Tempting Victoria

by Mina V. Esguerra

  So, essentially, I went out with girls who happened to be around. Yeah, that wasn't going to work.

  That, and he was still thinking about how sex with her was good, amazing, and different. She'd heard him, seen him, without the cover of the performance. Without the edge, the dirty words, the theatrics.

  Get ahold of yourself. There's never been a cover. You've been naked with other people. You've come that hard. You know what they saw, and you don't care. You walk away anyway.

  Maybe it was a good thing that they wouldn't be talking about this back home. No one needed to know what it took to make him this pensive the morning after.

  But she seemed to like being with him right now. That felt good.

  He'd realized that she might be enjoying herself when her phone buzzed and he noticed that it had been at least three hours since she looked at it. She read the message and a smile brightened her up even more. “She said yes, according to Trent. Proposal weekend a success.” She held out a fist and he bumped it with his.

  Nathan whistled. “After meeting them, I wasn't sure how it would go.”

  “Really?” She pushed herself up to sit and poked into their bag, pulling out another chip. “You think it'll work out? Long term?”

  He paused. “Nyssa would have given this a lot of thought. And won't make a stupid decision. Nice of Trent to be the romantic of the two.”

  “Twist,” Victoria said. She looked up at him, pushing her hair out of her eyes, and seemed almost shy. “Nathan...I've been curious since you mentioned it...you don't have to answer...how did you find out your parents were...?”

  “A marriage of convenience? I didn't know until my grandmother said something. I was ten, I think.” Nathan didn't see his father's side of the family often, and after that revelation, he understood why. “And then it began to make sense, why we never visited, why I didn't get the cards or presents or Disney World trips my other cousins got. They were suspicious of my mother for a long time. They probably still are.”

  “That's just silly. And wrong,” Victoria said. He remembered that she actually knew and admired his mother, and that felt good too.

  “Years later I asked my dad about it and got a more detailed response. They were friends. He helped her out. He'd always been attracted to her but didn't do anything about it until he absolutely needed to.”

  “I guess we can't judge where and how people find love,” Victoria mused.

  “I was confused about it for a bit. I thought for a while, if I got the full story, I could go back to my grandmother, tell her she was wrong. And everything would work itself out. But it's not like that, because I hadn't learned anything new. The fact that I was around, that they’ve been happily married all this time, didn’t matter to them.”

  There was a lot he could say about this, but he had already gone over what even Chris knew.

  Victoria stretched out on the towel again. “I don't want to be my Aunt Pam.”

  “You're not your Aunt Pam,” he automatically responded, not knowing what it meant, but thankful that she chose to excuse him from the hot seat.

  “Thank you. What I mean is that there is that person we all have in our lives who's just been ruined by relationships, and for me, it's Aunt Pam. She's fragile, constantly heartbroken, and she believes it when men promise her things. We've been the stable thing in her life. She has a room in our house, and we don't pack away her things, because we kind of know she'll be back.”

  “You're not your Aunt Pam,” he said with more conviction. How could she be? She would be running half the world in ten years, if half the world lent itself to a new leader.

  “I could be my Aunt Pam,” Victoria said. “And I'm not because I've made sane decisions.”

  “And me?” Nathan pressed. “How sane or crazy a decision was I?”

  “Today’s great so far. No regrets.” There was a sadness to her smile while she said it. He wanted to wipe that away, to kiss it and replace it with something else.

  “I know how to have fun in this town,” he said. He could manage to give her a Sunday in Cozumel, at least. He had no fucking idea what she would want if they were back home.

  ***

  There was a small charge to changing Nathan's flight so they'd go back to IAH together, but Trent agreed to cover it. A bit too enthusiastically. He couldn't be that happy about being newly engaged. Victoria wondered what else he and Nathan had talked about on that boat.

  Because when Nathan took her out on a boat himself, there was barely any talking. Well, there was “hold this,” “be careful,” “don't forget your goggles,” and other instructions, but in between there was kissing. So much kissing. In the boat, in the water, on the sand. What those fish had seen...

  No talking. More kissing.

  On the plane ride, where there were federal aviation guidelines against whatever they wanted to do, there was more talking. And it wasn't bad. They talked about home, school, Chris.

  “You think he'll actually make it?” Victoria asked. “Over there? Oliver Cabrera is major. International. It's a lot to ask of Chris to help fix that mess.”

  Nathan shrugged. “He puts out fires all the time. He'll be good at this too.”

  “How are you friends?” Victoria wondered, not actually meaning to say that to his face. She'd thought about it a lot when she was obsessing over the unhealthy crush she had on him. She almost resented how he was also close to a friend whose opinions she valued.

  “That's not what you want to know,” Nathan said, dark eyes piercing right through her. “And the answer is, because I'm not half bad. I come through in a crisis.”

  What they went through this weekend was in no way a crisis, but he did come through for her. That was Nathan on the island. And Victoria on the island.

