The River Valley Series

by Tess Thompson

  “You may call me Joan. I’ve heard a bit about you too.”

  They grinned at each other and continued to chat, but Gennie’s attention was drawn to John, Linus’s partner, setting a bucket of beverages on the table. Annie and one of the servers from the restaurant arrived with warming trays, presumably full of food. Drake and Mike were setting up heating lamps in the gazebo.

  “What’s happening?” Gennie asked. “Why’s everyone here?”

  “We’re having a party in your honor,” Stefan said.

  A party for me? “But it’s not my birthday.” These wonderful people are too much. This is too much.

  No one answered. A swarm of activity happened all around her. Cindi was pouring drinks. Lee, Ben, and Bella delivered them. Stefan placed a glass of white wine in her hand. Tommy took his guitar out of the case and started tuning.

  Once everyone had a drink, they all gathered around her. Mike clinked a knife against his glass. Everyone hushed as he began to speak. “Gennie, my father used to say that when hard times hit, you’d better hope you have real friends to lean on. False friends are everywhere when things are going well, when you’re on the top, but when you stumble or fall, suddenly no one’s there to pick you up. That’s not how we roll here. Hard times show you who your friends are, and we want it to be loud and clear that we are just that—your friends. Not because of what you do, but because of who you are inside. We’re here for you in good times or bad, no matter what. Home is where your tribe lives. We are your tribe.” He reached behind him, lifting a square box. “This is a little something to remember that we have your back.”

  He handed her the box. She lifted the lid. Inside was a pair of red leather cowboy boots with steel toes. “Oh my gosh, I love them.” She held one up for everyone to see.

  “You wear those and remember you’re a badass,” Cindi said.

  “I will. Maybe I’ll never take them off.” The lights blurred through Gennie’s tears. “Thank you, Mike. Everyone, thank you. It’s been an awful day, as you can imagine. This whole thing’s a nightmare, but I’m glad I was still here when the news broke this morning. There’s no place I feel safer or more loved.”

  “Them Hollywood folks know how to make a story out of nothing, that’s what,” Cindi said. “How you two can stand working with those idiots, I don’t know.”

  “I didn’t abandon the baby,” Gennie said. “The adoption was legal and was supposed to be sealed.”

  “We understand,” Lee said. “And we have nothing but respect for what you did.”

  “I’m happy and nervous to tell you all that Sarah, my daughter, contacted me. She’s coming here to River Valley to meet me.”

  Annie, her pregnant belly obvious despite her thick jacket, spoke next. “Drake and I want you and Stefan to stay in our guest house for the remainder of the weekend. It’s only a matter of time before the reporters figure out where you are, especially if Sarah comes here. We have room for your mom and Sarah, too, in our guest rooms inside the house.”

  “No one gets through my gate,” Drake said. It was true. They lived behind an impenetrable gate and fence. No one could get in without the code.

  “It would take a great burden from my mind,” Gennie said. They have no idea what they’re offering. A place to stay safe from Murphy.

  “And now, we’re going to have some fun.” Tommy picked up his guitar and perched on the edge of the stool. “Any requests?”

  “How about ‘With a Little Help from My Friends,’” Stefan said.

  After a few songs, Bella took Gennie aside. “Come on. I need to pee, and you have to come with me.”

  They crossed the street to the restaurant, slipping in the back door to the bar, giggling like they were truant schoolgirls. Cozy and warm, the bar was nearly empty, with just a few people sitting at the counter. With Cindi at the party, one of the young waiters tended bar. He waved as they passed by on the way to the bathroom. After they were done, Bella dragged her back out to the bar. “You’re sitting right there”—she pointed to a table in the corner—“and you’re telling me everything.”

  “God, you’re bossy,” Gennie said.

  They sat. Bella cued the bartender to bring them a shot of tequila for her and a glass of wine for Gennie.

  After he set the drinks down in front of them, Bella crossed her arms. “Spill it.”

  “When I was fifteen, Rick Murphy raped me.”

