Chapter 168

Shifting restlessly, Allegra attempted once again to get settled in the comfortable First Class seat.   Two hours into the five hour flight to Honolulu and she still wasn’t having any luck.  Sleeping without Richie this last week had been harder than she imagined.  The Sandman was definitely all-male, punishing her for Richie’s lack of sex by withholding sleep.  He did toss a handful of grit in her eyes as he passed by though.

“Stop thinking,” Richie mumbled from behind closed eyes.  “It makes you fidget and interferes with the best sleep I’ve had all week.”

He’d never complained the first time, so it was her first indication that he’d been suffering the same sleepless nights.

“I can’t help it,” she sighed, pushing both hands through her hair before reaching for the bottle of water tucked in the seat pocket.  Probably not the best move, since Bug had learned how to play ‘bounce on Mommy’s bladder’ in the last few days.  It seemed like everything she drank took the express train out of her body.  Bug liked her space.

Regardless, she took a healthy swallow and replaced the bottle, exasperation evident in her jerky movements.

“We’re getting married in two days.  Our families will be converging upon Honolulu tomorrow.  And…”  She leaned to whisper in his ear.  “I’m so horny I can’t sit still.”

Lolling his head to the right, he cracked open an unsympathetic eye.  “That’s your own fault.  I’m willing to sit you on my lap and solve that problem for both of us right now.”

“But we’ve only got one more day,” she practically whined, disgusted to hear that tone in her voice.  She hated whiners.  “We can’t throw away all that time and willpower on a quickie in First Class.”

“I repeat…  It’s your own fault that you’re horny.”

Allegra arched an eyebrow, her fingers skimming lightly along his denim-cased leg from knee to thigh.  “I could be convinced to relieve some tension for you though.  Just getting my hands around you may help.”

“Nuh-uh.”  He crossed his legs to keep her wandering hand at bay.  “You didn’t even want me touching it.  Aren’t you the same woman who begged me – not once but several times – not to masturbate, no matter how tempting it was?”  He shook his head with a scoff.   “I’m not gonna be blamed for ruining your evil plan, Dr. Celibacy.”

“Fine,” she sulked, slumping back in her seat.  “You’re right.  I’m going just a little bit crazy.”

While she was seriously frustrated in the physical department, Allegra was more interested in a mental distraction anyway.  There were too many things dancing around in her mind, demanding attention, and she needed some type of reprieve.  Since that wasn’t going to happen, she settled for giving those things the attention they wanted, going over the details of the wedding again.

“So you and Jon have a song ready for the ceremony, right?  Did you bring your guitar?”

“Baby,” he chided, sifting his fingers through her hair, which was hanging loose for a change.  “You know I don’t go anywhere without a guitar.  And yes, we’ve got a song.  Probably two.  One is kind of…  different for me, but I hope you’ll like it.”

Although she’d planned on asking them to do “Bridge Over Troubled Water” at one point, she later decided that she would let Richie choose.  It seemed only fair since she got to select her song.  Of course, he didn’t even know she was singing yet, and wouldn’t until the ceremony.  She’d left herself the option of backing out at the last minute, even though she knew it wouldn’t happen.  David had put too much time into coaching and rehearsing and would likely kill her if she tried.

Allegra laid her head over on Richie’s shoulder.  “You know I love the harmony when you guys sing.   Whatever you chose will be perfect, and if there’s more than one you feel compelled to do, more’s the better.  Did you remind Jon to grab his guitar?”

Jon was bringing in the remainder of the ‘wedding party’ with him on the jet.  They would be flying through the night and arriving in the early hours of the morning.  Accompanying him would be Dorothea and the kids, his parents, Allegra’s parents, Joan, the Bryans and the Torres. 

After a few hours rest, the women and girls were going to indulge in a salon day – a gift from the matron of honor, Dorothea.  While they were indulging in manis, pedis, and massages, the men and boys would be busy with their own festivities.  Jon – with the help of David and Tico – had arranged for a bachelor party of sorts. 

The only dark cloud in paradise was those who wouldn’t be joining them.

Kelly was having some minor surgery, so she and Hugh were sending their best wishes.  Tony was tied up with work and Matt was staying home with a sick wife and daughter.  Both of them had also sent their regrets at being unable to attend.

