Rumors: Megan & Vinnie

by Rachael Brownell

I should have waited. At least a few more days.

  No sooner had we said “I do” than my period made an appearance. We were not, in fact, expecting our first child. We were, however, married, and even though there wasn’t a baby on the way, he still seemed happy.

  His parents were another story. He never came out and told me that they were pissed off, but I overheard him on the phone with his father one night. From Ryder’s side of the conversation, I could tell Herman was irate. The words prenuptial agreement were tossed around more than once.

  We didn't have one. Why would we? Ryder wasn’t wealthy when we married. He is now, and because of our lack of a prenup, I sort of am, but that wasn’t why I married him. I loved Ryder, in many ways, I always will. He’s the father of our child. He’s an important part of my life.

  Sure, I resent him for a lot of things, but I’ve given him more reasons to feel the same way toward me.

  “Listen, I appreciate the invite, but I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I say as I pull my shirt over my head, my words muffled by the thin fabric.

  “Well, I’m not going without you. What will it take to get you to put on a nice dress and come with me?”

  A personal invite from Herman. That’s the only way I’m going tonight.

  “Why is this so important to you?”

  “I know you think these people hate you. From what you’ve told me, you’ve only given them reasons to dislike you. I promise you, they don’t. Even Ryder doesn’t hate you. They may all hate what you did and how it all went down, but if Ty is any indication of the huge heart this family has, they’re also forgiving people. Avoiding them, staying away from events like tonight—you give them the upper hand. You allow them to keep you out. You’re a fighter, Megan. I can tell that much. So, put on a dress and get ready to kick some ass. Show them you’re not the awful person they want to portray you as. Show them how amazing you are because we all make mistakes in life. Own yours and prove you deserve their forgiveness.”

  There are tears stinging at the corners of my eyes. Before I can even reply, Vinnie turns those tears of sorrow into tears of joy.

  “Plus, I told you I wasn’t going to leave you ever again. You’re never getting rid of me, and I’m not letting you sit here and sulk. If that means dragging you out of here naked, I won’t like it, but I’ll do it.”

  As much as I don’t want to go, to see those people and feel their judgment, I would do anything for Vinnie right now. The way he’s looking at me, straight into my soul and smiling at what he sees, makes my heart soar. It brings me hope. The hope I’ve been trying to hold onto for the last year that keeps slipping away.

  Good things lie ahead. I just have to take life by the reins.

  Chapter Eleven

  The Dixon’s estate is ridiculous. Large, sprawling front lawn. Perfectly manicured around the pristine flowerbed in the center of the lawn. It makes me wonder what flowers Margoret chose this year. My favorite part of the house is the line of oak trees on the left side of the driveway as you make your way to the front of the enormous home.

  Mansion.

  I should clarify that it probably qualifies as a mansion.

  More bedrooms than I can count. A bathroom for each bedroom, plus a few additional baths. There are two large living and dining rooms. Herman has a home office, and Margoret has a library.

  No matter how many times I come here, I still feel a sense of awe as I approach. It’s an amazing house.

  Ryder wanted to buy a house down the road from his parents when we first moved here. As much as his father pays him, we couldn’t afford a house like this if we tried, but that didn’t stop me from looking.

  They were all more house than we needed. A yard bigger than Ryder would be able to keep up with. Olympic-size pools. Guest houses we wouldn’t use. One was even on a private lake.

  That was Ryder’s favorite. He thought buying a house on a lake meant he could buy a boat. I wasn’t sure how he was crunching the numbers in his head, but his calculations were way off.

  Not only could we not afford that house but a boat was out of the question.

  I’d like to say we settled for the house we bought, but it didn’t really feel like settling. It’s a gorgeous house, spacious, and after I redecorated, I liked it even better than any of the houses we had looked at. It was big but still felt homey.

  I loved that house. In fact, it makes me wish I hadn’t lost it in the divorce. At the end of the day, though, it wasn’t worth fighting over a house. I was sick of fighting with him.

