Love Takes All

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She laughed, happy to have a partner in crime. One she suspected she could trust implicitly. Lydia liked that. “I’m wondering what I can do to make Leon’s and David’s stay here as unpleasant as possible without jeopardizing the reputation of this hotel.”

“Therein is the rub.”

She shuddered to think what Leon and David wanted. “They’ve already angered the housekeeping staff.” Having those two in her hotel was going to be a huge problem. “And they haven’t even unpacked yet.”

“How is it that Maya is so well-behaved and these two crybabies seem like they’re entitled snobs?”

A sense of pride engulfed her. Hunter was telling her she was a good mother. Did he have any idea how important that was to her? “Because their mother raised them to be entitled snobs, in my opinion. And while Maya is no wilting flower, she is allowed to speak her mind, as long as she is respectful.” She rested her elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her palm. Miss Eleanor would never take such treatment from them. She wasn’t going to either. “I believe I will let the staff know they are under no obligation to go above and beyond their normal duties on my stepsons’ behalf.”

“You do have some claws,” he said, admiration in his tone.

Surprised, she studied him, her head tilted. “I’m tired of people walking all over me. I had to put up with them while married to their father, but I no longer have to do that.” She felt proud of herself. She thought of how many times she’d retreated from confrontation for the sake of family harmony and she wasn’t going to do so anymore. She liked this feeling of empowerment. Now if she could just carry through with it without asking Hunter for help. But then she thought, no. She could do this on her own, although she was glad to have such a strong ally at her side. She had to learn to handle unpleasant situations by herself. She had known her position would not be easy, but Mitchell had deflected so much of his sons’ rancor from her.

She took another sip of her coffee while her thoughts churned. Hunter had finished his slice of apple pie. Her phone rang and she glanced at the display. David. Should she answer it? She decided she might as well.

“Hello, David.”

“Hello, Lydia,” he said jovially. “Dinner at eight in the little restaurant with the matador theme.”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Dinner at eight.”

“I don’t think so.”

A long silence stretched out between them. Finally, he said, “Please.”

That caught her off guard. David and Leon never said please for anything. It was always a demanding “Give me this” or “Give me that.”

“No,” she said. She had dinner planned with Maya and Miss Eleanor. “I have a business dinner.” Though business wouldn’t be the primary focus of the meal, she was certain business would be discussed at some point.

She heard David suck in his breath. “This is important, Lydia.” His voice had gone hard. “It concerns Maya.”

She took a breath and held it for a second before letting it out slowly. She would not knuckle under to their demands. “I’ll meet you for drinks at nine o’clock in the lounge.”

A sigh of exasperation came through the phone. “Fine,” he said sharply. David disconnected without another word.

“Do you know where Miss E. is?” she asked Hunter.

“She was in the casino talking to one of the pit bosses.”

Lydia pushed herself to her feet and glanced at her watch. She had twenty minutes before she had to leave to pick up Maya from her ballet lesson. “I need to talk to her.” And she walked away, realizing she’d just been rude to Hunter. She walked back and smiled at him. “Thank you.” And turned once again and left the café.

* * *

Lydia found Miss E. standing in the entryway to the casino. Slot machines dinged cheerfully, waitresses in skimpy flamenco outfits wandered among the patrons pushing drinks. Miss E. had a wide smile on her face.

“Isn’t this wonderful.” Miss E. spread her hands to indicate that most of the machines had people seated in front of them feeding their change into the hungry slots. A slot machine dinged and someone shouted in delight. Another winner.

“This place is overpowering,” Lydia said. “Where are you starting?”

“Like I said, one room at a time, dear. We will make this the most exciting place the Reno. I talked to my granddaughter, Kenzie, and she has a friend who does some sort of public relations voodoo. I wanted to talk to you and Reed about hiring her to help us change our image. We need to sex it up.”

“I beg your pardon? You mean skimpy flamenco outfits aren’t sexy enough?”

Miss E. grinned. “I don’t mean the staff. I’m talking about the casino and the hotel.”

“That sounds like a start, but right now I need some help.” She held out her phone with the text from Everest. “It seems Mitchell’s children have arrived to make my life unbearable.”

“I heard,” Miss E. said with a sigh, “from the wait staff, from room service, from housekeeping, the concierge and the bell hops.”

Lydia massaged her temples. “I don’t know what they want, but I have a feeling I’m going to need a lawyer. Do you know any of these names my lawyer in Louisiana sent me?” She held up her phone and showed the email message to Miss E.

Miss E. took the phone and scrolled down the list, a faint frown putting a crease in her forehead. She stopped scrolling. “Vanessa Peabody. Good poker player. Try her first. Any idea at all on what they want?”

“They told me they want visitation rights with Maya. But I suspect they have something else in mind. David and Leon have always been the type to say one thing and do another.” Lydia pocketed the phone. The feeling she was going to find out over drinks just exactly what Leon and David wanted filled her with dread. “They’re going to cause trouble.” Trouble followed them wherever they went.

“Then you’d best be talking to Vanessa right now.” She pulled her own cell phone out of her pants pocket.

“You have her on speed dial!”

“A good doctor, a good accountant and a good lawyer is how you keep a well-balanced and happy life.” Miss E. spoke into the phone and five minutes later Lydia had an appointment with Vanessa Peabody.

“I’ve been trying to take care of things by myself.”

“You are taking care of things. You came to me for advice.” Miss E. patted her cheek. “Good hunting, dear.”

* * *

The lounge was dark and quiet. At the grand piano sat a man playing soothing music. The muted ding of the slot machines from the casino drifted in. Lydia arrived early and ordered a soda. Vanessa Peabody sat at the table immediately adjoining Lydia’s.

“Now,” Vanessa said quietly, “listen to what they have to say. I’ll be taking notes. Don’t tell them I’m here or they might get antagonistic.”

Lydia nodded, her throat too choked for her to say anything.

“And relax,” Vanessa murmured as she sipped her soda.

Lydia concentrated on her breathing as she waited, trying to maintain an exterior calm when her insides trembled so hard she thought the table would shake.

A shadow fell over her and she glanced up. David slid into the booth across from her and Leon followed. Both men stared at her. David looked slightly petulant while Leon’s cold eyes appraised Lydia.

“Good evening,” she said as politely as she could manage even though her throat was so tight she could barely speak.

“Let’s dispense with the pleasantries,” Leon replied. A waitress approached and both men ordered bourbon. David’s was over ice; Leon preferred his neat.

“Of course,” Lydia said, expecting exactly that.

David shrugged while Leon looked astonished at her being agreeable.

“David and I have decided that it would be in Maya’s best interest if one of us had custody of her.”

Shocked, Lydia could only stare. Take a breath before you speak, she heard Vanessa’s voice in the back of her head. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down before she said anything.

“Why would you think that?” She put her hands in her lap so they wouldn’t see her shaking.

“Look at this place,” Leon said, disgust clearly on his face. “You can’t raise a sensitive child, like Maya, in a casino. This place is tawdry, pedestrian and vulgar. She needs to go home to New Orleans.”