Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set (152 page)

"Sorry.  I seem to be offending everyone today.  How's she doing?"

"A lot better lately.  The past week or so we've seen an amazing change in her."

Tony nodded, looking at the back of a slim woman with light brown hair who was looking out towards the high gates of the outside area, looking like she wanted to escape. 

"I got a doctor coming in to see her sometime next month."

"Dr.  Price is good," Ryan said.  "But sometimes he looks at his patients like his kids.  Sometimes he's afraid to let go.  Good luck to you and your mom."

"Thanks," Tony said. 

"Monica," Ryan called out.  "Your visitors are here."

The woman turned.  She was beautiful, but looked older than her years, weary.  She was tall and slim, almost to the point of being too thin with long hair with a slight wave to it.  She had light blue eyes.  They were similar in color to Lindsey's, though they were what her father would call ocean eyes, eyes that you could look into and not want to look away from, unlike Lindsey's which were always cold. 

She hurried over to them.  Ryan went back towards the door.  "Call me if you need anything Monica."

She gave him a smile.  Tory caught it when he winked at her.  She was glad Tony didn't.  She wasn't sure how he would feel about a hot young looking guy winking at his mother. 

She threw her arms around Tony.  "I'm so glad you came."

He pulled back.  "It's not a problem, Mom.  Are you okay?"

"Much better now that you're here.”  She looked Carl up and down.  "You've gotten so big Carl.  I hardly recognized you.  You've grown into quite a handsome young man."

"Thanks Aunt Monica.  It's good to see you."

"You too." She gave him a hug.  "And these two beautiful young women must be the girlfriends that I've heard so much about."

It was almost like they were visiting her out of town Tory thought.  If you didn't look back towards the doors and notice the people shuffling around in bath robes and slippers, and closed your ears to the now shrill shriek of a woman from somewhere down the hall, that is. 

"Mom," Tony said, squeezing Tory's hand.  "This is my uh, fiancé, Tory.  And this is Carl's girlfriend, Andi."

His mother gave him a look.  "Fiancé'?  You proposed and didn't tell me?"

"It was last night Mom.  You were upset."

"Didn't want to tell your own mother you're getting married?  What kind of son did I raise?"  She smiled at Tory. 

Tory gave her a weak smile back, not knowing what to say.  She was feeling really uncomfortable. 

"C'mon, let's go sit down at the tables," Monica said.

"Did you see that guy wink at her?"  Andi said quietly.

Tony and Carl were walking with Monica. 

"Yeah, I did," Tory said. 

"He's hot.  You don't think he's doing anything to her do you?" Andi said.

"Not unless she wants him to be," Tory said.  "She seems fine.  Really happy to see Tony and Carl."

Andi bit her lip.  "Do you think we should mention something to Tony?"

Tory shook her head.  "He'd totally freak out thinking that his mom is being molested by some nurse."

"What are you two whispering about back there?"  Tony said. 

"Nothing," Tory said quickly.  "Just girl stuff, nothing you'd want to hear."

She sat next to him at the table.  Andi sat across from Tony's Mom, next to Carl.

"So," Monica said.  "Tony said that you went to visit your parents Tory.  Did you have a nice time?"

How should she put this she thought?  "It was my mom and my stepdad.  We had an okay time.  My mother and I have never been close."

"That's too bad.  How long have you been at Crestview?"

"Since the beginning of sophomore year."

"I heard that it's a pretty good school.  Do you like it?"

"It's okay.  There's always a lot of drama, but I guess it's just like any high school."

"I think there's been drama in high school as long as there's been high school." Monica laughed.  "I know we had our share of drama at mine a thousand years ago."

"You're not old Mom," Tony said.  "You're only forty."

And she had a hot guy that looked to be about twenty-five that had eyes for her Tory thought.  Ryan was back outside.  He was over by the door smoking a cigarette. 

Monica waved.  "Ryan.  Do you think I can bum one of those from you?"

"Mom," Tony said.  "Since when do you smoke?"

"I'm sorry dear," she said.  "It's only been a week or two.  It helps with the stress."

Ryan walked over and handed Monica a cigarette and a lighter.  She took it from him and lit the cigarette.  Tory noticed that he made sure that his hand brushed hers when she handed the lighter back. 

"You know I'm not supposed to be giving you these Monica.”

"Last time.  I promise."

He gave her a smile and another wink as he walked away.  And damn, was Tony's mom checking out his ass Tory thought?  She was.  Wow, something pretty funny was going on here.

Luckily, both Tony and Carl seemed oblivious, but Andi had caught the wink.  It looked like she had also caught Monica's eyes on Ryan's ass as he walked away because she gave Tory an amused smile.

"If I'm not mistaken." Monica turned back to her son.  "You've taken up the habit yourself.  I can smell it on you."

"Yes Mom," Tony said.  "Sorry Mom."

"Your father always hated it didn't he; when I had a cigarette?  Does it still bother Keith so much when Lori has one?"

"Yep," Tony said. 

"How are your mom and dad Carl?"

"Really good.  Well, maybe not really good.  Dad's mad because they changed the shifts on them again and fired a couple of guys who've been on the force for years.  Mom's good.  Except for her headaches."

"She still has migraines?  That's too bad.  I thought the medicine was really helping."

"It was, until she got stressed out again a while back.  They thought that Dad was going to have to take a pay cut, and that they were going to have to take out another mortgage on the house so I'd be able to go to college.  But they worked it out."

"Well, that's good.  Is she still smoking marijuana?"  Andi's eyes widened. 

Carl laughed.  "Yeah, she is.  Sometimes she smokes it when she doesn't have a headache though." 

Monica laughed.  "She always did like her pot.  Does she still make those brownies?  They were fantastic.  Even your father ate them Tony, and you know how he felt about drugs of any kind."

