Stormy Passion

by Brenda Jernigan

  “But I thought you were leavin',” Geraldine abruptly reminded him.

  Taylor frowned at the outspoken cook. She reminded him of Joe, the mechanic. Something told him she knew exactly who he was to Brenna. Or should he say, what he'd been? “That's right. But I can still save some time for Lisa, that is, if your sister doesn't mind.”

  Brenna just shrugged. Everything was happening much too fast. She couldn't forbid the child to talk to Taylor. However, Lisa didn't know anything about the deal with Taylor's mother, so she wouldn't be able to tell him anything if he asked. “I don’t mind.”

  “Well, I’d better be going,” Taylor said. This time he made it to the door before Lisa stopped him.

  “Will I see you later?” she called.

  “You've got a date, muffin.”

  After he was gone, Lisa turned to her sister. “Aren't you glad he's here?”

  “I don't know,” Brenna said before she thought. As soon as she realized she was about to reveal her innermost thoughts she started again. “You don't understand, Lisa. Taylor didn't come to see us, and he is going to marry someone else.”

  “But he was supposed to marry you.”

  “That, young lady, was a long time ago.” Brenna packed the bandages back into the first aid kit. “Taylor doesn't love me anymore.” She tried to sound casual even though her chest grew tight at the sound of her words. “He loves someone else.”

  Lisa picked up the overnight bag from where she'd left it crumpled by the door. “I never understood why we left without telling him.”

  Geraldine had been standing in the background, but now she moved up and put an arm around Lisa. “I'm sure your sister had a mighty good reason, but maybe now ain't the time to talk about such. Brenna had a dang busy day yesterday 'cause we were short-handed. Run along now and put ya things up. I can use ya help later.”

  “All right, but I still don't understand.” Lisa's shoulders slumped for just a minute, and then she brightened. “Well, at least I get to see Taylor now.” Lisa said before she closed the door.

  “Thanks.” Brenna looked at Geraldine with relief.

  “I thought ya could use a little help.” Geraldine took Brenna's face in her hand. “Just look at those dark circles under ya eyes.”

  “I didn't get a lot of sleep last night,” Brenna replied in a weary voice.

  “Why didn't ya tell him there ain't no rooms to be had in town?”

  “He wouldn't have believed me.” She shrugged. “Taylor would probably think I was trying to keep him close to me. And, heaven knows, nothing could be further from the truth.”

  “Yeah, ya right.” Geraldine agreed, then walked over to the sink. “But for someone who said they were goin' to stay far away from him... ya were mighty close when I came in here.”

  Brenna’s cheeks grew warm at the mention of what she had been thinking of doing, but she'd never confess that to Geraldine. “Well, I couldn't just let him bleed to death.”

  “Really?” Geraldine said, knowingly as she cut her eyes to Brenna. “So that's what ya were doin'.”

  After Brenna went upstairs, she dressed in a pair of black flannel slacks and her favorite lavender turtleneck sweater, hoping it would help brighten her pale cheeks and her attitude.

  Then she went back downstairs to start the day again. The right way ... without Taylor.

  She decided she wasn't getting anything done by remembering all her troubled yesterdays, so she went to her office to take care of her daily paperwork, otherwise known as bills. She started sifting through the papers putting the most important on the top. That was when she saw an envelope stamped past due in bold red letters.

  “Damn,” she swore as she tore open the envelope. It was from the bank. She read the letter quickly and she felt just a little queasy by the time she'd finished the last line. Three months behind on her house payment, how had she let that happen?

  She knew the answer to that one--a new roof. Maybe with the next week and her income tax return, she would be able to catch up. She read the notice again. She had thirty days to pay the delinquent amount. The ski season would pull them through, Brenna thought and then for good measure she prayed for a little help from somewhere.

  She'd been working for over an hour when a sharp knock sounded on the door.

  She stretched her neck and laid her pen down on the sturdy oak desk before calling, “Come in.”

  Carol stuck her head in the door. “Am I interrupting?” She smiled. “I was hoping we could talk.”

