“I heard they’re going to be opening for someone at Bridgestone. Think we can get tickets?”
That brought a wide grin to her lips. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll call Clara and ask.”
“Really? You don’t seem like the kind to use your friends.” He nudged her jokingly.
“She loves to be used like that. Besides, I miss her.”
“Just because you don’t date her brother doesn’t mean you can’t be friends.”
Victoria considered him. He was so perfect, why didn’t she feel the same way around him as she did around Christian?
“It wouldn’t bother you if I saw Clara?”
“No. You’re content in your life. Why would I worry about that?”
Because I’m a big fat liar, she thought as they turned the next corner and headed home.
Chapter Eleven
Office doors were supposed to offer privacy, but when you worked with your brother that wasn’t the case. Ed nearly flew through the door in one of his raw, angry moods. He walked right up to Christian’s desk and threw down a new razor and a pack of unopened blades.
“What the hell? You think you can barge in?”
Ed plopped himself down in a chair in front of his desk and kicked his feet up on Christian’s desk.
“You look like shit. You haven’t shaved in almost three weeks. You don’t look like you slept either.”
“And this bothers you?”
“Yes. You’re an embarrassment to the company.”
“And that’s what you’re worried about?”
Ed dropped his feet and leaned his arms on the desk. This was more brotherly, Christian thought.
“No. I’m worried about you. I know this is all about Tori.”
He wanted to argue with him. He wanted to stand up and punch him in the jaw, but Ed was right.
Christian sunk into his chair. “I thought I had her back. I thought that night we spent together was going to mend everything and just like that,” he snapped his fingers, “I’d have her back.”
“So what didn’t work?”
“My big mouth. I guess when I asked her up to the room I specifically asked her for just one night.”
“And you left it at that?”
“No. I went to her house. I took flowers. Then she reminded me she was dating that guy and I reminded her she’d slept with me.”
“Real smooth.”
He stood up from behind his desk. “I know. Listen, I’m not good at this. And I drove by last weekend and his car was there, again. I’m done. What else can I do?”
Ed stood. “Shave.” He turned and walked to the door. “Clara will be up here in a few hours.”
Christian shrugged at him. “Why?”
“She’s meeting Victoria for lunch. She figures she’ll have plenty of things to say to you when she’s done.”
Ed walked out of the office and shut the door. Well, wasn’t that perfect? His sister could still be part of Tori’s life, but he couldn’t? That didn’t even seem fair.
He picked up the razor and looked at it. His brother-in-law Warner would know where they were going for lunch. Suddenly, he was getting hungry.
Lunchtime on Music Row was an eclectic mix of music professionals and tourists trying to catch a peek. It was a good thing Warner told Christian right where to go. Bella Napoli was a hidden gem, but a good one.
He’d heard his sister’s laughter before he even saw her. Her back was to him and her lunch date was obscured by the waiter.
Christian walked slowly toward them, not sure of what he wanted to say when he got to them.
The waiter moved just as he neared them, and it was the first time he’d looked at Victoria in almost three weeks.
Something was wrong and she looked sick.
A million things ran through his mind. She had a cold. The kids had been up all night. She was dying.
Her hair had lost that luster it always had whether styled or drawn up. There were dark circles around her eyes and he was sure she’d lost ten pounds in the past few weeks.
The moment she looked up at him he forced a cunning smile, one he used when playing ball and the fans beckoned him to be photographed with them. Her eyes grew wide and that forced his sister to turn.
“What are you doing here? Oh and good, you shaved.”
He kept his smile, but he didn’t like his sister’s reaction.
She stood and hugged him, rubbing his bare cheek. “A goatee? I like it. I really like it,” Clara said.
He shifted his glance back to Tori, who looked up at him and smiled. “Hello, Chris.”
“Hi.” He was suddenly at a loss for all the words he wanted to share with her.
Clara looked around. “Let’s get you a chair. We just ordered coffee and dessert.”
Good, they were almost done. “Oh, I don’t know. I was just walking by and…”
“You’re welcome to join us,” Tori said softly.
“If you’re sure. I’d like that.”
Clara waved toward the waiter to bring another chair, but Christian kept his eyes focused on Tori. He was worried about her and it shook him to his core.
The waiter brought a chair and then returned with a plate of Tiramisu just as Clara’s phone buzzed on the table.
She picked it up, crinkled up her nose, looked at the dessert, and then set her napkin on the table.
“I have to go. Warner just texted and said they have our interview set up early and want to get started. I have to head back to the offices.”
“Good thing you’re on the right street,” Christian said giving her a wink knowing Warner had texted her on his behalf. He owed him now.
“Chris, pick up the tab, will ya. Don’t make my guest pay.”
“Oh, no. That’s…”
“I got it,” he shut down Tori’s protest.
Clara gave them a nod and moved to hug Tori who stood. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will. Thank you for the talk.”
