Trevor waited patiently in line behind the tallest and widest woman he had ever seen in his entire life. As the human wall departed, he stepped up to the counter. Dana lifted her head to greet her next customer and her complexion went ashen at the sight of him. For a brief moment, he was concerned that she might pass out right there. But she swallowed hard and with her normal aplomb, smiled graciously at him.
“Yes sir. How may I help you?”
“You could start by answering my calls.”
Her smile dropped a fraction and he could tell that she struggled to maintain it. Her glance briefly swept the crowd behind him. The pressure was on.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ve been very busy and haven’t had time to return calls. As you may have noticed,” she said, pointing to the customers in the aisles, “the holiday shoppers are out in full force.”
“Don’t worry. I notice a lot of things.” He looked around the store, narrowing his gaze on the bouquets of flowers he sent her. When his attention returned to her, his eyes narrowed. “Especially when it appears that someone is avoiding me.”
There was a fleeting moment when he saw acknowledgement register upon her features, but she quickly recouped. Her eyes flashed with an unspoken challenge and she opened her mouth to respond.
He never found out what she was going to say, however, because the frail-looking elderly woman standing behind him poked his shoulder vigorously to where it actually hurt. He swung around to face his aggressor.
“Excuse me, young man,” the older woman said, scolding him with her pointer finger. “I have a hair appointment this afternoon and you’re holding up the line. If you aren’t sure what you want to buy, perhaps you can ask the stock boy over there. He’s very helpful. In the meantime, I need to buy this now and leave, so please get out of my way.”
Though Trevor’s blood pressure rose at the irritating tone of the woman’s voice, he wasn’t going to insult her. After all, he was a gentleman, he reminded himself. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Since you so kindly pointed out the lack of product in my hand, I will accede to your request.”
He turned back to Dana. “So you hired someone, huh? I didn’t realize you could afford it. I think I’ll have a talk with your assistant and find out what’s been going on here during the past couple days.”
From the stricken look on her face, he would have thought someone told her Armageddon had begun. Now why should my comment evoke such a response?
Trevor didn’t have time to consider what had just occurred for he was shoved aside by the woman with no patience. “Move it now, sonny!”
He retreated after giving the woman one of his if-looks-could-kill glares.
“Trevor, no!” He heard Dana’s plaintiff cry as he walked away, but he didn’t look back. Instead, he headed toward the far end of the store where he saw a man bent over a small pallet stacked with boxes. When he got closer, he saw the man’s profile and came to a full halt, letting the shock sink in.
Trace.
“What the hell are you doing here? I assumed you left town when you didn’t call or come to help at the store.” He couldn’t control the anger in his voice.
Though his brother didn’t turn around, a chuckle greeted his comment.
“Been a little busy, bro.”
Trace stood and lifted boxes of candy in his arms. He brushed against Trevor as he walked to a nearby table to set them down.
Trevor didn’t appreciate speaking to his brother’s back. He followed Trace to the table and waited until he set down the candy before jerking him around to face him.
“Yeah? Doin’ what?” He folded his arms over his chest.
His brother’s wide grin reminded him of the time he informed Trevor that Serena was pregnant and that he told her to get an abortion. Trevor wanted to deck him just for the recollection.
“Makin’ sure Dana knows that I’m the man for her, not you. In fact, she and I had a real good time in the back room. I think she prefers me. Yep, she’s one fuckin’ hot lady. Now I know what you see in her.”
“You son of a…” Trevor’s hand curled into a fist. He wanted to rip his brother apart, but this was neither the time nor the place.
Trace glanced down at his brother’s fist and assumed a cocky stance.
“What’s the matter, bro? Did I get you upset about your whore? Well, isn’t that too bad? You know I can fuck up any relationship you start. She’s finished with you, especially after I told her that Serena killed herself because of you.”
Trevor gave Trace a push and his brother stumbled backward, but maintained his balance. His sneer wore on Trevor’s nerves.
“How dare you lie to her! You know Serena jumped off that building after you told her you weren’t going to marry her and give your name to her child. You’re going to confess to Dana and let her know the truth.”
“Pffft. Like hell I am! You’re screwed, bro. Once again you lose!”
Trevor narrowed his gaze on his brother as his jaw twitched. It took all the strength he had to restrain himself.
“Come on, you wanna fight? Let’s do it right here, ‘cause I think you need some sense knocked into you.” Trace’s loud voice attracted the attention of people walking around the store.
“Not here,” Trevor said through gritted teeth. He noted the frowns on nearby customers’ faces as they gave them a wide berth.
“Actually, I think this is a perfect spot.” Trace smiled and glanced around the store.
“I said not here.”
“You sure about that? Has your attorney told you yet that I’m the one who got them to reopen your file at the agency? That’s why they’re after you. So now, not only have I fucked up your love life and your vendor relations, I’ve caused you a legal headache that you didn’t have to suffer, all because you wouldn’t agree to go back with me into modeling.”
