34. Valerie

34

VALERIE

“Valerie!” Heads of blonde and brown bob in the crowd of kids coming out of the school just before Abby and Andy break through and run towards me. They crash into my legs. “You’re here!”

I laugh at the twins’ enthusiastic greeting and bend down to return their hugs. They’re the sweetest.

“Of course, I’m here. I can’t wait to see both of your experiments!” Abby might take the science fair more seriously, but Andy is just as excited to present his project as his sister.

“Have you seen Dad?” Andy asks.

I make sure the smile on my face doesn’t falter. “Your dad got caught in a meeting, but he’s going to do everything he can to come to the fair before it’s over.”

“Oh.” The excitement in Andy’s eyes dims. He and Abby exchange sad frowns.

I kneel and soften my voice, “Listen.” I take one of their hands in each of mine. “Your dad wants to be here. He knows how important this is for you both. I promise, what he’s doing is really important. Otherwise, he would be here right now.”

“What is he doing?” Abby asks, sniffing to hold back the tears I see gathering in her eyes.

Do I tell them the truth?

The twins know Carter is working to get them to live with him full-time, and they know about the custody case in kid-friendly terms. Is there any harm in being honest if it means it could ease some of the disappointment they’re feeling? It’s worth a shot.

“Your dad is meeting with his friend to talk about you guys. He’ll be meeting with your mom soon, and they need to prepare.”

Once again, Andy and Abby look at each other.

Andy’s forehead furrows before he asks, “Are they talking about where we will live?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Abby and Andy say as one.

I clear my throat. “How about we go inside and you both show me your projects before the event starts? That way I can see everything before it gets crowded with people wanting to check them out!” I inject enthusiasm into my voice, hoping it will help lift the twins’ moods.

It works.

The twins are back to bouncing on their toes. Smiles cover their adorable faces once again.

“Okay!” Andy says. He and Abby tighten their grips on my hands and begin pulling me to the gymnasium where the science fair will be held.

I smile politely at the parents and teachers we pass, choosing to ignore their lingering glances and murmured words once we’ve passed.

Rose Hill is a small town, but even if it weren’t, my face has been plastered on enough gossip sites that anyone who follows Carter Jones knows I’m his girlfriend.

For once, though, I decide to own the title. It feels silly that I haven’t done so before. I mean… this is Carter Jones we’re talking about. He’s sexy as hell and equally as kind. I hit the jackpot when I met him. And now that I’ve acknowledged our relationship is something I want to see through, I’m going to enjoy it. I’m done hiding.

We stop by Andy’s project first. He and Carter built a model volcano, complete with dinosaurs grazing on the trees at the base of the mountain and drinking from a lake they painted blue.

While Carter was on quality control, Andy researched different volcano eruption simulations on the internet. He watched countless videos of other kids demonstrating how it works until he found one he believed he could replicate. A quick run to the store for vinegar, baking soda, and red food coloring later, and Andy’s project was complete.

Abby’s project, on the other hand, was almost entirely completed by the six-year-old herself. That one is bound for a career in science or technology. I’m calling it.

“Well, hello there.” A woman’s voice breaks through my focus as I listen to Abby tell me about the electron current in the wires sticking out of the potato.

Thinking it’s one of the twins’ teachers, I straighten with a smile, but it falters the moment I take in the curvy blonde woman with ruby-red lips grinning down at Andy who is looking at the model train set up at the table across from Abby’s.

The little boy looks up and tilts his head, confused. “Um… hi?”

The young woman’s grin widens.

My stomach tightens. I can’t explain it, but this woman makes me uneasy. It’s not because she’s incredibly beautiful or the fact she’s wildly overdressed for an elementary school science fair. It’s the way she is so intensely focused on the boy in front of her. And the way she glances at Abby like she knew exactly where she stood long before we were aware of her presence.

My unease intensifies one hundredfold with her next words, “You are adorable! You look so much like your dad.”

Oh, hell no.

