by HJ Welch
“Whoa, there, Evie,” an unfortunately familiar voice came from by the pool. Then Uncle Dave stepped into the shade so Corey and Evangeline could see him. He held his hands up and smiled at them, but it came across as more of a grimace. “That dog is a menace.”
Evangeline regarded her brother-in-law coolly. “Shih Tzus were bred to protect Chinese emperors from would-be assassins,” she said with a bat of her long lashes. “She’s simply protecting her mommy.”
Corey preened. “She didn’t bark at me,” he told Dave with a grin and nod.
Without a trace of humor, Dave slid his eyes toward Corey, then back to Evangeline. “I just wanted to welcome you to the house,” he said with a thinly veiled attempt at civility.
“Oh, Clementine and Donald’s house, you mean?” Evangeline said with an equally fake air of innocence. “Yes, I saw my sister several hours ago. Thank you.”
Dave didn’t react in any particular way in terms of his expression. He simply turned and walked away. Foofy immediately relaxed in Corey’s arms, flopping into his lap and staring back into space with her tongue lolling out between her lips.
Evangeline shook herself and blinked a couple of times, then she returned her attention to Corey with what felt like a genuine smile. “Sincere apologies.” She picked the fan back up and sipped her Champagne. “You weren’t in that band of Ricky’s, were you? You’re someone new.”
She tilted her head and continued to stare at Corey. His natural reaction was to feel like he didn’t measure up when people scrutinized him. But in this instance, he felt like Evangeline was merely trying to work him out. Like a puzzle piece.
“Uh, yes, I am new,” he told her, resisting the urge to add ‘ma’am’ at the end. “Reyse and I met on his last tour. I worked for the catering company. We just hung out.”
A big smile crept over Evangeline’s crimson lips. “Oh, wonderful,” she said. “You’re a real person. You must be very special for Ricky to have trusted you.” She signaled to a passing man, looking away from Corey. It turned out it was the guy from behind the bar. “Hello there, darling. We would very much appreciate another bottle of the Bolly. Merci beaucoup.” She saluted him with her glass.
The bartender smiled and nodded at Evangeline, then went on his way again.
Corey’s brain was a little stuck on Evangeline stating that he must be ‘very special’ for Reyse to have picked him as a friend. He didn’t know how to expand on that, however, without straying too close to their actual relationship. He also didn’t want to be grilled on any details about the supposed tour that he’d been on. So he shifted the subject slightly.
“Why do you call Reyse ‘Ricky’?” he asked.
Evangeline’s smile became genuinely fond. “I always used to call him ‘Ricky Reese’s Pieces’ when he was little. A silly little nickname that stuck. But when everyone in the world felt like they knew him simply because they knew his name…” She shrugged. “Ordinarily I find pet names tacky. Foofy aside, naturally. There have already been two Lady Bonniford Honeydews before her.” She reached forward and scratched the small dog’s head. “But in the case of my nephew…well, I stuck with ‘Ricky’ even harder once that ‘Oh Oh Oohh’ song topped the charts.”
Corey got the feeling Evangeline knew exactly who every member of Below Zero was and that the song in question was actually called Hearts Bound. He could feel the protective vibes radiating from the stiffness of her shoulders.
Corey fiddled with the corner tassel of one of the nearby pillows. “The internet and tabloids call him ‘Hicks’ a lot,” he said. “It’s nice to get to know Reyse behind the scenes. But I bet he appreciates being called Ricky still.”
“Oh, he hates it,” Evangeline said flippantly. Corey wasn’t sure he believed that, but he still shared a smile with her.
Abruptly, Evangeline snapped open her fan and began to waft herself with it. “You’re staying at the house, yes?” she asked.
Corey raised his eyebrows. “Uhh,” he said. “I have no idea. We had no clue the place would be full with so many friends and family.”
Evangeline snorted, obviously disagreeing that some of these people could truly be considered friends. “I’m the only one actually staying,” she said, then rolled her eyes. “Well, David is staying too, but that can’t be helped. Clementine promised me she wouldn’t give in and house any of these vultures.” She rested the fan on her collarbones. “We’ll make sure you’re in the room next to Ricky’s. I have a feeling you’ll keep an eye out for him, won’t you?”
