Crossing the Line

by Long, Samantha

  Luke glanced up as Nick passed his office at the gym and followed him into the locker room.

  “What’s up?” Luke leaned against the doorframe while Nick changed. “Did you do something to Victoria?”

  “Why do you automatically go to that?” Nick slammed the locker door shut. Why was he even so angry about all of this?

  Luke held up his hands. “Bro, take it down a notch. If it wasn’t that, what was it?”

  “Stella showed up at my fucking shop. She wouldn’t leave, so I did.” Nick brushed past Luke and headed to the weights. Maybe if he worked hard enough he would stop wishing he could run straight to Victoria.

  “She showed up at your shop? Here?” Luke asked, following him. “What the hell?”

  “Yes, here. Do I have a shop anywhere else?”

  “Relax. I’m just trying to process this. Didn’t you and Victoria give her this huge set down, and didn’t Nicola kick her out of the wedding?” Luke stood by while Nick picked up the kettlebells and started his reps.

  “Yeah. Obviously it didn’t sink in that I didn’t want anything to do with the bitch.” Nick shook his head. “Why the fuck did you let me go home with her that night?”

  Luke grinned. “There was no stopping you. You’d just won the championship, you’d had a lot to drink, and you were high on life. I wasn’t getting in your way.”

  “I thought brothers were supposed to stop each other from sleeping with leeches. Isn’t that in the bro code?”

  “Probably.” Luke shrugged. “How do we get rid of her?”

  “No clue.” Nick slugged some water, started back on the reps. “She just won’t get it. I don’t fucking want her. I never really did. And the last thing I want is for Stella to ruin what’s going on between me and Victoria.” When his brother’s lips twitched, Nick flipped him off. “Shut up.”

  “No, I’m loving this. You always gave me hell for pining over Halle, and here you go falling for her sister.”

  Nick said nothing.

  “Oh, shit. You always freak out if I even casually mention you falling for someone. Like it was the plague or something. You didn’t deny it.”

  “No. I didn’t.”

  “Fucking shit.” Luke laughed. “I don’t believe it.”

  “It’s not like I’m marrying her or anything.” Nick set the kettlebells down and went for the machines.

  “Yet.” Luke looked around at the other gym rats. “My brother’s in love!”

  At Luke’s shout, Nick sighed. “Can you shut up? I’m still getting used to the idea.”

  Over the cat calls and whistles, Nick heard his heartbeat pounding in his ears. It wasn’t fair for his brother to tease him when he was only beginning to get used to the idea of being in love, and with a woman with teenage daughters.

  “Nick, keep an eye on the gym for me.” Luke twirled his keys around his finger. “I’m going to take care of your leech problem, okay?”

  “You think you can get rid of her when I couldn’t?”

  “Oh yeah.” Luke shot him a grin. “I’m not worried about her ruining a relationship. I can be as mean as I want since I never slept with her.”

  “You’re nuts,” Nick told him. “But I’m not going to stop you.”

  He watched his brother leave, wondering if Luke could actually get her to go. Nick wished she’d leave for good, find some other poor unsuspecting fool, and sink her claws into him. Not for the first time he wished he’d never even laid eyes on her.

  * * *

  Victoria’s office would officially be finished next week. It was Friday, the beginning of summer, and Victoria let the girls sleep in, letting them enjoy it for now. She still had no idea what to do with them after she started working out of the office.

  She started to pack up her home office, wanting to move in to her new space as soon as Nick let her know everything was done. Her dad had the furniture in his shop and would help Nick move it in. Ella would start work next week, and Victoria was sure she’d prove to be a hard worker.

  She stood in a pair of boxers and a long-sleeve tee and looked over the room, recognizing how far she’d come after Roger left. She couldn’t even be bitter anymore. He’d left to find himself and in turn forced her to realize who she was. Now that he didn’t control everything going on, she could spread her wings and grow. It just took meeting Nick to realize how far she’d come.

