Olivia Daynon was the longtime companion of GrandDad Towers. They had a thing after both of them lost their mates. Olivia's husband had purchased the property from GrandDad and had died in a hunting accident in Oregon. Olivia was devastated for more than a year, doing formal morning in black. GrandMother Towers passed of surgical complications a little more than a year after Olivia's husband. Olivia came to the Towers to comfort GrandDad, and the two visited on and off for a few months, until one night, GrandDad didn't make it home after a visit to the Daynon's. After that it was an open secret that the two were a couple. They were inseparable until GrandDad died a number of years later.

Since GrandDad's demise, Olivia has been essentially alone. She has social interactions with her neighbors, the Towers's and the Sabat's, and a few townies in Crestfield, but generally she saw very few people. She had become very reclusive and somewhat lonely. (...I suppose I could get around more. We all had children so young, that I'm not really all that old...Am I?...[She confirmed her own supposition...]...No, I'm not! I have a few years yet before I'm sixty!...)

At the annual Towers Dance at the Towers on the Crest, she met a fascinating and very nice young man, Ayla Towers intended, Lane Crawford. He was such a wonderful throwback, a Southern gentleman, and treated her as he would any young lady. Lane became a devoted friend to both Olivia and her best friend Elinor Sabat. She joked with Elinor that she wished she were forty years younger; she might give Ayla a fight for his attentions. Elinor concurred. She and Elinor sort of adopted Lane and was very protective of him.

She always made an appearance at any Towers events, especially if Lane was going to be there and, still managing her estate, (...over the objections of her inept grand son...) she tried to maintain business relations with the Towers on the Crest's enterprises. She knew that Lane had already taken over the managing of the estates, and that she would get a generous and fair deal with any Towers contract into which she entered.

At the Dance, she met a few newer Towers family members, because Lane had taken it upon himself to reunite estranged family. Lisa, Ayla's sister-in-law, also a widower of Ayla's deceased brother, was the hostess and an excellent cook. She and Elinor both tried to wangle some recipe secrets to little avail.

She also was especially impressed with "Uncle" Wright. He's Ayla's uncle and was himself an old-style gentleman (...and good-looking to boot. At least I wouldn't feel like I was robbing the cradle...) She chuckled under her breath. . He, of course, was cordial but made no overtures to become even a friend. (...Ah, well, too bad...)  She still got to spend a little time with the Towers, but Lane was getting more and more tied down and couldn't visit as much as she or he'd like.

A few weeks after the Dance, Lane invited her to join him for a tea party. He insisted he missed seeing her and absolutely could not get through it without her. It was a very fancy affair with mostly ladies. (...generally all the ladies were"crushing" on Lane at some level...) 

Elinor was there as well, and was a little down. She had confided in Olivia that she thought Frank was having an affair. She was almost maudlin. Olivia took it upon herself to clue Lane into the sad situation. Lane took it upon himself  to remedy the situation and got himself punched out for his efforts. It seemed to have worked out well though.

Ayla finally tied the boy down by marrying him. There was a big garden party to witness the young couple renewing their vows. Olivia was a little disappointed in that Lane couldn't just dump his new bride to spend time with an older lady. He spoke to her, and smiled at her from wherever he was when he could see her, but he couldn't just come and sit with her like he always tried to do.

It was a beautiful ceremony and she got all weepy like all the other ladies. Dabbing at her eyes with a little snippet of lace, she looked very small and very much alone. Once folks started dancing and strolling through the expansive gardens at the Towers, she spent long periods sitting by herself, watching the younger folks dance. Lane smiled his sweet smile at her a couple times, but there were so many people demanding his time that he couldn't get away. (...She looks so lonely...)  Lane summoned Uncle Wright and asked him to do him a favor, please.

In the middle of the afternoon, Uncle Wright appeared at her table with a glass of champagne. He looked extremely dapper in khakis and a dark linen jacket. "What is a lovely woman like you doing here by yourself?" He proffered the flute and seated himself next to her. "This is a wedding, y'know." He grinned and sipped his own drink. "Where's your date?" He made a big show of looking around the grounds.

