Vivian (2 page)

“
Why?”

Clayton looked around and then back at her. “Because you’re stranded.”

She crossed her arms over her chest as much out of irritation as to shield her from the cold. “Just a nice guy routine?”

Clayton’s sandy hair was blowing in the opposite direction in which he’d combed it, giving it a ledge. His brown eyes were narrowed on her as he held the last cord in his hand.

“
No routine going on. I thought we were friends and you needed some help.”

“
Friends? I just met you a few weeks ago.”

“
Right.” He winced. “You invited me to a party too. Friends do that. Even if they just met. Remember I’m new in town. I don’t know too many people.”

“
Whatever. Thanks for coming out. Very strange, but thank you.” She couldn’t even stand the sound of her own voice as she talked to him. The first time they’d met she was giddy and gushy—not like her either. But now she was being crude and snide. More like her, she thought, but not nice.

He clamped the last cable to the side of the engine compartment. “Okay, go start your car.”

Vivian walked back to her car and turned the key. The car sputtered and finally came to life. When she looked up Clayton stood there with an enormous grin looking down at two running engines.

That nerdy grin was making her insides gooey again, just as it had when he’d arrived at the old house looking for a daycare for his girls. Two of the cutest girls she’d ever seen.

It was stupid to be mad at herself just because an attractive, smart guy considered her a friend. And then there was the matter of fact that he was going to be paying some of her bills when his daughters attended their daycare.

She let her mouth slide into an easy smile as she climbed out of the car.

“
I really appreciate you coming to help me out. That was above and beyond.”

“
I’d like to think that someone would help me someday too.”

Cute and genuinely nice. His wife was a lucky lady—whoever she was.

Clayton took the cables off of the batteries and rolled them around his arm. Vivian slammed down her hood and he did the same.

“
Amelia is with the inspector now getting everything signed off on the daycare. If everything goes well, we should be open next week.”

His eyes grew wide. “Oh, that’ll be great. My girls talk about your girls non-stop. They’ll be glad to be around them all the time.”

He was easy to look at and easy to talk to. She found herself wanting to do just that—stare and talk.

“
How is school going?” she asked, remembering that he was a new school teacher in town.

“
So far, not bad. I’ve been called Mr. South, Mr. West, Mr. East, and Mr. Northbound.”

She chuckled and he eased his hip against his car, which only made him cuter.

“
Third graders are funny like that.”

“
Sometimes sassier than high schoolers.”

When he crossed his arms over his chest, she was reminded of that wedding ring on his finger. She didn’t want to be that other woman to worry about.

Vivian pushed back her shoulders and held out her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Northwest, for helping me out today.”

He grinned as he shook her hand. “My pleasure.”

“
I look forward to seeing the girls next week.”

She turned back to her car and began to climb inside.

“
Hey,” he called. “I’m taking the fam out for pizza on Saturday night. That place on the edge of town with the video games.”

She nodded. She knew the place too well. That was where she and Adam had spent many of their teenage lustful nights.

“
Anyway,” he continued. “Why don’t you and the girls meet us there? We can have family pizza night for everyone.”

Vivian swallowed hard. “They’d like that.”

He gave her a wave as he climbed into his car and motioned for her to drive ahead of him.

She put the car in gear and started back down the road.

Looking back in her rearview mirror, she saw him on his cell phone. No doubt talking to his wife.

She was a big enough woman to be friends with him—and the wife. She’d been lied to and she didn’t trust anyone, so this would be a good step for her. Trust a man she just met that makes her insides gooey—and spend time with his kids and wife.

Nothing seemed off about that at all, she tried to convince herself. He was just a good, decent man. He’d come to her rescue and his daughters would be in her care next week when her business opened.

But it didn’t stop the fact that he was so handsome and she wished he was single.

Chapter Two

Vivian had stopped for a few groceries before picking up her girls from the rec center daycare. There was undoubtedly some thrill in knowing that they wouldn’t have to go there next week, for her anyway.

The entire reason they’d decided to open a daycare center was so Vivian and Penelope could have their children with them at all times.

As she and the girls walked through the lobby, Amelia peeked her head out of the gymnasium doors. She’d been teaching self-defense and kickboxing there since July. And even though there was work for her at the daycare, Vivian was sure she’d never give up her teaching. It was part of who Amelia was—one bad ass girl.

“
Hey, I wanted to tell you that we passed all our inspections!”

Vivian let out a deep breath. “I didn’t doubt it but I sure feel better knowing it.”

Amelia smiled. “Sam picked up a bottle of champagne and some sparkling cider for Penelope and the girls. We thought we’d celebrate tonight over at the house.”

Vivian nodded as Amelia ducked back into the gym. She’d really wanted to just go home and soak in her tub, but it looked like she’d be heading over to the old house they’d remodeled to celebrate the opening of the daycare.

