Charity Case: The Complete Series

by Piper Rayne

  “You probably make her brush her teeth and floss before bed.”

  “I truly am a monster of a mother. I mean, saving her from cavities and hyperactivity? Someone arrest me.”

  He laughs, and we follow the two little ones to the theater. “Where do you stand on vegetables?”

  “Every meal and I duct tape her to the chair until she finishes every broccoli floret.”

  “Jeez, I won’t even ask about desserts,” he jokes.

  His chest presses on my back as he leans forward to pull the door open for all of us.

  “Row E, seats thirteen through sixteen.” His attention is on the kids, while mine is on him. For the first time, I can’t help but imagine if he was mine. Is this what it would be like? When we were alone could I press my lips to his soft pink ones? The thought has an ache building between my thighs.

  The kids rush in through the second door, but I’m frozen in place and he seems to be too, his eyes losing their usual carefree sparkle. Now, his eyelids are hooded and he’s so close to me I can see the darker blue flecks in his irises. I lick my lips.

  “Excuse me,” a man’s voice says behind us.

  I blink and the moment between us disappears. “So sorry,” I say and bow my head, walking through the doorway.

  We don’t speak as I walk up the stairs to the row where Henry and Jade are already putting all their snacks out and taking off their shoes on the recliners.

  “This isn’t home,” I tell Jade, but she just smiles, tucking her shoes under the flip out leg part of the chair.

  They’re sitting in the far two seats. They look so comfortable and the last thing I want is to uproot all Henry’s snacks, just so I don’t have to sit by Reed.

  “I’ll have to thank Henry later,” Reed mumbles, sitting down next to me.

  “Armrest stays down.”

  He holds the popcorn bowl in his teeth as he holds up both hands.

  “You do know teeth aren’t tools, right?”

  After his jacket is off, he holds the popcorn in his lap. “Thanks, Mom.”

  I pretend to narrow my eyes even though I’m really telling him that because every time he holds something with his teeth, I imagine my panties between those same teeth as he drags them down my legs.

  The lights darken.

  “It’s about to start,” Jade coos and her and Henry slide back in their seats and quiet down.

  “I’ve never wanted to punch a guy in the face before as much as I did that man for interrupting us,” he whispers into my ear.

  A jolt of arousal hits its mark in my core. I turn my head and his glittering eyes hold mine in the darkness. Those sparkling blues light up with the same lust coursing through my body as the screen flickers from light to dark.

  One kiss, Victoria. It won’t hurt anyone. Just one.

  “Mom,” Jade tugs on my sleeve.

  I swivel my head her way and she’s got half the bowl of popcorn emptied onto her lap.

  I help her pick up as much as we can but by the time she’s once again ready to watch the movie, I don’t have the nerve to look back at Reed.

  For the rest of the movie, I’m hyper-aware of the energy Reed’s emitting to my right. He’s alive and oh so tempting next to me. From the corner of my eye, I notice his hands. How he only picks up each kernel with three fingers. How his strong thighs flex under his dark jeans when he shifts in his seat. Though my body would love to pull up that armrest and nuzzle into his strong chest, I force myself to lean on the armrest closer to Jade.

  Reed Warner might have the sex appeal of Magic Mike, but he doesn’t know what he’d be getting himself into. Besides, I refuse to listen to my heart or my sex drive anymore.

  Chapter Twelve

  “I forgot to tell you. I scored a car for the carnival at the kids’ school.” Reed and I walk along Navy Pier after the movie, Jade and Henry in front of us, pointing and gawking at all the big boats.

  I cringe. “You did? How much was it?”

  “It’s covered.”

  I shake my head. “No way. Let me pay. It was my idea.”

  “Not necessary. I know a guy.”

  “You know a guy?” I look over at him with an eyebrow raised.

  He shrugs, but his eyes tell me he’s full of shit. We reach the end of the pier and the kids stare out at the boats on Lake Michigan.

