by Candace Shaw
“Cool. I grew up in that house. You’ve been before?”
“Just once with Megan right after her engagement. We stayed in the rooms with the Jack and Jill bathroom. She said they were yours and Steven’s childhood rooms.”
“Yes. Steven’s old room faces the park and mine faces the backyard,” he answered, glancing down at the sweats she wore, raising a curious eyebrow along with an arrogant curved grin. “Well...I won’t hold you up. Have a safe trip.”
“Thank you.”
His dark stare lingered on hers for a second longer before closing the door.
* * *
Bryce entered the community center’s gym, his eyes scanning the large facility as he ignored a few reporters who wanted an interview with him. He instructed them to speak with Senator Steven Monroe or former senator Robert Monroe, his father. He moved through the crowd of people, nodding and shaking a few hands as he straightened his designer tie under his gray suit jacket. He caught the attention of his mother, who strode his way with a pleasantly surprised smile on her lovely sienna face. Her thick gray hair was pulled back into a neat bun, which accentuated the Tiffany pearl necklace and matching bracelet he’d given to her last Mother’s Day. She was an elegant and graceful woman who loved nice yet simple things.
“What are you doing here?” Claire Monroe asked. “I thought you couldn’t make it, or rather, didn’t want to make it.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Never said I didn’t want to come. I just have a lot on my plate with the opening of my practice. However, Steven called and asked me one more time this morning. So after the tutorial session, I drove home, grabbed a few things and here I am.”
“How did you get here? You didn’t drive one of those fast motorcycles, did you?” She pinched his arm playfully.
“No, Mother. The private jet. I’d still be on the road if I’d driven.”
“Well, you missed the ribbon-cutting ceremony and we only have about one more hour here, but I know you don’t care about that.” She patted his face and smiled warmly. “Your father is around here somewhere with Steven talking to the press. I’m going to go join the twins in the classroom section.”
“I’ll escort you.” He held out his arm, and she slid her hand through it.
“Always such the gentleman. You’re going to make someone a lucky lady one day.”
Bryce smiled. He was working on it and was sure his mother would love her considering she loved Megan like her own daughter and was fond of Sydney, as well. His mother always said she liked Syd’s spunkiness. He did, too.
He’d missed her. Missed her a lot. When their eyes had met that morning, it had taken everything in him not to grab her and shower her with kisses and hold her close to him. He wasn’t sure what had happened to make her not want to see him anymore. He just hoped she realized that as long as their family had events, she’d have to face him whether she wanted to or not.
When Steven had called earlier that morning, Bryce wasn’t aware that Sydney was going until Tiffani mentioned Sydney was taking cupcakes. He’d thought about telling Syd he’d see her there but decided against it. At first, he had no interest in going but seeing her in his sweatpants and wearing the bracelet he’d given her gave him some hope that she cared for him more than she realized.
When he entered the classroom with his mother, his eyes zoomed in on Sydney as she spoke with a family about the programs offered at the center. He was quite impressed by her knowledge as she spoke very eloquently and answered the parents’ questions. She glanced for a second in his direction, and the blaze he knew all too well flashed for a moment. But she never missed a beat of her conversation or lost her poise.
Claire left his side and stood with Megan while she conversed with a mother and her young son. Bryce leaned against the wall and raked his eyes slowly over Sydney. Her hair was styled in the cute fluffy bob cut with an extra flounce to it, minimal makeup—not that she needed any—and a smart straight black pencil skirt and a ruffled teal blouse. On her wrist was the bracelet. For the first time he noticed a third charm, but he couldn’t make out what it was.
Once Megan was done, she approached him with her long hair bouncing around her shoulders, wearing a straight purple sheath dress with a black belt clinched at the waist.
“Hey there,” she said, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek. “I was shocked when Steven said you were coming, but so happy you did. It’s because of you that the center is being opened in your mother’s childhood neighborhood.”
“Thank you, Megan, but you know I don’t care about accolades. So what’s next on the agenda? I’m sure you and my mom have a weekend of events planned for the family.”
“You know us so well,” his mother said, intertwining her arm with Megan’s. “We’re headed back to the house soon to relax. The party starts at six and then tomorrow a farewell brunch. Are you staying that long or headed back tonight?”
He glanced at Sydney, who had walked over and stood on the other side of his mother since the family she was speaking to had left. His mother intertwined her other arm through Sydney’s and looked at her warmly.
“Yep. I’ll be here all weekend,” he said, flashing a gracious smile. He followed the ladies out of the classroom and was finally able to get a look at the third charm on Syd’s bracelet. It read Vegas.
He’d learned long ago from his mother that women were sentimental. They kept things that were near and dear to them otherwise they’d toss or misplace them. They also bought and collected items that reminded them of something or someone special. His mother had a collection of Eiffel Tower items because his father had proposed to her at the top of it. She also saved all the homemade cards from her children in a keepsake trunk.
Bryce took note of the third charm. He could’ve been overthinking it, but Sydney wasn’t the type to just buy something, especially a piece of jewelry for she rarely wore it.
