The River Valley Series

by Tess Thompson

  Oh, she is such a brat, thought Annie, hiding a smile behind her hand. But a funny brat. She stole a glance at Drake. The vein on his forehead was bulging.

  Drake followed Bella outside, slamming the door behind him. Annie pulled the shade down, knowing that it was probably best if Ben didn’t witness them arguing. Ben looked over at her, grinning. “I think I’m in love.”

  Annie laughed. “Please, no. Whatever you do, do not fall in love with Bella Webber.”

  “Maybe I’ll just give her a spanking instead.”

  “Not that she doesn’t deserve one, but she’d probably like that.” Annie laughed again.

  “Perfect. Will you cater our wedding?”

  She shook her head, still laughing. This Benjamin Fleck was funny.

  “Come on,” she said to him. “How do you like your martini?”

  “I don’t. Got any beer?”

  “You bet. Come into the kitchen and tell me everything while I finish dinner. Knowing those two, it could be a while before they come in.”

  She settled Ben at the counter with a beer and then cut a beef tenderloin in half and placed it in a pan with olive oil. Earlier she’d made a panko bread crumbs and prosciutto crust for the meat. The room smelled of sage and butter and shallots.

  “I’m afraid to ask how it went today,” she said, turning the meat in the skillet.

  “Don’t be. Drake’s right. This town’s perfect for a call center. I couldn’t be more sure of it.”

  “Did you meet Mike?”

  “Yeah, he took me around town and then out to some property he owns.”

  “Will it work for the building?” She thought of the land he was referring to. It was on the outskirts of town and flat. A building and a road could easily be put in there.

  “Don’t see why not.” He took a sip of his beer. “And Mike’s willing to lease the land to us cheap. He said it’s an investment but I get the feeling this project is about his heart, not his pocketbook.”

  Annie smiled. “He’s our town zealot. And Tommy. Did you meet him?”

  “Oh yeah. He came by Mike’s house. What’s up with that guy anyway?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “So nice. And everywhere we went, all the women were staring at him.”

  Annie laughed. “Oh, yeah, all the women in town are in love with him. Funny thing is he’s oblivious. Only has eyes for his wife.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You know, to love someone that much.”

  “How come you’re not married?” She turned off the burner on the stove. “Sorry. That’s really none of my business.”

  “No, not at all. I love to talk about myself.” His eyes twinkled again in that way that made it seem like he was about to burst into laughter. “Would love to be. Just haven’t met the right girl. I had a fiancée but we broke up before the wedding and now she’s getting married at the end of the summer. It’s bothering me more than I thought it would. Things surprise you like that, you know.” He leaned back in his chair, his face suddenly somber. “Drake told me about your ex. That’s rough.”

  “I’m just so grateful Drake was willing to take us in.”

  “I can imagine.” He surveyed her. “There anything going on between you two?”

  She felt herself flush. “Oh my gosh, no. I’ve only known him a month. And, well, he’s not really open to that kind of thing. I think. I mean, not that he’d be interested in me even if he was.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I’m not exactly a great catch.” She made her voice light. “Crazy ex trying to kill me. Single mom. A bit of a mess, you know?”

  “He spoke very highly of you today, actually.”

  “He likes my cooking.”

  “No, he said you’re a great mother. And a sweetheart. Yep, I think that was the word he used.”

  Warmth spread through her chest and out to her limbs. “That’s nice of him.” She began to roll the browned tenderloin in the crumb mix. “Have you known him a long time?”

  “Used to work for him before I went to Hylink. He taught me everything I know about business. More so than B-school, that’s for sure.”

  “B-school?”

  “MBA. You know, business school.”

  “Right. Lee has one of those.”

  He cocked his head, studying her for a moment before peeling the label off his beer. “Tell me how Drake’s doing.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you know, after what happened, we weren’t sure he was going to make it.”

  Just then, Drake appeared in the doorway, his face tense, looking at Ben with a warning in his icy blue eyes. “That smells great, Annie.”

  He didn’t want Ben to tell her what happened. That was obvious.

