Home Ice (19 page)

“Here we are,” Ben announced when he pulled up to a stunning all white contemporary stucco house.

Dom sure knew how to throw a party. Every light was on in his all white oasis and it stood out like a beacon in the desert.

Where Ben’s house was large, yet modest, Dom’s was not. It was flashy and pretentious and although it seemed impossible, even stood out compared to his neighbors. Everything was white. White, massive urns on each side of the white stone path leading to the extravagant beveled glass door. White arches stretched across the exterior to connect with two giant white pillars on either side of the entrance. It looked like the Greek palace of a rock star.

Or the not-so-humble mansion of Dominic Devereaux.

Dom came close enough.

Cars lined both sides of the street and music could be heard booming from inside.

“I’d hate to be one of his neighbors,” Ally commented as she got out of the car and straightened her nurse’s cap.

“They’re probably all here at the party. Or in the Bahamas,” Ben smirked.

Ben looked dashing in his policeman uniform and she teased him for bringing the gold rimmed sunglasses along with him at night.

“Hey, it’s a part of the look. No cop is complete without the standard issue shades.”

To Ally’s delight, Ben started singing an off-key version of
I Wear My Sunglasses At Night
and tucked the glasses into the front of his shirt. They laughed all the way up the path to Dom’s front door.

Dom, a.k.a. Julius Caesar, greeted them on the other side of the gargantuan white door. Ben chuckled, remembering Dom’s costume the previous year. He had dressed in drag. Man, oh, man, Dom had made one
fugly
woman.

“Well, well, well,” Dom sneered. “If it isn’t Red Valley’s finest.”

“Any excuse to wear a dress, huh Dom?” Ben teased in return.

“Fuck you, Price. It’s easy access.” Dom grabbed his crotch and Ally blushed at his brashness.

“You’re so disgusting,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

“And hello to you, Nurse Ratched.” Dom tipped his crown wreath of gold leaves in Ally’s direction. “I’ll be looking forward to my sponge bath later tonight.”

“Good luck at your assassination, Julius,” Ally smirked and followed Ben into the impressive alabaster house.

The gigantic living room was a colorful display of pirates, French maids, cowgirls and cheerleaders. The song
Brick House
blared from Dom’s colossal sized speakers. Dom’s party was in full swing and it looked like half the town was there.

“Look,” Ally pointed across the room where a group of scantily clad women were dancing. “Dom even brought in a stripper pole for the party.”

Ben followed her gaze and looked back at her sheepishly. “That pole is always there, Ally.”

“Oh.”

“Hey Sebby!” Ben was happy to spot the goaltender among a room full of masked and painted faces.

“Benny! Or should I say Officer Price?”

Sebby was dressed as Peter Pan and his super-thin supermodel of a date (who had obviously never eaten a steak in her life) was appropriately dressed as Tinker Bell.

“Sebby, you remember Ally?” Ben asked.

“Hi Ahlly,” Sebby said before introducing them to his date. “You two have fun. Zee bar eez over there.” Sebby pointed in the direction of the kitchen.

Ben and Ally found the bar and ordered soft drinks from Jack Sparrow the bartender. Ben was driving and he didn’t want to drink and Ally had sworn off alcohol for life.

“Mmmm, I never could resist eyeliner on a guy,” Izzy’s voice came from behind them as she was eyeing the pirate.

“Oh, hey Izzy.” Ally spun around. “You look great.” Glad to see a familiar face, at least one that wasn’t covered by a Frankenstein mask, Ally hugged her best friend the Playboy Bunny.

Izzy was squeezed into her sexy costume. It was soft black velvet with a plunging neckline, complete with bunny ears and signature white fuzzy cotton tail, bow tie collar and white cuffs. Glitter sparkled on her tan skin and she smelled like cotton candy.

“Thanks,” Izzy did a twirl. “I’m dressed as the Miss July Playmate.”

“July?” Ally asked curiously.

“Yep,” Izzy replied, “July is the hottest month of the year.”

“Right, of course,” Ally nodded and laughed.

