Riled Up

by Robin Leaf

  “BOGO?”

  “Buy one, get one.”

  He rested his face in his hands rubbing his temples gently. “Nothing about this is gonna be free. And you said that you hate shopping.”

  “I don’t hate it. I just am not a girl about it.”

  Riley furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at her. “You’re not… mad at me?”

  “Why would I be mad at you?”

  “Twins run in my family.”

  She smiled. “They, apparently, run in mine, too. Dad just told me I was a twin. My brother and my mom didn’t survive childbirth.”

  He winced. She told him that her mother had actually died in the ER from injuries from a car accident; her dad admitted that to her during their talk. He had always maintained that her mother died in childbirth. He felt guilty since he was driving, even though it wasn’t his fault. Vanessa miraculously survived. He didn’t know about her twin brother until now. He wondered briefly how her father handled all of that. “I did this to you.”

  Vanessa laughed. “We did this together, Tate.” She sobered. “We are in this together. However, I am now concerned about raising twins with two parents who freak out, though. I mean, you are supposed to be the calm one.” She smiled.

  The look in her eyes exuded nothing but sincerity and love. All his doubts from earlier vanished. Riley knew they would be okay.

  “I heard you talking and knew you were awake,” Dr. Melai stated as she breezed in the door. “My nurse just told me that my C-section is almost ready for me, so I really need to skedaddle. Do you think you can stand up, Riley?” She walked over and helped him stand, clutching his arm a little longer than necessary. “I really wanted to check you out.” Blushing, she corrected, “I mean I wanted to make sure you are okay before I go.”

  “I’m fine,” Riley insisted, politely removing Dr. Melai’s hand from his arm. “I just got a little…” he looked sideways at Vanessa, “… riled up.” Vanessa snorted.

  “Twins can be overwhelming.” She faced Vanessa. “I’m having my nurse prepare a prescription for pre-natal vitamins and some brochures on a morning sickness diet and some dos and don’ts of pre-natal care. The diet should help until the sickness wears off, probably in a couple of weeks, but every woman is different. You need to schedule another appointment in four weeks with your regular doctor, unless you are staying in Hawaii.” She glanced at Riley. “I’d really love to be your doctor if you choose to stay here.”

  Vanessa chuckled. “I’m sure you would,” she mumbled.

  “Are you sure you’re okay, Riley?” Dr. Melai questioned.

  He grabbed Vanessa’s hand and smiled lovingly at his wife. He bent down to kiss her cheek and whispered, “Car sex?”

  “Oh, definitely,” Vanessa blurted.

  He turned to Dr. Melai, smiled his movie-star smile and answered honestly. “Then I’m perfect.”

  EPILOGUE

  VANESSA

  A month relaxing in Hawaii gave Vanessa the time to get to know her new husband better. While there, they lounged, saw the sights, and celebrated her birthday quietly. She all but forgot that he was a famous movie star, especially since they were able to move freely about the island without much fanfare.

  That is until the return flight home, when all the attention at the airport brought a not-so-welcomed reminder of just what she got herself into by marrying Riley Tate. Someone from the plane alerted the media of the return of Riley and his wife from their honeymoon. It was not too fun almost getting mobbed by the paparazzi. Riley, being the over-protective goof that he had become since learning he was going to be a father to twins, had the foresight to request the driver/bodyguard combination that he shared with Darby pick them up from LAX.

  Luckily, most of the morning sickness subsided, otherwise the whole experience would have been a nightmare for Vanessa. She wore Riley’s favorite sundress in an effort to hide her rapidly changing physique, but she feared some of the people who analyzed those pictures would be able to tell. She hoped the lesson Riley gave her in keeping her carry-on in front of her worked.

  She and Riley made out like teenagers in the back of the car as they drove to Riley’s house.

  It’s your house now, Vanessa. Get used to it. Wow, getting used to a Malibu beach house; that’ll be so tough.

  She giggled at that thought.

  “What’s so funny, Mrs. Tate?” Riley asked against her mouth.

  She smiled. “It’s Dr. Tate.” She kissed him softly and pulled back to look at his face. “And I was just thinking of how hard it’s going to be to adjust to my new digs. Oh what a rough life I have in front of me, living in this shack on a beach in Malibu with this random, okay looking guy I fell in love with.” She kissed his right dimple. “I have it so bad.”

  “You think you have it bad?” Riley countered with a smirk. “This woman I married wants to have sex all the time, and she eats like she’s feeding three people.” He placed a hand on her stomach. “I’m afraid she’s going to get huge.”

  Vanessa laughed. “Bet on it.”

  When they pulled up in front of the house, Vanessa was just about pulled from the car by Emily.

  “Oh, Ness, this is too long to go without seeing you.” Emily enveloped Vanessa in one of her mega-hugs. “I missed you so much. So much has happened, you won’t believe it.” She pulled back and showed Vanessa the simple, yet stunning ring on her left finger. “Tater proposed.” She linked her arm through Vanessa’s and led her into the house. “He said he planned to do it the weekend you guys got married, but he didn’t want it to seem like he was asking me only because of your wedding, so he did it last weekend.”