Corey gulped. She wanted him to sleep next to Reyse? Well, claim the room beside him. If there was just going to be a wall separating them tonight, there was no way Corey would be getting a wink of sleep.
“Yes, ma’am,” Corey said sincerely with no trace of humor. He would damn well look after Reyse, he was sure of that. However he could.
Evangeline gave him a smile. “I’ll let that ‘ma’am’ slide because I believe you. I also believe that if you do get up to any mischief, you’ll make sure it stays between the two of you.” She began fanning herself again. “That boy deserves a little fun.”
At that moment, their fresh bottle of cold Champagne arrived with a flourish. The bartender made a show of opening it for Evangeline and topping up her glass. It gave the anxious butterflies a moment to settle in Corey’s stomach.
Was she suggesting what he thought she was?
No, surely not.
After that, the conversation moved on to theater. Apparently, Evangeline was a big off-Broadway fan, seeing anything and everything going. He got the feeling she might have a hand in investing in productions as well, maybe as a sort of patron. But she downplayed any involvement if there was any. Corey was starting to see where Reyse got his creative flare from.
As she regaled him with scandalous opening night gossip from one of the major musicals, Corey’s mind kept drifting back to her earlier words.
Was she seriously suggesting he pay Reyse a midnight visit?
Part of him worried if she had worked out their little secret, could other people? Another part worried if he gave into temptation, would that be fair on Reyse? They had to protect his career.
There was another part of him that ached, though. If she was giving them her blessing, that was pretty big. Corey had never had a partner long enough to be introduced to their family before. But if he was going to get approval for anyone, goddamn it, he wanted that person to be Reyse.
This was dangerous. He was so desperate to get permission to try again with Reyse to see if they had enough between them to make a go of a relationship, he was willing to jump on the first hint of approval that came his way. But Evangeline obviously cared deeply for Reyse. If she meant as much to him, her endorsement would carry more weight than most.
As evening turned into night, Corey drank a little more Champagne, but not enough to lose his wits.
He had an important decision to make.
13
Reyse
“Son, pass the salt, would you?”
Reyse was a trained performer with years of acting on screen and stage under his belt. Yet he almost failed to conceal his flinch at Uncle Dave calling him ‘son.’
He knew he didn’t have a model relationship with his dad, but Dave was certainly not his father.
“I’ve got it,” his mom said, stretching just beyond her reach to get the silver shaker to pass to Dave. She smiled and handed it over.
“I can’t believe you cooked us dinner, Mrs. Hickson,” Corey said. He shook his head and grinned. “After all that party food? I didn’t think I was hungry, but these noodles are incredible.”
Reyse felt a warm glow in his chest. This may have been a strange meal, but with Corey here, things weren’t so bad.
“I know I told you to order in, darling,” Reyse’s Aunt Evangeline said, swigging from a Champagne flute, “but this is delightful. I do love Thai.”
“I know,” Reyse’s mom said fondly.
Evangel
ine’s Shih Tzu, Foofy, barked from her lap, as if in agreement. Evangeline dropped a small shred of chicken into her mouth.
Dave huffed and scowled. Unfortunately, now all the other dozens of guests had left for the night there wasn’t much to disguise his disgruntled attitude with Reyse’s aunt. “I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again,” he said between gritted teeth, waving his knife and fork around. Everyone else was using chopsticks. “It’s unhygienic.” He didn’t look at Evangeline when he spoke, but Foofy gave a little growl all the same.
“Yes, dear,” Evangeline said cheerfully, looking directly at him. “But if you wear a napkin in your collar – like a bib – it will catch all that food you drop.” She grinned her cherry-red, glossy lips and watched him while she slowly took another slow sip of Champagne.
Corey snorted. It seemed he’d met Evangeline that afternoon and was acquainted with not only her humor but her relationship with Dave.
