Page 53 of Bryce

She blew out herbreath. “I thought he had left.”

“But hestayed.” Her friend’s gaze was calculating.

“He said thestorm stopped him from leaving - I slept with him!” She blurtedout.

“Of course youdid, honey.” I would have been disappointed with you if yousaid otherwise. How was it?”

She laughedbreathlessly. “Sleep was not the word I should have used. Wedid not sleep at all.”

“Bitch.”Sandra muttered mildly. “You don’t need to rub it in myface. Where is the sexual god now?”

“Back at theinn. He insisted on helping out. There are damages. That’s notall.”

“Of coursenot.” Sandra eased the baby away gently. Flipping the blanketover her left shoulder, she put him there and rubbed his back.

Zahra blinked when helet out a burp and then another.

“Works everytime. Give me one minute to put him in his mobile. It’s naptime.” Rising, she walked over to the cot that had been placednear to the old-fashioned heater.

“Tea and you’redrinking it with me.” Plopping the kettle on, she hunted forcups. “I have not been outside in forever and feel like I amabout to burst from staying in.” She waited until the kettlewas boiling and turned off the knob. Pouring the water over thepouches, she added honey and brought the cups over. “What didyou bring?”

“Raspberrytorte.”

“Yummy.”Foraging inside the bag, she took one out and bit in. “Now,tell me the more.”

“He claims he’sin love with me.”

Sandra choked andswallowed, her eyes watering. “You almost killed me. BryceWhitlock, the yummy, gorgeous Hollywood stud is in love with you.”

Zahra grimaced andtook a tentative sip of her tea. “When you put it like that, itsounds ridiculous.”

“It soundsamazing.” Her friend corrected. “And you’re in lovewith him of course!”

“I doubt I everstopped loving him.” She ran a finger over the rim of her cup.

“Uh, oh.”

She glanced up at herfriend. “What?”

“You’refinding all the reasons why it will not work.”

“Can you blameme?” She threw up her hands. “He’s Hollywood and Iam…” She dropped her hands in despair. “I am me!”

Sandra reached outand took Zahra’s hand, her eyes warm with sympathy. “Youare extraordinary, Zahra. Never forget that. You have a strength thatHollywood can never define. Maybe that’s what Bryce sees inyou.”

Zahra shook her head,the turmoil within her evident. “But what if it’s just afleeting fancy? A momentary attraction because we were strandedtogether?”

“Sometimes, themost unexpected circumstances bring out the deepest emotions,”Sandra murmured, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “Give ittime. See where it leads. Hollywood or not, love is love.”

Zahra let out a heavysigh, a mixture of hope and uncertainty clouding her eyes. “Ijust don’t want to get hurt again.”

“Honey, lifeand love are risks. Brian and I have been together for several yearsand we’re still trying to navigate our relationship”

“Brian is anaccountant. He’s wonderful, smart, and handsome, but Bryceis…,” she huffed out a breath. “He’s Bryce.Women fall over themselves to be with him. I cannot be with someonelike that.

My life would nolonger be my own. I don’t crave for the bright lights and thefame. I have found my niche here and this is where I want to be. Ihave seen what being in that world did to my parents, is doing to mymother. And I want no part of it.”

“You’reforgetting one thing.”

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