Page 64 of Bryce

“Your mother isalso coming.” He called himself a coward, for taking a stepback. He was a man who mostly did action flicks and not all of thestunts were by stunt doubles. He was experienced in the art offighting, street and otherwise, but he felt a shimmer of fear as sheturned to face him.

“You spoke tomy mother? When?”

His palms weresweating. “Just now. She was trying to reach you.” Hegestured to her phone on the countertop. “You were not pickingup.”

“You invitedher here, along with your parents without consulting me?”

“Baby…”

“Don’t!”She cut him off sharply. “You did this. You have turned my lifeupside down and I told you that this was too much.” Whirlingtowards the fridge, she grabbed a bottle of wine and to hisamazement, wrenched the cork off and guzzled as if it was water. “Getout of my kitchen!”

“Zahra…”

“I don’twant to see you until I have calmed down.”

Realizing it wasuseless to argue, he turned on his heels and left.

“Would you likesomething sent to your room?” Jessica’s sympathetic lookhad his anger burning.

“No, I am goingfor a ride.”

Zahra looked up whenJessica came into the kitchen and put the tray down.

“Don’tstart.”

“You knew whatyou were getting into.”

“I neverthought it would be so much. My privacy is gone. I have reporterscrawling up my ass.”

The older womangrinned at the image. “I sent a couple of them packing just afew minutes ago.”

Zahra sighed andremoved her apron. “It’s not your job.”

“Are youkidding me? I love the excitement and very soon they will findsomething else to go on to.” She touched Zahra’s armbriefly. “This is a happy time for the both of you. Don’tallow anything or anyone to spoil it.”

“My mother andhis parents are coming.” Even saying it caused dread to settlein her stomach.

“Stand togetherand find a way to deal with all of it. I have seen the two of youtogether and it’s clear as day that you love each other.”

She sighed and rubbedher fingers over her temple. “Where is he?”

“Gone for adrive.”

*****

He took the scenicroute and mused that all of it was scenic. Like a picture-perfectNorman Rockwell painting. Lights were beaming at windows, and thebreeze was swaying the leaves of the trees.

He passed opentaverns and the sounds of laughter, free and unforced drifting out.Several reporters asked him if this was where he was going to settle,and he had not responded. But he was going to settle wherever shewanted to. It was that simple. He had let the top down and relishedthe cold wind biting through his clothing.

She was mad and hecould not blame her. She was not accustomed to all of this publicity,the invasion of her privacy and what they were saying in themagazines and on the internet. They were puzzled at ‘hischoice’ as they called it. Could not see out of all thebeautiful women he had been with, why had chosen someone like her.

He smiled grimly,realizing that they would never get it, but he did not give a damn.He loved her so much that he wakes up in a cold sweat each morning,wondering if she was going to change her mind.

She was his soulmate, as corny as that sounded. His life was nothing without her andhe would give up his career to be with her. Damn her for making himso bloody angry. They were going to have it out once and for all. Andshe was going to be by his side when they make that statement.

*****

She could clearly seehim through the transparent glass of her shower and had to admit thatthe view was amazing. He had come upstairs without checking in withher. After serving dessert, she realized he was not coming back downand had left the cleaning up to Jessica and her two other staff.

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