Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Vienna sighed. “I’m sorry, Mom, I should have told you. I didn’t want to upset you, but you’re right. I should have.”
Zale smiled at Mitzi. “I can see where your daughter gets that little stubborn streak. She’s strong like you. She found out ahead of time that the killer was in her circle of friends, and that a couple climbing Mount Whitney was targeted. She went up there with Sam, a friend of ours, determined to stop him. Unfortunately, they were unable to, but they retrieved the bodies and she was able to get more clues as to the identity of the killer. In the end, Vienna and her friend Stella were both targeted. Once that was found out, Sam made certain they were put in a safe house and guarded until the killer was found. You raised an amazing woman, Ms. Mortenson.”
“Please, call me Mitzi, and this is Ellen. We don’t stand on ceremony.” Mitzi reached over to tuck strands of Vienna’s long hair behind her ear. “All the chances you take, honey. I’m so proud of you, but at the same time, it’s scary. And now hearing this. Anything could have happened to you.”
“I train all the time, Mom. I don’t take unnecessary chances with my life or anyone else’s. That’s why I’m head of Search and Rescue. I plan so carefully.”
The waiter was back and Vienna hastily picked up the menu. Zale ordered in fluent Greek, impressing Mitzi and Ellen. He explained what everything on the menu was and gave recommendations. She ordered one of the three dishes he recommended. They all sounded delicious, and since her mother and Ellen had ordered the other two, she figured they could try a little bit of each.
“Sam and Stella are getting married, and Zale is Sam’s best man,” Vienna said. “I’m in the wedding party as well, so we’ll be able to see quite a bit of each other during the celebration.”
“That’s wonderful. Stella did send us an invitation.” Ellen looked at Mitzi. “We hadn’t decided whether or not to go. It’s a long drive . . .” She trailed off.
“It’s quite beautiful at the resort,” Vienna said. “Stella will reserve a cabin for the two of you. Knightly is an hour’s drive from where they’re holding the wedding, so it would be so much better if you stay at the resort, unless you’re going to stay for any length of time. Then I’ll get you a room at the local hotel, but we’d need to do that fast.”
Vienna didn’t offer to have her mother and Ellen stay with her. She’d offered too many times, and her mother had turned her down. She wanted this dinner to go without any hurt feelings. She was very grateful for Zale’s presence. He kept the conversation flowing anytime it began to falter into awkward silences.
Ellen was interested in knowing about bouldering. She’d watched several of the videos Mitzi had that Vienna had sent her. It took a little while before Vienna realized Ellen was playing the same role Zale was. She wanted the dinner to go well too. She was hoping to get mother and daughter back together. That felt good. Ellen was working for them, not against them. She made a powerful ally, and Vienna was grateful to her.
The evening passed with much more ease than Vienna could have hoped. She found herself laughing and slipping into old patterns with her mother more and more instead of being so on edge. Twice, her mother asked prying questions about Zale’s occupation, which he sidestepped neatly. Vienna was able to change the subject smoothly both times by telling a hilarious story about her cat’s disdain of all dogs. She told them how she’d done her best to make her little princess love her friends’ dogs so she could walk her with them, but the cat would have nothing to do with them. In fact, her claws came out and her behavior was downright naughty.
By the time they’d finished dessert and put Mitzi and Ellen in an Uber to head back to their home, Vienna was so happy, she flung her arms around Zale’s neck without thinking.
“That couldn’t have gone any better. Thank you so much. I think they may even decide to come for Stella’s wedding. That would be such a big breakthrough if they did.”
Zale brought his hands up to her back, locking her to him before she could drop her arms. “I like them both. They’re good people, Vienna. No wonder you turned out to be such a good person. Mitzi’s a good woman.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Vienna agreed. She pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “But she doesn’t look a thing like me, does she? I never noticed before.”
“No, she doesn’t, but that doesn’t matter. She’s your mother.” He said it decisively.