Vegas Aces: The Wide Receiver Complete Series

CHAPTER 12 TESSA

“I picture lilac bushes along here.” I point as we walk up the sidewalk toward my red front door. “And Tristan’s house had rhododendron bushes, so maybe some of those out back. And I’ve always wanted one of those little flower border things where I could plant annuals every year. Maybe a garden out back,” I say as I unlock the front door.

“This is gorgeous,” she says, her eyes on the house.

I nod toward an empty spot on the porch to my left. “I ordered a porch swing, too. Can you just imagine sitting there, gazing downtown or dreaming about the future while the baby naps?” I turn the doorknob, and the second I open the door, the loud greeting shocks the hell out of me.

“Surprise!”

I fall back a little, but Sara’s there to catch me.

“Happy baby shower!” she says, and I turn toward her with narrowed eyes.

“You knew about this?”

“Girl, I planned this. With your mom, of course,” she says, and my mom comes running up to us first. She envelopes me in a hug, and she grabs onto Sara next.

Sue is right behind my mom, and behind her is everyone else from town. Mrs. Beatty, Mrs. Burton, Mrs. Sullivan, and Mrs. Cleary are the first in the line-up. Their endless support for the Fallon Festival was incredible, and now they’re here supporting me again.

Mrs. Asher is here, and several other Fallon Ridge teachers my mom is friendly with, too. All the ladies from the auxiliary club are here, and even Mayor Hanson’s wife showed up.

I spot several girls from my class who are still in town—or close enough to show up to any of Fallon Ridge’s events. Lauren, Kristen, Wendy, Nicole, Jamie, Jen, and, of course, Tiffany all made it to the party. Most of their moms are here, too, a byproduct of living in a small town. The invitations to an event like this end up more political than anything else.

I haven’t spoken to most of the girls I attended high school with since the craft fair—and some not since my father’s funeral.

We’re not friends the way we once were anymore. In fact, I don’t know if I could ever really count any of them among my friends. They were friendly with me because I was close to Tristan. He was who they wanted, and I would venture to guess that’s part of why they’re here today.

That…plus, I suspect many of them showed up today out of an obligation to seeing what gossip they could drum up rather than actually caring about me.

I push those thoughts aside. Whatever the reason is, they’re here today, and I’m glad they came.

And then I spot two figures toward the back of the room off by themselves, and a strange shiver crawls up my spine.

My half-sister Stephanie and Auntie Jane.

What the hell are they doing here?

Either of them?

I would never have invited Stephanie to anything personal, and Auntie Jane is the last person I’d want to celebrate another baby out of wedlock with.

But they’re both here, and it’s weird that they’re talking to each other.

I guess she’s Stephanie’s aunt, too, and I’m curious as to whether they’ve spoken before. Maybe at Dad’s funeral, but I don’t recall seeing them together. It was a busy day, though. I saw Tristan for the first time in seven years. Cam showed up. My father had died and I met two of my half-siblings.

To say I was distracted that day would be a gross understatement.

It’s weird seeing her here in my new home. She looks a lot like my father, only older and female, and she acted much like him, too.

Except I never knew my father at all, apparently.

I choose not to focus on that today. Instead, I focus on what an amazing gift I’ve been given.

My mom and Sara went all out with this perfect baby shower. We eat pink cupcakes, we play games, we eat finger foods and appetizers, we play more games, I open gifts, and there’s plenty of laughter and merriment.

Mrs. Burton made the baby a quilt, and Coach Beatty’s mother knitted a winter hat and scarves. Margaret made some kid-friendly soaps as well as some special bath bombs for me when I’m up to baths. The girls from high school all chipped in to get the dream baby stroller I wanted. I hadn’t planned on registering, but my mom suggested it a while ago since she said people in town would want to buy us gifts.

She was right.

I can’t think of a single thing on that list we didn’t get today, and my mom informs me halfway through the shower that she picked our new house as the setting for the surprise shower so we wouldn’t have to haul all the gifts from some other location back to the house.

I can’t help but think that was a pretty brilliant plan as I glance at the presents piled up all around me once I’ve finished opening them.

Sara takes meticulous notes so I can write out thank you cards, and eventually the guests start to leave.

Before she leaves, though, I spot Tiffany talking with my aunt. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Does Tiffany know that’s the aunt I stayed with when I left town?

