Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set (141 page)

"That's not funny Tory.  Don't let Langston hear you say anything like that."

"Bleh.  She threw an ashtray at his head.  He knows she's crazy."

"We're gonna have a nice peaceful night remember, Tor?  No reminding Langston that your mom's being a bitch."

"Ha, you said it.  She's a bitch."

"I said she's being a bitch.  Not that she is one.  There's a difference."

"Admit it.  You think my mom's a bitch."

"Hush Tory.  Let's go inside.  Langston's probably gonna think we're sitting out here making out in the driveway."

"Nah, he already knows we did it."

"Tory shut up.  He's probably right there in the living room."

"The door's thick.  Probably cost as much as Jude's family's whole trailer.  Do you think I should tell him we did it twice?"  She giggled. 

"At least you're in a better mood now," Langston said, surprising her so much when he suddenly appeared in the doorway that she took a step back, right into Tony's arms. 

"Oops," Tony said, "Sorry Tor."  Then he hissed into her ear, "You'd better hope he didn't hear that."

But Langston seemed oblivious to their conversation as he held the door open.  "Come inside kids.  It's getting cold out."

They followed him into the living room, sitting on the love seat.  Langston sat back in his chair, picking up a mug off of the table.  "Do you two want some hot chocolate?  There's some powder in the kitchen.  It'll warm you right up."

"Tor?"  Tony said, getting up.

"Sure, I'll help you."

"No, you stay right there." He gave her a tight smile.  "I know where the cups are."

"It's still on the counter Tony.  Just leave it out.  I think I may have another cup later."

"Okay.  Thanks, Langston."

"Anything in particular you want to watch on TV Tory?"

"I don't think so.  Have you heard anything from Li.  .  .  I mean my mom?"

"Not yet sweetie.  I'm sure she'll come back before you leave to say goodbye.  With as much as she doesn't want to see me right now I'm sure that she won't let you leave without saying goodbye." 

"Yeah." But she seriously doubted it. 

Tory didn't think she had technically said hello, why would she care whether or not she said goodbye she thought?

"Oh, Tony," Langston said, as Tony came back into the living room, carefully carrying two mugs. 

"Yes?"

"I happened to get a phone call from Dr.  Larson.  He called to wish me a merry Christmas.  I brought up your mother with him and that favor he owes me.  He said that he'll give you a call after the holidays; figure out when a good time would be for him to see your mother.  I hope you don't mind me giving him your number."

"Of course not sir.  Thank you.  You'll never how much I appreciate this.  My mom will too."

"You can thank me when your mother is back in society.  Maybe she can thank me herself."

Tony went a little pale, thinking that with Lindsey set to divorce him that he meant it in a romantic way Tory thought. 

"Oh no, son." Langston laughed at the look on Tony's face.  "I didn't mean it that way."

"Of course not."  But he couldn't completely hide his sigh of relief and Langston laughed again, winking at Tory. 

She reached over and squeezed Tony's hand.  He obviously wasn't ready to have someone replace his father, though his mom probably wouldn't be anytime soon either, with her reaction at his death. 

"Anything you want to watch on TV Tony?"  Langston reached over to hand him the remote. 

"You can watch whatever you want.  I don't mind.  Do you Tor?"

"Nah."

"We'll see what we can come up with.  Though with it being Christmas, I doubt there's much on besides holiday movies and specials."

He brought up the guide and went through the channels much like Tony had done the night before.  "All these channels," he muttered.  "All that money I pay every month and never anything on.  I wonder if there are any decent movies on pay per view or on demand."

He passed the movie that they had watched and went on to read the synopsis for a romantic comedy and then a horror film.  He passed over a chick flick and then paused at a comedy.  "What are you two in the mood for?  Scary or funny?"

"I think we could probably all use a good laugh," Tony said.

"That okay with you Tory?"  Langston asked. 

"Sure.  Do you want me to make popcorn?"  She was kind of hungry, having only picked at her lunch. 

"I don't think we have any hon.  There are probably some chips in the cupboard.  Your mom likes her salt now and then, so there's usually some kind of chips around.  Probably some kind of dip or salsa in the fridge or the cupboard too, if you dig deep enough.  Help yourself to whatever you want."

"Thanks Langston."

"No problem kiddo.  I really appreciate the company."

She stopped herself from commenting that Lindsey wasn't very good company when she was around and walked into the kitchen.  She dug around in the cupboards until she found a bag of tortilla chips shoved in the back.  After checking the fridge and not finding any open jars of salsa, she poured chips into a bowl and then carefully balanced three small dishes of salsa on a serving plate. 

She realized that she didn’t know if Langston ate salsa as she carried the food into the living room.  She sat the snacks in the middle of the table and settled herself on the loveseat next to Tony. 

Langston was waiting to start the movie which had started over again while she was in the kitchen.  The small run in her pantyhose had turned into one that ran halfway up her leg and she was tired of being dressed up. 

"Do you mind if I go upstairs and change before we start the movie?"

"Of course not.  Might as well be comfortable."

She hurried up the stairs and into her room, quickly shedding the panty hose and tossing them into the garbage can.  She dug out a clean t-shirt and a pair of short pajama pants from her drawer, throwing the shirt into the hamper and re hanging the jacket and skirt in the closet. 

She was headed back towards the stairs when she ran into Tony coming out of his room.  He was wearing his pajama pants as well, though she was disappointed to see that he had a shirt on. 

"Why are you wearing a shirt?"

"I'm not trying to turn you on.  I'm trying to watch a movie with you and your stepdad."

"It should be against the law for you to wear a shirt.”

"And your sex drive should be against the law Tor.  C'mon, let's go back downstairs." 