Olivia took a sip and pointed with the flute at Lane. "He just got married." She turned a deadly serious face to Wright and tried a tentative smile.

He took her hand and kissed her fingers. "Oh, my dear. I didn't mean to be flippant. I just wanted to cheer you up. You look so unhappy."

"I'm not all that unhappy. I'm so glad for Lane. He's the sweetest boy I've ever known, and he loves Ayla as deeply as any man has ever loved a woman." She sighed and looked at the couple with misty eyes.

Wright nodded slowly, and still holding her hand, laid it on the table, essentially holding it captive under his. He gazed at her wistful face while she was looking away and marveled at what a handsome woman she is. All at once, it hit him. This is Olivia Daynon, GrandDad's former lover. Why, she's practically family!

"Miss Olivia...Will you dance with me? That's the proper way to celebrate a wedding, y'know." She looked at him curiously, cocked her head a moment and decided...

"Yes. Thank you, sir." 

"Wright. My name is Wright." 

"I know who you are...Wright.  We've just never had much chance to get to know each other." He helped her rise and led her to the dance floor. Taking her into his arms, he swayed gently to whatever they were playing. The way he held her forced her to put both her arms around his neck like the young folks do. 

(...And why not?...)  She leaned her head against his chest. He was so tall, she couldn't lay her head on his shoulder. He remedied the problem by leaning down a little and laid his cheek against her brow. She felt a little tremor in her tummy. It had been a very long time since a man had held her so close. She leaned her head back and smiled up at him. He returned the look and settled his eyes on her lips before drawing her close again.

Wright was thinking that she was a very nice armful. (...I should have been doing this a long time ago...)  The song was ending. "Again, or would you like to see the Gardens? I know a couple of quiet spots out here."

She smiled softly and said she'd love to see the famous Towers' Gardens plants. He took her hand and laid it on his sleeve and strolled very slowly toward the secluded benches. She forgot herself and leaned against him. He smiled a sweet smile down at her and slowed the walk even more. After a few moments, he found the wrought iron love seat he had been seeking. He took her elbow and gently settled her in the middle of the cushion, which forced him to sit very close. He stretched his arm across the back of the bench behind her, leaned back and crossed his legs.

She leaned back and ended up tucked under his arm against his chest. She placed her hand on his chest and snuggled in. "This is a beautiful spot...Wright." She peered up at him just as he leaned down to her. Their lips were bare inches apart, and they both sucked in a quick breath. He looked at her mouth and began a very slow move to kiss her. (...He's giving me a chance to stop him... How romantic...) Instead of stopping him, she reached up and placed a soft hand on his jaw and arched her neck to place her lips on his.

Wright's eyes opened wide a half-a-mo,' and then closed as he moved his mouth over hers. Her lips parted just the tiniest bit. He was so gratified  that he didn't press his advantage. He just touched his tongue to her lips, but didn't invade her sweet mouth. Breathless he lifted his lips and gazed at every pretty inch of her face. "Livy...So sweet..." He brushed her hair back behind her ear and murmured again, "Sweetest kiss I've ever tasted."

She dropped eyes and blushed furiously. Besides the sweet compliments overwhelming her lonely heart, calling her "Livy" called to mind a rush of emotions. That was what the Towers had always called her.  Wright placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. Softly he declared "You are the prettiest thing here. How blind they all are. How blind I've been, not to have really seen you before." He looked speculative a moment and added "I know what it is. That damned Lane hogs all the pretty ladies." He grinned a cute smile and caressed her cheek.

"I can't believe that no one has claimed you. I plan to plant my flag..." She blinked quickly and tucked her chin. "Oh, I am so sorry. That didn't come out like I meant it." He looked totally embarrassed.