Clara smiled. “I’m here for you.” She kissed her on the cheek and walked past Christian slapping him on the back of the head.
He rubbed the sting and took the now vacant chair.
“I guess sisterly hugs are overrated,” he said. He was happy that Tori was smiling.
She sat back down and picked up her fork. “How did you set that up?”
“What’s that?” He asked picking up his fork and slicing off a bite of the dessert.
“Having Warner page her so she’d leave just as you walked in.”
He let the lady fingers melt against his tongue then swallowed hard. “You know me pretty well.”
“I guess I do.”
He noticed that brought a little bit of a spark to her eyes, which looked hollow. She put down her fork and sipped her water.
“You’re not done with this are you?” He asked taking another forkful of the dessert.
“I’m fairly full already.” He watched as she took her napkin and wiped her brow.
“Are you feeling okay?”
She sipped her water again. “Yes. I think I’m catching something.”
He took another bite and then cleared his throat. “Is Scott around? Is he taking care of you?”
She shook her head as if she wasn’t bothered by his question. “He’s been busy and out of town a lot. I’m fine. I might have Sonia hold on to the kids for me so I can rest tomorrow.”
It was instinctive as he reached his hand across the table and rested it atop of hers. “If you need help I’m always a phone call away. I can even watch the kids.”
Her eyes widened and he knew what she was thinking—and he was tired of her thinking it.
“I’m sorry I ever told you I wasn’t ready to be someone’s dad. But I can handle kids for a few hours to give you a break. Okay?”
She considered him before nodding.
“Okay, well you call me if I can help.”
“I will.”
They made small talk until the waiter brought the
bill and Christian paid it, as his sister had insisted.
He walked her out to her car and opened the door. “Thank you for lunch. Tell your sister I had a nice time and thank her for the passes into the concert.”
He grinned. “Were you using my sister?”
“Not at all.” Her cheeks blushed. It gave her a nice glow which made her look better than the pale sickly color she’d had in the restaurant.
When she’d climbed into her car and put the keys in the ignition he’d considered bending down to kiss her. The feeling was nearly overwhelming. Instead, he closed the door, stood back, and watched her drive away.
~*~
Victoria sat at Sonia’s kitchen table as the sound of children’s laughter enveloped her.
“What are they doing?”
“Playing dress up.” Sonia handed her a glass of sweet tea and sat down across from her. “How was your lunch?”
“It was wonderful. I miss Clara.”
“And how is Chris?”
Victoria narrowed her glare on her best friend. “Why do you ask?”
“C’mon. If he knew you were with his sister he’d make an appearance.”
She felt her cheeks heat and by the smile that formed on Sonia’s lips she knew it showed.
“He stopped by. Clara made him buy lunch as she was called out for an appointment.”
“Set up by Chris?”
She nodded and then blew out a breath when her stomach suddenly didn’t feel so well.
“You okay?”
“I just don’t feel well.”
“You haven’t felt well in weeks. The kids seem fine.”
She nodded. “I think I’m just worn out and going to that wedding made me get all worked up. I haven’t slept a full night since.”
“You can take a nap here if you’d like.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”
Sonia laughed at her. “You act like I did when I was pregnant with the kids. Well, come to think about it I feel that way now too. I’m just always exhausted.”
“I guess I didn’t get the nine months for each of them to acclimate. I was just thrown into all-nighters with a crying girl who misses her mommy and daddy and a little boy who is an escape artist and shows up at my beside.”
Sonia laughed again. “You did block the stairs with that gate I gave you, right?”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
She visited with Sonia for a while longer before getting the kids ready and heading home for another night of Brave and the requested chicken nuggets. But Sam had promised that if he had chicken nuggets he’d also eat some broccoli. She hoped he was a man of his word.
Luckily, Victoria had been reprieved of having to eat the nuggets when Scott showed up with Chinese food.
“You’re a saint,” she said as she put a piece of pork in her mouth.
“You were looking too skinny. You need substance.”
She laughed, but she knew she’d lost some weight since she couldn’t seem to eat much. Perhaps she had PMS, though she usually gained five pounds and wasn’t so sick.
Victoria sipped her water from the bottle which Scott had brought with the dinner. In her head she was making a mental calculation and working on a mental calendar. When was her last period? They’d been wonky since the accident with all the medications and surgeries, but she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had one.
A wave of nausea moved through her body. She stood and ran to the bathroom up the stairs in her bedroom. Quickly she turned on the sink, noticing that the handle was leaking a bit, but that was a problem for another day.
Her face was perspiring, her stomach lurched, and her brain was fully engaged in a conversation she’d blown off from earlier in the day. You act like I did when I was pregnant with the kids.
No. No. No.
She did more calculations in her head as her body temperature cooled as she pressed water to her face from her fingertips.
It had been three weeks since Ed and Darcy’s wedding. Three weeks since…
Now her stomach moved and she lifted the toilet lid and let go of all the dinner she’d just eaten.
