Hotel Vendome

“Thank you, Papa. It’s a beautiful apartment, and I love it.” She gave him a hug then and a kiss on the cheek. She was obviously torn between being devastated and being excited about her new apartment. Her emotions had been on a roller coaster since she got home. She couldn’t wait to invite her friends over to see her new rooms, and she hated to leave now and go back to work. She walked around again and loved everything she saw. She was trying to forget that he was going to marry Natalie and to enjoy the gift. “I really like the paintings,” she said finally. They were great: contemporary, bright, and young.

“I picked them all for you,” he said gently. “I’m glad you like it. I would have been really disappointed if you didn’t,” he told her honestly.

“I’m still mad at you for marrying Natalie,” she said, equally honest with him, but the fire had gone out of her. She was in shock. She had never expected him to marry again.

“I know you are. I hope you get over it one day. Will you be my witness?” he asked her with a serious look.

“Maybe.” She looked sad again then, glancing around her new apartment. “She’s a very good decorator. But you don’t need a wife. You have me.”

“And I always will. A daughter can’t be replaced. But you’re not going to stick around forever. It’s nice for me to have companionship in my old age. And I love her. But I love you too and always will.” Heloise nodded as she listened and slipped the key to her apartment in her uniform pocket, as though she were afraid he would take it away because she had been so angry at him for the past many weeks.

“Thank you. I love the apartment.”

“Good,” her father said as he put an arm around her shoulders. “And I love you. Now get back to work.” She smiled as he said it, and they went back downstairs. Everyone at the desk was smiling. They knew where they had been, from the moment she took the key.

“What do you think?” the assistant manager asked Heloise, and she smiled broadly.

“It’s very cool.” She glanced at her father, and he smiled as he walked away. And he called Natalie to tell her all about it after that.

“Did she like it?”

“Are you kidding? She loved it. I told her we’re getting married, and I wanted her to know that she doesn’t have to live with us if she doesn’t want to. She can move downstairs to her own place if she prefers. And she won’t feel as displaced. She can do whatever she wants.”

“Was she furious that we’re getting married?” Natalie asked, still sounding nervous. She didn’t want the stepdaughter from hell living with her for the rest of her life, or even the next six months.

“I think she was more shocked. She’ll adjust,” he said confidently. “I think seeing her own apartment was a good distraction. She loved it. She also told me that sooner or later you’ll get smart and leave me for a rock star too.” He was smiling as he said it. It had been a childish thing to say.

“How awful,” Natalie said. “I’d never do that to you.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” It had been quite a morning, and he felt drained. He hoped that Heloise would start to calm down now and get to know Natalie. It would be good for her to have a stable woman in her life too, not just him. Natalie was going to be a blessing for them both.

“I asked her to be my witness,” he told her then.

“What did she say?”

“She said maybe. That’s the best we can hope for right now. By July she’ll have calmed down.”

“I called my brother and he said he’d give me away. Now I have to find a dress.” Their wedding was only five months away, and there was a lot to plan.

“You should talk to the catering manager as soon as possible,” he told her. “She’s a great girl. And we have to set a date. Fortunately, in July, the ballroom isn’t usually too booked. Everyone wants to get married in May and June, on Valentine’s Day, or at Christmas.” But they both liked the idea of July. “Where do you want to go on our honeymoon, by the way?” Having told Heloise, now they could make plans.

“Someplace pretty,” she said innocently. “You decide.” And as she said it, he knew just the place. The One & Only Palmilla in Baja, California. He sent guests there all the time, and everyone loved it. It was the height of luxury and a perfect place for a honeymoon. Either that or the Hotel du Cap in Cap d’Antibes. But he thought Baja sounded like more fun.

“Thank you for doing such a nice job on Heloise’s apartment. One day she’ll thank you, but maybe not just yet.”

“She doesn’t need to thank me. It was your idea, and you paid me to do it. She should thank you.”

“She did,” he said, smiling, as he sat at his desk. They talked for a few more minutes and hung up, and Jennifer walked in a few minutes later with papers for him to sign and a cappuccino, and he smiled at her.

“Thank you for the excellent suggestion,” he said to her. “I asked Natalie to marry me last night. It was all your idea, and it worked out very well. She said yes, and we’re getting married in July. If we can get a date for the ballroom.”