Is she asking all the right questions…and is Auntie Jane answering them?

Exhaustion hits me as the surprise mixes with the activity of the day. I flop onto the couch as my mom shuts the door behind Coach Beatty’s mother, and all that’s left is my mom, Tristan’s mom, Sara, Stephanie, and Auntie Jane.

Auntie Jane had to have driven in from Chicago. I haven’t spoken to her other than a cursory and polite greeting when I first saw her, and I also haven’t spoken much to Stephanie today.

They’re hanging back like they’re part of the family, and I guess in the technical sense they are.

But Auntie Jane knows my secret.

She’s one of the few who does, and I know she’d be discreet, but I still can’t help feel a certain way when I see her talking the entire day with the half-sister produced from one of my father’s affairs.

“What an incredible day,” I say. Stephanie and Auntie Jane are in the kitchen, and I’m on the living room couch with my mom, Sue, and Sara nearby. “Thank you all so much for this wonderful surprise.”

“It was all Janet,” Sue says. “She’s been planning this for months now.”

Sara nods. “She has. She asked me for opinions, but it was all her.”

I sit up and squeeze my mom’s hands. “Thanks, Mama.”

“Anything for my little girl,” she says.

“You need any help cleaning up?” Sue asks. She glances around, and the place is as meticulously neat as it was before the party, because that’s the kind of person Sue is. She already washed all the dishes, cleaned up the wrapping paper, and broke down boxes. Sara and my mom carried most of the gifts up to the nursery.

“You’ve done so much,” my mom says to her. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“That’s our grandbaby, too,” she says, hugging my mom. “I’m happy to do whatever I can.”

Tears spring to my eyes, and Sara leans over and tosses her arm around me as my mom walks Sue out. “Congratulations, Mama,” she says to me. “You scored big with that Tristan guy and his family.”

She’s damn right about that.

Stephanie takes off next, and then Sara takes off on her drive back to Chicago.

Soon it’s just my mom, me…and Auntie Jane.

I feel awkward with her here.

She reminds me of some of the worst moments of my life. She was civil enough to me, and she took care of my basic needs, but she was neither loving nor warm toward me when I stayed with her. Instead, that entire period of my life feels like one big punishment.

I don’t hate her, per se, but I can’t say I really like her, either.

“I need to get on the road, too, but I waited for everyone else to leave so I could talk with you both,” she says.

I suck in a breath.

“I just want to say I’m so happy the way things have worked out for you, Tessa. Things were difficult not so long ago, but it appears you’ve rebounded beautifully.” Not a hint of merriment is in her eyes despite her words, and yet again, she reminds me of her brother. He was never very merry, either.

Still, I’m a little surprised that she’s being as nice as she is. I’m a little surprised she showed up. I know how she feels about premarital sex. I know how she feels about babies born to single mothers.

And yet…she’s here.

“Thank you, Auntie Jane,” I say softly.

Questions play in the recesses of my mind.

Does she know what happened to the baby?

Did she ever get to hold him?

Does she know where he is now?

She wouldn’t. Those records were sealed.

Still…I can’t help but wonder. I can’t help but wonder whether there’s some way to unlock those mysteries, to find answers to questions I first asked seven years ago.

Just as I’m about to open my mouth to ask, she says, “I’ve spoken with both Stephanie and Michael. Stephanie could use a friend, I think. Michael is well-adjusted. I thought I would mention that to you.”

Is this her way of telling me I need to befriend my half-sister?

Because if it is…I’m not sure I can do that. Not when I think she’s the one dancing naked pretending to be me on JustFans. Not when I don’t trust her.

Not when I’m a little scared of her.

I’m a little scared of Auntie Jane, too, if I’m being totally honest.

We say our goodbyes without another chance for me to ask any of the questions plaguing my mind, and then it’s just my mom and me.

“This was incredible, Mama. Really. Thank you so much,” I say, drawing her into a hug.

She squeezes me back. “It was fun planning it. I’m just so excited to meet that sweet baby girl.”

“Me too.” We withdraw from our embrace and head over to the couch. “Can I ask you a question?”

She nods as we both sit.

“Stephanie and Auntie Jane?”

She laughs and shrugs. “I knew not inviting them would spark even more town gossip.”

She’s probably right about that.

Still, the thought that Tiffany Gable was over there talking to her sends a chill up my spine.