“You seriously think Jon needs reminded to bring his guitar?” he reproached her with a roll of his eyes before folding their hands together.  “Listen, stop with the obsessive planning already.  You’ve contacted the hotel a dozen times.  They’ve given you your very own event planner, for God’s sake, who you should probably buy a gift for, considering how much time she’s put in on this thing.  Lani has assured you that the rehearsal dinner and wedding breakfast will go off without a hitch, and that the flowers and a priest will be ready and waiting.  Besides all of that, she’s probably taken care of another million obscure details that I know nothing about.”  Richie gave her a reassuring squeeze.  “It’s going to be perfect, I promise.”

Allegra wished she had as much confidence.  Something kept nagging at her subconscious, and she just couldn’t figure out what it was.

“I suppose.  I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ve forgotten something…”  She gasped, turning to him in horror.  “Pictures!  I didn’t get a photographer!  Dammit!”

But easygoing Richie merely chuckled and touched his lips to the back of her hand.  “David Bergman is coming to do the pictures.  Jon took care of it weeks ago.”

Bergman was responsible some phenomenal tour photographs for the band.  Jon was impressed enough with the finished product that he had wrangled a promise of photography lessons out of him.  Allegra had to admit that his work was exceptional from what she’d seen.  He would no doubt do a great job their wedding pictures.  But still…

“You didn’t think you might want to mention that?”

“I just did.”

Men. 

As much as she’d like to argue, there really wasn’t much point.  The end result was that they would have wedding pictures, and if she had actually remembered to think about pictures, she would have known sooner.  It was water under the bridge now.

“Okay.  Well, thank you.”

“Daddy?”  Ava’s head popped up over top of theirs, startling Allegra.  “What are we doing when we get there?”

The girl had been so quiet, she’d nearly forgotten about Ava’s presence one row back.  It was an even better thing that Richie hadn’t taken her up her offer of tension relief. 

Yeah.  She was going to be a great mother.

But, hey, if Heather could do it, surely anyone could.

That particular situation was in a holding pattern.  When she and Richie picked up Ava from her mother’s house in Westlake this morning, Allegra waited in the car and purposely kept her eyes glued to her telephone screen.  It was the surest way to avoid seeing the woman who made her blood boil.  Their ‘relationship’ had gotten no better or worse, as Allegra had completely avoided Heather since the incident at the school.  There were too many other pressing matters that took precedence.

After the honeymoon will be soon enough to wage that battle.

“I’ve got someplace special to take all of my girls tonight.  Someplace none of you have been before.”

“Oh?”  Allegra asked curiously.  This was the first she’d heard of it.  Then again, this was the first she’d heard of her wedding photographer too.  She seriously had to pay more attention to details.

“Is it a restaurant?”  Ava guessed.  “A seafood restaurant?” 

It was completely beyond Allegra, but the child loved sushi – just like her father.  They were insistent upon it being a family thing and were sure that Bug would love it too.  For that reason, and that reason alone, Allegra was learning to tolerate it.  Barely.  Fried clams were really more her speed. 

“We can eat seafood afterward if you want, but that isn’t the special place, and before you ask,” he spoke over her next question.  “I’m not telling you.  It’s a surprise.”

Ava was not to be deterred, she simply switched tactics.  “Is it a good surprise?”

“I hope so.”

Pacified for the moment, she scooted back into her seat and replaced the headphones in her ears. 

“Where are you taking us?”  Allegra demanded nosily, trying to ferret an answer out of the twinkle in his eyes. 

Delight danced in the warm brown depths, but his dimple was the only thing he gave away.  “Not telling.  It’s a surprise for all my girls.”

“Is it a good surprise?” she parroted Ava’s question.

Brushing stray strands of hair away from her face, she felt his smile when he pressed a kiss to her forehead.  “I personally think it’s a very good surprise, but I guess you’ll have to be the judge of that.”

Her forehead wrinkled in consternation.  “You’re not going to tell me?  Really?”

“I’m not going to tell you,” he reiterated, pulling her close against his side.  “Really.  Now take a nap with me.”

How could he really expect her to sleep with so many things to worry about?  And after being so secretive and dangling a surprise before her?  There was no way she would be able to sleep.  Although… 

The weight of his arm over her shoulders felt awfully good.  She closed her eyes and reveled in his heat.  Even if she didn’t sleep, she could lean into him and rest while he did.