Chapter 16

VIVIANNE

“Oh!” I yelp, scrambling to cover myself.

“I didn’t hear the shower! Sorry!” Liam spins around. “Sorry!”

Heart pounding, I finish washing quickly and grab a towel, wrapping it tightly around myself. I rush out of the bathroom, making a beeline for the closet, ignoring Liam, who now sits at the end of the bed.

When I emerge, I dart back into the bathroom, determined to focus on getting ready for the day instead of the utter mortification I feel right now.

I dab at my hair, soaking up as much moisture as I can before blow-drying it.

Once it’s dry, I get dressed—an olive green cami and tucked it into my skintight black jeans, the ones with the rip at the knee. I pull on a light gray cardigan and glance in the mirror, forcing a smile.

It takes me a few moments to muster the courage to leave the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, I open the door.

Liam is nowhere to be seen.

I exhale in relief and grab my bag, slipping on my heels. Just as I reach for the door, I nearly collide with him.

My cheeks burn, and I can’t meet his eyes.

“Hey,” he says, steadying me with a hand on my arm.

“Hey, just heading out,” I mumble, still not willing to look at him.

“About this morning—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“Ah, gotta run! Don’t wanna be late meeting Kimberly.” I duck around him and head for the stairs, my pulse racing.

Nan is sweeping below, and I seize the chance for an escape. Practically running down the steps, I swing around and whisper-yell, “Nan!”

Her head pops up, and she smiles brightly when she sees me, her face crinkling with warmth.

But as she reads my expression, her smile fades.

Leaning the broom against the wall, she mumbles something about following her and leads me into a small room lined with bookshelves and a simple desk.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice gentle.

I don’t hesitate. Words tumble out of me as I recount what happened, my cheeks burning hotter with each detail. When I finish, I glance at her sheepishly, waiting for her response.

Instead, she laughs. She laughs at me.

“Dear, you’re upset because he saw your cookie?” Tears of amusement threaten to spill from her warm eyes.

“I—well, yes, I guess I am,” I admit, crossing my arms. “More embarrassed than anything. I just can’t believe he saw me.”

“Have you talked to him since?”

“No!” I answer too quickly. “I don’t know where exactly he went, and I just need a little more time to push the embarrassment away.”

Nan shakes her head. “Stop being a baby. Just go talk to him.”

I blink at her, bewildered.

She’s right, of course. I know I’m being childish, but the thought of facing Liam makes me feel uneasy—scared, even.

I nod and meet Nan’s eyes. “I’ll talk to him when I get back from my day out with Kimberly.”

She seems satisfied with that answer and waves me off with a shooing motion.

I stand and walk out of the room, waving goodbye.

Her softness reminds me of Momma. She would have said something similar. A sadness settles in my chest at the thought.

It’s not long before Kimberly struts down the stairs, the picture of beauty and elegance. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a sleek ponytail, and the dress she’s wearing looks like it was pulled straight from the runway.

The light yellow fabric falls just above her knee, its sleeves gathered into small, tied bunches.

We exchange brief good mornings before heading out the door. A black SUV waits for us, a driver already in place.

As I climb in, I briefly wonder what it would be like to have enough money to have a twenty-four/seven staff at my beck and call.

I try to start a conversation, but Kimberly shushes me, explaining that she prefers to spend the drive to the store in silence.

The rest of the ride passes with me staring out the window, my thoughts slipping between my family and what’s at stake. I silently thank the Lord I don’t have to deal with this woman regularly.

When we pull up to a storefront, Kimberly opens the door and slips easily out of the car, not bothering to wait for me.

I push myself to catch up, but she doesn’t even glance in my direction. I take the opportunity to send a text to Momma.

Vivianne

Thinking of you. Talk later?

The response comes quicker than I expected.

Momma

Can’t wait.

As soon as we step inside, a swarm of employees descends on her, asking if she needs assistance and offering her suggestions.

She smiles coldly but doesn’t respond, walking straight past them until she reaches a petite girl with a short brown bob. The girl’s wide eyes flicker with something resembling fear.

“Come,” Kimberly says, turning sharply.

The girl and I trail after her, a few steps behind.

Something in my stomach twists. I concentrate on the floor, willing the room to stop swelling and contracting, trying to push down the creeping panic.

My mind floods with thoughts of Liam. I know I shouldn’t entertain them, but I can’t help but worry.

If I have no relationship with this set of parents, how will that affect him? How will he feel about me?

We stop in front of two empty racks with shelves above them. Kimberly spins around and glares at the girl she dragged over. Then she rattles off sizes and styles like a professional auctioneer, her tone sharp and precise.

The poor girl struggles to write everything down on her hand before darting off.

I look at Kimberly, standing with a smug expression, clearly satisfied.

I force a polite smile of sorts, struggling to hide my disgust. I try to make excuses for her in my head, but none come.

“I didn’t think you were going to get anything,” Kimberly says, flashing me a toothy grin. “It’s a little expensive here.”

“Oh, well, that’s okay. I have a few dollars to spare,” I reply, though something feels off.

“No, sweetie. I don’t think a piggy bank is going to cut it.”

She laughs, and I’m taken aback.

The words hit me like a slap.

“Excuse me,” I mutter. “I need to use the restroom.”

I walk away, my cheeks heating.

It’s fine, it’ll be fine.

She’s right, anyway. I really don’t have the cash to shop where she does. Her receipts probably match my entire paycheck.

Liam floats into my mind, telling me not to back down. But should I?

I pull my phone from my pocket, craving his advice. My thumb hovers over the call button before I remember this morning.

Three deep breaths. A quick pep talk.

I press the button.

“Hello? Is everything okay?” He sounds out of breath.

“I didn’t want to bother you, but—” I steady myself, scanning my surroundings. “Kimberly made a comment about—”

“I’ll kill her, I swear. She can’t—”

“No, no, Liam, it’s okay. I just need your advice.”

“Oh.”

The line goes silent for a beat, and I brace myself, afraid he’ll tell me to cut my losses and back down.

Instead, he says, “Well, just use the card I gave you.”

I freeze. Of all the possibilities I had imagined, this wasn’t one of them.

“Viv?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I just…don’t know if I can do that.”

“Is this about this morning?” His voice is steady, unrelenting.

“No—” The lie tastes bitter. “Maybe. I just don’t know if I feel comfortable using your card like that.”

“Okay, Viv. Whatever you want to do.”

We say our goodbyes, and I hang up.

I take another deep breath, straightening myself, and start walking back—

When my phone rings again.

“Hello?”

“Ah—Mrs. Pierce.”

Liam’s voice tumbles through the speaker, playful.

“Liam, what are you doing?”

“I—your boss—have a very important work thing I need you to handle.”

I hear the laughter in his words and can’t help but smile.

“Liam.”

“Vivianne.”

The way he uses my full name makes me pull my shoulders up, bracing for whatever comes next.

“Go spend my money. As much of it as you want. Buy yourself something nice. And when you have, go buy yourself something to wear to a fancy restaurant, because I’m taking you out when we get back to New York.”

He lets the words settle before adding, “That’s an order.”

Then he hangs up.

~Game on, step-monster.~