Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
"I can’t believe it," Peyton says after Tori tells her about the lunch with Dr. Adrian. "He’s so perfect. It just figures he’s playing for the other team."
Tori's been working with Dr. Adrian all morning. They've had six patients together, and he's been treating her like she's made of glass.
"It's humiliating," she tells Peyton. "I really thought we had something."
"I know, honey. I thought you did too."
"I had a whole life planned for us." She knows how dumb that sounds and feels even dumber admitting it out loud.
Her friend’s expression is sympathetic. "You'll meet someone else. Give it time."
Tori's thoughts immediately go to Liam, who she's been thinking about since yesterday. He made her feel beautiful and desirable, which was exactly what she needed. "I want to meet my special person, that special someone,” she says, feeling more desperate than ever. “Why can't I find him? You found yours."
"I got lucky. But like I said before, I had to kiss a lot of toads first."
"But I have kissed a lot of toads! Too many. My lips are chapped from all the horny toads I've kissed."
Peyton laughs. "Girl, you need a break. A step back from all this. Maybe take a vacation."
Tori snorts. "I wish I could. But there's too much to do. You know what my life is like."
"I know, but you need a few days off." Peyton's brown eyes light up. "Hey, I have an idea. Maybe you could stay at my cousin's cabin."
"You mean that place up in Truth Harbor?"
She nods enthusiastically. "It would be perfect. It's small and cute. Very private."
"I don't know. What would I do there?"
"Just relax and regroup." Peyton nods. "I'm going to ask Tara. I'm sure she won't mind. Especially when I tell her about everything that happened recently."
“That I fell for a gay guy?" Tori shakes her head, mortified at the thought of a complete stranger knowing this about her. "Please don't tell her that."
"I'll just tell her you're a good friend who could use some time away. That you've always come through for me, and I want to return the favor."
"But I don't see how I can get away."
"Don't say no yet. Let me ask her first." Peyton puts her hand on Tori's arm. "You're always taking care of everyone else. But you need to take care of yourself for once. "
Tori doesn't know what to say. She can't possibly go stay in some cabin, no matter how great it sounds.
During her midmorning break, she delivers dog snacks to all her Happy Pet Nanny clients. Some of them are home, and a few ask about some healthy cat snacks, so that might be her next project.
Flashes of yesterday with Liam keep coming back to her in a rush. Not just the sex stuff, but the way he looked at her with a kind of wonder. Then afterward, lying in bed with him so cozy. She's bummed about Dr. Adrian, but Liam made her feel good about herself.
A small part of her is thinking maybe he's right too. Maybe one afternoon isn't enough to get each other out of their systems. So what if they have a past? Would a little fling be so terrible?
He could be my vacation.
Eventually her morning work is finished, and she swings by his house to pick up Miss Fancy Pants. She texts him when she's parked in his driveway to let him know she's there so he can turn off the alarm, since he's at work today.
On a whim, she decides to be honest in her text. I’m not sure I've gotten you out of my system either.
She sees him responding right away. You don't know how happy I am to hear that.
What should we do about it?
I have some ideas. :) Can I see you tonight?
She's supposed to have dinner with Blair and Road. Part of her is tempted to cancel. She knows Liam is waiting with bated breath.
I have plans tonight, but tomorrow would be good.
Okay. You've been on my mind so much. I can't stop thinking about you.
Me too. But I have some ground rules.
Whatever you want, rubia.
She can't resist smiling. I'll see you tomorrow, then.
She adds three happy face emojis, then sighs and puts her phone away and gets out of the car. After punching in the security code, she waits for his garage door to lift.
She hopes she's not making a mistake with Liam. Her history with men isn't great. While she doesn't pick the kind of assholes her mom does, she's had her fair share of jerks. Her instincts about men aren't always good. I mean, let's face it, even when she did find a nice guy, he turned out to be gay.
She enters the house through the door inside the garage, which leads straight into the laundry room.
Over the years, a lot of clients have trusted her with their homes, and she's always careful with that trust. She never violates it. Being the Happy Pet Nanny is all about helping people and their animals, so it would never occur to her to snoop through their things.
For instance, there's a suitcase in Liam's laundry room. It's the first thing she notices.
Why would he have a suitcase out? He didn't mention going anywhere.
But then that's none of her business, so she doesn't look at it too closely.
As she walks farther into the house, she sees Miss Fancy Pants trotting out from his bedroom.
"Hi, girl. Are you ready for your playdate?" She expects the dog to come to her, but Miss Fancy Pants goes back into the room.
That's weird.
Normally she wouldn't dream of going into a client's bedroom, but since she was in there yesterday, and since they're sort of having a fling, it has to be okay, right?
She walks over to the bedroom's doorway. As soon as she enters it, she shrieks with alarm.
