Disclaimer: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. The plot is mine, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Thank you to Lanie and Taya for the quick and always positive beta work! Any mistakes that are left are all mine.
Oh no, what have I done? Those are not the words you want to think when you open your eyes first thing in the morning. Was it morning? She wasn't sure. The clock on the nightstand shone a dim 5:29, but that was the only light that could be seen. Neither the sun nor the moon could filter through the room-darkening shades or drapes. Okay, think, she couldn't possibly have been that drunk not to remember, tipsy maybe, but drunk no. First she took stock of what surrounded her. It was not her bedroom, but some hotel room, of that she was sure. She was alone in the bed - good, but naked - bad. She never slept au natural, so why was she suddenly naked in a hotel room. There was no movement that she could hear so she must be alone in the room too, not just the bed.
Okay, now to remember what exactly happened and where exactly she was. Room 229, Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas! She insisted on a room ending in 29, her lucky number. Yes, she remembered getting into a car and giving the address to the driver that was sent for her. Now to figure out exactly how many drinks she had. She had one at the airport, waiting on her flight. Being a nervous flyer, she always had one on a plane. Oh, yes, another at the bar waiting for him. That was the one that did her in.
He sauntered up to the bar, so full of himself, her one true love. He was sent here on work but being away from him for a whole week was unthinkable so she took a few personal days from work and flew out to meet him. Of course she had to lie about where and why she was going, but a little white lie was acceptable when you were talking about love.
His dimpled grin made her heart race. The glint in his eyes made her sweat. The touch of his hand on her back as he led her to their table made her body tremble. Then there was his kiss, just short enough to be respectful in the public setting but just long enough, just hot enough, to make her knees go weak. Her man knew how to kiss.
Lunch did nothing to sober her up. Well, maybe it was the wine they shared that did nothing to sober her up.
He had promised her a trip to the casino so she could place a chip on her lucky number, number 29. As they approached the table, he had to wrap his arm around her waist to steady her. Maybe that glass of wine was not a good idea. "Darling, are you sure you're okay? We have an appointment in just over an hour that I would like you to be sober for. It's important." He whispered lovingly in her ear.
Smiling up at him, her response was slow but steady as she tried to stop the slur she knew would be present if she allowed it. "I'm fine, Sweetheart, really, by the time I win on 29, go to our room and change and make our way across town, I'll be sober as a judge. I promise."
Standing on her tiptoes to brush her lips across his, he quickly tightened his hold on her waist to stop her from stumbling to the floor. "I certainly hope so," he mumbled.
Sitting up in bed, bringing the sheet with her for modesty reasons, she looked around the room trying to decide if she was alone and if so, well, why? Hearing the shower, she realized where her love was, no, she rethought, her lover. Smiling slightly at the term, she once again reflected on the day before.
He helped push her through the crowd to place the chip he supplied on lucky number 29. Her slender arm trembled a little as she placed the brightly colored chip. Was she really doing this, not just the bet she just made, but their meeting in just under an hour now? Closing her eyes, she willed the wheel to stop on her number knowing that if 29 came up, she would take her winnings and willingly join her love for the trek across town. Hearing the wheel slow, she dared to open her right eye but had to peer through the lashes to look.
Her heart beat faster, though she wasn't sure if it was because the ball had taken a sudden unexpected bounce landing squarely in 29 or the feel of his arms tightening around her slender waist. "Now that you have won in a game of chance, are you willing to take a chance on love too?" His whispered words caught her off guard. Could he read her mind? She knew their connection was strong but was it that strong?
His lips on her neck stopped her musings. Turning in his arms, she kissed him lightly, "Yes, but it's not a chance when you know it's a sure thing. Let me run upstairs to change quickly and we can be on our way. Wait for me?"
"Always, My Love, Always," His reply was quick and brought a dazzling smile to her lips.
Hearing the shower stop startled her back to the present. She quickly scanned the room for her clothing not wanting him to catch her in her current state of undress. Quickly, she donned the nightgown dropped haphazardly to the floor in their rush to get to bed. Not that you could actually call the small amount of silk an actual gown but his reaction seeing her in it was worth the amount of money she had paid.