  A giant weight had been lifted. She could fully let go of the past and move on, and maybe since she was able to, she could help Lucia and Helena do the same. All she wanted was to be happy and for her daughters to be happy. It amazed her how she could wake up in the morning now, and instead of the burden of animosity, she was filled with love.

  Shit. She paused, her hand above a box. Her skin tingled and her lips parted. She’d fallen for Nick. Fallen hard.

  A wide smile cracked her cheeks, and she fanned herself from the sudden flush of heat. Then her smile faded as realized she’d done exactly what she didn’t want to do. How was she going to hide it from him? She’d always been an open book. If she wasn’t careful, he’d think she was trying to trap him in a relationship, and he’d run.

  Shaking her head, she took a deep breath. She had to focus on the job at hand. Papers, files, fabric swatches, and concept books were scattered everywhere. She’d taken the week off to organize it all.

  She set the concept binder for Mae on the bed so she wouldn’t accidentally pack it up, rolled up her sleeves, and dove into the rest of the packing.

  “Mom.”

  Victoria blinked and looked up. Helena stood in the doorway in her pajamas and smiled hesitantly when Victoria saw her. “What is it, baby?”

  “We were wondering if maybe you’d take us for lunch? We’re starving.”

  “It’s lunch time already?” Victoria looked around and saw how much she’d gotten done.

  “Mom, it’s after two. You probably missed lunch, too, didn’t you?”

  “I got carried away packing.” Victoria gestured around the room. “Go change, and we’ll go out to eat.”

  “Okay.”

  Victoria waited until Helena left to release the breath she held. She’d been waiting for some of Helena’s attitude to resurface and was surprised when they’d had a short conversation without either of them losing their temper. She changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and went to find the girls.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  VICTORIA LOOKED DOWN at the IHOP menu, trying to figure out if she wanted blueberry pancakes or chocolate chip. Her train of thought took her straight to Nick and the morning he’d made her pancakes. A flush spread over her face.

  “You okay, Mom?” Lucia asked. “Your face is turning red.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “She’s going through ‘the change.’” Helena made air quotes, and Lucia burst into laughter.

  “Nice.” Victoria had to laugh. “I’m still a little young for that, no matter what the two of you think.” God, how she’d missed Helena’s hilarious wit and sarcasm. The waitress came around and they ordered.

  “What do you girls want to do when my office opens?” Victoria stared across the booth to where her daughters sat together. Side by side, they looked so much alike. The same lopsided smile on their faces, the same sparkle in their eyes. Seeing Helena smile again almost made her cry. They’d really think something was wrong if she burst into tears for no reason.

  “I don’t want to sit at your office all day.” Lucia looked to Helena, and her sister nodded.

  “You’re not staying home alone.” Victoria nixed that idea quickly. The girls frowned. “Maybe Grammy will let you hang out with her, and some days you can spend with Addie or Halle.”

  “We can do that. We don’t want to be bored or follow you to all of your houses while you fix them up.” Helena took a sip of her chocolate milk. “At Grammy’s
we can get on the computer or watch TV.”

  “It won’t be long before you go to your camps.” Victoria pushed down the small bit of panic at the thought of them spending time away from her in that type of setting. Sure, they’d spent the weekend with Roger, or with her family, but this was different.

  “Has Julie’s mom said if she could go or not?” Helena asked.

  “No, her father is overseas, and Julie’s mom only hears from him once a week. She’s waiting to see what he says.”

  “I wonder what it would be like if our dad was in the Army.” Lucia glanced at Helena. “At least we can see Dad whenever we want.”

  “I guess.” Helena shrugged, gaze falling to her lap.

  “Anyway, I can’t wait to go to cheer camp.” Lucia switched topics effortlessly. “All my friends are going, and I’ll have so much fun.”

  “I know you will, sweetie.” Victoria smiled at both of them. “I saw some interesting stuff in the math and science brochure.”

