One Night in Weaver...

by ALLISON LEIGH,

  “Of course.” Vivian dismissed her granddaughter’s concern and handed Seth the key. “I’m sure you want that. Every man I’ve ever known always wants the car key. Even back in the day when I liked driving, my husband Sawyer always wanted the keys.” She let Seth help her into the front passenger seat while Hayley took the rear.

  “Funny,” Seth commented after he’d sat down behind the wheel. “Been all over the world, but I’ve only ever heard of two people named Sawyer, right here in Weaver.”

  Hayley was barely listening. She was busy running her hand over the supple leather seat. “That’s right. Tristan’s brother’s name is Sawyer, too. Hadn’t even thought about it. Holy cow. Literally. Holy...cow. This leather is amazing.”

  “I think she likes it, Mrs. Templeton,” Seth said dryly.

  “Call me Grandmother, dear.”

  Hayley looked up in surprise and caught Seth’s blue eyes watching her in the rearview mirror.

  Heat ran up under her skin until she finally looked away.

  Her fingers drifted over the fancy armrest beside her seat, and to her bemusement, a tray smoothly unfolded in Vivian’s seatback, displaying a screen.

  Fancy car. Fancy chef. Fancy fortune. Her grandmother was offering it all and Hayley didn’t want any of it. The only thing she wanted was sitting in the driver’s seat with inscrutable eyes.

  She stifled a sigh and looked out the side window. Seth made some adjustments to his seat, drove off the curb and headed through town, earning surprised looks from everyone they passed.

  That hadn’t changed even when they reached Braden an hour later. Hayley sat forward to give Seth directions to the restaurant, but Vivian said she wanted to drive by Carter’s and David’s houses first.

  “Just to see where they live,” she added crisply. “I have no desire to stop.”

  So Hayley tamped down her reservations and gave the directions first to her uncle’s house. “He’s a pediatrician,” she told Seth as he slowly cruised by the two-story house. “His practice is right next door.” There were no cars or signs of life outside either of the buildings and Hayley wondered if Vivian was disappointed.

  When they drove by her parents’ house, they met the same results.

  “That’s the house where I grew up.” Hayley pointed out the upstairs window on the side of the house when Seth rolled to a stop on the street. “That was my bedroom.”

  “Ever sneak out at night?”

  She snorted. “Please. I was much better behaved than that. I think Archer might have done so a few times, and I know the Trips did. Are you sure you don’t want to stop and go in?”

  “Quite.” Vivian sounded more than certain. “The last thing I want ruining our evening together is a dose of your father’s judgment. Take me to this China Palace of yours. I hope they serve a decent cocktail.”

  Fortunately, Hayley knew that they did.

  When they arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was crowded for a Thursday evening and there was a line of people waiting outside the door.

  Seth let the women off in front of the entrance and drove down the street until he found a spot. By the time he returned, Hayley had obtained a spare chair for her grandmother to use and a waiter was collecting their order for drinks while they waited.

  “Tom Collins.” Vivian folded her hands in her lap atop her small leather purse and toyed with her rings. “You can make a Tom Collins, can’t you?”

  The waiter looked like a kid in the white shirt and black jeans that all the servers wore. He gulped a little at the look she fastened on him. “Yes, ma’am. I, um, I think we can.” He looked quickly at Hayley.

  “I’ll just have white wine. The house white will be fine.”

  “Sure you don’t want a cosmopolitan?” Seth asked. His dimple flashed.

  “I think I’ll pass,” Hayley assured him dryly.

  “Your granddaughter was tanked on cosmos the night we met,” Seth told Vivian and Hayley nearly choked.

  “Seth!”

  “Never underestimate the persuasive powers of a good cocktail,” Vivian said. She gave a small smile. “How do you think a violin-maker’s daughter caught the son of a steel magnate?”

  “Vivian!”

  Her grandmother stood up and smoothed her jacket. “Don’t act so shocked, Hayley. People have been people since the dawn of time. Your generation didn’t invent sex. You just think you did. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

  The crowd standing in line seemed to miraculously part to make way for her as she entered the restaurant.