Her breath caught when he appeared through the haze of steam that escaped the bathroom when he opened the door. His long strides making short distance between them, he dropped the towel from around his waist as he joined her in bed.
Fingering the fine silk, he asked "You don't regret what we did, do you?" His eyes searched hers in hopes of reassurance.
"Oh Sweetheart, no, never. I don't regret yesterday one bit. I love you. I have for a very long time." Her lover claiming her lips in a hungry kiss as they sunk into the softness of the mattress cut off her response.
Getting out of the cab, they rushed up the stairs hoping they weren't late for the appointment.
Hearing their names bellowed from the clerk as they approached meant it probably wasn't the first time they had been called.
"Here, we're here and we're ready." He started waving with his right hand still clutching her right hand in his left afraid she would turn to leave.
"You just made it. Another two minutes and there wouldn't be time." The clerk's gruff reply was not lost on them. Not the way you want to start off a new life together.
"I'm sorry, Sir. It was my fault. You know how we women are, always late. I couldn't decide on which hat matched my dress." Her sweet smile and the batting of her lashes worked wonders on the large man.
"I'm a married man, so I fully understand that, Miss. If you will both just follow me. I hope your paperwork is in order we do have a schedule."
"Oh, it is. I'm a very organized woman, maybe a little late at times, but very organized." She reached into the bag and pulled out the envelope that carried all the documents they would need along with a check for the service fee.
The clerk flipped through the paperwork and took a quick look at the check. "You are very organized. I hope your young man appreciates it."
Grasping her hand tighter, her young man smiled. "Oh I do, her organizational skills are one of the many things I look forward to helping me become a better man for the rest of my life."
"Well, it sounds like you are both making this decision for the right reasons. I wish you luck."
The sound of the phone ringing woke them both from their light slumber. Picking it up he couldn't stop the bark that escaped his lips. "What?" He didn't want real life intruding on their time together.
"Sorry, Sir, it's the front desk. You asked for a wake-up call."
"Yes I did, I'm sorry. I was just having the best dream possible. Thank you." He reached across his love to put the phone back in the cradle.
"Sorry, Darling, but I have that meeting to get to. I should be back by noon and then we can spend the rest of today and tomorrow before we go home to face the music."
"I understand. This was a business trip that I intruded on, after all."
"You didn't intrude, you were invited and have made me the happiest man in the world. He clasped her left hand and brought it to his lips bestowing a kiss on the ring he had placed there just yesterday. "I love you."
"I love you too, now go and get the meeting over with so you can come back and spend the rest of the time with me. I don't want to get you fired. What would my mother say if I came home married to an unemployed man." A worried frown crossed her face.
"Don't worry, My Love, my job is secured and your mother will be pleased. I'm taking you off her hands." He quickly left the bed before she had time to swat at him.
Nine months later…
"Mrs. West, there are people waiting to see you, are you up for a visit yet?" The soft voice broke through her light sleep.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she smiled, "Yes, please, I would love visitors."
"Okay, I'll go and get them, but can you hold on to this for me while I do so?" She handed Dotty the bundle she had been carrying.
Smiling, Dotty willingly accepted the bundle.
After a few minutes, Carl stepped in walking quickly to the bed where his wife and daughter lay. "Dotty, I've been so worried, you were in there so long."
"Oh, Carl, I warned you before we got here that it might take a while, but don't you want to meet your daughter?" Dotty unswaddled the baby lovingly so that her husband could count his daughter's fingers and toes just had she had one minutes earlier.
"Daughter? They didn't tell me in the waiting room, just that you and the baby were fine. Darling, you have made me the happiest man in the world once again." His lips descended upon hers then.
"Amanda Jean West, meet your father."
"Dotty, do you realize that she was born just after midnight which makes her birthday the 29th of September."
"See Carl, I told you, 29 is my lucky number."
"No, Dotty, you have that wrong; 29 is our lucky number."