“Victoria, are you okay?”
She could hear Scott call to her, but couldn’t call back as another wave took over.
When she looked up he was standing in the doorway. Quickly he grabbed for the towel on the rod and wet it under the running water.
He handed it to her and then took her hair and held it back for her.
“Oh, Scott. Go. You don’t want to see me like this.”
“Honey, this is fine. You’re sick. You need some help.”
Why couldn’t she just fall head over heels in love with this man? He was so perfect in every way.
When she felt her stomach settle she reached up and flushed the toilet and with Scott’s help got to her feet.
“C’mon. Let’s get you into bed.”
She shook her head. “The kids.”
“I’ll get them put to bed. I’ll get dinner cleaned up too. Then,” he brushed a strand of hair from her face, “I’ll make myself a bed on the couch. I’ll only be a few feet away if you need me.”
There was a protest on her tongue, but she couldn’t manage it. Every time she’d had surgery, Sonia had stayed at the house. This was the first time she was really sick and she needed help.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Quickly, exhaustion took over her body. At some point she knew she’d heard the kids in the hallway with Scott on their way to bed, but she slept through the night.
She’d nearly forgotten he was there until the next morning when she walked downstairs to make her coffee. The deep breathing from the living room startled her a moment. Then she saw him splayed out under a Mickey Mouse blanket. Her breath hitched in her throat at the sight of his bare chest.
Steadying herself with a cleansing breath she walked toward the kitchen.
She was more than grateful that she’d brushed her teeth before coming down, because when Scott walked into the kitchen and pressed himself up behind her she’d let out a sigh. His hard body was close against her and his lips were on her neck.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Uh-huh,” was all she could manage.
“I can call in sick and take care of you.” His voice had dipped sensually and she swallowed hard.
“I have to work.”
He let out a groan and then gave her a peck on the cheek. “Maybe tonight and the rest of the weekend.”
He moved away from her and headed down the hall to the bathroom and Victoria let out the breath she’d been holding. Right. It was Friday. He could come back and spend all weekend.
Scott would be spending the night.
Dear Lord, was she ready for this. She looked down at her shaky hand. Yes. She was ready.
Chapter Twelve
There was a lot to be done before she picked up the kids from daycare. If Scott was spending the night, it was one more mouth to feed. She needed to make a plan and squeeze in a trip to the grocery store.
As she walked into the store, the scents accosted her nose and made her stomach roll. Oh, this wasn’t going to be a good thing. She needed some anti-nausea medicine.
When she made it to the aisle with the medicine, it wasn’t hard to realize there were many reasons for such medicine. Looking down, she saw the pregnancy tests all lined up. There was every kind of test. Easy to read. Spell it out for you. Boxes with multiple sticks.
Her stomach rolled again.
No. She wasn’t pregnant. She had the flu. She was the guardian of two young children. She just had the flu.
As she moved past them something made her stop. Well, what would it hurt to at least know for sure—even though she was sure.
An hour later she was home and the kids were getting settled. She’d hung up Ali’s new art work on the refrigerator and given Sam a few Cheerios to hold him until dinner.
She took the bag of gro
ceries and began to unpack them, putting away each piece. When she got to the pregnancy test, she just stared at it as if she’d forgotten she’d bought it.
Her nerves twisted inside of her. She looked up and the kids were building something with the old toilet paper tubes they’d decorated one day. It would only take three minutes. She had three minutes.
Quickly, she took the box up to her bathroom and shut the door.
It would be quick and painless and it would be over. Then she could go on with her life.
She read the instructions, more than once, and then took the test.
As soon as she was done she set the test on the top of the toilet and went to wash her hands. But the faucet this time nearly came off in her hand. With water spewing all over she reached under the sink and turned off the water source.
She let out a sigh and grabbed towels to sop up the mess just as she heard a crash and a cry from down the stairs.
Without hesitation she ran down the stairs.
“What was that?” She turned the corner to see that Sam was holding his hand over his forehead and all around him were scattered cars.
She scooped him up. “Are you okay?”
He nodded with a tear dangling from his long, dark lashes.
She looked at Ali. “What happened?”
“He was stacking cars up high and he stood on the Lego bucket to get higher on the shelf and it fell over.”
Assessing the room she could now see the big pre-school Lego set all over the floor with all his cars. But he seemed fine.
In the midst of the commotion the doorbell rang and she set Sam on the floor and ran for the door. There stood Scott in his lawyer-man suit looking very handsome and in his hand he carried a bag. She tried to steady herself when she realized it was the bag he’d have packed all his things in to stay the night.
He stepped into the house and pressed a kiss to her lips. “This was one of the longest days of my life.”
“Why?” She gulped back.
“I couldn’t wait to get to you.”
The moment was quickly over taken by Sam tugging on Scott’s leg. “Car tower!” And then he ran back.
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