"If you insist." She followed him down the stairs, checking out his ass the whole way. 

Langston had returned for the kitchen with a fresh mug of hot chocolate, and settled back into his chair.  "You two ready?"  He picked up the remote.

Tory nodded, settling back onto the couch, Tony's arm around her shoulder.  The movie started out all right, but after the first thirty minutes it started to get stupid and she was soon bored.  Langston was laughing which surprised the hell out of her, because he of all people seemed beyond grade school humor.  Tony was joining in.  She was glad to see that both of their minds were off of their troubles for the moment at least.

If only hers could be she thought.  Her mind had started to wander back to the issue with her father.  If only he'd been home, she would have been able to talk to him and maybe her faith would be restored in him.  She highly doubted it, but she’d calmed down enough that she was willing to give him a chance without jumping in with accusations right away. 

She settled her head on Tony's chest.  Before she knew it she was waking up at the end of the movie and heard Tony saying "I told you you snored, Tor."

Her eyes went wide when she saw the look that passed between Langston and Tony.  Langston looked ready to kill Tony.  Tony looked like he wanted to drop through the floor.  She moved away from Tony and sat back against the edge of the couch, waiting for one of them to speak. 

When nearly a minute of silence had passed she opened her mouth to make an excuse, but Tony had started talking "Sir?  Let me explain myself okay?"

"I think I've got all the explanation I need Anthony."

Great, so he was back to being Anthony again she thought.  All the ground he'd gained had been lost when he'd admitted that he had at least slept with her.  Of course he hadn't admitted that they'd had sex but who was going to believe that they hadn't?  She had to say something she thought.  What if Langston decided to call his doctor friend and tell him that he no longer needed to help Tony's mom?

Damn, what could she possibly come up with that would set Langston's mind at ease she wondered?  She couldn't lie, that would only make things worse.  But she couldn't exactly tell him that she'd been sneaking away from school to have sex with Tony for the past few months now could she?  So, maybe a partial truth she thought? 

"Langston."

"Yes, Tory?" His eyes were still cold, though some of the fire had faded. 

"I know that no one wants to hear that their teenage daughter is having sex."  Might as well butter him up while she was at it she thought. 

"No, it certainly isn't.” He looked at his cup of cocoa like he wished he'd put something stronger in it. 

"But," she snuck a glance at Tony, who was staring sullenly at his feet.  "I'm almost eighteen.  We've been careful."

Well, most of the time she thought.

"I know it probably doesn't make you feel any better." Tony looked at Langston with a naked need for forgiveness in his eyes.  "But I'd like to marry Tory someday.  I mean, when she's ready.  I love her.  More than anything."

Langston sighed, looking at his cup like the swirls he was creating by swishing the liquid around held the meaning of life.  "I know you do son.  I'd have to be a fool not to see it.  It was just a rather rude awakening to know that what I'd been suspecting was true."

Tory looked back and forth from Tony to Langston.  Tony still looked like he wanted to hide.  The look on Langston's face had passed from anger to a weariness that made him look old.  He sighed again, putting his cup back down on the coaster resting on the table beside his chair. 

"Tory do you want a refill?  I think I'm going to go make myself a scotch.  Would you like one Anthony?"

"I'm not a real big drinker anymore sir; but if you wouldn't mind."

"You bought it son, might as well share." Langston motioned for Tony to follow him to the bar. 

She could hear them talking quietly and wondered what they were saying.  Had it been the right thing for Tony to bring up wanting to marry her or had he put his foot in his mouth even more?  Sure I'm sleeping with your stepdaughter but I plan to marry her-someday.  Hell anybody could plan to marry someone someday.  It didn't mean it was ever going to happen she thought. 

Tony returned with her hot chocolate a minute later, giving her a wounded look when he handed it to her.  At least it hadn't been her fault this time she thought.  She hadn't been the one who'd opened her big mouth about sleeping together.  It was pretty funny though when she thought about it.  Tony was the one who was so uptight, who didn't want to do anything in front of her stepdad that led him to believe that they were sleeping together and instead of her blurting out something stupid, it had been Tony who'd done it. 

She hid a smile as Langston and Tony returned to their respective seats.  Langston took a big gulp of scotch.  "Well, Tory, I'm guessing that it's too late now to have the sex talk with you huh?  And I suppose that it's really not my place.  I don't know if your mother talked with you about it, but none of that's really the point now.  I know what it's like to be young and in love.  Marriage isn't an easy undertaking.  And children are another thing all together.  I'm not sure if anyone is ever truly ready for the challenges having a child can bring, no matter their age.  I do realize Tory, that as you said; you are indeed almost an adult.  I can only hope that you are being as careful as you say.  But we've all heard stories of accidents.  I do believe that you've been lucky enough to find yourself a young man that would stand by you were the worst to happen, but I beg the both of you to ask yourselves if parenthood is something that you're really ready for.  Tory, you're finishing high school, looking forward to going on to college.  Tony, you've had issues that kept you from starting school at the usual time, but I believe that you are more than capable of getting yourself back on track once everything is squared away with your mother.  You've both got bright futures ahead of you.  I'd hate to have to see all of that put on hold because Tory ended up pregnant."

He took another big gulp from the glass and sighed.  "What can I say?  They always say to practice what you preach.  I was engaged at eighteen to a girl I thought was pregnant with my child.  I was thrilled at the idea of a child.  Being an only child myself, I thought nothing would be better than a big family.  I can see how you may feel that way as well Tory, but I cannot stress enough the importance of waiting.  It may be too late for a warning about waiting to have sex, but please take every precaution available."

"Yes sir," Tony said.