Forty-Five

Allegra wasn’t sure how much time had passed, as she approached Richie’s suite, she just knew that the pains weren’t as sharp anymore.  The three glasses of wine she’d drunk while in the casino might have something to do with that, though.   If she’d had the time, she would’ve had three more.   

Of course, then she would’ve spilled her guts to Richie, and that couldn’t happen.  It was bad enough that she fought with Jon, but she wouldn’t be responsible for more arguments between he and Richie.  They had to live together, for all practical purposes, and she would be going to back to New Jersey in a couple of days.   She could play nice until then.

Well, mostly, anyway.  She had to admit this afternoon was going to be a whole lot more fun than she'd originally thought.   Seeing Jon's face turn purple with rage would be very satisfying.

Raising her fist to the suite door, she knocked.  A room key hadn't been high on her list of priorities when she had arrived.  It took only seconds before Richie swung the door wide, concern on his face.  “Where have you been?  I tried to call.”

Her heart lifted at the sight of him, and with a smile, she kissed his cheek.  “I was people-watching down in the casino, and having a glass of wine.  It was loud so I must not have heard the phone.  I’m sorry.”   

Standing back, she took in his almost entirely black outfit:  boots, slacks, shirt, tie and jacket.  The only splash of 'color' was the grey suede of his collar and vest.  “Wow.  Nice ensemble you’ve got going on there.  In case nobody’s ever mentioned it, you’re a fine-looking man, Mr. Sambora.”

“Thanks,” he replied, but he clearly had other things on his mind.  “Baby, you didn’t have a lot of time to start with.  Did Jon piss you off that royally?  You had to cool down before you could even get dressed?”

“Just a little,” she told him with a tiny smile as she went to the bedroom Ava had directed her to earlier.  He followed behind, prepared to ask more questions, and she gently but firmly closed the door in his face.  “I’ll be out soon.  We can talk about it later,”  she told him through the wooden barrier.   

Unless I can find a way to make you forget about it.

She looked around the room and saw, with relief, that her suitcase and overnight bag were on the bed.  Hurriedly putting the contents away, she shucked her jeans and sweater and opened the zipper on her garment bag.  A cloud of white tulle immediately spilled out and caused her to grin. 

It was a gorgeous dress.  The strapless floral beaded bust had a sweetheart neckline and laced up in the back like an old fashioned corset, while the full A-line skirt fell from the waist in yards and yards of tulle, ending at mid-calf.  It had been a little on the expensive side, but she had loved the way it swirled around her when she’d tried it on in the store.  She felt like a fairy princess.

After slipping on the matching white lace panties, Allegra stepped into the dress, shimmying it up over her hips and adjusting it around her figure.  There was only one problem, she realized as she held the front close to her.

“Ava?” she called through the closed bedroom door.

When she’d tried the dress on in the shop, the saleslady helped her lace up the corset back, and she couldn’t reach it on her own.

The handle turned and Ava poked her head inside the room.  “Did you call for me?”

“Hi,” she greeted the girl with a sweet smile.  “I need a little help with my dress, and I don’t want your dad to see me yet.  Could you help me lace up the back?” 

“Yeah, sure.”  She closed the door and stepped behind Allegra, tightening the bodice by tugging firmly on the thin ribbons she found there.

“Just tighten it enough to keep the top from falling.  I still want to be able to breathe,” she told her with a laugh.

“This dress is really pretty.”

“It is, isn’t it?  I was just thinking that I feel like a fairy princess.”  She stood carefully still until Ava had everything safely secured and tied the bow at the bottom.

“Thank you, sweetie.  Would you like to keep me company while I finish getting ready?”

With a shrug, Ava agreed.  “Sure.”

“Your dress is lovely, too, by the way,” Allegra told her as she schooled her hair into a messy knot at the nape of her neck.  The girl wore a short lavender dress with capped sleeves and mid-heeled sandals.  Her long blonde hair flowed loosely around her head, framing a lightly made up face.  “And your makeup is perfect - enough, but not too much.”

“Thanks.  I have to be careful or Dad goes all parental on me.”  She rolled her eyes at the thought of overbearing and unreasonable parents.

