“I don’t believe you own this house.” Roger looked down on Addie. “And I did receive an invitation from Helena.”
So that’s why she’d been so happy today. She’d invited her dad and didn’t tell anyone. Victoria sighed. If she kicked him out, she’d only look worse to Helena, who shot her mom a pleading look. Victoria bit her tongue, stopping the slew of angry words she wanted to spit out at Roger, and asked, “Would you like something to drink?”
“Very much.” Now Roger’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “So would Candace.”
“I’ll get it.” Halle saved Victoria from the humiliation of serving him and his girl-toy drinks. Halle led the two away, and Helena trailed dutifully behind her dad.
Victoria let out a long breath. People turned back to their meals and companions. “Is it too early in the day for wine?”
“Hell no. I’ll go get us a glass. We’ll put them in plastic cups, so no one will be the wiser.” Addie rubbed Victoria’s arm. “Want to come with me?”
“No, it’ll just make it worse if I look like I’m hiding.” And she hated that. Now she’d have to face this humiliation until the barbeque was over. She raised her head, smiled at the crowd, and crossed to Lucia.
Lucia smiled weakly up at her. “I didn’t know he was coming.”
“It’s okay, baby. Do you want to talk to him?” Victoria hugged her close. “I don’t mind. You don’t have to choose between us. He’s here, and I know it’s not your fault.” She stepped back, trying not to pressure Lucia. “I promise I’m okay with it.”
Lucia glanced over to her sister and dad. “I don’t want to. I don’t like Candace. She hates us. She hates when Dad pays attention to us instead of her. I’d rather stay here with you.”
Suddenly Victoria understood violence because she wanted to punch that woman in the throat. Roger had a lot to answer for after this, and he damn well would explain why he hung around a woman who wasn’t nice to the girls.
Her dad shot her a questioning look and she shook her head. He couldn’t tell Roger to leave without making Helena upset, and if her little girl was happy, she could deal with Roger for a few hours. She glanced over at Nick and saw the frown on his face. This wasn’t how she wanted him to see Roger, but it wasn’t like she could help it.
Nick smiled at her, encouraging and solid. She wanted to go to him so badly, but knew that would only cause more gossip. The girls didn’t need that on them right now. She smiled back, hoping he knew why she couldn’t go to him.
The next few hours dragged by painfully slow. Victoria was aware of where Nick and Roger were at all times, although for different reasons. Helena followed her dad around everywhere, refusing to let him out of her sight. Victoria watched Candace and saw that Lucia was right. After the third dirty look Candace gave them, Victoria’s hands curled into fists.
When the barbeque was finally—mercifully—over, Victoria helped with the clean-up. She was picking up plastic cups and putting them into a garbage bag when Nick walked over.
“Let me hold the bag.” His fingers brushed hers when he grabbed the bag and his gaze raked over her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at him. “I thought you’d like the dress.”
“I want to take it off you,” he whispered as he leaned past her to grab a few cups.
Victoria checked to make sure no one was paying attention to their corner of the yard. She ran a hand down Nick’s chest. “I want that, too.” She appreciated the fact that Nick didn’t bring Roger up, that he wanted to distract her.
They moved around the backyard slowly, neither wanting to finish the task too soon. The warm spring day had given way to a cooler evening, and Victoria wished she’d thought to bring a jacket. The irony of the moment hit her. If she and Nick were “public,” they wouldn’t have this need to sneak around. She just wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet.
Too soon their night came to an end.
“It was so nice to meet you.” Charlotte pulled Victoria in for a hug, squeezed her. “Thank you for making my boy think,” she whispered.
Victoria smiled at Charlotte, even though she wasn’t sure what the woman thanked her for.
“Your daughters are beautiful.” Charlotte hugged both of the girls, too. “You and your mom will have to come visit me soon.”
“Mom.” Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t freak the kids out.”
Lucia smiled up at him. “Your mom is very sweet.”
“Thanks.” Luke laughed. “We think so, too.”
Victoria watched her parents say goodbye to Charlotte and her sons. She was so glad that Roger had already left with his side piece. The moment was awkward enough already.
Luke stood silent, glancing at Halle every few moments. Victoria wanted to shove Halle into his arms and tell him to kidnap her away from Trevor. Trevor watched the two, eyes narrowed. If Halle ever decided to leave him, it looked like he was going to have trouble letting go.
* * *
The next morning Victoria woke up to someone ringing the doorbell repeatedly. She sat up in bed, shoving her hair from her face. It was Sunday, her favorite day to sleep in, and when she glared at the clock she saw it was only eight in the morning. She threw the covers off and rushed to see who it was.
“Open up, Victoria!” Roger’s voice filtered through even as he pounded his fist on the wood.
“Jesus Christ, Roger!” Victoria hissed at him and slung the door open. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He brushed past her, impeccably dressed in slacks and a button-up. “Is he here? Is he in your bed right now?”
“What?” Victoria shut the door behind him. “Will you be quiet? The girls are still asleep.”
“Is he?” Roger ignored her and walked straight to her room. He stopped when he saw the bed empty.