  The pilot announced that they were about to make their descent to Bush International. Welcome to Houston. Victoria caught Nathan's eye and cleared her throat.

  “We're home,” she said.

  “Yes.”

  “I had a nice time. A very nice time.”

  “I did too.”

  “I'm sorry for being difficult.”

  “You don't owe me any apologies.”

  But she felt she did. She owed him something. There was something wrong and unsatisfying about home all of a sudden, and she felt it in the pit of her stomach. But he didn't say anything else. Because they weren't going to talk about it anymore, right? Not in Houston, not back home, not where anyone who knew them would find out and expose her to the kind of judgment reserved for Nathan's hook-ups.

  No talking as they waited for her baggage. He didn't check in any, and waited beside her with a backpack hanging over one shoulder.

  She spotted Josh waiting for her. He was on his phone though and didn't see her right away. Did Josh know Nathan? Did she have to introduce them?

  “I'm guessing that's your ride,” Nathan said.

  “I'll text you. Email you. And stuff.” It came out quick and dismissive.

  He raised a hand in a salute, walking past her, past Josh, and out the airport.

  Chapter 11

  Email from Victoria:

  I think I was weird at the airport. I'm sorry. I'm the worst at airports and goodbyes.

  I received an email from Trent, and he seems to be satisfied with how the weekend went. I mean, it's good that she said yes and they probably had lots of sex in that house, but apparently the event plan worked out all the way to their flight back to Texas.

  He did say that he wanted more beer though. Thanks for helping him get beer.

  If it matters, you were an excellent assistant. But I won't be in a rush to recommend you to other event planners because. Well. Haha.

  Thanks.

  Text from Nathan:

  I don't think I'll be up for a career change soon anyway. New job next week. My event planning work experience starts and ends with you.

  You want to go to a game this weekend? You into college Frisbee?

  Text from Victor
ia:

  I didn't know that was a thing. Sorry, I'm visiting my sister in San Francisco. Next time?

  Where will you be working?

  Nathan:

  Solar energy firm my parents both consult for. It was going to happen, but I managed to ask for some time to do shit. Just in case I felt like doing that instead.

  Victoria:

  How long exactly does one need to “do shit” before one decides they want to make solar panels instead?

  Nathan:

  Two years. Safe trip, okay?

  Victoria:

  Hey, thank you. San Francisco was cool. Literally. Did your team win?

  Nathan:

  I was just there to support friends, and no, they didn't. Started at work this week. Visiting a site in Galveston on Friday. You up for it?

  Victoria:

  Back at school, sorry. Paper due. Raincheck?

  Nathan:

  Forecast no rain. All weekend. I feel like going on a boat. You in?

  Victoria:

  It's an important paper. Deadlines not weather-dependent.

  Nathan:

  Victoria, I get it. Back to the old rules, I see. Sucks, but I get it.

  Victoria:

  Thank you.

  Chapter 12

  Text from Victoria:

  I'm sorry.

  Text from Nathan:

  For?

  Victoria:

  I saw the Frisbee results. Sad for your friends.

  Nathan:

  They're a sad bunch usually. I missed their game because of work.

  Victoria:

  How late are they keeping you in this time?

  Nathan:

  The day's over when it's over, babe. You know how it is. You like your new apartment?

  Victoria:

  Yes, I do.

  Nathan:

  Think you're gonna let me visit? I know how to warm it up nice.

  Victoria:

  No, but thank you.

  It was like this, for months.

  No one found out about them as far as she could tell. No weird looks sent her way in school, and Haley would have told her if she heard anything. Victoria had told no one but her best friend.

  She was relieved. Right? She could sweep this experience under the rug and not have to think about what it meant.

  Victoria made it a point to avoid having to see him, even throwing together a sudden trip to visit her sister who was in college in California. She'd never been to San Francisco anyway. And she had enough air miles. And she made some money from Mexico and was going to enjoy it.

  It was all logical.

  School and work kept her busy after, and Nathan apparently started working too. Months later, by the time she graduated and officially started her events company working out of a spare room in her brother's office, this way of living circles around Nathan seemed like second nature. No trouble at all.

  They kept talking though. Emails, text messages, random but private correspondence. It was easy, talking to him this way. Sometimes (more than sometimes) he'd suggest they meet, but she never took him up on it. She wasn't being coy; she still wanted him like crazy. That one weekend was getting major mind replay action. It just...wasn't the best time? They were both adjusting to new things. He was probably back on the circuit, the horse, or whatever, hanging out with gorgeous people and talking dirty.

  She didn't want to think about that any more than she already was.

  By August, she had moved into her own apartment and dropped by her parents' house just for the weekend. That was when Chris dropped by.

  “New York City boy!” She hugged him and pulled him into the house, both happy and panicked for a reason that dawned on her a second later. “Are you with anybody?”

