Our Broken Love

by Terri Anne Browning

  “Erin…”

  “Morning all.” Rhys greeted as he walked into the room. I looked anywhere but at him as he stopped long enough to give his stepmother a kiss on the cheek before coming over to the table and pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Ready for school, angel face?”

  “My books are in my room.” Lilli stood and hugged her father. “Talk to Erin, Daddy. Please tell her not to go.”

  “Lilli,” I started, but she quickly rushed out of the room before I could try to talk to her.

  I could feel Rhys’s eyes on me, but I refused to look at him.

  “Mommy, I don’t want to go back to Georgia,” Sophie told me, a little wobble in her voice. “I want to stay here with Lilli and Auntie Chris.”

  “Sophie…”

  “You’re leaving?” Rhys demanded.

  I shrugged. “Sophie and I are leaving on Sunday.” He knew why I was really leaving; he wasn’t stupid.

  “But I thought you had a few more weeks of vacation.” He was openly glaring at me now. “What happened to staying for a month?”

  I glared back. “I have things to take care of before I return to work.”

  “So you aren’t going to move back?” he demanded, but his tone had lost some of its coldness. “You won’t even consider it?”

  “I can’t just make a decision like that on a whim, Rhys. Sophie and I have a life in Atlanta. And even if I wanted to move back here, there are things that need tending to. If I do decide to make the move, I have to put my house on the market and turn in my notice at the hospital.” I pushed my untouched tea away. “Nothing is as simple as snapping my fingers and getting what I want. If that were the case, I would have been snapping them long before now.”

  I watched as his jaw clenched, but he didn’t comment further. Instead, he swallowed his coffee as if it weren’t scalding hot and continued to glare at me. I sent him a hard glare of my own and tore the toast into even smaller pieces.

  When Lilli returned, father and daughter left. I spent the rest of the morning with Sophie by the pool, trying to avoid my aunt and her questioning looks. Part of me suspected she knew what was going on with Rhys and me, but I couldn’t talk to her about it yet. Not when I had still to come to terms with it myself.

  After lunch, I lay down for a nap, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. I slept for most of the afternoon, only to wake up with a killer migraine. Which meant I had to ask Christa to watch over Sophie while I took my migraine medicine and passed out on my bed with the shades drawn and a cold washcloth over my aching eyes. I didn’t get the horrible headaches often, but when I did, they were hard to get rid of. I went blind in my right eye and spent hours throwing up. The only way to get rid of them, even with the medication, was to sleep them off.

  I didn’t surface from the pain until midmorning the next day. My head felt heavy and tender, but at least I was no longer blind and in agony. I showered and took my time going downstairs. It was Friday, and I had a few things I needed to get done before the weekend got underway.

  I checked in on Sophie and found her content with Lilli and Christa. There was a faculty meeting at Lilli’s school that day, so there were no classes for the students. After asking my aunt if she would keep an eye on Sophie for me, I left the house. It took me thirty minutes to get to where I needed to go in Florence, and once I reached the office building, I spent several minutes convincing myself I really needed to go inside.

  A receptionist greeted me when I walked into the lobby. She was a few years older than me with red hair that suggested to me she dyed it herself and a toothy smile. “Good morning. How can I help you?”

  “I need to see Rhys Bradshaw. I’m Erin Calloway.”

  She picked up a phone. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, but he will want to see me.”

  She gave me a fake smile and spoke into the receiver. “There is an Erin Calloway here for Mr. Bradshaw,” she said, and I assumed it was to Rhys’s assistant. There was a pause. “No, no appointment.” She gave me a frowning glance. “Okay, I’ll tell her.”

  The redhead hung up and gave me another fake smile. “I’m sorry, Miss Calloway, but Mr. Bradshaw is in meetings until late afternoon.”

  I smelled a lie, and I rolled my eyes at the woman. I pushed away from the reception desk and moved over to the elevators. Thankfully, there was one already open, and I stepped on, punching the button even as the other woman was demanding I come back.

