15 Minutes

by Bethany Lopez

  They’d made a habit of stopping in once a week to check on me. At first, I’d been unsure of how to take them, but now, I cherished the visits with my new friends.

  “How’s the morning sickness?” I asked Gaby as I eased onto the sofa next to her.

  “Better,” she said, patting her stomach, a soft smile on her lips.

  “Woo, that was a close one,” Sasha said, brushing her curls back from her face as she entered the room. “I didn’t think we’d make it.”

  I laughed as she flopped down onto the chaise and joked, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were the pregnant one.”

  Sasha raised her eyebrow at me and whispered menacingly, “Bite your tongue.”

  Shelly came waddling into the room with a groan.

  “I’m ready to have this baby already,” she said as she eased back into a high-back chair. I kept it out for her because it was too hard for her to get on and off the sofa. It was too soft.

  “So, how are things going with you?” Gaby asked.

  “Pretty great actually,” I responded with a smile. I’d wanted to call and tell them, but I’d decided to wait to tell them in person. “Carson Brandt called and asked me to come up with some designs for his new office complex.”

  “Really?” Shelly asked with a big grin.

  “That’s awesome,” Gaby added. “Scott didn’t mention it.”

  “I don’t know if he knows yet. Carson and I spoke at the beginning of the week, and I have an appointment at his office this afternoon to go over his expectations and talk contracts,” I replied, unable to contain my excitement.

  I could hardly believe that this idea of Brock’s was actually turning into a full-time job. I was nervous about working for Brandt Industries, because it was such a big corporation, but I felt comfortable in the fact that I’d be working for people that I knew, even if it had been through my relationship with Scott.

  Although the first few days after Brock kicked me out of his hospital room had been hard, I’d proven to myself that I was not my mother, and I wouldn’t let a man break my spirit, thanks in large part to my sister. So, although I was devastated by Brock’s rejection, I could look back now and be grateful for what he’d given me. Not just a career, but a purpose in life, and a confidence in myself to make it successful.

  “How is he?” I asked Gaby. Three sets of eyes turned to me, and I felt the empathy in the room.

  “Better,” she responded with a gentle smile. “He’s able to walk with a cane, and Brady has moved back into his own house, leaving Brock and Brendan alone at theirs. His mood seems better, now that he’s able to be a little more independent.”

  “That’s wonderful,” I replied, honestly happy that Brock was on the mend. Knowing him, it had been difficult to feel helpless, since he was so used to being the person who the people in his life looked to for strength.

  “Have you given any thought to calling him?” Shelly asked. “Now that you’ve both had some time apart?”

  I shook my head sadly. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. He made his feelings about our relationship pretty clear.”

  “But…” Sasha began, but was silenced when Shelly shook her head at her.

  “We have to let her do what she thinks is best, Sash.”

  “Right,” I said a little too loudly. “Enough talk about that, why don’t you tell me about the room Cal finished for the baby.”

  We talked about color schemes and all things baby for about thirty minutes, then they had to go home to their men, and I had to go to my meeting with Mr. Brandt.

  I put on a suit and gathered the portfolio that Gwen had helped me put together. The pictures were absolutely wonderful. Once I checked to make sure I had everything, I took a deep breath and headed out for what I hoped would be another life-changing meeting.

  When I arrived at Brandt Industries, it took me a few minutes to find an available parking spot, so I was flustered as I hurried up the street. I wasn’t late, but the fact that I wouldn’t be fifteen minutes early, like I’d planned, was causing chaos to my nerves. My head was down as I adjusted my purse and portfolio, so it wasn’t until I hit what felt like a brick wall did I look up to see Brock standing in front of me.

  His hair was long; he obviously hadn’t gotten it cut since the accident, so it was curling up around his ears and flopping over his eyes. He used the hand that wasn’t resting on his cane to push the hair out of his face, but it was no use.

  He looked beautiful. Big, broad, and healthy in well-worn jeans and a long-sleeve button-up shirt, his beard cropped close to his face.

