Choosing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 2)

by Kris Jayne

  “You don’t have to be such a bitch all the time, you know?”

  Taryn focused in on the woman’s face again more to keep herself from rolling her eyes. “Look, I’m buried in work right now. Jeff and Olivia will be back for sure in an hour. Why don’t you come back then?”

  Shannon mumbled something and stepped back on the porch. Taking advantage of the woman’s retreat, Taryn closed the door quickly, locked it, and went back to her computer. Jeff wouldn’t be happy. She should have been nicer, but she can only fake it so much. A half hour later, Jeff arrived home with Olivia in tow.

  “What’s the deal with Shannon? She’s left me six messages.”

  “She came by earlier—way early. I told her that you weren’t home because you weren’t expecting her for another hour and a half. I think she tried to call you to see if you could come home early, but I figured you were in the car. I don’t know why she showed up so early,” Taryn protested, not looking up from her computer.

  “You couldn’t just let her in?”

  Taryn stopped and raised her eyebrows at Jeff.

  “Olivia, why don’t you take your party favors up to your room?” Jeff told her.

  Once Olivia ran upstairs, Jeff started to speak, but Taryn interrupted.

  “I have so much work to do. You know I’ve been working since seven this morning. I don’t have time to babysit her just because she has no concept of time.”

  “Why do I get the feeling you chewed her a new one?”

  “I didn’t. I swear. She’s the one who called me a bitch. There’s room between rolling out the welcome wagon and greeting someone on the porch with buckshot. I struck an appropriate balance.”

  Taryn’s mood turned more sour by the minute. How long was she supposed to smile and make small talk with Jeff’s ex-wife? She had nerve showing up and expecting to be accommodated like the Queen of England.

  “I know this is hard, but I wish you could have let her in. She could’ve watched TV or something. I don’t expect you to coddle her, but I’m trying to keep her comfortable. She doesn’t have much—” Jeff began.

  “Jeff, I love you, but if you tell me one more time about poor pitiful Shannon, I’m going to scream. She’s not some helpless child,” Taryn growled through a whisper. “She’s a grown fucking woman. And, trust me, she’s making herself plenty comfortable.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “She’s sitting comfortably in an apartment you’ve paid for, coming by and hanging out here for hours on end. She calls you and leaves you messages like she’s got some claim on you. She’s comfortable. That’s all I’m saying.” Taryn counted Shannon’s deeds on her fingers and threw up her hands.

  “She doesn’t call me to chat. She calls me to arrange our meetings with Olivia and the therapist. That’s it.”

  “I’m sure. But you didn’t see her face when I said you weren’t here and suggested she come back later. She looked at me like, ‘We’ll just see about that. I’m going to tell Jeff.’ It was ridiculous. She’s playing us.”

  “For what?”

  “Money. A life she couldn’t have without your help. A life she didn’t want before, but now can’t seem to get enough of.”

  The sound footsteps on the stairs stopped her rant. Jeff looked over his shoulder.

  Taryn sighed in relief and stared at her computer screen. If they kept going, she’d spill what she knew out of spite. The investigator needed more time to dig.

  Olivia shuffled to the center of the expansive living area that adjoined the breakfast nook. “Are you fighting?”

  “No,” Jeff and Taryn said in unison.

  Olivia darted her eyes from Jeff to Taryn. “Can I get a glass of water?”

  Jeff headed into the kitchen to get a glass for his daughter, and the doorbell rang. Taryn threw her pen onto the table and jumped up to answer it without a word. She saw Shannon’s hunched shape through the frosted glass panels of the door. She opened it with a sigh.

  “They’re back now, right?” Shannon asked.

  “Yes. Come on in.” Taryn turned to the side and waved Shannon in with a flourish. The woman must have parked her truck at the end of the block and waited for Jeff to turn down the alley. Shannon followed Taryn down the hall to the kitchen. Olivia stood between the adults, gulping down her water.

  “Hi, Shannon,” Olivia said in a small voice.

  “Let me get my things off the kitchen table.” Taryn’s laptop, notebook, printouts and a pile of contracts fanned out all over. She quickly stacked everything up, sliding as many papers as she could into her bag along with her computer.