  I was expecting the woman on the top floor to meet me as I came off the elevator. The redhead would have called up to let the assistant know I was on my way. What I wasn’t expecting was how beautiful the woman would be. She was a knockout, with midnight black hair, gray eyes, and hourglass figure. She looked to be in her early thirties, and I felt seriously lacking when I looked up at her.

  Her eyes flashed fire at me when I stepped off the elevator. “I’m sorry, but Mr. Bradshaw is unable to see you at the moment. He is in a meeting.”

  I raised a brow at the woman. “Well, then I guess he will just have to deal with it.” I stepped around the beautiful creature and made my way to the only closed door. A nameplate beside the door proclaimed it the office of R. Bradshaw, CEO and President of the company. Without knocking, I walked in.

  Only to wish I had listened to the disgustingly beautiful woman who had followed me. Rhys was leaning against his desk, frowning down at the woman seated before him. I hadn’t been prepared for who it was, and my heart seemed to shatter on the spot. I looked down at my chest to make sure I wasn’t openly bleeding out. The way I felt just then, it was a wonder that my shirt wasn’t covered in blood.

  Feeling defeated and angry, I turned to go. There was no reason I needed to be here now. Any discussion I had planned on having regarding Rhys and Sophie and me flew out the window at my first sight of Rhys’s second ex-wife. When I turned, I was surprised to see sympathy in the beautiful assistant’s gray eyes. She gave my arm a squeeze, but I couldn’t respond.

  “Erin?” Rhys had finally noticed my presence in the doorway as I was turning away. He had been so engrossed in whatever conversation he had been having with Tawny St. James Bradshaw that he hadn’t seen me at first.

  I glanced at him over my shoulder. “I thought we needed to talk privately before I left on Sunday. But I can see you’re busy.”

  His jaw tensed as he glanced back at his ex-wife and closed his eyes briefly. Then he was coming toward me. I was ready to run away. “We do need to talk. Please, don’t leave. Tawny was just leaving.”

  “I was?” Tawny frowned as she stood.

  “Yes, you were,” he bit out, grasping my elbow and pulling me inside when I started to take a step in the opposite direction. “Get out. Now.”

  The debutante seemed more amused than offended. She stepped forward, offering me her hand. “Don’t be so rude, darling. Introduce me to your friend.”

  Rhys gritted his teeth loud enough for me to hear. “Erin, you know Tawny. Tawny, this is Erin Calloway.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Oh. Oh!” She glanced back and forth between us. “The little cousin who didn’t come to our wedding. I have heard so much about you, Erin.” Still, she was offering me her hand, and I was forced to shake it or appear as if I had no manners.

  “Yes, I’m the little cousin.” I forced the words out.

  “Tawny.” There was a warning tone in Rhys’s voice, and I tried to extract my elbow from his grip. “Our business is done. Get out.”

  She pressed her lips together in a thoughtful line. “Well, I guess I should get going, then. Call me later, Rhys darling. I really would like to talk more about our trip to London last week.”

  I froze. Every muscle in my body seemed to seize up at her words, and I couldn’t move for the life of me. Flashes of memory from six years before made my stomach heave, and I had to swallow the bile that threatened to choke me. I didn’t even hear the lovely Tawny leave.

  Suddenly, I was being shaken gently, and I blinked up at Rhys. I was
beyond hurt. I thought maybe I could be slowly dying from all the pain I was in at that moment. Rhys had been with Tawny while he was in London. Again. Was she the reason he had gone? Or had they just met up while there? I needed to know, but I wasn’t sure I could handle the truth.

  “You…were with her while you were in London?” I whispered, unable to make my voice louder.

  “No!” He shook his head vehemently. “I had to handle some business for her while I was there, but that was it. I swear to you.”

  I jerked away from him, feeling sick. “I’m so stupid. How could I do this to myself all over again?” I was talking to myself, but I was beyond caring. I was falling apart, and I didn’t know how to stop this excruciating pain I was in. “This is six years ago all over again.”

  “No!” Rhys caught me up in his arms. “Please, stop and listen to me.” He kissed my hair, my forehead, my cheeks. But I didn’t feel any of it. I had gone numb on the outside because all my energy was focused on what was going on inside. “Erin, I need you to listen.”

