Nerds on Fire (3 page)

Or so Trixi hoped.

Chapter 3

Trixi, Rylan, and Chrissy
piled out of the car and into the modest black and white marble
tiled back foyer. This house was magnificent, but before Chrissy
could begin net worth calculations, they were ushered into the more
intimate sitting room. This one was far more sedate than the
massive one used for social gatherings.

The room was impressive,
but Chrissy might miss this because of its smaller size. Chrissy
wouldn’t fail to notice the lack of antiques, or the lack of
noticeable
antiques,
because every single piece in this room was coveted by collectors
everywhere. The settee where her Gran resided was worth the taxes
on the place alone.

“
Welcome, loves,” Gran
greeted as she rose to hug and kiss Trixi and then her
son.

When she turned to Chrissy, Trixi
noted Gran’s careful reaction. It didn’t take that lady long to
reach the same conclusion as Trixi had. Satisfied her instincts
were dead on, Trixi moved to her Aunt Miriam and hugged her with
exuberance. Then on to Uncle Johnny who squeezed her tight, ruffled
her hair, and complimented her like always.

That she adored this couple was no
small wonder. They had propped up her flagging self-confidence for
years, were fun and interesting, and she loved spending time with
them. Miriam was her father’s first cousin, but Gran had raised
Miriam when her own parents were killed in a car accident when she
was a toddler. Gran called Miriam her daughter.

Raised as siblings, there was no doubt
this was how Rylan and Miriam viewed each other. They might even be
closer than siblings since they were probably best friends. He
vetted every woman he dated through Miriam, so it worried her
Chrissy had slipped through the usual process.

Trixi noted Miriam’s response to
Chrissy. Her aunt’s expression shuttered as she gazed at Chrissy
with masked dismay.

Not by any means stupid, her father
had to notice their reactions. On the other hand, perhaps this was
wishful thinking on Trixi’s part.

She couldn’t imagine her father
married to this woman.

Upon introduction to Johnny, Chrissy
immediately went on high alert and flirted with him, with innocence
and seduction blended expertly together. There was nothing wrong
with her behavior, not exactly. This was simply a woman who kept
all of her options open.

Johnny was excellent husband material.
Like her dad, he was wealthy, successful, and perched at the very
top of his profession. Plus he was handsome, perhaps even more so
than her father. The fact he was happily married seemed of little
consequence to Chrissy.

She did make certain Miriam and Gran
noticed her flashy ring and cooed over Gran, but it sounded forced.
Trixi’s dislike flared to full life again.

Miriam’s heavy stare caused Trixi to
glance in her direction and she saw her same despair in those
beloved blue eyes. As though tugged there, she glided into her
aunt’s embrace. It was a familiar place. After Trixi’s mother died,
Aunt Miriam and Gran held them together, with Johnny helping when
he could. His long hours kept him away from them often, but he
remained there, in the background, helping.

Trixi had only been a teenager, and
the blow devastated her. Without these two women, she wouldn’t have
come through such a terrible time with her sanity
intact.

She couldn’t imagine life without the
people in this room. Johnny had been offered a position as head of
the Cardiology Department in a prestigious hospital in Delaware so
they had moved there about five years ago. Now, after a new
appointment here at the same facility where she worked, they just
recently moved back home again.

Gran interrupted her thoughts by
declaring it was time for dessert.

Once everyone settled, Trixi picked up
the cake and noticed tea, coffee, plates, forks, and a cake server
at the ready. She carried the confection to the buffet where she
quickly sliced it. Then set the wedges on the plates and added a
fork before she served the moist chocolate fudge cake.

It smelled wonderful, and she knew
from previous tastings, it wouldn’t disappoint. Even Chrissy had a
small slice. Trixi took orders for tea and coffee and once everyone
was content, carried the remaining cake and beverage pots to the
coffee table so everyone could help themselves.

“
Trixi, I need this
recipe.” Miriam moaned as she forked up another bite.

“
You say that every time
she makes this cake and then leave without it,” Johnny groused, but
he sent a playful wink to Trixi.

She grinned, savoring the chocolate
cake melting in her mouth.

“
She ‘forgets’ it because
she knows she’ll gain weight if she actually owns this recipe,”
Gran enlightened Johnny. Her affection was apparent in the glances
she sent Miriam’s husband.

“
Yes, Mom is right.”
Miriam’s bright eyes twinkled at her husband. He leaned forward to
kiss her.

“
I’d eat the entire cake,
so you wouldn’t have to worry.” His assurance came with a lazy
perusal of her happy face.

Miriam laughed, and the sound tinkled
merrily through the room. Trixi grinned as she watched the pair.
You’d think they were newlyweds, the way they acted.

“
How long have you been
married?” Chrissy appeared to be recalculating in her
mind.

“
Nearly twenty years.”
Johnny’s fork lay forgotten on his plate as he gazed at his wife.
His adoration was apparent and as usual, Trixi fought down tiny
pangs of envy. Her parents had enjoyed this same kind of love, as
had her Gran and Granpy.

Chrissy’s plastic face prevented too
startled an expression, but her face did reflect her astonishment.
“Oh, I figured you were newly married.”

Chuckling, Rylan shook his head.
“Everyone does, but no, they’ve been together for
years.”

“
And have been happier than
most couples I know.” Gran put an end to the conversation. She
passed her plate to Trixi for more cake, and Trixi again reflected
on how she wanted to be like Gran when she grew up.

Nearly thirty wasn’t super young, but
compared to her grandmother’s age, she felt childlike. Maybe she
was. Still, she lived in a house she loved, held a job she could
see herself working in until retirement, and... had no prospects
for a husband.