Laughing, Allegra assured her, “That’s what dads are supposed to do, and it will likely get worse before it gets better.”  She tucked two sprigs of silk baby’s breath into her hair and reached for the makeup bag.

“Ava, are you sure you’re okay with this?  I know it’s kinda strange…”

“Oh, I’m totally fine, don’t worry.  I’m just glad that I get to be here for it.”  She seated herself carefully on the bed and picked at her chipped blue nail polish a moment before asking,  “Are you in love with my dad?”

The question caught Allegra completely off guard, and she nearly stabbed herself in the eye with her mascara wand.  “Um… Well…  Would it be horrible if I were?”

“Nooo... Mostly because I think he might be in love with you.”

Allegra’s breath caught in her throat and her hand froze for just a second in reaching for the pearl earrings and necklace, which had fallen to the bottom of her makeup bag.  She tried to appear casual when she asked, “Why would you say that?”

Ava shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Maybe he’s not.  It’s just that I heard him and Uncle Jon fighting on the airplane, and Dad said this wasn’t going to be over anytime soon.  He hasn’t really had a lot of girlfriends since the divorce, so I just wondered.”

Turning to focus all of her attention on the girl, the counselor in Allegra came to the surface and she decided to deal with the only thing more important than her and Richie’s feelings – Ava’s.  “Forget about your dad, and forget about me.  How do you feel about him having a girlfriend?  Is this crazy hard for you to deal with?  Because, other than your dad, you’re the only one I would break it off for - without a second thought.”

A look of surprise immediately registered on Ava’s face and her big blue eyes sought out Allegra’s.  “Really?  You would do that?”

“Yeah, I would.  I hope you don’t want me to, but I would.”  She made room next to Ava on the bed and sat down with a quiet 'whoof' of tulle, placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder.  “And do you know why?  Despite everyone’s best intentions, women can come and go in your dad’s life pretty easily.  But your relationship with him – well, that’s forever, sweetheart.  I won’t do anything to jeopardize it, because there’s nothing in the world that should come between a father and daughter.”

With a light squeeze, she asked, “So, what do you think?  All you have to do is say the word and I’ll take off this dress and head back to New Jersey.  But…”  Allegra pointed at her and warned, “Keep in mind this is a one-time offer.  You can’t  say okay now and expect to get rid of me later when you get mad about something.”

She could see the wheels turning in Richie’s daughter’s mind, and waited for her answer.  Allegra meant what she’d said, and, if Ava wanted her gone, she would turn and walk away right now – no matter how bad it hurt.   Unlike Jon, this young girl deserved a say in her father’s life.

Not wanting to admit how much she appreciated the consideration Ava merely shrugged, “It’s okay with me, I guess.  Dad told Uncle Jon he’s happy, so you can’t be too bad.”  She followed her words with a cheeky little grin.

Standing, Allegra patted her on the face and chuckled.  “Yeah, you’re definitely your father’s daughter.  Same smart-aleck sense of humor.”  She reached down and slid her strappy white heels onto her feet, rich red toenails providing a striking contrast to all the white.  Holding her arms out to her side, she did a slow twirl.  “Okay, be honest, how do I look?”

Studying her with a critical eye, Ava finally proclaimed, “You make a beautiful bride.”

♪♫♪♫♪

David handed the envelope to the limo driver.  “Give this to him right before he gets in the car,” he instructed, checking his watch.  “Which should be in about five minutes.”

He paced back and forth in front of the two stretch Hummers that he’d hired for the occasion.  The first one would transport all five of the band members, plus Allegra, Dot and Lexi.  Kelly had called at the last minute, saying that something had come up and she wasn’t going to be able to join them in Las Vegas.  The eight kids would all ride in the second Hummer.  He figured it would was best if they didn’t witness the initial explosion of Jon’s head.  There may be fallout and he didn’t want them getting sprayed. 

David rubbed his hands together in anticipation.  He may get fired over this little stunt, but damn if it wouldn’t be worth it.  He’d laughed to himself the whole time he’d been making plans, finding it increasingly funnier as the time neared.  Teek and Huey were going to laugh their asses off when this all went down, but Dot?  Well, she was a wildcard.  Depending on her mood, she could either think it was as funny as the guys, or kick his ass halfway across the country.  It was worth the risk either way.