  “Tori,” he said, his voice gruff, causing me to stop my perusal of him and bring my eyes to his. His face looked paler than usual, but he didn’t look like he’d lost weight. Or if he did, Brendan had probably helped him gain it back.

  “Brock,” I responded, my heart thumping painfully in my chest. “It’s good to see you’re doing well.”

  “Yeah,” he chuckled ruefully, eyes looking over my head before coming back to meet mine. “The first few days after the accident were pretty scary, but once the feeling in my legs started coming back, it became easier to focus on my recovery.”

  “That’s great…” I began, looking at my watch, about to tell him I had to go.

  “Look, Victoria, I’ve been meaning to call you.” I shot my head up and gave him a forced smile.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I lied, then, needing to get away from him, I added, “I’m sorry, but I have to go meet Carson, I don’t want to be late.”

  At the mention of Carson’s name, Brock’s mouth clamped shut and his eyes narrowed. “That’s where I’m coming from actually … Anything going on that I should know about?”

  Confused, I said, “No … why would you?” Then, oblivious to the fact that Brock’s body had just gone ramrod straight, I brushed past him and said, “It was great seeing you, Brock, and again, I’m glad you’re doing so well.”

  Ignoring the clamoring of my heart, and the desire to rush back and throw myself in his arms, I kept my face forward and hurried to my meeting. When I got to the building and opened the big glass door, I turned my head slightly to look covertly through the sheet of my hair, to where I’d left Brock. He was still standing there on the sidewalk, eyes on me until I disappeared into the building.

  Chapter 25 ~ Brock

  “Just go talk to her,” Brendan said as he polished off his steak and mashed potatoes.

  “I really don’t think she wants me to, Bren,” I admitted as I pushed back from the table. “She looked pretty eager to get away from me. Not that I blame her. I was a total dick to her at the hospital.”

  Brendan sat still as I gathered up the plates, even though I could see he was forcing himself to not jump up and help me. I was tired of being waited on hand and foot, so I made him promise to let me start pulling my own weight again. I jostled the plates as I picked up my cane, but luckily kept my grasp on them before they crashed to the floor.

  “Bro, Victoria is a reasonable woman. All you have to do is explain where you were coming from, and tell her how you feel. I’m sure she’ll forgive you,” he kept at it as he followed me into the kitchen. “You didn’t see her when she came rushing into the hospital, Brock. I did. The girl loves you, man. Just give her a chance to prove it.”

  I wanted to believe what my brother was saying was true, but shit … I was scared. The thought of laying my heart on the line, only to be rejected, was terrifying. I didn’t know if she was ready yet to hear what I had to say.

  Although, really, if that happened, I deserved it. An eye for an eye, and all that.

  On the flipside, if she did accept my apology and took me back, well, then I’d feel like I’d won the lottery.

  “Is it worth the risk?” I muttered, half to myself, but Brendan still answered.

  “Shit, yeah, it is. Man, I’ve never seen you as happy as you were when you were with Victoria. It’s like you guys feed off each other and shit. She had you
dining in her parents’ mansion, and you had her out mudding for Christ’s sake. Together, you’re the shit … But apart, your life kinda sucks, bro.”

  I chuckled at Brendan’s delivery, but had to admit I’d received the message.

  “Can you give me a lift?” I asked, pissed that I couldn’t drive myself. I’d been waiting on Brady to pick me up earlier, when I’d run into Victoria outside of Brandt’s offices. It sucked to have to count on people to taxi me around, but at least I was on my feet again.

  “Yeah, man, but you’d better convince her to take you back. I’m going out tonight, and don’t need you calling and cock blocking me,” Brendan replied with a laugh.

  “Asshole,” I chuckled, then hobbled over to grab my wallet and keys. “Let’s go.”

  “What, now?” he asked.

  “No time like the present, brother,” I said, eager to get to Victoria and lay it all out for her before I lost my nerve.

  I tapped my cane nervously on the dash as we drove.

  “Dude,” Brendan said, indicating I should stop.

