CHAPTER SIX
Stephanie watched as Shawn and River window shopped; not entirely sure why she and Paul were with them. Oh yes, because she had had the brilliant idea of a lunch date with the couple since they had all arrived a day early.
She had wanted to see if she couldn't find out a bit more about River and whatever it was Paul and Shawn were hiding. So far, nothing other then the two were disgustingly happy together. "Is that normal?" She asked suddenly, glancing at Paul only to find his nose buried in a magazine. "Paul!"
"What?" Paul jumped, lowering the magazine and followed her pointing finger. He took in the couple, their linked hands and smiles as they spoke quietly with each other. He flashed his wife a smile he knew she would see right through. "They're happy, leave them be. Did you see anything you wanted?"
"Yes, a barf bag." Stephanie said sarcastically, plastering a smile on her face as the couple halted to wait for them. "Riv, how about going into Victoria's Secret with me?" She asked with a nudge, giggling when Paul perked up.
River rolled her eyes when Shawn whispered something in her ear. "Victoria's Secret doesn't sell those, sorry honey." She drawled, shaking her head.
"River don't care much for that store, we're Christians, remember?" Shawn reminded Stephanie, growling when River murmured something. "You wicked woman."
Paul cleared his throat awkwardly, shrugging when his wife looked sick. He had to admit this little love fest was getting to be too much for him and sat down on a bench.
"Keep that up honey, and we're going straight back to the hotel." River said quietly, watching through the window as Stephanie disappeared into the store.
"Born again Christians." Stephanie was mimicking, holding up a black teddy; eyeing it critically. "Because apparently lingerie is a straight shot to hell." She snorted, folding it over her arm.
"What's a straight shot?"
"I thought-"
"Shawn was joking with you, Steph." River said, smiling a little as she joined the other woman in browsing, blue eyes lighting up when she found something she knew her husband would go nuts over. "I have quite the lingerie collection at home."
"I can't figure you out." Stephanie shook her head with a sigh.
***
Paul was on Shawn's ass the minute River had joined Stephanie. "I can' do this." He said evenly, the agony in his brown eyes.
"Do what?"
"I can't do this, keep this hidden. I still can't believe you were dumb enough to bring her on the road!"
"Paul, are you ever going to let me live this down?" Shawn sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "I want her with me and we're bringing Hope-"
"You're WHAT? Shawn, have you lost your mind?" Paul couldn't believe and actually had to sit back down before he clobbered his best friend.
"It makes River happy."
"I don't care! This isn't happening. We agreed you would NEVER bring them on the road, ESPECIALLY that little girl!"
"Lower your tone, Levesque." Shawn ordered gravely.
"That's it. I don't want anymore to do with this, Shawn. I'm done. FINISHED." Paul stalked inside the store and damn near dragged Stephanie out, shaking his head.
River followed behind the two, nodding when Steph shot her an apologetic look and glanced at her husband. The stern; grim expression on his face made her frown. "What was that all about?" She demanded, arching an eyebrow when he just shrugged. "Don't give me that, Paul is pissed off. What happened?"
Sometimes it got quite annoying being left out of the loop.
"Don't worry about it, sugar. Just some business stuff." Shawn flashed a smile at her, though it also held her a warning to mind her own business. "So, did you find anything you wanted?" He asked, changing the subject.
"No." River said flatly, refusing to be pacified this time. Stephanie had been too weird around her ever since she joined him on the road. Paul always looked at her like he was waiting for an eruption. The Mark thing. All of it was beginning to drive her nuts. "Shawn-" She sighed when he shook his head. "You are such a pain in the butt, you know that? If I didn't love you so much, I'd have to hurt you, honey."
"You could try and I'd probably enjoy every second of it." He smirked, feeling her leaning into him and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry about it, River, it's nothing for you to be worrying about." He assured her, knowing she was uncomfortable around all these people and then wondered if she wouldn't be better staying at home.
"NO, SHE'S MY WIFE AND SHE'S STAYING DAMN IT!" His mind instantly screamed at him, a dark look coming over his face for a fraction of a second.
"Hear from Hope?"
"No, but I talked to your mother. She said Hope's been busy outside the entire summer." Wrapping an arm around him, River let him guide her out of the mall. "They were planning on taking her out riding one more time before she joins us." She was beginning to wonder if bringing Hope on the road was such a good idea with how weird things had been lately. "Shawn… with everything that's been going on, with Mark and all that; his apparent dementia… I was wondering if it might not be better for her to stay at home?"
Shawn froze mid step, rounding to stare down at her. "Has Mark said or done something to change your mind?" He asked softly, running a finger down her cheek. When she shook her head no; he offered a gentle smile. "Then don't worry about it. Hope deserves to be with her family instead of my parents all the time. You let me worry about everything, sweetheart. Just ignore people and do what you do best: being my wife and the best massage therapist in the country."
