by Tina Michele
The city skyline was capped by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. As the sun set over the range, it replaced the crystal blue backdrop with clouds that radiated dramatic shades of pink and orange. Bree stood in awe as she watched the sky transform before her eyes, and the lights of the city flickered to life. She could feel the warmth of the sky and the glowing clouds envelop her just as Carson’s arms slipped around her waist and pulled Bree back against her. “Happy birthday, Bree Whitley.”
Bree could have stayed on the hillside forever with Carson wrapped around her. She felt safe and secure and would have believed anything in the world was possible in that moment. In those few beautiful minutes, Bree felt the weight of loneliness she’d carried for so long begin to slip away. She felt a hope spark to life deep inside her, and she couldn’t have thought of a more perfect or romantic way to have spent her birthday, or any day. When Carson started to release her, she grunted with discontentment. She may have even whined had her stomach not growled when Carson mentioned that their next stop involved food.
“Are you ready?” Carson asked as Bree spun around in her arms and faced her.
“If you promise that you’ll bring me back here sometime.” Bree smiled and wrapped her arms around Carson’s waist.
Carson pulled Bree in tight against her chest. “Anything.”
Carson led Bree back to the truck and helped her into the seat. She watched Carson make her way around the vehicle and was overcome with an unfamiliar joy. As Bree’s heart soared, her thoughts flashed to Marion, and the joy that had just consumed her vanished. She stared out the window as memories of the past flooded her mind, and Bree felt an all-too-familiar tightening in her chest.
What are you doing? What if Marion came home tomorrow and here you are in the arms of another woman? Bree couldn’t imagine what Marion would say if she ever discovered that Bree had been carrying on with another woman behind her back. It’s not behind her back, Bree. She’s gone. She’s never coming back, and you know it. But Bree didn’t know it, not really. She had hung on to those words of promise when Marion told her she would return. What about Carson? You’re leading her on and getting all this attention, and then what? The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Carson. Bree’s chest tightened and her breaths grew quick and shallow.
Marion had left her, without concern or remorse. How could she continue to hold on to someone who could abandon someone they loved with such carelessness? Yet, there Carson was, treating her with more thoughtfulness in one single gesture than Bree had ever gotten in years of marriage. Her heart clenched in her chest.
When Carson slid into the truck, Bree pressed her eyes closed. She didn’t want Carson to see the conflicting emotions that warred within her. Just as the wave of anxiety threatened to consume her, Carson took her hand. Bree glanced over at the strong hand that held hers. Her eyes followed as Carson brought her hand up and kissed her fingers. The pressure that had threatened to squeeze every last breath from Bree’s lungs eased as Carson smiled at her. It was a kind smile full of happiness and serenity.
They drove down the mountain into town. Bree could only stare over at Carson’s striking profile. Bree’s chest, once filled up with guilt and sorrow, now allowed room for a sliver of hopefulness and excitement. She remembered the comfort she’d felt with Carson’s strong, protective arms wrapped around her. There was something so right about how she felt pressed up against Carson, like nothing in the world mattered except the passion and desire that burned between them. It was when they touched that everything else seemed so insignificant. Bree forced herself to hold on to that feeling.
She let her mind drift further with contentment and fell into a fantasy full of flesh and heat. Her pulse quickened as she fell into the desires of her mind. Bree wanted to feel Carson’s bare skin on hers. She wanted to run her fingers over the soft swells of her breasts, down her belly, and glide them into the warm wet folds between her legs. Just the thought of being inside Carson made Bree wet. The vehicle came to a stop, and Bree was jolted from her fantasy. She blinked herself back to reality and saw that Carson stared back at her.
“I don’t know where you were, but I’ve never wanted to be there more than I do right now,” Carson said as she leaned over toward Bree.
“I was just…I was daydreaming, I guess you could call it.” Bree’s face flushed.
“I wish I was part of that daydream.” Carson cupped Bree’s face in her hand and stroked her cheek with her thumb.