  Brenna hesitated. What in the world did they have to talk about? Surely, Taylor hadn't told her anything. “Talk?”

  “If you don't mind.” Carol inched her way into the room.

  Having no other choice, Brenna waved her hand. “Have a seat.”

  Carol closed the door behind her, then went over to one of the two tan-colored chairs facing the desk. “Tell me a little about Taylor,” she said as she took a seat.

  Brenna tried to keep the disbelief out of her eyes. She hesitated as she wondered what Carol really wanted. “Surely, you know Taylor pretty well. What can I tell you about the man you're going to marry?”

  “That's the problem. I don't know him very well at all.” Carol folded her hands and laid them primly in her lap. “I've only known him for three months, but I've often wondered what he was like growing up. And since you've apparently known Taylor a lot longer than I have, I thought maybe you could tell me something--anything--about him.”

  This is all I need, Brenna thought, to be bosom buddies with Taylor's future bride. She really didn't want to discuss the man she was trying so hard not to think about, but she couldn't see any graceful way out of it.

  “Taylor was always a good student.” Brenna almost laughed. She sounded like she was reading from a child’s book. She had to tell Carol something, so she started again. “Everything came easy for Taylor while I had to struggle.” Brenna thought back to those carefree days as she spoke. Unfortunately, their days were not so carefree any more. She'd seen changes in Taylor: some unfamiliar to her, some she didn't understand.

  “All the girls fell in love with Taylor's blue eyes. They all wanted to date him, but then I'm sure you know that.”

  “Not really.” Carol shook her head. “He never talks about the past and always avoids my questions. It's almost as if he's trying to forget about something painful. He's so remote.” She sighed, before asking, “Did he have a girlfriend back then?”

  Brenna's mouth suddenly went dry, and she reached for a glass of water. How in the devil was she going to answer this one? Perhaps she would just breeze over the topic. “I--I believe there was someone.” She decided to change the subject quickly and divert Carol's attention off this very dangerous flow of conversation. “When are you getting married?”

  “We haven't made any plans.” Carol straightened in the chair and shook her head almost as if she were uncertain about the marriage. “You know, it's strange, I wanted to wait a couple of years before I got married. But when Taylor asked, I was so flattered that I jumped at the chance.”

  “Well, he's quite a catch,” Brenna admitted. She had lost her chance a long time ago so why not be happy for Carol? She seemed to be very nice, so it was becoming difficult to hate her. “But I always knew he'd be successful ... his mother wouldn't allow less.”

  “I've met the lady.” Carol rolled her eyes. “She's something else. Thank God she likes me. I just try to agree with everything she says.”

  “You're probably better off agreeing,” Brenna said, being careful not to give anything away. She realized Carol evidently had wealth and could fit into River Run's society. Something Mrs. Rothschild had said Brenna would never accomplish.

  A shuffle of feet in the hallway caught their attention. “Here she is!” Lisa pushed open the office door and entered the room followed by Taylor.

  “Brenna, wait till you see how they've decorated the town for the festival. It's better than Christmas. We're going to have a fantastic time.”
Lisa stopped chattering long enough to take off her coat. “I can't wait!”

  “Hollow Ridge is having a festival, too?” Carol looked at Brenna.

  “We have one every year, but I'm afraid we don't get quite the advertising that Asheville does. I think you'll enjoy it.”

  Brenna's attention went back to Lisa. Her unruly brown hair framed her chubby face, and her hazel eyes glistened with excitement. She knew her sister couldn't stand not being a part of the excitement, but some things had to wait. Brenna tried not to look at Taylor. That had almost gotten her into plenty of trouble this morning.

  “You are going to the festival, aren't you?” Lisa persisted.

  “Yes. But that is tomorrow, and I have a ton of things to do today. And so do you, I might add.”

  “Oh, Brenna,” Lisa said, making her sister's name sound like a groan.

  “I don't want to hear it.” Brenna held up her hand. “Work comes first, then playtime.”