How could she worry when she had him?
***
Stephanie patiently waited until they were in the privacy of their hotel room before exploding on her husband. "I want to know what's going on Paul and I want to know right now!" When he started mumbling something about Shawn, she held up a hand; blue eyes ice. "Don't lie to me or give me that shit about Shawn anymore. Shawn isn't here. I am your wife and I want to know!"
Paul opened and closed his mouth several times before finally squaring his shoulders. "I don't have to tell you shit!" He snapped. "Why don't you mind your own goddamn business for ONCE in your, Steph? There is NOTHING going on! Shawn and I are just in another one of our spats, which will pass, like ALWAYS." He stormed into the bathroom, the only other room he could escape too, slamming the door behind him.
Shawn was going to die if his marriage ended over this.
Stephanie squared her shoulders, blinking back tears. Who the hell did he think he was talking too? She was a McMahon damn it! "You and Shawn had been going at it since his wife joined him. You both have been bugging the hell out of me for stupid shit when it comes to her and you're telling me this is just another spat? When you're ready to tell me the truth, I'll CONSIDER taking you back!" She shouted through the door, snatching her purse and walking out of the hotel room.
Groaning, Paul whipped open the door and chased after her, stopping his wife before she could reach the elevator. "Do you really want to know?" He demanded, his eyes pleading with her not to leave. The hurt in her own blue orbs crushed him. "Fine, come with me and I'll tell you." He murmured, leading her back into their room. "Mark is feuding with Shawn, which you know, and Shawn is afraid Mark might somehow drag River into this." He sighed when her eyes narrowed. "I know, it sounds ridiculous but it's the truth. You see how protective of her he is."
Stephanie frowned, looking ready to slap him to hell and back. "That is the most retarded thing I've ever heard. You two morons have been fighting over Mark trying something with River?" She rolled her eyes. "Men… if it wasn't for your penis' we women would have nothing to do with you."
***
"Excited about Hope coming?" River asked, brushing her hair while Shawn contemplated shaving, smiling when he reached for the shaving cream only to hesitate. "Honey, you look fine with or without the fuzz." She teased, setting down the brush and kissed his cheek, walking out of the bedroom. Yawning, she picked up her mug of coffee, taking a bracing sip.
"Is that right?" He teased, deciding to leave it alone and followed her, dropping down on the edge of the bed. "Of course I'm excited! That's my baby girl, I've missed her." Shawn meant that too, even if… no, he wasn't going to think about that. He smiled when River bent down to kiss him. "We need to do something special when she gets here."
"Hmm…" River tapped her chin thoughtfully. She watched as he picked up a local paper from their discarded breakfast tray. Smirking, she took it from him. "I'm sure we'll think of something. Now she's going to be going to work with us right? I'm not comfortable with her staying in a hotel by herself. She's too much like you, thinks she can get away with murder."
"She'll be going with us. I don't want to keep her holed up in these hotel rooms, that's no way for a child to spend their time."
"Amen." She agreed, smiling at him.
***
"Girl, you look like you've won the lottery." Alex commented when River walked up to him. He took in her blue jeans and tank top; the sparkle in her eyes and the roses in her cheeks. "Or is it something I don't want to know?"
River just shrugged, pushing a strand of hair that had escaped the bun behind her ear. "Just happy, my daughter is flying in in the morning."
"Ohhh…"
***
Shawn was equally happy, that is until he ran into a pissed off Paul. "What-" He froze, watching as a fist came flying at him. "What the fuck Paul?" He groaned, holding his mouth.
"My marriage nearly ended because of you!"
"Wait-"
Paul punched him again. "Payback is a bitch." He stalked away.
Shawn just groaned, holding his busted lower lip.
***
"If John wants his… pecs, examined tonight, I'm going to hurt him." River cautioned as she unpacked her lotions and oils.
"It was kind of funny."
"I wasn't so amused." She couldn't help but grin when Alex just shrugged, waving when he headed off to deal with the rest of the staff. She frowned when she seen Mark coming towards her, knowing what he wanted and inwardly sighed.
"Hey darlin'." He greeted, having gotten used to these visits over the course of the past two weeks. Each time he found out something else about River and always reported it to Steve. The man was due on the road any day now, then the fun would start. "I really think these treatments are working."
"I would certainly hope so or else we're wasting each other's time." River said with a smile, having come to an uneasy sort of acceptance when it came to Mark. She patted the table. "You know the drill, on the table; pant leg up and prepare to suffer." She cracked her knuckles, one at a time.
"Already up, darlin'." It was cute how focused she was, seeing the look on her face warmed his heart, confirming that this indeed was his River. Though he wouldn't tell her that, not after the last time. He laid down, watching as she straddled his thighs. "So, your daughter is coming tomorrow eh?" He asked, having had to listen to her prattle about her baby. "Hope, right?"
