“She’s different,” Vic said with a quiet conviction.
“If you say so,” Vanessa said with a shrug. “Now get back in the car. Save your anger for Vera when we get home. And you’re driving.”
Chapter Sixteen
Vic was still pissed at Vanessa when they walked into the house a few minutes later. They hadn’t spoken to each other the rest of the ride, and Vic was barely keeping her anger at bay. She wanted to believe it was only to prepare her for Vera’s coming tirade, but she also knew Vanessa had really hated Riley back in high school. For no good reason, really. So when they ran into their mother at the bottom of the steps and Vera gave her a look of undisguised contempt, she started to lose the tenuous hold on her emotions.
“You look like you have something to say, Vera,” she said, stopping only a few inches away from her. “So why don’t you just go ahead and say it?”
Vera took a moment to look at her, and then Vanessa before settling back on Vic. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with that piece of trash?”
“If I were you, I’d be really careful how I spoke about Riley.”
“Are you threatening me?” Vera stood taller and tried to look menacing, but Vic laughed. She couldn’t help it. Then Vera’s face turned a nice shade of red which only caused Vic to laugh more. “I’m still your mother, and you will not speak to me that way.”
“Oh, really? So when you told me back in college, when I came out to you and Dad, that I was no longer your child you didn’t actually mean it? Is that what you’re saying? Because I was pretty sure you meant it, and so was Dad. Which is why he never pushed me to come back here all these years. He knew you didn’t want me around.”
“You’re trying to change the subject.”
“No, you did that.” Vic was breathing hard with the effort to not let this altercation get out of hand. “But let me bring us back around to the subject at hand. What I’m doing is spending time with a woman I genuinely like and care for. And nothing you can say or do will make me stop seeing her.”
Vic looked at Vanessa, who was still standing right beside her but wisely keeping out of it. There was no doubt she could see how thoroughly incensed she was. She gave Vanessa a small smile as she remembered what she’d asked Riley the night before and turned back to Vera.
“I’ve asked her to come to the wedding reception with me.”
“That woman will not set foot in this house, do you understand me?” Vera asked, looking for all the world as though she was going to lash out at her.
“Then move the reception,” Vic said quietly. “Because she is going to be my date.”
“What the hell is going on in here?” their father asked as he emerged from the living room. He looked between the three of them as he folded his paper under his arm. “I’ll accept an explanation from any of you, by the way.”
Vic folded her arms over her chest but never looked away from her mother. She knew Vera would put on a show for him like she always did, so she decided to wait it out.
“She’s bringing that—”
“Careful, Vera,” Vic warned her.
“She’s bringing Riley Warren,” Vera began. Vic smiled at the way her mother had to force the name past her lips, “to Vanessa’s wedding reception.”
“That’s wonderful!” He walked over to Vic and embraced her tightly as he spoke into her ear. “Don’t worry about your mother. I’ll deal with her.”
“What is wrong with you?” Vera nearly shouted. “That girl is nothing but trash.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” he said to Vic before turning back to their mother. “Vera, I want a word with you. Upstairs. Now.”
Vic and Vanessa watched in stunned silence as their mother turned and stomped up the stairs, their father right behind her. Vic couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever stood up to her. As far as she knew, he was as afraid of her as they were.
“Well, that was fun,” Vanessa said, grabbing Vic’s hand.
“Really? This is your idea of fun? There’s a reason I don’t come home for holidays, and it has everything to do with that woman.” She squeezed Vanessa’s hand quickly and let go. “You’re okay with me bringing her?”
“You can bring whoever you want. Just promise me you’ll dance with her.”
“Why do I get the feeling you only want her there to make Vera’s day a miserable one?”
* * *
Riley was disappointed when she woke up and realized she was alone. She smiled as she rolled onto her back, remembering the tender way Vic had held her while she fell asleep. God, was this really happening between the two of them? And had she actually agreed to be her date for Vanessa’s wedding reception? What the hell had she been thinking?
“Obviously, I wasn’t thinking,” she muttered to herself as she got up and made her way to the bathroom. She smelled coffee and something else…cinnamon? Oh, yes, please let Megan have made her awesome cinnamon rolls. She made her way down the stairs and found Megan in the kitchen, just taking the scrumptious morsels out of the oven. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“As a matter of fact, no,” Megan answered without looking at her. “I think the only time you do is when I make these. Coffee?”
“Please.” Riley made herself comfortable at the kitchen table and waited for Megan to join her. She wondered whether or not to tell her Vic had spent the night. Part of her wanted to keep it just for herself for a little while longer, but that was assuming Megan hadn’t run into her that morning. “So, I didn’t hear you come in last night. What time did you get home?”
Megan’s cheeks flushed a light shade of pink and she looked away for a moment. Riley smiled as realization dawned. She didn’t say anything though, opting to wait and see if Megan would admit to it.
“It was late.” Megan shrugged and took a sip of her coffee.
