by Terri Marie
Tyler looked for Emma but was told she had walked back to the office. She was probably going to number crunch and get the final payment ready to give to the caterer in the morning. His brothers had returned to work as well. They were the ones holding up the business, as Tyler was pretty much functionless these days. Asking the employees to rotate working Sundays wasn't easy, but the company was getting backlogged. He knew it was mostly his fault, which did nothing but add to his burden.
When the skies clouded over and he felt droplets, he walked into the kitchen. The building was empty other than one woman standing at the large sink scrubbing pans and utensils. She was crying softly and sniffling.
"Need some help?" asked Tyler, who stared at her puffy eyes when she turned around. She had sweat beading on her forehead, and stray hair strands covered her neck and face. Her cheeks were red and tear-stained.
"No, it's okay. Did you get anything to eat?"
Tyler could tell she was nervous and that he'd startled her. He didn't know who she was, but it was obvious she could use some help. He pushed up his sleeves, and put his hands into the warm soapy water in the sink.
"You don't have to help with this. There's a lot of grunt work to do." Renee let out a nervous laugh and wiped her face with a towel. She hoped this guy wasn't dangerous.
"Well I guess I'm going to be a grunt worker." Tyler picked up a serving platter and began to scrub it. His hand brushed against hers in the water.
"Sorry about that," said Renee as she moved over.
"Do you work for the catering company?" Tyler couldn't believe they didn't give this woman any help with the hardest part of the job.
"No, I am the catering company," she laughed. She looked down at the water and briefly shook her head. Her cheeks reddened again and her eyes watered.
"You should really hire someone to help you."
"It's just the clean-up. My friend helps me do the cooking and serving, but to cut costs, I do my own clean up. If you're looking to make a few bucks helping out, I really can't afford it."
"It's okay. I just want to help." She doesn't know who I am. Tyler had always kept a low profile. He liked staying out of the spotlight at all costs.
"Thank you. My name's Renee." She lifted a soapy hand out of the water and offered it to Tyler, but quickly let go and broke her gaze, when she saw the concern on his face. She didn't give him a chance to say his name.
He gently held her fingers, before placing them back into the water. His hand kept brushing up against hers. The first thing he noticed was the small diamond ring on her wedding finger. He was shocked that he even looked, but she had such delicate hands.
"Did you get something to eat?" Renee immediately asked again, trying to prevent any silence. She hadn't been this close to a man in years, and definitely not during her marriage to Robert.
"The food was great, thank you." Tyler couldn't believe she owned the catering company, and her husband wasn't even here helping. Maybe she isn't married. "Did you save some to take home to your family?"
"I don't have a family. I'm married, but I walked out on my husband--" Renee abruptly stopped talking. She couldn't believe she'd just said that to a complete stranger, but sometimes it was safer to talk to someone you didn't know.
"I'm sorry, Renee, I didn't mean to pry."
"And I didn't mean to tell you, but I must admit, I feel a little better." She tried to laugh but it didn't come out that way; a short sob was more like it. "He's a jackass. I had no choice but to leave." Renee was biting her lip so she wouldn't cry more.
"Was he hurting you?" Tyler felt himself needing to know if she was in physical danger. Hopefully he wouldn't offend her with his questions.
Renee took a deep breath, and once she started talking, she couldn't stop; neither would the tears. "This catering company is his. He was a decent guy, making all sorts of promises when we met, then sat on his behind, doing nothing for years. Sugar and Spice could be lucrative if he'd help, but he doesn't. Robert treated me like I was dirt and talked to me like I was a low-life, so I left him." Although she'd told Emma she'd left Robert, it felt good to say the words to someone else. Renee still couldn't risk telling anyone that the violence had become physical. Getting the cops involved was a big no no.
"Where are you staying now?" Tyler really wanted to dry her tears and hold her. Knowing he was just a stranger, though, being a supportive listener was the best he could do. If she told him her husband was knocking the snot out of her, the rules were definitely going to change.
"Um…up the street a bit." Renee blushed again, while she felt him reach over in the water and squeeze her hand.
"It'll be okay. He doesn't deserve you, but you already know that." Tyler looked over and saw more tears roll down her cheeks.
"Thank you. You're right, I know he doesn't deserve any decent woman, but it never hurts to have someone reassure you that you've made the right decision."
"Now that you've left, what are you going to do?" Tyler hoped she'd divorce the bastard.
"Things are up in the air, because I haven't been gone for very long." Renee didn't want to tell him that she had no idea what to do, and that she'd been living right here in this kitchen, surviving on raw hotdogs.
Tyler helped wash the last huge pan. She washed one end while he scrubbed the other.
"Is this the last of it?" asked Tyler. He wished there was more to do. He wasn't ready to let her walk off with her feeling so much pain.
"This is it. Thank you for all your help. I'm sorry, but I don't even know your name."
"Tyler." He smiled.
"Thank you for listening to me ramble. I guess I needed to talk to someone." Renee laughed, but really wanted to throw her arms around this stranger's neck and sob. She cried alone every single night, and would give anything just to be held. Hell, Robert hadn't hugged her in years. Carol didn't even know she'd finally left Robert.
