Page 72 of Mine to Keep

Chapter14

Bryn didn’t like leaving Zadie for any length of time with anyone, not even Jamison. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Jamison wasn’t capable of handling Zadie because Jamison handled babies like he’d been doing it his entire life.

It was just that Bryn still looked over her shoulder as if someone were watching and lurking in her bushes.

And not some kid wanting to steal her television or laptop.

She parked her car as close to the main doors of the post office as she could. She had twenty packages to mail, all thanks to Jamison. Well, she assumed it was from him and his great salesmanship. He’d told everyone about her jewelry, and his sisters-in-law had raved about the pieces he’d given them. Hell, even his mother talked her up, which shocked Bryn because she still seemed to think that he was getting back together with his ex-wife.

Not that it affected her, because as much as she was attracted to Jamison, she wasn’t going to pursue a relationship with him. She couldn’t. She needed to be prepared to get up and move when the hairs on the back of her neck stood even taller. It was bad enough that she was sure she reminded that Jon Kaplan guy of someone else.

The last time she’d run into him, he’d brought it up again, but Zadie had been so fussy that Bryn hadn’t had the opportunity to find out who. Now, she really wanted to know. Because if he said Brenda Thompson Perish, Bryn would be packing her bags in the middle of the night and taking off for Alaska.

No one would look for her there.

She opened her trunk and lifted her tote bags. She had all the packages labeled and ready to go. All she needed to do was pay for the shipping and send them on their way. She lifted one tote onto her shoulder and then the other before closing her trunk and turning toward the door.

A woman with her head down as she stared at her phone raced past her, nearly hitting Bryn’s tote as she pulled open the door. It wasn’t until the lady was inside the post office that Bryn realized it was Cheryl.

“Come on. Pick up the phone,” Cheryl said.

Bryn didn’t want to have any conversation with Cheryl because she didn’t think it would end well. Besides, what would she say? Unless Cheryl wanted to buy jewelry, the two women had nothing to say to each other.

“I’m not leaving a damn message.” Cheryl took her phone from her ear and tapped at the screen. She pounded on it like she was beating the damn thing. “Now. Answer.” She let out a long sigh.

Bryn did her best to mind her own business, but that was cut short when Cheryl mumbled something under her breath, stuffed her cell into her back pocket, and glanced over her shoulder.

“Oh. Hi,” Cheryl said. “Aren’t you Bryn?”

“Yes. That’s me.” She smiled. Like this woman didn’t know who she was. “How are you?”

“Not great,” Cheryl said. “I’m trying to reach my husband. I take it he’s not answering because he’s doing some favor for you. He’s always doing something for you.”

“Isn’t he yourex-husband?” Shit. Why the hell did she have to go and say something so antagonistic? The last thing she needed was to make a bigger enemy out of Cheryl. Or out of anyone, for that matter.

“Not the point.”

“Well, I’m not his keeper, so I have no idea why he’s not answering his phone.” Hopefully, he was busy taking care of Zadie and finishing the built-in shelves and cabinets. He didn’t have much left to do, and she wanted to take a few more pictures of her jewelry displayed on the shelves. The lighting next to the window was perfect.

“It’s important that I talk to him right away.” Cheryl moved closer to the service desk as they called the next person to be helped.

“I’m not sure what you want me to do about it.”

“Call him for me.”

Shit. Bryn was not getting in the middle of this one.

“I’m sorry. I’m not comfortable doing that.”

“He’s at your house, right? Watching your kid and doing whatever else for you.” Cheryl adjusted her purse strap. “You know, you’re not the first damsel in distress he’s been Prince Charming for. That’s kind of his thing. He likes to be needed. But once you’re on your feet, or someone comes along who is in a worse state than you, he’ll drop you like a hot potato. Just ask Gina.”

“Who’s Gina?” Bryn found herself asking a question she shouldn’t care about because she wasn’tthatkind of woman. And she wasn’t involved with Jamison in that way. They were friends. She kept her attraction to him under lock and key. Especially now that she was going on six weeks from giving birth, and the doctor had told her that sex wasn’t out of the question.

It wasn’t until after that she had explained to her new physician that the father had passed, and she had no boyfriend. Perhaps the good doctor would have refrained from mentioning it at all if she had said something sooner. And then she wouldn’t be fantasizing about the sexy firefighter who was constantly coming around and occasionally taking off his shirt as he worked.

That thought sent a warm shiver to all her erogenous zones.

“I’m surprised you haven’t met her yet. She lives in Jamison’s neighborhood, and her husband was in the military. Special forces, actually. He died while on a mission. He was constantly doing things for her, and she fell for him. Hard. I swear, she was madly in love with him, but the more she got her shit together, the more he pulled away. And now he has you. She’s pretty heartbroken over the whole thing.”

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