Chapter Seven (Misha)

Jack was running late. His conversation with Kendall had put him behind schedule and now he had less than forty minutes to get home, say hello to the kids and change before his dinner with Mariele. How, he wondered, had things gotten off-track so quickly?

He opened the door to the loft and was greeted by an uneasy silence. Neither Reggie nor Lily seemed to be around. He hoped that meant they were off having some well-deserved fun. He loved those kids to death and felt guilty for putting them through all this, knowing how confused they must be. Quit beating yourself up . . . Jack thought to himself. You have no choice . . .You're doing this for Bianca and Miranda . . . Everyone will understand. Jack continued his internal dialogue, trying to reassure himself that everything would turn out okay. If only he could be sure . . .

The hot shower did wonders for his demeanor. As steam billowed into the room, his thoughts returned to his afternoon with Erica. Never in his wildest imagination would he ever have guessed that they could have a romantic rendezvous at, of all places, the Pine Cone motel!

I guess this plan of ours does have its up side, he laughed to himself. Stepping out of the shower, he moved to the sink and picked up his razor to shave. The hell with it, he decided, she's not going to get that close, and put it back in its resting place. Pulling whatever was handy out of his bedroom closet, he quickly got dressed. Just as he was securing the knot of his tie, he heard the door to the loft open.

"Reggie, no. You can't eat the ice cream now. You said we'd come home and watch the movie and eat the ice cream at the same time. The movie hasn't started yet."

"All right, all right, I'll wait. But try not to take too long on your schedule. I'm hungry."

"You just ate dinner."

"Yeah, but I'm a growing boy."

"A boy? I thought you were a king man. That's what you're always saying to Danielle." Lily smiled self-consciously and headed toward the hallway when Jackson emerged.

"Hey, you two. Where have you been?"

"Your message said you weren't going to be home for dinner so Lily and I went for pizza." Reggie did a quick check of Jack's appearance. "Please, tell me you have plans with Erica–"

"Reggie, I told you. Erica and I–"

"I know; you need some space. Man, didn't you have enough of that a while ago?"

"It's complicated."

"Yeah, right" Reggie replied, clearly disgusted. "So, where are you headed? And don't tell me it's with that woman."

"What woman?"

"That Mariele whatever she is."

"Her name is Mariele Girtz and she's the lead contact of a very important company we're doing business with–that's all. How do you know about her, anyway?"

"I hear things."

"What things?"

"Forget about it. Just go have your meeting."

"Reg–" Jack's cell phone would have interrupted his conversation with his son if Reggie hadn't already stormed out of the room. He looked at the incoming phone number. Caller unknown. Reluctantly, he answered. "Hello?"

"Is it three days yet?" Jack's heart immediately began to pound. Despite being alone in the room, he turned to face the kitchen, desperate for even the illusion of privacy.

"Erica? Sweetheart, is that you?"

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten what my voice sounds like?"

"Never. Where are you calling from; my cell phone didn't recognize–"

"We're supposed to be in deep cover, right? Well, on the way home from our, hmm, what should we call it? Tryst? No, that seems so, I don't know. Not us. Matinee? A little too . . . too." Erica thought for a moment. "I know. Assignation. Yes, our assignation. . . I stopped and picked up a new phone. This way I can call you whenever I want and no one will be the wiser."

"Honey, I love the idea of being able to talk to you but I'm really not sure if that's such a good idea. One wrong move and this plan of ours folds. And with it, could go Miranda's inheritance."

"You're right, you're right. But I think I'll keep it just the same. You never know; it just might come in handy one day."

"Listen, sweetheart, I'd love to keep talking to you but I've got to run. Mariele's waiting for me at the Inn."

"Go, go. The sooner you get the goods on that woman, the sooner we can put this nightmare behind us. Just remember, I love you."

Before he had a chance to respond, Jack heard a click on the other end. For a few brief moments, he simply stared at the phone and smiled. God, he loved that woman. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Jack glanced at his watch. "Damn, it's already seven." It took him a few minutes to find his car keys; somehow they got buried beneath the stack of DVDs the kids had brought home. He grabbed them, shouted out goodbye to Reggie and Lily and headed out the door.

