Peter repacked his briefcase. "I'll ensure your case is ready to go, but let's hope she's gone soon."
Vicki shook her head. "I lost Colt, but I cannot lose Clara too. I don't want to wish that the woman just disappears."
Peter placed his briefcase on the floor and stood beside his sister. "The Collins family are all pretty honorable. John's Alice is a keeper, and who knows, her brother might just end up with my baby sister. You're worth ten of whoever this Belle is."
"Not everyone has a dollar sign that makes them who they are." She sighed and then hugged her brother. At least in personality, Peter only kept who he was, despite their father’s influence. Now she had people on her side. It made breathing easier.
Silence greeted her ears, and Vicki glanced up to see Alice's determined jaw set as the three of them swam. "Let's get in the pool and cool off."
Vicki left Peter, walked over, and dived into the cool waters of the pool. The splashing sound made her forget everything else and find peace.
Chapter 15
Vicki and Clara sat near the kitchen as Clara played with a doll quietly. Alice worked on food preparations, and once Vicki felt her daughter was fine, she stood to help her friend.
John and Peter talked in the living room about potential half-siblings that might exist somewhere, but Vicki didn't care. She glanced at her daughter as she said, "Clara, I'm going to help your aunt with lunch."
Clara didn't let go of her doll or whatever fantasy she was in at the moment. "Okay."
Vicki picked up a knife and began slicing the carrots, but then her phone rang. Alice retook the knife as Vicki checked her phone. She pursed her lips, as she didn't recognize the out-of-town number. She scratched her head, picked it up, and answered, "Hello?"
"Vicki, hi. It's Belle. Hope you're well."
Her face must have shown her surprise, because Alice stopped chopping and scooted closer. Vicki gripped the phone tighter. "Belle, I'm fine. Why are you calling me?"
Alice offered a smile, though she clearly intended to listen. Belle's voice had a sweet tinge in it. "I'm calling about the play date with Clara you're on today. I need you to come over to your bridal shop."
"Why?"
"I'm buying a dress and we should talk in person."
"Why are you there?" Colt had told her to take her time, as he intended to spend the day with Belle.
"I thought we'd clear the air."
Her stomach rolled. The wedding was on. She'd misread Colt, badly. Vicki had hoped he had dumped Belle. This time she had to be sure. "Okay. We're having lunch with her aunt and uncle. I'll be right over."
"Thanks. I look forward to our chat."
Her eyes felt wet as she ended the call. Today she let go of her crush on Colt. He must still intend to be with Belle. Perhaps they had worked out their problems. Her cheeks were slightly damp from her eyes, but Vicki turned away so no one saw her tears. "Belle is at my shop. Can Clara stay here for the hour so I can go help her?"
Alice pressed a hand on her shoulder. "You're joking."
Colt's sister shouldn't be surprised. Vicki froze. Now was not the time to listen to her heart. It could break, later, when she was alone. She stared at the ground, walked over, and kissed Clara's head. "I have to go. I'll be back here in an hour."
No one said a word to her. Vicki closed the door of the building, and started her car. With action, she didn't think. She had no right to let herself hope. She'd been wrong. She drove down John's street and toward her shop, as she fished in her pocketbook for her phone. At the stop sign, she dialed Colt.
The first ring took too long. The second was even worse. Then her heart almost stopped. He hadn't answered. His voicemail did. She sighed and then perked up her voice. "Colt. It's Vicki. Belle called me and asked for my help. I left Clara with John and Alice. I need you to call me."
As she continued on the street, he didn't call, and every second took too long. Guess she'd not talk to him first. Vicki parked out front of her shop, and all she heard was silence. She stared in the window. A dark-haired woman stood with a wedding dress. Vicki's heart thumped into her stomach as she turned the car off. This shouldn't happen. Colt should not marry Belle.
She willed herself forward. Her feet marched, but her ankles locked against the motion. With the blazing heat that beat against her head, she tried to breathe. He should have called her back already. The phone call might have been about Clara.
The doorbell chimed above her head as she slipped inside the shop. "Hello?"