A head of shaggy hair and sunglasses caught his eye.  Aha!  His prey had arrived.  Dressed semi-formally, as instructed, along with the rest of Bongiovi clan, he was closely followed by Tico and Hugh. 

He ducked into the back of the Hummer and settled in next to Lexi.  “It’s time, baby.  Sit back and watch the master plan unfold.”

Lexi sighed.  “David, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I hope it doesn’t cause you to lose your curls.  Our wedding pictures just won’t be the same without them.”

♪♫♪♫♪

“Sir, you and Mrs. Bongiovi will be in this vehicle and the children may join the Bryan children in the second vehicle.”

Jon saw that Stephanie heard the driver’s instructions and watched her gather the little ones, guiding them in the direction of the other Hummer.  He handed Dorothea into the back seat and was prepared to join her when the driver spoke again. 

“Excuse me, sir, but this is for you,” he said, handing Jon a white linen envelope with his name on it.

“Thank you.”  He seated himself next to Dot and took silent inventory of the vehicle.  David, Lexi, Hugh, Tico.  No Richie or Allegra.  He hoped they weren’t going to try and bail because Allegra was in a snit.  She hadn't answered her phone when he'd called.

“What’s in the envelope, Boss?”  David asked

“I don’t know.”  Jon pushed his finger under the seal, and extracted a simple white card bearing the image of two intertwined doves.  His eyes immediately skimmed over the ornately imprinted message.

Richard Stephen Sambora

and

Allegra Francis Castanelli

Request the honor of your presence

Graceland Wedding Chapel

Saturday, March Sixth

at three in the afternoon

The top of his head started throbbing the way it did when his blood pressure got too high.  Like spikes being pounded into the crown of his skull - from the inside.  Jon stared blindly at the invitation, waiting for the pain to subside and let him know he would live a while longer.  Over the echoing ‘lub-dub’ of the pulse in his ears, David’s voice filtered through, saying, “There’s Legs and Richie.”

Jon lifted his head and zeroed in on them: Richie was all smiles, decked out in a dark suit and tie, escorting Ava on one arm.  On his other arm was Allegra, wearing her own shit-eating grin -- and a foofy white wedding dress.

Over my dead goddamn body!

Chapter 44

Allegra stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to Richie’s again before going to answer her royal summons.  He laced his fingers through hers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.  “Don’t take any shit from him, Sunshine.”

She chuckled and, with a sly grin, asked,  “Do I ever?”

“Not that I’ve seen,” he agreed with a laugh.  “Go, if you’re going.  We don’t have much time, and I want to see you in that dress.”

Allegra sobered as the thought of something occurred to her.  “Have you told Ava?”

“We talked, and she’s really looking forward to it,” he assured her.  “She understands what’s going on, and she wants me to be happy.”  He stroked her cheek with his thumb, before gently turning her and pushing her toward the door.  “It’s all good, baby.  Now go.”

“I’m going,” she grumbled.  “But if I’m not back in twenty minutes, send in a mediator.”  She heard his laughter as the door clicked shut behind her. 

I really don’t want to spend my afternoon arguing with Jon.  I’m in Las Vegas with my guy and we have important places to be.

Based on the suite number, Allegra guessed that she would find it near the end of the corridor and pointed herself in that direction.  Sure enough, it was the very last door and sat directly on the end of the hallway.  She approached it with small sigh resignation and knocked twice.

Dorothea greeted her with a distracted smile.  “Hey.  Come on in.  They said your luggage would be upstairs in a few minutes.”  She retreated back into the suite, saying, “I hope they bring mine up soon, too.  Apparently we have some type of function to attend that someone didn’t tell me about.”