———

Lily stood in the living room, puzzled. Realizing she had left her laptop on the couch, Lily went to retrieve it but stopped short when she heard her father whispering. Remembering the signs her dad had taught her about private moments, she lingered in the hallway, patiently waiting for the voice noise to stop, signally the end of his quiet conversation. Although she couldn't hear the words, she could tell by his voice they were happy ones. It didn't make sense to the sensitive girl. Her brother had told her to be extra nice to her dad because he was very sad about Erica. But why would he be humming if he was sad? Humming was a happy noise. Much as she tried, she was unable to organize the pieces in her mind in such a way that would help her understand. She thought about asking Reggie to explain but decided that private equaled silence. Lily picked up her laptop and returned to her room.

———

On the way over to the Valley Inn, Jack reflected back on his run-in earlier with Kendall and hoped he had done the right thing. His first instinct had been to shift attention away from himself, scolding Kendall for being in such a seedy part of town. When that failed, Jack shifted gears, and matter-of-factly discussed a nearby property Cambias was considering rehabbing. He casually tossed out facts and figures about costs and benefits, changing neighborhood demographics and zoning variances. He was feeling quite proud of himself for thinking so quickly on his feet, that is until Kendall burst out laughing.

"Give it up, Jack. I saw Erica pulling away a couple of minutes ago. She was so caught up in her own little world, she practically ran me over."

"Kendall–"

"I can't believe you brought her to a place like this. That must have been some time the two of you had–"

Jack held up his hand, signaling Kendall to stop.

"in a place like this–"

"Kendall, that's enough."

"Come on, Jack. Give a girl some details." Jack's eyebrows shot up, startled by her request for information. "Please, I'm not that hard up. I want to know exactly what's up with you and my mother. And don't tell me it's none of my business. You didn't go to all this trouble of faking a breakup without a damn good reason. So, what is it Jack? What's really going on?"

Realizing he had no other choice, Jack told Kendall the whole story about Thorquist Industries and their likely involvement in larceny and corporate espionage. "It's absolutely essential, Kendall, that we not tip our hand on this. If Mariele, Andrews or any of their associates get even a hint that we're on to them, we'll never be able to get out from under. The financial hit alone could sink Cambias Industries."

"You can trust me, Jack. No one's going to hear a word about it from me."

Jack nodded. "Good. Now, I want you to get out of here, Kendall. Go home. I was serious about what I said about this place. I don't know what I was thinking having your mother meet me here today."

Kendall lightly tapped Jack on the shoulder and smiled. "I think I have a pretty good idea." Jack pursed his lips, giving her a sideways glance back. "Okay, I'm going" Kendall responded sheepishly and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

———

Mariele was waiting for Jack at the bar. "Jack, dear, I thought you were standing me up–"

"I'm sorry; I had a last-minute call from a business associate. We've just started work on a new joint venture but there were some details that need to be hashed out. You know how these things go . . ."

"Ah, yes, but all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

"You know, I think that's the first time anyone has ever called me dull."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Perhaps I can make it up to you later, yes?"

Later, NO! Jack cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we'll just have to see about that, won't we? So, what are you drinking and may I buy you another?"

"A Harvey Wallbanger and I'd love one. But, that must be it. One more after that and who knows what I might do?" His skinned crawled just thinking about it.

While Mariele moved to their table, Jack hung back at the bar and discreetly ordered soda and lime for himself and had the bartender toss in an extra shot of vodka into Mariele's beverage. What the hell? He thought. It always seems to work on TV.

"Here you go" Jack said, handing her the drink. Almost immediately, Enrique appeared with menus. "Thanks, Enrique, but if you don't mind, the lady and I will take our time ordering. We want to have a nice, leisurely meal."

"Oh, Jack, but I'm starving!"

Forcing himself, he took her hand in his. "Food can wait. I want to just sit here for a while and enjoy the pleasure of your company. Surely you can indulge me this one time . . ."

Mariele gazed back at Jack, delighted with the attention she was receiving. It had been a long time since such an attractive man expressed any sincere interest in her. Her beauty–and her strength–intimidated so many men she came in contact with. Of course, John was an exception but, then, they knew each other from before . . . Oh, there was Brett. But he always seemed to be brooding about something. It seemed that most of the time he had an unpleasant look on his face as if he had eaten something that had just soured. But, Jackson; there was a man who was very sure of himself, comfortable in his own skin and confident in his place in the world. Oh, Mariele was starved all right, but suddenly food was the last thing on her mind.

