When one thing gets crossed off the list, the next one at the top can either be something enjoyable or something taxing. While I knew that a meeting with Meg was looming on the literal horizon for the following morning, I chose to get Lauren and start shopping for her room update.
Kissing Ike goodbye, with a promise that I wouldn't overdo things, my future stepdaughter and I got into the car and drove to the area where I'd seen the bed I planned on buying for our bedroom. I let Lauren lead, this was to be HER room, so she needed to make it her own. I told her, when her eyes went wide, that I was simply along to offer my opinion when she requested it and to pick out a few things that her father and I had spoken about.
The bed, the mosquito netting, a few chests of drawers and a vanity that I liked more than the one at Ben's house were simple. I inquired about steamer trunks and explained Ike's vision, seeing the salesman's eyes light up at the amount of furniture we were buying and would buy if he could find what we were looking for, I felt certain that he would find them.
Once we were satisfied that we'd chosen the furniture we both wanted, I treated Lauren to lunch away from the hotel. We talked, the ease in our conversation was a constant surprise to me, and it wasn't shallow or uninteresting. I found Lauren to be an insightful and entertaining girl, one that I was more than happy to add to my family.
"You're so different from-" she stopped, seeming to understand that comparing me to Vera or Meg might be rude. "You don't want to replace her." And that's when I realized why she thought I was different from the two other main women in her life, because she was right, I didn't want to replace Molly as her mother. I simply wanted to be Lauren's friend and her confidant.
Taking her hand in mine, I gave her a tiny squeeze. "No one can replace your mother, Lauren. Not me, not anyone." Her eyes met mine and her smile gave her a dimple like her father's. "You and me? We're going to be family, yes, but I won't try to become someone to you that I'm not. Your mother was irreplaceable. So, if you don't mind, I'll just be Liz." She nodded, her hand squeezing mine in return. "Now, I won't promise that I'll NEVER tell your father if you confide in me, especially if what you tell me causes me alarm." I sighed, wanting her to know she could trust me, but that her safety and wellbeing was paramount. "But you can confide in me, and I promise that I will only share what you allow, or what I think might cause you harm. Deal?"
"Deal." She replied, her smile holding. "And Liz?" I nodded to show her I was listening. "You're so much more than 'just Liz'."
Ike convinced his ladies to have dinner in the main dining room downstairs, after promising me that he wanted to show us off. Lauren beamed, changing into one of her more grown up dresses, and Ike offered to help me change too, making his daughter giggle.
"You're scandalizing your daughter, Isaac." I muttered, as we went into our room to change for the evening. "And your future wife," I breathed as our lips met.
"I highly doubt that my future wife can be scandalized by much," his smile when he stood up to stare down at me took my breath away. "But I'll be sure to keep trying." With a wink, he helped me get ready for my first official in public, with a full dining room of guests and Miami's elite to witness it.
The next morning, after a far more calm dinner that I expected, even after he convinced me that as his partner and future wife I should accompany him during his hosting duties, we woke up wrapped together with the sun shining through the windows and the sound of surf crashing outside.
It was THE day. A face off with Meg Bannock and her lawyers. Today word would get out that I owned the controlling interest in the Mirarmar Playa and that not only were Ike and I getting married and having a baby, but we were partners through and through. Ike took his time getting me ready for the day. Pampering me as he had my first day back, making sure that every inch of me looked perfect, which wasn't nearly as annoying when he said it as when my father had.
He'd helped me choose one of the few suits that I'd ordered from my Canadian Godsend of pregnancy fashion, the red so deep it looked like blood, heels to match, the seam of my stockings straight as though he used a ruler to make sure. A small diamond necklace, my engagement ring, and I was finished. I watched as he chose a suit in a blue so dark that it almost looked black, coupled with a stark white shirt and a tie that had hints of the same red of my suit, and I had to bite my lip to keep from reversing course and taking him back to bed.
Ike looked up at me as he pulled on his socks and shoes and I knew he was reading my mind. "Tempting though forgetting about this meeting and getting lost under those blankets with you, Liz, we have to get this out of the way."