She heard Jon’s voice come from the bedroom as she stepped into the living area.  “I told you I didn’t know about it until an hour ago.  Some damn corporate demand appearance, and they want me to bring the whole band and the families.  Nobody would tell me anything other than dropping the AEG CEO’s name.  At least Cheryl had time to get a sports coat here for me.”  There was an assortment of sounds drifting out of the bedroom as he opened closet doors and dresser drawers.  “Hey, Dottie, it looks like there’s another garment bag here with a dress in it for you.”  Jon appeared in the doorway holding the mentioned dress for her to see.

“What?  Let me see.”  She took the dress from him.  “This is my dress.  Did Cheryl raid our closet herself? What the hell is going on Jon?”

“I told you I don’t have any idea,” he repeated patiently.  “The limos will be here at two and we’re supposed to be in them.  That’s all I’ve got.  Now, go get dressed so I can talk to Frannie.”

She pinned her husband with harsh look.  “Can I trust you to behave yourself?”

“Just go,” he told her, with a kiss on the cheek and a roll of his eyes.

“Alright, but I’m leaving the door open and I’m warning you:  if there’s any shouting, you’re in trouble.”  She shook her finger menacingly before disappearing into the bedroom.

“Jesus,” he muttered.  “What am I, an ogre?”   He gestured to the sofa.  “Sit.”

“Your manners suck,” Allegra informed him, but obeyed anyway.  “You’d get a lot more accomplished if you would stop ordering people around like a five-star general.”

He shrugged and perched on the couch next to her.  “I doubt it.  People respond to authority.  I’m paying them to do a job, and part of my job is to get it done the way I want.”

“Your employees are not what’s in question here, and you know it.  You shouldn’t be rude to family, even if you don’t like them.”

“Do you really think that?  That I don’t like you?” he asked with a sigh, and slumped back against the cushions.

“I’m sure that you love me.  Like?  Sometimes I wonder.”  Allegra scooted around and tucked her leg up under her.  Now she could see his face.  “So what’s it going to be today, Jon?  I haven’t spoken to you in more than two weeks, so what could I possibly have done that necessitates this little powwow?”

“Yeah, I know we haven’t talked in a while,” he said, scrubbing his hand over his face.  “But there’s a reason for that.”

“Oh?”  Allegra asked, one eyebrow arched.  “You mean besides you being a control freak and not wanting me to date Richie?”

“Would you just listen for a minute?  When Richie came back, he brought something to my attention – something that should be made right between us.  I felt like I should look you in the eye when I apologized.” 

You could have knocked her over with a feather, Allegra was so surprised.  This was definitely not what she’d expected.  “A… apologize?” she stammered.

“Yeah,” he confirmed, lifting his chin and looking her in the eye.  “I’m sorry I made you feel like a… what did you call it?  A dirty, groupie whore?  Yeah, well that thought never crossed my mind.  Not one time, Frannie, swear to God.”  He raised his right hand as though being sworn into a court of law.  “But every time I’d start to tell you that, you were too busy giving me hell to listen.  So it got away from me, and I never did say the words.  Can you forgive me?”

She bobbed her head once slowly, still somewhat stunned at the unexpected turn of events.  He ordered me here to apologize? 

“Richie was very vocal about pointing that out to me,” he told her.  “You know… that I made you feel…  I guess trashy is as good a word as any.  He’s a good guy, Frannie.  The best, really.  He’s soft hearted, kind, sincere, romantic, affectionate and all that shit women look for in a man.” 

He snuck a glance at her from under his lashes, and then continued in a conversational tone.  “He’s been through a lot.  More than he would admit to just about anyone – but I was there.  I lived through it with him every day for what seemed like a hundred years.  Heather just about destroyed him, filing for divorce when she did.  He was totally blindsided when that goddamn reporter told him.” 

Jon shook his head in remembrance, looking out at the bright Las Vegas sky.  “Then that media-whore Denise took him for a little ride.  All she was interested in was the limelight, and she took advantage of his situation, riding his coattails through the tabloids.  He trusted her, and she screwed him over, too.”

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked quietly, a wave of nausea starting to build. 

His gaze slid back to her face and rested there.   Whatever he was going to say wasn’t going to be something she wanted to hear, she realized, watching his eyes freeze over with resolve.  She wanted to put her fingers in her ears and refuse to listen to him when the sinking sensation hit the pit of her stomach. 