  “Why? It no longer matters. I can’t be with you. You do nothing but break my heart. And I…I let you.” I shook my dark head. “I’m such a fool.”

  “If anyone is a fool, it’s me!” He closed his eyes as he pulled me tight against him. “I can’t seem to do anything right when it comes to you. God, Erin. I’m sorry.”

  “Me too,” I whispered.

  “Erin, I love you,” he breathed into my ear.

  A jolt shocked my body, and I pulled away from him, not sure I had heard him correctly. “Wh-what?”

  “I love you, baby doll. I’ve loved you for so long, but I was so fucking blind.” He gave me a self-mocking smile. “I loved you six years ago, but I was terrified by how strong my emotions were that I ran away from them and you.”

  “And married someone else,” I reminded him.

  He lowered his head. “Yes. I married someone else. But it wasn’t much of a marriage. She was using me just as much as I was using her. She had to get married to inherit her grandmother’s estate, and I was ready to do anything that didn’t involve facing how I felt about you.”

  I pulled away a little more, trying to get as far away as I could with him holding me so tightly. “Well, you succeeded,” I assured him.

  He groaned. “Not really. I was still haunted by you and our time together in the Bahamas. I couldn’t bring myself to touch her, to even kiss her, because all I could see was you. Not that she cared. As long as I married her so she could get her hands on her grandmother’s money, she was happy. Which I did, and as soon as I could, we got a divorce.”

  “You mean you never…?” I trailed off, not sure if I believed him or not.

  Rhys grinned sheepishly. “No. Not once.”

  “But…” I couldn’t seem to put together a coherent sentence.

  “It was just a business deal. I helped her out, and she helped me hide away from my emotions. Love, or even lust, didn’t enter into the equation.”

  “But why didn’t you say something?” I demanded. “I’ve spent the last six years…” I shook my head. “If you loved me as you say, then why haven’t you said something before now?”

  “You were so young, baby doll. I wanted to give you time to grow up and experience more of life. It nearly killed me waiting so long, but you needed time on your own to find your own way…” His eyes grew troubled. “But if I had known about Sophie, I would have been by your side in a heartbeat.”

  My heart was pounding. My head was trying to wrap itself around what he was telling me and coming up blank. I ached with hope and my still-broken heart. “You went to London after we made love again, and it was like it was happening all over again.”

  “I didn’t mean for that to happen. Or to make you feel that way. I tried everything I could to get out of going to London. But there was a crisis, and I was the only one who could handle it. I worked night and day to get back here as quickly as I did.” He pulled me close again, and I went a little more willing this time. “Tawny happened to be in London at the time, and she wanted me to invest some money for her. That was all.”

  I bit my lip. “But the trash magazines… They printed a picture of you in a jewelry store while you were there.”

  “Keeping tabs on me, baby doll?” I shrugged. “It was hard not to. Like I said, it was like the last time. Tabloids and all.”

  “Well, I was there, and I did spend a good amount of money.” He grinned and dropped a kiss on my nose. “And I hope you like what I picked out.” He held me close with one arm while he pulled something out of his pants pocket. He extracted a little velvet ring box and set it in my hand.

  My heart stopped for a second, only to start running away as I stared down at the little box. My throat was dry, and my eyes felt gritty as I opened the box with trembling fingers. A small cry escaped me when I saw the perfect solitaire ring shining up at me. It had to be at least four karats of sparkling pink diamond set in a platinum band.

  I swallowed hard and lifted my eyes to meet his. “I…” I couldn’t find words. Hope was swelling so big I thought my heart might be mending itself. “Rhys?” I whispered.

  He took the box from my nerveless fingers and took out the ring. “I’ve waited what feels like an eternity for you to come back to me, Erin. And now that you have, I don’t think I could ever let you go again. Please, make me the happiest man alive and say that you will marry me.”

  A tear escaped and ran down my cheek. I didn’t even care. “Oh, Rhys,” I breathed his name. “I love you so much.”

