Page 61 of Room for Improvement

“Promise me something, Vivian. Never let anyone try to tell you what you should love. People might say I’m a coffee snob, but I love my strong espresso. If a frappé is your passion, then defend it, with all your heart.”

Coffee, he wants to talk coffee. Just let it go.

A moment of silence followed. Vivian sensed they had reached not just a natural pause in the conversation, but a fork in the road.

He said he was sorry, and you promised yourself you wouldn’t let things go any further tonight.

The sensible thing, the honorable thing would be to say goodnight and goodbye. She could walk away with her self-respect intact, and her heart mostly still in one piece.

If only Bryce wasn’t so damn handsome. So lovely.

An hour or two ago she could have easily channeled her inner Elizabeth Bennet and informed Bryce that he was the last man on earth she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. Now she would have happily stood in the freezing cold of dawn and waited while he marched toward her through the early morning mist to declare his undying love.

“I’m probably heading back to New York sometime tomorrow morning, but I was wondering if perhaps before then, we could meet for breakfast.”

Vivian’s private fantasy of being a windswept character out of Pride and Prejudice snapped and fizzled into the humid Texan night air. The sweeping musical score overtaken by the canned reggae music which pumped through the bar’s sound system.

Gathering what remained of her wits, she asked. “What time?” At least Bryce wanted to part as friends. He mightn’t want her anymore, but friends was a good deal better than where they had been only a few hours ago.

She’d made a joke of the fact that they lived in different worlds, but the truth was they did. She would never get the chance to visit Planet Billionaire.

“How does around eight work for you? I plan to hit the gym just before seven.” Bryce patted his stomach. “Need to work off some of tonight’s food, plus I find it helps to center my thoughts. The combination of sweat and a bit of workout pain are a stress reducing drug for me.”

Vivian nodded. Being a New Yorker, she well understood the sweat and pain of pounding the streets or being crushed into the morning hour on the subway. “I walk a lot. That’s my way of trying to burn off the cortisol. And yoga, though I must confess I am not very supple at the moment. I’ve been doing a bit too much couch lounging, and not enough exercise.”

Bryce leaned closer. “I would beg to differ. My memories of you are of a woman more than capable of bending and stretching.”

The heat returned to Vivian’s face. Why did he have to go and remind her of their passionate encounter? And of the hurt it had later caused her.

“Yes well, it took days for the knots in my muscles to unwind.”

He sucked in an audible breath. “I will never forget that day I spent with you, Vivian. You showed me a side of connecting with another person I hadn’t seen before. And when you gave yourself to me, I truly felt humbled.”

They were suddenly standing on the edge of a precipice. Temptation hung heavy in the air. On the table, her cellphone buzzed. The universe must have been listening. Grace’s name shone enticingly bright on the screen.

Bryce moved his hand away and sat back. “Did you want to get that?”

Vivian was about to hit decline and send the call to voicemail. “I can call her back.”

“It’s fine, answer it.”

She put the phone to her ear. “Hi, Grace.”

“Hey babe, how’s it going? Did you get to Gaido’s?”

“We did. The food was really good.”

“We? Who are you with. Tell me it’s a nice guy.”

Vivian’s gaze settled on Bryce. Grace was loud enough that there was every chance he could her what was being said. “It’s Bryce. He flew here to apologize. We went to dinner together.”

“That rat bastard! He thinks he can sweet talk you. Oh! Put him on. Put him on. I’ll give him the word.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We have just got things sorted.”

“Put. Him. On. The. Phone.”

Vivian winced but did as Grace demanded. A bemused looking Bryce took the cell and held it to his ear. “Hello, Grace. This is Bryce.”

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