Quickly, Jack took control of the conversation. He moved from topic to topic, careful to keep the subject off business, and tossing in the occasional compliment. Mariele seemed to lap up the attention like some sad little stray that had been without affection for far to long. He also noticed her eyes were becoming slightly glassy and her lids were beginning to droop. He almost felt sorry for her but then he remembered that because of her, he was stuck at the Valley Inn while Erica was home alone. I've got to get something out of her; otherwise, what the hell am I doing here?

Jack flashed her his most charming smile. "So, is it true that John Andrews and you had a romance of sorts a while back?" Mariele's body snapped to attention. Jack reached out and gently stroked her face, totally disarming the woman. "I only ask because it could complicate things between us if you and he aren't really over."

"Jack, John and I–we're simply business colleagues. Nothing more. Oh, there was a time he was interested but it never went beyond a mild flirtation."

"Are you sure? I mean, it's all right if you were involved. We all have our pasts."

"I assure you. My involvement with John is strictly professional. It has been for years."

"Years? Just exactly how long have you known him?"

"Did I say years?" Jack nodded. "Well, yes, I guess you can say that. I suppose it has been four or five. Time, it moves so quickly these days."

"That must mean you met him shortly after you came to this country." Again, Jack reached out to stroke her face but this time he lingered a moment.

"Actually, no. I've been living here in the U.S. for some time now. Why I could practically apply for citizenship, it's been so long."

"Citizenship? Mariele, I didn't know you were interested in living in this country permanently. Don't you still have family in Sweden?"

"Yes, of course I do. What is your point, Jackson?" A steely expression had descended on Mariele's face. Clearly, he had hit a nerve.

"Point? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I just meant that it must be difficult leaving everyone behind for long periods of time. I know how important family can be. I remember how difficult it was when my brother Travis moved so far away. It's been so long but I still miss him."

"You have a brother?"

"Had. He passed away close to five years ago" Jack replied, deftly turning the conversation back on himself. "Sometimes, I forget and reach out to call him . . ."

"You were close?"

"We shared so much."

"You poor dear. I wish—"

"I know and I appreciate it." Jack looked off into the distance and as he did, he silently counted to ten. He let out a small sigh and returned his gaze to Mariele. "I'm afraid this talk of my brother has ruined my appetite. Would you mind terribly if I took a rain check on dinner?"

Mariele looked back at Jack, crestfallen. "Perhaps, if we sit here for just a little while, your dark cloud will pass. What do you say? Shall we give it a try?"

"I'm sorry. I just think right now I need to be alone with my thoughts. You do understand, don't you?" Jack replied, mustering every bit of sadness he could.

Now it was Mariele's turn to gaze off into the distance. "Yes, yes, of course I do."

Jack rose from his chair. "Please, let me walk you to your car."

"That's not necessary."

"I insist. It's the very least I can do for ruining your evening."

"Actually, I think I am going to order a bite to eat before I go home. Please, go ahead. Get some rest."

Jack nodded somberly and turned to leave. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Andrews lingering at the concierge's desk. Careful to avoid contact, he hastily exited out the side door.

A moment later, Mariele approached John in the lobby. "What is it, John? You look like someone just stole your favorite toy."

"It's Lavery. He's been poking around, asking a lot of questions."

Mariele stared back at John and then broke into peals of laughter. "Oh, John. You really need to get control of your nerves. Ryan Lavery has trouble figuring out which button to push when he wants to go down on an elevator. I doubt he's anyone we need to worry about."

———

Jack couldn't believe his good fortune. Not only had he dodged spending the entire evening with that insufferable woman, he managed to coax enough information out of her in that hour to make the time he spent with her well worth it. The lady was known for being a cool customer in the boardroom but pour a few drinks into her and she got sloppy with her secrets, that is, if he was correctly reading between the lines. Jack was pretty sure he'd be able to dig up enough information to put a crimp in whatever Mariele was up to–if he got help from the right people. He gazed at the dash. Eight-sixteen. The guys from his crazy days in Europe were probably hitting the dance floor at one club or another. Getting a business call during prime party time, even from a good friend, would not win him any favors and that's just what he needed. Well, if he couldn't call them, he knew someone else he could call. If only he could stop by and see her in person. Jack resisted temptation and dialed Erica's number. On the third ring, she picked up the phone. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Jack? Is everything okay? Where are you?"

"Relax. Everything's fine. I'm just off Haverford Avenue."