"Victoria, you're the only woman I know in Miami that's female and not a child. I can't decide between this dress and one more." Belle twirled around in a Vera Wang. "What do you think of this one?"
Vicki blinked. At least Belle hadn't picked the Pandora dress from the latest line, as Vicki dreamed of herself in that dress, at the altar with Colt. Her stomach turned queasy. "You look beautiful."
"Hold on." Belle smiled, but the air in the room went cold, fast. "I want your opinion on the second."
Vicki tried hard not to feel. It would be better if she didn't care. Josie, the store manager, came to stand next to her. "I tried to help her, but she said you were personal friends."
"Don't worry." Vicki nodded. "I'll handle Belle."
Belle came from behind and turned around near the mirror, "Okay, Tori, will you get the buttons for me in the back?"
"My name is Vicki, or Victoria. I'm not Tori." Vicki's hands clenched.
"I'm sorry. I'm trying to be friends."
"Then call me Vicki." Vicki buttoned Belle in the dress.
Belle held still and stared at herself in the mirror. "If we're all getting along closer to the wedding, maybe you can be one of the bridesmaids."
When she'd worked for the Hudsons to keep her identity a secret, Vicki hadn't felt these sharp pains of a knife lodged in her spine. Her throat went dry, but somehow, she managed to hold her smile. "We'll see."
Belle turned around and narrowed her eyes. If the situation were reversed, Vicki would beam her happiness, but there was something about the gaze that made Vicki's body alert and ready to run. She stood a foot shorter than the dark-haired Amazon type, and her entire body felt small.
Belle nodded. "No matter what happens later, Victoria, remember he was mine for years."
If only Colt chose her instead, but Vicki couldn't say that. She lowered her head. "Of course."
Belle shrugged. "On second thought, I don't like either dress in this small shop. I'll get one in D.C. Miami isn't my style."
Then Colt wasn't a good life accessory for her either. Bitterness held Vicki's tongue. Instead she turned and nodded at the store manager. "I understand everything. Josie will help you out of your dress."
The bell chimes of the door on Vicki's way out told her that she could breathe again. Her skin felt like ice, but the humidity that pressed against her would make her melt. As she walked across the parking lot, her stomach flipped. Why Colt would marry Belle, she had no idea. Vicki started her car and closed her eyes. Her skin crawled with anxiety. She swallowed and found her phone. "Clara is the only good thing in my life now."
Her skin jumped as the air conditioning blasted against her. She picked up her phone and called her brother, but no one answered at John's house. She checked her messages, but she had no new or missed calls. Her shoulders caved as she told herself she'd not cry.
A few minutes later, she knocked and John let her in. "Why didn't you answer?" She hugged her brother and heard her daughter's laughter in the back. "How is Clara?"
John tucked his hands in his pockets. "She's great. We went to the store for some ice cream."
Alice waved. Vicki nodded and swallowed. John brought her to the table, where she saw papers from Peter's lawyer. She read that it was a contract for authorization. She'd need a lawyer if Belle became Colt's wife. She gazed at Clara as she signed the papers on the table that authorized the attorney. Then she pushed the papers toward John, and her phone rang again. She glanced at the number and si
ghed. Finally. Colt's name flashed on her screen. Her heart raced as she answered. "Colt. Hello."
"I was booking Belle an airline ticket all morning. I'm at the airport with her now, and this day has been long."
He hadn't been at the store. She massaged her neck and stared at John, Alice, and Clara. Now was not the time to sound bitter, so she swallowed. "I called and left a message."
"I know. It's been a hectic morning. I'm glad you're with Clara. We'll talk when I get home."
"Belle made me meet her at my shop." The static on the phone was so intense that she wasn't sure he'd heard her. "Hello?"
The line was hard to hear, but the sound did change into machines in the background. Colt told her, "I have to go."
"Can you hear me?"
"I'm heading inside with her bag, then she'll be gone. On your way home, can you and Clara meet me at the diner around seven?"