“Believe me, you were.” Bree touched the hand on her cheek and closed the space between their lips. She kissed Carson gently, but didn’t allow the kiss to linger. There was a perfect possibility that she wouldn’t have stopped herself from picking up where her fantasy had left off. And it was not the right time, for several reasons. Bree took a deep breath and exhaled. “Are we here? We should go. Yes?” Bree moved Carson’s hand down to her lap and tapped it a few times before letting it go.
Carson looked from her hand to Bree. “What? Oh, right. Yes. We should go.”
*
Jim looked at his watch for what might have been the twentieth time in just ten minutes. Bree and Carson were expected to arrive at any moment. He glanced around at the few close friends that were invited to surprise Bree for her birthday. It made him happy that she had such a great group of people who loved her and wanted to spend the evening with her. There wasn’t a large number of them, five plus Bree and Carson. He stood in the doorway of the private dining room that Carson had rented and peeked out into the restaurant to look for his little girl and her date.
When he heard a burst of laughter, his attention turned to Barbara, who stood with Suzanne, Gwen, Alan, and his partner. Barbara had her hand to her chest as she and the others laughed at something hilarious that Alan had said. Jim adored when Barbara smiled and even more so when she laughed. He’d known Barbara for many years, yet it seemed as though he’d just begun to see her. He found himself going out of his way to casually check in with her throughout the workday. He’d also begun thinking of random and nonsensical ideas or topics to bring to her attention as if he were unable to proceed without her essential input. He realized what he was doing when he brought her an audio wand and asked her what he should do with it. To his relief she thought he was just being silly, and he was so dumbfounded by his realization that he just played along. Either she had caught on and was saving him from shame or she found it charming. Either way, he cherished her all the more for it.
It was the first time that Jim and Barbara had seen each other outside of work. It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to ask her out, maybe to dinner or coffee, he just didn’t know how to do it, or more importantly if he should. Jim had found himself attracted to other women since Juliet died. Yet a part of him never felt that the timing or the woman was right.
The maître d’ slipped into the room and signaled that Bree and Carson had arrived. He then slipped away and shut the door behind him. The six of them grouped together and faced the door. In his excitement, Jim wrapped his arm around Barbara’s waist and pulled her close to his side. The door opened and the maître d’ reappeared followed by Bree and Carson. Jim realized what he had done as he released her to welcome a very surprised Bree.
Everyone clapped and smiled. Bree covered her mouth in amazement while tears filled her eyes. Carson stroked her arms, and Jim couldn’t help but notice Carson’s loving gesture. He reached out for his girls and hugged them both. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he said as he squeezed them both in his arms.
“This is wonderful. Whose idea was this?” Bree asked as she looked back and forth between Jim and Carson. They each raised an accusatory finger and pointed to the other. “Well, it’s amazing.”
Jim watched as Carson stared at Bree in a way he had never seen anyone look at another person. He was overjoyed by the love he saw in her eyes for Bree. “It was all her idea,” Jim said as he tweaked Carson’s chin. He wanted Carson to take all of the credit for bringing the l
ight back into Bree’s life. “Let’s get this party started, shall we?” Jim cleared the frog in his throat and rubbed them both on the arm. He looped Bree’s arm through his before he led them over to her other waiting guests.
*
Bree stood on her doorstep and watched as Carson pulled away. Every single part of her body cursed at her mind for not inviting her in. She wanted her; there was no doubt. The night had been perfect—the romantic sunset, the surprise dinner, and the amazing woman who planned it all. But Bree couldn’t seem to shake the earlier feeling of gloom when thoughts of Marion rushed to her mind. At one of Bree’s happiest moments, the memories of her past had ripped it away from her. Bree was overwhelmed with a variety of emotions that ranged from anxiety and anger to sadness and remorse. More painful than the feelings she had for Marion were the same ones battling in her heart for Carson. Unable to hold it back any longer, she cried. Bree leaned back against the wall of her porch with her face in her hands and sobbed.
