Hearts on Hold

by Charish Reid

  Sandra chuckled. “I never thought I’d hear about Becca staying after school for detention.”

  “She regrets what she did,” Victoria said. “We’re hoping that whatever truth and reconciliation meeting the principal sets up, might help the situation.”

  Sandra and Margaret looked at her. “Oh really?”

  Her face warmed. She hadn’t meant to include herself in Becca’s matters. “Well, John...”

  “Victoria went with me to the school to collect Becca.”

  Sandra shook her head with a sad smile. “You two have swooped in to help her while Jessi is away and Allen hasn’t called once. I don’t understand that man.”

  Margaret scoffed. “The coward isn’t going to show his face in Farmingdale after what he did to Jess.”

  “And after how this one responded,” Sandra gestured to John with a laugh.

  “Didn’t you just say that’s how you deal with a bully?” John asked. “I popped him in the mouth.” The women fell out with laughter, while Victoria grew confused. John gave her a sheepish smile and hugged her closer.

  “John punched Allen in the face at a church picnic,” Margaret explained. “When we found out Allen was sleeping around, he still had the nerve to show up uninvited.”

  “It wasn’t my proudest moment,” John said. “But luckily, Becca wasn’t present to see me battering her dad.”

  “You’re a good brother,” Victoria said, laying a hand on his knee.

  “Yeah, well, the Donovan clan managed to horrify the parishioners and priest.”

  “It’s wasn’t the first time a Catholic church has seen a fight at a picnic and it won’t be the last.” Margaret chuckled. “And yes, he’s a good brother. You’ll have to meet Jessi when she gets back from Sweden.”

  The way his mother threw out the suggestion made Victoria blush again. She was expecting her to stick around, meet more members of the family, and possibly attend holiday dinners. Little did they know; she’d only planned a three-week sordid affair. In that moment, Victoria realized she was in a pickle. Continuing a relationship with John was tempting and very attractive, but she hadn’t bothered to make an exhaustive pros and cons lists for this situation. “Of course,” she said, keeping her voice light.

  “I think it’s time we got out of these kids’ way,” Sandra said, taking her purse and a cookie. As she eased herself off the couch, she smiled at Victoria. “I have a feeling we’ve meddled enough for one day.”

  John stood to join her. “Are you sure? You guys don’t want to stick around and show her some baby pictures?”

  “Har har,” Margaret said. “We’ve got shopping to do anyway.”

  As they walked to the door, the women surrounded Victoria, petting her and stroking her hair. “I hope you have a lovely day,” Sandra said.

  “Yes, do let us know if Johnny misbehaves or keeps you from your work,” Margaret added.

  Victoria smiled warmly at the two. “Oh, thank you. It was nice to meet you,” she said. And even though the circumstances were odd, she did like John’s maternal figures. She could see how being raised around so many loving women could make an impact on him. He must have grown up feeling supported, able to take risks without the constant fear of admonishment. “Good luck with your shopping trip.”

  John kissed them both, and all but pushed them out the door before closing it. He rested his back against the door and sighed. “I’m sorry about that,” he said, eyeing her closely. “Are you ready to cancel our sordid affair?”

  Victoria crossed her arms over her chest. “Between their showing up and examining my underwear, which we foolishly left on the floor, this is not shaping up to be a sordid affair.”

  He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Understandable.”

  “But they are truly lovely women.”

  “They are,” he said, leaving the door. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close to his body. “And they are meddlesome. Especially when they get a whiff of a new woman.”

  She looked up. “It’s been two years?”

  “Very nearly,” John said. “I haven’t been looking too hard. I’ve kind of been waiting on her to fall into my lap.”

  “That’s not very ambitious,” Victoria said.

  “And yet here you are.”

  She felt a strange twinge in her heart. He spoke as if they were “meant to be” in a romantic sense. She’d only briefly entertained the idea while they were on their date yesterday and then put it out of her mind. “John...”

