’s phone number. When she
answered, he meant to ask calmly “Where’s Belle?” Instead, he
almost yelled, “What the hell, Holly? Where is she? Is she with
someone else? Has Belle dumped me?
What
the hell, Holly?
Someone talk to
me!”

“Wow,” replied
Holly. “This must be Marty.”

“Goddamn it,
yes!”

“And Belle
isn’t with you?’

Oh Jesus, it
was as he feared. “She’s not with you?”

“Why would she
be?”

“Why wouldn’t
she?” The invisible hand clutching his heart squeezed tight. When
she didn’t reply, he gripped the phone tighter. “Holly, what’s
going on? Is she dumping me?”

“Whoa.” Holly
spoke slowly and carefully. “Let me get this straight, she’s not
with you?”

“I told you
that!”

“So where is
she?”

“I don’t
know!”

“She’s not at
the party?”

“Party?”

“Yeah.
Party.”

“What
party?”

“The fancy
dinner.”

“What fancy
dinner?”

“Marty, where
are you exactly?”

“Outside
Belle’s house. It’s all locked up and she’s not home. Holly, you
better bloody tell me who she’s gone to dinner with! You tell me
right now and-”

“You.”

That stopped
his tirade in its tracks. “What?”

“You. She’s
supposed to be at the fancy dinner with you.”

“I’m not at a
fancy dinner.”

“Yeah, I get
that.” Holly sounded puzzled.

Closing his
eyes, Marty took a deep breath. “Belle told you she was going to a
dinner with me?”

“In the
city.”

“But she’s not
coming to the city.”

“Oh yeah, she
was. Is. She wanted to surprise you.”

Marty’s mind
went blank. “Surprise me?”

“Look, you
better get your fine arse over to my place and I’ll explain.”

“No. You
explain everything to me now.”

“Fine. But I
have food and drink.”

“With all due
respect, Holly, I don’t give a flying fig. Now what about
Belle?”

“Your loss. The
food and drink, I mean.”

“Holly,” he
growled.

“Settle, petal.
Now listen, remember when Belle went to that dance and she
couldn’t, well, dance?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So, she was
embarrassed that she’d embarrassed you-”

“She didn’t
embarrass me. We had fun.”

“Sure you had
fun, but she wanted to be able to dance like all those other fancy
ladies with their men. Make you proud. Understand?”

“I’m already
proud of her.’

“Cripes, stay with me on this, Marty.
Listen
.”

Reining in his
impatience, Marty nodded. Then he remembered that Holly couldn’t
see him, so he grunted.

“I’ll take
that as a yes,” Holly said dryly. “So anyway, she wanted to be the
kind of woman you need by your side at these fancy business things
you go to.”

“She doesn’t
have to do anything-”

“Last chance,
Lawson. You listen and stop interrupting or I’m hanging up.”

“I know where
you live.”

“I have my
boyfriend here with me.”

“What, I’m
supposed to be afraid? I don’t care.”

“Tick tock,
the clock’s ticking.”

“Okay.” Taking
several calming breaths, Marty sat down on the veranda step. “Okay,
I’m sitting. I’m sorry. I just…go on, Holly. I’m listening.”

“Good. Now,
she spoke to your sister about all these things you go to in the
name of business and pleasure, found out a little about the dinners
and dancing and things. Then she enrolled in dancing classes, and
she actually went to Mrs Mixen and had her teach her the art of
fine dining.”

“I don’t
believe it,” Marty said.

“Nor me. The
town’s old tart knowing fine dining etiquette? Go figure.”

“No, I meant I
don’t believe she thought all that was important to me.”

“You’re missing
the point,” Holly said. “It was important to her that she knew what
to do when she stood beside you at these fancy events.”

“I’ve never
been ashamed of her, Holly. I only want her to be happy.”

“Marty.”
Holly’s voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “It makes her happy
when you’re happy. It makes her happy to do this for you. It makes
her happy to know what to do when she stands beside you.”

When she stands beside you
. Those
last five words seeped through Marty’s mind. His erratically
beating heart slowed down a little, steadied. She’d been learning
all this stuff so that when she stood beside him, she’d know what
to do.

Now it all
made sense. “All this time she wasn’t answering her phone, she was
at dancing lessons and learning the dining stuff?”

“You got it,”
Holly agreed.

“And she was
vague about her holidays because she was planning on coming to the
city and surprising me.”

“Yep.”

“How did she
get an invite to the dinner?”

“Cindy wangled
it. You officially needed a partner, so instead of taking your
cousin as you mentioned, Cindy had the invite changed to
Belle.”

“So she’s at
the dinner. Tonight.” A thought struck Marty and he slapped the
heel of his hand against his forehead. “Oh shit!”

“Yeah.”

“The dinner.
The party. Tonight?”

“That’d be the
one.”

“At the
Maiton’s?”

“Dead on.”

“Where I’m
supposed to be right now.” Marty slumped against the veranda post.
“Oh shit. Oh hell. Oh, so not cool.”

“Sure you
don’t want to come around now for that drink?” Holly asked
sympathetically.

Marty dragged
his hand down his face. “Thanks, but no.”

After a few
seconds silence, Holly spoke again. “So what are you going to do?
You’re welcome to crash here at my place. Or the Brounes wouldn’t
mind, I’m sure.”

“No, it’s
fine. I’ll head back to the airport and catch a flight back to the
city. Thanks so much, Holly.”

“Hey, no
worries. You take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will.
Thanks.” Marty hung up and phoned the flight booking centre. This
time he had to wait for the nine am flight, so he phoned a taxi to
take him to the local motel for the night. While he waited for the
taxi to arrive he rang Cindy’s number. There was no answer.
Figured. He tried Tim’s with the same response. Next, he tried his
father’s mobile.