Page 87 of Temptation

Far too soon, their time was up. Tenn had to get ready and go to the airport to pick up Frannie, and Quinn needed to go home and get things together for when Joel got home. They hugged in the driveway, and Tenn watched her pull out and drive away sadly. Five more days.

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Viki was almost a carbon copy of her mother, with the same blonde curls and icy blue eyes, but without Frannie’s soft, sweet, gentleness. He didn’t know how Viki turned out the way she did when she had grown up with her mother. Viki was a point for Nature in the Nature vs. Nurture debate. While he didn’t know what Viki’s father was like, Frannie didn’t have a greedy, mean or selfish bone in her body.

Tenn smiled warmly as his mother-in-law met him in arrivals and hugged him. They made small talk while waiting for her baggage. She brought him up to date on what was going on in Chicago. He spoke to her about the lecture series he was putting together with Quinn. He explained the party on Friday was to celebrate its approval and let their families know about it as they walked to the car, and he put her luggage in the trunk.

“It sounds like a wonderful program, Tenn.” She paused, clearly deciding if she wanted to broach the elephant in the room. “Could Quinn be the reason Viki is acting out?”

“Possibly?” Tenn shrugged as he put the car in gear and left the short-term parking lot. “Quinn and I have a lot in common, and we became friends very quickly, but she's married - to Viki's co-worker Joel, actually - and I would never cheat. Quinn has done everything to include Viki, inviting us over for dinner to introduce herself. She also invited us bowling with her, Joel and several friends. Viki was rude and got drunk because “Quinn was paying anyway.” Then she started an argument in the car with Joel, who was driving her car back to our house as a favour to Quinn and threw up all over him.” He shook his head. “Not to mention the way she's been treating me.” He filled her in on everything, and he showed her the videos when they got back to the house.

“I gotta tell you, Frannie, I'm at the end of my rope and patience. Between her being unemployed for two years to “find herself,” which meant she was barely home unless she was asking me for money, her relationship with David Grant, which I'm sure was at the very least an emotional affair, the last four months and now this? She refused counselling until I threatened to put her on a psychiatric hold. She's dismissive and rude, says she'll do things and doesn't. She won't come to couples counselling so I can file for divorce, and I found cocaine in her purse last Wednesday. She claims she was holding it for a friend which is almost as stupid as having it for herself. What am I supposed to do here?”

“Let me spend some time with her, and I'll see what I can find out. But Tenn, I think putting her on psychiatric hold may be our only option if she refuses help.” Frannie rubbed her eyes and tapped the tablet. “This isn't Viki. I know the miscarriages were hard on her, but she also refused counselling. The fact that you had to put cameras up in your home to feel safe is unacceptable, and I wouldn't blame you if you just kicked her out.”

Tenn nodded. “She's currently sleeping in the spare room. You can take my room, and I'll stay in the basement.”

“Actually, dear, if the basement is cool, I'd like to sleep down there.” She smiled faintly. “Menopause and hot flashes are kicking my ass.”

Tenn chuckled. He'd always liked Frannie. “No problem. I'll put your suitcase down there.” He glanced at the clock. “She should be here soon. Can I get you anything? Quinn is a prolific baker and brought me brownies and crème brûlée cheesecake bars to snack on while we worked over the weekend.”

“Tea and a brownie sound lovely.” Tenn nodded and brought her suitcase to the basement, then put on the kettle and put together a small plate of the leftover sweets Quinn left behind. He was finishing when the door opened, and he heard Viki squeal happily.

“Mama! What are you doing here?” Walking back into the living room, he saw them hugging, put the plate down with Frannie's tea, and went back to make one for Viki.

“Tenn asked me to come stay for a week.” He heard Frannie say as he walked back with the tea. “He was concerned about you.” Viki looked at him as he walked in and promptly burst into tears.

“I'm so sorry.” She wailed. “I know I've been a bitch.”

Tenn sighed, unmoved by what he was viewing as crocodile tears. “That's putting it mildly.” Frannie frowned at him, and he shrugged. “It is. I'm not going to hide how I feel to spare her feelings when she's done nothing but hurt mine. I'll leave you two to talk.” As he left the room, he reached up and turned off the camera. He didn't care about their conversation or whatever story Viki was going to tell her mother. He only had to be somewhat pleasant for five more days.

Quinn

Quinn was finishing her laundry from Tenn's place and putting things away in the kitchen when she heard the front door open. “Babe?”

“In the kitchen.” She called back as she walked out of the laundry room. Her eyes widened as she took him in. He was covered in hickeys, and she saw bite marks on his neck and chest. Seeing the look on her face, he held up his hands.

“I can explain!” He said hastily.

“You have two minutes.” She glared at him. Maybe she should look into auditioning for the next play the community theatre group was putting on because how she was pulling this off was beyond her. He had so many hickeys that he looked like a Dalmatian. She honestly wasn’t sure how he didn’t notice what Viki was doing. One of the bite marks on his jaw looked like it might become infected.

“I was roofied and raped.” His voice shook, and his eyes pleaded with her to believe him.

“I'm sorry, what?” Quinn couldn't believe he would pretend to be a rape victim; it insulted actual rape victims.

“Last night, I went to the hotel bar to unwind. I was talking to a woman. I remember her asking me to go back to her room, and I told her I was happily married. After that, it's only flashes. I woke up this morning naked in my hotel room alone. There was a used condom on the nightstand, and when I went to the bathroom, I saw all this.” He waved his hands over his neck and chest.” He sat down heavily at the island. “I skipped classes today and went and made a report to the police. I don't think they took it very seriously though.”

Quinn groaned internally, realizing she now had to play a supportive, concerned wife. “I'm so sorry that happened to you!” She went over to hug him, but he held up his hand.

“I know you just want to comfort me, but I don't really want to be touched.” He stood up and lightly brushed his lips on her cheek. “I'm gonna get a shower and go to bed. I'm exhausted.”

“Okay.” She watched him leave. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Babe.” When she heard the door click closed. She texted Tenn and Quill.

The bastard claims he was roofied and raped.

Chapter Forty-Six: Almost There