  “Senator Murphy?” Bella asked.

  “Yes. And I got pregnant.” She went on to tell her the details. Each time I tell my story, it gets easier.

  Bella stared at her with her usual intensity until she finished the entire story.

  “Holy crap. Gennie, what the hell? How did you live with this all these years? Knowing he was out there?”

  “I’ve done as he asked. I’ve kept quiet. But I can’t stay quiet any longer. My mom and Stefan are right. If it saves even one girl from the same fate, I have to do it.”

  “Listen, no matter what, I’ve got your back. You hear me?”

  “I know you do.” Sweet, feisty Bella never backed down from a fight.

  “This really messed you up, didn’t it? With Moody. Stefan. I get it now.”

  “Yeah. It’s really messed me up.”

  “I’m sorry, babe. Fuck, sometimes I hate men,” Bella said.

  “I thought you were trying not to curse?”

  “This is a cursing emergency.”

  Hours later, after dancing, eating, and drinking, they were all cold and exhausted and had to admit that the party must end. Gennie thanked them all, giving hugs all around, before heading across the street with Stefan. “Let’s get back to the room and warm up. You have a big day tomorrow, and I don’t want you getting sick,” he said.

  “Will you stay with me tonight?” she asked. “I don’t want to be alone.” I won’t be able to sleep alone now that I know what it feels like to sleep next to you.

  “Do you mean…sleep in the same bed?”

  She smiled. “Yes, like this morning.”

  “My room or yours?”

  “Mine. It’s neater.”

  “Marginally,” he said.

  “No. Not marginally.”

  They laughed as they walked into the lit lobby. A young girl sat at the reception desk, typing into the computer. She looked up and smiled, asking if they needed anything.

  “No, we’re good for the night,” Stefan said. “Headed up to our rooms.”

  “Have a nice night,” she said.

  Stopping first in Stefan’s room, he took off his jacket and hat, and grabbed a few items of clothing, along with his toothbrush. Once they were safely in her room, she took off her outer layer, surprised to see it was after eleven. Where did the night go? She stood at the window, watching their friends drive down the street. How is it possible for some people to be so good when others are so bad? In the reflection of the glass, she saw Stefan sit on the bed and pull his sweater over his head. I can feel him from here.

  She closed the shade on both windows and turned to look at him. He wore just a t-shirt and jeans. A pair of flannel pajama bottoms and another t-shirt were folded neatly beside him. She shivered, aching to touch him.

  “You okay?” he asked. “I can turn up the heat if you’re cold.”

  She moved to the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Will you kiss me?”

  He blinked. “Kiss you?”

  “Yes. I want you to kiss me.”

  He leaned close, brushing her messy hair away from her face, then kissed her softly on the mouth, lingering for a second or two, tasting of sweet whiskey.

  She pressed into him. He tightened his arms around her waist as their kiss intensified. Her toes tingled. Her legs were lead. Do not let fear ruin this. I am safe with Stefan. He will stop when I want him to. After another moment, she drew away, and with her thumb, traced his bottom lip.

  “Was it all right?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “It was perfect.” She slipped a fing
er under his shirt collar, her gaze on the pulse at his neck. “I love you.”

  “You do?” His arms loosened, and he placed his hands on her hips.

  She met his glassy gaze. “I don’t know what I’m capable of giving, only what I’m capable of stealing from you.”

  “Stealing?” He raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

  “You give me everything I need, but I don’t know if I can do the same for you.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “How about you let me decide what I need and want? Maybe you don’t have to take responsibility for everyone’s well-being. I’m a big boy. I know you now in a way I didn’t last night, and I’m still here. I’m stubborn, Gennie, and I’m not giving up on the idea of us.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to smile. “Fine, then. If that’s what you want.”

  “That’s what I want.”

