Winter Storm (5 page)

Rebecca barely caught any of Asha’s words as she went over what she’d just heard in her mind. The vote in New York didn’t have much of an impact in Autumn Leaves, but it could help change along in the long run, as this was one of the states everybody was looking to. She felt bad that she’d hardly ever paid attention to these issues as long as they did not concern her. Now, did they really concern her? She’d just barely signed her divorce papers.

She loved Callie and wanted to be with her. However, getting married was not a decision she felt capable of making at the moment.

Then Asha left the stage to Callie who found herself with standing ovations. After all, the award-winning part had happened only the day before yesterday. Rebecca felt her eyes grow bright.

“Thank you so much,” Callie said with a brilliant smile. “I’m happy you all came out here today. You might know my new book came out two weeks ago. It’s the fifth in the
Heart Fever
series, and I hope you will be at least a little intrigued after I read you a part. On the other hand, I hope you already bought it and came here just to see me.”

Some laughter ensued. She seemed so at home there, in her element, that Rebecca asked herself once again what had possessed this young, beautiful woman to settle in a town like Autumn Leaves. Granted, if you wanted peaceful quiet surroundings for your children to grow up in, it was a perfect place. At least, it had been that to Rebecca, for a long time.

“Writing a book is not something that is done in a few days. From the beginning to this…” She held up her copy. “A lot happened in my life, and this story will always be associated with those moments. I hope it will accompany you just the same, and that there’ll be a lot of good memories for you. Now, let’s see where we left Vanessa and Sabine.”

* * * *

It would never cease to feel a little strange to read her own words to an audience who actually believed her characters. It was a good feeling, to be back, to realize what she’d accomplished. She’d found a home. In the beginning, her move to Autumn Leaves had felt more like a stop while being on the run. When she’d moved into her aunt’s house, Callie had no idea if she’d still be there the next year. She was certain now. It made coming here a lot easier. She’d just wished Rebecca could be there too.

After the reading, Asha took the microphone again, reminding the avid listeners that there would be only one autograph per person. Callie smiled to herself. There had been times when there had been no reminder necessary, because only a small group of people stopped by her table. These days, there were always at least a couple of people trying to sneak in one more. Callie didn’t mind, even though she knew Asha would scold her for it later, not to mention her hand would hurt. She enjoyed the exchange. There was always a bit of hate mail or stupid comments on the internet, but those people usually didn’t go all the way to buy a ticket and actually come to see her. The people in this room were here because they had enjoyed her stories. It was safe.

Most people were happy with a little small talk. She asked them their names and wrote a personalized signature. Some asked her to sign for an absent friend or family member.

The man and woman brought their daughter who proudly held up a copy of
The Girl Who Lived in a Castle
. Callie smiled at the girl who was about Maggie’s age.

“You liked the book?” The girl nodded enthusiastically. “What’s your name?” When the whispered answer came, Callie signed
For Becky—Keep reading
and handed her the book, looking up to see the happily smiling parents.

Next, a woman asked her to sign the new book for her absent girlfriend.

“Annie is out of town, and she doesn’t know I’m here,” she said with a wink. “It’s for her birthday.”

“So tell me, are Vanessa and Sabine ever going to get married?” a teenage girl, about eighteen, asked.

“It’s a possibility,” Callie told her. “In any case I’m glad it happened here for real.”

“Oh yeah. We talk about it a lot in school. Don’t you think it’s stupid to keep people who love each other from getting married? It doesn’t make sense.”

Callie was admittedly baffled. Her audience, especially the younger segment, mostly came for entertainment more than discussing politics. If these subjects were discussed in school, maybe people were finally waking up.

“You’re right, Jenna. Thanks for coming.”

“You’re welcome. I think you’re awesome.”

“What’s your name?” Callie asked the next person waiting in line. Her head was starting to buzz, and she forced herself to keep up the smile and look up. It wasn’t the woman’s fault that she’d been last in the line.

“Whatever you like, but Nicky is fine.”

Callie halted in mid-motion, staring at the woman standing in front of the table in disbelief. It had been over a year since she’d last seen her. She never wanted to see her again.

“Nicole. What the hell are you doing here?”

“That is the question of the year,” Asha murmured behind her. In fact, she practically hissed. Callie felt a little safer.

“Isn’t it obvious? I just wanted to see you.” It was the smile Callie had once found attractive, but too many memories had come in between.

“I didn’t want to see you, sorry. No, actually, I’m not sorry. I want you to leave.”

“Come on, Callie, wait. You can’t do that. I know I have a lot to make up for, but this is a public place, and I just came to say hello.”

“Well, you did. Hello. Bye, Nicole.”

“Can’t you just give me a few minutes? Please. I swear I’ll get lost after that.”

“I gave you a year of my life,” Callie said darkly. “Big mistake. I know better now.” A begging Nicole was worse than in her angry times. Callie just wanted to do whatever it took to end this awkward situation the fastest.

“You want to talk? I can’t imagine anything we would have to talk about.”

“I want to apologize. For everything.” Her eyes were glistening with tears. “I need to do this for myself as much as I need to do it for you. I know I’ve been a horrible person, but people can change. I know I have.”

“Good for you.” Callie got up so abruptly she nearly knocked over her chair. “Now that we have cleared that up, I really have to go.”

Nicole looked disappointed. What the hell had she expected?

“You know Sean gave me your email.”

“Oh yes.” Callie had let her brother know exactly what she’d thought about that. “I didn’t ask him to. I think you did whatever it was that you wanted to do. See ya. Oh wait. I hope not.”

It was remarkable how brave she was with a table between them, and Asha at her back. Callie was aware that her hands were shaking. Nicole sighed, obviously disappointed.