  I started drumming my fingers on my leg as Victoria’s building came into view.

  “Brock, get outta here, before you make me have a nervous breakdown.”

  I turned to my brother, hand on the handle, and said, “Thanks for everything, Bren.”

  “Anytime,” he said, then tilted his chin toward the building. “Now go get your girl.”

  I nodded once, then eased myself out of the car. I couldn’t say I was graceful about it, trying to balance as I shut the door, then leaning into the cane, but it felt amazing to be on my feet again.

  I heard the clap of thunder as I negotiated the stairs, and hoped to hell I wouldn’t be back out on my ass in fifteen minutes.

  I knocked on the door, suddenly overcome with nerves, and feeling like the biggest pussy who ever lived. This was ridiculous, right? I mean, what’s the worst that she could say? Get the hell out of my life?

  As the thoughts ran through my head, I realized just how much my future depended on the conversation I was about to have.

  Victoria opened the door, a look of surprise on her face. I took her in … She was no longer in the fancy suit she’d been wearing earlier. Instead, she had on a form-fitting Whiskey Heat T-shirt, jeans that fit her just right, and bare feet. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her face was devoid of makeup.

  She looked like a fantasy come to life.

  “Brock, what are you doing here?” she asked, her arms crossing over her chest.

  “Sorry for just dropping by, but like I said earlier, I’ve been meaning to call you. After seeing you today, I realized what I want to say needs to be done face to face.”

  Victoria stood there, her indecision apparent, and I began to worry that I wouldn’t even make it through the damn door.

  “Please, Tori, just give me fifteen minutes,” I pleaded, not above using any means necessary to get inside. She smiled at my choice of words, and I knew she was remembering back to when this all started. Finally coming to a decision, she moved aside and indicated that I could come in.

  “Have a seat,” she said when we’d entered the living room. Ever the gracious hostess she asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No … thanks,” I responded. Now that I was here, the words seemed to be clogged in my throat. Victoria sat across from me, her hands folded in her lap as she waited patiently. But I saw the tremble of her hands, and knew she wasn’t as unaffected by me as she was trying to appear. “Let me start by apologizing. I was an ass. First at the bar, that whole deal with Abby and Brendan … I should have stayed out of it. It was a knee-jerk reaction, defending my brother, and I know it was the same for you with your sister. I let my anger get the best of me and I lashed out. I shouldn’t have.”

  “That’s okay,” Victoria replied, clearing her throat before adding, “I’d had too much to drink and overreacted. I knew that then, and have already forgiven you for that. The things you said hurt me, I won’t lie, but I understood where you were coming from. We were both wrong.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my thighs, wishing I could hold her, but knowing she didn’t want me to. Not yet. “Not just that night, but at the hospital. I have no excuse for my actions, Tori. I was a dick, there’s no denying it. All I can say is that I was scared. Brady was a mess, and I was stuck in that bed, useless. I couldn’t help him and Brendan cope with my accident, the way I had with my parents. The thought of not being able to walk again, to not be able to run my business the way I was used to, it drove me crazy. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a proud and stubborn man. I need to be the strong one, the protector. I need to be needed, and the thought of having to depend on others to help me was more than I could take. It was all just too much, and in my own misguided way, I was trying to do right by you.”

  I paused, unable to sit any longer, and stood up. Pacing the room with a cane was a pain in my ass, but I had to move. There was too much adrenaline pumping through my body to sit still.

  “You were just finishing up decorating my place, and I knew that you were going to land more jobs. I could tell that the job was fulfilling you in a way nothing had before, and I didn’t want to pull your focus away from that. I didn’t want you to give up the things that were making you happy, to be a nurse to me. It was bad enough that Brady and Brendan had their lives interrupted because of me. I couldn’t do that to you too.”