Tyler picked up a towel, lifted the large pan and dried it off.
"I can get the rest. All I have to do is let the water out of the sink, and then come back in the morning and give an employee the key. The Montclairs are such a generous family. I've been doing this event for them for years, so I'll be sad not to be a part of it anymore."
"You can still do the events, just not under your husband's catering service. You do all the work, so he shouldn't be getting any of the money or credit. Why should you help his business be a success when he doesn't even care about it?" Tyler could just picture her useless husband relaxing on the couch with a remote, while his wife was out here busting her ass.
"I don't know. I'm sure they'll want to have the paperwork necessary to hire me. I make sure we carry our own insurance and my license is up to date, but Sugar and Spice Catering is on everything."
"You can do the event." Tyler had to be careful. He wasn't ready to tell her who he was. He had already been with someone who only wanted him for his money.
"You've been very generous and thoughtful with your time. Thank you, Tyler. It's late and I need to be getting home." She was ready to collapse. Even though her bed was a bunch of towels and linens she piled in the corner, it was still bed, and her back and feet were killing her.
"I'll hang around and make sure you get out okay." Tyler reached into the sink to lift the plug at the same time Renee stuck her hand into the sudsy water. He held it suddenly, causing the young woman to gasp in surprise. He reached his other hand into the water and massaged her palms softly. Before he knew it, their fingers locked for a moment. He tilted his head to look at her, the soft brown eyes, the messy ponytail…
"Tyler—" she began.
"Don't go back to him," he pleaded.
"I'm married. I'm confused, angry, lost…but I'm still married," she said softy as their lips got closer together.
"It sounds to me like you haven’t had a husband in years." Tyler said as he softly brushed his lips across hers.
"Don't," she whispered.
Tyler turned his face back toward
the water. He unlocked his fingers from hers, slid the small wedding band from her finger, and let it fall into the warm water.
"I'll wait for you outside," he said quietly, as he turned to go out the door. He didn't even feel the rain hitting him until the thunder and lightning interrupted the silence. He jogged over to a tree and stood under the branches. The least of his worries was being out in a storm. What was he thinking, hitting on a married woman? But she left him. Am I wrong? The jerk didn't even take care of her.
Renee dried her hands off, grabbed her keys and started out the door. She would much rather stay inside, but knew Tyler would probably be waiting out there like he said he'd do. She'd get in her pickup, drive around the block a few times, then head to the parking lot at Montclair Pharmaceuticals. She heard some thunder and lightning and hoped the storm would pass quickly. When she stepped outside, the wind and rain pelted her. She let out a slight scream and took off running.
Tyler ran up beside Renee and threw his arm around her, trying to provide a little protection and warmth.
She kept her head down and couldn't see a thing. Thankfully, Tyler could guide her to the truck. She knew rain was in the forecast but had no idea a storm was going to brew so quickly. She didn't mind rain, but thunder and lightning scared the heck out of her.
Lightning hit a tree near them and the crack vibrated through her. Renee screamed again and tried to run faster. When she finally reached her truck, she dropped the keys in the mud and bent to get them. As she did, she felt Tyler's hand on the keys too.
He saw she hadn't put the ring back on her finger. Without hesitation, and without thinking, he spun her around and kissed her without rules, without boundaries, without thinking of anything else. He let his tongue open her mouth. He felt her warmth, heard her soft moan, and then softly pushed her against the side of the wet truck.
Renee's hands reached up and grabbed the sides of his strong face. His weight against her was making her melt. Tyler's large frame blocked the rain from her face, and gave her the instant relief and comfort she'd been missing. This void seemed to have gone on for a lifetime. Renee didn't think about right or wrong, thunder or lightning or what she'd do tomorrow. She let herself get lost in this man's arms, sharing a kiss like she'd never experienced before…and definitely not with Robert.
After the long kiss, he opened her door and stood there in the rain, until he knew she got safely inside the pickup and drove away. His hair and clothes were soaked. Tyler didn't feel the harsh weather as he slowly walked back across the street to the office. He let the rain drip off the tip of his nose and his chin. For the first time in years, he felt alive. He'd definitely have trouble sleeping tonight when he climbed into bed, but it wouldn't just be because of the kid.
Renee circled the large block, thankful the rain had simmered down to a sprinkle. She still felt hypnotized by Tyler's kiss, and was even more determined to get a divorce now. She never believed that someone would find her attractive. Robert certainly never made her feel beautiful or pretty. Finding the money to pay for a divorce was going to be quite a challenge, but she'd do whatever it took. Tonight proved to her that there could possibly be a happy life, after drowning in the wake of her husband. It's not too late for me.
As Renee drove back past the park, she noticed someone with a guitar swung across his back, picking food out of the garbage. She quickly pulled over and rolled down her window. She was positive it was the teen Emma had told her about, especially when he stepped into the light and she could see his blond hair.
"Hey!" she yelled and waved her arm out the window. "I can get you some fresh food!"
He looked up and then took off in a fast run. By the time she turned the pickup around, he was long gone.
Damn, I scared him off. At least she could tell Emma he was still in the area. She drove to Montclair Pharmaceuticals, stopped by security, and then parked her pickup. She jogged off the lot while they stared at her, but no one said a word.
