Chapter 20
Vi was asleep and dreaming about steamy things featuring Blake and herself when the opening bars of “old time rock roll” on her cell woke her up. She’d been so dazed from the night before that she’d forgotten to put the phone in do-not-disturb mode. And this was Saturday, a day to sleep in, “Hello?” she mumbled, propping her head up on her pillow.
“Hey, it’s Carmie. Sorry if I woke you,” she said, sounding anything but apologetic.
Vi checked the time. Barely seven a.m. “I didn’t get to bed till late. What’s up?”
“You left a message yesterday for me to phone you back. I want to know all about your news, but first I have a juicy announcement of my own.” Without a pause for comment, she went on. “If you remember, Chris took me to Sweet Sue’s last night. He finally did it, Vi—proposed. I’m officially engaged!!”
Fully alert now, she sat up. “Congratulations!” As thrilled as she was for her friend, she was also envious. Her thoughts went straight to Blake. They hadn’t known each other long enough for anything close to serious. Besides, he wasn’t a long-term relationship type guy. “Have you set a date?”
“Not yet, but we’re thinking sometime early next year. That gives us time to plan. I do have a ring, though,” she said, sounding very happy.
“Send me a photo?”
“I could, but I’d rather show you in person. Let’s meet for coffee in an hour. Does that give you enough time? I have to be at work by ten.”
“I’m already up, so sure.”
“Quick question before we disconnect. Do you think your grandma wants to rent a place? You never said.”
Vi hadn’t given Gran a thought last night. Another guilt pang. She needed to touch base with her today. “I don’t think so. I’ll save my news till I see you. I have a strong craving for a fresh-baked cinnamon roll. Let’s meet at Melissa Ann’s Bakery.”
“I’m so in. See you in an hour.”
The bakery was packed with early risers. The aromas of good coffee, fresh-baked muffins, and other breakfast pastries made Vi’s mouth water.
She spotted Carmie at a table. Looking perky for eight o’clock on a Saturday morning, her friend flashed a huge smile. “I got here early enough to get us a table,” she said. “I’m starving. Let’s hang our jackets on the chairbacks and get our coffee and cinnamon rolls. Oh, and check this out.” She held out her left hand, where a sparkly diamond glittered on her ring finger. “It’s two carats, and I absolutely love it.”
Again, the prick of envy. “It’s a beauty,” Vi agreed.
“I don’t know how Chris chose exactly what I dreamed of, but he nailed it. He had it sized, too. Sneaky man borrowed a ring from my jewelry box.”
Carmie continued to chatter on until a person at the counter called their names. They collected the orders and soon returned to the table. “Enough about me,” she said. “What’s your news? You sounded happy when you left the message, so it must be something good.”
Eager to share everything, Vi started with the promotion. “Mr. Iglesias will announce it to the staff on Monday. It’s going out on media then, too. That’s when I’ll tell the people I work with.”
“The big guns are sharing the news with the media? I’m impressed, but then it’s a well-known company and a big job, and you are a vice president. Congrats! If I’d known, I’d have treated this morning. I’ll make it up to you another time. I hope you’re planning to celebrate.”
“I already did last night.”
“Wonderful. Who with?”
“Blake.”
“You told him?”
“Also Gran and Rose. He’s been really supportive and deserved to know.” He made her feel good about herself. “He was super happy for me and offered to take me to a live concert at the Highway Club. Tony Jenkins and the Magic Fingers played.”
“Chris and I went there once, for comedy night. It’s a cool place. I don’t believe I’ve heard of that band.”
“I hadn’t, either. They’re a blues group and amazing. When they started playing, we couldn’t sit still. Most everyone got up and danced.”
“Sounds like a really good time. Wait, you and Blake danced? I don’t think you’ve done that in forever, not in public.”
“I know. We had so much fun. He’s a pretty decent dancer. We didn’t stop till the band took a break. Then…” Vi broke off. She didn’t want to talk about Devin but ought to tell her bestie. “Something bad happened.” Lowering her voice, she shared the icky details, ending with Blake coming to the rescue.
“That’s horrible,” Carmie said with a sympathetic look. “Thank goodness for Blake, your knight in shining armor.”
“He truly was. I was scared and upset, and he calmed me down. The bartender saw what happened and called security. By then, Devin had disappeared. I hope they found him before he got into his car. He was in no shape to drive. I didn’t want to stay at the club or go home and be alone, either, so we left and went to Blake’s house.”
“Oh, really. Care to elaborate?”
“Back up, first we stopped right here and picked up eclairs. They were freshly baked, too.”
“Yum. Chocolate always helps. I wish they had fresh eclairs ready now to box up for later. I’m more interested in what happened at Blake’s.” Eyebrows raised, Carmie leaned forward in anticipation.