  “You want a drink?” she asked him. Just go on as if nothing had been said. Make it easier for him. She hated the thought of him feeling uncomfortable in any way.

  “I’ll get it,” Drake said. “You want me to open some wine?”

  “That would be nice. Tommy will want some when he gets here, I’m sure.” As if Tommy had heard her, the gate’s intercom buzzed, and his voice came through the speaker.

  Drake buzzed them in and then picked a piece of prosciutto off the cookie sheet and popped it in his mouth. “Ben, you want to see my wine cellar? Help me pick something out for tonight?”

  “You know it.” Ben looked over at Annie. “His collection of wine is insane.”

  “I know,” she said, smiling. “I’ve gotten to drink some of it already.”

  A few minutes later, Tommy, Lee, Ellen, and Ellie-Rose arrived. Annie answered the door, giving hugs all around before showing them the front room and leading them into the kitchen.

  “Good God, this place is beautiful,” said Lee.

  “I guess this is what you call filthy rich,” said Ellen.

  “I believe you’re right about that,” said Tommy. Grinning, he put Ellie-Rose onto the floor.

  Lee, reaching into the diaper bag, pulled out a box of soft blocks and set them next to the baby. “You all right, Annie?” She lowered her voice. “I mean, living here with someone you barely know. It sounds awful.”

  Tommy chuckled, teasing Lee. “Well, that’s not everyone’s worst nightmare. Just yours.”

  Lee raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “I suppose.”

  “How you holding up?” Ellen asked Annie.

  “I’m fine. Haven’t been sleeping that well, though. Nightmares.”

  Ellen clicked her tongue. “We’re going to take care of him if he shows.”

  Lee shook her head and spoke softly. “Not you, Momo. You’re staying far away from danger.”

  “Now stop that,” said Ellen. “I’m too old and mean to let anything get to me. What did that worthless child Fred do about the note Marco left?”

  “Nothing,” said Annie. “There were no fingerprints or anything. Nothing to go on. It’s like he was here and then vanished into thin air.”

  Lee touched Annie’s forearm. “I’m sorry, Annie. I know how scared you must feel.”

  Annie squeezed her hand. “Of all people I know you do.”

  Ellen’s sharp eyes were scrutinizing Annie. “Missy, I think you’re getting too skinny.”

  Annie, embarrassed, shook her head. “No, I’m just the same as I’ve been.”

  “That’s a bunch of malarkey if I’ve ever heard it,” said Ellen. “You used to be so robust.”

  “Fat,” said Annie.

  “You need to watch yourself,” said Ellen. “No reason to make yourself sick.”

  The door to the deck opened and in came Bella, still wearing her bathing suit, smelling of tropical suntan lotion. She took off her hat, tousling her brown curls with her fingertips. “Hey. I’m Bella.”

  Introductions were made. Then, Bella plopped onto the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of Ellie-Rose. Only Bella could sit cross-legged in her bikini, thought Annie. “Hi there
, cutie,” said Bella.

  Ellie-Rose grinned, putting a chubby hand on Bella’s hard thigh. “Oooh, nice.”

  Bella laughed with her head thrown back before getting up from the floor and heading towards the refrigerator. She grabbed a beer and turned towards the rest of them. “What time’s dinner?”

  “About an hour,” said Annie. “And we’re all wearing clothes to dinner. Just a thing we do here in Oregon.”

  Bella laughed again. “You guys don’t know how to live.”

  Just then the gate buzzed. It was Mike and Sharon; Annie let them in just as Drake and Ben came back into the kitchen, each carrying two bottles of wine. Drake set his bottle on the counter and left the room to meet Mike at the front door, but not before glaring at Bella and mouthing the words, “Get dressed.”

  Ben walked over to where Bella lingered near the refrigerator. He said quietly, but loud enough for Annie to hear, “Still in your bathing suit, huh?”

  Bella matched his low, flirtatious tone. “I’m going to shower right this instant. Wouldn’t want to have you staring at me all through dinner.”

  “I’ll stare at you regardless of what you’re wearing,” he said. “Trust me on this.”

