Rumors: Megan & Vinnie

by Rachael Brownell

  But it wasn’t.

  Instead, he strung me along.

  He was kind and sweet. He showed me more of himself outside the bedroom. He touched my heart in ways even Ryder never had. He played his cards perfectly, the end result being that I fell in love with him.

  What was his end game?

  He’s here now, permanently.

  He works with my ex-husband.

  If it was a hit-it-and-quit-it kind of thing, wouldn’t he have skipped town? Run away? Avoided seeing me?

  He didn’t do any of that. In fact, he did the opposite.

  Rented a house. Met my daughter. Invaded my life in every aspect he could. He’s in my head and my heart, and the more I think about it, the less I believe what Ally told me.

  Yes, the words hurt, but he deserves a chance to explain himself. Only, I’m not ready to face him yet.

  Against my better judgment, I call the one person that may be able to shed some light on the situation.

  “Hello?” Tyler sounds as confused that I’m calling as I expected.

  Amara is with Ryder this week. In his mind, there’s no reason I should be calling him. It’s not like we were super close when I was married to Ryder. We never hung out alone. We only had a relationship because we were family. I’m hoping he can find it in his heart to help his ex-sister-in-law today.

  “Hey, Tyler. Do you have a minute?”

  “I’m about to head into a meeting. What do you need?”

  “Any chance you could meet me for lunch today?”

  There’s a long pause, the sound of papers shuffling in the background. “Maybe. What’s up?”

  “I’ll tell you over lunch.” Maybe, if I’m persistent, he’ll say yes. “I want you to know it’s important. I wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t.”

  “Is Amara okay?” There’s concern in his voice.

  “She’s fine.”

  “Is this about Vinnie?”

  “Sort of, but I don’t want him to know we’re meeting.”

  Tyler hates secrets. It’s a real touchy subject for him. Asking him not to say anything should be a neon sign. People don’t ask Tyler to keep secrets because everyone knows he won’t. Morally, he can’t.

  “I have about thirty minutes at one o’clock. Where do you want to meet?”

  As I wait for Tyler to arrive, my phone begins chiming in my purse. Over and over again.

  VINNIE: Haven’t heard from you all day. Are you feeling better?

  VINNIE: Dinner and a movie tonight?

  VINNIE: Or something else.

  VINNIE: Whatever you want to do. Are you there?

  VINNIE: I need you to text me back. I’m starting to get worried.

  “I didn’t tell him if that’s what you’re thinking,” Tyler says as he takes the seat across from me.

  “I know and thank you. I’m sure it was hard to keep this quiet.”

  “The hard part was avoiding him today so I didn’t have to lie to him. If he had asked, I would have been honest with him.” Nodding my acceptance, Tyler continues. “So what’s so important you wanted a secret meeting with me?”

  “I heard a rumor—”

  “Whatever it is, don’t listen.” Tyler cuts me off, waving his hand in the air dismissively. Before he can continue, the waiter appears. He must have taken that as a sign that we needed him.

  “Look,” he says as the waiter walks away. “Whatever you heard is probably a line of bullshit. You know the gossip that floats around the office. Hell, you’ve been the topic of conversation before. Has any of it ever been true? No. Because the truth isn’t nearly as interesting as the shit Allison can make up. So, whatever you heard is probably the product of her boredom.”

  “You realize she’s my best friend, right?”

  “That doesn’t make you immune to her need for drama.”

  “I don’t even work there, Tyler. There’s no reason people should be talking about me. Not to mention, what I heard—”

  “Again, whatever it was, let it go. Don’t give it a second thought. You, of all people, the one who doesn’t normally care what anyone thinks, is suddenly listening to the gossip. Why?”

  “Because I’d rather not be used,” I spit out before I can stop myself.

  “Used? Who’s using you? Vinnie?”

  His confusion is clear. Either he’s covering for Vinnie, and playing the part of the best friend well, or there was no conversation. Ally made it up. For the dramatics. To keep the rumor mill alive and flowing with juicy gossip.

  “Yes. For sex,” I say, lowering my voice so the table next to us can’t hear our conversation.

  Tyler lets out a roar, his laugh drawing the attention of the entire restaurant. The exact thing I was trying to avoid.

  “And you believe that?” he finally asks, his laughter fading to a chuckle.

  “I don’t want to, but it was heard straight from his mouth.”

  Shaking his head, Tyler smiles at me from across the table, laughter dancing in his eyes.

  “I’m guessing this all went down yesterday.”

  “So, it’s true. He did say it!” I announce, my anxiety rising along with my voice.

  “Yes and no. What you were told was taken way out of context.”

  “Explain it to me, then, because right now, all I know is he said it, no matter what the context of the conversation was, and I don’t understand why.”

  “When he first started working for us there was a rumor going around that you were using him to make Ryder jealous or some shit.”

  “Yeah. I heard about it. It was absurd.”

  “Yesterday, Vinnie came into my office and asked me about it. I wasn’t aware it was still circulating, but he overheard his assistant, Kimmie, telling someone else about it in the break room. I swear those girls need to be more aware of their surroundings. Anyway, he straight up asked me if I thought it was true.”