"Yep, Hope." River replied happily, glancing over her shoulder at him; blue eyes sparkling. "Shawn and I are picking her up first thing in the morning, providing he ain't tired then it'll be just me." She focused on his knee; feeling the tissue and softly laughed. "You need to feel this Mark, it almost feels like a human limb again."
Sitting up, he leaned forward and gingerly felt his knee. "You're a miracle worker." He rumbled, his chest pressed against her back for the briefest of seconds, inwardly groaning. Reluctantly, he lay back down. "Got any plans with your daughter?"
"Yes." The answer was short, more absorbed in his knee at the moment. Finally she had to stop, sifting so she was facing him and scooted down; frowning when he groaned. "Sorry, did I hurt you?" She looked up, brows drawing together in concern. "I figured a little trigger point would keep the pressure off your knee for a few more days."
She was hurting him alright, but not in the way she was thinking. Mark simply nodded, letting her do whatever she needed too. His mind occupied itself by running through every sexual position he knew, putting her in a lot of interesting spots. When he realized what it was he was doing, he began feeding himself mental images of anything he could. Dead cats, Steve, furniture. Beds… no not beds!
River had no idea what she was doing to her client besides fixing his knee, frowning and shifted again when she felt like she was sitting on- "What the hell?" Twisting, she looked down at his tights and bit her lower lip, trying not to smile.
Now that was the first time someone had gotten an erection while she was doing a deep tissue massage.
"I think we can fix that." She said bluntly, not about to make him feel better by pretending she hadn't noticed. A second later she had pressed her thumb and middle finger against his hip, an inch apart and watched his face go bright red. "Sorry, I know it hurts."
"Oh fuck…" Mark moaned, that cured his problem, quickly. Suddenly, worry etched his features as he bolted upright, her legs now wrapped around his waist. "It'll still work right, darlin'?" He asked in a panic filled voice. When he seen her starting to giggle, he groaned and dropped back down. "That was cruel, River."
River could only shake her head, trying to breathe. "I'm sorry, I know it's not really funny but… you are the first person to ask me if it'll still work!" She doubled over; her face in her hands, shaking as she tried to keep from all out laughing again. "Mark, you're definitely something else." She muttered, wiping away tears.
"I'm glad my pain amuses you, darlin'." Mark grunted, amusement lacing his tone. "Just got to make sure the engine still runs, know what I mean?'
Now she blushed when she looked up from her hands. "I didn't need to hear anything about your engine, Mark." She scolded, scooting back down his down and returned to work. "Considering how much damage was here, I'm surprised we reduced as much scar tissue as we did." She commented, beginning to put him back in pain. "You'll need to start seeing Alex for physical therapy to keep the tissue from amounting again though. That's his specialty, not mine."
"Not a problem." Sighing heavily, Mark closed his eyes; remembering the first time he had met River. It was at an autograph signing he'd been at with Steve. Steve was just getting hot with the crowds, finally. They'd been lolling around, ignoring Shawn who had been cracking jokes with Paul when he had seen her.
A blue eyed angel with shoulder length strawberry blond hair and the most gorgeous smile he had ever seen.
Then she had flitted right on by him to jump into Steve's arms, planting kisses all over his face.
Mark remembered hearing Shawn demanding to know who she was, shaking his head at the recollection. The man had become instantly interested. Then again, so had he. He had never felt more relieved when Steve introduced her as his baby sister. It had been love at first sight for Mark and River had admitted she felt the same way shortly after.
He had never forgotten her.
River smirked when Mark's eyes flew open; now standing at the foot of the table, staring down at him. "You zoned out there pretty good, Mark. I called your name three times." She said, backing away as he sat up. One glance at the clock told her the time, which she jotted down on a piece of paper next to his name. "Sign here and try not to day dream on me. You'll still be having sessions with me, just with Alex too."
"Great. Sorry bout that, Rivvie." He muttered, frowning when she tensed. "Is there a problem?" He asked, signing the paperwork and held the pen out to her. "River? River?" Waving a hand in her face, the frown deepened when she didn't even blink. Finally, he took her shoulders in his hands, gently shaking her, watching as she came out of whatever zone she had been in. "Looks like I'm not the only one who daydreams." He joked. "You alright?"
River nodded, frowning then shrugged, flashing her usual smile. "Yeah, just- Never been called Rivvie before, I don't think." She frowned again, her blue eyes thoughtful; sticking the pen behind her ear. "Thank you very much, Mark, now get out of my hair before I decide to hurt you for real." She joked, shaking off the momentary unease.
Chuckling, he patted her shoulder on his way out the door. The smile dropped from his face the minute he was in the hall, knowing he needed to go call Steve.