  “I get everything else then. The eye protection, the sledgehammers—”

  A soft chuckle escapes his lips. “You’re going to buy the sledgehammers by yourself?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I turn to face him.

  “Because they weigh a shit-ton.”

  “I’m stronger than I look,” I say with mock confidence. Inside I’m wondering exactly how much sledgehammers really do weigh.

  Reed nods, though I’m not sure he’s really buying it, and pulls his phone out of his coat pocket.

  Pictures.

  “Jade and Henry, look over here.” He snaps a few pics of their smiling faces. “Go stand by the kids,” he says to me, still holding the phone out in front of him.

  I cross my arms over my chest. “Nope.”

  His arms drop a few inches. “You don’t want me to have a photo of you?”

  I shake my head. “No, that’s not it.”

  That’s totally it though.

  He shrugs and stuffs the phone back in his pocket. “We need to go down to the county to get approval plus we should talk to the principal at St. Pats. I figure we should do it together.”

  “You already did all that research?” I step over to a nearby bench facing the lake and take a seat. The cold metal on my backside and the cool breeze coming off the lake remind me that summer is still a ways away.

  Reed follows me over and sits down beside me with only a few inches separating us. “Well...”

  “You paid someone,” I finish for him.

  He doesn’t look over at me. “I have assistants. They like to take care of things.”

  I shake my head in mock disappointment, though I guess I’m not really surprised. I’m sure he’s a busy guy. “Are you going to have your assistants order your future wife flowers for your anniversary?” My joke doesn’t hold the humor I thought it would when it leaves my lips.

  He shifts to face me on the bench, no amusement to be found in his perfect features. “Never. Is that what Pete did to you?”

  “No. Pete didn’t buy me flowers.” My gaze finds the pigeons flying around, I feign interest—anything to let me break the connection with Reed. I’m ruining a beautiful day with my baggage, slicing it to pieces with the knife still lodged in my back from my ex-husband’s betrayal.

  He doesn’t comment and I’m certain that’s because he knows it to be true.

  Jade and Henry keep themselves busy and the silence between Reed and myself seems to grow heavier and heavier, like a weighted fog surrounding us until he finally speaks.

  “I like you, Victoria,” he murmurs his confession.

  “Gee Billy, I think you’re swell too. Want to share a milkshake?”

  He glances over at me. Fear grips my heart. He’s going to call me out on my bullshit, force me to confront things I don’t want to. Instead, he says wryly, “I think that’s my line.”

  “What?”

  “The milkshake, back when Billy and Jane were sharing milkshakes, a girl never would’ve asked.”

  I can’t help but laugh.

  His shoulders rise and fall. “It’s the truth.”

  “Good thing I wasn’t a teenage girl in that decade.”

  “I’m not sure. If you were then, maybe you’d be more amenable and agree to go out with me.” His tone is light and teasing, but it’s clear he wants to know why I keep denying him.

  I face him ready to explain myself. Time for me to just lay it out there for him. All the complications that are my life.

  “Listen.”

  Hearing Jade and Henry talking about a dead fish that’s floating in the water, I know they’re fine, so I give Reed my c
omplete attention.

  “It’s not that I don’t like you.”

  He covers his heart and pretends to faint. “Did you just admit you like me? Has hell frozen over?”

  My eyes bore a hole into his head and he raises his hands in defense. “Sorry,” he murmurs.

  “What’s not to like? Though you’re a lawyer,” I spit the word out like it’s a curse. “You’re the assistant district attorney, you volunteer for Big Brothers and go above and beyond in that regard. You bought us tickets today, bought the snacks. Already have the car for our fundraiser...”

  I break eye contact by glancing over at the kids under the guise of making sure they’re still okay, anything to grab every ounce of willpower to say no to this man.

  “Reed?” A woman’s voice rings out through the early spring air and everything in me tells me not to turn in her direction, but I do anyway.