“I was hoping that we…could maybe have a drink somewhere. Just talk. I promise.”

“No way, Nicole!”

“Why is that?”

“Because she’s with me,” Rebecca said, her unexpected appearance such a relief that Callie wondered for a moment if she’d simply imagined her.

Nicole’s face fell. The way she was sizing up Rebecca clearly showed Callie she hadn’t changed in so many ways. Nicole was tall, like every single woman Callie had been with, but she still had to look up to Rebecca.

“I see. I’m sorry, Callie—Sean failed to tell me you were in a relationship.”

“You know now. If you could excuse us?”

For all her struggles, Rebecca could be surprisingly cool, and take charge when the situation required her to. Aside from the fact that she was glad about the support, Callie found it extremely sexy.

“Awesome,” Asha said after Nicole had finally gotten the message and left, if reluctantly. “Rebecca, I really like you a lot more than I ever thought I would. Drinks are on me tonight.”

“Thank you, but I think we really just want to go home.”

Callie couldn’t have agreed more.

Chapter Three

The ride home was made mostly in silence. Rebecca didn’t know a lot of details about the Nicole situation, but what she knew was enough to make her blood boil. The woman had a lot of nerve showing up and asking Callie out for a drink, new relationship or not.

Rebecca had wanted to stay in the back and wait until the signing session was done, but she’d realized soon that something was not right with the last reader waiting. When she’d heard the name, she made the connection right away.

From what she understood, the relationship Callie had been trapped in for a year had been emotionally abusive, steadily escalating. Callie had eventually found her way out. There were many questions on Rebecca’s mind, but she was aware that now was not a good time to ask them.

She picked up the phone to order some snacks for dinner, but Callie took the receiver from her, adding a bottle of wine to their order. Rebecca cringed, because she saw the prices. Callie just shrugged.

“I’ve got enough nightmares as it is. I don’t need her to add to them. How is your head?”

The question was so much of a non sequitur that Rebecca needed a moment to answer. “Much better. It helps when someone makes me mad.”

Callie chuckled, then she leaned forward to embrace Rebecca, holding on tight.

“Your timing is incredible. Thank you for saving me.”

“Anytime.”

They stayed entwined like that until the knock on the door announced the arrival of the room service.

Rebecca was hungry since she’d half skipped all meals before. She noticed Callie barely touched her plate but refilled her glass within a couple of minutes.

“Hey. I know that must have upset you, but there’s nothing she can really do. We go home in a few days.”

“Do I seem upset to you?” Callie took a deep swig from her glass. “Oh, fuck it. Fuck her.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I mean…I don’t know a lot other than she was a mean bitch to you, and I’m so grateful that you got rid of her when you did.”

Callie gave her a small smile, and Rebecca decided it was a start. Callie was by far the most kind-hearted person she’d ever met. The thought that somebody would willingly hurt her set off some less kind-hearted feelings in Rebecca. She wouldn’t mind calling the police the next time Nicole showed up. She had Asha on her side too.

With a heartfelt sigh, Callie leaned back against the cushions, wine glass in hand.

“I just don’t understand. What happened? Sean gave her my email address last fall. She never cared to write. Which is fine with me, ’cause I didn’t want to talk to her,” she added quickly. “Why now?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she saw an ad or a flyer for the signing session somewhere.”

“If Sean is still keeping in touch with her, I’m going to kill him. Damn, I told him she was crazy!”

“How crazy exactly?”
Is she going to come after you with a knife?
Rebecca didn’t voice that thought. Callie had been right. They were dealing with enough nightmares already.

“I have no idea, really. For all I know, she might have changed. I don’t care. I don’t want her in my life.” Callie filled her glass again. “Why can’t people mind their own freaking business?”

“You should eat something.”

“I’m not hungry. I want to get drunk.”

Rebecca wanted to remind her that Dina would be here in less than an hour, and things were complicated enough at the moment, but she kept quiet. There was a lot more coming to the surface than Nicole showing up uninvited.

“You’ve had some good moments today.”

“Yeah. You know all those polls that show younger people are more open to gay rights? I don’t know. Maybe teenagers just don’t care about
anything
that much.”

“You seemed to have good conversations though.”

“I’m scared, and I hate it. I hate her.”

Rebecca poured herself a glass. She didn’t really care for the wine at the moment, but she wanted an unobtrusive way to keep Callie from having the whole bottle by herself. She put her glass on the nightstand and sat beside Callie on the bed.

“Don’t. She’s not worth it. She’s not worth it that you’re even thinking about her now.” If that sounded a tad drastic, Rebecca didn’t care. She meant every word.

Callie shook her head.

“She once told me that if I broke up with her, nobody else would want me. Guess who’s having the last laugh now.” She wasn’t laughing though, just the opposite. Rebecca was fairly certain at this point that if Nicole showed up another time, she’d slap her in the face without warning.

“I know that I’m very lucky.”

When Dina returned, Callie had succumbed to the effects of stress and alcohol, sleeping soundly, sprawled on the bed in her clothes. Rebecca decided she’d let her sleep for a while and take that moment to reunite with her daughter. Maybe, in the process, she’d have the chance to ask a few nosy questions.

“Did you have a good day with Erin?”

“Oh yeah, totally cool. The Sheltons go to Italy all the time. I want to go someday.”

“Italy, huh?” Dina’s enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air. Hard to think that just a few hours ago, Rebecca had been worried about her. All in all, teenage problems could often be solved quicker than the adult ones. Rebecca wanted to keep her daughter away from that territory as long as possible. “Where exactly does Tomaso come from?”