As she walked back down the block, she hoped her information would help the Montclairs. She hadn't even thought about the witness until she spotted him digging in the trash. Tyler. Then it dawned on her. She'd been so wrapped up in her own life, she totally didn't connect the dots. That Tyler? Tyler Montclair? Trying to gather her racing thoughts, she looked around to see if the boy had returned, then unlocked the kitchen door and turned on the small light over the oven, once inside. She gathered linen from the bottom drawer and began to lay them on the ground in the corner. Renee was shivering from the cold, as she spread her wet clothing over the counters to dry. She reached inside a small closet where she'd hidden some of her things, and fished out a dry pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She had no idea what lay ahead for her, and tried not to picture herself digging through trashcans like the homeless boy. Renee stared up at the sink as she waited for sleep to overtake her. Thoughts of her situation, the young kid with the guitar, the kiss…that kiss, replayed over and over again in her mind.
Chapter 9
Renee woke up and stretched. There wasn't any light coming in under the door, so she knew she hadn't slept very long. She was cold, her body was killing her, and she wished she'd packed something warm to wear. If Robert actually left the apartment for once, she could go get some more of her things. Thankfully, she kept a couple of spare outfits in her truck, just in case she soiled her clothing during an event. Her extra clothes, however, had been in there for months, and weren't very warm for camping out in this weather. The nights were still chilly, and it was impossible to warm a cement floor.
After gathering her belongings and putting up the linens, Renee turned off the small light and took a second look around. She nervously went out the door, locking it behind her. Now where do I go to sleep? As she walked through the park, she kept her eyes peeled for the teen, but all Renee could see and hear was the occasional car, typical of Sunday mornings. She'd be getting ready for a long run if she hadn't of left her apartment, but that was then and this was now. Things change.
Renee crossed the street carrying a small duffle bag, which held her belongings. She stopped by security to sign in, and then walked to her pickup. She'd drive around for a while, and then return it later in the morning, just in case Emma started work early. After opening up the rusty door and placing her things inside, she noticed her cellphone was dead. Renee plugged it in, and then left the lot.
She'd have to give Emma the key to the kitchen and get her check. The anxiety she felt when she'd left the park, hadn't faded any. As soon as the banks opened up on Monday, Renee would find out the balance on the business account. Hopefully Robert hadn't gotten his hands on any of it. Renee had declined an ATM card because it would have made it too easy for Robert to remove all the money. She'd withdraw a hundred and seventy-five dollars, half of the current balance, which would leave her husband the same amount. She hated Robert, but she believed in being fair. If he did nothing to earn a living, or decided against using his portion wisely, then that was on him. They'd each have an equal start. Renee did the event without one bit of his help, so she'd ask Emma to make the final check out to her personally. Robert didn't deserve a dime of that money. With those funds, she'd make sure she was able to pay Carol.
Renee drove around the side streets, looking for a place to park her truck until she could drive back to Montclair Pharmaceuticals and get her check. She found a small grocery store, which had a large dumpster in the back, and so she parked behind it and waited until it was daylight. When a couple of cars pulled up out front, she started her truck and made her way back to the parking lot, while taking side streets.
Security opened the door for Renee and she went inside. She could smell coffee and her mouth watered. A young woman walked up to the reception counter from a different door. She said she'd be just a minute, as she put her bag away and hung her jacket up. As Renee walked around the lobby, she came upon large portraits on the walls. There was one of Sebastian and Natalie, the same faces on the plaque at the park, she recalled,
and also portraits of Sean, Jacob, Vincent…and then there he was. Tyler. All the men had stunning blue eyes, dark hair, and looked very similar to Natalie. Tyler's eyes, however, were the ones which captivated her, looked inside her, and pleaded with her to leave Robert. Renee could still feel his face underneath her palms…the rain dripping from his lips as he brought them to hers…Should I have allowed him to kiss me? Even though she'd separated from Robert and was going to divorce him, she worried that she was wrong; the beautiful, amazing kiss, was wrong.
"I'm sorry, I can help you now," interrupted the receptionist.
"Oh, okay. I'm here to see Emma Ward. She told me she was working today. I know it's kind of early, but is she in yet?" What Renee really wanted to do was stand there and stare at Tyler Montclair some more; right or wrong. She couldn't believe how quickly he'd occupied her thoughts, and how much she was drawn to him. She hadn't allowed herself to think of any man this way since she'd married Robert. The first year of being Mrs. Preston was nice, but after trying so hard to be good enough for the love and attention he withheld from her, she'd given up hope. After so long, she desired nothing from Robert, other than civility and financial help. I've been existing inside of a jagged-edged shell. I only stayed married to him out of fear. Renee felt like she'd emotionally divorced Robert long ago.
"Give me one second and I'll check." The pretty young woman made a quick call. "She should be in any minute. Have a seat and I'll let you know when she's available."
With a sigh of relief, Renee sat on a navy upholstered chair, and let herself sink into the cushions. It felt so good on her back, she was fearful she'd fall asleep. After a few minutes, she stood up and faced the window to hide her yawns.