  “It wasn’t your choice to make,” Victoria broke in, her voice angry. She stood and walked over to me, stopping a few inches away, hands on her hips. “We were in a relationship, and I was scared too. I got a phone call saying you were in an accident, and when I got to the hospital, everyone was a wreck. We didn’t know what was going on. Then, the doctors said we could see you, and I was so happy that you were alive, and going to be okay … All I wanted to do was crawl into that bed with you and hold you.” She brought a hand up to cover a sob, as tears spilled over her face. I itched to go to her, but she held a hand up, stopping me. “Instead … you broke up with me. Told me I was basically too shallow to handle what was happening to you. I wanted to be there for you, and you mocked me.”

  I dropped my arms to my side, helpless, and said, “I’m so sorry, Tori. I was wrong.”

  Crying unabashedly now, she looked into my eyes and asked, “Is that what you think of me?”

  Unable to stay away from her any longer, I bridged the gap between us, and pulled her tight with one arm. Victoria accepted my comfort, burrowing her head in my chest as I did my best to keep my balance and not topple us both over.

  “No, babe. It’s not. I thought I was protecting you, so I used things that I knew would make you hate me, to get you to go. I didn’t mean it. I think you’re a wonderful woman, Tori. So full of passion. I love that you aren’t afraid to try new things, that you give as good as you get, and you never fail to surprise me. I love that you gave me a chance, even though on the outside it looks like we have not one thing in common. That even though I’m a stubborn, beer-drinking, overprotective, and often times controlling man-child, you could see past all that, and want to be with me anyway.” I stroked her hair as her crying subsided. “I’m sorry … for all of it. And I want you to know that it was all on me, nothing is wrong with you.”

  Victoria pulled back and looked up at me. I swept my thumb underneath her eyes to wipe away the tears, and asked the question that had been burning in my gut all day.

  “Are you seeing Brandt?”

  Victoria blinked, obviously surprised, and the tension in me eased as I got my answer.

  “No. I was there about a job,” she replied.

  “That’s great!” I responded, relieved and sincerely thrilled at the opportunity for her.

  “Yes. You know the new building you’re contracted to paint?” I nodded. “Well, I’ve just been hired to decorate it.”

  I pulled her to me in a hug, lifting her off her feet, not thinking. Whe
n we started to stumble back I put her on the ground and righted myself.

  She was laughing as I said sheepishly, “Sorry.” Then I added, “That’s wonderful. Brandt can open a lot of doorways for you.”

  Victoria smiled and nodded, clearly proud and excited at the new opportunity.

  I brought my hand to her cheek, resting it there gently, lovingly, and asked, “Can you ever forgive me?”

  Those violet eyes caught mine, captivating me, as the curve of her lips got bigger and she simply said, “Of course. I love you, Brock.”

  Not thinking, I went with instinct and pulled her to me, eager to have her in my arms. This time when we toppled, I was unable to stop it. Luckily, I maneuvered so we landed on her chaise. Me on my back, with Victoria flush against me.

  “Fuckin’ leg,” I muttered as she giggled, then I pulled her face toward mine, stopping before her lips touched mine. I searched her face with my eyes, took in the beauty and love that was radiating from her, and gave it back. “I’m so lucky you gave me those fifteen minutes, I never imagined how they would change my life forever. I love you, Tori. With all of my heart.”

  Please keep reading for an excerpt of book 5 in the Time for Love series, 10 Years.

  10 Years is Now Available for Preorder!

  Chapter 1 ~ Craig

  (10 years old)

  All I wanted to do was go play baseball. My brother, Cal, had promised he’d take me to the cages and then go play catch, but first, he wanted to stop at the park.

  “The guys and I are meeting some girls there, but it won’t take long, I promise. Then we’ll head out to the cages, okay, bro?” Cal ruffled my hair, and I jerked away like I usually did, even though I secretly loved it when he did that.

  Cal was sixteen and the coolest brother a guy could have. He never treated me like I was annoying, like some of my friend’s brothers did, and he usually let me tag along when he was hanging out with Scott and TJ, his best friends.

  So, even though I really wanted to hit some balls, I didn’t mind hanging out with Cal and his friends for a little while.