Part Two : Viva Las Vegas

SIXTEEN

The ground rules were set, and agreed upon. There were sixty-five casinos in Vegas, so they would use a dozen casinos depending upon how play was going. Each had a figure they were working towards to cover current needs and future needs for the next ten years. They could always come back when they needed more money.

Evan showed them how to enchant a coin or a bill with a small incantation that they quickly mastered. The enchantment only lasted for one chance. The key though, was believing it would work. Self doubt is a killer. They had three days, four if they really needed it, to make their money and run.

They were staying at Caesar's Palace, in two of the main suites, but they agreed to start someplace else. Something about a bear and the woods and not doing it where they sleep. As the cab dropped them off at the main entrance to the Golden Nugget, their ears were assaulted by the noise level. They had to lean their heads close to each other to be heard. Three hours, then meet in the coffee shop.

Evan was off to the roulette table, with 35:1 on some of the table bets. David to the blackjack table, with 2.5:1 odds on blackjack. Judy and Valarie to the slot machines.

Twenty minutes of play, and Valarie realized three things. One, it was no fun if you knew you couldn’t lose, although Evan had stressed that if you were betting at a table you had to lose almost as many times as you win. Second, this was going to be work, not just fun and games. Third, she should have started working out months ago if she was expected to lug all of these coins around.

She cashed in two thousand fifty dollars. The enchantment was only good for one win, so she took her winnings into the Lady’s Room and a stall. There she enchanted all of the bills before going back onto the floor to look for Evan. She found him exactly where he said he would be: the roulette table.

So how do I play this game, Valarie mentally asked Evan.

The casino floor is not the best place to learn how to play.

I can’t do any more slots without going crazy. Why do your chips look different than mine?

Yours' are hundred and mine are for a thousand. Twelve, red, even and one for the grouping. Next round chooses whatever you like. The croupier called for final bets. He spun the wheel and a moment later he shot the little white ball to chase the wheel in reverse. Finally the ball fell into a slot and bounced out. Another bounce and a third bounce for the momentum of the ball to be spent. The ball rested on number twelve, red.

Congratulations, you just won thirty-eight hundred dollars.

“This is so fun,” Valarie exclaimed with great enthusiasm. “I think I could do this all day.” She pulled all of her chips into a pile in front of her.

Four, black, even and don’t forget to drop a chip in the grouping box. I’ll say just bet what you like when we’re going to lose for this round.

After a little more than ninety minutes, Evan looks up at the croupier and says,

“I’m sorry to say, but your luck is all gone for the day. Could I get a tray please?”

and he tipped the croupier two, one thousand dollar chips. On the way out, they stopped at another roulette table with a high limit, but only stayed for a little over an hour. After cashing in their chips, they headed to the coffee shop to wait for David and Judy.

When everyone checked in, they found that Judy had won a little over twenty thousand dollars. David had earned ninety-six thousand dollars. Their total goal for the four day weekend was three million dollars combined. Valarie had one hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars. Her personal goal was also three million dollars. Evan was the big winner with one million four hundred and seventy nine thousand dollars. Of course his goal was ten million dollars for what he felt they would have to do to keep the Dark Gate closed. The one thing they were all in agreement about was that the next three and a half days were going to be work.

And work it was. The idea was to win small, but win often without attracting attention. The first afternoon, in Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort Judy decided to play the jumbo slot machine sitting in the foyer. She took ten silver dollars saying the incantation on each coin before dropping them into the slot machine and pulling the giant handle. Immediately bells go off, along with sirens and whistles and flashing lights. Naturally the jumbo slot paid off: seven hundred ninety-eight thousand dollars plus a pair of Mustangs. Her name and picture was in the resort’s daily newspaper handed out to every guest.

That same afternoon, David was asked to leave the Venetian for being suspected of counting cards at the black jack table. Judy must have loved the flashing lights, blaring horns and sirens because less than twenty hours from winning the Jumbo Slot, she won the Million Dollar Slot at the Bellagio, one million one hundred ninety-seven thousand dollars plus another car, an Audi A8 sedan.

The second night Evan closed out the high stakes roulette table, when the payoff of the last bet was two million five hundred and ninety thousand dollars. The pit boss gave the croupier the signal to speed things up while the payout was still on the table, and Evan was only able to move one million five hundred to number twenty-nine. He had only been able to clear three hundred thousand of the million remaining on number sixteen, when the croupier called final call and immediately spun the wheel. The winning number twenty-nine, the third winning number in a row for Evan. Evan won fifty-five million, six hundred fifty thousand dollars, but lost seven hundred dollars because the croupier had not allowed enough time to clear his winnings off the table. Play stopped when spectators cheered Evan’s incredible win.