Unfortunately, she heard him loud and clear when he said, “Because I want you to end this, and I want you to do it now, before he falls in love with you.”

She sucked in a sharp, painful breath at the stabbing sensation in her chest.  You've got to be kidding me.

And Jon wasn’t finished yet.  “I can’t watch him go through it again, Frannie.  I can’t be the one to sweep up the pieces of his heart and help him glue them back together again.  You’re a beautiful woman who could have her choice of men.  Let Richie go, and find somebody else.  For his sake and for my sake.”

Allegra desperately fought for control of her thoughts and her emotions.  Her mind was completely paralyzed, not knowing how to make sense of the words, and she knew her face reflected the lack of brainwaves.  Should she be thankful that he was trying to take care of Richie, or should she succumb to the devastation of what felt a whole lot like betrayal?  What about her feelings?  Didn’t they matter?

“I can’t believe you,” she finally found her voice.  “Here I am, thinking all along that you’re concerned about my lack of experience in comparison to Richie’s colorful past.  Thinking that you might be worried about me.”  Allegra snorted derisively.  “Guess that must mean my ego is as big as yours.”

“Frannie –“

“NO!  You don’t get to ‘Frannie’ me anymore, Jon,” she snapped, standing to loom over him.  “Did you stop to ask yourself if was too late?  Maybe he’s already fallen in love with me!  What then, Jon?  Do you want me to go ahead and dump him anyway, just so you don’t have to worry about what MIGHT happen later?”

“Stop it!” he ordered, rising to stand toe-to-toe with her.  “That’s enough!”

Dorothea emerged from the bedroom, drawn by the sound of raised voices.  “Jon?  What’s going on?”

“NO!”  Allegra exclaimed, stomping her foot.  “It’s NOT enough until you tell me why you aren’t content when the people you love are happy!  It IS possible for that to happen without you directing every step of our lives, you know.  This isn’t some damn game that you always have to be in control of!”

“Allegra…”  Dorothea approached and guided her away from Jon.  “Calm down, and tell me what’s going on,” she instructed, glaring at her husband.

“I’m sorry, Dot,” she apologized, pulling away.  “I have to get out of here.”  Allegra reached for the handle of the door.  “Oh, and Jon?  It’s okay if you don’t like me, because I sure as hell don’t like you right now, either.  Don’t ever expect to order me around again.”


The slamming of the door echoed down the long hallway.

 ♪♫♪♫♪♫

Returning to Richie’s suite wasn’t an option.  She couldn't let him see her until she'd managed to put some of this in perspective, because there was no way she could tell him about what happened.  Until she could act as though everything were normal, her grand plan was to get lost in the crowded casino. 

Allegra checked her reflection in the elevator mirror, amazed that it had been only minutes since the last time she’d seen herself there.  Her cheeks were still flushed, but with anger this time instead of excitement.  Her eyes didn’t twinkle, but sparked with fury.  Her heart wasn’t full of puppy love, it was crushed by mistrust.

I don’t understand.  All along he said he was worried about me, and keeping me safe.  Is this about business, or he is really that concerned about what I'm going to do to Richie? 

Now was not the time to dwell on it, and she shook her head as the elevator doors dinged her arrival in the lobby.  She purposefully melted into the throng of tourists making their way into the busy hub of the casino.  The sounds of all the excited gamblers, slot machines, and coins allowed her to ignore the the confusion in her head.

 ♪♫♪♫♪♫

“What did you say to her?”  Dorothea spun on him the minute Allegra left.  “I told you no arguing.”

“I wasn’t arguing,” he told her belligerently.  “I was talking in a completely normal tone of voice.  She’s the one who started shouting.”

Her response was an open-palmed smack against his shoulder.  “Don’t be juvenile.  Tell me what you said.”

Choosing to lead with the least incriminating information, Jon sat himself in one of the side chairs and said, “I owed her an apology…”

“Okay, let me rephrase the question,” she interrupted with annoyance.  “What did you say that pissed her off?”

“Dot, you’re not going to make this my fault.  I’m not wrong.”

“I wouldn’t go downstairs and make book on that if I were you.”

