16. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Tanner
I f someone asked me what I expected being married to Vic would be like, I might have said we would become two people living in the same house. Though I’d hoped I could convince her before the year is up that we could be good together, I had no intention of forcing any kind of relationship on her that she doesn’t want. We’d be expected to attend family obligations on both sides, but I hadn’t expected her to come to every single one, or to invite me out whenever she’s going out with her friends. She even asks me what I’m planning for the day or the weekend as though she wants to be part of my admittedly boring life.
I also hadn’t expected her to memorize the names of all my family members, including two parents, four siblings, all significant others and exes, plus eleven nieces and nephews a few extra partners. She memorized everyone’s names and how they’re all connected before our wedding.
I appreciate the effort she put in and want to do something to thank her for it.
“What are your plans for next weekend?” I ask as she drives to my parents’ place for Juliet’s birthday. We sold my car after I moved in with her. Her car is a lot better and more reliable, and we really didn’t need two. I can always buy something new later, if I need to.
“You’re asking about next weekend now?” she says, sliding me a wry smile. “What do you want to do, fill up my whole social calendar?”
In the month and a half we’ve been married, I haven’t asked Vic to go anywhere with me other than family obligations. Mostly because I don’t really go anywhere or do anything other than family gatherings and work.
“Maybe. I figure I should get out more, and I want you to be my partner in crime.”
She snorts. “Next weekend. Dinner with my parents got moved to Sunday. Wedding season is officially over so nothing is going on at Blue Vista that requires my attention. Spencer mentioned a last-minute booking on Saturday, but I don’t need to be there for it. That’s it.”
“Perfect. I was thinking of going out Saturday night. Want to come with me?” My heart squeezes in my chest as I wait for her answer, and I call myself a fool for being so nervous.
“Go out on a Saturday night? Tanner Marcus, are you in danger of giving up your hermit ways?”
“Only if you say yes. I want to take you out, Vic. Please.”
She glances at me. “All right. Since you asked so nicely.”
We drive in silence for a while, the stereo playing some playlist from Vic’s Spotify. Eventually, I ask, “Are you sure this is okay? You taking off work when there’s a wedding?”
“Of course,” she says. “Spencer has everything under control. To be perfectly honest, they don’t really need me there for any events. I just feel like I should be.”
I nod sagely. “Because you’re a control freak.”
“I am not,” she exclaims, casting another quick look at me before having to focus her attention on the highway again.
“Oh, no. Not at all, Mrs. Fifty-Grams-of-Coffee-Per-Pot.”
She tilts her chin up slightly. “That’s not being controlling. That’s just how strong I like my coffee.”
I laugh. “Vic, you spent an hour showing me how to load and unload your dishwasher. The chore chart you made is colour-coded.”
She huffs. “I like things done a particular way.”
“I’m not saying I mind. So you like to be in control. To be honest, it kind of makes my life easier. I don’t have to think about when something needs to be done. And if it gives me something to tease you about, so much the better.”
She sends me a withering glance. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”
“Nah. You like it when I tease you. If you didn’t, you’d get mad instead of snarky.”
I wait for her to protest, to tell me I’m wrong. She doesn’t say anything.
“Hm?” I say after a moment. “Were you going to agree with me?”
“I was not,” she says. “I’m also not going to lie.”
I laugh and we drive in silence for a bit, while I consider the past month and a half of marriage, of this conversation, of something I’d like to clear up, to make sure we’re on the same page. I take a breath and say, “I wanted to ask you something.”
“What’s that?” She changes lanes, getting off the highway.
“I’ve noticed, since we got married, that you treat me differently than I thought you would.”
“How did you think I was going to treat you?”
This is stupid. I shouldn’t have brought it up, but I forge ahead anyway. “It almost feels like we’re friends again.”
She snorts. “And? You were going to ask a question.”
I decide to come right out and say it. “Are we friends, Vic? It’s just, you hated me for a long time.”
She sighs. “I never hated you. I hated the circumstances we were in. It took me a long time to reconcile that the circumstances weren’t your fault. But I also knew every time I saw you, I would be reminded of them and how much it hurt that he chose you over me. Some guy he didn’t know over his own daughter.”
I wince. “You should know, Vic. I never considered he would choose me over you. I thought he would choose me as well as you. I was just as shocked as you must have been when I found out I was hired and you weren’t. I’m really sorry.”
She doesn’t look at me, focused on driving, but I can see the sad smile. “I don’t blame you, Tanner.”
“What changed?”
“Time, first of all.” She shrugs. “It’s been over seven years now. My father has done more things that make me angry, that have hurt. There are more things that had nothing to do with you. I tried to cut him and Mom off once, you know. Go no contact, or super low contact, like Spencer is with his dad.” She shakes her head. “It didn’t work out very well.”
I want to ask what happened, why it didn’t work out, but she sighs and continues. “Then you came to me to tell me what he wanted. You decided not to manipulate me like he wanted you to do. You could have come to me, asked me out, been super charming. Instead, you decided to be honest with me. I appreciate that.”
I scoff. “You wouldn’t have given me the time of day if I’d tried to be charming.”
She sends me another of those glances. “I think you underestimate how sexy you are.”
