Convince Me (Holton Series #1) (17 page)

"Why
do you let Steve treat you like you are some silly child?  I know that if
you said something to him he would stop.  He loves you very much."

Victoria
smiled at her and Anna wondered if she was involved with someone. 
Victoria Carson was a beautiful woman but there was a sadness in her
eyes.  It was usually well hidden and Anna doubted anyone in her family
even saw it but Anna knew it was there and it bothered her.  She waited
for Victoria's reply.

"You
are one of the few people who even noticed that Steven, Mitch and, well, some
others treat me like a child. You're very perceptive."

"I
can't take the credit.  Nick noticed and he told Julie and Julie told
me.  I was looking for it."

"Nick,"
Victoria said with a smile.  "I should have known.  He always did
see more than he should."  She paused a moment.  "I guess I
don't say anything because it doesn't really matter to me.  I know that
Steve loves me.  I know that he likes to protect me.  It is just part
of his nature.  Actually, I think he wouldn't know how to act if he
suddenly realized I'm all grown up."

"I
think you should give him a chance," Anna said quietly.  She didn't
know why she was pursuing this.  Just a few days ago she had told Julie
that she wouldn't interfere and here she was doing just that.

"I'll
think about it," Victoria said, placing her arm around Anna's shoulders
and giving her a hug.  "There is a little more to it than you realize
but thanks for caring, Anna.  It means a lot."

Anna
returned the hug feeling like she had made a new friend.  "You're
welcome.  I'll try not to interfere anymore."

Victoria
laughed.  "You didn't interfere.  Now, do you want to ride with
us to the airport?"

"No,"
Anna said slowly, thinking about it.  "I have some work to do and I
promised a client I would see her this afternoon."

"Okay. 
I don't know when I will see you again but hopefully it will be soon.  I
really enjoyed meeting you, Anna."  Victoria gave her another hug.

"Me,
too."

"I've
got to get back to my parents'.  Will you tell Steven to pick me up
there?"

"Sure,"
Anna said as she watched Victoria leave in a flurry.  She glanced around
the kitchen and realized the counters were clean and the dishes washed. 
Anna shook her head trying to understand how anyone could think that Victoria
was anything but a well-organized and talented person.

She
made her way back down the hallway to the guest room and quickly changed back
into her own clothes.  She was just leaving the room when she heard Steven
calling her name.  Walking back to the living room, she found him by his
desk.

"Honey,
I've got to go," he said picking up his car keys.  "I'm sorry to
leave you like this."

"Don't
worry about it.  I'm on my way home to change and then I'm going to
work.  Victoria said to tell you that she was at your parents'."

"Okay,
thanks."  He kissed her softly and headed out the door.  "I
see you later."

Anna
stood in the doorway and watched him walk to the car.  Mitch ran out to
join him.  He was dressed similar to the night before in his jeans and
leather jacket but he had shaved and she laughed when he stopped to pose for
her.  He then threw her his mischievous grin before getting into the
car.  Raising her hand, Anna watched them drive away.  She suddenly
realized how right this felt.  Standing in Steven's house, being part of
his life.  It all seemed right.  Maybe she could finally believe in a
happily ever after.

As
she started to close the door, Anna suddenly realized she didn't have a
car.  She was stranded at Steven's house.  With a laugh, Anna returned
inside to phone Julie.  So much for things feeling right.

#

"So,
what do you think?" Victoria asked from the seat next to him.  Steven
wasn't sure what he thought.  Victoria had just announced that she was
planning to move back to Holton.  It was a major decision and as always
Steven was afraid that Victoria had not thought things out.

"I
think you're nuts," Mitch said from the back seat.  Mitch's comment
did not surprise Steven.  His brother had never wanted to live in Holton
and had left town as soon as he was able.  Even now, Mitch only returned
when he had a specific reason.  To him, anyone who voluntarily moved to
Holton was crazy. 

"I
wasn't talking to you, Mitch," Victoria said.  "I'm asking
Steve.  He will be a little more objective."

Steven
thought about it for a moment and then answered her honestly.  "I
don't know, Tori.  It is a major step.  What about your job at
Whitman's?  Are you just going to walk out?"

Victoria
had a great job at a very prestigious advertising agency in Los Angeles.  Steven
knew she had worked hard for that position and he didn't want her to just throw
it all away.  She had always seemed to love her job.

"Of
course, I won't just walk out.  I will give them adequate notice."

"But
that is a really good job.  You won't find anything even near that pay in
Holton," Steven reminded her.  He wasn't sure why he was trying to
talk her out of moving but for some reason he felt he needed to present all the
arguments that he was sure she had not considered.

"I
will probably get a job in Dallas.  They have quite a few advertising
agencies here.  I have no intention of working in Holton.  I just
want to live here.  Besides, Whitman's will be opening a branch in Dallas
soon.  I know I could always get a job with them when that happens."

Steven
shook his head.  It was just like her to leave everything up to
chance.  "They won't give you a job if you quit and think a minute,
Tori, where are you going to live?  How are you going to pay your bills
until you do get a job?  In this economy, it could take months."

"I'm
not planning to move next week, Steve," Victoria said with a slight edge
to her voice.  "And I'm not quite as destitute as you seem to
think.  I do have some savings and I will still be drawing for Superdot
Comics."

Victoria
had helped pay her way through college by drawing for a comic book
company.  She had quite a talent for drawing but her interest and
abilities weren't suited for the traditional art world.  Victoria had
often drawn caricatures when she was younger and that had led to her job at
Superdot Comics.  The unusual job had been a family joke for years. 
Steven knew she still worked for them part-time but he had always thought that
job was not something she could count on.