Everything happened at once, adding to her confusion. First the doorbell to the suite sounded. Walking to the door, the phone rang. She opened the door allowing the three men from room service to enter. Running to answer the phone, she watched as the men first set the table in the dining area.

“Hello,” Valarie answered distractedly.

“Hey,” replied Judy, “just calling to confirm when you wanted us to come over? We’re ready any time.”

In just three days, they had developed a great friendship.

“They’re just now setting up the appetizers on the table, and Evan is still in the shower, so let’s say ten minutes. Evan never takes long to dress.”

“Wonderful, see you in ten.”

“You’re all set ma’am. Would you like us to open the Dom Perignon?”

“No thanks, we can do that ourselves. Here you go and thanks,” Valarie said as she dipped her hand into the small bowl of casino chips sitting on the bar.

“Are you sure Ma’am?” asked the waiter looking at the hundred dollar chip in his hand.

“Absolutely,” and Valarie gave them a dazzling smile.

“Thank you Ma’am, and we’ll be back in fifty minutes with the entrees.”

As the three waiters exited the suite, she heard the water stop and automatically turned her head towards the bedroom. The door was ajar, as was the bathroom door. Evan’s reflection filled the mirror, and she wondered how lucky she must be to be standing in the one perfect spot for this amazing view.

Time slowed for Valarie as she watched Evan reach for the large fluffy towels. Tiny beads of water glistened on his skin, like miniscule bits of silver shimmered under the bathroom lights. Her eyes drank in the view of the well muscled body, the broad shoulders, the washboard stomach, narrow waist and thin line of dark colored hair from his naval down. The white towel moved quickly back and forth to dry his short black hair. With deft flicks of the towel, Evan dried his body. His eyes caught her in the mirror and he smiled just before moving out of her line of sight.

The feeling of heat touched her cheeks as they reddened with embarrassment. She felt the heat in other places along her body, with the desire she felt for Evan to be held in those strong arms. Frustration blocked all other emotions as her mind sought out the answer to making Evan see her as a sensuous and willing woman. Three days, and two nights made Valarie more than ready to sleep with Evan; convinced it was beyond her responsibility to do so. They were yin and yang.

She took the three steps around to the back of the bar and grabbed a glass. Placing a half dozen ice cubes in the half tumbler glass, she added a healthy shot of gin before topping off the glass with tonic water. Normally two glasses of no named white wine was her limit, but then nothing was normal right now. Taking a gulp of the drink, she winced at the strength of the drink. Quickly placing the tumbler on the bar, Valarie leaned forward as a coughing fit moved her body ever forward and bent in half.

An arm pulled her body tightly into his. The pats on her back were firm as she tried to straighten up. Finally the coughing stopped and she stood. The arm around her waist tightened. He was perfect in her eyes. Dressed in the double breasted navy blue suit, white shirt with a navy and red tie. The gold cufflink peaked out from his coat sleeve as his one hand moved to wipe the tears from the coughing fit away. Softly their lips met for just a moment.

“Are you alright,” Valarie was asked tenderly.

Evan did a slow pan with his eyes from the top of Valarie’s hair pulled back to showcase the large diamond earrings, to the pendant tear drop diamond necklace resting against her skin that was open by her neck and upper chest. She was wearing a Liz Claiborne black, gold and silver dress with a high cut in the left leg area.

“Fine thank you, and you look absolutely stunning,” and she smiled at Evan.

Evan leaned in to kiss her again, just as the suite’s doorbell rang. With his mind he answered the door as it opened by itself.

“Later,” was all Valarie heard as Evan took a half step away from her. David and Judy entered the suite and the door closed by itself.

“That’s creepy,” Judy said as she looked from the door to first David and then towards Evan and Valarie. The deadbolt turned and the chain rattled as it slowly lifted into place.

“Now that’s creepy,” David said entering the room. “If the boys from the welding shop could see us now, they’d die.”

“From laughter,” Evan said as he moved over to the champagne and picked up a bottle to open.

One bottle of Dom finished. David quickly refilled everyone's glass. He raised his glass, and waited for the other to follow.

“I just wanted to toast to our little family, my family. May we always be there for each other.”