  Seth laughed softly. “She’s something else.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re not smiling about it.”

  Hayley grimaced. She should have known not to bring Vivian to Braden. The town was twice the size of Weaver, but that still left it too small for comfort.

  She looked up at Seth. “That’s because I just saw my dad and stepmother sitting inside.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “What was I thinking?” She wanted to tear out her hair. “My parents love this place as much as I do.”

  “So go say hello,” he suggested calmly.

  “Right.” She tugged down the hem of her black T-shirt. The path cleared for Vivian had closed up again, cutting off Hayley’s view of Carter and Meredith. “Of course. Just go and say hello. How bad can that be?” She imagined black crows cackling and wondered if it were true that psychologists were all a little crazy.

  The waiter had returned, bearing a tray heavy with drinks that he was delivering to more people than just Hayley and her party. When he handed her the wineglass, she nearly snatched it out of his hand and gulped down half of it.

  “Dutch courage,” she muttered in answer to Seth’s raised eyebrows.

  “Really a good thing you’re sticking to wine,” he drawled. He took the beer he’d ordered, as well as Vivian’s drink. “Come on. Meet the enemy head-on, Doc.”

  “I don’t want to think of my father as the enemy. Bad enough that he called me that once. ‘The Enemy.’ Because I was letting Vivian stay with me.” She looked at him. “Right before that night at Colbys, actually.”

  “Explains a lot.” He took a pull of beer and then left it on Vivian’s vacated chair before grabbing Hayley’s hand. “Come on. I want to meet them.”

  She swallowed another gulp of wine and let him lead her through the crowd. Once they were inside the restaurant, he nudged her in front of him. “Where are they?”

  She latched her fingers through his. “Dad’ll be perfectly polite until he realizes his mother is here. Just want to give you fair warning.”

  “Think I can handle it,” Seth said mildly. “Stop stalling.”

  Was she?

  She blew out a breath because she probably was.

  Squaring her shoulders, she walked over to where they were sitting at a small round table and fastened a cheerful smile on her face. Only the presence of Seth’s hand in hers kept her from tucking her tail and whisking Vivian out of there before they made a scene.

  She took the easy route first, touching Meredith’s sleeve to get her attention. “Hi.”

  “Honey!” Meredith’s eyebrows shot up and she yanked Hayley forward into a delighted hug. “What a lovely surprise! Why didn’t you let us know you were going to be in town?”

  Hayley glanced toward the hallway that led toward the restrooms and saw no sign yet of Vivian. “It was pretty spur-of-the-moment.”

  Her dad had risen and seemed to be more interested in giving Seth the eagle eye than paying much attention to Hayley when she gave him a tentative hug. He patted her back. “And this would be...?”

  “My...my friend, Seth Banyon.” She waved her hand as she introduced them. “My parents, Meredith and Carter Templ
eton.”

  Seth stuck out his hand toward her father. “Sir.”

  Carter’s demeanor didn’t soften, but he returned the handshake. “Seth.”

  Meredith gave Hayley a meaningful look. Rather than shake Seth’s hand, though, she hopped off her chair and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. “I am so pleased to meet you.”

  He looked a little bemused as he straightened. Hayley could hardly blame him. Meredith tended to have that effect on people.

  “Carter, pull up a few chairs from somewhere,” Meredith ordered. “Hayley and I are just going to powder our noses.” Not waiting for a response, she plucked the wineglass from Hayley’s hand and set it on their table. “Your timing is perfect,” she said as she dragged Hayley toward the hallway with a determination that belied her petite size. “We haven’t ordered yet.”

  As soon as they were away from the table, though, she stopped. “That’s him, isn’t it? The special one?”

  Hayley nodded. As much as she wanted to talk about Seth with her mom, she was counting her breaths before Vivian appeared. “He is. But, uh, we’re not here alone. Vivian’s with us.”

  Meredith’s lips rounded. “Oh. Oh.” She spread her hands. “Where is she?”