  Margoret’s house has the same feel. I’m not sure how she does it, but she’s managed to make an incredibly large home feel warm and cozy.

  “Calm down,” Vinnie says as he parks along the driveway. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  “Did you at least call and give someone a heads up that I was coming with you?”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “So they don’t freak the fuck out when they see us together.”

  “Who’s going to freak out? Everyone that matters knows we’re dating. If they don’t matter, I don’t care what they think.”

  How is he so calm? What if Herman has an issue with us being together and decides to fire him? Not that Herman would do that, that’s not how he operates, but Vinnie doesn’t know that. Even though Herman’s retired, I’m sure he’s still running the show. He’s probably in Hunter’s ear all day long, guiding him in his decision-making process as much as Hunter will allow it. Retirement for most people means shutting it all out and focusing on enjoying the little things life has to offer. For Herman, it probably means working from home.

  Taking a deep breath as Vinnie walks around to open my door, I attempt to silence the storm brewing inside me. I can do this for a few hours. I can play nice with people I know don’t like me and will probably be whispering about me. It’s not the first time I’ve had to fake it, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

  Tyler and Angela. Ryder and Em—

  Amara.

  Shit!

  She’s going to be here. She’s going to see us together. This isn’t how I wanted them to meet. Although, in public is better than in private.

  “Ready?” he asks, extending his hand to help me out of the car.

  I don’t reach for it. Instead, I stay where I’m seated and say the one thing that’s weighing on my mind right now.

  “Amara.”

  “What about her?”

  “She’s here. With Ryder and Emerson.”

  “Great. I get to meet her, then.”

  Great, I think to myself. Just great. They’re excited to meet each other, and I’m over here freaking out. I’m not ready. We haven’t been dating long enough. Things like this aren’t in the parenting handbook.

  They should be.

  If I were a better mother, I’d write a handbook for parents. Maybe I can write one on what not to do. That would probably sell like hot cakes on a cold winter’s morning.

  Accepting my fate, I take Vinnie’s hand and slide up next to him. The car alarm beeping causes me to jump slightly as I mentally prepare for what lies ahead. Vinnie grins, pulling me closer to his side.

  The party is in full swing when we enter the back yard. The sun should be setting any minute, and the canopy lights are already on. There are a few people on the dance floor shaking their stuff. When I look closer, I realize one of those people is Ally.

  She’s going to be pissed I turned down her invitation and accepted Vinnie’s.

  Actually, looking closer, she’s with Marco and seems to be enjoying herself. Too much maybe. I bet she’s already had a few drinks. It’s the perfect time to approach.

  Turning to tell Vinnie I’m headed to say hello to Ally, I’m met with a set of eyes filled with surprise and something resembling hatred.

  Margoret Dixon.

  My ex-mother-in-law.

  The woman who was welcoming to me from day one. The same woman who cut all ties with me the minute Ryder and I announced o
ur divorce. The only time she speaks to me is when she wants to see Amara.

  “Margoret, how nice to see you,” I say, stepping forward and wrapping my arms around her.

  “Megan. What are you doing here? I didn’t realize you would be joining us tonight since Ryder was nice enough to bring Amara over.”

  Her voice, soft and sweet, is a complete contradiction to her words. Pulling back slowly, I’m at a loss as how to answer her. She clearly isn’t happy to see me. Not that I doubted that in the slightest, but she’s usually a little more cordial when in public.

  “She’s my date,” Vinnie says, extending his hand toward her. She plasters on her fake smile and turns her attention to Vinnie. “Vincent Redding, ma’am. I work for Herman.”

  “Ah, yes. You’re taking over for Hunter, I believe. Welcome,” she greets him, her voice sounding genuinely thrilled to meet him.

  “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, but if you don’t mind, we were just headed to get a drink. Do you happen to know where Hunter might be? I need to speak with him.”

  He does?

  “I believe he and Brianna are with Tyler and Angela. Far side of the dance floor in the back.”