 "You
are going to rely on your job at the comic book company to pay the bills? 
Tori, are you sure you know what you are doing?"

Steven
heard her sigh softly.  "I knew I shouldn't have asked you.  You
never think I do the right thing."

Silence
filled the car for a moment as Steven wondered about that comment.  What
did she mean about not asking him?  They had always talked about her
plans.  The only decision she had ever made without discussing with the
family was when she graduated from high school.  She had suddenly changed
her choice of college without an explanation and had never discussed it.

Steven
glanced at her now.  Had he been too harsh?  He just wanted to
protect her.  Steven thought about what she had said and realized he was
trying to talk her out of moving back to Holton when just the other day he was
thinking about how much he missed her.  He started to apologize when Mitch
spoke again.

"Just
tell me this, Tori.  Why on earth do you want to move back here?"

"Because
its home," Victoria said softly.  There was a longing in her voice
that Steven had never heard before.  He glanced at his sister again and
was startled to see her staring out the window with such an incredibly sad look
on her face.  Steven couldn't remember the last time he had seen Victoria
unhappy but he knew he didn't like it.

He
reached for her hand.  Surprised, she looked at him. Steven drove on
silently for a moment and then simply said, "Then, come home."

It
no longer mattered if she had a job or a place to live.  All Steven wanted
was to wipe that sad look from her face and if moving back home would do it
then Steven would lend his support.

Victoria
flashed him a grin and gave his hand a quick squeeze.  She turned back to
Mitch who was still shaking his head.  He still wasn't convinced.

"I
still think you're nuts, but do what makes you happy, kid," he said. 
As always, Mitch supported her decision even if he disagreed with it. 
That was something that Steven had never been able to do.  He knew that
for that reason Mitch and Victoria were closer to each other in many ways than
they were to him.

The
rest of the drive to the airport was uneventful.  Victoria left in a
whirlwind of emotion and energy and Steven was suddenly very glad she was going
to be moving home.  Life was always more enjoyable when she was
around.  A little more stressful maybe but definitely more enjoyable. He
had missed her a great deal.

He
and Mitch completed the return trip in companionable conversation.  They
talked leisurely about Mitch's latest assignment and Steven's work.  They
discussed Victoria.  Her plans to move back to Holton still worried Steven
but he wanted her to be happy.  He just wasn't sure the move was in her
best interest professionally.  It appeared Mitch shared his concerns but
Mitch was more worried about Victoria's reasons, which she had left
unexpressed.  As they had never been able to second-guess their sister,
the conversation soon became general.  It wasn't until they had returned
home that Mitch brought up the subject of Anna.

"I
like Anna," Mitch said when they had returned to the house.  They
were sitting in Steven's kitchen eating a late lunch.

"I
like her too," Steven said with a smile.

Mitch
nodded slowly.  "She has a problem, you know."

"I
know," Steven answered, not at all surprised Mitch had noticed.  His
brother was very good at reading people.  He was well respected as an
investigative reporter.  He had earned that respect by being resourceful
and intuitive.  Mitch had spent his life watching people and he was very
good at it.      

"She
is worried about being black," Steven told him. "She doesn't talk
about it much but I think her mother was treated pretty poorly by her father's
family and she is afraid that the same thing will happen to her."

There
was a short pause as Mitch went to the refrigerator for another coke.  When
he returned, he looked out the window before turning back to Steven. 
Looking his brother directly in the eyes, Mitch said, "That is not what I
meant."

Alarmed
at his serious tone, Steven demanded, "Then what did you mean?"

"Anna
may have a problem with her race, although it didn't show last night, but her
fears go far deeper than that."

"Mitch,
what are you talking about?"

"I
think Anna shows the signs of someone with a very unpleasant past.  An
unpleasant past that has nothing to do with her race. "

Steven
stared at his brother trying to comprehend what he was saying.  He didn't
question Mitch's assumption.  Mitch was not the most reliable person in
the world but Steven valued his opinion when it came to understanding
people.  He had always been better at reading between the lines.

One
of the reasons Steven's partnership with Andrew worked so well was that Andrew
also knew how to read people.  If the answer could be found on paper,
Steven would find it but when it came to dealing with humans face to face, he
often fell short.

"What
kind of signs?" he asked his brother now.

"Her
quiet manner seems to be some sort of protective instinct.  For example,
at the party, she only spoke with a select few people and never joined in a
conversation in a large group.  Yet, after most of the guests left and it
was just the family, she talked quite freely and seemed very relaxed."

Steven
shook his head.  "Mitch, you are making too much of this.  She
is just shy."

"Maybe,"
Mitch responded, "but her refusal to talk about her parents, especially
her father, is something to consider."

"My
god, Mitch, what did you do?  Question her?"

"Of
course, I questioned her," Mitch said in an exasperated tone. 
"That is what I do.  I question people.  Look, Steve, I'm not
saying that Anna has some deep dark secret that needs to be exposed.  All
I'm saying is that, in my opinion, there is something in her past that still
haunts her and you better deal with it."

Thoughts
of Anna rushed through Steven's mind and he decided his brother might be
right.  He had known all along that something was keeping Anna from making
a commitment.  He had assumed it was her race but now Steven thought it
might be something far more serious.  He began to wonder exactly what her
father had done to her.

Mitch
rose from the table and slapped Steven on the back.  "I'm going to
say goodbye to the folks and then head out.  I have to be in Washington D.
C. by Monday and I have a few stops to make on the way.  I'll call you in
a few days."