“Late?” Riley asked. “Or early?”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, my God, you stayed out all night.” Riley laughed at Megan’s look of shock. “It’s about damn time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You and Peter. You guys have been in love with each other forever. What took so long?”
“Um, he was married, if you remember.” Megan apparently decided it was fruitless to deny it any longer. “We only saw each other once every few years when a reunion came around.”
“So, he’s not married now?”
“They separated a few months ago. He didn’t want to tell me over the phone, so he waited until last night.”
“Wait, you talk on the phone with him?” Riley was surprised. She thought Megan shared everything with her. “How often?”
“I don’t know,” Megan said. “A few times a month maybe?”
“You better not be moving out to California.” Riley started to panic, but then made herself stop, because what good would it do? Sure, she’d never be able to afford this place on her own, but she could find something else. Hopefully.
“What difference does it make?” Megan grinned and held her gaze. “Maybe you’ll be moving to New York City.”
“Highly doubtful,” Riley said with a snort.
“Uh-huh, I saw your girlfriend when I got home this morning.”
“She’s hardly my girlfriend.” Riley took a bite of her pastry and closed her eyes to enjoy the flavors better. “God, these are so good.”
“Not the way it looked last night,” Megan said, laughing as she shook her head. “People were taking bets as to how long it would take for you to rip each other’s clothes off.”
“Shut up, they were not.” Riley covered her face with her hands.
“It was a pretty hot and steamy few minutes there with you straddling her in front of everyone. I’m sure the whole town has heard about it by now.”
“Well, for your information, there was no clothes ripping last night.” Riley stood and got the coffee pot to refill their cups.
“I know. Vic told me this morni
ng.”
“You talked to her? About us?”
“I told her if she hurt you I’d go after her.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me she’s the one more likely to be hurt. She thinks when she goes back to the city she won’t see you again unless she comes here.” Megan watched her for a moment, and Riley knew she couldn’t argue with what Vic had told Megan. She didn’t travel, and that was pretty much the truth. “Please tell me you won’t be like that. I’ve seen you involved with other women, and you’ve never been this happy with any of them. And you haven’t even slept with her yet. Don’t let her slip through your fingers because you refuse to travel.”
“I can’t promise anything,” Riley said, shaking her head. She hated herself for worrying so much about her mother. Her mother had never shown one iota of concern for her after she’d started drinking, and Riley wished she could return the favor, but it wasn’t in her nature to turn her back on anyone in trouble.
Not even the woman who only talked to her if she needed money.
Chapter Seventeen
Riley was putting the finishing touches on the dinner she was making for Vic when the doorbell rang. She was early, but it didn’t bother Riley at all. She wiped her hands on the dishtowel as she made her way to the front door, sporting what she was sure was a goofy grin. She pulled the door open and her face fell. It was her mother.
“Are you going to invite me in?” her mother asked, looking at her expectantly.
Riley wanted to tell her no, because she really didn’t want her to be there when Vic was supposed to arrive in about twenty minutes. Instead, she stepped aside and motioned her in. Hopefully, this would be a quick visit.
“Why are you here?” Riley asked, irritated. “You never come over.”
“Well, I haven’t seen you for so long. Can’t a mother visit her daughter once in a while?”
“I guess you’ve conveniently forgotten how you practically threw me out of your hospital room when you almost died of alcohol poisoning.” Riley nearly slammed the front door before following her into the living room. “I don’t even care why you told the hospital staff to never notify me when you were brought in. All I care about is that you only get in touch with me when you want money. So, let me save you the trouble. I don’t have any.”
Riley watched as her mother took a seat on the couch and sighed. Her eyes appeared focused and bright, so Riley assumed she hadn’t started drinking yet today. Strange. Usually she started around noon or shortly thereafter. Riley sat in Megan’s recliner and waited for her mother to get to the point of her visit.
“Why do you always assume I want something?” Her mother set her purse on the floor next to her feet and settled back into the couch. Riley decided not to say anything about her ignoring the comment about her being in the hospital. It wasn’t worth it. Riley didn’t offer her anything to drink because she didn’t want her thinking she was welcome to stay any more than a few minutes.
“Because you do, and there’s no use denying it.” Riley looked at her phone to check the time and shook her head impatiently. Vic would be there soon, and she didn’t think there was any way in hell she was going to avoid a face-to-face meeting between the two of them. “So just tell me what it is. I’m expecting company.”
“Oh?” Her mother perked up at the news, and Riley regretted letting it slip. It seemed Megan had been right in assuming the entire town had heard about what happened at the reunion. You couldn’t do anything in Wolf Bay without everyone knowing about it. “Victoria Thayer, I assume?”
“You need to leave. Now.” Riley got to her feet and headed for the front door. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Why wouldn’t you tell your poor old mother you’re dating such an attractive young woman?” Her mother hadn’t moved, and Riley turned to look at her just as she heard a car door slam out front.
Shit.
Without a word, she stepped out onto the porch and pulled the door closed behind her. Vic looked surprised to see her standing there.