  “Thank you. It was a pleasure,” he says before turning and guiding us toward the large tent covering the dance floor, his hand possessively at the small of my back.

  “See?” I start. “I’m not welcome.”

  “Well, she didn’t ask you to leave, so for now, we stay.”

  “And when Herman sees me and asks me to leave? Or Tyler? Hunter? Ryder?”

  “We can’t avoid them all, but we can have a little fun until someone acts like an asshole.”

  And someone will. The question is who and when? Or rather, which one will ask me to leave first?

  Ally screams with joy when she catches sight of me. She comes running toward me, her stilettos dangling from her fingertips. Marco is abandoned on the dance floor, staring at Ally in confusion. Or maybe he’s just bummed that she ran away from him and not toward him. They were grinding on each other pretty intensely before she spotted me.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you were sulking at home,” she states as she wraps her arms around me.

  Always direct and to the point.

  “Vinnie draggedme here.”

  “Rescued you. I rescued you from a boring evening of movies and popcorn,” he points out, pulling me into his side.

  “Ice cream,” I correct him. “And I will be eating it when I get home.”

  “Do I need to stop and get my own carton or are you willing to share?”

  “You’ll need your own,” I tease.

  “Okay you two, enough with the cutesie shit. I can’t take it. You’re worse than Marco trying to get in my pants.”

  “You mean he hasn’t broken down that wall yet?” I joke, lowering my voice so hopefully Vinnie can’t hear me.

  Ally’s reputation precedes her. Everyone thinks she’s a little bit of a slut. The truth is that she may date a lot, but not may have gone past first or second base. The woman is picky as hell and guards her girly parts like they’re made of gold.

  “No, and he won’t. I’m not that into him.”

  “Um, he’s still around. I think that counts as being into him a little.”

  Ally shrugs her shoulders but doesn’t bother to reply. That turns out to be a good idea since Marco walks up at that very moment and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest.

  Her eyes scream for me to help her. She hates it. Affection of any sorts. Especially in public.

  Allowing someone to show her even an ounce of attention in Ally’s mind is the equivalent of a neon sign flashing that she wants more. More in the relationship. More from him. More in general.

  If I was doubting Ally’s words before, I don’t anymore.

  “Vinnie.” He extends his hand to Marco, allowing Ally to escape while the guys get to know each other.

  “We’re going to grab a drink,” Ally announces as she pulls me away.

  Making eye contact with Vinnie, he grins at me, a look of promise in his eyes. I owe him for saving Ally, and I can only imagine what he’s thinking right now. Something dirty, I hope. If our conversation on the way over here was any indication of his intentions with me tonight, his thoughts are far from clean.

  “So,” Ally begins, entwining her arm with mine. “How are things going for you two?”

  “Fine, I guess. Nothings really happened. He was out of town all week.”

  “Yeah, but he was freaking out when he couldn’t reach you earlier.”

  “So were you.”

  “Exactly.”

  I wait for her to continue, but she doesn’t. Was I supposed to interpret her explanation, or lack thereof?

  “What does that mean?” I ask, dropping her arm and hiking my purse higher on my shoulder.

  “It means that he cares. Just like I do. If there was nothing there, he wouldn’t have called me. He wouldn’t have tried to reach Ryder. It’s a sign, Meg. He cares more than I think you realize.”

  Oh, I realize.

  “I didn’t say he didn’t care. We’ve talked about where we’re at right now—”

  “And where is that?”

  “Mama!” I hear Amara shout as we reach the bar, interrupting our conversation.

  I’m happy for the reprieve. How can I explain something I barely understand myself to Ally? We’re dating, and he’s not afraid of what people think, but I am. I have more people to consider, like my daughter, than just myself. It’s not as easy as it sounds; he works with my ex-husband, and that makes me a little nervous.

  Pushing the thoughts away and turning toward Amara’s voice, I watch as the light of my life sprints toward me, her dress catching the air and floating up above her knees.

  She runs straight into my arms and starts giggling.

  “Hey, sweetie,” I say as I stand, taking her with me.

