“François what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing my dear.”
“But Andrew is my fiancé.”
“And I am his lover,” he said in his English accent. My lips quivered and he took notice.
“I thought you knew that. You Americans are so naïve.” I got hold of myself and took a deep breath. I turned without saying a word and hurried to the door. Before I could reach the elevator, Andrew was behind me and reached for my arm and pulled me back in the apartment.”
“How could you?” I whimpered.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was saying goodbye to François.”
“Is that how you say goodbye?”
“Are you angry because my lover is a man? Would you prefer that you caught me with a woman?”
“I would prefer that I hadn’t caught you with anyone?” I looked at his confused expression. The kind where you have too many choices and you can’t make up your mind. “You don’t understand. You have been lying to me from the beginning and…Never mind.” I shook my head and composed myself. “I hope you understand that whatever we had is over.”
Rushing for the door, I dropped my ring in the Chinese bowl on a table. I left him standing with a question on his face as if he didn’t get it. I don’t know why I was crying. I didn’t love him. Maybe it was because I don’t have a job now and no apartment. When I got to the main floor, tears fell hitting my cheeks and sliding off into my mouth. I needed Brandon.
Walking and crying I looked a sight. I reached Brandon’s apartment completely dazed. The person at the security desk call Brandon, and then he directed me to go up. “At least I can talk to Brandon,” I murmured. He wants to see me and I’m going to tell him I’ll marry him and jump into his bed if he wants me to.
I know he loves me and I love him, I said to myself trying to come back from a devastating feeling of rejection. He just asked me to marry him. I’m going to bury myself in his arms because I finally have the man of my desire.
I rang the bell and he opened the door. He stood in lounging pajamas. “Oh Tyler. You forgave me.” We stood and we kissed. He pulled away and our eyes met and the heat of our love settled on me. I felt secure in his arms. I felt wanted in his arms. I felt needed in his arms. And then all that I cherished was gone.
“Brandon, who is it?” A tall young blond woman came from out of the shadows, out of the hall, and stood behind Brandon.
She looked at me wearing a smile and an open robe and wearing a teddy. “Oh hi.” She waved and smiled, and turned around and went back into the bedroom.
“Oh my God, Brandon.” I turned and rushed out into the elevator with Brandon shouting.
“Stop! Let me explain.”
I didn’t need an explanation. The door closed and down I went. Was everyman I meet going to deceive me? What the hell. I’m going home. I caught a cab outside of Brandon’s apartment. I jumped out of the cab and rushed inside Andrew’s apartment and threw my clothes in an old bag. Packing and sobbing over expensive dresses, and making a mess of them. I found the car and climbed into the Ford rental and headed back to my father’s house.
Over the George Washington Bridge, into slow traffic and stares from women headed home from work. They glanced my way knowing it had something to do with a man. Men were making women cry from one end of this city to the suburbs. I had to dry my eyes before I entered my father’s house.
I didn’t want him to know that his little girl who was no longer a girl but a woman, felt and acted like I felt—a child that wanted her mother. I climbed the stairs and knocked before I opened the door. “I’m home daddy.”
“Tyler,” he said looking up from the old fashion television that he bought in the nineties.
“No don’t get up. I’m going to my room and I’m home until I get another job.”
“I’m sorry to hear that but I’m glad you’re back. We can do some things together.”
“Okay dad.” The only things my father wanted to do now was to lie in his chair and watch daytime westerns and a few game shows. After he ate supper he was off to bed and up early. Occasionally he would play poker with the neighbors.
After taking a shower and changing into a tee and shorts, I prepared dinner. I brought it to him on a tray and set it in front of him, when he woke from his nap, he could eat. Lately he was forgetting to eat. He slept most of the day trying to forget the loss of my mother.
I understand because now I wanted to crawl into my bed and sleep my days away. But I had to pay the bills. I thought about Jordan. He would be glad to give me a reference. We parted as friends when he realized it wouldn’t work out. When I tell him about Andrew, I know he’ll understand. I’ll call him tomorrow, I thought.
