Round the Clock (14 page)

“And don’t make a decision for us, either,” Gerald said. “We don’t want you to leave. We want you to stay as long as you want.”

Jane nodded. “And if you do decide to move out, we want you close by so that you can visit.”

Leona covered Anna Marie’s hand. “We love you, my dear. Like family.”

Anna Marie stared at them, touched. A family? Her heart filled with joy at the word. She had a family. People who cared about her, people to whom she could belong. She wasn’t an outsider anymore. She no longer needed to run from her past. “I’ll stay.”

“Good,” Gerald said. “Because we weren’t going to let you leave.”

“And you’re not going to let Desmond go, either,” Leona said.

Anna Marie let her shoulders sag. “But I don’t know how to fix things.”

“Be yourself.”

She laughed. “I don’t know how to.”

“Yes, you do. Tell him everything.”

A
nna Marie thought over her family’s advice the rest of the day. She went into the basement to think some more and looked at the row of CDs Mrs. Bell had organized against a far wall. She looked at the space and remembered how Mrs. Bell had used dance to build her confidence. Now she could do the same, but not just for children. She would focus on teenage girls and women. Yes, she would make the classes affordable and fun. She could have a special course for wives who want to heat up their marriages.

“What do you think?” Anna Marie said aloud, not expecting an answer. She grabbed one of Mrs. Bell’s favorite albums and opened the case. She stopped
when she saw a small note with her name scrawled across it. She set the cover aside and read it.

Hello, Anna Marie,

 

If you’re reading this, then I know that you’ve done everything that I’ve asked of you. I hope that I’ve left you more than money and a house. I’ll never know why you ran away, but I’m happy to know that you’re now home. I imagine that you’re the beautiful, talented young woman that I knew you would be. You’ve made an old woman’s dream come true. I hope your dreams will come true, too. Don’t be afraid to love, don’t be afraid to hope. You can become what you imagine.

 

Love always, Mrs. Bell

 

 

Anna Marie squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, “Thank you.” She opened her eyes and through a teary haze glanced around the bare studio and imagined all that she would do, and how she would make Mrs. Bell proud.

“Anna Marie?” Leona called from the top of the stairs. “Are you down there?”

Anna Marie wiped away her tears. “Yes.”

“You have a phone call.”

She started up the stairs. Could it be Desmond? Had he changed his mind about her?

Leona saw the look of expectation on her face and shook her head. “It’s your sister.”

“Oh.” Anna Marie took the phone and went into the dining room. “Hello, Tracie,” she said without feeling.

“What did you do to them?” her sister shrieked.

Anna Marie held the phone away from her ear. “What are you talking about?”

“The stockings! You did something to them just to get back at me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then why am I in bed covered in a nasty rash?”

Anna Marie hid a laugh. “I don’t know.”

“You did this to me to keep me away from Desmond. If this rash leaves a mark, I’ll get you.”

“Tracie, I didn’t even know you were going to take the stockings. I told you to leave them, remember?”

“It’s not fair,” she screamed like a petulant child.

“No, it’s not fair. It’s not fair that you tried to force me to give up a man you don’t really love. You only want him because he doesn’t want you.”

Tracie fell silent, then said, “He used to talk about you. He couldn’t remember your name, but he’d tell me about this girl he’d known at some halfway house he’d gone to. And I wanted him to think about me.”

“At least his parents love you.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Why him? Of all the men, Tracie, why did you choose him?”

“Just to see if I could get what you couldn’t. It was a nice challenge at first, but then I fell in love with him. I slept with the other man just to get back at him. I wanted him to notice me. At that point in our marriage, I felt he’d only married me to impress his parents and once I’d fulfilled that, he didn’t have much use for me. He didn’t love me the way I wanted him to.”

“I’m going to see him again.”

Tracie sighed. “I thought you might and I know when I’m beaten. I’ll find someone else to adore me.”

“Yes, you always do,” Anna Marie said, then she wished her sister a speedy recovery and hung up. A package arrived the next day. She opened it and pulled out a pair of full-body stockings and knew exactly what she had to do.

“Look, I know she’s no Malika,” Julius said, staring at the agile young woman on the stage, “but you could at least pretend you’re enjoying yourself.”