A nod from me and then he helped me to my feet and we met Lauren in the dining room waiting with breakfast. I asked her if she wanted to come down to stay hello to her aunt, but she shook her head.
"No, thank you," it was softened by her smile. "I would rather wait and see if-" she didn't have to finish her sentence. She wanted to wait to see if her aunt would keep in touch after she fell out of the running for Ike's affections.
"I understand," my smile matched hers. "Perhaps after the meeting, we can have the maintenance people up to help us decide how we can make the simple redecorating as painless for all of us as possible."
"Liz?" Ike's eyes were twinkling as mine caught his and I raised an eyebrow. "Did you happen to pick out nursery furniture while you were shopping?" My mouth dropped open. How had I forgotten? "Good," I waited, seeing his dimples flare to life. "I'd hoped to come along for that trip."
"You want to help choose things for our baby's room?" I'd been told that men didn't really care one way or the other about the details in fatherhood.
"He picked out mine," Lauren offered, smiling at us both. "Didn't you?"
He nodded, and I knew that the Evans family was most certainly the right one for me. "That I did," he took my hand and our fingers locked together. "And I plan on doing it for every one of my kids."
"Are you expecting more than just the one, Isaac?" I was smirking around my juice glass. "I think we should have that conversation after this one takes the first breath, don't you?"
After breakfast, I went with Ike to his office. The secretary was waiting with a sheaf of messages, and my eyes widened when she handed me a few of my own. "Mr. Evans told me to make sure to take down anyone who called you while you were unavailable, Miss Diamond." I nodded my thanks, and smiled at the woman to show her I was surprised but thankful.
"Let's see what I can get through while we wait," Ike said, letting me go to sit on the sofa as he worked through his own pile.
Only one message mattered to me, for now anyway. Mr. Klein had called, and between Ike's use of the phone, I asked if I could take a moment to return the State's Attorney's call. He pulled me onto his lap as I dialed, and after being put through to the man who I gave the evidence to put away my own father I listened as he told me when I'd be witnessing the fruits of my efforts.
"Monday?" I wanted clarification, and confirmation. "You're planning on it happening at the hospital and around noon?" After making certain that I had the information, I confirmed that I would be there. And told him not to be surprised that I would be in the room waiting for him. I had my own plan for the day that Ben Diamond learned that his daughter wasn't to be trifled with.
Once my call was finished, I tried to get off of Ike's lap, but he was reluctant to release me. "Monday?" I nodded, snuggling into him. "I want to be with you."
"I want that too," his gasp told me that he expected an argument, but we were partners. "We need to get all of our ducks in a row, Isaac Evans, and knock them down."
Meg and her attorneys came a half an hour later. Sid was with us, since Ike decided this particular meeting only needed the relevant parties, and he was pretty sure that Meg would be more than willing to give him the option of buying back the shares he'd sold her to save lives.
If she was shocked to see me, and my condition, she didn't show it. And I didn't flinch when she kissed Ike on the cheek, leaving a large dark red lip print on his dimple. Being raised well, with the highest standards of breeding, didn't allow either one of us to show weakness. Instead, we greeted one another with the same warmth we'd greet anyone beneath us and I pretended not to notice when her eyes took stock of my bump, and she feigned nonchalance when my left hand cradled it, my ring flashing in the sunlight and Ike's hand joining mine.
"I wasn't aware that Liz would be joining us, Ike," Meg offered, eyes only slightly tightening, smile not slipping.
Ike's other hand met the small of my back as he led me to the conference table that the lawyers were currently gathered around, sharing legalese. "Of course Liz is joining us, Meg," he said as though my not being present would be ridiculous. He held my chair, the one next to his, and carefully pushed it in for me as one of Meg's lawyers did the same for her, but Ike added to the attention he was giving me by kissing my head before taking his own seat. "The reason for this meeting is because there were some questions about the company that owns the majority shares of the hotel." I watched as Sid's smile grew, his eyes on me, and as Meg's attorneys nodded.
"I thought we agreed it didn't really matter," Meg tried to sound unfazed, but it sounded forced.