  “Don’t,” he said in a soft voice. “Don’t think about it too hard, don’t outline this feeling.”

  Easier said than done.

  “We’ve got about two hours before you have to go to work. How would you like to spend the rest of our sordid affair time?”

  Victoria’s pursed lips spread into a grin. “Two hours?”

  John ran his hands down her spine until they settled on her ass. “Two hours. I can feed you and for the rest of the time...”

  “You’ll feed me?”

  “The Donovan Inn offers a complimentary breakfast and room service. Emphasis on the service.”

  Victoria tilted her head back to receive a kiss from him. After the near heart attack his mothers offered, she was ready to return to the warmth and comfort of his arms. Tucked away in his muscular grasp, Victoria felt safe. She had a day at the office ahead of her, but moments like this made her believe she could face it.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “You met his mothers...plural?” Paula asked as she stirred her coffee.

  Victoria hovered over the break room microwave, watching her Tupperware of leftovers spin under the orange light. “Apparently his mom and his stepmom are best friends who bonded over his father’s death.”

  “So how did that go?” her friend asked, taking a sip from her mug. “Were they nice?”

  “Oh, they were awesome,” Victoria said. “They’re kind and funny and incredibly excited to welcome me as a new daughter-in-law.”

  Paula’s eyes widened. “Ooh, I can see where this is going.”

  She nodded and checked on her lasagna. Cold in the center, fried at the edges. “You have no idea how nice it was to meet ladies my mom’s age, who didn’t judge or didn’t tell me to sit up straighter.” Victoria jabbed at her dinner with a plastic fork before shoving it back into the oven.

  “But it’s antithetical to your previously planned affair, which is now in its second week?”

  “Exactly,” Victoria said, slamming the door. “I have another week to figure things out and I hate feeling like this.”

  “Like what exactly?” Paula asked as she leaned against the counter.

  Victoria let out an exasperated sigh. “‘Does he like me? Are we going steady?’ Honestly, I feel like a teenager.”

  Paula gave a throaty chuckle over her coffee and rolled her eyes. “I think he does like you and you are going steady. I also think once your week is up, you’ll still be going steady.”

  “Maybe? Anyway, tell me about your love life. I’ve been holding you and Reggi hostage with my woes.”

  “I’m glad you asked,” Paula said with a grin. “I’ve got a date with a member of the Farmingdale Fire Brigade on Thursday.”

  “Ooh, do tell...” Victoria waggled her eyebrows. “What’s his name and how did you meet?”

  Paula’s eyes fell shut as she sighed. “His name is Tomas Piña and our meet-cute was at The Coffee Hound. We were reaching for the same low-cal sweetener and there were sparks.”

  Paula’s romance writing is basically her real life. “Nice.” She nodded with approval. “Is he going to be able to extinguish your fire?”

  “I’m waiting to see what that hose can do.”

  Victoria let out a guffaw. “Okay, now,” she said through her laughter. “So, that was brilliant.”

&
nbsp; “That’s what I get paid for,” she said, inspecting her nails with her raised brow. “Actually, I gotta get to class and get paid for this job too.”

  “Today’s lesson?”

  “Visual rhetoric,” Paula said, pointing to her “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” T-shirt. “We’re covering political statement and fashion.”

  “Sounds mighty progressive,” said a familiar voice near the doorway. Kenneth Williams was crashing their little break room party with his smug grin.

  Victoria suppressed a groan and turned back to the microwave. She would rather eat cold lasagna than spend another second with her boss. “Hello, Kenneth,” she muttered.

  Paula, however, was completely unfazed by the interruption. “Progressive or just a basic reality?” she asked, blowing the steam from her coffee.

  Kenneth retrieved a carton of creamer from the refrigerator. “So long as your students grasp the basic understanding of writing,” he said in an airy voice. “I’m getting concerned about the amount of kids who come to my class, unable to string together a sentence.”