Now he was elated that he’d changed his mind about coming to Savannah for the weekend. And by the end of it, he would convince Sydney that they belonged together.
Chapter 14
“Megan, I can’t do that!”
Sydney was in her room at the Monroe family home in a frantic state at the audacity of the words that had just spewed from her sister’s mouth. They’d just returned from the community center and had a few more hours before the cocktail party started.
“Syd, I know you can’t stand him, but this is his home and that is his room,” Megan pointed out. “I have no place else to put him. You only have to share the shower area. You each have your own vanity room that has a door that locks. Just lock the door,” she said in a calm tone.
Syd washed her hands over her face and sighed as she thought about the last time she’d shared a shower with Bryce. Literally.
“Isn’t there another bedroom with its own bathroom connected? You showed it to me last time we were here.”
“Yes, but it’s still completely empty as far as furniture. Just a bunch of boxes.”
“I’ll use that bathroom.”
“Fine,” Megan said, heading to the door. “I’m going to go check on things downstairs and then take a short nap before the guests arrive.” Megan gave her a thoughtful smile before closing the door.
Sydney sat on the window seat with the oversize comfy pillows and looked out at the park across the street, where children were playing as their mothers watched and chatted. She couldn’t believe Bryce had shown up unannounced and now he was going to occupy his childhood bedroom just on the other side of the shared bathroom. Yes, she knew that this was his house, but if she’d known he was coming, she would’ve stayed at one of the bed-and-breakfasts nearby or made up some excuse to leave right after the ribbon cutting, such as a big case, and jetted back to Atlanta.
She watched the cars go by on the street and wondered how the heck all of this
started. If only she hadn’t passed out at work. If only she’d hadn’t called Megan, then she wouldn’t have in turned called Bryce and that delicious kiss would’ve never happened. But she also wouldn’t have had the best month of her life.
A motorcycle slowing down in front of the house caught her attention, and she recognized the helmet and the bike. The last time Syd was there with Megan, she’d seen it in the garage along with a few luxury cars that were housed there for whenever someone from the Monroe family needed a car to drive.
Bryce took off his helmet and looked up when he saw her perched on the window seat. He winked, flashing a million-dollar smile. She turned away from the window with a groan and closed the drapes.
She flew over to the vanity room door that led to the shared shower area and locked it and then lay across the bed. She was tired from last night’s tossing and turning, and she had a feeling she would be again tonight with Bryce in the next bedroom over. She held on to her pillow and drifted off to sleep with thoughts of him etched into her brain.
Sydney woke up to the alarm on her cell phone an hour and a half later. She stretched and yawned, feeling refreshed. It was a little bit before five so she padded across the room to the vanity area and water running in the bathroom. The fresh scent of soap awakened her even more, and part of her wanted to go in there and join him under the water as they had done in Vegas.
She decided she would skip down the hall to the other bathroom and take a quick shower. Even though she really didn’t want to. She’d taken a shower in the shared bathroom before going to the community center, and the waterfall showerhead was the best shower she’d ever taken—next to the one with Bryce. The running water stopped, and she froze. The rings of the shower curtain skidded back across the rod, and he cleared his throat. She quietly gathered her toiletries and almost cursed at herself when she remembered the only gel she’d brought was in the room where he was along with the linen closet.
She listened for him to leave so she could skedaddle in there, grab it and a towel and be on her way to the other bathroom. A light knock on the door next to her interrupted her thoughts, startling her.
“Yes?” she asked quietly. How did he know I was standing here?
“I’m done,” he said in his deep voice she loved to hear in her ear.
“Okay.”
“You know you can shower in here. I promise to give you your privacy despite the fact I’ve seen every single sexy inch of you.”
“Shh...”
“No one can hear us, Sydney.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this morning you were coming?”
“Are we going to continue to talk through the door?”
“Are you dressed?”
“If you count this towel wrapped around my waist as dressed, then sure.”
She opened the door slowly to see him standing there fine and glistening with the towel wrapped around him; however, it was doing nothing to hide the slight erection that had formed. She strained to keep her eyes on his face and not his provoking wet chest. That wasn’t a great idea, either, because of the intense way he stared at her as his jaw twitched. It was the same gaze he’d given her the last time they were in a bathroom together at Megan and Steven’s home. She stepped back out of his personal space and tried to divert her eyes away from his manly physique before she reached out and slid her hand along his abs.
A glimmer formed in his eyes, but he didn’t move.
“So answer my question,” she said, folding her arms across her chest to stop the fantasy in her head.
“If we were still speaking, you would’ve known I was coming. It was a last-minute thing. Steven asked me, and since I believe in family first, here I am. I’m going to get dressed. I have to be down early, according to my mother. Enjoy your shower, and I promise not to disturb you.”
He pivoted on his heel and went out the opposite door that led to his vanity area. He closed the door and locked it from his side.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she took a quick shower and then bolted back to her side, making sure to lock her door even though she trusted he wouldn’t barge in.