  “Do you need help, Taryn?” Olivia asked.

  “That’d be great, Olivia. Thanks. I’m going to move these things into the bedroom. Think you can carry this stack for me?” Taryn handed Olivia a load of paperwork. Jeff looked on. His gaze remained stern as much as he tried to shift gears and smile. Their argument wasn’t over, only suspended. Taryn didn’t look forward to picking up where they left off.

  Returning to the kitchen with Olivia beside her, Taryn heard Jeff telling Shannon that something she suggested wasn’t going to happen.

  “What’s up?” Taryn asked.

  “I was telling Jeff that I thought it would be fun to go do something this afternoon instead of staying here. Maybe I could take Olivia to a movie. Wouldn’t that be fun, Olivia?”

  Jeff didn’t let Olivia answer. “She just got back from a birthday party, and she has school tomorrow. I haven’t had a chance to go over her homework. We’ve had enough activity for the day, so why don’t you help me go through Olivia’s homework folder? You can get a chance to see what she’s doing in school. Olivia, go upstairs and get your book bag.”

  Olivia surveyed each adult before taking off for the stairs. Jeff twisted around to ensure Olivia had gone, then whipped back to Shannon.

  “Don’t suggest something to her when I just told you that she couldn’t do it.”

  “It’s a movie. And it’s only three thirty. We’d be back in plenty of time for her to have dinner and do her homework or whatever.”

  “But it will be late. She’ll be tired. That’s not the best time to try to review her work. We don’t usually do things on Sunday night because we’re getting ready for the week. I told you that when we agreed you would come over today.”

  Taryn watched them like a tennis match, literally biting her tongue.

  “I get tired of hanging around in your house. I want to take her out and do something fun.” The more perturbed Shannon became, the more Taryn could see Jeff digging in his heels.

  “Then we can make plans to do that another time. On a Friday or Saturday.”

  “Oh, my God, you are so uptight,” Shannon said with a snide laugh.

  Taryn glanced toward the front hallway. “Olivia will be back down in a minute. Maybe continue this later?”

  “This doesn’t have anything to do with you, Taryn.”

  Taryn returned Shannon’s words with a glare and waited for Jeff to answer.

  “Don’t start in with that Shannon. Taryn is right. We don’t need to argue in front of Olivia.”

  “So you just roll over what I have to say because we’re not supposed to fight? How about you change your mind and then they’ll be no fight?”

  “Like it or not, Shannon. I’m the one who gets to say what Olivia does and doesn’t do. If you want to change our plans, you need to clear it with me first. We’ve talked about this,” Jeff replied, pointing at his ex-wife. “Don’t act like this is the first time we’ve had this conversation. Now—”

  “Never mind,” Olivia sputtered. “I don’t want to go to a movie anyway. I have my homework. I did it in kind of a hurry this morning before we left for Shelby’s party.”

  Taryn, Jeff, and Shannon all turned toward Olivia, shifting from one foot to another with her backpack on one shoulder. A pained look passed across Jeff’s face.

  “How about you guys park it at the table, and I’ll see wh
at we have for dinner? I think there is some chicken and pasta. I’ll cook,” Taryn said and launched into action, leaving them with no choice but to comply with her plan.

  “Good idea. Shannon can stay for dinner.”

  “Sure. Dinner sounds good,” Shannon agreed and reached out to stroke Olivia’s hair. Olivia smiled at her and then at her father.

  Taryn turned her eyes back to Shannon. She thought the dark circles under her nemesis’ eyes were from fatigue, but now, she wasn’t sure. The flickering light of the chandelier hanging above them might be playing tricks on her.

  Dark blush, maybe? Taryn squinted a little. No. The bruised color stained only one side of her face. Shannon had tried to conceal it with a subtle layering of makeup, but a deep purple still showed through and piqued Taryn’s curiosity. She didn’t realize Shannon was staring back.

  “What?” she challenged, hands on hips.

  “Nothing. I’m exhausted, I think,” Taryn answered.

  At this point, Shannon didn’t want anyone to know she was still married. She’d only make up a story if confronted. Taryn couldn’t say anything until she had the facts.

