Both women moved toward each other at the same time, and Belle hugged Vivian tightly, tears and laughter mingling. Victor watched it unfold, overwhelmed by relief and gratitude. He was one lucky son of a bitch, because he had not one, not two, butthreeincredible females in his life.
“You’re okay with everything?” Belle asked Vivian, glancing over at him. “We intended to tell you together. Before the party.”
“I didn’t jump the gun,” Victor said, holding his hands up in surrender. “She guessed.” Then he tilted his head toward his sister. “In fact, she used her trip as a way to set us up.”
Belle’s eyes widened at that. “Really?”
“Really,” Viv replied. “And I’m better than okay with this, Belle. The two of you are perfect for each other. It’s like a dreamcome true for me. You’ve always been the sister of my heart. Now, it’ll be official.”
Belle laughed, even as tears streamed down her face. “I like the sound of official.”
“Me too,” Victor replied, wrapping his arm around Belle’s shoulder and tucking her close. Then he placed a kiss on the side of her head, so grateful he didn’t have to hide anymore. Or at least, he wouldn’t…
“Listen, Viv—” he started.
Vivian raised a hand, cutting him off. “You haven’t told Pip.”
Belle nodded.
“If she had known, it would’ve been the first words out her mouth when I got here,” Vivian said.
“We thought it might be easier to do with you here, because…” Belle swallowed, clearly nervous about the next part.
“Because Belle is going to move in here with me,” Victor said, saying the hard part for her.
“It doesn’t have to be right away,” she rushed to add.
“Wrong,” Victor barked. While he’d tried to reassure her countless times over the past week that Vivian would be okay on her own, he knew Belle couldn’t shake the feeling she was letting his sister down.
“Victor,” Belle started.
“Belle,” Vivian interrupted, “stop. I can see you’ve been worrying about this—about me—but you don’t have to. You and Victor are at the beginning of something wonderful. Your place isherenow. With him.”
“I still want to be Pip’s nanny,” Belle said.
“Oh, you can’t be her nanny anymore,” Vivian retorted matter-of-factly.
Victor and Belle were shocked by that, talking over each other as they launched into all the reasons why Belle could continue her position.
Vivian cut them off after a minute or two. Apparently, that was as long as she could manage to keep a straight face before she started cracking up.
“This isn’t funny,” Belle said, truly upset.
“You can’t be hernannybecause you’re going to be her auntie Belle,” Vivian said between giggles.
Victor rolled his eyes. “Way to give us both a heart attack.”
Vivian’s eyes twinkled, and it was clear she was enjoying herself and this conversation way too much. “And I definitely still need Auntie Belle’s help with Pip. Marrying my brother does not get you out of school drop-off and pickup and holidays and rom com movie marathons and emergency ice cream runs.”
“I’m in for all of that,” Belle reassured her.
Jet lag appeared to finally set in, as Vivian covered her mouth, yawning widely. “I should probably get Pip home.”
Victor, Belle, and Pip had packed all of the little girl’s things this morning and driven them over to Vivian’s house, “delivering” the clothing back to the named drawers there. When Pip asked why Belle wasn’t bringing her own stuff, Belle had stumbled for a moment before saying she would take care of that later on her own.
It had been on the tip of Victor’s tongue to say “over my dead body,” but he restrained himself.
The three of them left the kitchen, crossing the wide foyer to the living room. They hovered in the doorway, watching Pip sleep.