“We didn’t talk much on the drive, silence I needed, and by the time we pulled into the driveway I felt much better. He lives in an upscale neighborhood on the east side of town and has a really nice house. We sat on his deck, which happens to face the ocean, and looked at the full moon reflecting on the water. I’ve seen that before, but not on a private deck, eating treats, sipping wine and talking to Blake. I felt normal again and at peace.”
“Sounds romantic. And?”
“A few nights ago, I’d told him I didn’t want to get physical.”
“A few nights ago when?”
“The evening it rained hard and the wind was crazy. He was out cycling, got caught in it, and needed a place to dry off. He happened to be near the townhouse, a surprise to me, and knocked at my door. He stayed for a while.”
“And you’re just now mentioning this? Never mind—tell me about last night and not getting physical.”
“He listened and didn’t lay a finger on me.”
“That’s it?” Carmie looked disappointed.
“Not by a long shot,” Vi said and lowered her voice again. “I changed my mind. We kissed. A lot. Actually, a little more than kissing, but nothing too exciting.” Just enough to turn her insides into a hot mess of longing. At the same time, she was nervous. Her feelings for him had expanded to the point where she was already in too deep.
“I know that uncomfortable look. What are you leaving out?”
“I’m on the verge of falling for him,” Vi admitted, “and it scares me.”
“Why?”
“You know the answer to that. I don’t want to get hurt.”
“Maybe you won’t.”
“Believe me, I will. A gorgeous guy like Blake is bound to meet someone prettier and less dull than me.”
Carmie hooted in disbelief. “Are you hearing yourself? When it comes to work, you’re one of the most confident women I know. I admire you so much for that. But in matters of the heart, that confidence is missing.”
“I heard the same thing from Rose.”
“And high time you changed your opinion. It’s been a long time since you fell for someone. Blake isn’t like Devin. I know that and I haven’t even met him. But if worrying keeps you up at night, maybe you should slow down on the physical thing until you’re more comfortable with him.”
“I don’t know if I can,” Vi admitted in a small voice. Or if she wanted to. “I’d like to boost my self-confidence, but how?”
“That won’t happen overnight, but with persistence, you can build it up a little at a time. Start by looking in the mirror and loving what everyone but you sees—beauty and warmth and a spirit that shines. Repeat those words out loud with heartfelt sincerity whenever you see your reflection or any time you think about it. Call it your mantra. Always stand tall with your head high. Emulating self-confidence helps you look and feel that way.”
“How do you know all that?” Vi asked.
“From a podcast I listen to. I repeat positive, loving words to myself every morning before I leave for work and again before bed.” Carmie glanced at her smart watch. “Speaking of work, I’d better go or I’ll be late. Love you, girl. Whatever you do and whatever happens, I’m here for you.”
Blake hadn’t seenhis sister in too long. Saturday morning, he hopped on his bike and cycled to her place. An easy ride, as she lived only a few miles away. This was another beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds chirped and sang, and the scent of flowers perfumed the air. For no reason, everything reminded him of Vi. Since he’d dropped her at her car the previous evening, she’d been on his mind constantly.
But then lately, that was a given. So much about last night had surprised him. Her about-face and kissing him with so much hunger and enthusiasm had been off-the-charts hot. He wanted more than kisses. He really liked her. Trouble was, he wasn’t sure if his feelings were more about lust than anything else. Like with Sammi. At least Vi knew the truth about him and his doubts about committing.
He didn’t want to hurt her.
No reason to tell Whitney any of that. Nothing to share right now, anyway. He wanted to talk about her and how she was feeling. Also about Grandpop.
Some minutes later, he coasted into the driveway. Her husband James was outside weeding and gardening. As soon as he saw Blake, he laid his tools down and straightened. “Hey,” he greeted, grinning as Blake braked to a stop and hopped off the bike.
“Good to see you, man.” Blake clapped him on the shoulder. They were about the same height, and he liked the guy.
“Cool bike,” James said, studying the thing. “What is it?”
“It’s called a Bad Boy 3, a new hybrid, which means it can tackle both on-road and off-road riding. I test-rode it the other day and like it so much I’m keeping it. Why don’t you try it out.”
“Okay, but just for a few minutes.” James cycled down the driveway, rode a block or two, then circled back. “Sweet bike. I covet it.”
“If you decide you want one, let me know. Shouldn’t take more than a few days to get it.”
“Better hold off. I don’t know when I’ll find the time to ride, not with Whitney stuck in bed and the twins coming soon.”
A software analyst, he worked at home. “She probably wouldn’t mind,” Blake said.
“I know for a fact she’d enjoy the space, but what if something happened and I wasn’t there? She’s looking forward to visiting with you.”