  “Oh my God, Em, Congrat…”

  “Don’t congratulate me yet, Vanessa. I told Mom first since you had no cell service in paradise, and she has gone behind my back and made all these plans for my wedding there. She is insisting we have it in Houston, stating we can’t expect all our relatives to fly out here for a wedding. When I told her we just wanted a small and simple ceremony, she went ape shit and gave me the ‘no-daughter-of-mine’ speech.”

  “What does Tater say to all this?” Vanessa asked quickly when Emily took a breath, pulling her down on the couch.

  “He wants Mom to accept him, so he is agreeable to anything. ‘As long as I get to marry you, I don’t care about the details.’ That’s actually kind of sweet, but Mom. Ugh. She’s getting on my last nerve.”

  “What about his family?”

  “They live on the East Coast, and I don’t know if they would come to the wedding anyway. His family? Kind of uppity and don’t really accept some of the choices he’s made, especially what he does for a living.”

  “Okay, so you know how to deal with your mom, Em. Tell her all the non-negotiables, one of which better be control over the bridesmaid’s dresses, and deal with the rest.”

  “I already told her one. The wedding has to be soon so that you can be my maid of honor, but the earliest she could book anything she deemed worthy was January.”

  Vanessa did a quick calculation in her head. She would be somewhere between five and six months pregnant by then. And with twins, she would be friggin huge.

  Emily noticed the look on Vanessa’s face. “What? Please tell me you are not about to throw another wrench in this for me.”

  “Well… you don’t know everything.” She stood and pulled her dress tight around her stomach.

  “Damn, Vanessa. You’re already showing. Normally people don’t show until…” She smacked her forehead. “Oh my God, is Riley not the father?”

  Vanessa laughed. “He’s definitely the father, otherwise we would have the second coming on our hands.” She paused to see if it would sink in, but Emily’s confused expression still remained. “I’m having twins.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Vanessa. Really?” Emily stood and wrapped her arms gingerly around Vanessa. “Jeez, girl, you’re going to get huge.”

  “That’s the second time in ten minutes a size comment has been m
ade. You and Riley can suck it.”

  “Holy shit, Vanessa. Did you freak out?”

  Vanessa looked at the door to watch Riley carry all their luggage effortlessly through the door. She smiled and looked down. “I didn’t, but he did,” she whispered. “Made my freak outs look tame.”

  Emily raised a skeptical eyebrow at her best friend. “But you didn’t?”

  “No, I’m really okay with it.” When Emily’s face didn’t change, Vanessa playfully smacked her arm. “Really, I’m fine. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones or something, but I’ve been relatively calm lately.” She sat back down. “So we have to think about the wedding now. January isn’t that far off. Do you want me to call your mom and talk to her?”

  “Oh, God yes. You always did know how to manipulate her.” She looked down. “She wants Etta to be in the wedding. Mom still doesn’t know we aren’t talking. Honestly, she hasn’t talked to me in so long…” Emily’s eyes became sad, “I really miss my sister. Nathaniel left and she just shut down. I wanted to help her through it, but right after he left… that’s the weekend your mom…” she looked down. “I just wish I knew what made her so mad at me.”

  “So this will give you the opportunity to reconnect.” Vanessa smiled. “I know your sister is stubborn, but so are you. Don’t let her get away with it.” Emily shook her head, and Vanessa sighed in resignation. “I can talk to her, see if she’ll tell me.”

  “No, this is something I need to do on my own.” Emily laid a hand on Vanessa’s stomach. “I always thought out of the two of us, I’d be the one to have the twins.” She looked up at her friend and noticed Vanessa was watching Riley with that look on her face. “Damn girl, kill the hormones. Let the man rest.”

  Vanessa smirked. “He got rest on the plane.”

  “Hint taken.” Emily smiled, grabbed her purse, and stood up to leave. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you happy, Ness.”

  Vanessa sighed contentedly before walking Emily to the door. The friends embraced for a few minutes. “I am, Em. I really am.”

  RILEY’S PLAYLIST

  This is the note Riley wrote to Vanessa on the plane on the way to Texas.

  Vanessa,

  I searched “Modern rock love songs,” (on my iPhone, which I risked pissing you off that I used it for something other than calls and music, but I figured I’d be honest and take the punishment.) and most are kind of depressing, more about being apart/after break up songs or I-want-you-back songs. Some really resonated with me, for obvious reasons. I hope you still listen to them, unless this trip works.

  So… this was harder than I thought it would be. Unless I went back to the 80s with all those hair bands doing the standard-issue power ballads, you were right. There really aren’t that many positive rock love songs, and yes, most of the ones that are positive are slow, sappy, or a combination of both. But I found a few that I think you might like. I’m not sure. You’ll probably say you don’t like them just because it’d be too much like admitting you were wrong. But I’m still gonna try.

  I’ll list the positive songs first:

  R U Mine – Arctic Monkeys. This one is really perfect from me to you, but it’s not really about love, it’s more a lusty song. It still fits.

  You’re Mine – Disturbed. I don’t like the idea of thinking of one person belonging to another, but it fits.

  The Reason – Hoobastank. It’s more an apology song, and it’s cliché and a bit sappy.