  Chapter 6

  Thanksgiving morning, Gennie sat in Annie and Drake’s living room, watching the second hand move around the antique clock on the mantel above the fireplace. The temperature had dropped into the twenties overnight. Icicles dangled outside the large windows, sparkling in the sunlight. A fire in the stone fireplace crackled, bringing heat to Gennie’s cheeks. Across from her, Stefan fidgeted with tassels on one of Annie’s soft blankets and pushed against the rug with his toes, lifting it an inch off the wood floor and then dropping it. Aromas of sage and onions wafted from the kitchen where Annie made stuffing for the turkey.

  When they had arrived that morning, Annie had taken them out to the guesthouse. Knowing it was safe here eased Gennie’s mind, but she would miss her cozy room at the inn. The guesthouse had a sitting room, a bedroom, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. Annie had made up a fold-out couch in the front room, clearly unsure if they were sharing a bed or not. Gennie blushed and avoided Stefan’s gaze.

  Whatever Trix had done had been successful because Sarah had escaped Los Angeles without alerting the press. The plane had landed an hour ago, and the driver had called Gennie to say they were on their way. Now, it was eight minutes after ten. At any moment my daughter will walk in this door. She wiped clammy hands on the thighs of her jeans. I feel like Alice, upside down in a new world.

  The doorbell rang. She looked at Stefan, swallowing the bile that had risen in her throat. “I might be sick.”

  “It’s going to be fine. Just keep breathing.”

  Gennie rose from the couch and headed to the foyer. Annie had beat her there. She stood in the doorway, shaking a young woman’s hand. “I’m Annie. Gennie’s friend. Welcome to my home.”

  This is my daughter. My baby, all grown up.

  Sarah was tall, with wide shoulders and long legs. “Thank you for having me.” Dark, waist-length hair fell in a shiny sheet down her back. She looks just like me, only taller.

  “Hi, Sarah.” Gennie stepped forward, shaking. Neither of them spoke for a split second, like deer startled by an unexpected noise in the woods, until Sarah made a small back and forth movement with her head, like she was watching the fastest tennis match in the world. She as nervous as I am.

  “Hi.” She flashed Gennie a tentative smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  The lump in Gennie’s throat made it hard to speak. “It’s nice to meet you.” Do not cry. Stay calm. Stay poised. Don’t scare her with your intensity. “Did you have a good flight?”

  “Yeah. It was a weird to fly on a private plane. I felt like the president or something.”

  “We wanted you to get out of there without the press knowing. Seems as though we were successful.”

  Sarah grinned, her eyes lighting up like a child watching a funny show. “They put a disguise on me. A white wig and a little old lady coat and a cane. It was hilarious. I felt invisible, which was a tremendous relief. This scrutiny’s been kind of bizarre.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s hard for me, and I’ve been in the public eye for a long time.”

  “Getting to meet you was worth it,” Sarah said.

  She isn’t angry. She’s not here to accuse me of anything. She wants to get to know me.

  Annie, who had been hovering just outside their view, stepped forward, gesturing toward the living room. “Come into the sitting room. You guys can talk more comfortably there. Sarah, would you like something to eat?”

  “No, thank you. I’m too nervous. I haven’t had much of an appetite the past couple days.” Sarah laughed softly, nothing more than a couple tufts of air in and out. “I don’t even know how to describe the last forty-eight hours. Everything feels surreal.”

  This poor child. She shouldn’t have to deal with this. Damn you, George Bentley. Gennie’s legs trembled as she and Sarah walked back into the living room, both dizzy and breathless. Beads of sweat dripped down the small of her back.

  When she had gone into the foyer to meet Sarah, Stefan had remained behind. Now, he stood by the couch with his hands in the back pockets of his jeans.

  “Wow. Stefan Spencer. I can’t believe you’re just standing here in front of me.” Sarah promptly put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. You probably hate that.”

  “It’s fine. Part of the job.” Stefan held out his hand, grinning. “Nice to meet you, Sarah.”

  Annie stepped closer to Stefan. “Would you like to join me in the kitchen for some coffee cake?” she asked him.

  “Coffee cake? You know I can’t resist cake.” He kissed Gennie’s cheek. “Just holler if either of you needs anything.”

