Page 7 of Bryce

He wanted normal.

Signaling to thebartender, he waited for him to pour the desired drink.

“If it isn’tthe hot movie star.” The familiar voice drawled just as he wasabout to take a sip of his whiskey.

Instead of feelingoffended, Bryce swiveled his head to look at the familiar face.

“Liam. I waslooking forward to having a solitary drink before kicking someprivileged ass in the card room.”

The slim elegant mansettled on the stool next to him and nodded, bringing the bartenderover with a glass of scotch.

“Now that planis shot to hell.” Amused blue eyes settled on his face. “Whatare you doing here? Last I heard, was that your movie just wrappedand is rumored to be even bigger than ‘Lost Cause’!”

“I am havingsome ‘me’ time.” He tilted the glass to his lipsand took a look around the room. He was a fourth-generation member ofthe club and had been inducted so to speak since he was a boy.

He recalled cominghere to sit on one of the padded chairs to have breakfast with hisdad. And how dazzled he had been to be included. Now, he came herealone and preferred it that way. He knew that his father used theplace as his own pick-up place, something that turned his stomach.

“What does thatmean?”

He slid his glanceback to his friend and chuckled at the disgruntled look on hishandsome face. “It means that I want to be alone. I am goinginto my eat, pray, and discover myself period.”

“No love?”Liam lifted an amused brow.

“Not now.”He shrugged restless shoulders. “I am just in a place where mylife is not what I need it to be.”

His friend settledback and sipped his drink contemplatively. “I used to party ahell of a lot. My life was just that, one big party. I had no desireto settle down. I was satisfied with life as it was. Until I met mydarling wife.”

A smile played aroundhis lips as he recalled the path his life had taken and the woman whohad dropped into it in an unorthodox way. He had never felt better ormore fulfilled.

“I sincerelyhope you’re not going to dispense some sort of bar stoolpsychology and tell me that in finding myself, I will discover lovealong the way.”

Liam chuckled at theimage. “Hell no. I know my limitations.” He lifted hisglass in a toast. “To finding out what matters.”

*****

“Sit for abit, why don’t you?” Mabel gestured to the chair in thecorner of the crowded market as she took off her apron.

“The veal andlamb chops are fresh, and I have asked Marlene to package up severalpounds to add to your usual order. Tea?” She finished with aflourish and made a beeline for the refreshment counter that wasavailable for her customers.

It was the middle ofthe day, and the market was not yet packed with shoppers. The quaintstore front shop had been a fixture in the tiny town since foreverand Mabel, who had taken over from her own dearly departed mother,knew everyone around.

Bringing over twocups of steaming herbal brew, she set it on the table and went backto grab two plates of wafer-thin cookies.

“Now!”She began briskly as she planted her ample frame in the oppositechair. She picked up her cup and took a sip. “Have you heardabout Molly?”

It was strange to herto be in on the local gossip, but Zahra had come to expect it. Onecould not simply stop in at the local market, the bakery or even thelaundry and the hardware store without expecting to be in for adelay, where along with the purchases she would be provided with thelatest news.

“No.”Settling more comfortably in the chair, a smile on her lips as shewaited to hear what was happening with Molly.

It took her half anhour to hear about Molly’s trip to Los Angeles to find herselfa husband, which had not worked out quite well and brought her backto town.

Then it was off tothe bakery where along with her boxes of strawberry shortcakes andtrifles, she was introduced to Bill’s nephew who just flew infrom Wyoming to stay with his uncle.

“He’s ina bit of trouble,” Bill told her in an undertone, “gotmixed up with the wrong crowd and had my poor sister going crazy andnot knowing what to do.

Guy, package four ofthose eclairs for Ms. Zahra.” He winked at her, blue eyestwinkling. “Made this just this morning. On the house. Will yoube attending the concert later on this evening?”

“Would not missit for the world.” She smiled at the blushing young man withthe pimples on his forehead as he handed her the white paper bag.

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