  “What are you doing here, Mama? I thought you were having a movie day.”

  “Is that what you call it?” Ally mumbles from next to me as she turns her attention to Amara. “Hey, princess. How are you?”

  Movie day. I can’t tell Amara it’s “me” time or she’ll think I look forward to being alone. I don’t, and I’d hate for her to think I enjoy it when she’s gone. I don’t. I miss her uncontrollably.

  “I’m good, Miss Ally.”

  Ally carries our drinks to a table as Amara tells us all about her day. There was cake earlier, and she got to help Grandpa blow out the candles. Ryder and Emerson took her on a long walk around the property to pick berries, but they weren’t ripe enough yet, which made her sad.

  Just as she’s finishing her story, I notice Vinnie headed our direction. My knees begin to bounce in anticipation even with Amara seated across them. Amara tilts, and I catch her, only for her to wrap her arms around my neck and lean back.

  She thinks this is a game.

  It’s not.

  I feel a panic attack coming on. A sudden urge to run as far as I can. He must notice something is different because he stops short and waits for me to give him a signal to come over.

  This is it. The moment I’ve been scared of since Amara answered my phone.

  I’m confident they’ll get along. Amara likes everyone if her immediate taking to Emerson is any indication. Vinnie is funny and kind. He’ll treat her like the princess she is. Hell, he treats me like a princess, and I don’t deserve it.

  So my fear isn’t that they won’t like each other. It’s that they will.

  That they’ll create a bond, and if things don’t work out between us, I’ll be the one who shatters my daughter’s heart. Hell, she was upset when she thought I broke up with him because he had to cancel dinner. All it’ll take is one misstep and things can change. Relationships are hard, especially when they’re this new. As much as we know about each other already, there’s still a lot to learn.

  “Vinnie,” Ally calls, waving him over.

 
Amara’s head whips in his direction, and Vinnie waves at her. My sweet girl smiles at him and releases her grip on my neck, fumbling out of my lap and landing on her knees. That doesn’t stop her, though. She’s up and running over to Vinnie moments later.

  I watch as he bends down, shakes her hand and then holds it as they walk over to where I’m seated. My eyes are locked on their hands. His is completely covering hers. She’s holding his in a way I’ve never seen her hold Ryder’s. Normally she takes Ryder’s thumb and tugs him around.

  “Mama,” Amara says, my eyes drawn away from her hand. She walks over to me, whispering in my ear. “He’s bald.”

  “I know, sweetie.”

  “His head is shiny.”

  Letting out a giggle, Amara walks back over to Vinnie and takes his hand again. She’s smiling at me, her hand over her mouth as she looks between me and Vinnie’s bald head.

  “You didn’t tell me she was this beautiful, Megan,” Vinnie says as he twirls Amara around.

  “I’m a princess!” Amara laughs as she continues twirling on her own now.

  “Amara,” I call at the same moment Ryder does.

  Looking up, I find him standing only a few feet away, Emerson at his side. He looks irritated to see me. Big shocker there. Most wouldn’t be able to tell. It’s the subtle twitch of his jaw. The way his eyes squint slightly.

  “Hi, Daddy,” she says, spinning much slower now, her feet staggering slightly.

  Ryder scoops her up and spins her around. He brings them to a stop in front of me.

  “Megan.” The way he states my names makes it clear it’s not a warm greeting. “I didn’t realize you would be here tonight.”

  “She’s my plus one,” Vinnie offers, moving to stand behind my chair, placing his hands on my shoulder.

  Support. He’s supporting me. I knew I needed it, but somehow, so did he.

  “I see. Well, it’s time to get this one back inside and ready for bed. Say goodnight to your mom, princess,” Ryder encourages Amara as he sets her on her feet.

  Amara wraps me in a hug, whispering goodnight in my ear before moving to hug Vinnie’s legs and saying the same. It’s sweet. It would be even sweeter if my ex-husband wasn’t having a staring contest with Vinnie and he could enjoy it.