by Ann, Natalie
When she returned twenty minutes later, she saw Alec starting to stretch himself. He looked over at her and smiled, and for that moment all felt safe in the world. Secure, even in the midst of the turmoil around them. “I brought you coffee.”
“And a donut,” he said, walking over to her and taking one out of the holder. “How are you feeling?” He ran his knuckle down her cheek and she thought for sure she would burst into tears. Thankfully Drew walked in and gave her a moment to compose herself.
“Guess I had the same idea.”
Brynn turned fully to see him holding coffee and donuts also. “How come I didn’t see you there?”
Drew shrugged. “Not sure, but I was down the hall for the last few minutes on the phone. I just wanted to update some of Dad’s friends.”
Brynn felt guilty for not thinking of that herself. Drew was always considerate that way.
“I’m going to run home soon to shower and change quick. You two are more than welcome to go to my apartment instead of Dad’s. It’s closer at least.”
“I might take you up on that,” Brynn said. “But not until you get back. I want one of us here at all times.”
Drew turned to Alec. “Do you want to ride over with me?”
“No. I’ll stay with Brynn, but you can leave when you want.”
Sitting down, Drew grabbed a donut and took a bite. “Help yourself since we’ve got double.”
“Don’t worry,” Brynn said, chuckling. “Alec will take care of it. He loves his junk food.” She looked over and saw him wince, but she couldn’t help it. It needed to be said. She walked over and leaned down to give him a kiss. “I happen to like that little quirk of yours though, so don’t worry.”
***
Showered and changed, Brynn and Alec walked back into her father’s room hours later. The doctors had been in a few times to check on him and order more tests run. The swelling was going down faster now, and Brynn thought that was the best news ever.
Drew had left and was walking the hospital hallways, saying he needed to stretch his legs. She and Alec were watching the TV with the volume down, not really listening to it.
“Brynn.” She turned her head quickly and felt dread in her stomach at the man in the doorway, and knew the color drained from her face. “I heard about your father,” he said, rushing forward and pulling her up for a hug that she tried to avoid. “I’m so sorry.”
Awkwardly she pulled out of his arms and made the introductions. “Alec, this is Larry Walker. Larry, Alec Harper.”
Alec stood up and walked over to shake the man’s hand, towering over him by a good six inches and easily fifty pounds. Larry was on the short, skinny, weasel-like side. She’d felt sorry for him at first, but then realized he was who he was. At one time he’d been a friend.
“My father called me last night to tell me all about it. What happened?” Larry asked with concern etched in his face, even though she felt it was forced.
“All we can assume is that he fell from his ladder and was unconscious in the snow for a while. We aren’t even sure how long. He’s holding his own right now.” She didn’t feel the need to go into details on her father’s injury. She had a feeling he probably knew anyway. His father was pretty well connected, and as much as that had annoyed her years ago, it had come in handy when she needed it the most.
Alec walked to the doorway. “I’ll give you two some time to catch up. I’m going to go stretch my legs too.”
The minute Alec was out of sight, Larry said, “Really, Brynn? So you ended up with your boss after all.”
She didn’t miss the bitterness in his tone, nor the fact he knew Alec was her boss and that these were the first words out of his mouth. She expected as much. She’d never felt for him as he had for her.
Larry’s father had been her last boss. She’d loved her old job, and loved her old boss, almost as a father figure, but Larry was just a friend to her. At least he had been, until he changed.
Larry never really seemed to measure up to his father’s expectations. In the beginning that was why she felt sorry for him, but she’d never felt anything other than friendship for him. She’d been very clear about that from day one. “I don’t think it’s any of your business,” she said stiffly.
“You’re right, and I’m sorry,” he said, sounding contrite.
She was shocked he apologized. He was older than her, though she never knew his age. She guessed he was close to fifteen years older, but he was often immature. Always acting like a child, always wanting things given to him, never having to earn his way, and never apologizing for anything. That was the biggest issue his father had with him and one of things that wore on Brynn.
David Walker had had high expectations for his son. He had worked his way through life. Nothing had been giving to him, but Larry didn’t feel he had to work for anything. It was that attitude Brynn hated the most about Larry herself, but she’d still been friendly with him. He’d never given her a personal reason not to be.
He obviously saw her reaction and explained. “I shouldn’t have said that. I guess I just always thought we had something special.”
“We never did, Larry. I was very clear about that on more than one occasion.” She couldn’t believe he was bringing it up yet again. Some things never changed.
“I know, and my father told me to stay away from you, to let it go, but I couldn’t. I just thought we had a shot together.”
She’d always been crystal clear and didn’t understand how he didn’t get it. She just figured it was his childish habit of wanting what he couldn’t have and then getting annoyed over it. “We never did, Larry. I’m sorry you felt otherwise. Honestly, I can’t believe you came here today, and it’s not the time to go into this again. It was years ago, and it’s over.” The last thing she needed right now was any reminder of her past, not with Alec around.