Walking to the front door, I looked out at the swing on the porch. It held good memories. Why not try to go back and find what I had lost. Maybe the swing would take me there or at least make me feel better.
I opened the door and walked to the swing that had been painted white to cover its age and rust from years of being out in the elements. I leaned back, put my head up looking to the clouds. I felt at peace. Now I knew what I had to do. Then a flash of thunder shook the wood frame house and rain fell.
Standing to get out of the rain, I glanced down the street and saw a dark limo barreling down the street in my direction, and then slowing as if looking for a house number. I was interested in who the limo belong to, and where it was going to stop. My hair and clothes were drenched when it stopped in front of my house.
Out stepped Brandon with a white linen shirt and faded jeans. He stood in the rain at the bottom of the steps waiting for me to invite him on the porch. I hesitated. Then I said, “Brandon come out of the rain.” He looked innocent, like a lost child who had found his mother.
He stood in front of me in silence. We gazed at each other. Each feeling each other’s pain. “You left me before I could explain,” he said.
“What was there to explain? You had a woman in your bed.”
“She wasn’t in my bed. She was in the guest bedroom.” She’s a friend of my sister. You know my sister. The one you promised you would attend her party and didn’t.”
My hand automatically went to my mouth, “I’m sorry. Tell Anna I’m sorry.”
I thought you were going to be there and I wanted to tell you about me and Angela. You know about the divorce. It seems she met someone more to her liking. A count, lord or future king, I don’t know who, nor do I care.”
“What about that girl in your apartment?” I queried, praying I could believe him.
“She had been drinking and Anna asked me to take her home. I was taking her home when she threw up in my car.”
“Oh no. Not the Porsche,” I said laughing.
“Yes. That one. She begged me to call her parents and tell her I was staying overnight. I’ve known her since she was a child.”
“From what I saw she’s not a child any longer,” I said to Brandon.
He took my wet hand, “You look so beautiful in the rain my princess.” My heart broke at the sound of his words. “I have never wanted anyone as much as I want you. You are my true love. And I don’t intend to let you ever get away.”
He went to his knees on the cement porch in the rain, thunder, and lightning and said, “Will you marry me?” I was looking at him and didn’t answer. I hadn’t noticed anyone or anything but Brandon, but my father was standing at the door.
“Are you going to answer him?” He questioned with a stern voice. “It was on this very porch that I popped the question to your mother.” I looked to my father for affirmation. He shook his head yes.
“Yes.”
“I knew he was the man for you when I spoke to him,” my father said.
“You talked to Brandon?” Brandon shook his head and stood. He pulled me to him and I felt his heartbeat when his lips brushed my lips.
“Now get in the house before you two love birds get struck by lightning,” my father said smiling.
The End
Thank you for buying my novel. Please leave a review. It will help me to understand how to make your reading experiences better. You can contact me at [email protected] or my website at: http://www.rachelerice.com my blog: http://www.rachel-e-rice.com
“Pleasure is a great love story.” Below you will find a list of my books for your reading enjoyment.
Books by Rachel E. Rice
Historical Romance
The Captain and The Virgin #1
The Pirate and The Captain’s Lady #2
The Captain’s Revenge…#3
Seduced By An Earl #1
The Naked Countess #2
Contemporary
Obsession: Warm Bodies, Cold Hearts #1
(Obsession Series) Naked Obsession # 2
Burning Obsession # 3
Tamika Jade: The Case of the girl with the Rose Tattoo #1
Science Fiction
The Well 1
The Well 2
The Well 3
Erotic Romance
(Blackstone Series) The Incredible Mr. Black #1
(Blackstone Series) Temptation In Black #2
(Blackstone Series) Submission To Black #3
Stand Alone New Adult Romance
Finding Summer
The Summer of her Desire
Coming Soon: Black Tie Affair (Blackstone #4)
One Desire Page 20