  “Carol.” Taylor's deep voice filled the room as he spoke. “I thought we could go skiing this afternoon.”

  Brenna noticed that Taylor hadn't looked her way either. His dark brows knitted with a frown. The wind had tousled his hair and his black ski jacket set off his broad shoulders perfectly. There was an intriguing strength about him that hadn't been there before, but he still held an attraction for her. That was something she couldn’t deny. The air filled with electric sparks when Taylor entered the room.

  “Sounds like fun.” Carol stood up and smiled at Brenna. “It was nice talking to you.”

  Brenna returned her smile. She saw Taylor's jaw tighten. She had the feeling he was dying to know what secrets she'd divulged to his fiancée.

  “Can I go?” Lisa's pleading eyes rested on Brenna.

  “Not today.” Brenna wanted to shake her sister. Why didn't Lisa understand Taylor was out of their life and that he couldn't possibly want a child tagging along behind him? She didn't want her sister hurt when Taylor walked away from them. “I need your help around here.”

  “But, Brenna!”

  “I really don't mind,” Taylor said as he finally focused his attention on her. “That is unless you have some objections.”

  Brenna raised her brow a fraction. So he was determined to make her look like the bad guy in her sister's eyes. Well, he was dealing with a different person than he was used to. His ploy wouldn't work. “But I do mind. We are not on vacation and I'm short-handed.” She drew her gaze away from Taylor, and then turned to Lisa. “I promise that we'll go tomorrow.”

  “I couldn't find another place to stay,” Taylor told Carol as they walked toward town to pick up their skis.

  “Good. I never understood why you wanted to go somewhere else. This quaint inn is perfect. There is such a warm feeling at the inn.”

  Taylor knew he had to tell Carol something--but not the truth. “I know I've been a little grumpy. But as I told you last night, Brenna and I didn't part on good terms the last time I saw her.”

  “You said something about a friend, but you didn’t say what.”

  “Brenna dumped a friend of mine when we were in school. And I didn't appreciate it and told her so.”

  “I see.” Carol nodded her head. “But that was a long time ago, Taylor. I’m sure she's changed. Perhaps you should let the past rest.”

  If only Carol knew.

  “I guess you're right,” Taylor finally said.

  “Besides, I like it here, and I like Brenna, too. But, you know, she seems out of place. She's too charming to be stuck way out here in this small town. I bet she would have men falling at her feet back home.”

  “I can remember one,” Taylor mumbled as he felt the muscle tighten in his jaw. “I'm sure she's broken a few men's hearts by now.”

  “Perhaps you're right.” Carol pulled off a mitten and took his hand. “Maybe someone broke hers, and that's the reason she lives way out here.”

  “Have you ever thought that maybe her boyfriend or husband brought her to Hollow Ridge?”

  “Well, she didn't say anything about having either while we were chatting. But then I'm a stranger to her.”

  Taylor really didn't want to talk about Brenna at all, but before he could stop himself he was asking, “Just what were you talking about? You appeared to be in a serious discussion when I came in.”

  “Probably because we were talking about you.”

  “Oh?” Taylor turned his head toward Carol. Brenna wouldn't dare tell her she was once engaged to him. Would she?

  “You should see the expression on your face.” Carol laughed. “Don't worry, she didn't divulge any of your dark secrets. I wanted to know what you were like back in school.”

  His brows jerked in surprise. “And what did she say?”

  “Not much really. She said you were smart, and she always knew you would succeed in business.” Carol clutched his arm tighter as her foot slipped on a patch of ice. “Oh, she also said all the young girls had been dying to date you.”

  Taylor breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, not all.”

  They neared the service station in town where he had left their skiing equipment. Taylor talked with Joe while he waited for the transportation the mechanic had arranged to take them to the slopes.

  It was a damn pain not having a car!

  Once they were at Devil's Mountain, Taylor escorted Carol over to the bunny slopes where she would receive her first ski lesson. He paid the instructor, then gave Carol a quick kiss before skiing over to the lifts. He was anxious to get in the fresh air and stretch his lazy muscles. He’d been trying to find relaxation when he planned this trip, but that wasn’t to be. He felt every tense muscle in his body.