  “In the ladies’ room.”

  “Okay.” Meredith turned with a flounce and the faint tinkle of bells from her ankle and continued toward the red door marked with a gold W. “We’ll just take this one step at a time, shall we?” She gave a determined smile and pushed open the door.

  Hayley, topping her by a head, saw the same thing that she did and her stomach hollowed out.

  Vivian, laying prone on the Oriental rug just inside the door.

  Meredith whirled and pushed Hayley toward Vivian. “I’ll get help.”

  “Grandmother.” Hayley fell down on her knees next to Vivian. Her grandmother was breathing, but her face was ashen, the rouge that Hayley had thought too heavy earlier now standing out like clown makeup. Hayley grabbed her grandmother’s handbag and quickly used it to elevate her feet. “Come on, Vivian. Can you hear me?”

  Vivian’s eyelids fluttered but didn’t open.

  Behind her, the door opened and Hayley scrambled out of the way, looking up to see Seth. Meredith and her father were on his heels. Seth dropped down on the other side of Vivian. “Breathing?” He checked her pulse and listened for himself without waiting for an answer. “Loosen her collar.”

  Hayley’s fingers shook as she unfastened several buttons. She was loosening the belt cinched around Vivian’s waist when she suddenly moved.

  “What’s going on?” Vivian’s voice was faint but still managed to contain a demand. “Oh, dear God, get me off this floor.”

  Seth’s teeth flashed. “That a girl,” he said and carefully helped her up until she was in a sitting position. “Not too fast, though. Looks like you fainted, sweetheart.” He rubbed her hands gently and color quickly began returning to Vivian’s face. “You do much of that?”

  “Templetons do not faint,” Vivian muttered. She freed one of her hands and grasped Hayley’s. “Most particularly on a bathroom floor. It’s simply not done. Get me up.”

  “Let’s just wait a few minutes,” Hayley urged. “Are you dizzy? Did you hurt anything when you fell?”

  “My dignity,” Vivian said.

  “Has this happened before, Mrs. Templeton?” There wasn’t much room left in the small area, but Meredith somehow managed to squeeze in.

  “Vivian, this is Meredith. My—”

  “I know who she is,” Vivian said, managing a shred of impatience despite her condition. “You have pictures of your family all over your little cottage.”

  She struggled to get up and Seth helped her to her feet, keeping his arm around her as she focused somewhat unevenly on Meredith. “Hayley says you’re a lovely person, Meredith, and I have no reason to doubt her. Though I question your judgment in choosing my son, I have come to realize that even the worst of us can somehow manage to find someone to love us. Wouldn’t have had my dear Arthur if not for that.”

  “Even now you can’t find something nice to say,” Carter said from the doorway.

  Vivian peered at Carter. “Good to see you too, son. I’m disinheriting you, by the way.”

  Meredith just blinked, not saying a word. Hayley could hardly blame her. This was the first time her stepmother had met Vivian and, as usual, her grandmother was living up to form. “I’m sure she doesn’t mean that, Dad.”

  Mother and son spoke at the same time.

  “I most certainly do.”

  “I never wanted the money anyway.”

  Meredith’s wary gaze met Hayley’s.

  “Perhaps this isn’t the place to discuss it,” Seth suggested.

  Vivian lifted her chin and closed her eyes for a moment, swaying a little. Seth immediately gave her a supporting arm again.

  “Vivian.” Hayley nervously stepped closer, too. “Are you feeling faint again?”

  “No.” She opened her eyes and focused on Meredith. “To answer your question, dear, yes. I’ve fainted before.” She looked at Hayley. “To answer your question before you ask it, yes, I know why I fainted. Thanks to this thing in my head,” she waved at the back of her neck. “I’m told it may happen more frequently as my time nears.”

  She ignored Hayley’s frown and looked at her son. “That should finally put you at ease, Carter. To know the world will soon be free of the mother you so hate.” She stepped away from Seth and stopped in front of Carter, barely coming up to his shoulders. “I wanted to give you the world, but none of you would take it.”