  Shoving the doubts from her mind, Taryn busied herself pulling out penne pasta, chicken, and whatever else she could find to make dinner. Another dinner would be hell, but at least cooking would keep her from having to talk to Shannon for a while or think about whatever dramas might be lurking.

  She pulled a large pot from under the counter and plopped it in the sink to fill with water.

  How many more of these painful dinners would she have to endure? There was no telling. Taryn turned off the faucet with a smack. A traitorous thought entered her mind for the millionth time since the woman showed up at Olivia’s party. She hadn’t signed up for this.

  Chapter Thirty

  Taryn fought through the undercurrent of tension that flowed for the next couple of weeks. The image of Olivia’s distraught face hovered in her mind. She and Jeff vowed to get along with each other—and with Shannon. Taryn focused on this thought quite deliberately as she pulled into Jeff’s driveway and opened the garage door, wondering if Shannon was still there.

  As soon as she opened the back door into the house, she heard the other woman’s voice. Taryn sighed. Her appointment at the bridal salon was in just over thirty minutes. Taryn didn’t have time for chatting up Olivia’s mother.

  “Hey, Miss Taryn.” Olivia jumped up and grabbed her bag. “My mom is coming with us.”

  Taryn set her purse on the kitchen table and saw Jeff out of the corner of her eye. She could not lay into him in front of Olivia and Shannon, but this was not the plan.

  “Oh. Is she?” Taryn strove to keep her voice light.

  “I thought it might be fun to help Olivia pick out a dress for the wedding.”

  Taryn clenched her jaw so tight she could have ground diamonds to dust with her teeth. Not only did she not need Shannon’s input into any aspect of her wedding, it was actively not wanted. No decisions about the day should involve Shannon. How could Jeff have let this idea gain traction? She gave him a beseeching look.

  “It’s not a big deal if she goes, is it?”

  “We’re not only picking out a dress for Olivia. I’m scheduled for a fitting,” Taryn reminded him, blowing air through her teeth in an attempt to calm her temper.

  She didn’t want her fiancé’s ex-wife hanging around while she tried on her dress. Irritated, Taryn shifted her gaze from Jeff to Olivia. The girl’s face turned up to her expectantly. She wanted her mother there. There was no way to say no. But there was also no way Taryn was going to try on her dress in front of Shannon. Looking at her phone, she knew there wasn’t time to argue. She’d have to reschedule her fitting.

  “Let me make a quick phone call. While I’m doing that, Olivia, go hop in the car. We need to get going.”

  “Are we all driving together?” Shannon asked.

  “No need for that, I think. Besides, then you’d have to come back here to get your car. I’ll write down the address for you. Olivia can come with me. There are a couple of questions I have for her before we get there,” Taryn said, heading to Jeff’s junk drawer to grab a pen.

  The finality of her tone closed off debate. She copied the address from her phone, and made a quick call to Danya’s, the bridal shop, to let them know that she wouldn’t be trying her dress on today. She didn’t want to book up the seamstress’s time if she wasn’t going to try on the dress. Instead, she’d go back in sometime during the week if there was an open slot at lunch or after work. Her mother might make it down from Oklahoma. Taryn struggled to find the positive.

  “Are you sure? It’s not a problem fitting both into the appointment,” Ronaldo, the consultant helping Taryn with her wedding, said.

  “I need to do it another time, Ronaldo. This appointment will be about Olivia.”

  “Not a problem. See you in a bit.”

  Shannon excused herself to run to the restroom, and Jeff took the opportunity to ask Taryn again if there was a problem.

  “Why would there be a problem, Jeff? What woman doesn’t dream of having her husband’s ex-wife come to her bridal appointments? Why, of course, her input is sorely needed.” Taryn couldn’t help her tone.

  “Oh. I didn’t think of it that way.” Jeff’s face fell. “I figured Olivia might like going shopping with Shannon. She’s been so excited about getting her dress. I didn’t think you’d mind, honestly. I wasn’t thinking, was I?”

