Ride a Painted Pony (Superromance) (29 page)

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Authors: Carolyn McSparren

BOOK: Ride a Painted Pony (Superromance)
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“I need a statement from you.”
“Did you find the computer disks?” Taylor asked. Now that the fog in her brain was lifting, she remembered the reason she went to Rounders in the first place.
“Yeah. Eberhardt kept great records. Almost all inside jobs. A lot of people are going to be very unhappy when they get arrested for complicity in grand theft.”
“Margery?” Taylor asked.
“Josh called Cabrizzo, but he had a conflict of interest because he represents Nick. He got another hotshot lawyer off the fourteenth tee. When Margery told him to plead self-defense, I thought he’d have a coronary right there. She’s regaling everybody including the orderlies with how smart she is.”
“She’s crazy.”
“Tell me about it.”
She lay back against the pillows. “Danny, I’m very tired and I hurt a lot. Can you come back tomorrow?”
“Doctor says you can go home in the morning.”
“Then come see me at the cabin tomorrow. With Margery in custody, there’s no rush, is there?”
Vollmer grinned and shrugged. “Sure, kid.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re alive and if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I’ll kill you myself. Clear?”
She nodded. Even that effort made her head ache.
“Come on, Mel, you talk to me,” Vollmer said. The two men left the room together.
Veda sat in the visitor’s chair and cleared her throat. “Taylor, we have to talk.”
“Not you too.”
“Ever since I met you I’ve heard nothing but what an ordinary job you do. In one week you’ve been shot at twice, attacked twice and mauled once, faced down a killer, and broken your hand. That does not sound like the job description for a bank teller.”
“It’s never happened before.”
“You have also fallen madly in love with your client.”
“I’ll get over it.”
“You were down there looking for some way to clear this up to save Nick.”
Taylor flushed. “I’m a professional.”
“Professional my Aunt Fanny. Nick brought you into Emergency and stayed right with you the whole time. You should see the way he looks at you. He’s so much in love with you he’s downright sickening.”
“I won’t let him run my life. That lovesick man fired me, remember?”
“He’s terrified of losing you the way he lost his mother and his grandmother.”
“That’s
his
problem.”
“Is your precious independence so great? Isn’t it just lonely?”
“Get off my case, Veda.”
“Not until you admit you love him.”
“All right, I am in love with Nick Kendall. Now, are you satisfied?”
“I don’t know how you and Nick plan to work it out, but you’d better try because the years can be very lonely with nothing but your cat for company.”
“I don’t know that we can.”
“Try. For Veda. Please.”
“Yes, Veda, I’ll try.”
“Good, because you are sadly lacking one element you told me was essential for a good P.I.”
“What?”
Veda pointed down her arm from her bandaged shoulder to the cast on her hand. “You, Taylor Hunt, are not a fast healer.”
 
SHE DRIFTED INTO FTTFUL SLEEP. She wanted to go home to Elmo, to hide behind her gates and lick her wounds.
She woke to see Nick holding a paper bag in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. The bag smelled better than the roses. She couldn’t eat roses.
“You’re going to need some help for a couple of days,” he said.
“I’ll manage.” She reached for the bag.
“I’m volunteering. Elmo may run out of cat food. You can’t drive for a week at least.”
“What about Rounders?”
“Veda and Max can fill in. Josh—” he shook his head “—Josh has other commitments at the moment.”
She closed her eyes. “I didn’t know I was taking chances, Nick. I didn’t do anything intrinsically stupid.”
“Dammit! I almost lost you!”
“And you almost walked into an ambush! It cuts both ways, buster.” She dug in the bag, unwrapped a burger and took a big bite. “Nobody’s safe. I may walk out of here this afternoon and get run over by an eighteen-wheeler. You could plunge off a cliff on your motorcycle.”
“You put yourself in harm’s way.”
“It was a fluke.” She raised her hand, cast and all, and tried to stroke his cheek. She misjudged the distance and clunked him soundly on the nose. “Oh, Nick, darling,” she wailed. “I’m sorry.”
He blinked, rubbed his nose and took her plaster paw in both his hands. “Look, Taylor, I love you. I sure as hell didn’t plan on it, and I wish to God it hadn’t happened. I don’t have a damn thing to offer you but debts and dust. But I’d rather see what you’re up to than worry about what trouble you’re getting into behind my back.”
“We’re going to fight about this a lot,” she said softly.
“We can make up afterwards. He tilted her chin so that she looked into his eyes. “Marry me.”
“You want to marry me—broken hand, cast and all?”
He reached for her other hand and held it to his lips. “Your left hand’s not broken. My grandmother’s ring should fit just fine.”
“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” Taylor asked.
He rubbed his bruised nose, then leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’ve got a pretty good idea. A lifetime of love.”
EPILOGUE
“TAYLOR KENDALL, GET DOWN off that chair this instant!” Veda stood in the entrance to the new Rounders building with her hands on her hips. She wore a jonquil-yellow linen dress and matching mid-heel pumps. “If Nick catches you up there, he’ll kill
me
.” She reached up and took Taylor’s arm.
Taylor descended laboriously. “I’m pregnant, Veda, not disabled.”