  “And you said?” I urge him to continue. He’s staring at me, looking deep into my eyes. What he’s searching for, I’m not sure. The truth? A sign that the rumor is a load of crap? I hope he can see what he needs.

  “I don’t think you’re still after Ryder if that’s what you’re asking. I see the way you look at Vinnie. You never once looked at Ryder like that. Don't get me wrong, I know you loved him, but this is different. I was watching you two at the bar the other night, and that’s when it hit me. All the years you spent with Ryder, you were a different person. You were closed off and going through the motions. Even after hearing what you were telling everyone when we walked up, I didn’t want to believe you. But I saw it. I saw the real you, Megan. I’m glad you found her. I feel like I’m going to like her more than the old version of you.

  “So, when he asked, I pointed out that moment. The one where you two were in your own world, making the rest of us want to gag. The one where you forgot we were even there, Ryder included. If you were using him, you wouldn’t have been focused on Vinnie. You would have made sure Ryder was paying attention to you, and when you realized we all were, you actually blushed. You were embarrassed that we all saw that for a minute. That’s real. You two, together, you’re a real-life love story. It’s nauseating, but I’m happy for you. Both of you.”

  And just like that, I somehow have Tyler’s forgiveness and his blessing in the same breath. What I don’t have is a denial that Vinnie said he was using me.

  “Why would he say that, then? Why would he tell you he was using me for sex?”

  Using air quotes, Tyler says, “I guess if she’s using me to get Ryder back, then I’m using her for sex.”

  “It was all a joke? I crass statement?”

  “And taken completely out of context. We were both laughing after he said it, but whoever heard it must have not stayed long enough to hear the rest of the conversation.”

  “What else did he say?” I ask out of curiosity. My mind is starting to ease, but my heart is still aching. Even if it was all a joke, the thought of the words leaving his mouth still feel
s like someone is stabbing me with a knife.

  “That he loved you and was going to tell you yesterday. That he was afraid he was going to scare you off but was thinking about asking you to move in with him. That he’s never felt this way about anyone before, and as much as it should scare him, it doesn’t.”

  He told Tyler he loved me.

  That has to mean something. To confess that to another person before he even tells me.

  “And you believe him?”

  For whatever reason, I have to know if Tyler thinks he’s telling the truth. He knows Vinnie better than anyone else. They’ve been friends for a long time. This could be a thing Vinnie does, a feeling he gets often. Does he fall in love all the time? Am I just another girl he thinks he has feelings for?

  “I wouldn’t be telling you if I didn’t. In the more than ten years I’ve known Vinnie, I’ve only heard him confess his feelings for a woman once before. She destroyed him. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t do the same.”

  And there it is. His doubt. I knew it was in there somewhere.

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  “Do you love him, Megan? It’s not my business, but since we’re being frank, I’d appreciate a straight answer.”

  Confessing to Vinnie that I love him is one thing. Telling Tyler, or anyone else, is another. Once I say it, I can’t take it back. People will know. They’ll talk.

  In fact…

  “I do. I love him in ways I didn’t realize I could love someone. He’s as messed up as I am. We’re perfect for each other.”

  I’ll spin this to my advantage. Give the office something to gossip about. If they want to talk about me, it’s going to be on my terms. The rumors will be what I dictate.

  “Good, because I didn’t want to report back to Angela anything else.”

  “Angela?”

  “She called on my way here, and I told her we were having lunch. I tell her everything. We don’t keep secrets from each other. Our relationship is based on trust. It keeps us on solid ground. It sounds like you and Vinnie are headed in the same direction. I’m happy for you.”

  I was married to Ryder for six years. I’ve known his family for more than a decade. Never once have I felt supported by a single one of them. Sure, they were always kind to me, out of obligation to Ryder, I’m sure. But I never really felt welcomed into the fold.

  Tyler’s simple statement, that he’s happy for me, is the first time I’ve felt accepted by anyone in the Dixon family except Ryder. Fully accepted, for who I am, imperfections and all.

  “Can I ask you to do something for me?” Tyler interrupts my thoughts as the waiter sets our forgotten food on the table.

  “Anything,” I say with a smile.

  “Put Vinnie out of his misery and go see him. He was sulking around the office this morning, staring at his phone during our meeting, and basically acting like a ghost of the person he normally is. I’m guessing it has something to do with you because he looked lost.”

  Nodding, I agree, thanking Tyler for helping me straighten out what could have been a life-altering moment.

  If he hadn’t agreed to meet with me, I would still be thinking the worst of the situation. My insecurities crept up on me without even realizing it. I know Vinnie better than that. I never should have doubted him. I never should have listened to what Ally told me. There was a reason Emerson wouldn’t tell me what she heard.

  Rumors have the power to destroy everything in their path.

  Not this time.

  Not this rumor.

  I’m striking back, taking a stance against the gossipers. I’m going to spread a rumor of my own. Only, it’s not going to be fake news. It’s going to be the real deal, and it’s going to rock the office and change the way people see me.

  Not that I care.