  “You should have asked me. You should have talked to me first. I’m trying to be accommodating, but when it comes to our wedding, I don’t want Shannon involved. Period. It’s beyond bizarre. The wedding is the one thing I’m excited about right now. Our wedding is the one thing that’s about you and me and Olivia and what we had planned. Now you’re pushing her into that, too. It’s too much.” Warm tears prickled her eyes. She pressed them shut to keep them from falling. Crying in front of Shannon? Not an option.

  “I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t think it was a big deal, but it is. I can talk to Shannon and get her to beg off.”

  As sincere as his apology sounded to Taryn, she could tell that he still didn’t understand. He gave her the squeeze on the arm and the sympathetic look that he gave her when he thought she was overreacting. Her face flushed with rage, but there wasn’t time for it to boil over. She’d grit her teeth and get through it.

  “No. Olivia’s excited about it. Let me get going. Tell Shannon I’ll pull around front so she can follow.”

  Entering Danya’s, Olivia looked all around her with wide eyes. The ornately framed ceilings and walls, the slick, rich marble floors, and the elegance of the staff told any visitor they had arrived at one of the poshest shopping spots in the city. They hadn’t even made it to the check-in desk when Ronaldo came swooping down the hallway, stopping in front of Taryn and grabbing her hands in his.

  “Hello, darling. You look a-mazing as always. And this gorgeous little pixie must be Olivia,” he said, shining his bright smile at the seven-year-old.

  “I am Olivia. Nice to meet you.” Olivia lifted her chin confidently with her back straight as she extended her hand to him. Taryn grinned.

  “Lovely to meet you, dear. I’m Ronaldo, your consultant. I’m going to help you find the most perfect flower girl dress to match the rest of the bridal party. Elegant and fun. I can totally see it. Let’s head back.”

  “One minute. We’re waiting for Olivia’s mother to join us,” Taryn informed him, brightly. Ronaldo’s eyes widened for a nanosecond before he settled back into his most client-pleasing grin.

  “Oh, how wonderful.”

  “She’s in the parking lot,” Olivia added.

  On their multiple trips to the salon in the past six months, she’d told Ronaldo that Olivia’s mother wasn’t in the picture and that she’d be adopting the little girl. They’d chatted about blended families and become friendly. Seeing the ex risen from the quasi-dead put a giant question mark over Ronaldo’s head.
Thank God, he did an admirable job of concealing his surprise.

  Soon enough, Taryn heard the swish of the opening door, a slight chill hustled in behind Shannon, who stepped onto the marble floor and swiveled her head to take in her surroundings.

  “Man, it’s cold today,” Shannon commented. The raised volume of her voice echoed in the elaborately decorated entrance hallway. She quickly shrugged and covered her mouth. “Sorry.”

  “Oh, it’s fine, honey. May I help you?” Ronaldo asked and then, seeing Taryn’s face, realized who the woman was.

  “Umm, I’m with Taryn,” Shannon answered in a soft voice.

  “Of course, we were waiting for you. You are?” Ronaldo trailed off.

  “Shannon,” Taryn supplied. “This is Olivia’s birth mother.”

  Shannon swallowed hard and smiled at Ronaldo. He shook her hand and then bent down to speak to Olivia.

  “From what I hear, you have some ideas already about the kind of dress you want. Taryn mentioned those to me, so I’ve pulled several dresses for you to try on. Why don’t I have them moved to your private dressing area? You can try them on and see how Taryn likes them and show them off to your mother. How does that sound?”

  “Cool!” Olivia beamed.

  Ronaldo pulled the phone off his hip and alerted the staff to the change of plans. He shepherded them down the hall and past the large open bridal area where numerous brides would emerge from their dressing rooms to test their gowns in front of hopefully supportive friends and family.

  Typically, that’s where they would be. However, Taryn knew from previous trips that the “private rooms” were often reserved for when Danya and her staff thought a bride’s party might bring some drama along to the appointment. Taryn cringed at her sudden descent into the dramatic category.

  The private bridal suite featured the same plush caramel carpet and creamy gold faux finish walls as the larger area, but just one triple mirror and large dressing room with heavy mocha-colored curtain. Flanking the mirror and dressing stand were two down-cushioned loveseats. An attendant came in and set an ice bucket, champagne flutes, and what looked like champagne on the glass accent table between the seats.