Page 45 of Enchant Me

Damien’s hands ball into a fist, and he takes a step forward. I grab him by the arm, truly afraid that he’s going to punch his father. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, except that Charlie’s sitting right there at the guardhouse, and while I trust the man, I really don’t think he needs to see that.

“Damien,” I say. It’s enough to calm him down, and I feel the tension ease a bit.

“Right before Sofia died, you told me that she owed you money. That she’d scammed you and you were determined to get it back.”

“That’s more or less what I said,” Jeremiah agrees.

“You told me what you did to get compensation for what she owed you. And I swear to God, I’ll never forgive you for that, either.” He takes another step toward Jeremiah, getting right in the man’s face. “But what I don’t know is if that was the only compensation. Or maybe Sofia gave you the rest of the Richter tapes in payment of the debt.”

Jeremiah’s eyes widen almost to the point of being comical, and he shakes his head slowly as he takes a step back. Or tries to. He’s blocked by the side of his car.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he says lifting his hands. He looks between the two of us. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What new tapes? The only ones I know of are the ones that you released. You can’t be upset with me about something that’s already been released.”

“You haven’t answered my question. Do you have those tapes?”

“Hell, no. Of course, I don’t. I told you. I’ve never laid hands on them.”

Damien finally takes a step back, then another. My hand is in his, and I move backwards with him. Slowly he looks his father up and down. “I wish I could believe you, old man. But I don’t.”

And then, without waiting for Jeremiah to say a thing, Damien turns and leads me back to the house.

13

“I am so sorry you’re going through all of that,” Jane says, looking at both me and Damien. It’s Thursday night, and Damien and I are joined by Dallas and Jane at Cut 360, one of our favorite downtown restaurants. We’re tucked away in a dark corner, but I’ve noticed several of the other customers sending glances our way. I’m used to it by now, but with both Damien and Dallas together, the attention has ratcheted up. Considering both of their reputations, I shouldn’t be surprised.

“I think the hardest part is that I don’t want the girls to ever see those tapes or photos,” Damien says. “But I know they will eventually.”

“I get that,” Dallas says. “There’s a lot about my past I don’t want our daughter to know.”

The statement is simple, but I understand the complexity behind it. Throughout his life, Dallas had worked hard to build up the reputation of a playboy, a man who pretty much slept with anything that moved. It was all part of a cover, I learned, but the articles and commentary about him during those years will last forever.

Now, of course, he’s married to Jane, and they make a gorgeous couple, her with brown hair and wide brown eyes, and Dallas with his hair the color of caramelized sugar, the face of a cover model, and vivid green eyes.

But even their marriage was a scandal, because they were raised as brother and sister, and their tumultuous, epic love story — filled with kidnapping and deceit and drama — ultimately ended up in the headlines.

That’s all in the past now, and they have a darling little girl named Mystery. But like Damien, Dallas worries about what she’ll think of her parents when she learns the truth about their past.

In other words, Dallas and Jane completely understand the pressure Damien and I have been under. Which, of course, is why Damien is comfortable sharing the whole story with them. The whole story, I reiterate to myself as Dallas asks, “Have you heard back from Holt about how the tape got out there?”

I give a small shudder, thinking about that horrible tape from Masque and wishing that we had put a kibosh on this particular topic of conversation.

“Daily reports,” Damien says, reaching for my hand. “But he’s found nothing so far. I have to give the guy credit, though. He’s trying hard. Clearly, he’s as mortified by the breach of Masque’s policies as Nikki and I are that the tape is in someone else’s hands.”

“Well, I’m glad all of this didn’t put you two off on going forward with your ceremony,” Jane says.

“No. We thought about canceling the press, but if we did, they’d just dig for a reason. And the truth is,” Damien adds, “I want them there.” He squeezes my hand, then smiles at me.

“The first time we exchanged vows, we were by ourselves on a beach in Mexico. I wouldn’t change a thing about that day, but this time, I want all the world to see it. The more reporters, the better. The more pictures of my beautiful wife, the better,” he adds, then lifts our joined hands and kisses mine.

“So we’re just part of the crowd?” Dallas asks with a grin.

“Absolutely,” Damien says with a perfect poker face. “It wouldn’t be a party without Long Island’s most famous party boy.”

Jane lifts a glass. “To bad boys who settle down,” she says, looking between the two men and then smiling at me. “So long as they settle with us.”

I clink my glass against hers and laugh, once again thinking how glad I am that they made the trip down to celebrate with us.

“And, Jane,” Damien begins, “Troy gave me the list you emailed over as I was leaving. Thank you for the recommendations. I’ll make a few calls tomorrow.”