After a glass of champagne, she’d head home to soak in a tub full of bubbles that went up to her eyebrows. The thought made her smile. She’d have to make sure the girls were asleep first, or she’d have company.

When she pulled up in front of the old house, she was more than surprised to see Clayton carrying things out of it.

“
Mommy, they’re here!” Emma screamed from the back seat, loud enough it made Vivian wince.

“
Yes, honey, they are.” But why were they there?

Vivian stepped out of the car and opened the back doors to unbuckle her girls. They wiggled free, jumped from the car, and she watched them run off and into the house.

Clayton gave her a wave. “Your girls couldn’t get here fast enough. Stephanie has been asking about them for a half hour—nonstop.”

“
Why are you here?”

Again her words sounded curt and nasty. What was it about this man? To look at him set her insides to goo and then she’d talk and nothing but ugly came out.

“
I ran into Sam at the rec center. He takes yoga,” he said quietly as if maybe no one was supposed to know.

“
He’s really good at it. It keeps him calm.”

Clayton considered it. “Maybe I’ll be wanting to look into that before the end of the school year.” He laughed and wouldn’t you know it—that was sexy too. “He said he and Brock could use a hand moving some things out of here.”

Brock walked out of the door with a suitcase and hoisted it into the back of his truck.

“
What is all that?” Vivian asked.

“
Penelope’s stuff. I think it’s time she moved in with me. The baby looks to only be a few weeks away.” He was grinning and beaming, she noted. The man was as giddy for this baby to arrive as he was to marry a woman that Vivian should absolutely despise—but she loved her instead.

“
I just thought we were going to wait a bit.”

Brock shrugged. “Sam hired a guy to start on that other bedroom next week.” Brock held up a hand as she took a breath to protest. “He’ll be working after business hours. Sam knows the responsibility for those who will come in and out of the house. It’ll take a few weeks longer, but then you and the girls can move in there.”

They’d discussed Vivian moving into the old house for convenience. After all, she’d been living in a borrowed townhouse for months since her house had been lost in a late summer tornado. She hadn’t really talked to Sam about it, but she figured the man who had let him use it for her and the girls was probably wanting to rent it out.

“
I suppose I should prepare them for another move,” she looked toward the house where she could see little girls running back and forth from room to room.

“
I could help you move too if you need it,” Clayton offered. “I don’t think you can ever have too many hands when moving.” He smiled again.

“
You’re very generous with your time.”

“
It’s something I can give freely.” He wiped his hands on his pant legs. “I’m off for another box.”

She watched him walk away—perhaps too intently. When he’d disappeared through the door, she turned toward Brock.

“
Why did Sam ask him to help?”

“
They talked a lot at the barbeque a few weeks ago. When he saw him today, he invited him over. He is, after all, your first paying customer—for lack of a better word.”

“
Don’t you think it’s funny how he just shows up everywhere, but his wife doesn’t?”

Brock shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe he got the job here and she hasn’t come along yet. I’ve never seen a woman with him.”

“
Neither have I, but he wears a ring. I just think it’s odd.”

“
Have you asked him?”

Vivian gasped as if she were shocked by his question. “No. It’s none of my business.”

“
Then don’t worry about it. He’s a great guy and the girls love his girls. We can all use a new friend.”

She had somehow surrounded herself with people who were too damn optimistic.

Most of Penelope’s things were packed into Brock’s truck before Amelia had arrived. With the laughter of little girls running through Penelope’s now empty bedroom, the six adults stood in the old 70’s décor kitchen and popped the top to the champagne. Sam filled five plastic champagne glasses with champagne and one with sparkling cider for Penelope. They all raised them in a toast.

No one spoke for a beat and then Amelia chuckled to herself.

“
It might seem like the worst time for this, but a toast to Adam Monroe. Had his mama not screwed him up, we wouldn’t all be here today.”

Each of them laughed, except for Clayton, who was respectfully quiet. He probably had no idea who Adam Monroe was.

The bubbles went straight to Vivian’s head and she winced from the bite that champagne always gave her. It was then she’d remembered she hadn’t eaten lunch. She had groceries wasting away in the car. And if she had one more sip from that glass she might have to crash on a nap mat in the toddler room.

She set the glass down on the counter. “I should get home. I haven’t eaten all day. I can’t have any more of this.”

Penelope dropped her shoulders and a pout formed on her bottom lip. “Don’t go yet. I made dinner.”

“
You did?” Vivian looked around the kitchen. She didn’t see anything or smell it.

“
It’s at Brock’s in the slow cooker.” She turned her pout toward him, only now she batted her lashes. “Will you go get it? There is wrapped corn bread on the counter too.”

“
Did you plan to feed this many people?” he asked with an adoring grin on his face.

“
I made way too much. Please go get it.”

Brock caressed her cheek and nodded. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”