“Hi, Ben.” Izzy turned to Ben and gave his costume a once over with her eyes. “Oooh, handcuffs.” She fingered their metal chain. “These will come in handy for later.”

“Hi Izzy.”

“Hey Nurse Naughty,” she turned back to Ally, “your boyfriend can pull me over for speeding anytime.” Izzy smirked and batted her huge fake eyelashes at Ben.

“Where’s your Hugh Hefner?” Ben asked.

Izzy rolled her eyes. “Dom said he was too young to be Hef and he gets to be him
every
day, so instead he chose a military leader from 65 BC. Makes perfect sense, huh? Ally, come to the bathroom with me,” Izzy insisted without giving Ally a choice.

Once inside the bathroom, Ally could see why Izzy would want to pay homage to the magnificent white marble and chrome masterpiece. Dom’s bathroom matched the rest of the house. It was luxurious, over-the-top and most of all white.

Ally picked up her jaw from the floor in time to hear Izzy yammering on about Dom.

“Sweetie, the sex is soooo good! Mmmm,” Izzy said as she checked her makeup in the beveled mirror and applied more sparkly pink lip gloss. “How about you and Ben. Have you yet?” She wiggled her eyebrows at Ally.

“Jeez, Izzy. I’m not going to talk about that with you. Especially not here in your boyfriend’s bathroom.”

Izzy scrutinized Ally’s face for a clue. “You already have, haven’t you?”

Ally stood her ground. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, you’d better get on that, hun.” Izzy smacked her pink lips together. “He’s a very hot, eligible bachelor and won’t wait around forever.”

Ally frowned into the mirror at Izzy’s reflection. “You know I’m not like that Iz. I don’t go sleeping around with anyone, like…”

“Like me?” Izzy smiled at her reflection. “It’s okay sweetie.” She patted Ally’s shoulder. “I have to indulge while I can. I won’t have this body forever.” Izzy turned and admired her rear end and shook the cotton tail.

“You’ll have it long enough to torture me with it,” Ally complained.

“Ally, you look hot tonight. If you’re gonna get some from Ben, it’s definitely going to be tonight. Ooh, I’m so proud of you. Let’s get back out there.” With a flash of teeth and glitter, Izzy went off in search of Caesar.

Outside the bathroom, Ben was waiting for Ally. “Come on. I wanna show you something.” He took her hand and led her through the crowd of characters and outside to the backyard.

“I won’t be surprised if it’s the grotto,” Ally said through clenched teeth.

Outdoor speakers brought the music and the party outside. Party lights, white of course so as not to clash with the rest of Dom’s house, were strung along the patio and around the pool. The pool water shimmered in the night.

Ben led Ally into what looked like a miniature version of Dom’s house and it turned out to be the pool house. The pool house was as lavish as Dom’s main house, but to Ben’s disappointment, the party was in full swing there as well. He had wanted to have a minute alone with her in that sexy costume of hers. Oh well, he could still get close to her while they danced.

Ally swayed with him to the music and looked around in amazement. “I have no words.”

There
were
no words to describe the splendor that was Dom’s palace.

“How would you like to go swimming here this summer?” Ben asked into her ear over the loud music. Her eyes widened even more. “Dom goes to Maui every summer for a couple of weeks and he always lets me use his pool.”

“You, me and a swimming pool. Sounds like a recipe for a good time.”

“What’s with us and swimming pools anyway?” he asked, a sly smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

“Mmm. I don’t know. Maybe that‘s just ‘our thing’.”

“Too bad I opted for the view instead of a pool at my place.”

“You do have a Jacuzzi, though.”

“Yeah, I pretty much have to in my line of work, but I’ve never really thought of it as a recreational thing, until you came along, but I like where you’re going with this.”

She shook her head. “Forget swimming pools. What’s with people and their pool houses? Jeez, I thought Cody and Laina’s was big, but Dom’s is ginormous. You could fit two of Gram’s house in here.”

He smiled remembering the night they made love for the first time.