“It’s not over,” he said. “Hear me out.” He walked to a chair and sat down before she could tell him not to. “Come here and talk to me. I need to clear the air.”
“There’s nothing to say.” She didn’t want to remember anything about what happened at her last job. He wasn’t even the reason she left. He was just an annoyance toward the end.
“There is. I owe you an even bigger apology. I feel what happened to you was my fault.”
“It had nothing to do with you.” She didn’t understand why he would say that. He wasn’t even there when the incident happened and she wanted him gone right this minute.
“Not personally, no, but I played a part in it. My father figured it out shortly after. Why do you think he paid for all of your legal fees?”
She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening right now. She didn’t want to relive it and didn’t want to deal with it either, but now she needed to know. Maybe it would explain things she never fully understood, or help her ease some of the burden and regret of wondering where she went wrong. “Explain, then.”
“I was mad that you didn’t want anything to do with me. I was hurt and thought you had led me on.”
“I never led you on,” she stated, trying to fight the anger rising up.
“I know. I see that now, but I didn’t then. I was mad when I saw you talking with the other men on the crew the same way you did with me. You were always so friendly, and I had thought it was just me you were like that with, but it wasn’t, and I was jealous. I was obsessed with you. I’m embarrassed to say that now.”
That was a good word for it, looking back now, but she’d never felt like she was in any danger with him. Hell, she felt she could take him down. He wasn’t much bigger than her and he was cowardly on top of it, hiding behind Daddy and his money.
Not to mention, her father and brother had taught her to defend herself. Again, something else that had come in handy. “You should be embarrassed.”
He winced but continued on. “I just need to get this off my conscience. I’m married now.” She looked down and saw the band on his left hand at that moment. “A
nd the thought of what happened to you because of my actions has eaten me alive.” He shook his head and paused. “I’ve got a daughter on the way. If what happened to you ever happens to her, I would probably kill the bastard.”
Brynn tried not to laugh. It wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t see Larry doing damage to anyone. At least he seemed to have matured, except she still didn’t know what part he thought he played in it all. “You still haven’t explained why you need to clear your conscience.”
He hesitated, a flush rising up his neck, his eyes scanning the room, until he finally muttered, “I told some of the guys that you pursued me and we slept together a few times.”
“You did what?!” She had to remind herself she was in her father’s hospital room and he was lying there, unconscious, fighting for his life. She reined in her frustration as best she could, but she stood up and started to pace around the small room. “Why would you lie like that?” She was going to be sick.
“I told you,” he said, standing up and walking toward her.
“Don’t,” she said, holding up her hand. “Don’t come near me or I’ll lay you flat. You know I can do it, too.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry, Brynn, I really am. I should have never started that rumor, and I feel guilty that it somehow caused what happened. If I’d just kept my mouth shut nothing would have happened to you.”
“How did your father find out?” Right now too many pieces were starting to fall into place, but she needed the details confirmed.
“He suspected it. He was livid and confronted me, so I confessed. He’d heard the rumors after the incident. Pete called him that night from the police station.”
“Why would Pete call your father personally? He was just summer help.”
“Yes and no. Pete’s grandfather and my father were old friends. When everything went down that night, Pete called my father and told him everything he saw and heard from the incident and everything before it.”
Brynn thought back and realized now how lucky she was that it was Pete who stumbled across what happened that night and not someone else. Otherwise the real truth may have never come out, and who knew what would have happened to her. “He never said a word to me about the connection.”
“He didn’t want anyone to know. We tried to keep everything quiet. He left shortly after you did, and returned back to his hometown. He said he couldn’t work for my father anymore if I was going to be around. He couldn’t stand to look at me.” Larry dropped his shoulders. “I’ve had trouble looking at myself in the mirror at times.”
Brynn could sympathize, because right now she wanted nothing more than to do to Larry what she had to do to protect herself years ago. She didn’t want to look at him either. She took a couple of deep breaths. “You said your piece. If you want forgiveness, you’re not going to get it from me. You shouldn’t have come. I’ll never forget what happened that night. That night cost me a job I loved, it cost me everything I worked so hard for. It stole a piece of me away and everything I dreamed of my whole life. All because you were being a selfish, childish prick.”
“I don’t blame you for being angry. I don’t expect forgiveness either, but at least you know the truth now, not that it’s any consolation,” he said.
The truth. That was a joke. All it did was bring up all the frustrations of what had happened, how much she had blamed herself and beat herself up over what had happened. What she could have done differently to prevent it—to have changed any outcome. Only now she knew it really wasn’t something she’d done wrong.
Instead, she’d had to walk away. Walk away from her dream and everything she’d wanted growing up, everything she’d worked so hard for. All because someone couldn’t take no for an answer. The last three years of her life she’d struggled over that night, that horrible night that changed the course of her dreams and goals, not to mention shattering her confidence in men—if not life—for a short period.
She ran her hands through her hair and growled low in her throat, then turned suddenly toward the door and saw Alec standing there, looking more livid than she’d ever seen before.