Desmond finished his drink. He knew it wasn’t his first, but had stopped counting after three. He shouldn’t have let Advent persuade him to come back here. The Palace of Sin held too many memories for him. It filled him with a feeling of loss that no amount of alcohol could fill, which didn’t mean he wouldn’t stop trying. He raised his hand to the waitress for another refill.

Julius frowned. “I know you can drink me under the table, but you should go easy on those.”

Desmond picked up his glass. “This was a bad idea.”

“You thought that the last time, but you had fun. I’m trying to cheer you up.”

“I don’t need cheering up.”

“I’ve never seen you fall this hard for a woman. What’s gotten into you?”

Desmond thanked the waitress when she set down his drink. He took a long swallow.

“Call her.”

Desmond stared at the liquid in his glass. “I told you it’s over.”

“So you had a fight. You can always make up.”

“Not this time. I’m not calling her and she won’t call me.”

Suddenly his cell phone vibrated. He glanced down and noticed the number. He blinked. “I don’t believe it.” He abruptly left the table and Julius watched him leave, then sat back and returned his gaze to the dancer, ready to enjoy the show.

Anna Marie entered the law office of Thornberg and West, remembering the first time she’d arrived and how unsure and alone she had felt. She didn’t feel that way now. She walked up to the receptionist ready to announce who she was there to see, when the woman smiled and said, “Go right in, Ms.
Williams. He told me to let you through the moment you arrived.”

“Thank you.”

Anna Marie walked back to Desmond’s office, grateful that he’d agreed to see her, although his voice had been distant over the phone. She took a deep breath, knocked, then opened the door when he responded. Desmond sat at his desk looking agitated. Before she lost her courage she spoke.

“I’m sorry about everything and you were right. No, please don’t say anything. Let me finish. It’s important I tell you this.”

Desmond frowned and opened his mouth, but she rushed ahead before he could speak.

“I shouldn’t have kept secrets from you and I won’t keep them from you anymore.” She opened her coat then let it drop to the ground to reveal the harem outfit she’d worn the night of her performance. The full-body stockings she wore added a sensuous tint to her skin tone. “I know I should have told you who I was before, but I couldn’t. I was afraid of what you’d say. That night in the club, I
did
dance for you. Everything I said
was
for you. But I have danced for other men and my past is shady, which I won’t go into right now. But if you’ll give me another chance, I’ll tell you.”

Desmond covered his eyes as though he were in pain. “Will you excuse us?”

Anna Marie wasn’t sure what he meant until she saw him glance to his left. She turned and saw his parents sitting on the couch, stunned.

She looked at Desmond in panic ready to run.

“It’s okay,” Desmond said.

“No, it’s not okay,” his father said. “This is the woman you took to our church bazaar? The one you introduced to us as a good woman? You met her in a club?”

“Yes.”

“Of adult entertainment?”

“Yes.”

Pastor Rockwell turned to Anna Marie. “Do you know what sin is?”

Desmond smiled. “Yes, that’s where she danced. The Palace of Sin, right?”

Anna Marie nodded, still unable to speak.

“Good. I wanted to make sure of the name.”

“You shouldn’t have been there at all,” his father said.

Mrs. Rockwell spoke up. “My dear, you look chilly. Perhaps you should put your coat back on.”

Anna Marie picked up her coat. “I don’t dance anymore.”

Pastor Rockwell stood. “Come, Mother, we’re leaving.”

“That’s another thing Desmond and I have in common. I wasn’t good enough for my father, either.”

Pastor Rockwell spun around and gaped at her.
“What do you mean by that? I’m an excellent father. You were placed in foster homes because your parents weren’t suitable.”

“No, they weren’t. My father had all the appearance of goodness, but his heart was cold. He rejected me because I wasn’t good enough for him. No one was good enough for him. Not my sister, my mother and definitely not me. Rejection comes in many forms and I’ve seen them all. Don’t do the same.” She touched his sleeve. “Please don’t leave like this. I may not be like Tracie, but I do love your son. I will never betray him. I will always be true to him.”

“I prefer Anna Marie to her sister,” Desmond said.

“Who’s her sister?” Pastor Rockwell asked.

“Your ex-daughter-in-law,” Desmond responded.

“Tracie?” Pastor Rockwell looked at him, startled. “She never told us she had a sister.”

“Tracie didn’t tell us a lot of things. She’s a good liar. That’s one of the reasons I divorced her.”

