Billie Coleman laughed. "She went inside to check the material 516 Fern Michaels on the drapes and bedspreads. So tell me, what do you think of my fella?" She cut her eyes to Thad Kingsley.

"Very distinguished," the twins said.

"Handsome," Sunny said.

"I like him a lot, BiUie," Fanny said. "Anyone who can put stars in your eyes has my vote."

"Let's go for a walk, Fanny. I want to see this fabulous establishment." She waved airily to Thad. "Now, tell me, have you spoken to Simon?"

"We said heUo."

"I saw three different young women sidle up to him. He was polite, nothing more. Come on, Fanny, you've carried this far enough. You've done everything you said you weren't going to do. When are you going to do what you want to do?"

"Soon. I'm going to talk to Ash tomorrow. Then I'm going on a trip. By myself Lord, you can't hear yourself think in here. Let's go outside and walk in one of the gardens. I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Don't complain about the noise. Those sounds represent money. Ooops, sorry, I wasn't watching. Oh, it's you, Simon. I need to find Thad before some starlet whisks him away. I'll catch up with you later, Fanny."

"How are you, Fanny?"

"I'm fme, Simon. And, you?"

"Fine."

"We're such liars," Fanny smiled. "How's Ash?"

"He's in the office resting. He told me he's moving back to town. He wants to be closer to the casino."

"We discussed it. He's never going to get much better than he is right now."

"He admitted that to me a littie while ago. This place will help. I love you, Fanny. I believe you love me, yet we're standing here like two polite strangers. Why is that? If it's my fault, I'll take the blame. If it's your fault, I'll take the blame for that too. See how broad my shoulders are. I told Ash how I felt about you. He told me he knew. He also told me I could search the world over and not find anyone better tham you. He didn't exacdy give us his blessing, but it was implied."

"Ash said that?" Fanny gasped.

"I also told your kids. They were more verbal. That means they approve. AH I need is your approval, Fanny, This is the point in time when someone should say to us, live happily ever after."

"I need some time, Simon. I've decided to go away for a while. This past year has been . . . very hard. I need a clear head. I need to get back all those feelings I lost. I readize that I merely existed for the past two years. Don't ask me where I'm going or how long I'll be gone, because I don't know. I just know I have to go."

"But you're coming back?" The worry in Simon's voice was palpable.

"I can't promise that, Simon."

"You're breaking my heart, Fanny."

"I'm sorry, Simon. I wish . . . things were different. One can only work with what's at hand. I do love you, I want you to know that."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?"

Fanny shrugged.

"I'll wait, forever if necessary."

"That's good to know. I think we should circulate and put some money into this business."

"I feel lucky tonight," Simon said. "Oh, oh, the family is lining up for some pictures. Come along, Fanny, and smile pretty for the camera. You're tomorrow's news. It's front-page stuff."

When the photographer finished, Fanny walked, alongside Ash, back to the office. Ash reached for her hands. "Thanks, Fanny. For everything."

Fanny smiled. "I know you mean that. That's all that's important. The kids are back. Things will work out. I'm going away for a while. Ash."

"I understand. Is Simon going with you? I'm sure my opinion isn't important to you, but it's okay if he is."

"Nope. Just me and Daisy."

"Do the kids know?"

"I'll tell diem tonight."

"Can I do anything, Fanny?"

"Be my friend."

"You got it," Ash said, hugging her.

Simon turned away, his eyes burning. Some things just weren't meant to be.

They were lined up like soldiers-her sons, her daughters, and her ex-husband. They were here to say good-bye.

518 Fern Michaels "I feel like I should salute." Fanny laughed.

She tossed her two suitcases in the backseat "Come on, Daisy, hop in."

"Will you write and call?" Billie and Sunny asked.

"Nope," Fanny said, settling herself behind the wheel of the car.

"Will you send presents?" the twins asked at the same time.

"No way." The engine turned over. "You're on your own."

She blew the horn three sharp blasts. She didn't look back.

"There goes our life force," Suimy said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She'U write and call. She just said that."

"No, she won't Mom never says anything she doesn't mean," Billie said.

"She'll be home by Christmas. Mom loves Christmas," the twins said in unison.

"Like you all came for Christmas last year. You guys broke the chain of tradition, so don't count on it," Ash said.

The Thornton children, as one, looked at their father and spoke at the same time. "Is she coming back at all?"

"I don't know. I hope she does. If I were your mother, I'd probably think we weren't worth coming back for. I have an idea, I know it's not midnight, but let's have some fried egg sandwiches."

"Mothers don't leave their children," Sunny grumbled as she headed for the house. "If she's not back by the middle of December we'll go look for her, okay?"

"Okay," everyone said.

"To Mom," Billie said, holding her cup of cocoa high in the air.

"To Mom."

Epilogue.

December 10, 1978 Simon Thornton opened the messengered letter, his heart beating so fast he had to struggle to take a deep breath. Why would Fanny have her letter delivered by a sf)ecial messenger? Read the damn letter, Thornton, and find out!

Dear Simon, Please meet me at the address listed at the bottom of this letter. I'm in town for a few hours and I would like to see you.