Answers
Alec was furious. He’d heard everything, from the guy’s obsession with Brynn to the vicious lie that caused Brynn to lose her job. He didn’t know what else they were talking about—what thing she hadn’t felt was his fault until he made that last confession—but he’d find out. After he put his fist through Larry’s face.
He’d never thought he could feel as angry as he had the day he overheard Kyle bad-mouthing Brynn, but he was wrong. That was nothing compared to the anger and frustration inside of him now—the boiling of his blood to the point he thought he was going to erupt.
He took a menacing step toward Larry, only to have Brynn rush in front of him and hold her hand up to his chest. “Don’t, Alec. He isn’t worth it.”
The hell with that. He needed to put his fist into something and it might as well be Larry’s face. “Move out of my way, Brynn,” he growled, brushing her aside and walking closer to Larry, who had scooted quickly away.
“Stop it right this minute.” She turned to Larry, tears pooling in her eyes. “I don’t know what is worse, knowing the truth of what caused that night to happen, or knowing your father knew all along and didn’t say a word. I thought he was helping me because of his guilt that one of his men did that, not that he was covering up for his son.” She sniffled. Alec saw she was trying to pull herself together, and it was only pissing him off more and making him want to reach for Larry. “Get out of here before I change my mind and let Alec have his way.”
Larry didn’t need to be told twice and skittered out the door.
“Why did you stop me?” Alec said, narrowing his eyes.
“Because I didn’t want you to regret anything, and you would have. It’s in the past and it’s over. Let’s just move on. I have.”
“What is in the past? I think it’s time you told me the truth, and all of it, not just bits and pieces.”
“I agree, Brynn,” Drew said from the doorway. “Larry just ran into me turning the corner, looking behind him like the devil was on his tail. Someone want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Not now, Drew,” Brynn replied.
“I want answers, but you need to give them to Alec first. It’s time he found out the truth, and you know it.”
Alec watched Brynn nod her head and fight that internal battle she always seemed to have when she was trying to process something. “Can we have some privacy please?” she asked her brother.
“I’ll be back in twenty minutes. It shouldn’t take longer than that.” He turned and walked away.
“Tell me what the hell is going on,” Alec demanded. He wasn’t normally this clueless, and he hated that he knew what she had to tell him was only going to infuriate him more, but he needed to know.
“Sit down,” she told him.
He would have preferred to stand and stalk around, but he went to a chair by the window, pulling her along with him. “Sit next to me then and talk.”
“I don’t even know where to start,” she said when he nudged her in the chair.
“Anywhere. Just start talking.”
“First off, I’ve never been interested in Larry,” she said, imploring him.
“I heard that. I heard him say it and you repeat it, and I didn’t think you would be. He isn’t your type.”
“It’s not that, type or not. Alec, you have to believe me—I’ve never dated anyone I’ve worked with before. Ever. Which is why I fought so hard with you.”
He thought back and realized she was the one that was always putting the brakes on. She was the one who wanted to pretend nothing existed between them. “I believe you, but go on.”
“I’m not a tease. I’ve never been one.” He knew there were a lot of guys who would take friendlessness to a different level. He figured Larry was one of those people, and she confirmed it with her next statement. “I was always nice to him. I felt sorry for him b
ecause he seemed to bungle his way through everything. He was spoiled and childish and immature, but he was harmless.”
“I wouldn’t call what he did harmless,” he snarled at her.
“I didn’t know back then though,” she argued, running her hands through her hair again. “Listen, Alec. I’m friendly. I talk to all the guys. I always did and I still do. I’ve always been thought of as one of the guys. I like to know about the people I work with and I like to know what is going on in their lives a little to have a better understanding of how they work.”
He knew that; he and Phil were the same way. That was why Brynn fit in so well at Harper’s. She was so much like them in that aspect.
“Anyway, he took it all wrong, only I didn’t know that until he asked me out one day. I was stunned, but I declined. Politely, but still declined. I told him that I didn’t date people I worked with, and it was true. He accepted that and moved on. We went back to being friendly.”
“Then what changed?”
“I don’t really know. I had worked there for over a year and moved my way up. I was named the foreman of my own crew on a few jobs. I was thrilled over it and it seemed everything I worked so hard for was coming together. A few months after my promotion, Larry asked me out again.”
“Out of the blue like that?”
“I thought it was. We still talked on and off. We didn’t see that much of each other and I treated him the same as I did everyone else. Maybe that was the problem. He just said he was hurt and mad that I talked to the other crew like I did him. He saw something that wasn’t there,” she said earnestly.
He had no doubt she was telling the truth. “You never suspected anything?”
“No, and when he asked me out again I declined. This time I told him I just saw him as a friend. I’d already told him I didn’t date coworkers, he knew that, but yet he still asked me out again. I was more upfront this time. I never saw him as anything more than a friend, and a loose one at that. There was something about him that just annoyed me, but he was the boss’ son so I kept it cordial.”