“I think I’m supposed to knock, or ring a bell or something, and then you answer the door.” Vic grinned at her, and Riley couldn’t stop her own smile from happening. Then she thought of her mother sitting in her living room. “Or were you just so excited to see me you couldn’t wait?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Riley said with a quick glance over her shoulder at the front door.
“Well, that sounds convincing.”
“I’m sorry.” Riley closed the distance between them and kissed her quickly on the lips. “My mother is here.”
“Oh?” Vic looked surprised, but then must have remembered Riley’s feelings about her mother. “Oh. Should I go?”
“Don’t you dare. I just wanted to warn you. Trust me, she won’t be staying long.”
She led Vic into the house and straight on to the living room where her mother was still sitting on the couch.
“Mom, this is Vic.”
“Please, call me Helen.” Her mother stood and went to Vic, holding out her hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Helen.” Riley could tell Vic’s smile was forced as she shook the offered hand, but then she looked at Riley, probably hoping for some guidance.
“My mother was just leaving.”
“No, I wasn’t,” her mother said with a laugh. She grabbed Vic by the arm and led her to the couch, pulling her down to sit next to her.
“Mom, Vic and I have plans.”
“Well, you aren’t going anywhere. I can smell the food cooking.”
“Actually, Helen, I’ve asked Riley to accompany me to a party, so we have to kind of eat and run,” Vic said, and Riley could have kissed her.
“Oh, well, I guess I should be going then.” Her mother stood and ushered Riley into the kitchen. This was it. Riley knew she was going to ask for money. Riley went to the stove and leaned against the counter, waiting. “Honey, do you have a few dollars to spare? Just until I get my Social Security check next week.”
“No, Mom, I don’t. I never have any money to spare, so I don’t know why you keep asking.”
“What about your girlfriend? She’s rich, isn’t she?”
“I am not going to ask her to loan you money.”
“But why not?”
“First of all, you won’t ever pay it back, which is something I learned the hard way. And second, you’ll only spend the money on booze. I won’t do it.”
“I’ve stopped drinking.”
Riley let out a bark of laughter before composing herself again. She’d heard this declaration before, but her mother never followed through. It didn’t stop Riley from hoping maybe this time she might truly mean it.
“I hope you have,” she said with a slight nod. “But that doesn’t change the fact I have no money to loan you.”
“Couldn’t you just ask her?”
“Good-bye, Mom.”
Helen walked out of the kitchen muttering under her breath, but she stopped short as she rounded the corner and almost ran right into Vic. Vic had fully intended to follow them into the kitchen, but she stopped short when she heard Helen suggesting Riley ask her for money. Her heart was racing now, simply at the prospect of Riley actually doing it. Sure, she’d told her mother she wouldn’t, but who knew what might happen after she had more time to think about it. Vic hoped she wasn’t wrong in trusting Riley.
“Good-bye, Vic,” Helen said before turning and walking out the door. A moment later, she was standing face-to-face with Riley, who looked nervously at the door then back to Vic.
“How much of that did you hear?” she asked.
“Enough.” Vic fought to not confront her about what was said.
“Then you heard me tell her no.” It was a statement rather than a question, and she placed her arms around Vic’s neck.
“I did.” Vic felt some of her apprehension melt away at her touch. She put her hands on Riley’s hips and pulled her a little closer.
“I meant it when I sai
d I didn’t want your money, okay? And I sure as hell would never ask you for money for my mother. So, don’t look like you want to bolt.”
Vic smiled and nodded. God, how did Riley possess the ability to make her forget everything but the here and now? Whenever they were together, absolutely nothing mattered but that moment. She’d never experienced this particular reaction to anyone before and was a little surprised to find she quite liked it.
“I don’t want to bolt,” she said. “What I really want to do is get you naked. The sooner the better.”
Riley slid her hands down to rest above Vic’s breasts and playfully pushed her away. “You’re here for dinner and a sunset. Nothing more.”
“You can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“No, I guess you can’t.”
Vic pulled her flush against her body and moved her hands to Riley’s ass. Riley melted into their kiss, and Vic was certain she wasn’t alone in her desires, mostly by the way she allowed Vic’s tongue past her lips so readily. The deep moan Riley let loose and the way her hands went to the back of Vic’s head to keep her in place were also rather telling.
Riley looked dazed when she pulled away from her, breathing heavily as she licked her lips. Vic was sure the hunger she felt as she watched Riley’s tongue was evident in her eyes.
“You don’t play fair,” Riley said, her voice raspy.
“Life isn’t fair,” Vic said with a wink, trying unsuccessfully to calm her racing heart.
“We should eat.” Riley said the words, but she didn’t make a move toward the kitchen right away. “I hope you meant it when you said meat loaf was okay.”
“I’m sure anything you made will be wonderful.”
“Ha!” Riley said as she finally turned and headed into the kitchen. “You say that now.”
Hopes and Dreams Page 11