Chapter 3 - Victoria

Victoria

“ T here it is.”

Killian rolled the car to a stop at the stone wall with Briarcliff Cottage etched into it. All I could see was a huge rundown house that was a shell of its former self.

Just like the Chase family.

“How does it feel to be back here?” Maxim asked.

“I don’t know yet.” I clenched my jaw.

“Do they call this a cottage to be cute? It’s like one of those mansions in Newport. Summer cottages my ass,” Killian exclaimed, getting out of the car.

“That’ll be a dollar,” Maxim laughed.

“Christ Almighty.”

“Another one.”

“Are you two finished?” I put my hands on my hips. “Do you need a timeout?”

The realtor appeared from the front door. She was on the phone but waved us over. I sighed, reluctant to face what I knew was coming.

“We got you, baby girl,” Killian said, wrapping me in a comforting hug. “Charlotte does too. She’s watching from wherever she is.”

I swallowed hard, squeezing him tight.

The closer we got to the house, the more I could feel the weight of the past pressing down on me. Each step brought a wave of emotion so intense, I almost turned around and ran. Maxim and Killian flanked me, holding my hands to keep me steady.

Nineteen years.

That’s how long it’d been since I laid eyes on this house.

One of the last times my entire family was intact.

The last summer my twin was still alive.

Anger and guilt slowly rolled through me as I thought again about all the milestones she’d missed.

High school graduation. College graduation. First love. Turning twenty-one. Turning thirty. Becoming the spectacular young woman she was meant to be.

Fighting off the memory of the day everything changed when we were sixteen, I focused on the cheery smile plastered to the realtor’s face.

“Yes, yes. The owner’s just arrived now. We’ll be waiting.” She ended the call and stuck out her hand. “Lovely to see you, Ms. Chase. Thanks for coming all this way.”

“I didn’t have much choice,” I replied with a smile, shaking her hand. “Hopefully we can all agree to terms.”

“I’ve no doubt we can. The buyer is quite excited. They should be here soon, so if you want to wait inside, feel free.”

Wait inside.

I’d rather be dipped in honey and dropped in the middle of Yosemite National Park.

Killian’s gentle tug on my hand coaxed me to look at him. “We’ll go in. Maxim and I will, I mean. You can stay out here.” He focused his attention on the realtor. “Would you mind giving us a tour? We’ve never been here before.”

“Of course, of course.” She smiled. “Right this way.”

The realtor’s animated chatter carried on the light breeze, followed by Killian’s excited responses. I smiled, watching the three of them disappear through the gaping front door. I knew a cavernous foyer awaited them, fringed by a curved staircase hugging the wall as it snaked up to the second floor.

Even after all these years, I could picture the interior right down to the most intricate detail. I could still hear the epic discussions my mother and grandmother would have about throw pillows and color schemes.

My sister and I would stay hidden on the staircase, listening and giggling while they bickered.

“It’s not gold, it’s amber,” my grandmother said in a haughty tone.

“It’s obscene,” my mother griped. “Nobody wants that much gold in a living space.”

Recalling memories with my sister filled me with both joy and unforgivable despair. We’d always planned to keep this cottage and vacation here with our respective husbands and children.

“Remember Tori, don’t marry the bad boy. Date him all you want but don’t marry him.”

“You’re forgetting one important fact, Charlie. Bad boys are more fun. And since we’re twins, you can lure them in with your sweet ways and then I’ll pounce when the time is right.”

“Never,” she responded with a giggle. “As your big sister, I’ll make sure to keep you in line.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. Charlotte and I were physically identical except for a one detail. She had a small beauty mark on her right cheek. Our other differences were much more noticeable. She was gracious, reserved and unselfish. I had a fire in my soul, a loud mouth and a stubborn streak ten miles long .

I didn’t realize I’d been pacing again until I tripped over a rock.

“Goddammit,” I muttered, kicking it away.

It hopped and skipped a couple feet before coming to a stop near the front walk. Lavender foxgloves lined the path leading to the front door. The lawn was dull and winter-worn except for a few patches where the eager blades reached for the early spring sky in long, green grasps.

Briarcliff Cottage had a coquettish charm to it. The mix of gray and white stone exterior teased visitors with its allure of pretentiousness but would always succumb to its true nature. Warm, inviting, and comfortable. Even after all these years it stood with open arms, waiting for someone to fill it with laughter and joy, hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies, late night secrets and whispered dreams.

The only obvious sign of neglect were the rose bushes growing wild and thorny, almost cautioning potential guests that, yes, while beguiling, this house could hurt. And it could hurt in ways that lingered for years.