* * *
An hour later, she emerged downstairs at the party. Guests had begun to arrive as the waitstaff carried hors d’oeuvres and champagne on trays. Megan was being the gracious hostess she always was along with Ms. Claire, as Sydney called her. The men, mostly friends of Mr. Monroe, were clad in tuxedos and sipping on drinks. The women had on fabulous cocktail and after-five dresses. Her gaze caught Bryce’s for a moment as a woman approached him and gave him a big hug. She beamed from ear to ear and even slid her hand down his face before letting him go.
“Hey,” Megan said, handing her a glass of champagne. “I was looking for you.”
“Just made it down. Everything looks really nice.” Sydney glanced around the room, trying not to focus on Bryce. “Who’s the young lady with Bryce? She looks familiar.” Sydney lied. She’d never seen her before in her life and if she hadn’t left her cell phone upstairs, she could’ve done facial recognition and a background check all within five minutes or less.
“Oh, that’s his ex Linda that I was telling you and Tiffani about. She’s definitely smitten with him—that’s for sure. But enough about them.” Megan pulled her by the hand out onto the veranda. “I have someone I want to you to meet.”
“Huh?” Sydney asked in disbelief, taking a sip of her champagne.
“Oh...it’s not a blind date. If you don’t like him, there’s another guy I want you to meet.”
They approached an extremely handsome man with butterscotch skin, a bald head and a goatee that was not as alluring as Bryce’s. He had a pleasant demeanor and looked hot in a tuxedo. He was definitely a tall glass of water and with a beautiful smile, yet not a single emotion stirred in her.
“Scott Banks, this is my twin sister I was telling you about, Sydney. Syd, Scott is contemplating running for one of the congressional seats in Georgia in the upcoming election and Steven is mentoring—”
“Excuse me, Mrs. Monroe, can you tell me how you want the cupcakes set and where?” Greta Reid, the Monroes’ head housekeeper, asked.
“Sure, I’ll be right there,” Megan answered, before turning back to Sydney, who was fuming on the inside. “You two just hang out and get to know each other.” Megan hurried back inside with Greta.
Scott chuckled. “So I guess Megan is trying to set us up?”
“Yep. She certainly is.” Sydney through clenched teeth.
“Well...I definitely don’t mind.” His eyes traveled over her, then settled on her face. “You’re a very beautiful woman. Steven and Megan have both spoken highly of you.”
Sydney nodded as she saw Bryce and Linda pass by the window. He looked outside and raised an eyebrow as his forehead lines formed.
Sydney touched her face and frowned. “This south Georgia weather is a little muggy. Can we go inside and chat? Grab something cool to drink?”
“Of course,” he said, holding out his arm as she intertwined her hand around the bend of his elbow.
For the rest of the evening, Sydney hung out with Scott, as well as mingling with the other guests. However, neither her thoughts nor her eyes could stay away from Bryce and Linda, who followed him around like a puppy dog. She was a cute girl, Syd supposed. Curvy body that looked as if she turned down food as opposed to working out and staying fit. She had way too many extensions on her head and her oversize jewelry was just plain gaudy.
Sydney didn’t see how Linda could’ve ever been his type. She was too prissy and way too picky. When the waiter asked her if she wanted a stuffed blue cheese tomato, she wrinkled her nose in protest. Sydney was relieved when Scott was pulled away by some of his father’s colleagues to discuss his upcoming campaign. Syd grabbed a few shrimp puffs from a tray passing by and retreated back outside onto the v
eranda. She wasn’t sure where Bryce had disappeared to, and in a way she didn’t care. At least she kept telling herself that. She knew in her heart she was in love with him, and it wasn’t because she saw him with Linda or even Stephanie. She knew long before then. Long before he’d ever kissed her in the hospital.
The sliding glass door of the veranda squeaked, and she looked up to see Megan approach with a plate of food and a glass of champagne. She set all of it on the table in front of the couch.
“So glad it’s almost over with,” Megan said, crashing next to Sydney.
“Really? Because I’m so ready to retreat to my room.”
“Yep. Everyone is pretty much leaving. Scott was looking for you, but his brother was ready to go, so he left me his card to give you.”
Sydney shrugged. “Not interested.” She sighed and grabbed Megan’s champagne glass and took a sip.
“What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing,” Megan stated in her mother hen, concerned tone. “You’ve been acting really weird lately.”
Sydney sighed and spilled everything to Megan about her and Bryce, from the kiss in the hospital to their encounter that morning when she’d picked up the cupcakes, as her sister stared in disbelief with saucer-shaped eyes and her mouth hanging to her lap.
Megan placed her hands over her mouth and shook her head. “You and Bryce? Never in a million years would I ever have expected that you and him would ever hook up!”
“Me, either.”
“I knew something was up with you lately, but Bryce never crossed my mind. I thought maybe you were seeing someone at work, like that Watkins guy or an ex or someone else, but never Bryce.” She laughed uncontrollably, taking a swig of her champagne.
“Well, now I know why you were adamant about not wanting to share a bathroom with him. Even though I’m still in shock you fell in love with the man you’ve despised for years. Does Bryce know how you feel?”
“No, and it doesn’t matter.” Sydney leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes, trying to suppress the tears that wanted to fall. “Isn’t he trying to get back with Linda?”