There's a woman standing there, her hair wrapped in a towel.
Startled, the woman shrieks too. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm the Happy Pet Nanny. Who the hell are you ?" Tori shouts back at her.
"The what? "
Tori’s hand flutters to her chest as she tries to calm herself. This woman’s hair is wrapped in a towel, and it’s obvious she's just taken a shower. "I'm the pet sitter. Are you a friend of Liam's?" she asks, mystified.
"Wait a minute. I know you, don't I?"
Tori's taken aback. "No, I don't think we've ever met."
"Sure we have. You work at the animal hospital, right?"
"Yes." She glances at Miss Fancy Pants, who's sitting on the bed watching the exchange.
"I'm Liam's girlfriend, Rachel. I recognize you from when I've brought my dog in."
Tori's mouth falls open with shock.
"I didn't know he hired a pet sitter." Rachel walks over to sit on the bed next to the little dog, scratching behind her ears. "I hope you've been taking good care of my baby."
With even more shock, she notices Rachel's wearing Liam's T-shirt. The same T-shirt Tori had on only yesterday afternoon.
It bothers her, but not as much as the way she’s petting Miss Fancy Pants and acting like nothing happened, like she didn't abandon her.
"So now Miss Fancy Pants is your baby?"
Rachel glances up. "What?"
"You abandoned this dog, and now you show up and act like nothing happened. Do you have any idea what you put her through?"
Irritation wrinkles her brow. "Um, I don't know you, and I don't owe you an explanation for anything."
"Selfish people always say stuff like that. They do as they please and don't care who they harm in the process."
Rachel scowls. "Where do you get off talking to me like that? You know nothing about me."
"Oh, I know plenty. I know you abandoned Miss Fancy Pants and ran off to Brazil… or Argentina," Tori amends. "I forget which."
She laughs. "Are you for real?"
"Yes, I'm for real. "
Miss Fancy Pants huffs, and Rachel glances down at her. "Well, she looks just fine to me."
"Looks can be deceiving. Take you, for instance. You look like a normal person, but you're really a selfish monster."
Her expression hardens. "I don't know who in the hell you think you are, but you need to get out of my house."
"I came here to get Miss Fancy Pants for a playdate."
"She's not going anywhere with you." She pets the little dog and scratches her chin. "Mama's home now. And don't you worry, I'm here to stay."
Tori sucks in her breath.
Rachel’s gaze flashes over to her. "I know Liam doesn't like dogs"—her voice is dry—"but he must have been seriously desperate to hire someone as crazy as you."
"I'm not crazy."
"Whatever. Just get the fuck out of my house. I don't want you near me or my dog ever again."
Tori is ready to tell her this isn't her house, it's Liam's, but then she realizes she has no idea who owns this house. The two of them lived here together. They may have bought it together.
As Rachel glares at her, comfortable in her surroundings, the truth drenches Tori like an ice-cold chocolate milkshake.
Liam's done it to her again.
She's humiliated.
It's obvious he and Rachel have unfinished business. They have a history. A life together. And now that she's back, Tori has no business being here in the middle.
What's wrong with me?
Even for a simple fling, she couldn't get it right.
Her eyes sting. She's surprised how upset she is, but there's no way she's crying in front of Rachel. She gazes down at Miss Fancy Pants. The dog's big dark eyes are watching her. "You be a good girl," she says to her softly. "Always remember you deserve the best."
Rachel is staring at her like she's a freak, but Tori doesn't care .
Maybe I am a freak .
She turns and leaves the bedroom, heading toward the front door. She always leaves out of the garage when Liam isn't here, but there's no point in that.
To her surprise, she hears barking and then little nails on the hardwood. When she turns around, Miss Fancy Pants is running toward her.
Her heart squeezes in her chest when she kneels on the floor. "Oh, sweetie. You'll be okay." The words are as much for herself as Miss Fancy Pants. Her little paws are on Tori's chest, hugging her.
By now Rachel has come out of the bedroom. She stands there with her arms crossed.
When Tori gets up, Miss Fancy Pants barks again, her front paws still resting on Tori’s legs. "I have to go now."
"Yes, just leave ." Rachel's hostile tone makes it plain who the interloper is here.
Tori turns toward the door and gets out of there as fast as she can.
Since he's been out of the office all week, Liam's afternoon is busy. Not just paperwork to contend with but two meetings, one with his ASAC and another with the prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney's Office. Everyone is thrilled with the Rizzo arrest. It isn't until after four that he realizes Tori never texted him back about the alarm. He figures she forgot, so he checks on her.
Everything okay with the playdate? I never heard back about the alarm.
He waits but doesn't see a response. She's probably busy with four dogs at her house. He can only imagine the chaos. He hopes Fancy's enjoying herself and Tori's dogs aren't too much for her.
