2 Queenie Baby - Out of Office (12 page)

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"They're both gold diggers. Margarite ran through two husbands and a rich old boyfriend before Carlos hit the big-time. She thinks she's found herself rich husband number three. And he thinks he's found a way to tide himself over until Ed kicks the bucket."

"You're kidding? They look so happy together." I couldn't believe it. My experiences with David had been short and unpleasant, but I assumed he had not been at his best because of his father. Hey, far be it for me to judge people based on their families.

"Oh, they look like two love birds alright. I hope they fall in love for real. Make them suffer like the rest of us," he said with a mock glare at me.

"Ahoy, mateys," called Carlos, plopping down in the seat next to Mark. "Why the long faces?"

I took a swig of my drink, and Mark grinned. It was going to take more than a wacky singing pirate to lighten my mood.

"Well, I've got a wee bit of news that might brighten yer day," Carlos continued. "Roger and Phil are on board with the plan. We're singin' together Saturday in front of ten thousand people!"

"We are?" I asked, surprised that there hadn't been more threatening and pleading as part of the negotiations.

Carlos nodded. "We practice tomorrow all day at my place. Concert Saturday and then back to the mainland Sunday. The U.S. tour is supposed to start next month," he added.

Mark groaned.

"Buck up, Mate! You'll be my guests at the villa. I'm planning a big kick off party tomorrow night. 'Pirates of Puerto Rico' is the theme."

I raised my brows. "Surprised Phil and Roger are letting that happen."

Carlos laughed. "Well, we've come to an accord of our own of sorts. I can let my pirate be free off stage, as long as I don't bring it on stage."

"That sounds fair," I replied.

"Aye," he agreed with a twinkle in his eye. "One step at a time." He tipped his imaginary hat and strode back to the bar. He sat down, grabbed his guitar, and began playing the opening chords of a jaunty Spanish club song. The audience cheered.

Mark shook his head. "Now there's a kook. Do we really have to spend two nights on a pirate ship?"

I glanced over at him. "Well, I do. You can do what you want. And it's not a pirate ship."

"Oh, no," he said firmly. "If you go, I go. I'm not going to have hot, ex-boyfriend number two wandering into your bed in the middle of the night."

"Mark," I said suddenly, "do I really have a check for fifty-seven thousand dollars in my purse?"

Mark turned towards me and touched my chin, gently turning my face to his. "Yep," he replied. "And you deserve every penny of it."

He kissed me softly on the lips. I kissed him back, but my brain kept whirring around the concept of all that cash. I could pay off my mortgage. Or maybe buy a new car. I could stop working for a crazy vampire…

"Excuse me," a girlish voice interrupted.

I looked up to see five teen girls standing in front of us. "Yes?" I asked.

"We heard you sing and were wondering if we could have your autograph?" the ringleader asked.

"Should you girls be in a bar?" Mark asked.

"We're not drinking," said a girl with several face piercings who was standing behind the ringleader.

"Besides," said the ringleader with a shrug, "it's Puerto Rico. They sell beer at the intersections."

She had a point.

"So can we have your autograph?" she asked again.

"Of course," I replied brightly. It had been awhile since anyone had asked me for an autograph. And even then, it was usually just a bunch of drunken guys in Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops.

I tried to write original, witty notes, but gave up after the second girl and signed the rest, "Best Wishes, Diana Hudson."

"Cool. Thanks!" the ringleader said as they walked away. "We think you're awesome."

"I think you're awesome, too," Mark said, leaning over to nuzzle my neck.

I feigned annoyance and pulled back. "I thought you were worried about my old boyfriends."

"Nah," he said, running his hand up my leg, "now I'm just worried about getting you back in bed."

Heat flared through my body at his touch. "Well, in that case," I said leaning over to kiss him, "let's shake a leg, matey."

"Did you have to go pirate on me?" Mark asked with a sigh.

"I think it's catching," I teased.

I stood up and looked around. "Wow! This is what I call a garden party."