Checking his watch, he strode to the bathroom, speaking over his shoulder,  “I have to get ready for the goddamn ceremony.  We don’t have time for this shit.”  He shoved a toothbrush in his mouth and started scrubbing at his teeth.

“You should have thought of that before you started shooting your mouth off.”  She appeared directly at his elbow, staring at him in the mirror with her arms crossed.

Jon spat angrily in the sink.  “Fine.  I told her to break it off with Richie before he fell in love with her.”

“Jesus, Jon!”  Dorothea threw her head back and hands in the air.  “Please, please, tell me you didn’t let her know you were doing it to protect Richie.”

The swishing of mouthwash was his only answer.  He spat again and defiantly met her reflected gaze in the mirror.

“Oh my God, you did!  How can such a smart man be so damn stupid?  The only thing worse than that could be if you offered her money to leave him alone.  You didn't do THAT did you? ”  


Without waiting for an answer, she stalked out of the bathroom and returned with his phone.  “Call her and fix this.  I don’t care how.  You’re the one that spins all the media shit every day.  Use your powers for good instead of evil for a change.”

Forty-Three

The Jovi Jet was in the air once again, this time headed for the bright lights of Sin City.  Of course, those lights wouldn’t be seen this early in the day, but it didn’t make Richie look forward to it any less. 

His groin stirred at the thought of the real source of his anticipation.  With the amount of talking he and Allegra had done during their separation, it was almost as if he’d be meeting a different person today than the one he’d left in Jersey.   He’d obviously been attracted to the woman he’d left behind on that Monday morning, as evidenced by the phenomenal sex they’d shared.   But after spending hours with her on the phone, getting to really know her?  Well, it was going to be difficult to control his pleasure until they could be alone.

A secretive grin tipped up one corner of his mouth.  During the last week, he’d pushed her to open up a little more each time they’d spoken.  It had gotten to the point last night that he probably could’ve convinced her to have phone sex, and the only thing stopping him was the knowledge that they would have the real thing tonight.    How was she going to react to seeing him again after the very open chats they’d had in the last few days?  Would she feel like she was meeting a different person too? 

He couldn’t wait to find out, and shifted inconspicuously in his seat as he looked around the cabin.   Jon was seated up toward the front of the plane and had his head buried in his laptop, scowling at something.  He still hadn’t warmed up to the idea of Richie’s relationship with Allegra, and, with Allegra joining them in a couple of hours, Richie couldn’t let it go unaddressed any longer. 

Seeing that Ava was contently listening to music on her iPhone, he pulled one of her earplugs out.  “Baby girl, I’m gonna go talk to Uncle Jon, okay?”

His little angel rolled her eyes at the interruption, but nodded, taking the earplug from him and popping it back in. 

Hiding a grin, he stood.  His little girl was becoming such a teenager already.  She was so excited about LA Fashion Week taking place later in the month, where she would make her modeling debut with White Trash Beautiful.   The band had a show that night in Detroit and he was going to miss it, but Heather and Nikki would make sure he got the play by play.  Ava was going to be a knockout on that runway.  Shaking his head, he hoped his heart was strong enough to withstand her modeling, even if it was his clothing line under his watchful eye, with some help from Nikki.  

Covering the short distance between he and Jon in a couple of steps, he commandeered the seat directly facing him and waited. When Jon barely looked up from what he was doing, annoyance set his nerves on edge and he bluntly said,  “Bro, enough is enough.”

Not even raising his eyes, Jon answered with, “I’m busy and I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit, man.  You said you were okay with me seeing Allegra, yet every day since I told you it's been the same thing.  You give me the cold shoulder and pretty much only talk to me if the show or setlist requires it.  Is this what Allegra can expect from you too?”

Eyes glued to the computer screen, he tapped a few more keys, apparently uninterested.  “I haven’t been acting any different than I ever do.”

Richie reached across the space between them and pushed the laptop closed with a forceful snap.  Jon was barely able to keep his fingers from being caught between the screen and the keyboard.  Eyes flaring with anger, he barked, “What the fuck are ya doin’?  I’m trying to work here!”