“Who are you talking about?” Victoria stood in the hallway, hands on her hips. “Are you drunk?” She hadn’t smelled alcohol.
“The guy, Nick. Helena said that you were flirting with him yesterday. I know he’s renovating your office.” Roger turned back around and sneered at her.
How had she ever thought this man was handsome? He was always so demeaning. “Are you freaking kidding me?” Victoria’s temper finally snapped. She’d held it in yesterday for her parents, for the girls, for the barbeque, but there were no witnesses now. “It is none of your damn business if I’m flirting with somebody else. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re divorced. Which means you do not get a say in my life, in who I date. And you sure as hell can’t show up at my house, charging in to see if I’ve got a man in my bed!”
“Stop yelling. You always had a poor temper.” Roger pretended to fix his shirt cuffs.
Victoria closed her eyes, focused on breathing in and out, to keep from punching him. She’d never felt the need to hit anyone, but her life lately was quickly changing that. “Roger, if you don’t get out of this house right now, I will show you how poor my temper can get.”
“You have no right to talk to me this way.” Roger’s calm demeanor infuriated her. “You can’t let anyone around our girls unless I approve of them.”
Victoria took a step closer. Roger’s eyes widened a fraction at the venom in her voice. “I can do that, because I am a much better judge of people’s character, even if I was married to you for ten years. That bitch, Candace? She’s mean to my girls. I don’t approve of her. I will date who the hell I want, because you don’t get a say in the matter. Now get the fuck out of my house.”
“Victoria—”
“No.” Victoria cut off his reprimand. She pointed toward the door, seething. “Now.”
She didn’t move until she heard the door shut behind her. Her heart raced, and she shook from how much anger she released. Although it had felt good to finally say what she’d held in for years, her stomach rolled. She wanted—
needed—to talk to Nick. She went into her room, picked up her cell phone, and sent him a text.
Victoria: Hey, are you awake?
He replied instantly.
Nick: Only for you at this ungodly hour. Is everything ok?
Tears stung her eyes and started to trail down her cheeks. She hated that she cried when she got angry. It made no sense to her.
Victoria: No. Roger just showed up at my house.
Nick: Did he hurt you? Do I need to call the police?
Victoria: No, it’s nothing like that. I just really need to see you.
Nick: What about the girls?
Victoria sighed. Maybe it was time for them to meet. Helena wasn’t going to change the way she felt about the divorce whether or not Victoria dated someone. She thought it was funny that Roger, in trying to keep her and Nick apart, had actually pushed them together. A surety grew in her. Nick was amazing with little Lola, and from what she heard, he was great with the boys he mentored. He would be great with them. He just had to believe it.
Victoria: I’ll explain it to them after you leave.
Nick: I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. I’ll pick up breakfast.
Chapter Twenty-Two
VICTORIA OPENED THE front door as soon as she heard Nick’s truck pull up. The girls were still in bed, usually sleeping until late morning, so she’d have a little time to spend with him alone. She saw him, and immediately her anger evaporated. He came up the sidewalk, an easy smile on his face, his five o’clock shadow still there. He hadn’t even taken the time to shave before coming to make sure she was okay.
“You okay?” He pulled her close, right there on the porch where any of her neighbors could see. She laid her head in the crook of his shoulder, breathed in his scent, and nodded. He rubbed her back in slow circles, and Victoria’s shaking finally subsided. “Let’s get inside. I brought doughnuts and coffee.”
“Yum.” The heavenly scent of coffee reached her nose. She needed a cup like she needed her next breath.
He made her sit at the bar and gave her the coffee, a doughnut, and a napkin. “Want to talk about it?”
She nodded and took a sip. Her eyes closed as the warm liquid slid down her throat. “It was about you.”
“Me?” Nick crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. His body wasn’t tense, but there was unease in his look. “If I caused you trouble, I’m sorry. I’m not sorry if it pissed him off, though.”
That startled a laugh out of her. “He’s my problem, not you. He showed up a little while ago, banging on the door. He actually came right inside the house and went straight to my room, asking if you were here.”
Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Uninvited? Did you feel threatened? Because I can take care of it.”
“No. I’m pretty sure he was the one feeling threatened. If he hadn’t left when he did, I would’ve broken my violence cherry.”
Nick grinned. “That’s my girl.”
“He said that he had to approve of who I dated because of the girls.”
“That’s ironic, considering the slut he brought with him.”
Victoria tipped her mug toward him. “That’s exactly what I said. I also told him what Lucia said about Candace being mean to them.”
“That bitch is being mean to them?” He didn’t seem aware of the heat in his voice.
“That’s what Lucia told me. She said that Candace gets angry when Roger spends time with them.” Victoria shook her head. “He’s too selfish to see it. It’s all about what he wants. I’m not sure I can do anything about it. I’d love to say they couldn’t go over there, but that would only hurt the girls.”
“I’m sorry I don’t have advice to give you. I’ve never been in this situation before.”
Victoria smiled. “I know, but it helps just to talk about it. He had the nerve to tell me that I had a poor temper when I got mad at what he said.”
“He’s not worth it.” Nick glanced at the clock. “I can leave before the girls get up, if that’s what you want. I don’t want to rush you or meet them before you want me to.”
