Page 40 of Bryce

He coughed furiouslyas the smoke went swiftly and without warning into his lungs. Damnher! He thought bitterly. Damn her for bringing him to this. She hadused words to destroy him. He thought himself immune to hurt, but hewas so wrong. She had shredded him.

In the past, he hadbuilt up an immune system. His parents were skilled at making himfeel like crap and had honed their skills over the years. He wasn’tgood enough. He was too wimpy, not strong enough.

He was a Whitlock forChrist’s sake! Act like one. So, he had been forced to bebetter, but that had never been enough. It did not matter that he wasan A student or that he excelled in sports.

After leaving theStates and settling in the UK, he had tried out for every sportingactivities and aced every one of them.

He studied hard andpushed himself until he was better than most. He became popular, theone they come to for advice and help with assignments. But none ofthat had ever been enough for his parents. So, he had stopped tryingto impress them and had started to do whatever the hell he pleased.

He went from beingthe well-behaved son to going on a rampage. After university, he wentall over the place, drinking and smoking. He had tried drugs once andit messed him up big time, so much so that he stayed away from anyform of it. He wanted a clear head, getting drunk was one thing, butgetting stoned was another altogether.

Cutting off a yelp,when he felt the burn from the cigar, he pitched the glowing emberover the balcony rail and picked up the bottle. He would leave. Inthe morning. He would pack his things and get the hell away from herand in time, he would forget even her name. Women wanted him, for onereason or another and there was no shortage there.

Hell, he could dowithout a woman, if it come to that. He had been doing without onefor the past four months and counting. He could do it again. Go tohis villa in Tuscany and spend a couple of months there.

He had money, a vastamount of it and could do as he bloody well please. He did not needsome woman from a two-bit town telling him that he should leave herthe hell alone. He had his pride. He had been rejected by his parentstoo many times to allow her to do this to him too. To hell with herthen!

But the ache in hisheart was still there and the emptiness was almost swamping him.

*****

He was leaving. Well,that’s good, she thought and pounded at the dough. And he wasavoiding her as well. She had cowardly left the task of servingbreakfast to Jessica. The rain had stopped, leaving everything soggyand wet.

Leaves had been blownoff and settled in a sodden patch everywhere. Even her prized rosebushes had not been spared. Most of the petals were swimming inpuddles.

The day was stillovercast, and the temperature had taken a nosedive. With the weatherbeing like that, she had prepared her special oatmeal, with cinnamon,vanilla and a touch of brandy to spice things up.

The two couples wereleaving today and hopefully he would too. They came upon each otheronce by accident and his glance had slid over her with anindifference that cut through her like a sharp blade that left hergasping.

Her hands trembled asshe coated the honey loaf before sliding it into the oven. Tearsblurred her vision, and she cursed herself for a fool. He had movedon. What had happened between them last night had been a diversion, adistraction for him and nothing else.

It pissed her offthat she remembered how sincere he had sounded when he told her ofwhat had happened to him. She knew what he went through in the pastwhen they were kids. His parents had never been there for him. Helived in a big fancy house with just staff for company. And he hadbeen lonely.

Just like she hadbeen. But damn him, he was not a child anymore and he was certainlynot lonely now. He did not look like the skinny kid that had everyonepicking on him. No one would dare do that to him now. His muscleswere well-defined. He was strong. She had tried shoving at him, andhe had stayed there like a damn rock.

The phone rang justthen, and she almost wept at the welcome interruption.

“Hello?”

“Bitch, I havebeen calling your cell phone for ten minutes.”

Her pulse picked up.“Are you okay?”

“No. I am on myway to the damn hospital. I am in labor.”

“Oh God!Brian…?”

“Is out oftown. I need you.”

“On my way.Jessica!”

“What is it?”The woman ran into the kitchen immediately.

“Sandra is inlabor. I put the dough in the oven…,” she hesitatedbriefly. “The two couples are leaving and Bryce, I think he’sleaving as well…”

“Don’tworry about it. Just go.”

Taking off her apron,she put it away and washed her hands. Stepping out into the diningroom, she saw that it was empty.

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