“You’re nearly seven
months
pregnant, you ninny. What were you doing up there anyway?”
“Somebody hung the elf sign crooked. Can’t have that. I’ve become rather fond of that sign.”
“If Max can’t keep that grandson of his from climbing on top of every animal in the museum I’m going to put in a call to the elves to come get him. When I left to go change clothes he was trying to climb up the band organ to get to the rounding boards.”
“He seems a nice enough little boy. Max is so proud to have him here visiting.”
“He’s got Max’s devilishness in his eyes. And entirely too much energy. You wait until you’re chasing young Whatsit—” she pointed to Taylor’s burgeoning belly “—all over those acres of yours.”
“I’ve got two o’clock feedings to get through first.” She ticked off her fingers. “Plus, the contractors out at the cottage still haven’t finished the second bathroom, the baby’s room needs wallpaper, and Nick has been so busy moving Rounders into the new building and setting up this museum that he hasn’t varnished the library bookshelves. The man is a master woodworker! It’s a classic case of shoemakers’ children having no shoes.”
The double doors from the foyer to the main part of the building swung open. Charlene Cato stuck her elegant head out. “Veda, where have you been? The caterers didn’t bring enough ice buckets for the champagne, so I called Marcus and told him to bring some of ours, but as usual, he was due here a half hour ago. I swear, one of these days I will murder that man.” Her eyes opened wide and she glanced at Taylor. “Oh, dear, that wasn’t a very politic thing to say under the circumstances, was it?”
Taylor shrugged. “Life goes on. Even for Margery who, according to the doctors, is so far in la-la-land at this point that she will probably never come to trial.”
“Good thing for Josh. Now that he’s back to just being a professor, he seems so much happier,” Charlene said.
“Nick says Josh promised to come to the opening today, even though he’s no longer technically a partner. At least he came up with the money for Marley,” Taylor said.
“That was the least he could do under the circumstances.” Veda sniffed. “Well, Charlene, I’m here now. What do you want me to do?”
Charlene took a deep breath, then glanced back over her shoulder. “Nick Kendall, don’t you dare move that rabbit one inch! It’s right where it belongs.” The doors swung shut behind her.
Veda burst out laughing. “Charlene has always avoided this place like the plague. Now she’s acting as if she were the one who bought out Josh’s share, instead of Marcus.”
“I think she enjoys managing. You must admit, she’s been a godsend setting up the museum. I certainly haven’t been much help.”
“Neither have I, what with moving into my new duplex. I have already warned Max I will not baby-sit for his grandson when he visits.” She grinned. “Well, not often, at any rate.”
“You don’t have much free time anyway—with Mel hanging around. Come on, Veda. Rounders is supposed to open for the public in...” She glanced at the slim gold watch on her wrist. “Oh, good grief! Ten minutes.”
The scene that met them was organized chaos. At least Taylor hoped it was organized. Caterers in white jackets scurried back and forth from the small galley kitchen at the back of the room. Waving a pencil over her head, Charlene chased one of the waiters, who held a tray loaded with champagne glasses.
“The place looks great,” Taylor said. “I can’t believe you got all this done so quickly.”
Nick had borrowed a miniature carousel from one of his old friends. It revolved slowly in the middle of the banquet table on which platters of hors d’oeuvres sat waiting to be attacked the moment the doors opened. There was punch, and waiters would circulate with trays of filled champagne flutes. Charlene Cato believed in doing things right or not at all, and since Marcus had volunteered to pay for everything, the rest of the Rounders crew agreed wholeheartedly.
Nick had turned off the sound on the miniature carousel’s music box so that it would not compete with the big band organ in the corner. As soon as they were ready to open the doors, he’d crank up the organ to play real carousel music.
The room was spacious and airy. No dust motes here, although Taylor did miss the skylights at the old Rounders that had let in the starlight at night. Here the walls shone crisply white and were hung with painted rounding boards from the tops of carousels. Beneath the rounding boards hung restored black-and-white photographs of great old carousels, workshops and master craftsmen.
The carousel animals posed and pranced around the room. Taylor wondered how on earth she could ever have thought they were silly,
But then, that was before she discovered Nick. And love.
Nick must be in the workroom behind the museum space. That would be open to the public as well today. The sharp instruments were locked away, but the works currently being carved sat on their tables so visitors could see the process of creation from start to finish.
“Sit down before you fall down,” Veda said, and shoved Taylor toward one of the rented chairs along the wall. “I’ll bring you some fruit punch. No champagne for you. You really should put your feet up while you have a chance. Once everybody else gets here, including all the media people, you’ll be run off your feet being a good hostess.”
Taylor nodded gratefully. She sat quietly in her corner. As usual, once she relaxed, the baby danced the rhumba.
She loved being pregnant with Nick’s baby, although the timing could have been better. After they had announced to Irene that they were getting married as soon as they could get a license, and to heck with Taylor’s broken hand and with convention, they had planned to finish expanding and updating Taylor’s cottage, move Rounders to its new suburban location, and get the museum up and running. And all that before they even thought of starting a family. Whatsit, however, had other ideas.