Trevor saw his brother through a red haze. This was the very last straw. Whatever love existed between them had been irrevocably destroyed by his brother’s actions.
“You’re sick. You need counseling.”
“Sorry, bro. You’re the one who’s got the problem.”
Trace threw a punch so hard at Trevor that the force of the blow knocked him into the nearby table. It tumbled into a display, causing several of them to fall in a domino effect.
Customers screamed and scattered to avoid being hit. In the chaos that ensued, more tables and displays were knocked over. They dropped their candy boxes and baskets on the floor and trampled them as they left the store.
Trevor touched his mouth and tasted blood. A tooth wiggled in its socket. So this was how it was going to be. He scrambled to stand and face his brother. Trace smiled at him.
“You were too slow, bro.” He held up his fists and bounced back and forth from foot to foot. “Come on, I’ll give you a chance to hit me back.”
“Stop! I’m not going to fight you.” He grasped Trace’s hand as he came in for another punch. “Look what you’ve done to the store.”
Trace took advantage of his hesitation to knee him in the groin. Lights flashed before Trevor’s eyes and he doubled over.
“Didn’t know you were such a pussy, bro. This was easier than I thought.” His hand fell in a karate chop on Trevor’s neck and he crumpled to the floor. Trevor raised his head to look at his brother.
“I didn’t know how much you hated me,” he gritted out.
Trace kicked him fiercely in the side a couple of times and he grunted in agony. “Well, now you do, bro. You’re a real ass. You know what? I’m over this. Now I am leaving town and never coming back. See ya!”
He watched Trace jump over a nearby table and weave his way out of the store along a jumbled path. Trevor tried to stand, but the pain took his breath away. He didn’t know what hurt worse—his groin or his ribs. He slid back to the floor.
Dana rushed over, tears streaming down her face. “What just happened? Are you out of your mind? You two have ruined everything! Look at this place!” She swept the room w
ith her arm.
Trevor shook his head. “Dana, I’m so sorry.” He groaned in agony. “I’ll help you clean it up.”
She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look that told him he was on her shit list.
“I don’t want your help. Just leave…now!” When he didn’t move, she screamed, “Get out!”
“Dana, please listen to me. This isn’t my fault. Trace started this.” His plea seemed to fall on deaf ears as she glared at him.
“No, you both did. It takes two to fight. Look around. All of my customers left and at least half my stock is ruined. I hope you’re satisfied.”
“Dana,” he pleaded even as stars exploded beneath his eyelids.
“Out!” She pointed to the door and turned on her heel, walking away from him.
He crawled as best he could toward the door, holding his side and gasping for breath. Trace had landed a good one and the shooting pains indicated that several ribs were broken. When he got outside, he leaned against the plate glass window and turned to look back in the store. Dana walked around picking up broken boxes, tears streaming down her face.
There was no way he could help her at the moment. He could hardly help himself. His injuries needed medical attention. Besides, she wouldn’t listen to his side of the story at this point. He waited fifteen minutes until the excruciating pain subsided somewhat and he could stand. Then with a heavy heart, he hobbled toward his car.
Chapter Fourteen
Dana walked around her store, broken boxes in her hand. Through a veil of tears, she regarded the mess that once had been her greatest achievement.
My store! It’s ruined.
She fell to her knees and cried until it hurt to breathe, hoping to get out all the despair in one huge bawl. But what she got were eyes that burned and severe cramps in her stomach. She looked at the sticky mess on the floor made by the smashed penis candies, which reminded her of the conversation with Trevor the first day she met him. Despite her belief that she had no more tears, they fell freely once again.
Oh, I hate you! Both of you!
Hopelessness settled like a heavy weight upon her shoulders, making it impossible to move from her seated position on the floor. If it was possible to just lie down and die at that moment, she would gladly do so. How could she get customers back into the store after what just happened? In this small town, gossip traveled fast.
Though the sweet smell of chocolate, cream and peanut butter filled the air, she had no desire to gorge herself as she had done in the past when things didn’t work out. This was much bigger than any other event that had turned her world upside down. They hadn’t only destroyed her store, they had destroyed her spirit.
She’d have to close Decadent Delights for a while, at least until the mess was cleared away. With so much stock destroyed, she’d have to ask her vendors for credit to buy more supplies. She’d counted on the money she made for this holiday to get her bills caught up. Now all of her hard work was down the drain. Dana curled into a fetal position and lay in a stupor amid the remnants of her broken dream.
* * * * *
The doctor taped his ribs and gave Trevor a prescription for the pain. Luckily, his lungs weren’t punctured, but it would take a while for his broken ribs to heal. He’d also need to visit the dentist soon, for he needed a replacement tooth. His was no longer a perfect smile, but he could care less.
What concerned him most was Dana’s state of mind. She had to be devastated about the loss of her customer base three days before Valentine’s Day. He recalled the clever baskets she made and the effort she put into decorating the front window display. The sculpture depicted a man on his knee offering his woman sweets on the special day. What a talent she had!