  Reed’s gaze leaves me for her, but the full wattage smile that’s usually reserved for me doesn’t grace his face.

  “Give me a minute.” He gets up, not bothering to wave the woman over, he heads over to her as though willing her not to get any closer.

  “I saw those kids and that woman you’re with and thought to myself, that can’t be Reed.” Her giggle is fake and forces the same reaction in me as a fork against a plate does.

  “It’s Henry and his friend from school,” he says to her.

  I refuse to feel slighted that he didn’t mention me.

  “Oh, Henry.” She coos. “Henry!”

  I keep my eyes forward, but Henry and Jade look past me to the woman yelling.

  “Who’s that?” Jade asks Henry, her gaze not leaving the woman.

  Henry doesn’t smile at first, but he raises his hand to waist level like a teenager does to a parent at school.

  “Olive,” the boy says.

  “Who is she?”

  I love Jade’s persistence. She’s going to do my dirty work without even knowing it.

  “Reed’s friend. I think they were boyfriend and girlfriend.”

  All my muscles grow rigid and my back straightens.

  “They dated?” Jade’s face is contorted in complete disgust.

  Despite myself, I feel the same as my daughter.

  “I saw them kiss a few times.” Henry shakes his head like he’s eating an insect and tastes something foul.

  “Ew,” Jade says.

  “Come here, Henry, look how big you’ve gotten!” Olive says.

  Henry glances their way again but doesn’t go to Olive.

  “Henry!” Reed’s tone of voice is that of a fathers who expects his child to do as he’s told.

  The impulse to wrap my arms around the little boy and say ‘he’s mine’ is strong. And not just Henry.

  “I’ll be back,” he says with the enthusiasm of a child who’s been told to turn off the video game because it’s time to get to school.

  Henry mopes past me and Jade comes over to sit next to me on the bench, her feet dangling. The smell of her watermelon shampoo reminds me she’s what’s most important and the fact that she seems a little upset by the present situation tells me she’s invested, and I haven’t even gone on an official date with him yet. In her mind, she’s probably thinking that we’ll all move in together into some happy, cozy home. Such is the mind of a seven-year-old.

  “Are you having fun?” I ask her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and laying the side of my head on the top of hers.

  “Yeah. The movie was good. I can’t wait to go on the Ferris wheel.”

  The Ferris wheel. I almost forgot.

  Henry finishes with his hellos and comes back over and sits next to Jade.

  “Do you guys want to go on the Ferris wheel?” I ask. “We’ll let Reed finish talking to his friend.”

  “Yeah!” they both exclaim at the same time.

  “Okay, Henry go whisper to Reed that we’ll meet him over there when he’s done.”

  Yes, I’m sending the boy to do my dirty work. Don’t judge.

  “I’ll go with you.” Jade stands and the two of them round the bench. I rise and step far enough away to make a quick getaway. After they tell Reed, we can just head in that direction without him having to introduce me.

  “Hold up,” Reed says to the kids with his pointer finger raised, when he sees they’re trying to get his attention.

  Olive is rambling on about some mutual acquaintances, divorces, and why anyone in this day in age anyone would commit without a prenup.

  “I mean, she had to go to Target to buy her panties and bras.” Olive hasn’t taken a breath let alone give anyone else a chance to speak. She looks over at the kids as they wait patiently. “Sorry, kids. This is adult stuff. Give us a minute?”

  Her hair is long and blonde. It’s not a natural shade, but she’s spent a fortune to try to make it look that way. Her eyes are light, but I’m not close enough to tell if they’re blue or green and she’s dressed more for brunch than a walk along the pier with her expensive handbag resting on her forearm.

  “My mom is taking us to the Ferris wheel, so meet us over there once you’re done,” Jade interjects, and I fight the proud smile that wants to reveal itself.

  “What?” Reed looks over to the bench and then over to where I’m standing. “Give me one second.” He holds out his arm, waving me over.