Her racing heart beat for a new reason. Maybe Belle was a momentary blip, though that didn't explain the dress shop. A family dinner with Colt relaxed her mind. "Sounds good. Thank you."
"And tell my sister hello for me, and that I'll stop by soon."
"I will." She smiled up at her friends. "We'll see you tonight."
Her family smiled at her, and Vicki stared at Clara. "Ready to go? We have errands to run, and then we'll have dinner with your dad."
"Okay," Clara answered. "Bye, Uncle John and Aunt Alice."
Vicki shook her head and then hugged John and Alice. She grabbed her bags as Alice walked them out. "My brother is a good guy. I knew he'd not let you down."
"He is always good to me." In Vicki's dreams, she'd have been in a family and lived on that farm with him, but she couldn't let those dreams mess with her reality. "But he's still engaged."
"I hope for your sake and his that everything works out."
Her friend was generous. Vicki found her keys in her bag and held out her hand for Clara. Once they were near the door, Vicki whispered to Alice, "Tonight, Clara and I meet him for dinner, just the three of us."
"Good luck." Alice held the door.
Vicki walked Clara her to the car. Once her daughter was secure in the car seat, Vicki let the bubbles that grew in her stomach send a smile through her. Tonight, they were going to be a family. It was all that mattered. Today was going great.
Chapter 16
Vicki's heart skipped a beat the moment she parked the car in the lot outside the diner. Colt would tell her what happened today. Her stomach flipped with the thought that he'd found a way to work everything out with Belle. It sounded like they had dated for years. She closed her eyes as she imagined Colt kissing her and saying he wasn't getting married.
She swallowed, and then fixed her hair one more time with the front mirror. Then she stared into the backseat. Clara wore a new pink dress that matched Vicki's. Once the decision to dress alike hit Clara, Vicki had jumped in to find the perfect outfits. There were a few differences in the attire. The bottom of Clara's dress flared out, and Vicki's bottom clung to her body. The high belts also made her waist seem tiny. All of this was to show Colt that they were a family. Clara danced to her music.
Vicki's makeup was flawless. She stepped out of the car and thought she saw a flash of light. A memory of New York where the Hudson family smoked her out once played in her mind. She shook her head, blamed the sun, and helped Clara get out of the car seat. She fixed the hem of the dress at the same time. Finished, they went inside, and Vicki held the door.
Clara ran the moment she spotted Colt as he stood next to a table. Vicki's heart leapt as her gaze followed her daughter. Then her hands went to fists at her side and she plastered on her widest smile as she sashayed over. Heat raced up her spine, as she saw Colt in his blue jeans and button-down white shirt. Clara hugged her father, and his face almost showed relief. That wasn't possible. He couldn't know she'd spoken to a lawyer, unless Alice told him.
Clara babbled that she had a great day, and that Vicki was awesome. He mussed her hair as he stood and offered his arm to Vicki.
Her arms ached to hug him, but she held them locked at her side. Then, a second later, he opened his arms and offered a hug. Vicki's heart beat faster, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His huge bicep almost blocked out the world as she did. She licked her lips and wished to kiss him again.
"Dad, Vicki and I went swimming, but I missed you so much." Clara jumped up in her seat and scooted over to the center as he stepped back. "Dad, you sit next to Vicki."
Vicki adjusted her shirt and glanced at Colt's brown eyes. If she was engaged to him, she'd never let him have dinner with another woman. She took the seat opposite their daughter and let Colt sit where he wanted, though he followed their daughter's orders.
"Bossy as ever." Colt wrapped his arm behind her chair. "Should I offer Vicki a napkin on her lap or just hand it to her?"
Vicki laughed and then shook her head at Clara. "Handing it to me is fine."
Colt winked. "No, wait. The princess is directing."
"Hand it to her and kiss her hand, Dad."
Vicki shook her head, though she imagined how his lips would feel against her skin. She took the napkin from his hand and threw it in her lap. Colt elbowed Vicki and her entire body relaxed. "Why did Belle leave so suddenly?"
"Gone back to D.C.," Colt said. "She had a job to finish."
