Chapter 14
Tachina hadn’t planned to stay the night. She’d told herself at least four times that she would help get Kian settled down for the night, then she’d go home. But now here she was sitting on Kian’s bed in his father’s home, not wanting to leave.
“Happy birthday, baby,” she whispered. She leaned down and placed a kiss on the freshly washed skin of her baby boy. She combed her fingers through his curls and inhaled his soap-scented little frame. How had her baby grown up so fast? “I love you.”
Another kiss.
Vic stood behind her in the doorway, silently watching. He’d been doing that a lot lately. She’d looked up at the party and he’d been watching her. She didn’t know what was going on in that head of his, but she was sure she’d find out soon enough. The man was always a thinker.
“I love you, too.” Kian yawned. He snuggled down underneath is Iron Man comforter and blankets.
She moved to stand, but he grabbed her arm.
“Mom, are you sleeping here, too?” he asked. There was hope in his tired eyes.
She shook her head, but apparently Vic had other plans for her.
“It’s late. She’s staying,” he answered.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. He folded his arms and met her gaze. There was a challenge in his eyes as if he dared her to say otherwise.
“Yeah, I’m going to stay, too.” She offered a tight smile and turned back to Kian. She kissed him again and breathed in his scent before she stood.
Maybe Vic was right. It was late, and she was tired.
She lived about thirty-five minutes from Vic and dreaded the thought of the ride at the moment.
She turned and headed in Vic’s direction.
He flicked off the overhead light, basking the room in darkness.
Only a single nightlight provided their son with a little light.
“Mommy?” Kian’s voice broke through the silence.
“Yeah, baby?” She arrived at the doorway next to Vic.
Kian’s head popped up from where he had been lying.
“You can sleep with Daddy so you don’t get scared,” he said.
“Scared? I don’t ever get scared!” she scoffed. She rolled her eyes, remembering Vic’s excuse for Kian finding her in his father’s bed.
“You hear that, buddy? She’s a brave woman.” Vic coughed to hide a laugh.
“But…Leo said his mom and dad are always in the bed together. Sometimes even in the middle of the day,” Kian said.
Tachina’s eyes widened. She could only imagine why Leo’s parents would be in the bed during the daytime. Vic coughed again behind her, hiding more of his laughter.
“Goodnight, Kian. Mommy will be fine, okay?” she said.
She was not about to make up excuses for his friend’s parents’ bedtime routine.
She reached for the door handle and paused until she saw the shadow of Kian’s head go back down onto his pillows.
She pulled the door shut. She leaned forward and rested her forehead on the door as laughter threatened to spill out of her. “What are we going to do with him?”
She pushed off the door and turned to Vic. He held out his hand to her. She slipped hers inside his and allowed him to guide her down to the first floor. They crept down the stairs like two teenagers dodging a strict parent.
“We need wine after this day,” he murmured.
“I’ll second that,” she said.
They walked down the hallway and went into the family room. Now that the party was over, the house was quiet, peaceful, and warm. Vic headed over to the bar in the corner and opened up the wine fridge.
She padded across the carpet and went over and picked up the tablet that connected to his hidden stereo system.
She choose the family room only, not wanting music to be played throughout the mansion.
She scrolled through the playlist until she found an old R&B mix.
It always amazed her that Vic was so well-versed in all sorts of music.
The song that came on had smooth horns and lazy drums with voices that knew how to help a person relax after a crazy day.
Vic strode over to her with two generously filled wine glasses. He handed one to her.
“Of course you found the good music,” he said.
“I’m a designer. Good taste is part of the job description,” she teased. She took the glass and briefly touched it to his before taking a small sip. She had to admit, the man had exquisite taste when it came to wine.
“No, sweetheart. It’s just you.”
Her breathing stuttered. She took another sip of the wine, her knees growing weak.
“You’re too smooth sometimes,” she noted.
“It’s hereditary.” He shrugged. He took a healthy sip of his wine. Those eyes of his twinkled as he held her gaze. “Maxwell men are born charming. Dangerous even.”
She snorted at that. She moved over to one of the couches and took a seat.
Her body was starting to ache in certain places.