Ola Lola's was overflowing with people. The tables were full, and patrons had resorted to setting up folding chairs around the deck and drinking out of Igloo coolers. Jack was working the bar area like a master. It looked like his wife had joined him, and a couple of extra waitresses had appeared to try to keep up with the steady flow of customers.

I waved to Carlos. Phil had dug up a portable PA and a mike from somewhere and was running through a sound check. I wondered about Andre, but decided to leave things be tonight. David stepped in front of us as we headed past the bar.

He put out his hand to Mark. "No hard feelings, cuz," he said. "Sincerely. I was way outta line. I know we've never gotten along very well, but I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt." His bravado was toned down a notch without Margarite by his side.

Mark shook his hand grudgingly. "No need to apologize again. Let's just put it behind us. I want Ed and Marcie to have some peace in their lives."

David nodded. "You too, Diana. Didn't mean to be such an ass to you. Guess I didn't make a great first impression."

"No," I said, "You didn't. But if Mark is okay, and Ed and Marcie are happy, then I'm good."

"Well, guess we'll see you tomorrow at the villa," David said as he headed back over to Margarite.

"Great," said Mark. "A pirate, your ex-boyfriend, and my idiot cousin all under one roof. Just great."

"You smell good even in the morning," I murmured, as I snuggled up to Mark.

He threw a heavy leg over me and pulled me in closer. "You feel good especially in the morning," he replied, his hands checking out all of my girlie parts.

I giggled as he continued his exploration. "Let's find out how you taste," he whispered against my neck. His lips traced a path from my neck to my breasts and then
lower
.

Embers flared and my body responded.

And then my phone rang.

What to do?

I tried to ignore it at first. Just concentrate on his stellar downstairs work. It was really good…maybe if I just looked to see who was calling I'd be able to forget about it. I inched my hand over and glanced at the display. Damn! That definitely didn't make it any better.

"Hi, Mom," I said, answering the phone.

Mark's head peeked up at me. "You answered the phone!"

I held up a finger.

"Are you kidding me?" He rested his head on my stomach in defeat.

"Why are you calling Mom?" I asked.

"Are you in bed?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Naked?"

"That's none of your business."

"Oh, thank god!" she cried. "Woohoo! I just won fifty bucks from your sister!"

"You had a bet about my sex life?" I asked.

"Your sister said you'd somehow sabotage this the same way you did with Rick," she explained. "I said my girl's gettin' laid on vacation."

I rolled my eyes. "Do you have to say things like that, Mom?"

She snorted. "Oh, get the stick outta your ass, Diana."

"Why did you call, Mom?"

"We've decided to stay the night when we come over for the Renaissance Fair next week. How many Grands can you take?" she asked, like she was selling fifty-fifty tickets at the fire hall.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked. "None! I can't take any. I'm on the second floor, remember? And I only have one bedroom."

"Don't give me that," my mom cried. "I take care of them everyday. You can take a couple for a night. How about Granddaddy and Grover? They can make it up your stairs just fine."

"They fight constantly. And they'll burn down my condo. Besides," I reasoned, "Granddaddy is still recovering from the accident."

I glanced down at Mark. I think he had fallen asleep on top of me. I didn't blame him. Having your girl answer the phone while you're doing your best work couldn't be very inspiring. I needed to wrap things up.

"They've got Granddaddy practicing on a flight of stairs at rehab every week. He's made a miraculous recovery," my mom insisted.

"Fine!" I snapped. "But you're responsible for getting them to and from the fair. I'll be working most of the time."

"I knew you'd come around," my mom said. "So now that we're done with business, let's talk pleasure. How's he in bed? Better than the accountant I hope."

"Goodbye, Mom," I said and hung up the phone.

"I can't believe you took a phone call while I was down there." He lifted his head and glared at me.

"I'm really sorry about that. You were doing great," I said, trying to be encouraging.

He rolled his eyes and flipped over onto his back. Uh-oh. This was going to take some major making up.

I crawled onto his chest and kissed the stubble on his chin. He opened his eyes.

"You really know how to kill a man's libido," he grumbled.