She slid down the wall and held her legs against her chest as she cried. She cried for the loss of Marion, for the guilt she had at the idea of moving on without her, and she cried for the uncontrollable feelings that she was developing for Carson. Bree had decided many years earlier that she could never love another person the way she had loved Marion, and she could never allow herself to put all her faith and trust into someone else again. But now she found herself thinking about another woman in order to pull herself out of the sadness of her memories. Carson was so attentive and kind that Bree didn’t know how she’d ever existed without knowing such a kind heart. She could no longer remember any of the ways that Marion had made her happy. Bree didn’t know if they never existed or if Carson had washed them all away.
Bree hadn’t heard anyone approach, so when she felt a hand on her shoulder she gasped and flung her head up. While she was embarrassed to have been caught, she was relieved that it was her uncle and not Carson. When she recognized his face through the fog of her tears, she threw her arms around his neck and cried harder.
“Breezy…kiddo. What’s wrong, sweetheart? What happened?” Jim held her close and stroked her hair as she trembled. “Shh. It’s okay. Bree, look at me.” He cooed at her and tried to calm her enough for her to talk. When she said nothing and continued to weep, he picked her up into his arms and carried her inside.
*
Jim laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. He sat on the edge and rubbed her back until she spoke. “Marion. She ruined everything.”
Jim looked down at Bree confused. “Marion? Don’t you mean Carson?”
Bree looked up at Jim with her tear stained face. “No. Marion. Carson is wonderful.”
“Baby girl, Marion isn’t here. She’s gone. She can’t ruin anything.” Jim had waited for this moment. He was sure she’d had moments like this before she’d gotten home, but this was the first time he had experienced it.
“She ruined my birthday. She did it on purpose. I know it.” Bree pushed her face into the pillow. “She doesn’t want me, but she doesn’t want me to be happy either. Why can’t I hate her?”
“Your birthday isn’t ruined. It was a beautiful birthday. You were so happy tonight, sweetheart, so much happier than I’ve ever seen you. Carson adores you. Can you see the way she looks at you? No one and nothing can take that away.”
Bree’s sobs slowed, and she looked up at him. “It was so beautiful, wasn’t it? She gave me the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Bree started to tear up again. “And I sent her away tonight, because of Marion. I gave her my heart, and I never got it back. How can I even think about giving it to someone else? I’m a horrible person.”
“Shh. It’s okay. You’re a beautiful and wonderful person, and you know it. Don’t worry about that right now. Let’s talk about the good things.”
“Good things. Okay. Well, she took me up Town Mountain Road to watch the sunset over downtown. It was so beautiful.” Bree sat up and her head swirled. “Oh…maybe not,” she said before she lay back down, this time on Jim’s lap. “You should’ve seen it. The sky and clouds were just so gorgeous and the lights of the city sparkled. The way she wrapped her arms around me was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“It sounds beautiful, my love,” Jim said as he stroked her hair. It was just as he remembered doing so many times while she was growing up. He would pet her head and encourage her to talk about the positive points of something until she fell asleep on his lap. He looked down and realized that although she was older now, it still worked like a charm. Bree’s eyes were closed and her breaths were soft and steady. She was sound asleep. He sat with her a while longer, until he was ready to leave her alone.
Chapter Sixteen
Bree’s eyes flickered open and she glanced around the room. It took her several seconds to figure out where she was. She sat up, rubbed her face, and pulled back hands covered in the streaked remnants of her makeup from the night before. She pushed herself off the couch and into a stiff but standing position and noticed that she still had on her beautiful red gown. “I’m such a mess.” Bree stripped her dress off over her head before she headed up the stairs to her room.
When she reached the top step, the doorbell rang. “Seriously?” she said as she looked down at herself in nothing except her panties. “One sec,” she yelled as she sprinted into her bedroom and grabbed the robe off the bedpost. She slipped it on and tied the belt around her waist as she hurried back down the steps. When she reached the door, she unlocked it and flung it open. “Good mor—oh my God,” she yelped and slammed the door shut. It was not Jim, as she expected. It was Carson.
