Second Act - Diana Xarissa Page 0,30

live their lives and refer any questions you may have to my office.”

Wondering if her life would ever be normal again, Terri led Thomas back to their chairs.

“I’m just going to conclude by saying that yes, I did rush the poor woman into agreeing to marrying me. I’ve dated a lot of women in my life and she’s the first one I’ve ever asked to marry me. Sometimes, after a lifetime of looking, you suddenly find the person you’ve been looking for in the most unlikely of places. And when you do find that person, you want to make sure she’s going to be yours forever.”

Terri found herself blinking back more tears.

“Some of you will think that we’re crazy to have gotten engaged after only a few days, and I know my lovely fiancée is planning on a long engagement, but I’m going to do everything in my power to persuade her otherwise. I’m crazy about her and I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than start the new year with her as my wife.”

Terri felt her jaw drop. Next to her, Thomas gasped. Even Douglas looked surprised.

At the podium, Lucas chuckled. “I’ve surprised them all,” he told the crowd.

Douglas got to his feet and joined Lucas. “We’ll take a few questions,” he said into the microphone.

“Can you give us more details about the event where you first met?” someone asked.

Lucas shrugged. “I could, but I don’t see why it matters.”

“I have that information if anyone can come up with a good reason for needing it,” Douglas added.

“Are you going to be settling down in Ramsey, then?” was the next question.

“I don’t know about settling down,” Lucas laughed. “Terri’s first priority will always be her son, of course. He has three more years of high school to get through. I expect I’ll be spending most of my time in Ramsey until he’s out of school, at least.”

“Terri, what does your ex-husband think of all of this?” someone shouted.

Lucas frowned. “And that’s over the line,” he said tightly. “I told you that Terri wouldn’t be answering questions. We’ll stop there for today.”

More questions were shouted out as Lucas turned around and walked over to Terri and Thomas.

“And now we leave,” he told them. “Douglas will deal with the rest.”

With one arm around Terri and his other hand on Thomas’s back, he led them through the kitchen and into a service elevator that whisked them back to the owner’s suite.

Once inside, they all sank down together onto the couch.

Chapter 9

“That was horrible,” Terri said after a moment.

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Thomas told her.

“I think it went well,” Lucas said. “I think I was convincing.”

“I almost believed you,” Thomas said with a laugh.

“Champagne,” Lucas said, getting to his feet. “And food. I never had any dinner.”

“Neither did we,” Thomas told him. “I was so worried about the press conference that I forgot to be hungry.” His stomach rumbled loudly, making Lucas laugh.

“Here’s the room service menu,” he said, handing it to Thomas. “What do you want?”

Thomas put in his request and then handed the menu to Terri. She glanced at it and shrugged. “Anything is fine,” she said, putting the menu on the table in front of her.

Lucas frowned. He picked up the phone and ordered dinner and champagne and then smiled at Thomas. “Do you like to swim?” he asked.

“Sure, when I can. We don’t have a pool, but some of my friends do,” Thomas replied.

“There’s a swimsuit in the other room for you. Do you want to go down to the pool and swim for a few minutes while we wait for the food?”

“Really? Can I?” Thomas asked Terri.

She frowned. “I don’t know…” she began.

“There’s a lifeguard,” Lucas told her.

“And waterslides and all sorts,” Thomas added.

Terri knew that the pool at the Riverside was a favorite location for birthday parties for children of all ages. Thomas had been to a couple over the years, and he’d always enjoyed himself. “How long will the food take?” she asked Lucas.

“Thirty minutes, because the dining room is full of reporters,” he told her.

“Be back here in twenty-five minutes,” she told her son.

“Thanks,” he shouted as he raced out of the room. He was back a minute later, wearing swimming trunks with a T-shirt. “Bye,” he shouted on his way out.

Terri sat back and sighed. Someone knocked on the door, making her jump.

“Champagne,” the tuxedoed waiter said in the doorway.

Lucas took the wheeled trolley from the man and