I kissed his lips and then his neck. "Maybe I can make it up to you," I said kissing his chest and then moving lower. "I know this surefire trick…"

*  *  *

We pulled up to Carlos' villa at noon. Practice was set for later that day. This evening we would have another opportunity to play together at the party. Not a lot time for the band to get used to having a new lead singer, but I'd played with less practice. It always seemed to work out one way or another.

I don't think Mark was quite prepared for Carlos in full pirate mode. Not to mention all the pirate decor that had been brought in for the party.

"This is a joke, right?" Mark asked as we walked through the entranceway and back to the pool area. We emerged onto what looked to be a set from
Pirates of the Caribbean
. There were ropes and planking around the pool to mimic a dock, a model of a pirate ship floated lazily by, and palm trees and sand made the surrounding area feel like a beach. And right in the middle of it all stood Carlos, decked out in all his pirate glory.

He greeted us with a big smile. "Welcome aboard, mateys!"

Mark stared at him dumbfounded.

I stepped forward and gave Carlos a quick hug. "That's some sword you got there," I quipped.

"So the lasses tell me," he replied with a jaunty tip of his head.

"Oh, brother," Mark said.

I jabbed him with my elbow. "Some place you got here, Carlos," he said.

"Aye, my own little pirate's den," Carlos replied merrily. "Can I get you two a drink?"

"Yep, a big one," Mark said. I gave him another jab in the side.

With drinks in hand, Carlos showed us to our room. It was a beautiful suite with double-doors that opened onto a balcony with a breath-taking view of the city below. There was a giant bed in the middle of the room and a tiled bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub.

"Practice is at two. Come on down when you get settled. There's a buffet lunch in the dining room, and the band should be here soon." He removed his hat, gave us a sweeping bow, and shut the door as he left.

Mark said, "What a piece of work."

"Oh, he kind of grows on you after awhile."

"Yeah, like barnacles."

I laughed. "We'll make a pirate out of you yet."

"Come here and give me a kiss, wench," he said, making a grab for me.

Kissing turned into groping, but I put the brakes on when he reached for the straps of my white linen sundress. "We need to get downstairs. I have a lot of catching up to do if I'm going to be ready for the show."

"Work, work, work," Mark grumbled. "I'm going to have to teach you how to have a real vacation."

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Agreed," I said, adding, "maybe we could go to Atlanta. I'd like to see how you live."

Mark shrugged. "It's not very exciting. And I'm not there much."

"Still," I insisted, "it would be nice to see the small things about you. Like how you organize your drawers and what type of tub cleaner you prefer."

He laughed. "I have a cleaning lady, so I have no tub cleaner preferences. And you can do what you want with my drawers." He wiggled his eyes suggestively.

I groaned. "You're worse than Granddaddy."

"Not even close," he said. "But it's something to aspire to."

"Let's go." I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door.

The band members had arrived and were busily munching their way through the buffet. A man with a bald head and eye patch saluted me as Mark and I walked by. Mark cut his eyes to me and sighed.

"Diana," Carlos called from across the pool, "I'd like you to meet my band, The Brethren. Band," he said grandly, "the lovely Diana."

The five members of the band gave a hearty pirate cheer and immediately went back to grazing at the buffet table.

Mark turned to me. "I'm going to grab some lunch and make a few calls. Have fun with your band of brothers." He kissed me on the forehead.

As I watched him walk away, Andre appeared at my side. I must have had a dreamy look on my face because he said, "Finally did the deed, huh?"

I cut my eyes to him. "None of your business."

He turned to me, making me face him. "I get it, Diana," he said earnestly. "You're with him, and maybe you even love him, but the bottom line is you're not with me. That doesn't change how I feel about you."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm really annoyed with you right now, Andre. You hurt me last summer, and you continue to leave out key details from your life, even now that we're supposed to be friends."

He took my arm and led me over to a shady seat by the pool. "Look," he began, "I know I was wrong, and I'm trying to fix that now. No matter what happens with us."