  “Is that a yes?” he asked with a cocky grin, but I could see the vulnerability deep in his eyes.

  “I…” I hesitated. “This isn’t just to keep me here so you can have better access to Sophie, is it?” I had to be sure.

  “No!” He shook his head. “I want to be close to her, I won’t lie about it. But I don’t think I could live without you, Erin.”

  “Then, yes!” I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tight. “Yes, Rhys.”

  epilogue

  My wedding day was bright and clear.

  I smiled to myself as I gazed in the full-length mirror. My dress had come from a local designer, and it hugged me perfectly, even if it’d had a last-minute alteration to expand the waist. My tiara, a gift from my aunt, was holding my upswept dark hair in place. The lace around the neckline was adorned with little pearls which had come from Christa’s own wedding dress.

  On the bed behind me sat my daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter. They both had on beautiful, soft pink dresses that were a mixture of sweet and elegant, while their hair was braided with white and pink rosebuds. They were beautiful, and I was so proud to call them both mine.

  The two sisters gave me approving nods. “You look beautiful, Mommy,” Sophie assured me, staring at my reflection in awe. “Just like a princess

  “Yeah, Erin. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you.”

  I went to them and pulled them close. I dropped a kiss on Sophie’s cheek and then grasped both of Lilli’s hands. “Are you sure you’re really okay with this?” I had asked the same question a thousand times over the last four and a half months. I loved her like my own, but I wanted to be sure I wasn’t doing anything she wasn’t ready for.

  Lilli hugged me close. We were the same height even if she was only thirteen, so we were at the same eye level. “Erin, you have always felt kind of like a mom to me. I love you so much. Honestly, I’m thrilled you’re going to be my stepmother.” Happy tears glazed her dark blue eyes, and she blinked quickly to keep them at bay. “Now, stop worrying about me. We have to get you downstairs and married to my dad.”

  I smiled through my own tears and rushed to fix my makeup. There was a sharp knock on the door, followed by Matt walking in, his doctor right behind him. “Wow, cuz,” Matt exclaimed. “My brother is one lucky man.”

  I grinned up at him as he bent to kiss my cheek. “Thanks. You two look pretty dreamy yourselves.”

  Matt
had introduced Bradley to the family the night Rhys and I had gotten engaged. Rhys, of course, had been a little miffed when he first saw Bradley, having remembered the kiss I had given the man days before. But when he’d learned just who the good doctor was and that there was not a snowball’s chance in hell I could ever really go for the guy, he had calmed right down. He had been the first of Matt’s brothers to welcome Bradley into the family.

  Christa had been slightly upset when she’d first learned her youngest son was gay, but after about thirty minutes of pouting, she had confided in us all that part of her had always suspected Matt was gay. She saw how happy Matt and Bradley were and welcomed him right into the thick of the family.

  From downstairs, I could hear the beginnings of the wedding march. “That’s our cue, girls.” I shooed Matt and Bradley out of the room so they could go take their seats. After giving Sophie her basket with white and pink rose petals, and Lilli her maid-of-honor bouquet, we rushed downstairs.

  Out in the backyard, right in front of the hothouse, sat fifty chairs. I stood at the end of the aisle smiling as I waited for first Lilli to walk and then Sophie. I took a deep breath and looked down the aisle and straight into the gaze of my groom.

  Everything and everyone else seemed to disappear. All I saw was Rhys in his gray tux as he stared back at me as if I were a dream come to life. Without even realizing what I was doing, I started walking, needing to be by his side.

  He seemed to be unable to hold back either, because he met me halfway down the aisle. Rhys grasped my hands and bent his blond head to gently kiss my lips. When he pulled back, there were tears in his blue eyes. “I love you, baby doll,” he murmured.

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  Someone cleared their throat, and I turned my head to find I was standing beside Drew. He and Cammi had eloped two months before, having been unable to handle the stress of planning a big wedding. He gave us an amused grin. “The kiss comes after the vows, brother,” Drew murmured, and everyone chuckled.

  Rhys grinned. “Yeah, but I couldn’t wait that long.”