They danced to a couple of songs and were starting to have a good time when in the middle of
Margaritaville
, Ben gave her a weird look.

“I think you’re vibrating.”

“Oh, it’s my phone.” She looked to see who was calling and the display showed she had missed a call from Ruby. Ally’s heart sank down to her Mary Jane’s.

“Something is wrong,” Ally said with wide eyes.

Ben recognized the urgency in Ally’s voice. He also knew that Ruby wouldn’t have called unless something major was going on.

“Here, follow me,” he said and led her back outside and into the nearby laundry room adjoining the main house where they could have some peace and quiet to return the call. Ben felt for the light in the dark and flicked on the switch.

There in the confines of the laundry room was Dom, in all his Roman glory, having sex with Little Bo Peep sitting on the washing machine. Little Bo Peep was a petite blonde with bee stung lips and her skirt pulled up around her waist. More like Little
Ho
Peep.

Ally looked from her to Dom and back again.

This can’t be happening right now. I have an emergency, people!

“Christ, Dom. What the hell are you doing?” Ben cringed, “On second thought,” Ben put up his hand, “Don‘t answer that.”

“Veni, vidi, vici!!!” Dom said, which translated to “I came, I saw, I conquered.” “And I came again!” he added and turned his attention back to the blonde.

Ben slammed the door shut on Dom’s smug face and led Ally outside to the front yard. There was no peace and quiet to be found inside the white mansion.

“Sorry about that,” Ben said with a shake of his head.

Too much was running through Ally’s mind for her to process what she just saw. Dom was having sex with another woman while Izzy was in the next room. There it was. Processed. Somehow, Ally wasn’t the least bit surprised, but Izzy was going to be heartbroken just the same. Ally could barely punch in the numbers on her phone, her hands were trembling so badly.

Hang on, Gram
.

The phone rang for an eternity before Ruby answered.

“Ruby, it’s me. What’s wrong?” Ally made no attempt to steady her shaky voice.

“I had to take your Gram to the hospital. She fell…” The cell phone connection was static-y and Ruby’s voice cut in and out. Apparently there was no reception in the kingdom of Devereaux. “We’re here…Emergency Roo…Valley Medi…Center. Room 14.”

“I’m on my way right now.” Ally’s mind was already in the car. She was glad Ben had brought the ‘vette. Now, if only they could attach wings, a siren and a red flashing light to the top of it.

“Allison?” Ruby’s voice crackled.

“I’m still here.”

“I’m sorry I had to interrupt…party.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Ben took hold of her elbow and steered her out to the car. Ally repeated to him what Ruby had said. He didn’t say anything. He just started the car, concentrated on the road and calculated the quickest route to the hospital. Ally was thankful he was behind the wheel so that her mind could have the chance to run through every possible scenario.

Did Gram have another stoke? Her heart couldn’t possibly endure another one. Was she unconscious? What happened? Is she going to be all right?

Her fingernails dug into the flesh of her palms. Cars and streetlights whizzed by and her head began to spin.

Get a grip on yourself.

If I grip much tighter, I’m going to draw blood!

Ben steered the car up the hill to the Red Valley Medical Center. The hospital was an ominous structure lit up in the night sky.

Ben miraculously found a parking space near the entrance. They got out of the car and remembered they were both still in costume. Ally had completely forgotten, but was glad they hadn’t chosen something more flamboyant. It wasn’t completely unusual to see a police officer and a nurse at the hospital, but it was even more unusual to see people dressed in costume in April. Thank goodness she hadn’t let Izzy talk her into dressing up as Madame Monastery, The Sinful Nun. A nurse with knee-high stockings and platform shoes was embarrassing enough. Thank goodness it was cool enough out tonight to warrant bringing coats to the party.

Ben grabbed their coats out of the trunk before tossing his sunglasses and handcuffs in. Ally unpinned her nurse’s cap and removed the stethoscope from around her neck and laid them next to Ben’s accessories. Ben put his coat on and put Ally’s around her shoulders. She pulled her arms into it and closed it tight around her. She shivered, but not from the night chill.