Ike took my hand, the left one that was nearest him and let our fingers link. Her eyes were drawn to the movement like a lizard to an insect and she looked far less pleased with her findings than the reptile would. "I decided it DID matter," Ike offered, his smile so wide I wanted to shake my head. "Meg, gentlemen," he looked between his former sister-in-law and her lawyers, "I'd like to introduce you to the owner of the controlling shares of the Miramar Playa, Elizabeth Diamond, soon to be Elizabeth Evans." I bit my lip at how proud he sounded, and it nearly made me miss the fuming going on at the other end of the table.
"Isn't she Ben Diamond's daughter?" Meg made my parentage sound disgusting, which to be fair wasn't exactly surprising. "Isaac, honestly."
Ike's hand held mine carefully, even as I noticed a vein start to grow on his neck. "Honestly what, Meg?" It came out as a challenge, and I knew he was throwing down the gauntlet. "And I would think very carefully before you speak." His eyes left my face to shoot a look down the table.
"I think what Miss Bannock meant," one of her attorneys attempted with a soothing tone, "is simply that Miss Diamond's associations with undesirable and potentially criminal elements would mar the reputation of this showcase of a resort." I raised an eyebrow and chanced a look at Ike. That vein was starting to pulse, so I shot a look at Sid.
"Which is why," Sid, my hero, spoke, pulling the attention away from a potentially explosive Ike Evans, "we're seated together today. Miss Diamond and Mr. Evans are more than willing to buy back the shares that Miss Bannock purchased."
"To save you the embarrassment of continued association with the likes of me," I offered, eyes on Meg. "After all, I have problematic acquaintances, and it wouldn't do for the great Bannock name, so full of philanthropy and warmth, to be associated with a DIAMOND." My tone was even, but there was no mistaking my feelings on the matter.
"I've even taken it upon myself to write up the paperwork," Sid offered, once again saving me from the full brunt of Meg's group's attention. "Miss Diamond and Mr. Evans have been more than generous in their buyback offer, giving Miss Bannock fifteen percent over her original purchase price."
I let them talk, the lawyers, my hand stayed in Ike's trying to calm him before he burned a bridge Lauren might want to cross at some point. He was tense, anyone with two eyes and the ability to see could tell, but he was keeping himself in check.
"We'll need to take time to look over the offer," another of her attorneys told Sid. "And if Miss Bannock is agreeable, we'll let you know." They stood, but Ike and I remained seated.
"Isaac," Meg's voice was quiet, a hint of seduction trying to sneak in, but when he looked up she could have no doubt just how welcome that was to him. I watched her swallow hard, my eyes on her face. "I hope that you won't take-"
"Leave, Meg," Ike's tone allowed for no argument about just how serious he did take her words. "Now."
He didn't stand, nor would he release me to stand, not that I would have. Screw Meg Bannock and her high horse. Sid was the last to leave, telling us that he had a contact in the courts that assured him the divorce was on the fastest track to be put on record, so by the end of the next week we could be married, and that marginally relaxed Ike. Once Sid left, he let out a long sigh and stood up pulling me along with him.
"I'm sorry," he was holding me to him, kissing my temple and I wondered why he felt the need to apologize for Meg's behavior. "Molly was nothing like her, I swear, I missed how different they were until-"
"Until she tried to seduce you with your daughter present?" I tilted my head back to stare up at him. "You needn't apologize, Ike, I knew what was coming. Or at least I had an idea she wouldn't exactly congratulate us." He moved a hand to cup my cheek. "I can't blame her, Ike," he looked confused. "Isaac Evans, you could make a blind woman crazy with lust, how the hell can I blame her for wanting you?"
He laughed, his head lowering to kiss me, but before our lips met, he whispered, "Only you, Liz, you're the only woman I want or need."
When he pulled away, after showing me just how truthful his words were, I was smiling. "Which is why she won't meet the same fate that my father's enemies have met." And that set him off laughing with more hilarity than I felt the comment merited, but then again, he knew I was joking. Mostly.