Leaving a home to fade away like this should fill me with sadness. Instead, it left me anxious.

“Excuse me, are you Natalie?”

The sound of an unfamiliar voice snapped me out of my reverie. I turned to face a well-dressed man holding a briefcase.

“No, I’m not. She’s inside. Would you like me to get her?”

Before I needed to figure out a way to get the realtor out here without actually going inside, she appeared at the door with Maxim and Killian.

“Ben. Perfect timing,” she exclaimed. “Have you met Ms. Chase yet?”

We all exchanged pleasantries. I learned Ben Arrington was an executive at a local charity called Building As One. Their main focus was refurbishing old, rundown homes and revitalizing neighborhoods that were otherwise neglected. It struck me as odd, since this neighborhood was neither neglected nor in need of revitalization. In fact, Briarcliff Village was known for being upscale and attracted many young professionals from London.

“I’m a little confused,” I said. “Why would a charity want to purchase this property?”

Ben smiled. “One of our well-established benefactors likes to renovate homes like this. Upon completion, the home is put up for sale again, but at a more affordable price point. Briarcliff Cottage has been at the top of their list for years. You can imagine their pleasure upon hearing the owners no longer wanted to retain the property.”

“So, you’re going to renovate it and then sell it again?” I regarded this Ben guy with a hint of suspicion. “You’re basically flipping the house. And why would you resell it at a lower price point? This area is wealthy. I’d assume you’d want to make a profit, not take a loss.”

Killian stepped closer to me, resting his hand at the small of my back. He knew even though I didn’t want to deal with this house or any of the memories that came with it, I’d rather not see it become some low-quality flip.

“I can assure you, our benefactor takes great pride in their work. No corners will be cut. This home will keep its dignity and charm intact.”

I bristled at this guy’s tone. “And who is this benefactor?”

“They prefer to remain anonymous.”

“Convenient,” I scoffed. “That’s not happening. If this person wants to gut my family’s home, I want to know who I’m dealing with.”

“All due respect Ms. Chase, that’s not really how this works.”

“All due respect Mr. Arrington, this house belongs to me. I get to decide what happens to it.”

I silently cursed out my mother for being so hasty with her decision to sell to the highest bidder. She didn’t need the money. None of us did. For all the emotional ups and downs I’d had since receiving the lawyer’s letter, there was still some part of me that desired to hold onto at least one memory.

I’d been so quick to let everything else go: the main house in Westchester County, the beach house, the winter home in Tahoe.

All of it seemed frivolous and trivial after Charlotte died. And I’d been so eager to shed any and all physical traces of the Chase family from my life I let it happen without a second thought.

Why not? My parents were just as eager to strip themselves of any guilt or connection to what happened. They let it all fall to me. Especially my mother.

But this cottage. This felt different. I wouldn’t let it become some project to be gutted and sold.

“Why don’t we go inside and talk all of this out. I’m sure we can come to a compromise,” Natalie suggested.

I glanced up at Killian and over at Maxim. Both had unreadable expressions. I had a feeling they could both sense what was coming next.

“No deal.” I squared my shoulders. “Thanks for the interest but I’m not selling.”

“Maybe this will help.” Max slid a steaming plate of shrimp Alfredo fettuccine in my direction.

We’d arrived back at our rental home about an hour ago after the debacle at Briarcliff Cottage. I was actually pretty hungry, so food was a welcome sight.

“You didn’t have to make this.” I scooped a serving for myself.

“Sure. Because you’d be just fine if I offered you a frozen pizza and a juice box.” Maxim pursed his lips and gave me a healthy dose of side-eye before settling into a chair next to Killian.

I shrugged. “I’m not above heating up a frozen pizza. Have you already forgotten the blizzard? ”

A couple months ago New York was hit with the worst blizzard in fifty years. The dramatics of that statement always sounded much better coming from a meteorologist’s mouth.

“You mean snowmageddon? I gained twenty pounds that weekend.” Max recalled between mouthfuls.

“The drama with this one. It wasn’t that bad.” Killian shook his head.

“The worst part was I didn’t miss any work. If we’re going to get the storm of the century, it could have at least happened on a Monday.”

“Says the guy whose job it is to plan swanky events on the regular.”

I smiled watching the two of them quibble back and forth. They were complete opposites physically. There’s Killian, with his lean frame, pale skin, white-blond hair and gray eyes. We’d always tease and fuss over who was prettier; Killian or Taron Egerton. In my opinion, both were equally pretty.