  His expression was tight. “How could we, when nothing you ever did came without strings? You didn’t care about the world that any of us wanted. You only cared about the world that you thought we should want.”

  “Well.” Vivian reached up and patted his cheek as if he were eight instead of fifty-eight. “You’re right. I wanted to tell you I was sorry for being a terrible mother. You, being the perfect son that you are, wouldn’t allow me even that.” The lines on her face stood out.

  Carter’s jaw worked. Then he spun on his heel and walked away.

  Meredith bit her lip. “Mrs. Templeton—”

  “Oh, call me Vivian,” she said wearily. “Templeton’s a name I should have lost the privilege of using many, many years ago.”

  Meredith tentatively touched her mother-in-law’s sleeve. “He’s looked at the photo album every day since Hayley brought it by. He’s just not ready to admit that to you. According to David’s wife, neither is he.”

  Vivian’s eyes moistened. “Thank you, dear. You should probably go after him so he doesn’t worry you’ve become tainted by me.”

  “We’re going to meet again.” Meredith’s encouraging look encompassed both Hayley and Vivian. “It’s bound to get better each time.”

  The restroom door opened and a teenaged girl stopped short at the sight of them. Particularly Seth. Her mouth rounded in an “oh” and she quickly backed out again. Meredith followed.

  “Well, that was fun,” Vivian said. “Where’s my Tom Collins?”

  “Vivian,” Seth said quietly. “Cut the crap.”

  Hayley went into one of the stalls and yanked off a hank of toilet paper. She blew her nose and washed her hands. If she’d had to work with a family like hers in her practice, she would have suggested they’d benefit from intense therapy. “You,” she told her grandmother, “have some explaining to do.”

  “That may be true, but I’m not doing it in the ladies’ room.” Vivian refastened the buttons at her neck and patted her hair. Despite her authoritative tone, though, she held on tightly to Seth’s arm as he escorted her back into the restaurant.

  Not surprisingly, Meredith and Carter hadn’t returned to their table. It had already been cleared for the
couple who’d replaced them.

  “We should get her back to Weaver,” Hayley whispered to Seth. “Take her to the hospital.”

  “My hearing is perfectly fine, missy.” Vivian gave Hayley a stern look. “And there’s nothing they can tell me at the Weaver hospital that I don’t already know. I got woozy and didn’t sit down quickly enough for it to pass. So I fainted. Simple enough. Now—” she looked at the line still leading out of the restaurant “—where’s the maître d’? I’m sure the usual financial persuasion will produce a table for us. Once I eat I’ll be fine.”

  The restaurant had a nice cloth on each table, but the teenaged girl wielding a pencil and a notepad at the hostess station wasn’t exactly a maître d’.

  “Until the next time you faint,” Seth said.

  “Which could be another six months away or tomorrow,” Vivian returned. “I’m fine and I want to eat.”

  The last thing Hayley wanted was to see Vivian wind herself up even more. “We’ll find you some food,” she soothed. Her own appetite had gone the way of the dinosaurs and she was wishing they’d never left Weaver—with the hospital only minutes away—in the first place. “But maybe we should go somewhere that will be quicker.”

  Seth transferred Vivian’s arm to Hayley’s. “Hold tight.” He worked his way to the hostess station.

  “You need to marry him,” Vivian said. “But do it quickly, before I’m gone.”

  “Grandmother!”

  “Well? You want to, don’t you?”

  Hayley’s own head felt as if it was buzzing inside. “I haven’t given it any thought,” she lied.

  “Hmm.” Vivian clearly didn’t believe her. “Next time you’re alone with him, wear a dress,” she advised. “Never underestimate the power of a pretty girl in a dress. Makes the man feel very...manly.”

  A worried, rueful laugh rose in Hayley’s throat. All too easily, she remembered Seth’s comment about her skirt the afternoon they’d gone to the park together. “I’ll keep that in mind. But I don’t want to hear you talking about being gone.” She pressed her hand over Vivian’s. “You’re not going to distract me from what just happened here.”