Tony sighed.  "I know Mom."

"Yeah, she does," Carl said. 

"Whoa.  Those brownies she made the other night didn't have weed in them did they?" Andi looked alarmed. 

Tory hid a smile.  To Andi it must have been one thing to smoke a little weed yourself, but your parents doing it? 

"Yeah." Carl grinned.  "Didn't you notice how much everyone was laughing?"

"You're kidding right?"  Andi said. 

"Yes, of course," Carl said.  "My mom doesn't give anybody food with pot in it without telling them first."

Andi breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank God."

Monica laughed.  "She did in high school though.  She gave some to your grandparents boys.  She always did think they were too serious." 

"Really?" Tony said. 

"Yes.  Ask her about it sometime.  She was so proud of herself, pulling it off."

"Okay," Tony said. 

"So Andi," Monica said.  "Your mother has got to be Michelle right?  You look just like her."

"Yep," Andi said.  "How'd you know?"

"We went to high school together.  I think your parents were in Keith and Lori's class.  Tony's father and I were two grades ahead of the rest of the bunch."

"What was my dad like in high school?  Carl's dad won't tell me.  It's like it's a secret guy thing."

Monica laughed.  "If I remember right, your father was pretty serious.  He went to a lot of parties, but he never drank much, and never tried any of the drugs that were all the rage back then.  Even Tony's dad broke down and smoked a joint now and then when we were young.  He'd never admit it later of course.  He was so involved when they did that drug free program in school.  He always made sure Tony went to every meeting and function.  Was always telling Lori that real medicine would do much better for her migraines than marijuana."

Tony looked like he wanted to crawl underneath the table Tory thought.  He'd told her that his father would be disappointed in him, but not that he was so antidrug.  What would his father think seeing his son as a drug dealer?  Tony must feel terrible.  Tory squeezed his hand.  He gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Oh, we were talking about your father, Andi," Monica said.  "I get a little carried away now and then, reminiscing about the past."

She got a faraway look in her eyes for a minute.  Then her eyes drifted back to Ryan, who gave her a wave as he opened the door and went back inside. 

"It's okay," Andi said.  She gave Tory another look. 

How could Carl and Tony be as oblivious as to what was going on between this guy and Tony's mom she thought?  There was obviously something.  But maybe it was good for her, Tory thought.  Not that she'd ever tell Tony that.  He'd flipped out when he thought Langston had wanted to go out with her.  What would he think if a twenty-five year old that was supposed to be taking care of her, was REALLY taking care of her? 

She turned back to Monica, who was speaking again.  "Your mother was very popular in school Andi, being so beautiful and smart.  All of the guys wanted a chance to go out with her.  Tony's Dad and Carl's both went out with her a time or two."

"No he didn't Mom," Tony said.  "He couldn't have.  You and Dad were together since middle school."

"We were," Monica said.  "But no relationship is perfect.  We had arguments like any couple and broke it off a time or two.  I think he mostly went out with Michelle to make me jealous.  I think they went to the movies.  Keith went out with her twice.  He took her to a dance when Lori was mad enough at him to go with someone else and then he took her to a party.  That was the night that your parents got together Andi."

"Really?" Andi said.  Tory thought that she looked interested, like it was a story she hadn't heard before. 

"It was the end of the school year and there was a huge party.  Just about every teenager in town was there.  Lori and Keith were still fighting, upset over their respective dates for the prom.  Your mother went with this good looking college boy, Carl.  He'd been trying to get her to go out with him since he was still in high school but Keith was the one that she'd always wanted.  She had a crush on him from the time they were in grade school.  It was their freshman year when they finally got together.  This was the end of their sophomore year, the end of Anthony Sr.  and I's senior year; so they'd been together for a while.  They were fighting like an old married couple by then, driving each other crazy.  Neither of them had really wanted to break it off, they were just too stubborn to say sorry.  So Keith brings Michelle to the party, Lori came with Anthony and I, and your father was with some friends, Andi.  Keith got very drunk and abandoned Michelle.  He came to Lori practically crying, telling her he was sorry and that he didn't want to fight anymore.  Poor Michelle was all alone.  For some reason the guys weren't flocking to her like they always did.  So, your father finally got up the courage and approached her Andi.  As far as I know, they've been together ever since."

"Wow," Andi said. 

Tory wondered if she was thinking about the fact that her boyfriend's dad had gone out with her mother, or that her parents had gotten together at a drunken high school bash.  Tory was marveling at a couple of things herself.  Not only that Tony's mother seemed perfectly together and was able to talk about Tony's father without breaking down, but the fact that Tony was named after his Dad and she'd never known. 

"Do you two have a wedding date in mind?"  Monica said. 

Tony shook his head.  "I'm letting her decide.  As long as it's within the next fifty years, I'm okay with it."

Monica laughed.  "You won't make him wait quite that long will you, Tory?"

"Probably not that long," Tory said.  "Twenty should be good enough."

"Hey," Tony said. 

"Kidding," Tory said.  Tony's mom winked at her. 

"Monica," Ryan called from the doorway.  "Lunch is ready."

"Just a few more minutes please”

"Five minutes, Mon.  I'll have hell to pay with the kitchen staff trying to keep it warm for you that long."

"You're so good to me Ryan," Monica said. 

Whoa.  No way in hell Tony could have missed that Tory thought.  And he did have a funny look on his face when his mother turned back to him. 

"Are they treating you okay Mom?"

"Of course.  Ryan is such a sweetheart.  He's always such a big help."

"Help with what Mom?"

"Oh, everyday things.  He always makes sure that I get to meals on time and that I always have clean clothes and fresh sheets."