  “There was.” Helena reluctantly looked up. “They have a giant telescope to look at the stars. That’s going to be my favorite part. I love learning about the solar system.”

  “You always have. I remember when you were younger you used to beg to sit outside at night and count the stars,” Victoria told her as the waitress brought their food to the table. “There’s a website that emails you when there are meteor showers or eclipses, neat things like that. When we get home, you should sign up for it.”

  “That’d be cool.” Lucia nudged her. “Even I’d like to see some shooting stars.”

  Helena nudged her sister back, smiling. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  * * *

  “Will you invite Victoria and her girls over for dinner tonight?” Nick’s mother asked over the phone.

  Nick tucked his pencil behind his ear, pulled his glasses off, and wondered if he was ready to take that step. He’d be introducing her as his date to his mother. As more than just a date, and this time the twins would be with them. “Sure. I’ll give her a call.”

  “Good. Call me right back.”

  Nick hung up, then stared at the phone. His mom had sounded so upbeat, he didn’t want to disappoint her. His heart raced, and he knew he was too nervous to talk to her on the phone. He told himself he was texting her because she might be busy and he didn’t want to interrupt whatever she might be doing.

  Nick: Mom wants to know if you and the girls would like to come eat dinner with us tonight.

  He set the phone down and slipped his glasses back on. His nerves couldn’t handle waiting around to see if she texted him back. Besides, it was only three; she was most likely still packing for her office move. He focused on the cabinets, sanding them down to just the right texture. When his text alert went off, he was glad no one was around to see him throw his dignity out the window by practically diving for his phone.

  Victoria: Sure, what time? Do I need to bring anything?

  Nick: No, she wants to treat you and the girls. Do you want me to pick you up or do you want to meet me there?

  Victoria: I don’t think we’ll fit in your truck.

  Nick: True. I’ll text you the address. Be there around six.

  Before he thought about, he sent another text.

  Nick: I miss you.

  Yeah, he was definitely a goner. He’d never once thought about missing a girl, much less telling her. Damn it, Colin was right. Once you fell, you fell fast. He felt like he’d been KO’d in the ring.

  Victoria: Good, I thought I was alone in that.

  He’d never cared if the girl missed him either; in fact, he usually preferred that they didn’t. Reading her text twisted his stomach in knots, and not in a bad way. It wasn’t just about the mind-blowing sex. It was about how she made him feel.

  Now he needed to write a fucking Lifetime movie. Thank God his brother and his friends couldn’t read his mind. They’d never let him back in the gym because he’d probably woman the place up. Hug instead of throw punches. Jesus.

  He called his mom back and let her know to expect Victoria and her girls, then went back to his work with desperate determination. He had to get this job finished, and couldn’t do that thinking about Victoria.

  * * *

  Victoria tried to hide her nervousness from the girls as she knocked on Charlotte’s door. She had a bouquet of daisies in her hand, sweet, friendly flowers that she hoped Charlotte liked. The door opened to show Luke standing there.

  “Hey, Victoria. Hey, girls.” Luke walked them through the house.

  It had a modern art deco design and was beautifully decorated. Victoria loved the dark purple and cream colors.

  “Nick’s on his way; he got caught up at work and wanted to take a shower before he came.”

  “It’s okay,” Victoria lied. She’d really counted on him being there to calm her nerves. Now she’d have to calm herself down.

  “Have a seat in here.” Luke pointed them toward the open living room. “Mom wants you to relax and not worry about helping. It’s not every day—well, ever—that either of us bring a girl over for dinner.”

  “Way to put the pressure on me, Luke,” Victoria said.

  Luke’s lips twitched. “Yeah, well, sorry about that. I’m going to see if she needs any help from me and let her know you’re here. Relax.”

  Victoria blew out a breath and glanced at Lucia and Helena. Their faces were priceless.

  “Why are you so nervous?” Lucia sat next Victoria and Helena sat on her other side.

  Victoria couldn’t tell if Helena was happy or not to be there. She kept her thoughts to herself, showing no anger or attitude, but she wasn’t smiling. “I don’t know.”