And then there’s Maxim. Tall, muscular, and dark-skinned with brown eyes and hair. And yes, we had the same ‘who’s prettier’ discussion with him. Killian and I both agreed Maxim could rival Regé-Jean Page all day, every day.

But at their core, they were alike in so many ways. Both were caring and empathetic. Both were fierce in their loyalty. And both of them would drop whatever they were doing for the people they loved the most.

“Speaking of swanky events,” I said, grinning. “How’s the planning for the influencer’s birthday party going?”

Max groaned. “You know how it is. Everyone has their own vision of what the theme should be and you fight about it for six months until there are only two weeks left before the event and nobody has made one damn decision.”

“So, right on schedule then?” I deadpanned.

“I see you forgot to check your sarcasm at the door again,” Max teased .

I laughed. “Well, at least the location is finalized. It’s at Employee’s Only, right?”

“Yep. Great space. The vibe is so retro and intimate. Now if the guest of honor would only cut her guest list down, it would be perfect.”

“Why not just use a bigger venue?” I asked.

“She wants it to be small.” He made air quotes, “Ultra exclusive.”

Killian exhaled one of his oh-you-poor-thing-tell-me-more sighs.

Max gave him an exasperated look. “This place only holds about seventy-five people so the biggest challenge will be working on the guest list.”

Killian appeared thoughtful for a second. “Max, should we start the interrogation now?”

Maxim answered him with a hint of mischief, “I’d thought you’d never ask.”

They looked at one another and leaned toward me on their elbows in unison. The synchronization was impressive.

“We chose to let it slide last night but it’s been almost a full day.” Killian paused for dramatic effect. “Who was the hot guy at the bar? You both looked like dogs in heat from where we were sitting.”

“The man is a, what do the kids say these days, snack,” Maxim chimed in.

I shrugged. “Nobody.”

Killian sized me up from across the table. His astute gray eyes studied what I thought was an unbreakable neutral expression. “Victoria Ava Chase, stop your lying this instant.”

“It was just some guy.”

“I call bullshit. We noticed him with two other obnoxiously attractive men while you were speaking with Dawn. That man saw you and beelined right over. How do you know him?”

“Fine,” I relented. “It was the guy who pulled over to see if I was having car trouble. Happy now?”

Two sets of eyes widened in curiosity. “Mildly hot?” they asked at the same time.

“Do you share a brain?” I muttered. “Yes, the mildly hot mid-life crisis. Well, no so mid-life. He’s thirty-six. He was there with friends and apparently saw me. We talked. The end.”

“You,” Killian made air quotes, “talked? That’s a bowl of bullshit. You two were so close to each other there wasn’t room for the Holy Spirit.”

“If we could not quote the nuns from high school, that would be great,” I chided.

“You know what I mean. What was going on? It’s not loud in there. You could hold a conversation from a normal, personal space distance.”

I felt my cheeks flush. “Nothing was going on.”

Max leaned back in his chair. The poor thing knew Killian was about to get into it with me.

“You’re literally blushing in front of us.” Killian lifted an eyebrow. “And your face last night said it all. You had this weird, dopey smile going on.” His jaw dropped. “Did he diddle you at the bar?”

Max snort-laughed and kept eating his pasta.

“Oh my God.” I slumped in the chair. “You’re unbelievable. No. He did not get me off at the bar. This isn’t Cinemax After Dark.”

Killian eyed me. “Knowing you, it could have been.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I seem to remember one New Year’s Eve when you and whoever the flavor of the month was at the time were going at it in the corner of my living room at the party. Like, going at it. I almost started carding people at the door. You have no shame.”

“So I made out in a corner once upon a time ago.” I drummed my nails on the table. “If I may, those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

“Sorry.” He reached out to hold my hand. “Not to sound like a broken record but we’ve offered to take you to The Guild many times. You should come with us. Check it out. It’s super classy there. ”

“I know,” I sighed. “I want to go. I would just feel weird being there without, you know, someone to guide me.”

“And what are we? Chopped liver?” Maxim feigned a wounded look. “We’ll introduce you to the right people.”

“Unless,” Killian’s eyes lit up, “your mildly hot guy is into it. I mean, he must be. I couldn’t see where his hand was but I could tell by the look on your face he knew how to use it.”

Talking about my preferences with the boys never embarrassed me. I’d been curious about many things as a teenager. Especially when I found out about all the parties the seniors threw with the paddles and the ropes. Charlotte and I would whisper about it at night. She seemed horrified. I, on the other hand, wanted to know everything.