My brain does the equivalent of a record scratch. Excuse me, what? The memory of that white paper rose in the vase flashes through my mind. I’ve spent more time looking at it than I care to admit over the last few weeks. Could I have gotten her back? Despite the mess of emotions, I give her my most cheeky grin.
“Are you telling me you find your husband sexy and charming, Mrs. Marcus?” I say.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she responds, dryly. I can hear the eye roll, even if I can’t see it.
She parks in front of my parents’ apartment. We get out of the car and Vic takes the present from the back seat. I grab her free hand before she can go inside. She looks up at me, her clear blue eyes finding mine, asking me without words what I want to say.
“I feel like I should return the compliment,” I say. “You are not charming at all.”
She folds her arms over her chest, the gift bag dangling from her fingers, and raises an eyebrow. “Gee, thanks.”
“But you are fucking gorgeous.” I lift a hand to brush back a strand of hair that has escaped her neat twist. “And what you lack in charm, you make up for by being absolutely fascinating.”
For just a second, her gaze drops from my eyes to my lips and I wonder what she would do if I were to kiss her right now. Would she pull away? Or would she kiss me back?
“I’m not fascinating,” she says quietly. “I’m a sardonic control freak who would rather stay home and read or watch a show than go out with friends.”
I’m still touching her, my thumb caressing along her cheekbone. And she’s letting me. “But you do go out with your friends. Why is that, Vic?”
“Because it’s important to them and they’re important to me.”
I smile. “Exactly. You may not be incredibly charming, but your capacity for love is bigger than I’ve ever seen. You memorized my family tree in a matter of a few days when our relationship has an expiry date. You come with me to these things,” I wave a hand behind me to my parents’ apartment, “even though I’m sure they can be overwhelming, because it’s important to me.” I lean down and place a soft kiss on her cheek. “Thank you.”
When I move back, her eyes have drifted closed and there’s a huge part of me that wants to lean in again, this time placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Would she let me?
Then she clears her throat, her eyes blinking open. “We should get inside before they wonder where we are.”
I take her hand before we get to the door. Around my family and hers we hold hands a lot. We’d discussed it after the wedding and figure we could get away with no more kissing as long as we show affection in other ways, like hand holding.
Inside, we go to the party room, which my parents have booked for Juliet’s birthday. Most of my family is there already and some of the older kids come to greet us immediately. I’m closer with my nieces and nephews than I am with most of my siblings, and because I’ve always tried to be there for them and do fun things with them, I’ve solidified my spot as favourite uncle.
The party is as rowdy and loud as every other time my family gets together, especially on days like today when more of them are in attendance, people talking over one another, multiple conversations happening at once, the younger kids screaming as they run around the place. Juliet had mentioned to me she hadn’t wanted to do something like this, feeling like she was too old for it, but my parents insisted and she had relented.
I note her father, my brother Keith, is not here. I hope he’s not at a casino, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he is. Her mom isn’t with Keith anymore, so she’s not here, either, but Piper is a good parent and I’m sure she’s doing something for Juliet later if she hasn’t celebrated her birthday already. Juliet’s brother Cooper is here. They have different moms, but have always been close.
After cake and presents, as the party is winding down, I see Vic talking to my sister Harper and her husband Ian. I excuse myself from the game of tag I’d been playing with the under ten crowd and join her.
“Oh, I love travelling,” Vic is saying. “I didn’t plan anything for this year because we’re busy opening the new venue, but I try to go somewhere every year.”
“Good luck getting Tanner to go with you,” Harper says. “He’s such a homebody. He hasn’t even travelled further than Vancouver Island.”
“Hey,” I say, slipping into the conversation.
“Tell me it’s not true,” Harper says.
I pretend like I’m considering it for a moment, then nod. “It’s true.”
“Wait,” Ian says. “Where did you guys go for your honeymoon, then?”
“We didn’t go on one,” Vic says.
Harper looks surprised. “Why not?”
“Oh. Because…” Vic falters, looking at me and I know what she’s thinking. How do we save this? We didn’t go on a honeymoon because this isn’t that kind of marriage. We can’t tell my family that. The only ones who know are Vic’s closest friends, Wyatt, and Addison.
“Vic’s business is really busy during the summer months. It’s hard to get away.” I place my hand on the small of her back, trying to show her we’re in this together as I lie to my sister. “Then Derek and Ava are going for their honeymoon in a couple days, so we didn’t want to go while he’s away.”
“So you’ll be going later?” Ian asks.
I look down at Vic, who meets my eyes. “I was hoping to convince her to let me take her away for a bit. Maybe just a week, or a long weekend. Over to the Island or up to Whistler.”
“Do you ski, Vic?” Harper asks.
“No. I don’t snowboard, either. But I could be convinced to go to Whistler, anyway.” She looks up at me, leaning into my touch. “We don’t have to go during ski season. Take in some spa time, some nice drinks at a fireside lounge.”
I grin. “We can absolutely do that.”
Before the conversation has moved on, I’m already making a plan to take Vic away. Because if she doesn’t hate me, if she thinks I’m sexy and charming, maybe there’s a chance this marriage on paper can become a real one after all.