Probably just as well. Taylor would be thirty-five when Whatsit saw the light of day, and Nick would be forty-three. She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes a moment.
For the last few months she had been like a cat, content to search out the nearest sunbeam to snooze in.
“Darling, you do look lovely.”
Taylor opened her eyes. “Hello, Mother. And no, I look like a beached walrus.”
“I’ve just been telling that darling Nick of yours that CeCe Washburn wants at least two more of his animals for her shop. They’re selling like mad.”
“Good thing, the way we’re spending money on Rounders and the house.”
“Oh, darling—”
She patted her mother’s knee. “I’m kidding. We’ve got more students than we can handle these days, and with all the publicity about opening the museum, we should pick up even more.”
“Well.” Irene sniffed. “At least one of my children is happy. Poor Brad! His divorce is about to kill him.”
“He should have thought of that earlier.”
“Now Taysie...” She glanced up. “Oh, here’s Nick.” She whispered to Taylor, “Can’t you make him put on a tie for a few hours?”
“Never happen.” She reached up a hand. Nick took it in his large one and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. “I convinced him to wear new jeans. That’s something.”
“I should never have listened to you,” Nick said. “These need at least a dozen washes to feel comfortable.” He nuzzled her neck. “You, however, feel extremely comfortable.”
“Well, I’m not. I can barely reach your mouth over this shelf I’m carrying around in front of me.”
Nick kissed her. “I’ll always figure out a way to kiss you.” He stroked her belly gently. “Hey, Whatsit seems to have calmed down.”
“Waiting for a ride on one of your horses.” She linked her arm with his and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m so glad the amusement park decided to leave your horse on the carousel. I can hardly wait to put Whatsit on top of her father’s contribution to the world of antique carousels.”
Marcus Cato erupted through the double doors. He held a pair of silver champagne buckets in his left hand and another in his right. “Where’s that demanding wife of mine?”
“Marcus, where
have
you been?” Charlene grabbed the buckets and strode away.
Marcus grinned and sauntered over to Nick and Taylor. He nodded down at Irene. “Hello, Mrs. Maxwell.”
Irene extended her hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She simpered. “Dr. Cato. How nice to see you.”
“And you, pretty thing,” he said to Taylor, “you sure you don’t have triplets in there?”
“I hope not, for all our sakes.”
Max Beaumont wandered up. “Nick will have to give up riding his Harley once he’s a father.” He held the hand of a small boy with mischievous eyes—his grandfather’s eyes.
“Nobody’s giving up anything,” Taylor said. “The minute I’m over looking like the Michelin man, I am going back to work, but only on the computer from home, at least for the moment. I can’t see dragging young Whatsit here along on surveillance, at least for a couple of months.”
“Darling, you’re not serious!” Irene Maxwell said.
“Of course not, Mother.” Taylor smiled up at Nick. “Nick’s going to bring her to Rounders if and when I start going out on jobs again. That child is going to have so many nannies she won’t be able to keep them straight.”
“Don’t forget uncles,” Max said. “It’ll have quite a few of those as well. How does Borman feel about your going back to work?”
“Borman is delighted,” Mel said from behind him. “Here, Taylor, Veda said to bring you this punch.”
“Thanks.” She drank it greedily. “Now, all of you scat. I need a few minutes’ peace before we open the doors. You too, Nick.”
“I’d rather stay here with you and Whatsit.”
“Nick!” Veda called from across the room. “I have no idea how to turn on this band organ contraption.”
“Damn! Be right there.” He caressed Taylor’s hair. “You okay?”
“I’ll probably race the guests to the hors d’oeuvres. Other than that, I’m fine.”
“And beautiful.” He bent to kiss her. “Be right back, love. We can greet the public together.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her as he went to find Veda. Taylor kept saying she felt enormous, but in his eyes she looked downright glorious. More beautiful with every passing day.
At first he’d feared that pregnancy would leave her discontented, but she had wandered through the spring and summer languidly, paying little attention to anything except Nick and the baby growing inside her. That might change, but he doubted it. No matter how crazy their lives seemed to be these days, the moment they were together they felt wrapped in a cocoon of peace.
He’d wondered that first November night what a commitment from Taylor Hunt might do to his life. He’d never considered what
his
commitment to
her
might do. She fitted as sweetly into the empty spaces in his soul as he fitted into her body. She was his love, his world, his family. He watched her and vowed to be the kind of father to Whatsit that he and Taylor had never known.
“Here, Veda, all you do is flip this switch.” Suddenly the
oom-pah
and
tweedle-dee
of the band organ filled the room.
“Turn it down!” Veda yelled with her fingers in her ears.
He nodded, lowered the sound to background level, then sought out his wife once more.
Laughing at the noise, she came into his arms. “Look at them!” she said, her eyes sweeping across the multicolored carousel animals. “They’re begging to dance.” She touched her tummy. “Like Whatsit. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to sell her to the elves, dear heart.”
“Fine with me, love. The sign reads, ‘unaccompanied children’ and since I intend to hold tight to both of you for the rest of our lives, it doesn’t apply.” He held her a moment and kissed her gently. “Now, let’s open the doors and let the party begin.”

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