They all drank, echoing his sentiment. “I also wanted to thank Evan for an experience unlike anything we ever dreamt possible. Do you want a car? We have five now.”

Evan reached into the inside jacket pocket and removed a thin leather case. Opening the top, he offered everybody a cigar, although only David accepted. Taking his time he lit each cigar as if he had been smoking for years, rather than this was only their third cigar in their entire lives.

“I’m glad everyone has had a good time. I know this has to seem like a job, rather than a vacation, but I think we’re at our goals.” He took a piece of paper from a side pocket. “Judy, your two big slot machine wins certainly pushed your totals up quickly to get you over the finish line. You wanted three million, and you’ve won a total of three million, eight hundred ninety-three thousand, one hundred forty-one dollars.” He raised his glass and sipped. “Valarie, you also wanted three million dollars, and you’re close to two million two hundred seventy thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven dollars. We can play some more tonight after the show here in the large theater, and tomorrow morning. Or I’m happy to give you a million dollars after what happened last night at Planet Hollywood.”

“What happened to making small bets to stay off the radar?” David asked.

“It was all the fault of the asshole pit boss. He was trying to move things much faster than usual so I would be forced to leave the bet on the field and lose the money back to the house. I decided right then and there to break my own rule and win this round. So I got some of the money on a square and a little off the playing area.”

“I thought he was going to have a stroke when the croupier said twenty-nine, and you won for the third time, fifty-five and a half million dollars,” Valarie said. She raised her glass to Evan and took a sip.

“Since the girls took the afternoon off to shop, does everyone think they’re ready to go home now? And I just wanted to thank Valarie for buying more clothes than I’ve probably ever owned at one time. They’re beautiful clothes too. I look presentable, and you two look wonderful. People will all think that David and I are hitting it above our average tonight. You look perfect tonight ladies.”

“So what was your total? We all know you were shooting for ten million Evan,”

“It all depends on what the store's total receipts are to be deducted for all of us. Probably about sixty-nine million, three hundred twenty-five thousand.”

“We’ll settle up back in Tucson,” David said. “We have clothes in there for Tommy too.”

“It’s my pleasure to treat everyone. It was the easiest way to make arrangements for the ladies to shop without carrying a case of money with them. You both did a magnificent job. You both look wonderful and you even made David and me look wonderful too. Thank you both.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Evan stood and retrieved a spiral notebook from the bedroom. “We have about forty minutes until we have to leave to go see Diana Ross. So I want to go over some things that I’ve been working on at night.”

David flipped through the pages of the almost filled spiral notebook. “When do you sleep?”

“I don’t need that much sleep anymore, just a few hours a night. I’ve written a power of attorney for me to you, David. Thanks in advance for getting my money back to Tucson. I’ve listed the type of house I want you to buy, four to six bedrooms, three to six bathrooms, game room, play room, living room and dining room, plus an eat-in kitchen, laundry room and wine cellar. The minimum sizes for each room is listed, the big thing is having room for my workshop and the pentangle room and what has to be on each wall and behind the wall. That will have to be special construction and I need it done in less than a week.”

“So we’re not going to be neighbors anymore?”

“I was actually hoping that you would move in with me. That’s the reason for more than half of the house. I was going to ask you in a little while,” Evan said with a charming smile.

“I hope you still ask,” Valarie said with a blush.

“Oh, I’ll ask again, at a more private moment. I know that we said we were going to work the casinos tomorrow, but Val, you’re the only one that’s just a little under their stated desired amount. I’m happy to give you the difference to bring your total to three million”

“I think I can make due with what I do have right now,” and she smiled at her friends.

“So we’ll leave sometime tomorrow. In the morning, Val and I are going to buy a mobile home and all the camping supplies we might need for a week. We know that somebody that has been to the seventh gate is looking for us, to help, but I don’t like the idea of sitting still. I feel like I might as well hang a couple of targets on our backs. If you and Judy will hang back, I will buy a phone tomorrow that will reach everywhere and we can figure out where to meet.”

“Not a problem? What about all the clothes and things now?”

“If you could take those back with you, I would really appreciate it.” “Absolutely,” David said with a smile.

“Would you mind taking some of my things too?”

“Absolutely,” David said again.

“I think we should rent a car and drive back, so we can leave at any time and with all the extra luggage, the airline will charge a fortune,” Judy said.