Even though she’d barely had to lift a finger, she was still everywhere during the party.
They had to have had at least one hundred people there.
Thankfully, Vic’s house and yard could accommodate that sort of crowd.
“Well, y’all need to warn people. Put it on a website or something.” She laughed. When she thought of Vic’s father, there was no way that man was a charmer. He always had a scowl on his face whenever she saw him. He was a straightforward kind of guy. If he was charming, then she was bald headed.
“I’ll let my mother know that. She’ll get right on that.” Vic chuckled. He sat on the recliner chair that was close by to her.
She was actually disappointed that he hadn’t sat on the couch with her.
“Today was one for the books,” he said.
“That it was. We are not doing this when he turns six. We can have a little something at Chuck E. Cheese or something,” she muttered.
“God, no. Anywhere but Chuck E. Cheese.” Vic visibly shuddered.
“What’s wrong with Chuck E.?” she asked.
“That rat gives me the creeps,” Vic said. He sipped on his wine again. “It’s like a casino for kids. We pay for all the games, they win tickets only for them to turn the tickets in for cheap toys. I’d rather just pay for whatever toys he wants.”
“But the kids love it—”
“Hell, no. Listen, Tachina. My family is worth a shit ton of money. We do not have to have a party at that rat palace,” he said.
“But—” She was cut off again. She was trying not to laugh at his expression. The man apparently abhorred Chuck E. Cheese. Who didn’t like the Chuck?
“There are not many times I will say no to you, but this will be one of them,” he said firmly.
“Okay…no Chuck E. Cheese. Next year, we can look at one of the bounce house places or something.” She took a sip of her wine to hide her smile.
She placed it down on the table beside her.
If she had conceived, a full glass probably wouldn’t hurt, but she didn’t want to chance anything.
“Did you see…I think that was your uncle…who tried to steal the two shrimp skewers off the grill?”
“Which one?” he asked.
“That one with the very bad toupee.” Giggles bubbled up.
“Ah…that’s Uncle Martin. He’s been wearing that same toupee since about 1989.”
Tachina burst out in laughter. She couldn’t hold it back. The man’s toupee was jet black while the hair at the sides and the back was silver.
“Well…he reached for the skewers, thinking no one saw him. He picked them up and must not have realized they were hot. He dropped the damn things on the ground.” She giggled.
She held her hand to her chest to try to remain calm.
“I thought he would have abandoned them, but he swooped down and picked them up and put them on his plate.”
“That sounds about right. Uncle Martin is probably the most frugal man I have ever met. He was the main one taking leftovers home,” Vic said.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I did see him arrive with his own take-home containers.
” Tachina was laughing so hard she had tears running down her face.
She had been shocked to see him with the containers.
The man had even loaded them up then made another plate and sat to eat it with his wife.
“Again, not surprised, and he probably got those from another party and washed them out.” Vic shook his head. He had a wide grin on his face as he spoke fondly of his uncle.
They went back and forth about their family members and their antics. It was good to see their families come together and have fun.
Sydney’s unexpected arrival had put a slight dampener on Tachina’s mood, but she’d soon pushed the woman out of her mind.
She wasn’t going to bring her up to Vic either.
The woman was like a buzzing gnat on a picnic day: annoying and one would want to get rid of them.
Sydney always did hover over Vic whenever Tachina was around.
But today had felt different. Her arriving to a party she was not invited to was intentional.
If desperation was a perfume, Sydney wore it as a signature scent.
Tachina wasn’t sure what bothered her more—Sydney sliding into the party or the tight twist in her stomach when Vic had accepted the gift for their son.
He hadn’t encouraged anything, at least not from what she’d seen.
But she knew women like Sydney. They sniffed around not because they were welcomed, but because they were going after something they wanted.
The woman definitely wanted something. A second chance with Vic?
They fell into a comfortable silence. Vic stood and came to stand in front of her. He offered out a hand.
“Dance with me,” he said.
She blinked then stared at the hand before her.
“Now?” Her voice ended on a squeak.
“It’s been an eventful day entertaining our child, his friends, and our families. Now we deserve some fun.” The intensity in his eyes burned bright. He patiently waited for her.
She took his hand.