Reyse had to say he was glad. He’d always been fond of Aunt Evangeline as a child. She’d always been so free and wild, but had visited less and less as he grew older. However, she had been the one to gift him that old piano back when such a purchase has seemed wholly extravagant for Reyse’s mom and dad on just his Army salary.
Evangeline and Dave had always butted heads. Apparently, he had flirted with her at Reyse’s parents’ wedding and she’d dumped a whole tray of shrimp in his lap. It seemed neither of them had ever forgotten about it.
Dave glowered at Evangeline and Foofy, but chose not to respond, instead turning his attention back to Reyse’s mom. “Tina, you’re doing too much. You should just be sitting with Donny, not running around playing waitress.”
He said it like he cared, but Reyse’s hackles immediately went up. He saw Corey frown, too, and Evangeline rolled her eyes. Even Foofy tilted her head in apparent disbelief.
“Well, who invited all those insipid people?” Evangeline demanded. “What was Clementine supposed to do? Have them sit on their hands and starve?”
“It’s okay,” Reyse mom said brightly, looking between the two of them as if debating which one was going to explode first. “It’s okay. They just wanted to show their support. I appreciated them coming. It was sweet that they all just sort of…showed up,” she said with a tinkling laugh. “The least I could do was provide refreshments. Besides, cooking soothes me.” She looked down as she rearranged the napkin on her lap. “Sitting next to bleeping hospital machines in a place that smells of chemicals, not knowing what kind of brain injury my husband is going to have, does not soothe me.”
Reyse reached over and squeezed her arm. She was at the head of the dining table next to him. Dave was at the other end, with Evangeline opposite Reyse and Corey. They had minimized the dining table so it now only sat eight, but it still felt like Dave was trying to lord over them.
“Mom, no one thinks any less of you for not sitting vigil over Dad,” Reyse said firmly. “The nurses told you they’d call when he woke up properly, right?”
His mom nodded earnestly. “He’s still sleeping and out of it,” she said, looking around the table.
“Of course he is,” Evangeline scoffed. “His neural pathways are rebuilding themselves. He’s going to be confused and disorientated for a good few days.” She looked from Reyse’s mom to Corey, who was staring at her, presumably not expecting her to have such knowledge. She smiled at him. “Husband Number Two had a stroke,” she explained. “Don’t worry. He made a full recovery to go on and cheat on me with his twenty-three-year-old physical therapist.” She grinned. “I did very nicely in that divorce.”
“The point is, Mom,” Reyse said firmly, still holding her arm, “Dad is going to be fine. But he needs time. You hanging around all hours isn’t going to change anything.”
“Besides,” Corey said, shaking his head. “Hospitals are creepy as f-” He stopped and cleared his throat, smiling at Reyse’s mom. “They’re really creepy.”
Dave put his knife and fork together with unnecessary clatter, causing the rest of the table to look at him again. “All I’m saying,” he said as he stood from the table and plucked up his beer, “is I’m sure Donny would appreciate his wife being there when he comes around. That’s all.”
“That’s why you’re there now, by his side?” Corey said, raising his eyebrows. “Doing the big brother thing?” He grinned. A little flutter of fear flitted through Reyse, but Corey didn’t seem to give a shit.
Dave frowned down at him. “Son, you’re a guest in this house,” he began coldly.
“Yes,” Evangeline chimed in cheerfully. “Ricky’s guest. And you don’t have any children, do you, Dave?” She sighed and pouted. “Probably because no one ever wanted to marry you.”
“Enough!”
Everyone turned to Reyse’s mom. Her small fists were bunched on the tablecloth and tears teetered on the brim of her eyes, one falling as Reyse watched in horror.
“Oh, Mom!” he cried. He jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. It didn’t help that he felt guilty himself for not seeing his dad yet. But Dave really wasn’t helping the situation. They just had to wait for Dad to recover.
“I’m going to bed,” Dave muttered, stalking from the table with his beer.
“Oh, shucks,” Corey said to Reyse’s mom. He sounded genuinely sheepish. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Hickson. That was a dumb move on my part. I’ll go apologize.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Evangeline said firmly. “If you really want to help, you’ll help me clear the dishes.” They all had about half of the food still left, but if the others felt like Reyse, they were no longer hungry.