His outburst was loud enough to catch the attention of both Dave and Tico, sitting a short way back.  Tico appeared concerned, but David just had a smirk on his face that let Richie know he thought it was about damn time they worked this out.  Richie sought out Ava, and saw that she was unaffected by the situation, still engrossed in her phone.  He turned his attention back to Jon.

“One minute.  Look me in the eye and listen to me - talk to me - for one minute and you can go back to your damn computer.” 

The pissed off expression on Jon's face let him know that this was going to be useless, and he set his mouth in a a grim line.  Well you're not the only one that's pissed off.

“This thing between your cousin and I isn’t going away anytime soon.  And as a matter of fact, it won't be long until you find out it's a whole lot more serious than you wanna believe.  You haven't talked to me in days, but if you had, you might have noticed how happy she makes me.  And if you had bothered to talk to her at all since she left,  I think she would tell you the same thing.  There's no willing this away with your stubbornness, so if you and I need to go at it like a couple of pissed off teenagers to make you feel better about that fact, then let’s go.”  

Jon sat in stubborn silence, his eyes focused on the sky outside the window, refusing to acknowledge Richie or his words.

“You’re being a prick,” Richie told him flatly, as he rose to return to his seat.  Almost as an afterthought, he threw over his shoulder, "Since you’re so determined to work, you might want to check in with Cheryl.  I heard there was a ceremony added to the itinerary for this afternoon.  The whole band is supposed to be there.”

That got Jon’s attention and his forehead wrinkled in consternation. “What kind of ceremony?”

Richie shrugged.  “Don't ask me.  I’m not your fuckin’ assistant.”  With that, he returned to his spot next to Ava, drawing her close for a hug and a kiss on top of the head.  He was rewarded with an increasingly rare instance of her cuddling into and resting her head against him.   Richie closed his eyes and willed his anger to melt away with each rise and fall of his chest.  Jon wasn't going to ruin Richie’s weekend by keeping him pissed off.

A smug grin slowly lifted his features.  Too bad Jon couldn't say the same.

If this damn thing goes over right, I'm gonna buy Lemma the biggest steak in Vegas.

♪  ♫  ♥  ♪  ♫

The stretch limo containing Dorothea, Allegra and the kids had just rolled to a stop next to the front doors of the Bellagio when Allegra’s phone chimed with a text from Richie. 

Where r u? 

Not even the amazing architecture of Las Vegas, or the magical fountains in front of the hotel could cause her to smile any bigger.  The clock had ticked down to the final minutes before she would see him again and she was giddy with anticipation.

Just got to hotel.  Where r u?

She grabbed her purse and the garment bag that she’d kept close by during the entire trip, and was the first of the group to exit the limo.  Dot and Jesse were both texting, too, while Stephanie tried to keep the younger boys under control. 

Upstairs, Suite 10007.  Hurry

Stephanie slid out of the backseat right behind Allegra, Romeo in tow, and eyed the garment bag draped over Allegra’s arm with curiosity.  “You’ve had that with you ever since we left the house.  I don’t think you even put it in the overhead bin on the plane.  What’s in there?”

Allegra smiled.  “Just a dress.  Richie and I are going someplace this afternoon that I wanted to dress up for.”

“I think it’s really cool that you two are together, in case I haven’t told you.  You seem really happy.”

She slipped her free arm around the teenager’s shoulders and gave a squeeze.  “Thank you sweetheart, I am really happy.  And I’m more surprised about that than anybody.”

Dot finally exited the vehicle to stand between her two youngest sons.  The expression on her face was odd, prompting Allegra to ask if something was wrong.  She shook her head in denial.  “No, nothing’s wrong, but Jon wants to see you in our suite.  He said right now.”  Understanding the kind of reaction his order was going to cause, she held up her hands in self-defense.  “Don’t kill the messenger.”

Even Jon wasn’t going to upset her right now.  “No.  I’m going to see Richie and when I’m done, I’ll come see Jon.  That is, if he asks me himself and asks me nicely.”

She could see Dorothea and Stephanie both fighting not to smile, and Dot told her, “Then go.  I’ll make sure your luggage gets upstairs.”