Yet women like Chrissy probably had
them lining up. Trixi wasn’t upset with her looks. She didn’t mind
what she saw in the mirror each day. It would be nice though, if an
eligible man actually saw what the majority of the people in this
room claimed to see.

Gran turned the conversation to her
and Johnny’s work at the hospital.

Trixi told of her new, permanent
position in neonatal. Her family was thrilled for her.

“
I’ve heard about a young
doctor who is making strides in pediatrics,” Johnny said around a
mouthful of cake.

“
Who is that?”

“
Dr. Leo de
Vosse.”

“
Yes, Leo is a friend of
mine.”

Johnny frowned. “Doesn’t he work with
sick kids?”

“
No, that’s Dr. Sam Welby.
His patients all have cancer. I’m not certain I could handle
cancer-stricken kids like he does. Leo works with normal
kids.”

Johnny sent her a knowing look. “You
like the babies better though?”

Trixi nodded, having just taken
another bite of cake.

“
Of course she does.” Her
father held Chrissy’s hand.

They chatted a little longer before
getting up to leave. Trixi tried to talk her Gran into keeping some
of the cake, but that lady told her to share it with her
friends.

Remembering they were supposed to meet
for lunch, Trixi figured Leo and Mark would enjoy the
confection.

After much hugging, her dad ushered
her and Chrissy out of the house. It was completely dark now and a
little chilly in the night air. They didn’t waste time hopping into
the car to avoid the brisk wind blustering through the
trees.

Her dad dropped her off before he took
Chrissy home. As soon as the headlights disappeared and Trixi was
alone in the house, she tucked the cake into a more portable
container and then dialed her grandmother and aunt.

“
What did you think of
Chrissy?” she asked the moment Gran picked up.

“
Just a second, honey. I’ll
put this on speakerphone so your aunt can listen in.”

“
It’s just us. Johnny had
some paperwork to catch up on, so he’s in the study working.”
Miriam spoke clearly.

“
Oh good. It’s always
better if our menfolk don’t know how catty women can be.” Trixi
checked that her dad hadn’t arrived home yet.

“
Honey, you’re not being
nasty. That woman is not at all right for your father,” Gran said
staunchly.

“
No, she’s a gold
digger.”

“
Why would he fall for a
woman like her?” Miriam ventured. It sounded like she was biting
her lip.

“
Stop biting your lip.”
Gran sounded distracted.

“
I’m guessing she’s capable
of hiding her intentions from men.”

“
Yes, they notice her face
and figure, but never look beyond those.” Miriam’s matter-of-fact
tone resonated.

“
The thing is, Dad has
recognized other women like her, so I’m surprised he got taken by
Chrissy.” She tucked breakfast into her range before venturing
upstairs to her bedroom where she set out her scrubs for the
morning.

“
Your dad is smart, baby. I
think he’ll see through her shenanigans before they marry.” Gran
sounded confident. She hoped her grandmother was correct because
even the thought of Chrissy as her stepmother was scary.

“
I hope so, Gran. I really
hope so.” The despair in her heart threatened to overwhelm her but
she shoved it away to bask in the combined love of her aunt and
grandmother.

“
I think we need a little
faith here.”

Trixi paused at Gran’s statement. Gran
wasn’t born yesterday, and the lady had more common sense than
most. She probably knew what she was talking about.

This calmed Trixi enough that when she
heard her father come in, she was able to kiss him goodnight with
her usual aplomb.

He was bubbling over with
happiness. She would
not
rain on his parade.

No matter
what
.

Although if he asked her outright what
she thought of Chrissy, she was also going to be tactful, but
honest.

Hopefully
tactful.

The next morning at work, Trixi called
out when she caught sight of her best friend strolling across the
hall. Katy, who must have recognized her voice, spun, searching for
her. They met halfway, there might have been
squealing...

After hugging her friend tight, she
looked Katy up and down. “You weren’t supposed to arrive until
tomorrow.”

“
I know, but I was eager to
get here so I came early. I have some paperwork to complete and a
few meetings.”

“
I thought I was starting
in neonatal today, but I also have to go through paperwork and
meetings, despite my years here.” Trixi perked up. “I’m so happy
you’re early. We can endure this together then.”

Katy’s usual smile lit her face. “I
have really missed you.” After another squeeze, Katy held her at
arm’s length to peer at Trixi.

Trixi returned her perusal. Despite
the bright smile, she looked a little weary around the
edges.

“
This must be Katy,” Leo
said behind them.

Trixi quickly introduced them. “Yes,
Leo de Vosse, this is Katy Greene.”

Leo took in her best friend’s blonde
curls and bright violet eyes and an instant friendship flared
between the pair. They were two kindred spirits meeting and
recognizing each other.

Mark approached them. “Shouldn’t you
all be at work?”

He directed the question to both her
and Leo.

“
This is my best friend and
sister, Katy Greene. She’s a trauma surgeon. Katy this is Leo’s
brother Mark.”

Mark shook her hand. “Nice to meet
you.”

“
Same for you, Mark.” Katy
charmed him as well as Leo in seconds. “Are you also a
doctor?”

“
He’s a neurosurgeon,” Leo
said, busy with his phone. He handed it to Katy who handed hers to
him at the exact same time.

Trixi glanced at Mark, who
contemplated the pair with as much interest as her.

“
What happened?” he
whispered.

“
They met and became
instant best friends.”

He nodded.

Katy and Leo must have finished
inputting their information into the other’s phones because they
handed them back and were already making plans to get together,
perhaps for supper? Trixi couldn’t hear the entire conversation
because Mark got paged.