Ray rushed into the ER lobby at Lenox Hill Hospital. When he got the call from Dax, he was just leaving Townsend Foods offices. Damn waiting for a fancy driver, Ray had hailed a cab from the sidewalk. Then it took him an hour longer to get there than it should have because of the damn lunchtime traffic. He spotted Dax out of the eight people who were sitting in there. “Dax,” he said and rushed to him. Dax stood. “What have they told you?” Ray asked urgently. “Not much,” Dax said. “All they would tell me was that they were both breathing. Then they said they couldn’t discuss anymore with me because I was underage. But to let them know when my guardian or parent got here.” “Shit,” Ray hissed. He looked around and spotted the front desk. He quickly walked to it. “Excuse me.” The clerk looked up from her computer. “My son and . . . a friend were brought here by ambulance. Something about them g
After getting a load of Ray, Jesse thought he might shop for some clothes to fit in with his new surroundings and the natives. The concierge directed him to a few men’s stores in Manhattan. Jesse had left the boys at the hotel. He told them they could explore the hotel but not to leave it. He left them some money if they got hungry and wanted to eat downstairs. Ray had left thirty minutes ago for his lunch with old man Bartholomew at some country club. Jesse had bought three new suits but nearly died when he had to pay the bill for them. The salesman asked if he wanted to wear a suit out of there, but Jesse had said no. He wanted to save his new clothes for the right occasion if it came up. On his way back to the Waldorf, Jesse came upon a woman who was looking through a shop window. He stopped to watch the woman. That looks like – She turned. Ava. That’s Ava. Instead of yelling out to her,
“Shit, Ray,” Jesse said over the phone. It was still early in Montana. “I know, I know, I screwed up again,” Ray said flatly as he stood behind the bar in his suit drinking a beer. “But when she mentioned marriage I . . . was jolted. I wasn’t even thinking about marriage.” “I know you weren’t. Hell, I wasn’t either. You two had only been together for a short time. Barely a month technically. But you couldn’t give her the old let’s see how it goes?” “No. I didn’t want to lead her on.” “So, you love her, but you don’t want to marry her?” “I . . . don’t know. Yes, I love her. That I know beyond a doubt. But marriage . . . I couldn’t promise her that.” “But you want her with you . . . always?” Ray thought for a moment. “Yes. I think I do.” “Well, call her up and tell her that.” “I can’t even if I wanted to. She’s probably still at her own party. It’s past two a.m. here. And as yo
The D.J. who was discretely in the corner of the room, began playing Poison by BBD as she walked, and her father descended the stairs of the stage. Ava had given the D.J. a list of all of her favorite songs. Her taste ranged from retro, R&B, and now country. The D.J. had been a little surprised by the country music request but he had said he would play what she wanted. After all, her parents – and even her stepfather had paid a lot of money for him and the party in general. Ava began making the rounds. “Ava, you look wondabar!” Mrs. Phillipa Dandridge preened. “Thank you,” Ava said with a smile as she moved on. “Ava, it’s so good to have you back in the fold,” Alan said. “Thank you, darling,” Ava said as the man kissed her manicured hand. Her stepmother and mother spared no expense getting Ava ready for tonight. She had gotten a manicure, pedicure, body wrap, and facial. Her hair was done by Monique, t
Ray slid into the black stretch limo next to Lester Bartholomew. He didn’t feel – or look like himself at all. Ray wasn’t sure about his new look that was forced upon him. Cal had sworn his new hair cut took ten years off his face. “Well, well,” Lester sang with a smile. “You look like new money. Well, technically you are new money, but –” “New money? What do you mean by that?” Ray asked as the bellman closed the door. “There’s old money and new money. Old money, which is what me and Ava are, are people who have had money for at least ten generations or more. New money is people who had come into wealth from three or less generations, which is you.” “Does that really matter?” Ray asked with furrowed brows. This was starting to become too much for him. All he had wanted was to get Ava to come back home with him – to be with him and the boys. He hadn’t wanted new suits, coats, a fancy hotel room that was like an apartment, nor a new hair c
Ray had checked into the Waldorf Astoria. The damn place looked more like a royal palace than a hotel. And he had nearly shit himself when the clerk told him how much money his suite was per night. It was too much despite his personal wealth. He had actually asked if they had anything cheaper. Unfortunately, everything else was booked. So, Ray took what he could get.Probably for the best. If Lester shows up, finding out I had gotten a cheaper room he might blow a gasket, and at his age that could cause a heart attack. It would be a shitty way to see Ava again for the first time after two months - in an emergency room.Ray let the bellboy and the concierge walk him to his suite as the bellboy carried his luggage. He could have probably found the room himself without help and carry his own luggage, but he didn’t want to waste time arguing with them. He had to get dressed for Ava’s party. Lester had called a guy to fit him for a tux. He would probably arrive at the hotel soon.“So, what