  “That’s pathetic,” said Bella, smiling slyly before walking out of the kitchen.

  “She’s so mean,” said Ben to Annie. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love.”

  “Stop that,” said Annie. “I told you that’s a bad idea.”

  Ben introduced himself to Ellen and Lee before shaking Tommy’s hand. “Tommy, great to see you again.”

  “I just met Bella, man, and I have to agree with Annie,” said Tommy. “That girl’s bad news.”

  “Someone should save me from myself, no doubt about it,” said Ben, grinning saucily at Ellen. “How about you, Ellen, can you help me forget all about her?”

  “Oh, young man, back in the day, she wouldn’t have had a chance against me.”

  Ben howled with laughter. “For the second time today, I think I’m in love.”

  Ellen sniffed and raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m taken anyway.”

  Ben glanced around the room with an innocent expression on his face, as if searching for someone. “I don’t see anyone here, which means you’re fair game.”

  Ellen smiled and smacked Ben on the arm. “Now you behave yourself.”

  Was she blushing? This night was turning out to be highly entertaining. Annie looked over at Ben. “You need to move here. You fit right in.”

  Lee said, to no one in particular, “Does Bella ever wear clothes?”

  “Let’s hope not,” said Ben, laughing.

  “Where is Verle, anyway?” asked Annie.

  Ellen looked disdainful. “Monthly poker night with his buddies. Ridiculous that a bunch of old codgers think they need to play those wretched cards all night and drink cheap whiskey, then crawl into bed smelling like cigars and a cheap whore.”

  Ben, again, roared with laughter. “How do you know what a cheap whore smells like?”

  “Good question.” Lee looked horrified.

  “Well, you know what I mean,” said Ellen. “Like booze and smoke. I’m guessing that’s what they smell like anyway.” She eyed Ben. “I certainly hope you don’t know what they smell like.”

  He put a hand over his heart as if greatly wounded. “Ellen, what kind of guy do you think I am? I’m all about kittens and hot cocoa and walks on the beach.”

  Ellen, from low in her belly, laughed. “If only that were true.” She winked at him. “I always did have a soft spot for bad boys.”

  “Ellen,” said Lee, sounding appalled. “What’s gotten into you tonight?”

  “Verle doesn’t care if I flirt,” said Ellen. “He finds it sexy.”

  Tommy and Ben, like schoolboys during a prank, slapped one another on the back and then, holding onto one another as if they might fall, doubled over in laughter.

  Alder came in then, freshly bathed, handsome and bronzed by the Oregon sun. “Momo,” he practically shouted. “You’re here.”

  “Hello, my boy.” She hugged him tight. “Been missing you, kiddo.”

  “Me, too. But Drake’s river spot is the best ever.” Without stopping for a breath, he asked, “How’s Goldie?”

  “She just lies on the front porch all day long looking for you. Once in a while she lets out a little whimper.”

  Alder deflated. “No way. That’s just sad. Mom, we need to go see her.”

  Annie caught Lee’s eye. “Maybe she can come visit us here. We could take her swimming.”

  “Yeah. Okay, cool,” said Alder. “If it’s all right with Drake.” He wrinkled his brows. “I don’t know if he likes dogs. I’ll ask him.”

  Annie, indicating Ben, said, “Alder, this is Ben. He’s a good friend of Drake’s.”

  “Is that your car out there?” asked Alder.

  “Guilty,” said Ben. “You want a ride sometime?”

  “Mom, can I?”

  “Absolutely not,” said Lee, as if he’d asked her instead of his mother. “Completely dangerous for a child your size to ride in a two-seater.”

  “Aww, Aunt Lee, you’re no fun.”

  “Somebody in this group needs to act responsibly,” she said, sounding scandalized, moving over to give him a hug. “Someday you’ll thank me for being the voice of reason in the madding crowd.”

  “Madding crowd?” Ellen gestured towards the other room. “Alder, we should look to see if Drake has any Thomas Hardy.”

  “He does,” said Alder. “But he told me I’m not ready for Hardy.”

