Chapter Two – Vivianne #2
The summer before our senior year, Ladd had gone back to River Falls for a couple of weeks, but returned to Fort Collins to take a couple of summer classes.
Those two weeks apart felt like an eternity.
I had kept busy by working my two jobs, and we spoke on the phone every single evening.
It was hard to believe we had been dating since April of our junior year and now it was October of our senior year.
Soon, we’d both be making plans for life after college.
The thought of Ladd not being in my life was something I tried not to think about.
“Vivianne, you’ve got a visitor.”
I looked up from the table I was serving and smiled the moment I saw Ladd walk in with his younger brother, David.
Focusing back on the couple in the booth, I asked, “Is there anything else I can get you right now?”
The young girl grinned. “That’s it, thank you.”
I hustled over to drop off their order before heading to the counter. I leaned over to meet Ladd, who had leaned over as well. We kissed, and David made a gagging sound.
Ladd and I had been dating for nearly six months, and it was the best six months of my life.
We didn’t get to see each other as much as I would have liked since I was working two jobs, waitressing part time at a café and part time at a pizza parlor.
I had gotten some academic scholarships, but they only covered my tuition.
I still had rent and food. I had even sold my car during my sophomore year just to get rid of the expense.
Between gas and insurance, it was taking up most of my paychecks.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” I said as I stood back and looked at his brother. “Hey, David.”
“Hey, Vivianne.”
“When do you get off?” Ladd asked.
I glanced at my watch. “I’m off in ten minutes. Let me make another round and tell my tables Lisa’s going to be taking over for me.”
After getting everyone settled and letting Lisa, who had just clocked in, know what was happening with each table, I grabbed my purse from the back room and met Ladd and David out front.
The moment I saw Ladd again, I ran and jumped into his arms.
“The two of you are gross,” David mumbled before he headed toward Ladd’s car.
“What’s wrong with him?” I asked, frowning.
Ladd glanced back at his brother and sighed. “A girl he was kind of into broke things off with him. I guess one of the football players asked her out, and she told David she wanted to see other people.”
“Wow,” I said as I looked at David, who was slipping into Ladd’s car. “That was a shit thing to do.”
“Tell me about it. I didn’t like her anyway.” He focused back on me and smiled. “Plans for tonight?”
“Nope. I thought I told you I had the night off. Maybe we can go to a movie?”
He suddenly looked nervous. “Well, I was wondering if you might want to go out to dinner.”
We started to walk toward the car. “Or I can make you something at my place, if you want.”
“You don’t want to go out?”
I gave a half-shoulder shrug. “I mean, I will if you really want to. But I’ve got the house all to myself tonight. The girls went to Denver to see Clint Black in concert.”
“I didn’t know they liked country music.”
Nodding, I replied, “He’s touring with Alabama.”
“I would have liked to have seen him.”
“Well, there are better options for us…like back to the house being empty for the entire night, Ladd…”
Wrapping his arm around me, he pulled me closer and kissed me. He bit my lower lip, pulling away slightly before he released it. “We can do all kinds of naughty things then.”
I waggled my brows. “We can.”
“After we go to dinner with my mother and father, who are in town.”
He rattled off his words so fast, I hardly had time to process them. Then he kissed me, took my hand, and headed to his car.
I yanked on his hand. “Wait a second. Did you say we’re going to dinner with your mother and father?”
He cleared his throat. “I didn’t know they were coming to town, and they really want to meet you this time while they’re here. My mom was hoping we could go to Marco’s tonight.”
I blinked a few times. Ladd’s mom and dad had been to Fort Collins a few times since we had started dating last spring.
I hadn’t met them yet because each time they were here, I was either working, or I came up with an excuse not to meet them.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to meet them, I was just scared they wouldn’t like me.
“Your parents want to meet me?”
Surprised, he said, “Of course they do. Why wouldn’t they, Viv? I talk about you all the time, and we’ve been dating for six months. Don’t you think it’s time to meet them?”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “You said your dad told you not to fall in love, Ladd!”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “Don’t worry about that. They already love you.”
A nervous bubble of laughter slipped free. “How could they already love me? I’ve never met them.”
“Because Ladd talks about you nonstop,” David cut in as he got out of the front seat and moved to the back.
“David, you don’t have to move.”
“Yes, he does,” Ladd said, holding the passenger door open for me.
I went to get in, then stopped. “What if they don’t like me?”
“They already love you, like he said,” David called out, as Ladd smiled and nodded.
On the drive, David and Ladd talked about the football game from the previous weekend and their holiday plans for this year.
They were both returning home to their family’s ranch, which wasn’t a surprise to me.
They clearly loved their family, and his parents came to visit them once every couple of months just to go out to dinner with David and Ladd.
The entire time, my mind spun with different emotions.
I was excited to meet Ladd’s parents because I’d heard so much about them.
But what if they started asking questions about my family?
Ladd had quickly figured out I didn’t like to talk about them, so he’d eventually stopped asking.
But his parents would want to know as much as possible about the woman their son was dating.
I tried to push down the feeling of dread as I remained silent in the car while the guys chatted. I could do this. I would give them simple answers to their questions. I could answer without really answering. I did it all the time.
Before I knew it, Ladd was pulling into the driveway of the house he shared with his brother and roommates.
David got out of the car and leaned through my window to kiss me on the cheek, causing me to jump.
“Lost in thought, Vivianne?” he asked with a smile. “Don’t worry. Like I said, they’re going to love you.” He tapped on the side of the car and said, “See you soon!”
“See you later,” Ladd called before slowly pulling out and heading toward my place.
I jumped when he took my hand in his.
“Hey, are you really that nervous about meeting my parents?”
“It is a big step on the relationship ladder, isn’t it?” I asked.
He laughed, then sobered up when I didn’t even crack a smile.
Lifting my hand, he kissed the back of it. “If you’re not ready to meet them, you don’t have to. We’ve only been dating for a few months, and it is a big step. I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”
I drew in a breath and let it out. “I do want to meet them, honestly, I do. I’m just…well…what if they start asking questions about my parents?”
“Trust me, they won’t.”
Letting out a humorless laugh, I asked, “And how do you know that?”
He shrugged. “Because I told them not to.”
My eyes widened. “You did?”
Squeezing my hand, Ladd briefly met my gaze.
“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out you’re estranged from your mom and dad, Viv.
You work two jobs, and you study your ass off to keep your grades up.
I’m guessing that’s because you have academic scholarships.
I never asked you because it’s none of my business.
I figured when you’re ready to tell me, you will.
If you don’t ever want to tell me, I’m fine with that, as well. ”
I could feel the burn of the unshed tears I was fighting to hold back because it was in this moment that I realized how much Ladd actually sees me—and I haven’t had that in so long.
“I don’t have a family like yours, Ladd.
My father and mother haven’t tried to reach out to me once in over three years. ”
He frowned. “I’m not trying to pressure you at all but do you want to tell me why? I’m always here for you, babe.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head. I wasn’t ready to tell Ladd why my mom and dad had disowned me. I was terrified that once I did, he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me ever again.
“Hey,” he said, gently lifting my chin so our gazes met. “Whatever secret it is you’re hiding, nothing is going to change the way I feel about you, Viv.”
Forcing myself to offer a wobbly smile, I took in a shaky breath and exhaled.
Tonight, I would tell him. I needed to tell him before he took me to meet his parents. That way, if he wanted to walk away, he could do so before we got in this any deeper.
I just prayed with all my heart he wouldn’t.