Page 38 of Just Curious

They all cracked up.

Jackson sobered quickly and announced, “I love you both so much.”

“Me too,” agreed Casey as he affectionately squeezed Willa and Jackson’s arms.

Willa sighed, “Absolutely. It couldn’t possibly get any better than this.”

Squirming a little, Casey asked, “Can we get up now? It’s getting hard to breathe down here. I love you both, but you two are heavy.”

Chapter 23

The next morning, they raised anchor and cruised eastward along the southern coast of France. Like every other day, the sun was bright, and the coastline stunning. The three of them watched as they passed by the Nice Castle, quaint houses, and breathtaking villas.

As they pulled into the harbor, the three of them got an up-close and personal view of the elaborate techniques it took to park a mega-yacht. There were already several men awaiting them dockside, ready to tie up the boat as it moved carefully into position. The boat slowly backed into the slip assigned to it. Dream Come True pulled in only a couple of feet away from the dock, attesting to the skill of the boat’s pilot. It was impressive to see something so enormous maneuvering around with such precision.

Anxious to check out Monaco, the three of them disembarked after conferring with the chef and letting him know they would be dining ashore for the rest of the day. He seemed crestfallen, so they agreed to have him provide them with a late-night snack when they got back from the casino. That cheered him up considerably.

“That man certainly loves to cook,” laughed Willa as they piled into their waiting car. “Speaking of which, what has Phillipe been doing while we’ve been gone, Casey?”

“He went home to see his parents in Quebec, and then he was planning to go to some cooking extravaganza conference in New York for a few days.” Casey smiled thoughtfully. “It’s wonderful to have a passion that keeps you interested in learning.”

“I’m just glad there are people who are passionate about cooking so I don’t have to be,” laughed Willa. She took both their hands, and they spent the next couple of hours wandering around like that. A few people did double-takes, but mostly they were ignored or merely admired for their collective beauty. A few women looked enviously at Willa, and when she caught their looks, she winked at them, smiling like a Madonna.

As usual, Casey managed to locate a few treasures he needed to send home. They found a place where they wanted to have dinner and made reservations for later. Eventually, they made their way back to the yacht to shower and change for dinner and a night at the casino.

This set up a pattern for the next two days. They took in the considerable sights of Monte Carlo during the day, visiting museums, galleries, and some high-end shops. After dinner at one of the local restaurants, they would head to the Grand Casino. Just the sight of the building itself was impressive with its beautiful architecture and grand fountain in front. Inside, the feel of the place was totally different from any Las Vegas or Reno casino. There was no neon or glitziness; instead the space glowed with stately opulence, though it might have been a tiny bit frayed around the edges. Everywhere they looked, there was marble and crystal—all gleaming and majestic, but there were no tuxedos in evidence like in the James Bond movies. The ceilings were adorned with beautiful frescoes and mosaics where everything competed for attention, and there were plenty of folks rubbernecking at it all. Another pleasant difference to the Nevada casinos, however, was the total lack of bells and whistles going off. The slot machines were silent, and the atmosphere subdued throughout.

They tried out a few different casino games and discovered that Jackson was happiest with blackjack. He would do his best to count cards surreptitiously until he’d won a tidy sum, but when the dealer changed decks, he would get up from the table and move on. Once he started over at a new table, he invariably lost for a while before getting a good sense of the deck.

Willa and Casey loved to watch Jackson while he was playing—he was so laser-focused, it seemed as if they could sense his impressive brain calculating the odds. They always stood a comfortable distance away—so as not to look as if they were helping him cheat somehow—and whispered to each other about how hot and brainy he looked and how much they loved him. It was hard to not get turned on by each other as well, though, as they whispered teasing things in each other’s ear. They were hard-pressed to keep their hands from straying into impolite territory once they got worked up.

Casey preferred poker, fancying himself a good reader of the other players’ tells. He did well at it too, but he’d sometimes bet on a lousy hand, thinking he could bluff. He couldn’t. The other gamblers in the private games were far too adept at reading his tells, and his face was just too expressive.

Willa loved the excitement and immediacy of the roulette wheel, but none of them particularly cared for playing in the grand hall among all the gawking tourists. The private rooms that charged an entry fee suited them better; they felt less on display. However, after two nights of gambling for a couple of hours, they’d had their fill. Each of them had set a budget before playing, so they wouldn’t leave feeling like broke chumps. Their winnings, after all was said and done, were unimpressive, but they’d had fun and enjoyed the experience of gambling in the famous Monte Carlo.

“I don’t know about you two, but I’m starting to feel ready to head home,” declared Jackson after their trip back to Dream Come True. The chef had once again set out a lovely dessert buffet for them to enjoy with after-dinner drinks in the master suite, and they were savoring their cognacs and sweets as they looked at the reflection of lights on the water. They’d kicked off their shoes and were relaxing on a comfortable couch. “Before you both say anything about it, though, I have to tell you something.” Willa and Casey gave him their attention as he continued, “Don’t look so worried, this is something wonderful actually.”

“Okay…” prompted Casey. Willa still looked a little nervous.

Taking a deep breath, Jackson began, “Before we left for the Cariboos, you both know I was researching some options for future investments.” Willa relaxed then and nodded at him as Casey grinned. “I don’t know much at all about this business, but I feel that with my monetary support and our collective talents, we could create something together that is lasting and amazing.”

“Something like what, Jax?”

“I put out a bunch of feelers and queries to movie studios.” Willa gasped at him then and he quickly continued. “Remember the message I got from the chief steward when we got to Nice? It was from one of the studios, and they were interested in what I had to say. I think they had to check into my background a little to decide whether I was a wannabe or a nut. I must have passed inspection because I heard from them again this evening while you two were gambling.”

“So, you want me to star in a movie? I do look remarkably like a young Robert Redford, if I say so myself,” laughed Casey. “Or maybe I’m more the Chris Hemsworth type—more muscles than Redford. Remember when I was the scarecrow in our sixth-grade production of ‘The Wizard of Oz?’ I was great!”

“Case.”

“What?”

“You’re not starring in a movie,” Jackson laughed. “You were pretty convincing, though, wishing you had a brain.”

Willa tried to cover a snort as Casey let out a huge and very fake sigh, asking, “Well, what then?”

“I’ve explained to them that I’m very close with a best-selling author whose books have a huge following. I figured out which one of your books has been your biggest moneymaker so far…”

“You did?” Willa asked.

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