Corey looked at Reyse, pained. Reyse smiled at him as his mom sniffed in his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Uncle Dave likes to see things one way and, well, that’s it.”
“Come on,” Evangeline said, rising gracefully to her feet.
She’d seen fit to wear a floor-length, black, gauzy negligee-type dress to dinner over her bathing suit. She swept from the room on a pair of red heels with several plates like the mistress of a gothic castle. Foofy trotted obediently after her with her little pink tongue still peeping out.
“Let’s refrigerate the leftovers still in the pot,” she called to Corey over her shoulder. “It’ll be something to feed the ravaging hordes tomorrow.”
Corey gave Reyse a small smile, then hurried after Evangeline.
It was a kind of torture, having him this close and not being able to touch him at all. Especially when Reyse’s nerves were frayed from dinner. The afternoon hadn’t been much better either, with everyone wanting to talk to him and treat him like a piece of meat rather than the son of a seriously ill father.
But now was not about Reyse or Corey or really anyone else. It was about his mom.
“Hey,” he said softly to her after she’d gently dabbed her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. “Do you want a cup of tea? Bella drinks the stuff by the gallon when she’s had a bad day.” That much Reyse knew to be true. Bella was extremely British in her dedication to tea consumption and had taught him how to make a good restorative brew.
His mom smiled and patted his hand. “Actually, I’d really just like to go to bed. Will you walk me up?”
Reyse nodded. “Sure,” he said.
Her room was on the top floor. They walked arm in arm until they reached her en suite and he sat on the end of the bed while she took her eye makeup off. He felt like a small child again.
He hated when he got stuck in the middle of conflict like that, as if he was a kid again. He knew a lot of performers were supremely confident while on stage or in front of a camera. But in real life, they were full-blown introverts. It didn’t make it any easier on him to feel like he hadn’t defended his mom enough purely because he’d gotten tongue-tied.
“I’m sorry about Uncle Dave,” he said to his mom. She’d partially closed the door to change. When she came out in flannel pajamas covered with daisies, she was shaking her head.
“Honey,
don’t be silly,” she said fondly. “Dave is just worried. He didn’t mean any harm.”
Reyse watched as she took her jewelry off and placed it into a music box on her dresser. Reyse realized it was the same box she’d always had. She even took the various pieces in the same order Reyse always remembered her doing. Earrings, necklace, bracelets, then rings last. A warm feeling of nostalgia crept over his heart. Even under these dire circumstances, it was so nice to be with his mom again.
“He could have been a bit politer about it,” Reyse grumbled.
His mom laughed, squirting some moisturizer in her hand and rubbing it between her palms then up and down her arms. It smelled different than the one he remembered. Not that he could recall that scent. Just that this wasn’t it.
“It’ll all be better in the morning,” she assured him. Reyse hoped she was right.
He stood up and walked over to her dresser where she was sitting. “Night, Mom,” he said, kissing her cheek.
He made his way to the door. “Reyse?” He turned back to look at her at the threshold. She smiled at him. “It’s good to have you home.”
Reyse smiled back at her. “It’s good to be home,” he said.
The house was quiet as he jogged down the stairs to his own bedroom. Either everyone had gone to bed in the time he had walked his mom up, or they were being very stealthy.
Reyse looked at the door next to his own, pausing before going into his room. Was Corey in there? Was he all right?
Was he thinking about Reyse?
That was stupid. Reyse couldn’t let his mind go in that direction. With a sigh, he pushed the door in, only mildly disappointed not to find Corey already waiting on the other side.
He was, however, grateful to have his own en suite. He took his time brushing his teeth and stripping down to his boxer briefs. His body was weary, but his thoughts were whirling like a tornado. It didn’t help that his phone was full of emails, texts and voicemails from Kevin just ‘keeping him up to date.’ Bombarding Reyse was Kevin’s way of reminding him of all the trouble he’d caused by dropping everything to come home. Not that he’d ever say such a thing out loud to Reyse. He’d simply keep guilt-tripping him so he knew what a fuckup he was.