  “Ms. Charlotte already knows you. She likes you, I can tell,” Lucia told her. “She’s very sweet.”

  “You’re right.” Whatever she had to do, Victoria couldn’t keep letting her daughters see how nervous she was. She wasn’t setting a great example. Besides, they were right, she had no reason to be nervous.

  “Hi, sweeties.” Charlotte came into the living room with her apron still on over a pale yellow dress. Victoria stood and held out the daisies. “These are lovely,” Charlotte said. “They match my dress.”

  “You’re welcome,” Lucia piped up while Helena remained quiet.

  “Helena, would you mind going to the kitchen and asking Luke for a vase and putting a little water in it? These flowers would be perfect in here.”

  Victoria shouldn’t have worried about Helena’s attitude, because it obviously didn’t extend to Charlotte, and for that she was grateful. Helena nodded and went to do what Charlotte asked.

  “You look amazing.” Charlotte grasped Victoria’s hand, looking over the navy blue dress that Victoria wore. “I never looked that great after having two boys, and they were different ages.”

  “That’s not true.” Victoria’s nerves slipped away in the face of Charlotte’s loving personality. “You look great.”

  Charlotte’s hand went to her gray pixie-cut. “My hair is taking forever to grow back. But I’m glad I can be here to say that. I was extremely lucky to have my sons here to help me.”

  “They left the MMA circuit to take care of you, didn’t they?”

  “Yes, and they were my strength during that time. It was hard to accept that I needed to lean on them. Mothers are supposed to be the rock, but my boys…they took over that role, and I have trouble now convincing them that I’m okay. I can be their rock again.”

  “What happened?” Lucia asked.

  “Lucia, you can’t just ask people that.”

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind. Children are so curious.” Charlotte smiled down at Lucia. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My boys took care of me.”

  Lucia hugged Charlotte. “I’m glad you’re okay now.”

  Charlotte’s eyes misted
as she looked over at Victoria. “Thank you, sweetie.” When Lucia stepped back, Charlotte asked, “Did you like the sign that Nick made you?”

  Victoria’s mouth fell open. “He made it? He didn’t tell me that.”

  “Oh.” Charlotte’s hand went to her chest. “I’m sorry. I thought he did. He’s so modest sometimes.”

  That brought a whole new meaning to the gift for Victoria. He hadn’t just picked out a thoughtful gift for her, he’d actually taken the time out of his busy schedule to make it. No wonder she’d fallen for that man.

  Nick arrived soon after. Victoria drank in the sight of him, still astonished by his mom’s revelation. His hair curled against the back of his neck, damp from his shower. He wore jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt that made her want to run her hands up his chest. He grinned at her, and when he hugged her close, his cologne made her knees weaken. They hadn’t had much alone time lately, and desire rose at the thought of being alone with him again.

  “Hey, girls.” Nick grinned at Lucia, then at Helena as she came back into the room with the vase. “School’s out for the summer?”

  “Yes.” Lucia held the daisies while Charlotte cut the stems. “We don’t have to get up early for three months.”

  “That must be nice.” Nick reached out and held Victoria’s hand. He wanted to take it slow and not freak the girls out, but he couldn’t resist touching her, feeling her skin against his in some way. It had been a while since they’d been alone together. It felt like months to him. “My mom never let us sleep in. We were always up at the crack of dawn to do chores.”

  “You were not,” Charlotte said with a laugh. “You know that’s not true. You’ll have these girls believing I was a monster. Let’s eat. Nick, take them to the dining room. Luke, you help me set the table.”

  “Come on.” Nick pulled her down the hall, the girls following.

  “You have an amazing home,” Victoria told Charlotte after everyone sat to eat. “The rooms are put together so nicely.”

  “Thank you. I don’t have your eye for design, so I copied it out of a magazine.” Charlotte held the bowl of potatoes so Helena could take some. “It came together like I wanted, though.”