  “Is anyone ever ready for Hardy?” asked Ben. “You know, all that coincidence dictates fate and all.”

  Ellen raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue in a way that made Annie imagine what she must have been like teaching high school English. “Well, Benjamin Fleck, you’re a man of surprises.”

  “I know,” he said, gesturing with his hands like a hostess on a game show. “Beauty and brains all in one package.”

  Ellen shook her head, as if disgusted. “And so modest.”

  “Drake has so many books,” said Alder. “It’s like a library in his own house. Only without the Dewey Decimal System.”

  “Like heaven or something,” said Ellen.

  “See how much we have in common?” said Ben to Ellen. “Despite our age difference.”

  Alder gestured for Ellen to follow him. “Come on, Momo, I’ll show you all the ones I’m gonna read. Mom made me make a summer reading list. And I’m almost done with Huck Finn.”

  “Really?” She ruffled his hair as he led her out of the kitchen.

  “I’m totally badass when it comes to reading,” they heard him say from the other room.

  Annie raised her hands in a helpless gesture, looking at Lee. “I can’t get him to stop saying that word.”

  Tommy, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, chuckled. “He’s always had a potty mouth.”

  “I know, it’s embarrassing,” said Annie.

  “I think it’s hilarious,” said Tommy.

  “Wait until Ellie-Rose starts in with the potty mouth before you declare it comedy central around here,” said Annie, teasing.

  Tommy shook his head, shifting his focus to Ellie-Rose. “The thought of my baby saying anything remotely naughty makes me want to vomit.” He looked back at Annie. “And I’m completely serious.”

  Lee and Annie both laughed as Drake and Mike entered the room, Sharon trailing slightly behind.

  “Yay, our mother’s here,” said Annie, holding out her arms to give Sharon a hug.

  “Mother?” said Drake.

  “I’ve agreed to adopt them,” said Sharon.

  Drake smiled. “I see.”

  “It’s so good to see you all,” said Sharon, turning to hug Lee. “And this must be Tommy?” She put her arms around him as well. “I guess you’re kind of like my new son-in-law, so you get a hug, too.”

  “If Lee is hugging you already after knowing you for only a l
ittle more than a week, then I say, welcome to the family,” said Tommy. “Annie and I are big huggers. My wife, on the other hand, usually doesn’t hug someone until she’s known them about ten years.”

  Lee slapped him playfully on the arm. “That’s not true. I’m transformed now that I’m with you. I’ll hug anything or anyone.” She laughed. “Wait, that sounds bad.”

  Tommy looked over at Annie, toasting her with his beer bottle. “We’ve turned her into a hugging machine. Our work here is done.”

  Annie set out a platter of cheeses, salami, and dips in the front room, then encouraged everyone to migrate in there so that she might get dinner done without the distraction of a room full of people. When everyone was settled in various locations about the room, Annie surveyed the platter. Something was missing. The pita chips. What had she done with them? They must still be in the pantry.

  As she headed out of the room, Mike sidled up next to her, leading her into the foyer. He spoke quietly, glancing towards the front room. “I need a favor.”

  “Anything.”

  “Can you make sure I’m sitting next to Sharon at dinner?”

  She looked at him with surprise. “I thought you’d want to sit next to Ben.”

  He shrugged, looking sheepish. “Some things are more important than business.”

  She put her arms around his neck and hugged him. “Good for you. Go for it. She’s lovely.”

  “Isn’t she though?” His eyes were shining as he pulled back to look at her. “We spent all afternoon working together and I swear it was all I could do not to stare at her instead of focusing on the plans.”

  “I’m amazed. But happy.”

  “Will you watch tonight and let me know if you think I have a chance in hell of winning her over?”

  “I’ll watch her like a hawk.”

  She found the pita chips on the top shelf in the pantry. And then, remembering she had hummus she’d made that morning on the counter, she grabbed a small serving bowl as well. She was about to head out when Drake appeared in the pantry doorway. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him and staring at her for a moment with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his cotton slacks.

  She swallowed hard, an image of him pushing her against the wall and kissing her making her legs feel weak. “Is everything all right?”