I might be overreacting, but I don’t let that stop me from placing a hand on Abby’s shoulder and guiding her over to where the stranger speaks to Andy.

The little boy is uncomfortable. He steps away from the woman, and his body language visibly relaxes when Abby and I appear at his side.

“Hi,” I interrupt the woman as she rambles about how much she enjoys watching Carter and the Rough Riders play to his son.

“Oh.” Her lips purse with displeasure as her eyes trail over me from head to toe. “Hello.”

“Can I help you with something?” I hold out my arm to Andy, and I’m relieved when he moves to my side so I can put a reassuring hand on his shoulder as well.

“No,” the woman clips. Her eyes harden as she takes me in.

I know her…

I just don’t know how.

“Do you work here?” I try to not sound rude, but my internal alarms are blaring, making it next to impossible to keep the accusation from my tone.

“No,” she says once more before looking down at the twins and smiling. “I just came to see the science fair.”

All right…

“Are you a teacher?”

She frowns. “No.”

I’m not one for conflict. Years of doing my mother’s bidding to avoid her passive-aggressive disappointment prove that.

But I’m not going to overlook the red flags this woman is waving in front of my face when she once again turns her attention to the little boy and girl at my side, dismissing me. “Are you both excited to present your projects?”

“Look,” I interrupt before either Abby or Andy can reply. “I’m sorry, but these children don’t know you. Could you please not speak to them as if you do? They’re uncomfortable.” I’m not lying. Both Abby and Andy press into my sides. Whatever vibe they're picking up from this woman makes them uneasy, too.

“Wow. Rude.” She scoffs and shakes her head with attitude. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“She’s our nanny,” Andy says in my defense.

I squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. “It doesn’t matter who I am,” I reply. “But you aren’t a parent. You are not a teacher. Honestly, the fact you’re here right now seems inappropriate.”

“Are you accusing me of something?” Her high-pitched voice catches the attention of a group of adults and kids just steps away.

Good.

Something tells me I might want witnesses to this unusual interaction.

“I’m saying you have no business speaking to these kids.”

“Actually, I do,” she snaps back. “I know their dad. We’re old friends.”

And there it is.

I’d suspected this had something to do with Abby and Andy being the children of a hot, famous, football star.

“That’s great,” I deadpan. “But knowing their dad doesn’t mean you know them. So, again, could you please not speak to them?”

I gently tug on the twins’ shoulders to guide them backward. “Come on guys. Let’s go look at some of the other projects.” To be honest, I’m not interested in any kid’s project aside from the twins, but I need an excuse to get us away from this unsettling woman.

“You’re their nanny, not their mom,” the woman snaps. “Stop trying to take Laura’s place.”

Her words freeze me in place.

Does she really know Carter’s ex?

I look down at the twins and frown. Is this woman Laura’s friend?

Did I misread this situation?

Is she here on behalf of her friend to put me, Carter’s girlfriend, in my place?

“My mom doesn’t know you,” Abby replies, sounding so sure of herself that I dismiss the doubt trying to take root in my mind.

The woman’s scowl turns into a tight smile when she addresses Abby, “Your mom and I used to be good friends.”

Key words there are used to be.

I clear my throat. “Come on guys,” I prompt again. “I see a painted skeleton over by the stage.” I begin to steer them in that direction. A sharp tug on my ponytail forces me to stop.

“What the—” I turn around and am met with a fierce-looking blonde woman in my face. I take a step back, bumping into the kids. I push them to stand behind me without taking my eyes off the lunatic in front of me.

“Do you actually think Carter Jones is into you?” Her eyes run over me with disdain.

Did she really just pull my hair?

“You need to leave.” I refuse to engage her in a conversation about my love life.

“He’s just using you to get over Laura. That’s why he’s only kissed you in public once. You’re just his nanny. He’s embarrassed to be seen with you.”

I don’t know what it is about her toxic speech, but a thought hits me. And I’m finally able to identify how I know this woman.

“You were in Minnesota.” I remember seeing her staring at me across the street outside of the hotel. Just before Carter kissed me. “You’re the one who took the picture of us.”