  He'd be glad when Carol could ski beside him. He knew he didn't have the patience to teach her, so he’d hired the very best instructor. She’d have a much better time with the instructor, or so he’d convinced himself...

  How quickly he'd forgotten about Carol this morning. He was simply letting his hormones overrule his head. Yet this morning when he'd been with Brenna, it had seemed like old times. But it was just that ... old times.

  Carol. He needed to keep thinking of Carol. She'd make him a perfect wife. He tried to picture their beautiful home and Carol taking care of their children, but the picture wouldn't come. So what was the problem?

  He was the problem.

  His mood darkened as he waited impatiently for the chair lift. This trip wasn't turning out like he'd planned. Every woman who walked by reminded him of Brenna, and he was beginning to think he'd lost what sanity he had left. He expected to see Brenna jump out at him at any second. He'd been damned stupid to even think of kissing her this morning. She had changed. The shy girl he'd known a few years ago had disappeared. Now, she was a woman, and the years had enhanced her features. Her confidence showed in the special tilt of her chin when she stood her ground this morning with Lisa. He smiled as he remembered the defiance in her eyes last night when he'd been rude in the dining room. He had the feeling if he’d been alone, she wouldn’t have been so polite.

  But where had it all gone wrong?

  That question stuck in his side like a thorn. She had loved him, he knew that, but after her parents were killed in a scandalous murder Brenna had become withdrawn. He had tried to be there for her. Perhaps, he didn't try hard enough. He'd been up to his ears in a bank merger and had spent many nights working late. He should have said ... to hell with the bank. Is that when she had turned to someone else? A thousand questions darted through his mind.

  He was a man obsessed.

  Arriving at the top of the mountain, the cold air surrounded him, whistling in his ears. He planted his ski poles and adjusted the goggles over his eyes. The sky had begun to change to a light gray and the clouds appeared heavy with snow.

  Just before he shoved off, Taylor thought he heard Brenna, and he turned around only to find two young ladies talking. His mind should be on Carol, but it wasn't. And that fact bothered him ... a lot.

  Taylor
spent the rest of the day exerting his energy against the snow. He skied the slopes with vengeance, trying hard to extract the black-headed angel from his soul, his heart, and hopefully his life.

  Chapter Four

  After Brenna's meeting with Carol, the rest of the day went by normally. There were meals to plan and cleaning to do, and laundry--there was always laundry to wash and fold and put up.

  The evening meal had been served and the guests were finishing their dinners. Now was a good time to make her announcement.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Brenna announced, then waited a moment for everyone to stop talking. “We have an extra-special surprise for our guests tonight. We will have two horse-drawn sleighs parked out front in about ten minutes. For those of you who would like an old-fashioned treat and a spectacular view of our town. Bundle up, and I'll meet you out by the front gate.”

  The excited chatter followed her as she walked through the hallway. “Lisa,” she called to her sister. “Run up stairs and get our heavy winter coats and don't forget the gloves.”

  Brenna proceeded into the kitchen where Geraldine was putting up pots and pans. “Well, it looks like you had a good idea,” Brenna said before picking a tea cake off a silver tray and taking a bite.

  “Child, all my ideas are good.” Geraldine chuckled.

  “Nevertheless, I appreciate your sons providing us with this entertainment. Especially since it's so cheap.”

  “I can't imagine why we didn't think of such a thing until now.”

  “Me either.” Brenna washed the cake down with some cold milk. “I'm looking forward to getting out. I've never been on a sleigh ride before,” Brenna said wiping off her milk mustache. “Are you coming?”

  “Heavens sake no.” Geraldine slipped the apron over her head and laid it on the back of a chair. “I'm goin' to get a hot cup of coffee, put my feet up, and rest these here weary bones.” Pulling out a chair, she said, “I'll ride the sleigh home tonight.”