Bree could hear Carson laugh on the other side of the door as she said, “Good morning to you, too, beautiful.”
Bree tried to tame her wild bed head and wipe away some of the mascara that was no doubt smeared over her entire face. She cursed herself for not having a mirror by the front door. It was hopeless, and she couldn’t just let Carson stand on her front porch, so she opened the door again, but only a sliver. “Hi.”
“Aww…Hi, babe.” Carson leaned in toward the crack that Bree pressed her forehead to. “Expecting someone else?”
“Yes. Well, no. Not exactly. I just assumed you were my uncle.”
“Oh. Well, I hope I didn’t disappoint you. I could go get him if you like.” Carson winked before she turned to leave.
Bree flung open the door. “No. Don’t go.” Carson had no real intention of leaving, of course, and Bree played right into it.
Carson turned back toward Bree and froze, her eyes wide. “Um, maybe we should go inside?”
Bree followed Carson’s wide gaze down to where her robe open and plunged into a deep V to expose the soft curves of her breasts. Bree gasped and clutched the fabric closed over her chest. Her face burned red and she hung her head in embarrassment. “This just keeps getting better.”
Carson moved in closer and put her hands on Bree’s arms. She rubbed up and down as she bowed her head to look up at Bree. “Hey, you are the most beautiful thing I could ever wish to see in the morning. Come on.” Carson guided Bree backward into the house and closed the door behind them. “Look at me.” Carson placed her fingers under Bree’s chin and lifted her head. “You’re beautiful. Now, I’ll make some coffee while you go get dressed, okay?”
Bree fell into Carson’s sky blue eyes and smiled. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” Bree turned and headed up the stairs to fix the disaster that she was.
*
Carson found the coffee easily enough and started to brew an extra-strong pot. Bree was a beautiful woman, but it was clear that her disheveled appearance that morning went beyond a usual tousled morning look. There wasn’t any doubt that Bree had cried the night before, and it worried Carson. She was lost in thought as she watched the coffee drip. She hoped that Bree trusted her enough to ask for help if she needed it. When she heard the shower start, she got an idea. Carson was going to cook breakfast. She went to the refrigerator and
gathered up everything she would need to make a delicious surprise for Bree.
Carson poured the coffee and set out the plates just as Bree entered the kitchen. “I smell bacon.”
Carson looked up and stopped in mid-motion. “Wow,” was all she could say when Bree appeared. Her hair was still wet and her face was clear and bright from the shower.
Bree stopped in front of a paralyzed Carson and snatched a small piece of bacon from one of the plates. “Much better,” she said before she popped the crispy bit into her mouth. “Look at you, making breakfast. Too bad it’s not in bed.” Bree winked as she took the plates from Carson and set them on the table.
Before she turned back around, Carson was pressed up against her back. She wrapped her arms around Bree’s waist, and Bree rested her head on Carson’s shoulder. Carson kissed her exposed neck and tasted her fresh, sweet skin. It didn’t take long before Carson’s appetite grew for something much more satisfying than bacon and hash browns.
“Mmm.” Bree moaned as Carson nibbled from her ear to her shoulder. Spurred on by the sound, Carson slid her hand down Bree’s belly, but she was stopped short when her hand was pulled back up to Bree’s waist and held there. “The bacon is going to get cold,” Bree said without moving from the embrace.
Carson felt that whatever had bothered Bree through the night was still there. She squeezed her and without words tried to let her know that she was with her. Carson rested her chin on Bree’s shoulder and kissed her neck. “Let’s eat.”
As they sat to eat, Carson brought up the real reason she’d come over, and it wasn’t just for the opportunity to catch Bree in all of her morning glory. “So, I was thinking. I remember hearing about how much you enjoyed horseback riding.” Carson couldn’t help but laugh when Bree looked up wide-eyed with a piece of bacon sticking out of her mouth. “Right. So, I went and made reservations at the stables for eleven o’clock today. If you’re interested, of course.”