  Lost in You – Three Days Grace. Perfect song, and it’s a Vanessa-approved artist.

  You and Me – Lifehouse. This one is a stretch, I know. It’s cliché and sappy, and it’s a bit before the era of rock you like, but whatever, I’m keeping it.

  I’ll Follow You – Shinedown. It’s slow, but it’s really good. It kind of plays like those 80s power ballads I mentioned before, but I think the 80s hair bands rocked, so…

  Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol. Yeah, you won’t say this is rock, but it is. And it is super slow, but it’s beautiful. Listen to the lyrics.

  Always – Killswitch Engage. I figured with a band name like that, you’d like them. I love the song, and you probably will, too, because it sounds angsty and dark, just like you like.

  The Best is Yet to Come – Red. Sweet lyrics. It’s not exactly like your style, but listen to it.

  No Matter What – Papa Roach. It’s Papa Roach, one of your favorites, and they did a love song. In fact, they have several, but we’ll listen to them together. This is the only one that fits right now.

  Far Away – Nickleback. You’re probably going to make fun of me, but I never understood all the Nickleback hate spread by everyone. I like the band. I unapologetically love this perfect song.

  Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls. Yeah, yeah, it’s from before your time period, but c’mon, you gotta agree it’s a great song. It might be cliché to you, but it’s perfect.

  Now the depressing songs, ones I will probably listen to on repeat if this doesn’t work out like I want:

  Here Without You – Three Doors Down

  Broken – Seether

  The Last Day on Earth – Marilyn Manson. You’re right, he is a lyrical genius.

  Thinking About You – Puddle of Mudd

  Blurry – Also by Puddle of Mudd

  Schism – Tool. I think it might be to another man, and it’s a bit dark, but I love that it fits.

  Without You – My Darkest Days

  Interstate Love Song – Stone Temple Pilots. (I heard you listen to them, so don’t say you don’t like them)

  With You – Linkin Park. This one is my personal favorite.

  I really hope we can listen to the list together, but if for some reason I am on that plane heading back to California without you…

  I want at least a possibility for a second chance with you – no, make that a first chance. We never really had the first chance. I just want a chance to love you properly. To show you that I really do love you. With all my heart. You are perfect for me, and I’m sorry someone who is no longer in my life made you feel any less than that.

  Love,

  Riley

  I hope you enjoyed my debut novel, Riled Up. Please be so kind as to leave a review on both Amazon and Goodreads.

  Stay tuned for Etta and Nathaniel’s book, Batter Up, to be released later this year. The UP series will be interconnected with crossover characters, but each can be read as a standalone.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY ONE

  TWENTY TWO

  TWENTY THREE

  TWENTY FOUR

  TWENTY FIVE

  TWENTY SIX

  TWENTY SEVEN

  TWENTY EIGHT

  TWENTY NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY ONE

  THIRTY TWO

  THIRTY THREE

  EPILOGUE

  RILEY’S PLAYLIST

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  I started writing this book in 2012 (which should explain Vanessa’s taste in music) and shelved it. I began the second novel and wrote it for a while before giving up on both of them. Several of my Alpha-bad-ass chippies (listed in the acknowledgements) hounded me to finish both of them, and here we are. Hopefully, I didn’t skip any modernizations as a lot has changed in five years.

  What’s funny is I read, a lot. I’ll pretty much read any type of romance, but I do have a running checklist of things I hope to find and to not find i
n each book I read. So I thought I would write a book containing all the things I want to see in a romance, and wouldn’t you know, I included some of the things that I hope to not find. I’m especially not a big fan of third person, insta-love, or insta-pregnancies, and look at me, including all three in my debut. Whatever. It’s done. Hopefully, none of it is cheesily represented.

  I took a bit of a liberty with Vanessa’s dissertation topic. It’s not an impossible topic, but it is probably a bit frivolous for an actual dissertation. Hopefully no one blasts me for that. Just try to let the disbelief hang in the air a bit for that one, please.

  It was near to impossible to find a list of love songs Vanessa would love. Riley’s notes on each song were my actual notes that I wrote as I did my research.

  Although Vanessa is a fictional character, I tried to realistically portray her anxiety/panic attacks. Anxiety is a very real thing. It affects millions of everyday people. Odds are everyone knows at least one person with some form of anxiety since it is the most common psychological condition. Each person responds differently to treatments. (In fact, most people don’t seek treatment.) There is no cure for anxiety, and many people who do seek treatment get prescribed highly physically-addictive medications that often become abused by the user.

  I’m not intending for this to become a PSA. Research treatment options for any mental condition. No one thing will work the same for everyone. Good therapists exist who are trained to deal with specific conditions. Vanessa’s deep breathing and visualizations of how she would handle all scenarios is an actual cognitive-behavior therapy technique that can help maintain balance and control. Service animals can be trained to detect and respond to rising anxiety levels in their humans. Some people swear by special diets and exercise. So many other options are available. Arbitrarily taking prescription anxiety medications should not be a first option. (Think about all the famous people we have lost who were addicted to prescription medications. Usually, an anxiety med is to blame.)