"You're done with your dinner with Mariele?"

"I left there ten minutes ago."

"Ten minutes? It's not even 8:30. What happened?"

"What happened is I got lucky."

"Excuse me?"

Jack laughed. "No, sweetheart. I only get that kind of lucky with you."

Erica smiled into the phone. "So, what did happen with Mariele?"

"Well, aside from the fact that she practically pounced on me when I walked through the door, she was putty in my hands. Mariele is a pushover when she's had a bit too much to drink."

"You got her drunk?"

"Let's just say, I helped her along. I know, it wasn't me at my most elegant. It was just the fastest way I could think of to get her to open up to me, that is, without having to turn on my considerable charm."

"Go on–"

"Seems she's been in this country for quite some time, a lot longer than she led Thorquist to believe."

"Why would Lars Thorquist care how long she's been in the United States and what difference would it make anyway?"

"None, unless she's got something to hide. And my instincts are telling me she does. We were joking about her becoming a U.S citizen and I casually brought up her family back home. You wouldn't believe how she clammed up."

"I still don't understand why this is important."

"For whatever reason, talking about her family turns the blood in her veins to ice water. I have no idea why but if it's that big a deal to her then it's something we damn well better know more about. It may be nothing or it may just provide the missing piece in all that's been going on. Either way, by this time tomorrow we should be well on our way to finding out. I'm going to give Beppe and Dino a call in the morning and see if they'd be willing to do some investigating."

"Oh, Jack, do you have to call those two?"

"I know you're not crazy about them but I really need people looking into this that I can trust."

"What about Tad or Aidan?"

"It would take either one of them at least a day or two to get over there and we need help now. You know Beppe and Dino. They'll go anywhere at the drop of a hat if there's an adventure involved. I know they're a little wild but they're really good guys."

"A little wild?"

"Erica, I promise. They won't let us down. You know I wouldn't trust anyone with Bianca's and Miranda's future if I wasn't 100 confident we could depend on them."

"Do I have even a chance of changing your mind on this?"

"Come on, they're fluent in at least a half dozen languages and there's not a woman on this planet that can resist those two when they put their minds to it–present company excluded, of course."

"Of course."

"Erica, I really need you to be behind me on this."

Erica nodded into the phone. "Okay, Jack. I'll support you. But make sure Dino and Beppe know how important this is."

"I will, I promise. Look, sweetheart, I can't stay on the line much longer. In fact, I probably shouldn't have called you in the first place but I couldn't bear to go to sleep tonight without hearing your voice. I miss you."

"Oh, Jack. There must be some way we can see each other sooner than three days."

"Which reminds me. Kendall knows."

"Kendall knows what?"

"About you and me."

"How on Earth did that happen? I was very careful to make sure that no one followed me when I met you at that place."

"Can't even say it, can you?" Jack laughed. "Erica Kane at the Pine Cone Motel. Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?"

"Never mind. How did she find out about us?"

"It doesn't matter. The point is she knows the breakup's a fake and she knows why."

"You told her?"

"Honey, she pretty much caught us red-handed. But it's okay. We can trust her. Beside, having her know might just come in handy. Listen, I have an idea . . ."

After hanging up with Jack. Erica made a long list of the things she could accomplish that evening; the rest would have to wait until the stores opened the next day.

It was close to 11 AM by the time Erica made it into the office and, for the first time that week, she felt rested and refreshed. The extra hour of sleep had done her wonders. Besides, she knew what lay ahead for later that afternoon. If only she had been able to wheedle the details out of Jack. Oh well, she thought, anything would be an improvement over yesterday's Pine Cone.

———

Erica looked at her watch. 4:23 PM. In another hour, it would be too late. She had known it would be a long shot but last night when they talked, Jack seemed so confident. "Well, there's no point sitting here, staring at a blank screen. If today's not going to work out, I might as well be productive." Erica picked up the phone and dialed Ryan's extension. It rang several times before a recorded message came on. "This is Ryan La–" Erica pushed the star key and was immediately cycled into Ryan's voicemail. "Ryan, this is Erica. I thought if you weren't busy we could touch base about the Splash packaging. If you get this message before 5, call me. Otherwise, I'll talk to you in the morning." Erica no sooner hung up the phone when it let out two short rings, indicating that the caller was inside the building. She glanced down at the receiver hoping to see Jack's name appear on the caller ID panel but instead it read Infirmary. She grabbed the phone and quickly identified herself.