Victoria cocked her head to the side and watched his expression. “Do you want to meet them? Think about it for a minute. I want you to be completely honest.”
He stared down into his coffee cup, brooded for a minute. When he looked back up at her, his serious expression tugged at her heart. “I’m not sure how great I’ll be around little girls; I’m used to the boys I mentor. I’m not sure I’m even cut out to be the guy their mom is dating. But I do know this. I care about you, Victoria, which translates to your daughters. I would never do anything to hurt you or them.”
Dear God. She might just have tipped a little further toward love right then. His words touched her because she knew he meant them. He wouldn’t have said anything he didn’t mean. “Wow.”
His lips twitched. “I don’t want you to worry. If this…thing…between us doesn’t work out, I promise not to turn on your daughters, to ignore them like their father does.”
“Keep talking like that, and I’ll melt to the floor.” She walked around the bar and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was solid, powerfully built, but so tender when it came to her. She wasn’t worried. “I’m not sure what’s between us either.”
“We don’t have to rush; we have plenty of time to figure it out. The thing we have to remember is that neither of us wants them to get hurt.”
“If only their father thought that way.” Victoria kissed the stubble on his chin.
He pulled back from her a little. “I need to get something out of my truck.”
“Okay.” Victoria turned back to the bar. His lips brushed the back of her neck, and she shivered. A second later he was gone. This was dangerous, she knew that. She wasn’t the type to love ‘em and leave ‘em, but she liked to think that he felt the connection between them as strongly as she did.
When he returned, she was in the living room, settling on the couch. He carried a rectangular present that was almost as long as he was, wrapped in bright blue and white paper tied with a pretty bow and ribbon. She sat forward, her heart fluttering.
He set it down on the floor in front of her. “I…uh…Happy Mother’s Day.”
She looked from the present to his sheepish face. “You got me a present?” She couldn’t keep the shock from coloring her words.
“Yeah.” He didn’t say more, gestured for her to open it.
“Okay.” She beamed at him, reached for the wrapping paper. Her hand hesitated before touching it. The wrapping paper was so beautiful, and she was nervous about what it was. Not because she wouldn’t like it, but because he picked it out, and somehow the gift would tell her how he felt. If he knew her.
“It’s not going to bite you.” Nick laughed at her.
She smiled again, tore the wrapping paper open, saw stained wood. She pulled the paper all the way off. Gasped. Couldn’t stop the tears that misted. “Oh.”
Nick shoved his hands into his pockets again, something she knew he did when he was uncomfortable. If she was making him that way, she couldn’t help that. His gift was so incredibly perfect.
“You got me a sign for my office.” She sighed, tried to talk again. “It’s…amazing.”
“You like it?” He crouched down to look in her eyes.
“I love it.” She threw her arms around his neck. It was such a thoughtful gift. “I love it,” she repeated. His arms came around her, steady and warm. Yeah, she was definitely in dangerous territory now. He knew her like she’d always wanted to be known, and he’d taken the time and consideration to pick out the perfect gift.
“I’ll hang it up outside the office tomorrow, if you want,” he said into her hair. His hands shook from where they rested on her back.
She leaned back and stared into his face. “Yes, please.” She smiled even wider so that he knew she loved it.
He nodded, gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll go put it back in the truck so I don’t forget it.”
She took the few minutes he was out of the house to catch her breath. She didn’t think it mattered if she was in dangerous territory or not, she was already gone.
When the girls stumbled downstairs at noon, they both stopped short in the kitchen doorway. Lucia’s face split into a huge grin. “I knew it!”
“Maybe we weren’t as good at hiding it as we thought.” Nick grinned over at Victoria.
“I’m beginning to see that.” Victoria patted the table. “We made BLTs for lunch. I know you’re hungry.”
Lucia plopped down onto the chair next to Nick. “So, are you and my mom dating now?”
Helena trudged to the table, scowling, and plopped onto a chair.
“We’re working toward that. Do you mind if I am?” He passed out the paper plates, setting a sandwich down on each one.
“No.” Lucia bit into her food, then talked with her mouth open. Victoria let it pass this time. “Mom needs a good guy.”
“Dad is a good guy,” Helena snapped.
Victoria also let this slide by only giving her a warning look. Helena dropped her gaze to the table. She knew that Helena wasn’t going to accept Nick right away, but she could at least be polite. “Let’s eat.”
After lunch, Victoria found herself back on the couch. The girls brought her present, a white bag with pretty pink tissue paper. Nick sat, far enough away on the couch that Helena wouldn’t freak out.
“You’re going to love it!” Lucia bounced up and down, smile wide. “Open it.”
“I am.” Victoria laughed. She pulled the tissue paper out, reached inside.
“Do you like it?” Lucia asked. Helena stood at her side, quiet.
They’d gotten her the matching wallet to the giant purse they’d bought her for her birthday. “I do. It’ll go perfect with my purse.”
“Yay. Great. Grammy helped us pick it out.” Lucia twirled. “Can we play Wii now? Nick can bowl with us.” She looked at him. “It’s our favorite game. We always beat Mom.”
Crossing the Line Page 14