After another ten minutes pass, he gets a little concerned.
Could you text me? Just want to make sure everything is okay with you and Fancy.
He waits again, but there's still no response. He’s ready to call her, but then a message from Tori pops up.
Miss Fancy Pants isn't here. You'll have to ask Rachel how she's doing.
He stares at the text. What are you talking about? Except there's a sinking feeling in his gut. He hopes she's not saying what he thinks she is.
I went to your house to get Miss Fancy Pants and Rachel was there.
He curses aloud. This can't be happening. Not now. Not when things in his life were finally improving.
Another text from Tori appears. Please don't call or text me anymore. You and Rachel should work out your problems.
He calls her anyway, listens as her voicemail picks up. "Tori, it's me. If Rachel is at my house, I assure you it's not by invitation. I haven't heard a word from her in two months. I want nothing to do with her."
Grabbing his bag, he shoves his laptop into it. On the way out, he sees Matt and lets him know he's headed home.
"Everything okay?" Matt asks. "You seem upset. Is the knee bothering you?"
"No, it isn’t that." He explains how it appears Rachel is back.
Matt's brows shoot up. "Damn, seriously? What are you going to do?"
Liam sucks in his breath. "Go home and deal with it."
He heads out to his truck. He drove it to work instead of his bureau car, since it's roomier in the cab and easier to manage with his knee brace. As usual, Seattle traffic is bumper to bumper. He tries calling Tori two more times, but she still won't pick up.
He can't believe this.
Liam calls Rachel too, but to his surprise, the number is disconnected. He had no idea she'd changed it.
By the time he gets home, it's early evening. His neighborhood is quiet as usual .
As soon as he enters the front door, he senses she's there. He smells food cooking in the kitchen. Miss Fancy Pants greets him, and as he heads into the living room, he’s disturbed to see Rachel sitting on the chewed-up sofa.
Anger pulses through him, and he tries to tamp it down.
He honestly hoped he'd never see her again. In fact, he assumed he wouldn't, which is why he never bothered changing the locks or the alarm code. A giant mistake in hindsight.
"Hi, Liam." She smiles up at him. There's a glass of iced tea in her hand, and she puts it on the coffee table.
He shakes his head, incredulous. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"
"I'm making dinner." She glances toward the kitchen. "It's just spaghetti. You need to go grocery shopping. Maybe we can do that this weekend."
He studies her, assessing the situation. She looks the same. Long brown hair with bangs. Big brown eyes.
He used to think she was pretty. Beautiful even.
He used to think he was in love with her.
Hard to believe he’d ever felt that way since she’d destroyed it so thoroughly. Every lie that came from her lips, every time she came home late and took a shower so he couldn't smell another man on her, every transgression a new hammer blow, until finally his love was smashed to dust.
She shifts on the couch nervously. She's trying to act casual, but he knows her body language.
He gazes down at her. "So he didn't want you after all, huh?"
Her eyes flash to him. "I came back for you ."
"Let's not play this stupid game."
Her lips purse together. She glances at the brace on his leg but doesn't comment. "I was hoping you'd be glad to see me."
"Why would you think that?"
She tries to look contrite. "Because I missed you, that's why. "
"I don't care. I want you out of here." He limps farther into the living room.
"Don't be like that. We had some good times. Do you really want to throw it all away?"
He'd laugh if this situation weren't so disgusting. "Rachel, you threw it away yourself months ago."
She turns her head but doesn't say anything.
His eyes roam over her, curious. Searching to see if it really is gone, if he has any feelings left for her at all, and there's nothing. It's true what they say. The opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference.
"Just let me stay the night," she pleads. "We can talk this over."
"No."
"I know you, Liam. And I know you're not the kind of a man who'd throw a woman out on the street."
"Don't worry." He snorts as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. "I'm not throwing you out on the street. I'm calling you an Uber."
Her expression hardens. "And exactly where am I supposed to go?"
"I don't care. Stay at a hotel. Or go stay with one of your sisters." He glances over at her. "Or have you burned those bridges too?"
She leans back on the couch and crosses her arms. "You've changed. When did you become such an asshole?"
"Call me whatever you want. We both know who the asshole is here."
"It was one time," she says with frustration. "I cheated on you once , and now you're holding it against me?"
He stares at her in amazement. "You ran off to Argentina with another man."
"And you never strayed during those trips you took for work? Never got lonely in your hotel room?"
"No. I was always faithful to you."
She sneers. "So I guess that makes you better than me, is that it? You and your moral superiority. You always think you're better than everybody. "
"It's not about better or worse," he says heatedly. "It's about right and wrong."
She gets up from the couch and comes toward him, her face earnest. "God, you're such a Boy Scout, but I missed that about you. C'mon, admit it," she says with a sly smile. "You missed me too. Missed my bad influence—even if it's just a little."