“Wonderful idea,” Evan said. He watched as David read more of the spiral notebook. “When we wire the funds back to Tucson, I’m going to add fifteen million to your total. When you get to the bank in Tucson, open a new account with it. That’ll pay for everything from moving to the construction of the new wing for the house. If you need more, just let me know. Remember to create as many dead ends or create as much confusion as possible doing what needs doing and still getting the end results perfect.”

“We can do all of that,” Judy said with a smile.

“I’m not so sure. You have everything being done in ten to fourteen days, construction, all of it. This isn’t going to be all that simple,” David explained, releasing some of his frustration.

“A job will take as much or as little time allotted to it,” Judy said, staring at her husband.

“You do love your platitudes.”

“But she’s right,” Valarie said. “People will move mountains for large commissions or jobs. Just put it in the purchase agreement or the initial contract. You’d be surprised what gets done with a little extra money at stake.”

The phone rang, interrupting further conversation. There was a brief hesitation as they looked from one to the other, silently inquiring who was expecting a call. Judy was the first out of her chair and to the phone. She listened briefly after saying hello.

“Valarie, she said her name is Fran. She’s in the lobby and wants to know if it’s alright to come up?”

Surprise, happiness and confusion all crossed Valarie’s face in a fleeting moment before she answered.

“Sure, tell her to come up, 2525, the Imperial Suite.”

“She said she’d see you in a few minutes,” Judy said as she returned to her seat. “How did she know you’d be here?”

“She was at my apartment when Evan said he was feeling lucky, and asked me to come to Vegas with him.”

“But how did she know to look at Caesar’s Palace for you?” Judy continued.

David stood and picked up the spiral notebook. “I’m going to run this next door to our suite. I just hope they’re not planning on staying long or we’ll miss the concert.”

“Maybe she would like to join us?”

Valarie gave Evan a strange look, like why? He did not believe in coincidence, so Fran must be here with someone. Someone who took the time to call hotel after hotel until he found the one they were staying in. Evan was absolutely certain he never mentioned the Palace while they were together. Evan was going to know why she exerted so much effort before they said goodbye to each other.

SEVENTEEN

It had been fourteen years, but they had really not changed that much. True it was only a glance from fifty feet or more, but she was certain. The gray at the temples just made him look distinguished. He looked even thinner, but healthy and fit. The fact that David and Judy were right beside him, guaranteed in her mind that it was him. You don’t forget the people that you spent everyday with for over a decade. How could you forget your first love? The man who taught her how to love. What did she teach him? Hate? Heartache? Disappointment? It had been a glance of ten to fifteen seconds, but she was positive. It was him, Evan Cooper.

It never once occurred to her to wonder why he was in Las Vegas. To her it seemed inevitable that everybody, sooner or later, came to Las Vegas. For the shows, the gambling, to prove a system. To find a woman, or man, it really did not matter. You came to Las Vegas at least once in your life. Once, not four feet in front of her she saw her very own doppelganger. She had enough of a resemblance that the people she was in Las Vegas wondered how she had dressed in the hotel costume. She still has the picture of them standing side by side. But she knew this man was Evan Cooper.

Dropping her tray at the bar, she told Sam, the bartender, that she would be back in ten. He frowned and said it could wait until the end of her shift. Ignoring him, she made her way across the casino floor to the registration desk. Making sure it was Evan Cooper was one thing. What would she do with the knowledge gained? Thankfully, Marcy, the Palace’s gossip, was working nights.

“Marcy,” Cindy Barker said, motioning her to join her beside the desk. Impatiently she waited for Marcy to finish with her hotel guest. Finally she walked over to where Cindy was waiting at the end of the desk. “Marcy, is there an Evan Cooper staying here?”

“Sure, he’s in the Imperial Suite,” Marcy answered softly. “Where have you been for the past couple of nights? Everyone wants to know Evan Cooper.”

“I’ve been on vacation. What’s going on that everyone has been talking about him?”

“He’s won over a million dollars here, and you know Liz, come on you know her. She’s the dumpy little blonde who works as a cashier. Well according to her, Mr. Cooper has been going from one casino to another all up and down the strip. He’s already amassed a fortune, almost seventy million dollars. We have all been told to do whatever he asks. The sky's the limit, like the old time whales. I think they think that is going to make him lose it back at the tables. I think he is adorable, but he has this mousey little girl staying in the suite with him. That down home look so many men love, pert little nose, pouty little mouth and maybe twenty pounds overweight. If he were alone or if she were just a tad uglier, I’d probably make a play for him myself. He gave her a million dollars worth of credit to go shopping today. I wish someone would do that for me just once in my life.”