"There's no 'us,'" I reminded him.

He waved his hand. "Okay, but I'm still trying to make things right. Do you know what Linda said when I told her I thought it was time to get a divorce?"

I shook my head and feigned disinterest, but my morbid curiosity was aroused.

"She said, 'Thank God! I didn't want to hurt you, but I want to get on with my life.'" He glanced over at me.

"Ouch," I said. "What about being Catholic and all that?"

"Exactly what I said." His voice rose as he got worked up thinking about. "Turns out she hasn't been to church in over a year. She met somebody and has been trying to figure out how to tell me she wants a divorce."

I shook my head. Life is strange. If I hadn't found out Andre was married during our red hot rendezvous in L.A. last summer, we would've still been together.

"I'm sorry, Andre," I said quietly.

He shook his head. "Not as much as I am. But my point is you have to be honest with yourself and the people you care about to be happy in life."

I nodded in agreement, not sure where this was going.

"You deserved better last summer," he said. "And you deserve better now."

I put my hand on his arm. "Andre," I said more firmly, "I'm happy with Mark. And I think we have a future together. This isn't just a fling."

"I know," he said, putting his hand over mine. "I care about you and want the best for you even if it's not me. That's why I did some more digging on Mark."

I drew my hand back angrily. "I didn't ask you to do that! It's not your place."

"Diana, listen," he said. "Mark's not retired. He's still working for the CIA."

*  *  *

Andre's words echoed in my head as I warmed up with the band. I didn't know what to think. Was Andre just trying to come between Mark and me? Or was he telling the truth? Mark was gone for over an hour. Not exactly confidence inspiring. I watched him suspiciously as I tweaked my guitar.

Yes, I know I should've just asked him directly about it. But this time I'd decided to wait and watch. One reason being I didn't want to accuse him unfairly. And the other reason being I wanted to gather evidence. If there was any, of course.

Carlos ran through a couple of new songs for us to harmonize on. The goal was to have me in one full set through a combination of duos with Carlos, backup vocals, and three solos. For the solos, I was going to perform two originals and a rocked up version of Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight." I was excited to do the originals but wasn't sure about doing a fifty-year-old country song in front of a big audience. Roger and Phil were insistent; it was sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

After three run-throughs with the band and a standing ovation from our small audience, I thought they just might be right. My nervousness about performing in such a large arena receded a tiny bit. My nervousness about my relationship with Mark, however, was another thing. I couldn't get Andre's words out of my head. I just couldn't believe Mark would actually lie to me. It seemed to go against everything I knew about him.

We didn't have any time alone until we went back to our room to change for the party. I had decided I was going to let the CIA thing drop for the time being, but inwardly I was freaking out and trying not to show it. He was playful and lovey-dovey. Not exactly a match made in heaven.

I slapped his hand away when he pinched my backside.

"Oh, c'mon," he said as we walked into the room. "We have time."

I gave him a look. "I don't want to go down there all mussed up," I said primly.

He sighed. "You're no fun in work mode."

"Speaking of work mode," I began, "how'd all your phone calls go?"

His back was towards me, so I couldn't see his face.

"Just fine," he said, walking out onto the balcony. "Ed's still waiting to hear from Carol about her taking over the business. He's ready to make a move. What's Carol saying?"

"Not much," I replied. "She was going to see the accountant this week. She sounds scared to go it alone." I followed him onto the balcony.

"I don't blame her. That place is a handful. The reconstruction project isn't going to make it any easier either. And we need to find a home for the agency while the plaza is rebuilt." The staffing agency was located in a large, mostly vacant, commercial building occupying prime real estate in downtown Annapolis. Ed had brought Mark on to rebuild and modernize the space.

I agreed that Carol needed to make a decision and soon. My own dependency on income from Greene's Staffing had suddenly dropped due to the large check in my purse. However, I knew how easy it was for a musician to be playing in front of ten thousand one day and flipping burgers the next. I wasn't counting on any more big checks. Besides, I liked Greene's, and Carol was a good friend. I wanted to see her business succeed.