He drove by the store on his way home from the doctor’s office. The “closed” sign hung in the window and the front display was dismantled. He shook his head and pulled into a parking spot down the street. He wanted to go back and assess the damage.
The store was dark, but even without the lights to illuminate the disarray, the outline of overturned tables and displays was visible. Areas of the store that hadn’t been affected by the fight also suffered from neglect. Here and there bouquets of flowers, which had tumbled over, remained on their side and a stray flower or two lay crushed on the floor. Apparently, she hadn’t cleaned up. This was not like Dana. She prided herself on her immaculate displays.
He needed to see her, needed to know how she was doing. If she didn’t answer the phone before the disaster at the store, he knew she definitely wouldn’t answer now. Whether or not she would allow him inside her house, he would make the effort to visit her. It was the right thing to do.
The apology he practiced on the way to her house faded on his lips when he drove up to the curb and found the discarded statue she was creating of him and his brother. It looked like she had tried to destroy it. The beautiful form which was taking shape no longer existed. To say she was upset was an understatement. This was outright anger. Perhaps he needed to give her more time to put everything into perspective. He drove away without getting out of his car.
Look what you have done, Trace. Was this really necessary to get my attention?
Dana shouldn’t have been caught up in their petty fight. She was an innocent, someone who only wanted to follow her dream. He shook his head. He had done her an injustice and somehow he was going to set it right because, even if she didn’t care about him the same way, he realized he truly loved her.
* * * * *
It took until two days after Valentine’s before Dana was ready to face the devastation at Decadent Delights. After moping around the house in her pajamas, not eating or watching television, she finally came to grips with the situation. She had suffered through the gamut of emotions, but in the end realized that the candy shop was much too important to simply give up. Though it would take time and money to bring the store back to its former glory, she summoned the courage to face the task ahead.
Dana opened the doors and stood inside the dimly lit room. In one hand, she held a bucket and in the other hand, a mop. She sighed deeply. It was a big job, but she could clean and rebuild. There was no other option. This was her dream and no man was going to ruin it!
Chapter Fifteen
The phone rang at five o’clock in the morning. Dana rose upon an elbow and looked at the clock. Who in the world is calling me at this time of the day?
“Hello?” she said groggily.
“Are you awake?” Trevor. She groaned.
“I am now. What part of ‘go away’ don’t you understand?”
“Don’t hang up. Hear me out, please.”
Perhaps it was the edge of sorrow she heard in his voice, or the way her breath hitched when she heard him speak, but whatever it was, she decided to stay on the line.
“I’m listening.” The annoyance was clear in her statement, but she didn’t care. He deserved to know she was still upset. She sat in bed and rested against the headboard. Yawning, she tried to shake off the drowsiness so she could answer coherently.
“I need to see you.” He sounded desperate.
She shook her head. That was a bad idea.
“No, I’m sorry. That’s impossible.” She was about to hang up when she heard his next comment.
“Please. It’s not about me. It’s about the store. Can you meet me there?”
The store. Her heart skipped a beat. Though her anger flared at the thought of what he and his brother had done, she was curious about what he wanted to discuss.
“What about it?”
“I have to show you. Please say you’ll come. Just this once.”
She yawned again. Though her body craved another hour of sleep, she couldn’t resist the familiar pleading voice at the end of the phone.
“All right. Can you give me a half-hour?”
“Yes. I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay.”
She hung up the phone and shook her head. The past week had taken its toll on her emot
ions and nerves. This had better be worth her while.
* * * * *
Dana stood in the darkened store, waiting for Trevor to arrive and chewing nervously on her nail. She wondered if she was crazy for agreeing to meet him before sunrise, before the rest of the world stirred. He had chosen the best time to ensure that there would be no distractions, just the two of them. They had parted on unsettling terms and she had a lot of time to think about what she said. After all that had transpired, it was best to set the record straight and get on with her life. She hoped he would understand.
At the same time, Dana realized she had to keep her emotions under strict control. Every time she was around him, her libido overpowered her logic. The past week had been torture. She found sleep elusive and when it finally did come, her dreams were filled with visions of her handsome competitor kissing her senseless and rocking her world with his magnificent cock. Sometimes she awoke having drenched the bed with her cream and her body still throbbing with desire. It was annoying.
She heard a soft knock on the door and peeked through the shade to make sure it was Trevor before releasing the lock. Once he came in, she locked the door behind him.
“Good morning. Thank you for agreeing to come here at this ungodly hour.” He looked like hell. Dark circles shadowed under his eyes and it appeared he hadn’t shaved in a few days. Perhaps he hadn’t gotten any sleep, either.
“You made it sound important. I don’t have a lot of time for this,” she said, hoping that he’d hurry and get to the point so he’d leave before her resolve melted.
“It is. Follow me.” He reached for her hand, but she stepped away from him, letting him know things were not the same between them. She allowed him to lead through the darkened store, passing the display tables to the back room.
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