Authors: Liz Matis
T
he waitress placed his draft beer and Victoria’s martini down, but Russ suddenly wasn’t thirsty. She needed to talk to him she said. No, not in private, in a neutral spot, she had added. Was she going to dump him? Had her parents laid down the law and she was here to break his heart?
Victoria looked out of place in the sports bar with her high heels and even higher skirt. As they left the field earlier she swore profusely that her shoes were ruined. He had laughed but apparently that was a mortal offense in her world. Patrons of the bar were probably wondering what she was doing with him. Their drink choices said it all really. He was blue-collar beer and Victoria was an elegant martini. Right now he’d like to shake and stir her up.
Her manicured finger slid along the rim of her glass and it was clear to Russ that she was having trouble with the words she needed to say.
Well, that was a first
. “Out with it.”
Her startled gaze lifted to his. After she took a deep breath she asked, “Did you sleep your co-host, impregnate her, and then desert her?”
Whoa, he was not expecting that at all. How did she find out? He guessed her mother had him investigated. Russ was surprised Victoria didn’t assume the worse or jump to conclusions. She came to him first and without anger as if she already knew the accusations to be false. Still, this conversation was going to be damn uncomfortable. “No to the first, which makes the next two impossible.”
“Why did you leave then?”
“No one believed me. I was hated. Followed.”
“I know how that is.”
“As she got closer and closer to her due date she became desperate. Refusing a DNA test, then demanding one, then back to refusing one. She showed up on my doorstep with camera crews, screaming at me. Said she would kill herself. So I took myself out of the equation. I left to save my sanity. To start over.” He’d never spoken so much at one time. His throat felt as dry as the outback in full summer heat. Russ lifted his beer and took a long drink. Did she believe him?
“So what you are saying is that you didn’t sleep with her? Not that I care—I mean—only for the fact that she was your co-host and—I’m your co-host—and you slept with me.”
Russ took her hand. “I did not sleep with her. And you do care.”
“I do.” Victoria squeezed his hand.
His heart melted. She believed him. He could read her eyes as if they were a crystal ball and he her gypsy lover.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She took a sip of her drink.
“I would’ve told you if there was even a possibility of it being true. Hell, I would’ve stayed in Australia if there was a possibility—but there isn’t—no way.”
“So what happens now?”
“Once the paternity test results come back negative—and they will be negative—this will all go away.” Russ took another long pull on his beer. “There’s one more thing you should know.” He leaned into the table and she did the same, which made it easier for him to admit, “I didn’t quit my night gig for Design Intervention. I quit because of you.”
Russ smiled as her eyes widened for a moment. What would she do if he admitted his love as well?
Victoria then turned serious and pulled her hand away. “I’m glad but we still have wait to go public. The media would create a three-ring circus around us.”
“Yeah, if she found out that we were dating it would give her more fuel to see me burn in.” Russ looked around the bar relieved to find that everyone seemed too drunk to notice the intensity radiating between them. “I broke one of my golden rules by dating a co-worker.”
“Then you won’t have a problem with meeting back at my place so we can break a couple of more rules together?” She scooted off the high barstool with a grace that could only come with practice. “Say an hour?”
He wondered what kind of rules she had in mind. “Thirty minutes.” He lifted his beer as she smiled then turned to leave. With the bottle still in midair he tilted his head so he could watch her sweet backside sashay out the door. Damn he was a lucky man.
***
After a long night of rule breaking the last thing Russ wanted to do was smile for the camera. Where was his ADHD when he needed it? Maybe a little coffee would revive him? Maybe a lot.
Victoria, on the other hand, glowed. She probably didn’t need a brush of make-up on for this morning’s shoot. The proverbial cat that swallowed the canary smile on her face had the crew worried. Russ had already been asked a half dozen times if she was drunk or on ‘something.’
The only thing that made him feel better was that he was that something she was on. He was really going to have to beg for sleep tonight. Russ shook his head as she walked over to her mark. A woman had never worn him down. Never.
He added another packet of sugar to his double shot espresso coffee and gulped it down before joining her.
Stephen yelled, “Action.”
Victoria started her spiel, “Today on Design Intervention we are intervening on a bedroom gone business.”
“And she doesn’t mean monkey business,” added Russ to the discussion.
“That’s right, Russ. Rule number one—no desk. Your bedroom should be a place of serenity.”
“And romance,” said Russ
“Yes, and that brings me to the number two— no TV.” Victoria slapped her hand on the thirty-two-inch box.
“Whoa, let’s not be rash about this.”
“Out!”
“But luv, how are they going to watch Design Intervention?” Russ winked at camera.
“That Aussie endearment is not going to work on me.”
Perhaps not in design it won’t, but in the bedroom—oh yeah—it works on her. The rest of segment went quickly and as Stephen yelled cut he heard Victoria squeal.
“Neil!”
Russ turned his head to see a tall, thin man, with a shock of silver hair that had to come from a bottle race to Victoria. Dressed in white leather pants even though it was eighty-five degrees out, a bright yellow t-shirt, his squeal of ‘Victoria’ nearly shattered Russ’s eardrums. So this was the famous Neil come to reclaim his co-hosting job. Sure he’d seen clips but none of them had Victoria wrapping herself around him in a big hug.
He shouldn’t be jealous—Neil was gay but he was Victoria’s best friend, and while he knew how to win over a female’s BFF’s opinion, he never had to win the approval of a male friend of a woman. Russ didn’t know if the same charm tactics would work—hell, he wasn’t about to try.
Victoria, bubbly and happy, pulled Neil over. “Neil meet Russ.”
Neil shook his hand firmly. “Ahhh, so this is my replacement.”
“Oh no.” Russ cut the air with a swipe of his other hand. “It’s been made quite clear that no one could replace you.”