She tries to stroke his arm, but he pulls back. "Don't," he says. "There's no point. It's over."
"Even when I was in Buenos Aires, I still thought about you. I couldn't help it."
He rolls his eyes. "Are you hearing yourself?"
"I made a mistake leaving. I know that now. And I swear, I've gotten it out of my system. I'm ready to come home."
There's a pleading look on her face. It's not in his nature to be cruel, but clearly she needs to hear the hard truth. "Rachel, I don't love you anymore. I can't be any plainer than that."
Her expression changes.
"It's over between us. For good."
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"Fine." She crosses her arms. "Whatever. I'm not going to beg. You want me to leave? I'll leave."
"Great."
"Let me get my dog and I'll be out of your way." She turns and appears to be searching around for Miss Fancy Pants, who's sitting in the corner on the new dog pillow Liam bought her from Amazon last week. He read eight pages of reviews before finally deciding on that one. It sounded the most comfortable.
He goes still. Dangerously still. "What did you just say?"
"I said I'm taking my dog, and then I'm leaving."
"You're not taking that dog anywhere."
She snorts. "Yes, I am. Miss Fancy Pants is mine."
"Not anymore she's not. "
Rachel rolls her eyes and looks at him like he's nuts. "What is this? Some kind of payback?"
"You abandoned her."
"Oh my God, you sound just like that crazy bitch you hired as a pet sitter. Yes, this is my dog." She speaks to him like he's an imbecile. "I'm the one who brought her home, remember?"
"I repeat, this dog stays." His jaw clenches. "And that pet sitter is neither crazy nor a bitch."
Rachel blinks at him with astonishment, but then a knowing look comes over her face. She lets out a spiteful laugh. "Oh, I get it now. It's all become crystal clear. You've got the hots for the pet nanny, don't you?"
He doesn't respond because he does have the hots for Tori. The hots and then some.
"She's a total weirdo. I mean, you should have heard the things she said to me."
"I'm sure everything she said to you was true."
"Is that why you want this dog? To impress her so she'll keep coming back?"
Liam pauses at this. Is that why he wants to keep Miss Fancy Pants? It had never occurred to him.
"That has to be it. You don't even like dogs."
He glances over at Fancy. She's resting on her side with one of her favorite chew toys between her paws. They play fetch with it in the yard regularly. If she were human, he's convinced she'd be a good ballplayer. He's been eyeing some of the local dog parks and has plans for him and Fancy to check them out soon.
This has nothing to do with Tori.
His voice turns to steel. "You try and take that dog, things are going to get ugly."
Rachel is usually ready to battle, but something in his tone must warn her that he isn’t kidding. She seems to back down, but then she smiles at him. "I have an idea. How about we let her decide?"
"What do you mean? "
"We'll both call her, and we'll see who she comes to."
Liam takes a deep breath. He doesn't like it. He doesn't want to force Fancy to choose. Plus if he's honest, a part of him is worried she'll pick Rachel.
"Sit in that chair," she instructs him, her tone confident. "I'll take the couch again."
For some reason, he does it. God knows why. There's a knot of dread forming in his gut. He's not sure how it's happened, but he's become attached to that little furball.
"Ready?" She gives him a smug smile. "Let's see who she prefers."
Both he and Rachel begin calling her.
Miss Fancy Pants looks up, startled at her name. She hops up from her dog bed with excitement. But as she trots closer, she slows, and Liam sees the confusion on her expressive face. Her big dark eyes go back and forth between the two people calling her. She seems nervous, maybe even scared, and in that moment he goes silent.
He can't do this. He doesn't want to force her to choose. It seems cruel.
Of course, Rachel doesn't stop. And once he's no longer saying anything, Fancy immediately walks toward her.
His chest goes tight with disappointment.
Rachel is laughing and patting the couch beside her. "That's right, Miss Fancy Pants! Come here! Come to Mama!"
But then something surprising happens. Miss Fancy Pants stops altogether. She sits down. Her little furry head swings between them both. Liam doesn't say a word, only looks at her. The next thing he knows, the dog trots over to him. She puts her paws on his leg, and he reaches down to pet her back.
"Good girl," he says.
"What the hell!" Rachel is fit to be tied. She jumps up from the couch. "No fucking way! What did you do to my dog?"
"Nothing." He's still petting Miss Fancy Pants, who has now hopped up onto his lap. She circles once, then twice, and finally sits facing Rachel.
"You've done something to her. Tricked her somehow," she fumes. "There's no way she prefers you over me ."
There's a lump in Liam's throat as he strokes Fancy's soft coat. He can't help smiling. To be honest, it surprises him as much as Rachel.
"Looks like she's made her choice," he says. He still has the phone in his other hand. "Now, let me call you that Uber."