Affectionately, Fanny Simon didn't stop to think, didn't bother with his overcoat even though the temperature was in the low thirties. He barreled through the offices, out the door, and down the steps. Elevators were just too damn slow. Outside in the bracing air, he ran to the road and hailed a cab. Shivering, he gave the driver the address from the bottom of Fanny's letter. He sat on the edge of the seat, his imagination running wild. At one point he rolled down the window to the chagrin of the driver.

Thirty minutes later, the driver skidded to a stop. "Here you are, buddy. You want me to wait?"

Did he? He didn't know? "No." He shoved bills in the driver's hand.

Simon looked around, his eyes wild. What the hell was Fanny doing at the harbor?

"Simon! Over here!"

Jesus, where was over here? He looked around. He blinked. Fanny, Bess, BiUie, and Admiral Thad Kingsley. All of them were dressed in sailor outfits. It was a bad dream and he was going to wake up any minute.

He saw it then, pristine white in the early morning sunshine. SOMEDAY.

"We're your crew," Fanny called. "We brought Thad along because he knows about boats . . . ships. Sallie asked me to do this for you. Say something!"

"Where are we going?" he managed to ask.

"Wherever you want, Simon. There's a real crew on board, so don't panic. I thought we'd sail to Bermuda if you have no objections, drop off our guests, and then you and I can hit the high seas. What do you think?"

Simon swung her high in the air. "I say, what are we waiting for?"

"I do like a man who makes instant decisions," Fanny said.

"And I do like a woman who allows me to make them. God, I love you, Fanny."

520 Fern Michaels "And I love you, Simon."

"TaUyho!" BilHe said.

"No, it's all aboard," Bess said.

"Wrong! It's anchors aweigh," the admiral said.

"Whate'er," Fanny and Simon said in unison.

Now available from Kensington Books VEGAS HEAT.

For a sample chapter of the next book in the Thornton family's story, just turn the page ...

1980-1985.

Those in the know said Babylon was a one-of-a-kind gambling casino. Those same people in the know said the Thornton family, owners of the casino, had overextended themselves. The big question, though, on the Bright White Way, was how Ash Thornton, a man confined to a wheelchair, a man whose body was racked with pain twenty-four hours a day, was going to operate a business like Babylon.

The windowless counting room, an inner sanctuary where the money washed through daily, bore testament to how well the wheelchair-bound man managed. Ash said he experienced the ultimate thrill when he became immersed in the sight, smell, and touch of money-^tons of money, stacks and bundles of coins so heavy Ash had been forced to buy a hydrauhc lift to move it all 2iround the counting room.

It was amazing to Fanny that rather than counting the money, Ash had the cash counted according to denomination and weighed. Her daughter Sunny had told her a miUion dollars in $100 bills weighed 20.5 pounds; a milHon dollars in $20 bills weighed 102 pounds. A million dollars in $5 bills weighed 408 pounds.

There was even a naime for the electronic coin-weighing scale, the Toledo Scale. Sunny had laughed, a tinge of hysteria in her voice, when she said a million dollars in quarters fi-om the slots weighed twenty-one tons. A fortune passed through Babylon every day of the year, so much money it had to be weighed instead of counted. What was the world coming to?

What was she doing here? Pm trying to justify my mother-in-lau>'sfaith in my ability to safeguard the Thornton family fortune. Pm trying to help her family and to keep my own family intact.

Fanny Thornton hated the opulent, decadent casino known as Babylon. Today, she should have called ahead to arrange a meeting someplace or, at the very least, made a luncheon reservation as far away fi*om this fool's paradise as possible.

526 Fern Michaels Fanny, her face grim, knew floor security had announced her entrance the moment she walked through the door. Ash was probably watching her from one of his top secret peepholes. Birch and Sage were probably on their way to intercept her while Sunny sat with her feet propped up on an open desk drawer, awaiting her arrival. She too would have been notified that Fanny Thornton was in the casino. The big question to all of them would be, why?

Knowing what was ahead of her, Fanny quickened her step, refusing to look at the acres of slot machines and banks of poker tables. Direcdy in her line of vision, striding toward her, were her handsome twin sons. Dressed in dark suits and pristine white shirts, they could have posed as Wall Street bankers. They were smiling, but only Sage's smile reached his eyes.

"Mom! What brings you down here? Try and work up a smile, or the customers will think Babylon hasn't been kind to you." Birch leaned over and kissed her lighdy on the cheek to soften his stern admonition.

"Mom, it's good to see you." Sage hugged her as he gave her a smacking loud kiss on the cheek. "Do you have time for lunch, or at least a cup of coffee?"

"I have the time. How's your father?" Her voice was polite, nothing more.

"Is that one of those polite questions that doesn't require an answer, or is it one of those questions whose answer doesn't matter?" Birch asked as he cupped her elbow to lead her through the casino.

"Bodi."

Sage laughed, a sound of genuine merriment. Birch's features tightened.

Fanny looked from one of her sons to the other. The twins were like night and day. Sage was loving, open, warmhearted and always the first one to ask, what can I do to help? He was so much like her he scared her at times. Birch was cool, noncommittal except wherr his father was concerned, selfish, and arrogant, possessing all dir same traits that his father was known for. Her husband and brother-in-law all over again.

Fanny shook off her son's hand, a motion that caused Birch's lips to tighten. She didn't care. She had every right to expect loyalty from her children. "If it's your intention to lead me to your father's office, forget it. This may surprise you, but I don't require an escort."

"Mom, why are you always so difficult when you come here?" Birch asked.