  “Oof, that’s rough,” Paula said, matching his nonchalant tone. “But an easy fix. I’m sure you can slip a sentence diagraming lesson in between Othello and Hamlet readings. I’ve got some worksheets if you need help.”

  With her back to Williams, Victoria let a giggle slip. If throwing shade was a sport, then her friend knocked it out of the park. She admired Paula’s quick tongue and verbal sparring skills.

  As Kenneth prepared his cup of coffee, he stared between the two of them. “Well don’t let me stop you from doing your job, Ms...”

  Paula smiled sweetly. “Paula is fine.” She turned to Victoria. “I’ll see you later to continue our discussion.”

  Victoria held her hot container and grinned. “Colliding combustible elements?”

  “Exactly,” she said with a wink. As she walked past Kenneth, she gave him a friendly wave. “Have a good one, Mr. Williams.”

  Kenneth’s lips puckered in annoyance as Paula sashayed out the door. He turned his attention and ire on Victoria. “Dr. Reese, could I have a quick word with you?”

  “What’s on your mind?” Victoria asked, setting her lunch on the counter. She braced herself for a snarky exchange when all she wanted to do was enjoy her crunchy lasagna in peace.

  “Your Four-Week Initiative proposal,” he said coolly. Arrogance dripped from his words as his cold gray eyes regarded her. “Specifically, the man you’re working for.”

  Though her heart was beating fast, she faced him head on and crossed her arms over her chest. “John Donovan.”

  “Right, that man. I perceived something amiss when I saw you last Friday. I do hope I’m not misinterpreting the nature of your relationship...”

  Don’t get angry. Hide your shade behind a smile. Be like Paula. “What do you think you perceived, Kenneth?” If he was going to bring this silliness to her doorstep, she was going to make him say it in plain language.

  Kenneth shrugged carelessly as he smoothed down his tie. “I don’t wish to tell tales out of school, but it appeared that you two were discussing more than internships.”

  Victoria’s jaw clenched. “Did it?”

  “I hope this little tendre for the librarian doesn’t cloud your judgement. As academics, we require a certain amount of objectivity when it comes to presenting our findings. By the way, how are your internship findings?”

  The mother-effing gall of this man... A quiet storm of fury built in Victoria’s chest. Rage radiated to each limb of her body and pulsed like magma right below her skin. “Kenneth, I find this line of questioning entirely too inappropriate,” she said through her teeth. “My tendres, as you call them, are none of your business and have no bearing on my work at Pembroke University. Would you ask a male colleague these questions?”

  “Of course I would. The quality of work any colleague produces is my concern,” he said in faux-dismay. “Oh dear, I’ve hit a nerve, haven’t I?”

  Breathe, Victoria. “I assure you, I’m reacting out of curiosity,” she replied, picking up her lunch. Standing here one moment more was out of the question. “I’m simply curious how my business suddenly became yours.” She shoved herself away from the counter and attempted to leave the room.

  Kenneth called after her; his voice heavy with sarcasm. “I’m only asking that you polish that proposal when you present it to President Kowalski. We wouldn’t want you embarrassing the department.”

  Victoria stopped at the exit, keeping her back to him. “You should probably put that same energy into your own Four-Week Initiative,” she said. Her fingers gripped her Tupperware with force as she bit out the next sentence. “You don’t want to be known as the professor who rested on his laurels after getting tenure thirty years ago.”

  She didn’t wait around for his next clever retort. Her heels clacked loudly against the floor as she marched away.

  * * *

  Victoria made herself eat lunch even though she had long lost her appetite. As she jabbed at her floppy lasagna, she fumed over Kenneth’s accusations. She knew this would happen. One slipup, in public, and she would have to pay for it. The tone of his voice suggested that she was doing something horrific, like interfering with a student. She and John were two consenting adults who just so happened to work with one another. It wasn’t like they were two professors fraternizing at the same institution. Yet even as Victoria reasoned through every argument against her, the same niggling thoughts crept up and settled into her brain.