Pastor Rockwell pressed a hand to his forehead. “I still can’t approve of this match.” His gaze fell to Anna Marie. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m also quitting law to restructure Hallon House,” Desmond said. “I spoke to the owners and they want to partner with me.”

“You want to leave all this?” He gestured to the fine room and furnishings. “All that you’ve worked for? I don’t understand you.”

“You never did, but I don’t need you to understand or approve. I don’t need you to be my pastor or my teacher or my judge. Just my father. That’s all.”

Pastor Rockwell opened his mouth to argue, then stopped and sighed, resigned. “Very well. You’ve always done your own thing anyway. You’ve never cared what I think.”

Anna Marie shook her head. “No, he does care and I care, too, but we won’t be slaves to your opinion. That’s the difference.”

Mrs. Rockwell took her husband’s arm. “I think enough has been said for now. Let’s leave them alone.”

He cast a glance at his son, then nodded and left.

Anna Marie turned to Desmond. “I’m sorry that—”

“Don’t worry.” Desmond shut the door, then led Anna Marie to the couch and they both sat. “You certainly know how to make an impression.”

Her cheeks burned in humiliation. “I didn’t know they’d be here.”

“Neither did I.” He rested his arm on her shoulders. “But I’m glad.”

“You don’t seem very surprised that I’m Malika.”

“I’m not.”

She stared at him. “You knew?”

“Of course. Not at first, but as time went on, I picked up the clues.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? When Tracie hinted at it, I thought you didn’t know.”

“I was waiting for you to tell me. I wanted to see if you trusted me, but after that day, I knew you didn’t.”

“I know,” she said, ashamed.

Desmond stood and opened a desk drawer. “Fortunately, I forgive you.” He pulled out a gift and handed it to her.

“What’s this for?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Just open it.”

Anna Marie carefully tore back the wrapping paper, then gasped and ripped with more vigor until the item was visible. “‘One Thousand and One Nights.’ Fully illustrated with gold-leaf trim.” Anna Marie held it close to her chest and stared up at Desmond with tears gleaming in her eyes. “Thank you.” She lowered her gaze and ran her hand over the cover, then rested the book on her lap and flipped through its pages. “It’s even better than I remembered,” she whispered. She turned a page, then noticed a ring tucked in the spine. “What is this?”

Desmond picked up the ring, then got down on one knee. His gaze pierced hers, but his voice remained soft. “I hope it’s a dream come true.” He lifted her hand and placed the ring on her finger. “Will you marry me?”

Anna Marie pushed the book off her lap and
threw her arms around him. “Yes. A hundred times yes. I can’t believe it.”

Desmond held her tight. “Believe it, darling, because it’s real. I love you.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I love you, too. More than you know.”

A
nna Marie never thought she’d return to The Palace of Sin, but she wanted to see Belinda again and tell her about Desmond and the dance studio she was starting.

“She’s not here anymore,” Fred told her when Anna Marie asked him. “She left about a month after you. I had to scramble to get a replacement.”

“Was she in any kind of trouble?” Anna Marie asked worriedly.

“No, she said she had a new opportunity somewhere in Nevada. She wasn’t more specific than that.” He snapped his fingers, remembering something. “But she left you an envelope. I was going
to post it, but since you’re here…” He disappeared into his office, then returned with it.

“Thank you,” Anna Marie said, surprised by its weight.

Fred crossed his arms. “Is there any way I can convince you to come back?”

Anna Marie glanced around the empty executive lounge with its Eastern decor and shook her head. “No, those days are definitely over for me.”

“I understand.” He nodded, then left.

Anna Marie opened the envelope and read the brief note:

Hope you finally got what you deserved and that this gift will help you remember me.

 

Anna Marie pulled out a keychain in the shape of a stocking. She laughed, then gripped the key chain in her fist. “Oh, Belinda,” she said aloud. “I’ll always remember you.” She kissed the key chain, then ran outside. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright fall sunlight. Her gaze fell on Desmond as he leaned against his motorcycle, looking both sexy and dangerous in his leather jacket and dark sunglasses. Her heart leaped at the sight of him. He was no longer a mysterious figure who would disappear like a dream. Her dream had come true.

Desmond straightened when he saw her and removed his sunglasses. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is wonderful.” She threw her arms around him, her heart filled with joy. “I love you.”

He drew back and his eyes melted into hers. “I love you, too.”

“And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Desmond kissed her, then whispered words she’d always wanted to hear. “Your wish is my command.”