Chapter 25—The Family

The wedding was days away, and Derrick’s parents, sister, and nephews had just arrived from the Outer Banks. His uncles were all in town from Italy. Daren had given them luxurious suites at The Ranch and was hosting a cocktail party for them tonight.

Susan’s head was spinning as Derrick proudly introduced her to his family. Derrick’s father was a slender distinguished man with gray hair and conservatively in a dark blue sports coat and tan slacks. He was the Chief of Medicine in Nags Head, North Carolina. He had been polite and amiable to her.

Derrick’s mother and sister were both dark-haired and carried extra pounds. They snubbed Susan as if she didn’t exist and put their full attention on Derrick, letting him know that they were unhappy with their rooms. Derrick got on the phone right away with Daren, and Daren scrambled to find them something they would like. They were already in elegant suites, and Daren didn’t have anything. Derrick’s uncles agreed to switch with them so they would have a better view.

“I don’t understand why we can’t stay with you,” his mother, Margot, complained. “You have a huge mansion.”

Susan liked that Derrick set boundaries with his mother. “Two families under one roof doesn’t work,” he said. “And you’re loud in the mornings. Susan and I like it quiet.”

“Well, the boys want to spend one night with you and go swimming,” his sister said. “I need a break. These kids are driving me crazy. I need at least one night out by myself to gamble.”

“Sorry,” Derrick said. “My house is off-limits. They can swim all they want at The Ranch. Maybe mama will babysit.”

“These are my uncles: Vinny, Antonio, and Michael,” Derrick said. “I’ve told you about them. I spent every summer with them from age twelve until I was eighteen.” They were all tall and handsome and impeccably dressed in black sports coats and white shirts open at the collar. Susan could feel their eyes on her examining her from head to toe. They were friendly—too friendly.

“You are a beautiful woman,” Vinny said, his dark eyes flashing as he kissed Susan, first on one cheek and then the other. “I can see why my nephew wants to marry you.”

“Thank you,” Susan replied, blushing crimson. She couldn’t help but think that his voice sounded like Marlon Brando in the Godfather. Susan wondered what a boy might learn from them after six summers in Italy. They were suave, their clothes looked tailored and expensive, and they were more than flirtatious—not just with her, but with all of the women. Susan saw two cocktail waitresses write down their phone numbers on napkins for them.

The evening went on, making small talk with Derrick’s parents and his sister, Maggie. The conversation did not go well.

“How did you meet Derrick?” Margot asked.

“We met on a plane,” Susan said, not knowing what to say.

“So, you met on a plane and moved right in,” she said. “Sounds like a fortune hunter. Do you work?”

“No, Derrick doesn’t want me to work,” Susan said.

“What do you do?” Margot asked.

“I’m a librarian.”

She smirked. “That’s funny. I never in a million years thought my son would be marrying a librarian. Do you want children?”

“No,” Susan said. “Neither of us wants children.”

“You have a huge mansion. You should have children,” she pushed.

“Will you stop?” Derrick said. “Maggie has three. Enjoy them. I’m sure she’ll let you babysit anytime you want.”

Margot smirked. “She has boys. I thought you might have a girl.”

“Well, you thought wrong,” Derrick said. “I don’t want to share Susan, not even with a child.”

Susan was relieved when Fran and Millie came to her rescue. They mingled with guests and ate appetizers. “I knew you wouldn’t like Margot and Maggie,” Millie said in a low voice. “Jenny hated them. They were rude and abrasive to her. She avoided them like the plague.”

“Thanks for telling me,” Susan said, unable to envision herself in the family.

Eventually, the uncles drug Derrick off to the bar, and Susan sat chatting with Millie and Fran while they watched Matthew, the oldest nephew, dance with a woman twice his age. They couldn’t help but notice that his hands were on her ample derriere.

“That woman’s a cougar,” Fran said. “And the kid’s been drinking.”

Susan cast a look at Maggie, who had two empty cocktail glasses in front of her and was stuffing a meatball in her mouth. “Maggie doesn’t seem to care,” Susan said.

Susan smiled when the band began to play the Argentine Tango. It was a dance she knew. An instructor had come to the college, and Susan and friends from the library had taken classes.

There was a tap on her shoulder. Matthew’s dark snappy eyes were serious when he said, “Susan, I would love to dance this dance with you.”

It was a seductive dance, and Susan did not want to put herself in that position. It was a dance for lovers.

“I’m sorry, I cannot,” Susan said.

Matthew’s face turned dark at Susan’s refusal, and he stormed off. Minutes later, he strode out on the dance floor with a beautiful dark-haired leggy girl who looked to be his age. They danced a steamy, sexy, seductive tango.

After the dance, he shot Susan an angry look that she didn’t understand. What was going on with this family? Everything she did seemed to annoy them.

“He was out of line,” Fran said. He was deliberately trying to put you in a compromising position.”

“He’s a kid trying to grow up too fast,” Millie said. “My little brother used to be the same way.”

Fran laughed. “I think he has a crush on you.”

“I would be careful,” Jack said. “An eighteen-year-old Italian, with a crush, could be dangerous, especially when he’s had too much to drink.”

Max leaned in. “I think you may have bruised his ego. Maybe we should go to the casino for a while.”

“I agree,” Susan said. “I’ve had enough socializing with Derrick’s family.”

The two women locked arms with Max. They looked stunning. Susan wore a backless long red dress, split up the leg, and Fran, all legs, wore a champagne-colored dress split up the leg. Heads turned as they strode down the vast hall that led to the casino. They made their way through the crowded casino. Fran sat down at a slot machine towards the end of the aisle.

Susan pushed her way through the crowd to her favorite slot machine that had just come open. She inserted a hundred-dollar bill then made eye contact with Max to let him know she was okay. Max was tall, and she quickly made eye contact with him. Everything was fine until a show ended, and the aisles filled up with people clamoring for slot machines.

Susan was concentrating on the game when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She paid little attention, thinking it was Bruce. But when she felt the cold hard steel gun pressed against her side, she stiffened. She looked up and gasped.

Blaine loomed over her.