  But isn’t this your chickens come home to roost? You were worried about appearing professional before you embarked on a sordid affair...now look at you.

  She shoved her lunch away and sat back in her chair. “G.D. it,” she muttered, sick to her stomach.

  When the Katherine Reese ringtone chimed, Victoria repeated her sentiment in a louder voice. She snatched up her phone and answered in a harsh voice. “Yes, Mom?”

  “Adjust your tone,” her mother said.

  Victoria bristled at the command. “What can I do for you?” she asked.

  “The question is what can you do for yourself. I did some recon work on your potential boyfriend and you’re going to like my intel.”

  Her heart dropped. “What?”

  “Matthew, the divorced lawyer!” Katherine said excitedly. “Linda was telling me about his airtight prenup agreement with his ex-wife.”

  For a moment, she’d thought her mother was referring to John. She blew out an exhale and prepared herself for another on-phone battle with her mother. “Why do I care about this man’s prenup agreement?”

  “Because he’s leaving his marriage with most of his assets,” said her mother. “Archie, please turn that down, I’m trying to talk to Victoria.”

  The background noise of the television lowered as her mother returned her attention to the conversation. “I think she only gets a onetime settlement and that’s all.”

  “That’s not making him sound great,” Victoria said.

  “Well it makes him sound rich,” Katherine said. “And I don’t know how that isn’t great. You’ll find out for yourself at the retirement gala.”

  Victoria’s spirits sank to her queasy stomach. She had forgotten all about Uncle Jeffrey’s retirement ceremony. As she quickly checked her desk calendar, she thought of excuses to get out of attending. She was meeting John? No, that’s not an excuse, Mom is going to ask for details. “Ooh, that’s this Friday, isn’t it? I think I’m going to be busy, ma’am.”

  “Busy with what?”

  “Uh, there’s a team-building exercise for my department,” she lied. While the English Department functioned under Kenneth Williams’s rule, there was no such thing as a team, but her mother didn’t know that.

  “Team-building?” Katherine scoffed. “You’ve been teaching there for four years. I’d say you’re alr
eady a team player. You’re coming to the ceremony, little lady.”

  “But I didn’t get an embossed invitation,” she snapped in irritation. Her mother’s problem with boundaries was driving her nuts. “How will I possibly get past security?”

  “Don’t sass me, Victoria,” her mother said. Victoria could hear her mother pull away from the phone to shout: “Archie, come tell your hardheaded daughter about what it means to be reliable.”

  There was a pause in the conversation where her parents could be heard arguing with one another. “Katherine, will you leave the girl alone?”

  “She gave her word and now she’s going to embarrass me in front of our guests.”

  “They’re Jeffrey’s guests.”

  “I’m throwing the celebration!”

  “Good god, just give it here.”

  She waited for the transfer of the phone to hear her father sigh loudly. “What’s going on, Vicki.”

  “Mom’s not respecting my boundaries,” she said in a whiny voice. She knew she sounded like a child tattling to her father.

  “Did you promise to attend this event?” Archie asked patiently.

  Yes, but that was before I started sleeping with John. “Yes, sir.”

  “And what do we say about starting the mission?”

  Victoria massaged the bridge of her nose. “We finish the mission.”

  “Now if you gave your word, you need to go ahead and stick to it, don’t you think?”

  “But—”

  “Help me out, honey,” her father said in soothing tones. “Your mother had her heart set on you being here.”

  “Can you tell her I’m really busy?” Victoria tried. “Just tell her I’ll get the next one?”

  “Too busy to see your own parents?” said her mother, on another line.

  “Katherine, get off the line,” Archie barked.

  “I will not! Are we such terrible parents that our own daughter is too busy to see us?”

  “You’re not terrible parents,” Victoria said, switching her attention to her eavesdropping mother. “Why do you always go there?”