Clara bounced in her chair. Colt leaned closer to his daughter. "Did I tell you how I met Vicki?"
Vicki blinked. He intended to change the conversation from Belle to childhood. She opened her mouth, but then Clara giggled. "How, Dad? Tell me."
Colt's arm on her chair seemed permanent. Vicki settled into her seat and scooted closer. "I followed your Aunt Alice to get her to go home so Grandma would serve our dinner. I'd told Aunt Alice not to talk to the blonde earlier, but she dragged me to say hello. Vicki then told me she sat behind me in Spanish class. I knew that, but I hadn't had the nerve to say anything to her."
Vicki's mouth fell open. "You knew?"
He stared at her and nodded. "You scared me."
He was never afraid of anything in his life. "You?"
His cheeks tinged red as he turned to Clara. "Yeah. Then she smiled at me every day after, and I switched my seat in accounting to sit closer to her."
Vicki added, "Your dad was two years older than us, so he didn't talk to any other girl my age."
"She says that now, but Victoria Morgan was the girl everyone was afraid of in school."
"I was not."
Clara asked, "You did? You were afraid of Vicki?"
Vicki shook her head. "Your dad has a great smile, and he's trustworthy. It's pretty rare in my world."
Colt winked at her. "I came home from a semester at college, and after I kissed you, you freaked out that you'd betrayed your friend."
"I just graduated high school." Vicki laughed as she remembered how innocent she was then. "Then I told you my dad would never approve."
"So Vicki and I were a secret, and we didn't tell your grandparents, either." Colt then winked at Clara. "Remember I told you not to tell Grandma when we visit Aunt Alice?"
"You dated my Vicki, Daddy?" Clara asked.
It was clear that her daughter intended to ask about her mother again. Vicki blinked. Her heart soared. This was the moment she'd been waiting for.
The click of heels interrupted. The waitress stood over them and placed drinks on the table. Vicki's skin was warm as Colt ordered for their daughter. Then she stared at the menu for ten seconds, and added that she wanted a chicken sandwich. Satisfied, she slid the menu to Colt. Her hands grazed his and heat ignited on her skin. Vicki hoped this interruption didn't change what had almost happened.
"I never had a mother, and my father never liked me," Vicki said. "John and Peter were older and away. All I had that summer was the music and your dad."
"My dad loves me," Clara added as she stared at Colt.
They had a bond that was deep and true. Vicki saw that. "He does."
Colt sat straighter in his chair. "Clara's easy to love."
Vicki smiled and held her breath. She had to try. "Having someone who's moral and upright standing next to you is good to have. I didn't think people like your dad existed, and didn't understand for a long time how amazing Colt is."
Colt lifted his hand off her chair then ran it through his hair. "No. This can't happen. Vicki, you were my every fantasy."
What was he talking about? She wanted to tell Clara she was her mother, and why did goose bumps grow on her arm?
Colt continued, "I had to grow up, and I spent most of my life between the middle of the desert, half a world away, and changing diapers."
She wouldn't try to erase their bond. She hoped to be part of their family. "But we're talking about our family now, and what's important for us to move on."
"Yes." Colt nodded and crossed his arms. "I hear what you’re saying. I can’t right now. We'll do this tomorrow. Right now, everything is going too fast. I just need to breathe."
If he didn't want to tell their daughter, then they had a big problem. She glanced at both of them and sighed. One more day wasn't unreasonable. She nodded. "Every moment of my adult life was spent with regret over what happened with you. I can wait one more day for the truth, Colt, but it's not fair to ask for more. I'm trusting you to do this."
Vicki also hoped to ask what had happened to Belle. One more day was all she could take, though. It was time Clara knew the whole truth.
"Is it true what was in the papers about your father with tax evasions that are completely legal?" he asked.
She closed her eyes, inhaled, opened her eyes, and answered, "Yes, every word. He cared more for the Morgan brand and his corporate legacy for Peter than he cared for anyone within the House of Morgan. My father believed that a man's job in life was to leave everything he could to his heir."
[House of Morgan 01.0 - 03.0] Boxed Set Page 32