  Olive is still talking as though no one has said a word and for the first time, I wonder who she’s here with. I look farther down the pier and spot a group of uppity looking people asking passersby to take their picture, which they promptly examine and then ask for it to be reshot.

  I glance back at Reed who continues to wave me over. “No,” I mouth at him.

  He continues on, insistent that I make my way over. I roll my eyes but do as he asks. I approach, and he draws me into their circle with his hand on my back.

  “Olive,” he says. When she doesn’t stop talking, he tries again. “Olive,” he says louder and finally she snaps out of her rambling.

  “Oh hi, I’m Olive Ashbury.” She holds out her hand and her gaze flicks to Reed’s arm behind my back. “Are you two?” she motions between us with her outstretched hand.

  The kids have left by this point, playing tag around our little huddle, using each one of us as shields.

  “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

  I stare over at him in disbelief.

  “Oh,” Olive says, surprise in all her features.

  “I’m Victoria by the way.” I finally hold out my hand and she extends hers back out for me to shake, handing me the tips of her fingers instead of her entire hand. How very royal of her.

  “And you’re that one’s mom?” she asks, pointing to Jade who has a hand on either side of Reed and is ducking and weaving from one side to the next, trying to see where Henry is.

  “Yep,” I answer, purposely not using yes. Improper and proud.

  “You’re so young,” she comments.

  “Well, it was great seeing you, Olive. We have to get going.” Reed claps his hands for the kids’ attention and they stop messing around and walk back up the pier.

  “Wait,” I call out and they halt.

  “Well, kisses.” She presses her cheek to Reeds and kisses the air on either side. Then does the same to me, pausing for a moment to speak low into my ear. “Good luck with him. I thought I snagged a diamond, but I found out he was a cubic zirconia, if you catch my drift.”

  She pulls away from me as though she just said a casual goodbye and we watch her for a moment while she strolls back over to her friends.

  “You dated her?” I ask.

  “Moment of weakness.” He turns me around by my shoulders. “Ferris wheel!” he yells and points.

  The two kids cheer and jump.

  Her words haunt me as we make our way over to the ride, because I thought I found a diamond once, too.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The line to wait to get on the Ferris wheel is painfully slow. I guess everyone in Chicago decide
d to venture out the moment spring set in, desperate to get out of hibernation after a long winter. Jade and I only experienced a few short months of the blustery cold. I’m not sure she’ll be loving the snow as much next year as she did this year. She might have her roots in Chicago, but she’s a Cali girl at heart.

  “Want to talk about Olive?” I ask, happy to steer the conversation clear of me and onto some of the baggage it seems Reed has been hiding.

  He stares down at me, the sun lighting one side of his handsome face as it peeks out from behind a cloud. “No.”

  The kids are in front of us, debating which Ice Age movie is better, paying us no attention.

  I knock him with my shoulder. “You know my dirty past, give me some of yours.”

  “I don’t know your past.”

  “Sure, you do.” I look over at him like he’s crazy.

  He shakes his head, the sun playing peekaboo with his face again. “I know you were married. I know you had Jade. I know you got divorced.”

  I shrug. “That’s all there is to know.”

  He leans forward, his eyes on the kids the entire time. “Bullshit,” he whispers and the hairs on my arms stand straight up.

  “You know Pete. I’m sure you probably knew all the reasons we should’ve never gotten married before I stepped foot in that church.” I keep my voice low, so Jade won’t overhear.

  The sun hides behind another cloud and it not only brings a chill to the air, but to Reed’s face.

  He says nothing.

  “I’ll take your silence as a yes.”

  Not really into finding out exactly how much he knows, I focus my attention back on the kids, pointing and talking about how much we’re going to see. Reed stays behind us, lost in his own thoughts, not living in the moment like he usually is.

  An eternity later our turn arrives, and we step into the Ferris wheel car. I drag Jade to my side by her sleeve and wrap my arm around her.

  “I was going to sit with Henry,” she whines.