  Chris looked exactly the same after a year or so in New York, still laid-back, not so slick, not so smooth-talking. His clothes at least looked like they'd been ironed recently, so that was something. “I'm alone. Did you want me to bring a buddy?”

  “Absolutely not, friend. Buddy. I need only you.”

  She told her mom that she and Chris were going out, and she suggested a surf 'n' turf joint nearby. A quarter of a mile at least in the opposite direction from Nathan's home, place of work, and most places where he would likely be seen. She had divided Houston into zones and stuck to the safe ones.

  God, she didn't even tell Chris. She should have. But there was a safety to telling Haley, because Haley wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. She didn't know Nathan, barely even knew Chris. Telling her anything was like telling it to a void, and if she only meant to feel better and hear her own thoughts aloud. Chris, on the other hand, that wasn't going to be a void.

  “I have something for you,” Chris said after the pleasantries and the decision to go with shrimp and beer. “I did say I was going to make it up to you at some point.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Oliver Cabrera will go to your festival this year.”

  “No shit.” Victoria reverted to a childhood habit of smacking him on the wrist. “I invite him every damn year. I thought this was all beneath him.”

  “He never saw the invites, but yes, he would have done it. Ex-manager never mentioned it to him.”

  “Well, that guy was a douche in more ways than one then. This is for real? Is Oliver sober enough to mentor?”

  Chris did not speak again until he had gulped down half his beer. “Oh yeah. This is good. I can't drink around Oliver, you know. But yes, he's sober. He wasn't as drunk as he was angry, anyway, and the anger isn't there anymore. This'll be good for him, get him out of his head.”

  Victoria was in the middle of planning this year's Breathe Music Festival, and this news was excellent, just excellent. She'd already secured the attendance of a former student (now famous pop star), and getting an actual Houston-bred rock star was going to make the sponsors throw money at them.

  “Okay, this makes up for skipping out on my Mexico job,” Victoria said.

  “I don't know,” he said, deliberately keeping his eye on the shrimp. “You wouldn't have gotten laid like that if I was there, right?”

  “Holy shit, Chris.”

  “Yeah, he told me.”

  “I asked him not to.”

  Chris was very, very amused at this. It was surely the most mortified he'd seen her look, counting the piano recital when they both missed their respective cues for Silent Night, previously her most embarrassing moment.

  “Why did you think he'd sell you out?” he asked. “Because Nathan doesn't do that. He won't put you in that position.”

  “I didn't want to be talked about,” Victoria insisted. “I'm sure he never means to, but you know what people say about the girls he's been with.”

  “Yeah, Victoria. He gets to sleep with hot girls. That's what we say. What do you think people say about them?” He was looking at her accusingly now.

  “You're my friend,” she said. “You're on my team.”

  “I didn't know what that meant until now. What exactly have people said about the girls he's been with?”

  Victoria shook her head. How could he not know this? “I don't want to be talked about that way.”

  “You didn't answer my question.”

  “Airheads.”

  Chris frowned. “That's weak. You wouldn't be afraid of that. I'm sure you had other words in mind.”

  “God, do you want a dictionary? Promiscuous. Easy. Naïve. Damn it.”

  The words came out and they were difficult, heavy, and also, they were words she'd never actually said aloud in that context.

  Her friend started to nod.

  Victoria began to feel anxiety rising up in her throat. “Chris, I didn't—”

  “Nathan doesn't brag about that,” Chris said. “First because he's a decent guy, and second...no, he just doesn't brag. We like to give him a hard time about it. But if anyone has ever said that about someone he dated, they did it even before he went out with them.”

  Victoria
bit her lip and shook her head. “I don't know what I'm saying.”

  “I think it would be good for your dark and dirty soul to admit it, Victoria.”

  There were benefits to having Chris as a friend, but the way he periodically had her admit that she was dead wrong about things...ugh. Haley was subtle, at least.

  “I know I messed up,” she said. “I've remained friends with him, did he tell you that? He and I are freaking pen pals.”

  “You're not answering the question.”

  “Chris.”

  “Will you let me answer it?”

  She folded her arms. “You think you're a life coach for real now?”

  “You are full of shit,” Chris said. “I let you have your fun calling him 'piranha' all this time, but you are full of shit. You actually believe it.”

  “You saw what happened with Lana.”

  “What did you think he'd do to you?” Chris was shaking his head, “That's worse than calling him a piranha, accusing him of making sluts out of women? The guy hurt a total of one person, that we know of, but he owned up to that mistake. But you, you're a snob and a hypocrite.”

  Victoria let her head fall into her hands.

  “I'm trying to think of when you began to act like you hated him,” Chris said.

  “Maybe I've always been a snob and a hypocrite.”

  “You barely even know the guy. So I guess you began to hate him exactly when you figured out that you might like him, because you're afraid of what he could do to you.”