Cindy listened to Marcy’s ramblings attentively filtering out the personal impression and normal bullshit with her. She got a glimpse of her too, in her black gold and silver dress. Nothing about it was mousey, or dumpy or gave off any immature vibrations. Cindy knew she was stunning. “You wouldn’t happen to know where the four were heading out? Do you?”

“Of course I know they 're off to see Diana Ross. A sold out event suddenly had six tickets available. Marc at the concierge desk works miracles all day long. You know half a dozen other girls came up and described him to me for identification. You know his name, what gives?”

Cindy thought quickly trying to come up with a plausible story. When all else fails, use the truth, or at least part of the truth. “I went to high school with him. Thanks Marcy,”

Cindy turned and started back to the bar to finish her shift serving drinks and drunks. So now she knew it was Evan Cooper, and that he was staying here at the hotel, the Imperial Suite, three bedrooms and four baths. One of the top five suites. She had been the one to walk out of the marriage. On their anniversary no less. He was the injured party, or so would most people believe. Nobody would believe that she was slowly being strangled to death. The boredom would have killed her in another six months.

She was tired of playing Mrs. Housekeeper, do the laundry, make all the meals, except for once every two weeks when they went out with David and Judy, nurse but Evan was never sick, and bed partner. No, she liked being his sex partner, sex with Evan was never a problem between them. Quick flashes of cold desert nights in a warm double sleeping bag. Flashes of their kitchen, living room and bedroom roamed for remembrance. No, that was never a problem. Evan had a wonderful imagination.

No, the problem had never been sex. The problem was hers alone. She felt trapped. She did not want to grow old doing the same thing day in and day out, for endless years like her mother. Cindy wanted to travel, and see anything and everything beyond Tucson. That was not going to happen married to a welder. It was not because he did not earn enough money either. Evan was an excellent welder, and could go anyplace he chose for a job. The problem was Evan liked the sameness of a predictable life.

Magic was his passion, not just a hobby. Early on, Evan would have been capable of putting on a professional show. Cindy could be his assistant and they would travel. They could have done a lot of things, but Evan never wanted the change in his life. Fame and fortune were never an interest. The interest always laid in figuring out how the trick was done. That was all, then it was on to the next intellectual challenge. He could have become an expert in things like the history of witchcraft or voodoo, astrology, ancient languages and history. The past was the past, why the hell was he spending months or years to learn something long dead and forgotten.

The more he studied these other topics, the less he practiced his art of modern magic. That was the only excitement in her life, so she tried to learn how to manipulate the cards or distraction of the bigger tricks. No matter how many times she tried but she was never able to learn how to pick a lock or untie complicated knots. Excitement for Evan was going over to David and Judt for a barbeque, or going to the movies every two weeks. If only Evan would have shown a little interest in making money, she might have stayed, but Evan was never interested until now.

Seventy million dollars, now that could buy a lot of travel and doing fun things. How much is fourteen years of alimony that she never asked for, and that he never paid. Money made the world go around, and she wanted to go around and around and around.

It seemed strange to her that all of the men she had known since Evan, were so much like Evan. Only now did she recognize how similar all the men were to Evan, especially the six she had married. Now she saw that they were all blue collar workers, hard workers, making a good living. It was their style of not living that annoyed Cindy and brought each marriage to the inevitable conclusion. Why was she the only one that wanted some excitement in their lives?

Only in movies did the cocktail waitress win the heart of the white collar executive. Like so many other people she lacked the drive to go back to school and change her circumstances. So the cycle continued to run its course, making Cindy feel trapped again.

Evan now had money. More money than even she had ever imagined. For a brief moment she wondered about what had changed in his life. She was certain that the reasons were not the same as why she wanted money. She was also certain that it had little to do with the sweet little girl he carried on his arm. Evan never did anything without a good reason. He was a very methodical man, very perceptive, thinking every step at least ten steps in advance. He studied the possibilities and planned for contingencies. That was how he had always lived his life.

Blind luck did not win you seventy million dollars, that she knew. If it was just a matter of luck, Las Vegas would have been out of business decades ago. Gambling was based on odds, and those odds always favored the house. No secret, simple mathematics. No, Evan had his reason for the money, and he came to Las Vegas to win that money. He had to have a system to be such a consistent winner. A system that worked, the proof was in the casino’s vault.

