Page 59 of Wingwoman
I shook my head. “I didn’t know that, actually,” I said quietly. I hadn't realized Rick was an alcoholic, but it explained a lot of the dynamic between Hope and him. And potentially explained the four other marriages.
“Yeah. And I used to be so good at holding my liquor too. Now look at me! Two margaritas in and I'm done-zo!” She paused and seemed to see Matt for the first time, her cheeks turning magenta. “Oh! You brought a friend! Is he a singer too?”
“Not quite. This is my manager, Matt. Matt, this is Vivian.”
Matt’s mouth tilted into a grin as he bent at the waist, lifting Viv’s hand in his. And like a character out of an Austen novel, he placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. “Charmed.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved him away. “Stop hitting on the bride-to-be, Matt.”
Vivian threw her head back and laughed. “Yeah, Matt. I’m old enough to be your mother. But if you like what you see here, I’ve got three beautiful daughters who look like me…. only younger and with less wrinkles.”
“Daughters, huh?”
“Oh boy,” I said, leaning into Viv. “You have no idea the Pandora’s box you’ve unleashed.”
She narrowed her eyes in a glare at Matt. “Oh, I’m not worried. I’m pretty sure this young man knows how to treat a young lady. And if he doesn’t, I grew up on a farm slaughtering pigs. Slicing up one morepigin my life won’t phase me one bit.”
I laughed as Matt’s face paled. He clearly targeted the wrong woman this time. Offering Vivian my elbow, I said, “What do you say we go get you a glass of water?"
She slipped her hand around my elbow as I guided her in a direction that I hoped was toward her own table.
Looking up at me with a sly side-eye, she asked, “So, what are you boys doing here anyway?” It may have been phrased as a question, but her tone suggested she clearly knewexactlywhat we were doing here.
"Can you keep a secret?"
"God no,” she giggled.
I barked a laugh.
Man, I like this woman. I liked her a lot. "Well, at least you're honest.”
"What I can tell you, is that I can keep the secret from the person who matters. But I do love my gossip." Her smile faded, expression growing serious as she stared up at me and her grip on my elbow tightened. "But if you're here for what I think you're here for... or rather,whoI think you're here for, then your secret is as safe as the Pentagon with me. Because there's no way in hell I would screw that up or come between you two. And with that girl? You need to tread carefully. She spooks easier than a Przewalksi wild horse!”
“Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve heard a good Przewalski reference.”
She pointed at me. “I’m serious. I haven’t known Hope for long, but she got dealt a bad hand with that arrogant big city ex of hers. I like you. Don’t give me a reason to change my mind about that.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
My smile spread. Who knew I would have such an ally in Hope’s future stepmother? “But we should probably go find her before she tries to sneak out the back door or something.”
Vivian grinned and held up a set of keys pinched between her fingers. “Oh, I’m way ahead of you.”
My eyes went wide. “Are those… are thoseHope’skeys?”
She giggled maniacally in a way that said this woman was not one to be messed with. “Told you, kids. Don’t mess with Mama.”
Seventeen
JOSH
“Where are my friggin’keys!” Hope hissed as Vivian and I entered the back room arm in arm.
Seeing how angry she already was without even knowing I was here yet, almost made me turn around and nix the whole plan. Almost, but as I started to pull back, Vivian’s vice grip on my arm locked me in place. “Don’t you chicken out on me now!” she whispered.
Then with a final hard yank of my elbow, she tugged me forward toward the head of the table with her.
“Oh no!” Vivian exclaimed. "You lost your keys? I guess it looks like you're joining us at Splash Zone after all.”