Margaret, the company nurse, returned the slightly panicked voice with her usual soothing tone. It seemed her daughter wasn't feeling well and stopped by the infirmary about an hour ago. Kendall had been laying down since then but unfortunately there hadn't been much of an improvement. Margaret had made a point of telling Erica that Kendall's condition didn't seem very serious but nevertheless, she was uncomfortable with the notion of the young woman driving herself home.

Without hesitation, Erica shut down her computer and gathered her things. Two minutes later, she met Margaret at the entrance to her office. "How is she Margaret?"

"She's fine, Erica. Just a little run down. I think if she gets a decent meal in her and gets a good night's rest she'll be fine."

"Are you sure I shouldn't take her by the hospital?"

"The hospital? Don't be silly. Look, if she's still feeling under the weather tomorrow, have her make an appointment with her doctor."

"Mother, I'm fine. Really. Margaret shouldn't have called you."

"If you were fine, you wouldn't be here in the first place, now would you?"

"Look, I'm just a little tired; that's all. I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home."

"Yes, well, that may be but I'm driving you home anyway."

"Mother–"

"Don't argue with me, Kendall. I'm driving you home; end of discussion. Now, is there anything you need from your office before we leave?"

"Her bag's right here. I had one of the secretaries bring it down after I called you."

"Okay, then, let's go. Kendall?"

"Fine, have it your way." Kendall snatched her bag from Margaret's arms and quickly starting walking out of her office.

"Excuse my daughter, Margaret. She has a hard time showing appreciation to anyone . . . don't you Kendall?"

Kendall turned back toward the two women and gave them a forced smile. "Thank you, Margaret" Kendall said, and with the same sarcastic tone, turned toward her mother. "Happy?"

"Oh, Kendall, you can be so charming when you want to. Honestly, is it so hard for you to be pleasant?"

"Look, Mother, I'm sure Margaret is just fascinated by our family dynamics but if it's all the same to you, can we get the hell out of here?" Erica shook her head in disgust and led her daughter out of the building to her car. She unlocked the front door and held it open. Kendall tossed her bag inside, flopped onto the seat and slammed the door shut. Exasperated, Erica moved around to the other side of the car, got in and as quickly as possible, made her way out of the Cambias parking lot. A moment later, they stopped at a red light. Kendall turned to look at her mother. "So, do you think Margaret bought it?"

"Oh, I think she's probably thanking her lucky stars right about now that she never had a daughter" Erica replied with a wide grin plastered on her face. "Kendall, you were wonderful in there."

"I was pretty convincing, wasn't I?"

"Yes, you were. I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to thank you."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll think of something."

"I'm sure you will. Now, tell me, exactly what's going on. Where am I heading?"

"I can't tell you."

"Kendall!"

"Erica, Jack swore me to secrecy. All he said is to give you this envelope. It has everything you need inside." Kendall laughed. "I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back. Just don't forget. You have to call the office tomorrow and tell them you'll be a little late because you're taking me to the doctor."

"And what about Reggie and Lily? I hate having them be home alone all night. Besides, won't they be wondering where Jack is?"

"It's covered. Reggie was going to be away tonight anyway on some school thing and I invited Lily to spend the night at my place. Jack said that as long as we stick with her schedule, she'll be fine."

Erica pulled into the parking lot at Kendall's complex and turned off the ignition. "Really, Kendall, thank you so much for all of this. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have your help."

"Well, it really means a lot knowing that you trust me."

"We've come a long way, haven't we?"

Kendall smiled and slightly nodded her head. "Have a wonderful time tonight, Mother. Give Jack a kiss for me."

"I will. Have fun with Lily. One more thing, Kendall . . ."

"What?"

"I love you." Kendall would have returned the sentiment but the lump in her throat prevented any words from escaping. Besides, the tears streaming down her face more than expressed the love she felt for her mother.

———

Jack looked at his watch. Perfect timing. He had about another thirty minutes before Erica would arrive. That would give him just enough time to check in with Dino and Beppe and see if they had made any progress. It was a long shot; they had only arrived in Sweden three hours ago. Still, when they put their minds to it, those guys were miracle workers. It was Beppe, who, on the fourth ring, finally picked up the phone. "Jacky, Jacky, you need to be patient, my friend. Dino and me, we are working hard for you and your lovely Erica."