“Yes, I’m sure it’s been a great HARDship for Victoria here.” Neil swept his gaze over Russ as if he imagining how he would taste. Neil giggled. “Just having some fun with you—you are not my type—you’re too rough around the edges for a delicate flower like me.”
Russ actually blushed. Bloody hell, had Victoria discussed their sex lives? He knew women discussed it between themselves, but he was damn uncomfortable with another male, gay or not, knowing how he was between the sheets. Neil winked at him confirming his fears.
Bloody hell.
“Let’s break for lunch,” Victoria stated.
As they left the room together, Neil held Russ back. Gone was the carefree attitude and his voice lowered by at least three octaves and Russ realized this was Neil’s natural speaking voice. “If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.”
With that Neil rushed out to join Victoria back in character of a fabulously gay male designer. He had the act down cold. It seemed all New Yorkers wore a façade as if the entire city were a grand stage.
And with Neil back, what part in this play did Russ just get relegated to? Victoria was so happy to see her friend, did she even consider what happens next? Would they drift apart without something in common? As the three of them slid into the cab he felt like he was on death row and this was to be his last meal.
Chapter 29
V
ictoria hid behind the over-sized menu so she could process her emotions. She was crazy happy to see Neil, but where did that leave her and Russ? Out of a job, would he choose LA over NY? He might even have a change of heart when his personal and legal issues in Australia were resolved and decide to move back. His family lived there and, even though Victoria’s dysfunctional relationship with her family grated on her, she could never imagine moving away from them or the city she grew up in. And from what Russ had told her he had a solid, normal family.
Ava arrived and took an empty seat. The waiter swooped in and took the orders. Victoria reluctantly gave up the menu.
“So when’s the happy day?” asked Neil.
“What are you talking about?” Victoria took a sip of water, glancing around at the other diners.
“Why, the wedding date for you and this handsome Aussie here.”
“Neil, we’re not getting married and nobody knows.” Victoria looked to Russ for confirmation but he apparently found the place setting more interesting than the conversation.
Neil flipped his hand in the air. “Sweetie, everyone already knows.”
“They do,” Ava agreed.
“Why hasn’t it hit the papers?” asked Russ.
“Who knows, maybe her parents paid off the press or perhaps Victoria has lost some of her star power,” informed Ava. “Sorry,” she added as she looked to Victoria.
“That’s the best news I’ve had since—well, since an hour ago when Neil came on set.” Victoria laughed and squeezed his hand. It was good news that he was home. She missed her friend on and off set. If only she knew where she stood with Russ. They hadn’t talked about Neil’s return.
Russ shifted in his seat. “We still need to keep it quiet for now.”
“What for?” asked Ava. “Victoria’s mother already knows.”
“There’s one tiny problem—” Victoria began to explain.
Russ interrupted her. “Luv, let me tell it—it’s my mess, not yours.”
She thought it was her mess too since she had a stake in the outcome but Victoria sat quietly as he told Ava and Neil about the paternity claim of his former co-host back in Australia.
Neil shook his head. “OMG, this is like a bad episode of The Maury Show!”
The need to stick up for Russ had her saying, “Yes, but the result will be, Russ, you are NOT the father.”
“It better,” threatened Neil.
Victoria noticed the evil eye Neil threw Russ. She couldn’t blame him, considering her questionable past choices in men.
“Well, you’re not the only one with news,” hedged Neil as he ironed the tablecloth with his hands. “Can’t believe I held it in this long.”
“It sounds like great news,” encouraged Ava.
To Victoria it sounded like Ava already knew what the announcement was going to be. “Yes, Neil, do tell.”
“I’m getting married!”
Victoria was not expecting that and blurted out, “Oh my God, Neil, not to your mother’s nurse.”
“You know me too well, Victoria.”
“You’ve only known him for two weeks!”
“We met less than two weeks ago,” said Russ grimly.
Two weeks and she was ignoring common sense and not only believing in Russ but defending him to her parents and to her best friends, and to the world if she had to. Victoria softened a bit, already planning Neil’s wedding in her head. Would she be the best man or the maid of honor? She laughed.
Ava reached for her hand. “Quick Neil, while she’s in a good mood. Tell her the rest.”
“I’m kind of scared to.”
Russ laughed, “I know the feeling mate.”
“Wait a sec.” Neil took a swig of his martini. “I’m moving to Arizona.”
Victoria started to argue but Neil rushed on, “Not just for him, but for my mother. I can’t take care of her when she’s a five-hour plane ride away from me.”
There was nothing left to say. Unlike her mother, Neil’s showered him with affection and love. Accepted him before Neil himself ever used the term gay to define who he was. In fact his mother probably had a hand in hiring Neil’s husband-to-be. The match making old coot. “I’m happy for you, Neil.”
Neil’s eyes popped wide open. “Really?”
Victoria glanced at Russ who, for the first time since Neil’s arrival, smiled at her. Her heart leapt. She knew what Neil was feeling because she was feeling it too, for Russ. She looked back to Neil and patted his hand. “Really.”
“Well, that was easy.” He turned to Russ, his smile one of admiration. “I think you have melted the ice queen’s heart.”
“First, I had to find it,” joked Russ.
Neil and Ava cracked up laughing but Victoria failed to see the humor and dug into a salad only a rabbit could enjoy.
***
The past week had been the happiest of Victoria’s life. Russ moved in, the network executives blessed the permanent pairing with a two-year contract for Russ and an extension to Victoria’s.
The only storm cloud hanging over everything was waiting for the phone call with the test results. The time difference between New York and Australia made the nights long ones. Though most of those nights were filled with lovemaking, right now Russ was sleeping peacefully while she stared at the ceiling waiting for his cell to ring.