Over the course of the next four hours, Cindy mechanically finished her shift. She served the drinks to the table, a tipsy gambler was better for the house. She collected tips from the winners, and the winners who just didn’t know they were losers yet. She gave sympathy to the obvious losers, and turned down her usual number of partners promising a night of bliss and excitement.

She thought about her and Evan, and what they had when they were married, sometimes before they were married. The high school prom and nights in the desert under a blanket of stars. She relieved her ancient history. Somehow, somewhere things changed in her mind. From a little seed to a strong healthy strangling weed, it grew in the fertile folds of her mind. In her mind she had earned half of everything in the casino vault for the mind numbing years she endured with Evan. It never occurred to her that she had no claim to the money. She had been the one who left. Abandonment, that is what Evan had listed as the reason for the dissolution of their marriage in the court. With no contesting of the allegations, and no minor children to take into consideration, the Judge ruled in Evan’s favor, no alimony. In those four short hours she had convinced herself that she was entitled to half. If that meant taking Evan back, well worse things had happened to her since their divorce.

It did not matter that Evan was with another woman now. Cindy felt no jealousy. She knew in the heart of her heart, Evan belonged to her. Like the money. She would have what was her’s. All the other women represented a little competition, and Cindy could handle competition. She knew what Evan liked, in bed and out. She could have Evan back any time she wanted. The time was now, since he came with seventy million dollars.

In her mind she had succeeded. Evan and the money were her’s and they were living the life they were always meant to live.

It was almost twelve thirty by the time Cindy had finally finished her shift, split her tips with the bartender and changed back into her street clothes. Frantically she searched through the employee lounge and locker rooms for Mary Fenton. Mary Fenton would loan her the key card for the Imperial suite, since they were best friends. Like most things in life, Mary’s friendship had a price. Seven hundred fifty dollars for the key for twelve hours, and that was the friends and family price, otherwise the price would be doubled. Cindy said she would get her five hundred as soon as the banks opened. She only had two-fifty from her original shift. For an additional charge of fifty dollars, Mary would extend Cindy the desired credit. A small price to pay when there were millions at stake. After paying Mary her money, the casino security would get an anonymous tip about housekeeping and hotel room cards.

Her heart threatened to pound its way out of her chest as she rode the elevator to the top floor. As she stood in front of the door, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart. She inserted the card and the door beeps red. Fuck you Mary, Cindy swore to herself and tried the card a second time. Beep, green, and Cindy slipped quickly inside.

She leaned on the door waiting for her heart to calm down, and the adrenaline level to drop to almost normal. Now she had a great idea why burglars do what they do. She could become addicted to the rush of being in someone else’s room. Stepping off the step into the room, Cindy momentarily became overwhelmed. All the night lights of the strip as it unfolded in the floor to ceiling windows that made one wall took Cindy’s breath away for a few minutes. This was the first time she had ever been in any of the twenty-four high-rollers suites. She felt like she was on a movie set. Taking in the splendor as if she enjoyed this lifestyle everyday, she turned to walk behind the bar to pour herself a drink. Brazenly she took the bottle of twenty-five year old scotch and poured herself three fingers neat. Taking a large sip, the amber fluid helped her nerves away. She was after all Mrs. Cooper.

Walking into the bedroom on the right side of the suite the bed was already turned down for the night. Cindy saw the powder blue soft silky negligee and slipper set at the end of the bed. The closet was filled with clothes, expensive, tailored and beautiful. They were the type of clothes she always wanted but could never afford. Softly she swore as she checked some of the sizes, two and she was a four.

The dresser was filled with a small store worth of other negligee sets, teddys, panties, bras, and stockings. In the top left dresser drawer she found a red leather clad jewelry case. Opening the case, she lifted out the top tray of gold earrings, and gasped to reveal chains, and bracelets. Taking out a heavy chain with a fifty carrot pillow cut emerald in the center, Cindy also removed the matching bracelet and earrings. Walking quickly into the other bathroom Cindy removed all of her clothes and put the jewelry on. Again the king size bed had been turned down for the night with chocolates on the pillows, but no pajamas at the end of the bed.

Opening the closet door, she found dress shirts, polos, dress pants and jeans, belts and shoes on the floor and on the last bar were six suits, a name brand that Cindy was positive would look perfectly on his lean muscular body. It was more clothes than Cindy had ever known Evan to own.

She climbed into the bed, and fell asleep quickly as she told herself yet again that she really was the only legal Mrs. Cooper, and this was where she belonged.