Chapter 27: Party Plan

Busy with party planning, Roxanne tried to forget about the fact that she still owed the loan shark and Tom could still go to prison for her forgery. Because the police and county officials knew about the forged permit, construction on the site had been halted, putting Roxanne and her father in a more precarious position with the loan shark.
Tom claimed his team had reached an agreement with the loan shark to forgive the debt if Tom could secure them a stake in his new building venture, which all hinged on Ruby allowing them to buy her land. Therefore, the party was crucial in securing Roxanne’s future and her father’s safety, putting all other concerns on the back burner until Roxanne could be sure the project would go through.
Now that she knew the lengths the bad guys would go to in order to punish her and possibly harm her father, she focused all her energy into making the party a success.
“Put that table over there,” she directed one of the men they contracted to transform the space. Decorating and event management wasn’t usually something in which Roxanne excelled, but her organizational skills proved handy in getting the party together in only a few days.
She examined the space. It looked beautiful with flowers freshening up the tables and strings of lights making it appear festive. In her basic yellow sundress, she tried her best to look classy and cheerful.
The guests started to arrive and mingle. People who lived in the apartments above the stores began to amble in, probably more interested in the free food than anything else, but all glad to see Tom. Through all their turmoil, Roxanne felt relieved she could rely on him.
“Ruby,” Tom called out as the heiress entered the coffee shop. Being almost a head taller than most of the guests, Tom noticed her entrance first. They kissed each other once on each cheek, and Tom smiled at Ruby. With his tight lips, Roxanne could tell he was making a big effort to turn on the charm.
“How are you?” he said.
“Good. What’s this I hear about you getting arrested?” Tom’s eyes clouded for a moment, then he remembered to keep up the façade, and a grin returned to his face.
“Oh, that. It’s nothing. Just a misunderstanding. My lawyer will sort it out.” Ruby nodded. “How did you hear about that?”
She laughed and patted his arm. “You know I hear all the gossip.” She looked around. “This is cute,” she said nodding.
“This was actually my first solo development deal,” Tom said.
Roxanne watched the exchange from across the room, how Ruby smiled at Tom and he laughed. At one point, he tapped her shoulder to direct her gaze across the room. If she didn’t know any better, Roxanne might think Tom was hitting on Ruby, and doing a good job of it, too.
Roxanne decided to intervene, bringing over a wine glass of chardonnay, Ruby’s favorite.
“Hi Ruby,” Roxanne beamed. “Here’s a drink.” She handed the glass to the heiress who smiled. She, too, wore a light summer dress, looking chic and casual at the same time.
“What’s this secret reveal you mentioned on the invitation?” Ruby asked, winking at Roxanne.
“You’ll just have to wait and see. It’s so great you could come,” Roxanne said.
“I love a good party,” Ruby replied and gulped down some wine.
“Yes, after our dinner together a few weeks back, we couldn’t stop talking about you,” Tom said to Ruby. Both women gave him quizzical looks.
Roxanne returned the smile to her face. “What Tom means is that we had such a nice time, we kept mentioning how it would be nice to do it again, soon.” Tom nodded.
“You all are so funny,” Ruby laughed, having already drunk half a glass of her wine. Knowing they shouldn’t look too eager, Roxanne took Tom’s hand.
“Enjoy the food, I think you know some people over there.” Roxanne pointed to a group of other real estate acquaintances Tom invited.
“What was that?” Roxanne asked Tom after they were out of Ruby’s earshot. “It almost sounded like we want to form a throuple with her.”
“I’m trying,” Tom said stiffly.
“Try harder,” Roxanne said and swept away to chat with some other guests.
When Roxanne’s father arrived, he hugged Roxanne, then spent most of his time drinking beer by the bar. She knew her dad might be disappointed she hadn’t told him the news first, but she hadn’t wanted the secret to slip out before she was ready. Their ability to pay off the loan shark hinged on being able to buy and develop Ruby’s land.
Tom had told Roxanne that when Ruby’s parents died, they left her a large estate, including land her father had snatched up on the cheap before certain parts of Memphis had been developed. A secret provision in his will, however, stipulated that the land should only be sold to a man of good character, head of a solid family.
Of course it was sexist, discriminatory even, but being an old-fashioned southern belle who loved her father, Tom knew Ruby was looking for someone who fit the bill.
As the party started hopping, Roxanne’s nerves started to ease. “Ruby,” Roxanne said as she handed the heiress another glass of wine, “this is my father.” Roxanne’s dad took Ruby’s hand and kissed it. Ruby giggled.
“Nice to meet ‘ya,” she said. Roxanne’s father put his arm around his daughter.
“Roxanne, here, didn’t tell me she had such beautiful friends.” Ruby smiled.
“Dad, that’s weird,” Roxanne said.
“How do you know each other?” he asked.
“Oh, through Tom,” Ruby said and Roxanne nodded.
“I didn’t think Tom was such the friendly type,” Roxanne’s father said.
“We go way back,” said Ruby. “I’m so glad he met someone. I mean, he is such a lone wolf. Always mysterious and independent.” Ruby smiled. Roxanne knew they had to change that perspective.
“Well, he’s changed. He’s an attached wolf now,” Roxanne said. Tom hurried over, his halted steps showing his uncomfortable nature around so many people. He wrapped his arm around both Ruby and Roxanne’s shoulders.
“How are my two favorite ladies?” he said, hugging them to him. Roxanne looked a little uneasy.
“We were just telling Ruby how you’re no longer so solitary,” Roxanne said.
“That’s right, not with my gals, here.” Roxanne tried to stop his awkward display. She could tell he was trying too hard to include Ruby in their circle.
Tom took a glass and started clinking his fork against it, trying to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for coming,” he said. “Roxanne and I have a very important announcement,” he continued.
“We’re pregnant,” they both said together. A person in the back of the room threw bundles of pink and blue streamers. A caterer placed a tiered cake in pink and blue, decorated with baby rattles onto the food table and started cutting slices. People smiled and toasted the couple.
Tom and Roxanne grinned at each other and pecked on the lips.
“Wow, Roxanne, I don’t know what to say. I thought you would have told your old dad first. I thought we were close.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I’ll explain later, okay? It’s complicated.”
“I mean a heads up would have been nice,” he said and skulked away for another beer.
“I thought you were close?” Ruby asked. “I think my Dad would have been the first person I told. Family is so important.” Roxanne tried to hold onto her smile, feeling her cheeks starting to droop. She desperately wanted to hang onto the idea that she and Tom were the kind of family-friendly people Ruby’s dad had mentioned in his will.
“I’ve been busy,” said Roxanne, trying to defend herself.
Ruby turned to Tom, “You know who else is pregnant?” and she continued to talk about old school chums as if they had never left the restaurant all those weeks ago.
Roxanne, abandoned by her father, and left out of the conversation with Ruby, turned to find herself alone. A few of the community members who lived in the apartments above meandered by and congratulated her.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time – except Roxanne. She had been so focused on winning over Ruby, she lost sight of why she and Tom had struck a deal in the first place.
Disappointing her father made Roxanne feel like the pregnancy was a bargaining chip, not the start of a happy family. She had only made the agreement with Tom in the first place in order to protect her father’s safety, but she forgot to guard his heart – and her own.