The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(79)

“Okay, let’s try one small section.” She set down her things and took Emmy to the short wall beneath the windows, where she showed her how to apply the mud and scrape it. Then they taped.

By the time they’d finished that window section, Emmy had mud on her shoes and pants legs, and a little stuck to her hair from when she kept swiping it back with her hand. “I’m good at this!”

“Yep, you’re pretty good for a beginner.” Steffi heard the doorbell ring in the distance. Ryan? No. He wouldn’t ring the doorbell. “But I need to finish on my own because you aren’t tall enough and we can’t have a lot of tape breaks.”

“Boo.” Emmy sat cross-legged on the ground with her chin on her fists.

Molly appeared in the archway with Val, causing Emmy to jump up at the same time Steffi nearly tripped over the bucket of mud.

“Mommy!” Emmy flung herself at her mom, but Val held her at a distance, presumably to spare her expensive clothing from the human drywall-mud missile. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you, honey bear. You invited me to come for pizza, right? I thought we’d go do that and maybe go shopping.” Val’s gaze slid up and down Steffi, making Steffi aware that she’d been gawking at Val. Val leaned down to kiss Emmy’s head. “Where’s your father?”

“Ryan’s running some errands for me,” Molly replied. “Did he know you were coming?”

“He told me I could see Emmy whenever I wanted,” Val replied. “I sent a text from the road.”

Molly raised her eyebrows, but Val seemed unconcerned by her mother-in-law’s disapproval. Her attention was now focused on her daughter’s outfit. “Emmy, sweetie, you’re a mess. Go clean up so we can go out.”

Steffi noticed the way Emmy looked at Val with such longing, and the way she changed her voice to speak with a babyish tone. It broke her heart to see it. How could Val not want to take that pain away? Or Ryan, for that matter?

“Okay. Can Daddy can come with us?”

“Maybe.” Val smiled, and patted Emmy’s head as she bounded off to change.

Steffi’s stomach dropped. As much as she wanted to see Emmy happy, the scene unfolding in front of Steffi was her worst-case scenario. Val’s demeanor sent a clear message—she’d come back to see Ryan and, possibly, salvage her marriage.

“Would you like some water or tea?” Molly asked, flabbergasting Steffi with her graciousness.

Molly had to harbor ill will toward the woman who cheated on her son. Then again, Molly had forgiven Steffi for the way she’d mistreated Ryan. Given her own mistakes, perhaps she shouldn’t be so quick to hurl mental insults at Val, or be so stunned by Molly’s poise. After all, she loved her granddaughter, so she would force herself to be pleasant to Val.

“No, thank you. I’ll just wait here . . . with Steffi.” Val’s cool gaze examined Steffi again. “Considering how much time she’s spending with my daughter lately, I’d like to get to know her.”

Oh damn.

“If you’ll excuse me, then, I’ve got other things to do,” Molly said before she disappeared. Steffi prayed she’d gone to make a 911 call to Ryan.

Val strolled around the room—waltzed, really, with a feminine lilt so natural it made Steffi a little jealous. She inspected the windows and the doors before she spun around on the heels of her black boots. Up close, the woman was more of a stunner than Steffi remembered from the long-ago run-in.

That time—Christmas Eve six years earlier—Val had been bundled up in coat, scarf, and hat. All Steffi had really noticed was her short stature and those blue eyes. She’d been so busy trying to run away from Ryan’s hateful gaze that she hadn’t had time to really observe Val or Emmy.

Today, Val wore black leggings and a camel-and-black cashmere sweater—an ensemble that showcased her figure. In the sunlight, Steffi couldn’t ignore Val’s delicately boned face, full lips, and lovely blonde hair. She carried herself with assured grace, too.

Val finally spoke. “Well, you certainly chose an interesting way to make a living.”

“I enjoy it.” Steffi decided amiability might disarm Val. She slapped more mud on the wall and scraped it, determined to avoid the trap Val must’ve planned during her drive down from Boston. Steffi might not be a delicate beauty, but she was a healthy, strong, independent woman who would not be cowed by an adulteress.

“I can’t believe Molly hired you, or that you accepted.” Val tsk-tsked. “It was very insensitive. This had to have been very awkward for Ryan.”

Correction: adulteress and hypocrite.

“It was awkward for both of us at first, but we’ve worked through it.” Steffi smirked to herself, knowing from the flash in Val’s eyes that she’d just landed a small hit. Neither she nor Val could claim the moral high ground in this catfight, but Steffi wouldn’t sit there and take shit.

“Have you?” Val approached her under the guise of inspecting the job. “And now what? You plan to pick up where you left off, and steal my daughter in the process?”

“I’m not stealing Emmy. I’m only being kind.” Steffi stared at Val. “She’s a great kid.”

“I know,” Val sniped. “I raised her.”