  People are always going to talk shit. It’s human nature, but for a brief few moments, when people hear and talk about me, it’s going to be in a positive light. I’m going to give them something to chew on that won’t leave a bitter taste in their mouths. At least until the next rumor starts floating through the office.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Are you sure?”

  Vinnie’s asked me the same questions at least six times in the last in the last hour. Yes, I’m sure. Does he not see what I’m doing right now? Is he not aware that I’m all in?

  Still, I repeat myself so he can hear the words one last time.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I love you, and as scary as this is for both of us, I want this as much as you do.”

  Handing him the roll of packing tape, Vinnie nods and closes yet another box. Tyler and Ryder will be here with the moving truck in less than an hour to help us load. Amara is happily throwing toys into boxes in her room, singing at the top of her lungs. When I told her we were moving in with Vinnie, she was a little hesitant, which surprised me.

  I knew she liked Vinnie, but they hadn’t spent much time together. To ease the transition, Vinnie started staying here a few nights a week. It didn’t take long for Amara to fall in love with him, and as soon as she asked when we were moving, we put things in motion.

  None of it would have happened if I hadn’t gone back to the office that day, though.

  After lunch with Tyler, I head back to the office and surprise Vinnie. He’s in the conference room with Emerson, Justine, and Ryder. No one notices me walk in the room. I take advantage of the situation and spend a few minutes staring at the man who’s captured my heart. It’s not until Justine catches sight of me, abruptly interrupting Emerson’s dissection of Vinnie’s neighborhood, that my cover is blown.

  The Melman project. In full swing already.

  Vinnie jumps out of his chair when he realizes I’m there, rushing over to me and pulling me in his arms.

  “Where have you been?” he quickly asks between peppering kisses to my face.

  “Lunch with Tyler,” I state, bringing his kisses to a halt.

  “What?”

  “Can we talk for a few minutes?” I ask, looking past him and making eye contact with Emerson since she was leading the conversation. Waving us out the door, Vinnie takes my hand and leads me down the hall, past the prying eyes of Ally and her entourage, who are huddled around her desk, and straight into his office.

  “Before you say anything,” I start as he locks the door. “I want you to know that I love you.”

  “Good, but what the hell, Meg? You can’t disappear like that. I’ve been waiting to hear from you all day. I was about ready to say fuck it and head to your place.”

  “Then, I’m glad I caught you.”

  “Why were you having lunch with Tyler? What’s going on? Why weren’t you answering me?”

  Taking a seat on the leather couch by the window and patting the spot next to me, Vinnie shakes his head and begins pacing the room. Rattling off question after question.

  “Stop,” I firmly say once I realize that he’s going to keep going until I interrupt him. He’s not actually talking to me. He’s babbling, talking out loud. Trying to figure out what’s going on, but the only way that’s going to happen is if I give him the answers he needs.

  Stopping dead in his tracks, he turns to face me, and a grin slowly begins to spread across his face.

  “You know, I like it when you’re feisty.”

  “Look, have a seat and I’ll explain everything.” His grin widens as he takes the seat next to me, pulling me into his lap. He really does like when I’m feisty if the bulge in his pants is any indication. Maybe I should be bossy more often. “I had lunch with Tyler because there was a rumor that you were using me for sex.”

  That wipes the grin right off his face.

  “When I heard it, I was hurt. That’s why I was avoiding you last night. I didn’t want to believe it, but I didn’t know any better. We’re still learning about each other, and we will be for a long time. So, instead of accusing you or freaking out more than I already was, I decided to go straight to the source.”

  “T
yler was the source of the rumor?”

  “Sort of. You were overheard telling him you were using me for sex.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? That was a joke, taken completely out of context.”

  “I know. That’s what Tyler explained to me.”

  “So, you don’t believe it?”

  “Not anymore, but I needed to hear it from Tyler. I needed to know what was actually said. I couldn’t bring myself to call you, so I called him.”

  “And what did he say?” he asks, running his hand through my hair, fanning it out over my shoulders.

  “He told me you came to him when you heard the rumor about me using you to get Ryder back. That you both had a good laugh about it and that’s when you made the comment that was overheard. That you told him you loved me and were thinking about asking me to move in with you. That you were worried you were going to scare me away.”

  “Thank fuck I didn’t tell him my darkest secrets. The guy can’t keep anything to himself.”

  “You should have known better. Tyler doesn’t keep secrets.”

  Rolling his eyes, Vinnie leans down and kisses me softly on the lips.

  “I’m glad you talked to Tyler, and I’m happy you believe what he had to say, but I need you to promise me something,” he murmurs against my lips.

  “What’s that?”

  “You need to talk to me next time. It doesn’t matter what it is, just talk to me. I’ll always be honest with you, Meg. I swear on my life.”

  “Promise,” I say, emphasizing the word with a loud kiss to his lips. “Now, we have other business to discuss.”

  “We do?”

  “Yes. I’m sick of the rumors around here hurting the people I care about, so we’re going to flip the script.”

  “And how do you propose we do that?”

  “Well, a proposal might be too soon,” I joke, poking him in the chest. “Living together might not be, though.”

  “You want to move in with me?”

  “Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that why you rented a house big enough for all three of us?”