Killian and I both fully realized our predilections at college, as one does. He experimented way more than I did though. That’s not to say I didn’t try a few things. More than a few things actually. I always gravitated toward the guys who had an edge or an unseen forbidden side. Guys like…

“So what’s his name?” Killian asked. “We’ll do a deep dive on the internet.”

“No, you are not doing a deep dive.”

“You don’t want to know all about him? Stalk him a little on the inter webs?”

“No. I’m never going to see this guy again anyway so what does it matter.”

“That’s all the more reason to do it.”

I slouched down in the chair again. As insufferable as this conversation was becoming, I was grateful for the small distraction from what happened at the cottage.

Lies.

This conversation wasn’t insufferable. I didn’t mind recalling my flirtatious encounter with one Xavier Maddox.

And let’s face it. He wasn’t mildly hot. He was scorching hot. I’d pictured several things I would enjoy doing with him, and to him, while he laid it on pretty thick last night. I wasn’t offended by any of his suggestive talk at all. Or the tone of voice he used. Or his hand on my leg. Far from it. I wanted him to keep going.

The timing really wasn’t the best though. If he’d dropped into my life when it wasn’t so chaotic, I’d have taken him up on his offer. The public one.

“What’s that smile for?” Killian demanded, tossing a napkin in my plate.

“Just thinking about how much I love you.” I rested my chin in my hand and winked.

“Shall I call bullshit for a third time?”

The shrill ringing of my cell phone halted any further discussion. I glanced at the name and signaled for the two of them to hold on.

“Hey Glen, what’s up?”

“Oh, hey, Victoria. Sorry to bother you but Ethan, er, Mr. Caldwell wanted to know if you finished those media packets for Tre Gideon. We’re introducing him today.”

“Yes, I did. I left them in a box next to my desk. Is everything all set for the press conference?”

“Good to go. I have to admit, I’m a little nervous.”

“You’ll do an amazing job. I have no doubt. Just keep Jake Kellerman in line.”

Glen had been my assistant in the media relations department at the New York Legends for almost two years. His savviness earned my trust from the start, so I’d been utilizing him more as an assistant manager rather than just someone to fetch stats or schedule meetings.

Our team landed the most sought after wide receiver in the league during free agency and it was the biggest sports story to hit New York in years. That’s saying a lot since the sports media there was fickle and never really wowed by anything. In fact, they seemed pretty bored with championship number six. But the idea of having the league’s golden boy throwing touchdown passes to Tre Gideon whipped them up into a frenzy.

As media relations director, I missed being at the center of the action at work on days like today.

“One more thing,” Glen said. “Mr. Caldwell wanted to know if you were free tomorrow night to attend an event in London. It has something to do with expanding the number of teams playing there in October. He’d like it if we had someone there to represent the Legends since Hannah can’t make it.”

Tomorrow was supposed to be a day trip to Scotland with the boys but now that the sale fell through I had my mother to deal with, which promised to be a rip-roaring good time.

Maybe going to London would be the escape I needed.

“Yeah, I’m free. Send me the info. Thanks Glen.”

Killian pounced the second I ended the call. “Free for what?”

“Just some league thing in London.”

“Ugh. A night with football executives. Sounds riveting.”

“A little dose of predictability never hurt anyone.”

Killian feigned concern, reaching across the table to feel my forehead. “Who are you and what have you done with my Tori?”

Max chuckled. “You’re not one for predictability, Victoria. Even I know that.”

“Wait. We’re going to Glasgow tomorrow.” Killian pouted. “I was really looking forward to it.”

“Nobody’s stopping you from going,” I said. “I have to deal with Helena tomorrow anyway so it’s probably better if I’m here alone.”

“We don’t want you to be alone. Especially here. And with the anniversary coming up.” Killian’s concern rolled off him in waves. They both reached across the table and grabbed my hands.

The tears came without much of a fight on my part. I didn’t deserve this much affection from anyone but I was so grateful to them.

“I know,” I said quietly. “And I love you guys for that but go on your trip. I’ll be okay. I promise.”

Killian gave me the look he’s been giving me for years. The one that said no wallowing, no dwelling, no beating yourself up over things you can’t control .

“Think of it this way,” Max interjected. “Now we all have an excuse to come back and play in Scotland together.”

I smiled, squeezing their hands.

“Let us know when you’re going to see Charlotte when we get back to New York. We’ll come with you,” Killian offered.

Hearing my twin’s name had the same effect it always does. Feelings of sadness, regret and guilt consumed me.