Surprise flickers over her expression before it’s swiftly replaced with irritation. “So?”

So?

So, this means you’re a stalker...

I keep the words to myself. Confronting a stalker doesn’t seem smart. Not when I have the kids’ safety to consider.

I scan the room for a swift exit when I hear, “Valerie?”

Relief flows through me.

I look left and see Carlee and Corey walking through the crowd. Carter’s sister watches me with concern, her eyes darting to the woman standing too close for comfort before landing on her niece and nephew.

In two seconds, Carlee is next to me. “What’s going on?”

The woman steps back and releases an airy laugh. “Oh, nothing. Valerie and I were just talking.”

Corey arrives and stands next to Carlee, seemingly unaware of the sea of admiring children and adults staring at him in awe as his attention zeroes in on the blonde woman in front of me.

“Sara?” The baseball star frowns. “What are you doing here?”

Corey knows her?

Maybe she wasn’t lying. Maybe she really was friends with Carter…

The woman, Sara, laughs again. This time, it sounds uncomfortable. “What do you mean? I’m here for the science fair.” She waves a hand around the room.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Corey pitches his voice low. His brows turn inward with his narrowed gaze. “This is inappropriate. Leave.”

“Corey?” Carlee rests a hand on his elbow, just as confused by his firm behavior as I am. “What’s going on?”

Feeling safer now that their aunt and future uncle are here, the twins step out from behind me, positioning themselves at my side.

“She’s bothering Valerie,” Abby says.

“And saying mean things,” Andy adds.

Sara feigns shock. “What? That’s not true, I’m just?—”

“Sara,” Corey interrupts her. “You need to leave. Now.”

She sputters. “But I?—”

“No,” he clips. “Leave. Now. I’m not going to let you harass Carter’s kids.”

Her face floods with embarrassment, but when her eyes lock with mine, anger takes its place.

“You,” she spits. “You don’t mean anything to him. He’s just going to fuck you and then leave you—Hey!”

Corey wraps a firm grip around Sara’s upper arm and starts to drag her to the exit.

“Let go of me!” Sara shouts.

He doesn’t.

“Corey?” Carlee follows after him.

A security guard approaches from his post by the exit when he sees the massive baseball player’s approach. “What’s going on here, sir?” His eyes dart between Corey and the woman huffing and puffing about how rude he’s being and demanding he let her go.

Corey doesn’t mince words. “This woman is harassing Carter Jones’s children. She has no business being here.”

The security guard immediately takes action. “I’ll take it from here, Mr. Johnson.”

Corey releases Sara’s arm.

“You need to leave the premises immediately, ma’am,” the security guard commands.

“But I want to see the science fair.”

“Do you think Carter is going to like hearing about this, Sara?” Corey growls. “Approaching him at Jerry’s is one thing, but you’ve gone too far by coming here today.”

“I just wanted to say hi.” Sara pouts, trying a different tactic to get her way.

It doesn’t work.

“You can trust Carter’s lawyer is going to be in touch,” Corey states coldly. “Now, go.”

She sputters more nonsense about this all being a misunderstanding. She tries to tell anyone who will listen that she’s old friends with Abby and Andy’s mom and dad. No one cares.

Just before she’s about to be shoved through the door, Sara’s crazy eyes find mine once more and her pleading expression morphs into a fierce scowl. “You’re a child. You have no business being with a man like Carter. You can’t be what he needs.”

The security guard shoves her out the door, but her words ring in my ears long after she’s gone.

“Don’t listen to her, Valerie,” Carlee tells me. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Yeah,” Abby and Andy say at the same time. Their fingers lace with mine. “You’re great.”

I smile at the twins. “Thanks, guys.”

They lead me back to their projects, and the rest of the crowd eventually return their attention to their own kid’s projects. I try to pay attention when Abby resumes describing the mechanics of how her project works, but it’s hard to focus.

I find myself looking at the door each time it opens, hoping Carter will arrive so he can explain what the hell just happened.