“I want to see her, too.” Blake pulled a bag from the bike carrier. “A little something for her. If you want to go out while I’m here…”
“I think I will. I need to pick up a few things for the yard.”
Blake headed inside the house, which had plenty of space for twins. He found his sister on the sofa in the living room, propped up on pillows and reading a paperback.
“Hi.” She set the book aside and gave him a warm smile.
“Hey. Look at you, about to burst.”
“That’s how I feel. Depending on the development of the babies and what my doctor says, I could be lying around for up to four more weeks.” She made a face. “I vote for sooner, not later. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”
“And I apologize. Between getting ready to open the store and dealing with Grandpop, life has been a little hectic. Brought you something.”
Her eyes widened. “What is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
“A sudoku book.” Beaming as if she’d won a prize, she paged through it. “Lots of challenger puzzles, too. How did you know I needed a new one?”
“Just a hunch. Have you talked to Grandpop recently?”
“He called this morning to check on me.”
“Lucky you. I haven’t heard from him in a week. I’ve left messages but he seems to be avoiding me.”
“Because you want to know how he’s doing and he’s in no mood to talk about himself. He did say he’s feeling better by the day, but other than that he ignored my questions. Are he and Caroline over their fight?”
“I don’t think so. Vi, Caroline’s granddaughter, told me she’s beside herself and will probably stay in her own unit.”
“Living in the same building is bound to get awkward,” Whitney said. “Let’s hope they mend the fences enough to be okay with that. I swear, they’re as bad as high schoolers. I really miss my students. Last weekend, a group of them stopped by to visit.”
“You have a knack with teens.”
“I care about them, and they know it. Tell me more about Vi. Grandpop says you two keep poking your noses into his business.”
“That’s true. We don’t want them to get married so quickly. But they’re both so miserable we’re rethinking that. Vi’s good people. She saw you once with me when we had lunch with Grandpop one time and thought you were my wife.”
“That’s funny. I’d like to meet the woman whose grandma might marry our grandpa—if they make up.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
“Still, I could use the company.”
“She’s real busy at work, but I’m sure she’d be happy to stop by.” As long as she understood that Whitney had suggested it. He didn’t want her getting any ideas about a long-term relationship. “I’ll let her know.”
“Okay. Any idea when?”
He shrugged. “I’ll ask next time we talk to each other or get together. Or I’ll text her.” Enough talking about Vi. “I think I’ll stop in and see Grandpop when I leave here. When I did that last week, he was grumpy and let me know he wanted me to leave. If he doesn’t like it this time, too bad.” First, he’d get hold of Vi and let her know. Maybe they could meet there and spend more time together.
“If I wasn’t confined to bed, I’d go see him. Do he and Vi get along?”
“I don’t think they’ve seen each other since the night of the accident. He seemed to like her well enough then.”
“What about you, Blake? What do you think of her?”
Whitney stared hard at him as if trying to suss out his feelings. As close as he and his sister were, his love life was none of her business. “What kind of question is that?”
“Call me curious.”
He was more than familiar with her tenacious stare and knew she’d hound him until he answered. “The more I know her, the better I like her. Satisfied?”
“Not yet. Do you see a lot of each other?”
Not as much as he wanted to. “We’re both busy, but we get together when we can. She likes me, but I’m more interested in her than she is me.” Although last night, she’d seemed open enough. He really liked being with her, wouldn’t mind seeing her again tonight. “For now,” he added so his sister didn’t get any ideas. “I don’t know that anything will come of it. Don’t tell Grandpop.”
“I won’t. Nice that you’re interested in Vi. I never for a second thought much for Daisy. I couldn’t figure out what you saw in her.”
“Right there with ya. If she hadn’t ended things, I would’ve.”
He heard a car pull into the driveway. “James is back. I’m taking off.”
“Come see me again, okay?”
“I will. Bye-bye, niece and nephew,” he told her bulging belly. “Take good care of your mama.”
He left to go home, shower, and change out of his cycling clothes. That done, he called Vi.
She answered right away. “Hi. I was about to phone you.”
“Yeah?” He smiled at that. “I enjoyed last night.”
“Me, too,” she said with a sweetness in her voice.
Good that they were on the same wavelength. “I want to see you again.”
“That’s why I started to call you. I’m heading to the 709 this afternoon. If you’re free, we should meet there and strategize how to get our grandparents unstuck. Then at the very least, they might agree to be friends. They don’t seem able to fix their problems by themselves.”
Nothing about wanting to see him again in a more personal sense. It bothered him that she didn’t respond to his comment. When he saw her, they’d talk about that first and then the grandparents. “You know how well strategizing worked last time, but it’s worth another try. I can’t reach Grandpop on the phone and haven’t spoken to him since last weekend. Time for another surprise visit. Why don’t we meet outside near the entrance.”