  After they left, Gennie and Sarah sat on opposite ends of the couch. Gennie found it hard not to stare.

  “Is Stefan your boyfriend?” Sarah asked.

  “What is it you kids say? It’s complicated.”

  “He seems super nice. I love his movies.”

  “We just wrapped a film together here in River Valley and we became close.”

  “I know what you mean. There’s a guy at school and we’re friends. He wants more and I really like him, but this stuff with my dad has me all screwed up. I have trouble trusting men, I guess.” She turned toward the window. “It’s beautiful here. I’ve never seen such tall mountains. I grew up in Los Angeles. Everything’s brown there.”

  How in the world had they both ended up in Los Angeles? What are the odds? “How did your parents end up in California?” Gennie asked. “When I met them they were in Wisconsin.”

  “My dad got a job there when I was a baby. I don’t remember Wisconsin at all. My mother hated the weather there. She was from California originally. You probably didn’t know that.”

  “It didn’t come up, no,” Gennie said. “I have a house in Malibu.”

  “A house or a home?”

  Gennie blinked, surprised by the question. “More on the house side. I’ve never really felt at home there, but then again, who can beat the beach?”

  “Malibu’s pretty awesome.”

  “You can come over anytime. As soon as I get home, that is. I travel a lot.” She hesitated, looking at her hands. “It’s a little overwhelming to realize we were living in the same area all this time.”

  “Yeah. I thought the same thing when I first heard,” Sarah said. “It’s weird that I’ve been watching your movies all my life and had no idea you were my mother. But now that I know, it’s obvious. We look alike.”

  “When you were born, they only let me hold you for a few minutes. Your face was all squished up and red. I couldn’t tell what you would look like later.” Fighting tears, she looked away, gathering her emotions. Be brave. Be like Daddy. “I’ve thought about you a lot, wondering what you looked like, what your interests were, what kind of girl you were.”

  “Yeah, me too. About you, that is. I know the adoption was closed, so I wasn’t sure you’d agree to meet me. I had to try. I’ve wanted to meet you for such a long time.” Sarah smiled the same tentative smile from earlier, her eyes glossy. “My mom always told me you must have loved me very much to make such a hard decision.”

  “She was righ
t. I was fifteen and still a child. I couldn’t have provided a good home for you.”

  “Was it hard, though? To let me go? I’ve wondered that a lot.” Her voice broke.

  “Oh, Sarah, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Please don’t ever think it was a decision I made lightly or that it didn’t almost kill me when they took you away.” Tears came fast and steady. “It was agonizing.” Grabbing a tissue, she dabbed at her cheeks and blew her nose. “When you cried for the first time, it was like a dagger pierced my heart. I loved you instantly. I loved you enough to let you go, knowing it was the best thing for you, but there isn’t a day I haven’t thought about you. It’s an ache that never goes away. That said, I knew you were with good people who would love you as their own. All I wanted was for you to have a good life.”

  “When you’re adopted,” Sarah said, “it’s impossible not to wonder if there is something wrong with you—maybe there’s a reason your mother didn’t want you. Even though Mom told me that wasn’t the case, it’s a thought that creeps in sometimes, mostly at night when I can’t sleep.” She swiped at the corners of her eyes with the back of her index fingers.

  Gennie took several tissues from the box on the coffee table and handed them to Sarah. “I remember very well when I met with your parents. I thought they would give you the very best kind of life. Love and security. They reminded me of my own parents, especially your mother.”

  “She was our girl scout troop leader and the room mom for all my classes. She made homemade meals every night and never missed one of my swim meets. But we didn’t talk about things, really. I didn’t feel I could share any of my feelings about being adopted. She felt fragile to me, even before she got sick. I would’ve died rather than hurt her.”

  Gennie nodded. “After my father died, I felt like I had to protect my mother, but she was much stronger than I ever realized.”

  “I’d like to meet her,” Sarah said.

  “She wants to meet you. Very much.”

  “What happened to your father?” Sarah asked.