"I know, Beppe, I know. It's just that until we find out the truth, Erica and I can only be together for a few hours at a time."

"You really love this one, don't you Jack?"

"With all my heart."

"I can hear it in your voice. That Erica, she is a special one. You're a lucky man, my campagno."

"That she is, Beppe. So, is there anything, anything at all you can tell me?"

"The Swedish women are very beautiful. Not as pretty as the women we have in Italy but in their own way, they are exquisite."

Jack was beginning to get frustrated. "Beppe, I meant about the case. Have you found out anything about Mariele's family?"

"We located her mother. She's been living on a small farm outside of Halmstad for the last ten years. Mostly keeps to herself. The townsfolk, they keep a lip tight."

"I think you mean tight-lipped. What about her father?"

"Interesting. A long time ago he used to be a big shot in business. Owned a large company. Next thing you know, the company's gone and he disappears."

"Disappears?"

"Gone. Zippo. Two years later he resurfaces and ends up in jail."

"Jail? For what?"

"That's the interesting part. No one seems to know. There's no court records. Nothing in the papers."

Jack shook his head, frustrated. "Beppe, we've got to find out what happened. I promised Erica this thing wouldn't go on much longer."

"Jacky, where is your trust, huh? Dino and me, have we ever not come through for you?"

"You have my friend. It's just that–"

"Relax, Jacky. Dino is working on it as we speak. Seems he met this girl who went to school with your Mariele."

"Please, Beppe, don't ever call her my Mariele, particularly around Erica."

"Kind of a sore spot, yes? Your Erica, she is a jealous one."

"Erica's fine. It's just that . . ." Jack heard a car pull up outside his room. "Listen, Beppe, I gotta go. Call me when you find out anything more. And thank Dino for me, will you.''

"I will Jack. You can count on us. Now go. And give that woman of yours a kiss for me."

"How'd you know–"

"Your voice. When she's near it changes. Ciao, Jack."

"Ciao, my friend."

———

Erica sat in the car for a long moment simply staring at the sign in front of her. This has to be the right place, she thought, though she wasn't sure if that was necessarily a good thing. But, how many hotel signs in the Poconos are draped in ivy and shaped like an eighteen-foot serpent? She looked again at the fluorescent green fauna that slithered across the reptile's body, encircling the golden apple that rested on its tongue. Well Erica thought, if this is 'Leah's Enchanted Garden' I can only imagine what her bedroom looks like. Suddenly Erica heard a crunch of gravel followed by a knock on her car window. Frightened, she slammed on her horn until she noticed that the man standing beside her car was Jack. Erica quickly rolled down her window and began to shout at him.

"Jack, you practically scared the life out of me."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. It's just that I saw you sitting here and was beginning to wonder if you were planning on coming inside. You are coming in, aren't you?"

"Where on Earth did you bring me this time, Jackson?"

"Leah's Enchanted Garden! Can't you see the sign?"

"I can hardly tear my eyes away. What is this place? On second thought, don't tell me. I don't think I want to know. So, are we going to take my car or am I going to follow you to the hotel we're staying at?"

"Honey, we're staying at the hotel right here."

"Jackson, please. I'm tired, it' s been a long ride and frankly I just want to get into a hot tub and soak away some of the tension in my neck. Ten minutes and I'll be good as new. So, please stop teasing me and let's just get on our way?"

"Erica, I'm serious. This IS the place we're staying. In fact, I got us the best room in the house; Paradise Cove."

"Paradise Cove" Erica repeated, completely bewildered. "Well, with a name like that I can hardly wait." After hesitating for just a moment, she pressed the button to close the windows, popped the trunk and turned off the ignition. Jack went to grab the two small suitcases and let out a large groan.

"Erica, what the hell do you have in here? We're only staying the night."

"Thank God" Erica murmured and turned her attention to Jack. "It's just a few essentials. After our unforgettable time at the Pine Cone, I wasn't about to take any chances."

"Meaning?"

"Let's just say I brought a few things along to spruce up the décor."

"Such as?"

"A few candles, some rose petals and of course, some fine linens. This time I'd like the room to be a little romantic."

Jack smiled. "Well, I'm glad you thought of it. I'd hate the place to be lacking in mood."

"Go ahead, Jackson Montgomery. Laugh if you want but believe me, you'll soon be thanking me."

