Once we’re down on the sidewalk, I spot Abe leaning against his car, reading a book while he waits.
“The Realtor is meeting us there?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
Reed has decided he doesn’t want to live downtown anymore, so he’s house hunting closer to us. He says he’s found one he really likes and wants my opinion.
“Hey, Abe.” I smile and wave at him.
“Victoria,” he says, rounding the car to get back in.
Reed opens the door and I slide inside. Reed’s hand plays with mine as we pull away from the curb.
“I firmed up some plans last night with Pete.”
“Yeah?” he asks.
“I’m going to fly out there with Jade to drop her off and then fly back to pick her up. She’ll stay for a month this summer.” I take in a deep breath. It’s going to be horrible, but she deserves to spend some time with her dad and he promises he won’t work the whole time.
“A month?” he asks.
“Well, he’s going to hire a nanny and take two of the weeks as vacation.”
Reed nods. “Nice of you.”
“I was wondering though, would you want to come with us and maybe if it’s okay with Ned and Helen, Henry could come when we go to pick her up? We could stay—”
“I’ll go both ways. You’re going to need me after the drop-off.” He smiles, his fingers tightening in mine. He knows me well.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiles. “I’m pretty sure since I’m his guardian if anything should happen, Ned and Helen will be fine with us taking Henry.”
I slide closer, laying my head on his shoulder. My eyes close briefly from the late nights studying for exams. Three more weeks until I graduate, and I can cross off one thing off my list.
“We’re here,” Reed whispers in my ear.
“Sorry,” I mumble, lifting my head to see my mom’s house. “What are we doing here?”
Reed says nothing and steps out, holding his hand out for me to take. “Have a good weekend, Abe. See you Monday.”
“Bye, guys.” He waves and once Reed shuts the door, he pulls away.
“So…I wasn’t exactly telling the truth when I said we were going to look at a house I was interested in. And I hope you’re not mad, but…” He takes my hands in his. “I bought the house next door to your mom’s. My plan is to renovate it, make it large enough to fit all of us. You don’t have to move in with me, but I want to be close to you.”
He guides me up the walkway, pulls out a key and inserts it in the lock.
“This is not me asking you to choose. This is me wanting to be as close to you as possible. I’d love for you and Jade and your mom to move in here. Or just you and Jade and she can stay next door on her own as long as she’s able. I knew you’d want to be by your mom, so…” He trails off, opening the door and waiting for me to take the lead.
The thing about Chicago housing is that next to one bungalow is a three-story flat and next to that is a renovated single family. It’s a hodgepodge of housing types. Reed’s bought the single-family home that needs some updating, but nothing major.
“It’s beautiful.” The light that streams in through the front windows highlights the hardwood floors and moldings. The place has good energy and being close to my mom makes it perfect. We can get out from under her and she can maintain her independence. But we can still help out around the house and with meals since we’re so close.
I walk farther into the house to take it all in.
“The kitchen needs some work, but I have some ideas.”
Warmth blooms in my chest the more I see, but Reed takes my silence the wrong way.
“I don’t want to pressure you, Vic. If you completely hate the idea, I can renovate it and turn it for a profit.”
I shake my head. “I’m not feeling pressured.” Turning back around to him, tears fill the corners of my eyes, but they aren’t the sad kind this time. “It’s perfect.”
“I’m so happy you think so.” He erases the distance between us and lifts me into his arms. “What does that mean exactly?” A nervous chuckle escapes his lips.
“It means,” I close my eyes for a moment and then let them slowly open to the man who has stolen my heart and soul. “We’re moving in together.”
His arms tighten, and he swings me around. “Thank you,” he mumbles and I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or fate itself.
My phone rings and Reed lets me go to grab it out of my purse in case it’s the school or my mom.
He ventures down the hall while I press accept on Chelsea’s call.
“What’s up, Chelsea?” I ask. “Did you know he bought the house next to my mom?” I say, unable to contain my excitement.
“Did he? I didn’t know.” Her voice is flat and doesn’t hold any of the humor I’m used to.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
Reed comes back into the room, his eyebrows furrowed wondering what he’s missing. He wraps his arms around my stomach from behind, kissing my neck.
“I saw the tax attorney.”
“Is he hot? You’ve been into good guys lately and what tax attorney isn’t a good guy, right?” I giggle when Reed nips at my neck.
“Hey now,” he whispers.
“He’s not a good guy, Vic.” She sounds near hysteria as she sucks air in and out of her lungs. “He’s my ex-husband!” she screams.
Oh, shit.
What happened when Chelsea was face-to-face
with her ex-husband?
Keep Scrolling!
Cockamamie Unicorn Ramblings
The Charity Case Series was born from an idea for a book Elisabeth (Piper) had before we decided to form Piper Rayne. It was going to be called Divorcee Dating (did you catch the term in the book?) and she’d written the blurb and everything.
So, in order to turn her idea of one book into three, we had to find two more women. After writing The Manny and introducing you to Hannah Crowley, we knew she was born from Elisabeth’s idea and her book, Happy Hour (Book #3) would be the story Elisabeth had in mind originally. Not that it was Happy Hour at the time, we just knew she was our woman to take on the task.
The only thing we did want was three women who had been introduced in previous books to get their own. It’s easy to write snarky and quick witted secondary characters. We’re not in their heads. They can say a funny line and disappear into the darkness. Add on the fact, we needed them to be divorced. It was tricky to figure out who the other two women would be.
Let’s talk Victoria, since Manic Monday is her book. You’ll have to wait for Chelsea until Afternoon Delight. Sorry, but we can’t give you all the intel.
When Victoria was written in The Manny originally, you were given a short glimpse of her character as Jagger’s assistant. We didn’t know then that she would get her own book. The fact that she had a kid was just kind of thrown in there when Payne spilled his drink on her desk. Actually, the fact she was hiding having a kid was supposed to say more about Jagger than it was about Victoria.