"Don't...I'm flattered. You've been the perfect gentleman, and I was wondering if you were for real." She cocked her head. "I think you are." She ran her fingers through his silky hair and made it obvious that she'd accept another kiss. He closed his arms tight around her and almost met her lips, when a shot rang out not more than a few yards from them. He dived for the ground, taking her with him and lay his body over hers, placing his arms protectively over her head. She had screamed and was trembling violently. He brushed her hair back and lay his head on her cheek.

"Shh, shh...Are you all right?' he looked around." Don't move. I'm going to see what's happened." He raised himself to his hands and knees and kind of scuttled sideways to the edge of the hedges. He peered through the brush and saw a guy being dragged to the wedding bower. He stood, went over and pulled her up from the ground. "Are you sure you're all right?" She brushed a little dust off her dress and nodded.

"What happened?"

"Someone tried to shoot Lane." Her hands flew to her mouth and she went straight down on her knees and would have been on the ground again if he hadn't dropped and caught her. She started hyperventilating. "Livy? Shh...shh. He's all right. They missed." He scooped her up. "C'mon. Let's go see for sure." He held her against his chest and moved through the hedges as quickly as he could. They burst onto the scene just as Lane leaned over William's prone body to help him get his vest off. William had taken a bullet for his boss. Wright set Olivia on her feet.

"I think I need to lie down." He glanced at her, and they both got the joke at the same time. She threw her arms around him and he held her a moment. Both of them were feeling a rush of relief. Neither could have handled it if Lane had been hurt. Wright had an additional blessing. (...I think she sort of likes me...)

"I'll be glad to take you home if you want. "I'm pretty sure the party will be breaking up soon." She shook her head still leaning into his chest.

"I just need to calm down. Is there a retiring room or something where I can hide out for a little while?"

"Please don't think I'm trying to take advantage." He bit his bottom lip.  "I have an apartment with a balcony and a sitting room. It's fairly close...if you don't mind, that is." He looked down at her with an expression somewhere between hopeful and contrite. "Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Too pushy, huh?" His lips drew into a straight line and he bit his bottom lip. "Wait here. I'll find out what guest accommodation rooms are prepared." He turned away to seek out a minion.

She reached out and caught his hand before he had taken a step. "Wright?" She looked directly into his eyes. "I trust you." He stopped, eyes widening, and brow wrinkling.

"Sweetheart...I don't think you should..." He turned back to face her and pulled her gently into her arms. "I was already thinking very inappropriate thoughts, and the emotional upheaval has left me needing more than a little comfort. Are you sure you'd want to chance being alone with an old lecher like me?" 

"So you aren't the perfect gentleman." She looked up at his anxious face through half-closed lids and murmured softly. "I need more than a little comfort myself right now." His heart leapt in his breast.

"Oh, my lovely Livy..." He held her closer and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. Taking a firm hold on the fingers of her left hand, he broke trail ahead of her to work their way through the crowd. Approaching the hall directing them to the Ladies Retiring Room, he stopped momentarily and gazed down at her pensive face.  "We've found the Ladies Retiring Room. You have a chance to change your mind."

She gazed into his eyes and murmured, "I don't think so. I want to see your room, and get comfortable with you..." She smiled softly and blushed. Wright's brows rose quickly, and he turned away pulling her along through the Atrium and across to the stairs. His heart was beating so hard he thought he could feel it through his shirt. Climbing the broad staircase, he guided her by a hand at her elbow. As they reached his door, he turned to face her one more time, "Really, Livy, I don't want you to think of my having coerced you into something you didn't want to do."

"Wright, I want you, I mean...'I want to'"

Desperately elated, and throwing his arms around her, he touched his door handle and kicked the door open. As he took her into his arms, she wrapped her arms around his waist and stumbled into his apartment, leaning into him. Using one hand, so as not to have to release her, he shoved the door closed, but not before he made direct eye contact with Lane, as Lane led Ayla down the hall to their room. (...Lane mused, "Who did whom a favor?" Good luck, kids. He turned his attention back to his distraught bride...)