"Oh, I plan on doing a lot more than thanking you. Come on, it's this way" Just as they reached the door to the room, Jack dropped the bags and picked up Erica instead. Surprised, Erica looked up into his face and he returned her gaze with a smile. "There's no way a woman as magnificent as you should be anything but carried into a room like this. Brace yourself, sweetheart."

After walking only a few steps into their room, Erica let out a loud gasp. Jack couldn't tell if she was amazed or horrified, and decided probably a little bit of both. In front of her stood a nine-foot tall tulip, its blossom pulsating in varying shades of pink.

"Jack, what, what is it, what is that, that thing?"

Jack gently put Erica down, moved toward the long green stalk and with great fanfare, pushed a button on its sinewy surface. Slowly the bloom deepened to a fiery scarlet, its petals unfolding, revealing a steaming cauldron of bubbles. "My lady, I give you 'Leah's Basin of Beauty."

"Her what?"

Jack let out a booming laugh. "A bathtub, Erica. You, my dear, get to soak in this utopian delight."

Erica simply stared, slowly moving her eyes from the evergreen base up to the rouge bud towering before her. Finally, Erica turned to face Jack. "One question. Just exactly how do you expect me to get up there? Wait, don't tell me. There's a vine behind the drapery that I swing on."

Jack continued laughing. Erica looked back at him annoyed, and then reluctantly let out a small smile. "Erica, there's no amount of money I wouldn't pay to see that but I'm afraid you'll have to use this little ladder on the side."

"I hate to tell you this, Jack, but that's not a great deal better."

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll be right there to catch you."

"You promise?"

"Absolutely. I pride myself on being the consummate gentleman. Besides, you don't think for a moment I'm going to let you soak in that tub alone. I've been daydreaming about sharing a bubble bath with you in that flower since the moment I got here."

"You have, have you? And just what else have you been daydreaming about?"

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change. "I was fantasizing about how much this would buy me."

Erica looked at him, clearly taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Jack returned her look with a smirk. "Come here" he said, and taking her by the hand, motioned her toward the bedroom. They turned the corner and in the center of a large cove stood an enormous round bed covered in pearlescent velvet and braced on what looked to be a giant clam shell. Unbelievably, the mollusk's upper shell perched above, forming a natural canopy. Beside the bed was a side table made of glass, shaped like a dolphin. Erica was so stunned she didn't notice Jack pointing to a rather utilitarian-looking device the porpoise balanced in its mouth. Small silver lettering identified the object as "Magic Fingers."

'Erica . . . Erica–"

Dazed, Erica tried to determine where the sound was coming from. Finally, Jack tapped her gently on the shoulder. "What? Oh, Jack. I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"It's pretty unbelievable, isn't it?"

Erica tried to process her surroundings. "Unbelievable doesn't begin to cover it. I'm speechless."

"Why don't you lie down for a minute. I've got one more surprise for you."

"Jack, really, I don't think I can take another surprise."

"Come on, sweetheart, for me? Just this one last thing, I promise."

Erica sighed and sat down on the bed. "All right, fine, as long as this is the last surprise. And I insist that you lie down next to me. The day's really caught up with me and I'm feeling a little bit shaky."

Jack kicked off his shoes and settled back onto the mass of pillows scattered at the head of the bed. Erica snuggled beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. They lay there quietly, luxuriating in the simple warmth that flowed between them. Despite the flamboyant setting, a natural calm filled the air. And, just as sleep was about to overtake her, Jack shifted away from Erica and dropped six silver coins into the black box that was nestled between Flipper's lips.

Suddenly, a crashing roar filled the room and the bed began to thunderously rock from side to side, its speed quickening with each passing moment. Terrified, Erica let out a scream and held onto Jack for dear life. He immediately tried to rip the cord from its socket but just as he reached out to grab the box, the bed began to gyrate, spinning away from the table. The jerking motion caught Jack off guard and serendipitously thrust him onto Erica. They stared at each other wide-eyed as the bed continued to throb and pound.

Desperate to do anything that would wash away the fear he saw in Erica's eyes, Jack did the first thing that came to mind and slipped his tongue into her opened mouth. Her eyes fluttered for a moment and then closed as she lost herself in his familiar touch. They kissed deeply and passionately, their tongues locked in a dance all their own. The bed continued to shake, twist and rotate but Erica and Jack were utterly oblivious, fully engaged in creating a rhythm all their own.