With a grateful smile, Allegra set off across the lobby, so engrossed in her destination that she didn’t even notice the beautiful stained glass flowers adorning the ceiling, or the opulence of the check-in desk.  There would be time for all that later, but right now, she had a kiss to claim.

She checked her appearance in the elevator mirror as the doors slid shut, feeling good about the jeans that gently hugged her curves and the lightweight jersey-knit sweater that complemented her eyes.   Even she could see that her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks tinged pink with excitement. 

As the car approached the tenth floor, she pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair, and ran her fingers through the tresses.  It left her with a little bit of a wild look, but it suited the way she felt right now. 

With a shallow breath, she exited the car and moved down the luxurious hallway, again not really aware of her surroundings.  The heels of her boots sank into the plush carpet as she inspected the passing room numbers in search of 10007, finally locating it near the end of the corridor.  She wiped her hand down the leg of her pants a little nervously before knocking. 

It wasn’t five seconds before the door swung open and Ava called over her shoulder, “Dad!  She’s here!”

With a smile, she greeted the girl.  “Hello, Ava.  How was your trip?”

“It was fine, thanks.”  Ava stepped back from the entrance to let Allegra enter the suite.  “Dad’s on the phone, I think.   He said this bedroom was yours,” she told her, gesturing toward the door to the left as she let the suite door close with a click.

Still in the dark about Richie’s sleeping arrangement plans, Allegra merely nodded, entering the room and placing the garment bag across the bed as Ava returned to the sofa and whatever was on her iPhone.  She was checking out her surroundings when she heard a sound in the doorway behind her.

Turning, with a smile, she found Richie casually propped against the jamb with a smile of his own.  “Hey, Sunshine.”

“Hey yourself, handsome.”  Now that she was here, with him in the same room, she grew a little nervous.  He was gorgeous in his black jeans and tee, but it was hard to reconcile this man, this face, with the man she’d bonded with through countless phone calls and text messages. 

He nodded toward the bed, and the mysterious garment bag.  “So is that your dress?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you closer to it then you are me?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.  “Should I call you?  Would that be easier?”

Allegra blushed, embarrassed that he could guess what she’d been thinking.  “Maybe,” she admitted.

He opened his arms and invited her into their circle.  “C’mere.”

She didn’t need to be asked a second time, and stepped close, standing on tiptoes and looping her arms around his neck.  His arms closed around her and pulled her firmly against the hard wall of his chest.  With a gentle nudge, he walked her backward until they weren’t standing in the doorway any longer.  Loosening his hold on her, he dipped his head for a kiss, groaning in appreciation when her lips parted in invitation.

Allegra could feel the heat surging through her body the instant his lips touched hers, and it kicked up a notch when his tongue laid claim to her waiting mouth.  She pressed closer, totally lost in the moment and content to let the world fade away.

That is, until the chiming of her phone rudely interrupted.

She reluctantly ended the kiss, but Richie didn’t release her from his embrace.  He just rested his forehead against hers with a smile, saying softly, “Now that's more like it.  It’s good to see you, Sunshine.”

The lure of his lips was too much to resist, and Allegra touched them lightly again with hers, enamored with their softness. Nibbling lightly on his full lower lip, she drew it into her mouth, suckling gently with a soft sigh.

The pealing of her phone once again pierced the quiet.

Richie drew his head back and growled.  “That has to be Jon.  Nobody else would be so eager to intrude.”

Sliding out of his arms, she dug the offending instrument out of her back pocket.  “I’m sure you’re right, and he’s probably mad because I said I wasn’t coming to see him until after I’d seen you.”

“He asked to see you, huh?”

“Ordered is more like it,” she said showing him the text messages.

I need to see you.  Now.

Suite 10015.

Richie’s expression went from content to pissed in the space of a second, and he professed, “I’m going with you.”

Allegra laughed lightly, and rested her palm against his cheek.  “No, you’re not.  You’ve done your time already, and you’re going to stay here and enjoy the company of your daughter while I go and enjoy what will probably be a loud sharing of opinions with my cousin.  And, trust me, he won’t be the only one sharing his opinion.”