Bryce: Ex-Business: An Ex-Club Romance

by Camilla Stevens

  “London is nice. I’m sure you’ll be amazing there.”

  “Thanks, Edie. I’m already planning a going-away party and you’re coming. I won’t take no for an answer.”

  A glow of pleasure fills my veins. I’ve always been friendly with my editors—Nicole certainly wasn’t the only one to blow up my phone with objections and words of outrage over all of this—but that’s mostly stayed within the realm of work. I’m flattered that she considers me worthy of an invite to an extra-work get-together.

  “And you won’t get a no from me,” I say into the phone.

  “Okay, well, I’ve got a letter of resignation to finish. We should get drinks sometime this week.”

  I stare at the mirror and give myself an ironic smile. “Yeah, that sounds good.” I can always order something nonalcoholic.

  “You sure you’re okay?” she asks before hanging up.

  “I’m perfect,” I say, this time giving my reflection a full smile. “Just give me a call when you want to meet.”

  “Will do, Edie.”

  We hang up and I finish with my mascara.

  In my living room, I espy the pregnancy test sitting on the side table by the couch. I brought it back with me when I came back to my place for a shower and change. Once again I pick it up and stare down at the digital readout just to remind myself that it’s real. My mind wanders back to several weeks ago when this all began.

  Who would have thought?

  I sigh contentedly and set it back down. I’m not sure where I’m going right now. Maybe just to explore the city, something I don’t think I’ve done since I was in college. I could head back up to Columbia and hit some of my old haunts—maybe even go by subway, something I also haven’t done in a long time. I laugh to myself at the thought as I grab my purse and head out.

  As I head down in the elevator, my hand inadvertently comes to my lower stomach and a smile appears on my face. I know it’s stupid of me to be so hopeful and elated this early on but I can’t help myself. I also can’t help but compare this feeling with what I felt after telling Reggie the news way back when, an experience that most certainly was not filled with joy and excitement.

  Talk about a contrast.

  When I reach the first floor, I head through the lobby. An older woman is sitting in the seating area near the front desk who seems to perk up when she sees me. Something about her is familiar, but I can’t quite place it. Still, I give her a hesitant smile, which falters a bit when she takes that as a sign to rise up and approach me, a similarly hesitant smile on her face.

  “You’re Cassandra’s daughter?” she asks, looking me over like an aunt who only remembers me from when I was little a girl.

  An unexpected greeting. One which instantly has my interest piqued.

  “Yes, is she okay?” I ask with alarm.

  Her eyes blink rapidly in confusion for a moment before settling into an apologetic look. “Yes, of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just…that seemed to be the most…appropriate introduction. Lola, isn’t it?”

  “I’m sorry, who are you?”

  She smiles and closes her eyes, shaking her head as though that’s something she should have made clear from the get-go. When she opens them again, I realize why she looks familiar.

  “No need to apologize. I should have told you from the start. I’m—”

  “Bryce’s mother,” I finish, now looking her over with new eyes. While I’ve seen many an image of his father, being the fairly public man he is, I realize I’ve not seen any of his mother. Not that I’ve ever had a reason to seek them out.

  She’s pretty, not just for her age, but in general. She has Bryce’s eyes, filled with warmth and easy amusement, though the latter is lacking at the moment.

  “Yes, Alice Wilmington,” she says. “I just wanted to—you see, I don’t have your number or any way to contact you now that you no longer work at…” She lets that fade, no doubt realizing I’d rather not be reminded of my recent dismissal from Contempo Woman. “So I thought I’d wait here until you came down.”

  “Right,” I say, unsure of why she wants to meet. “You wanted to meet with me? Not Bryce?”

  “Yes, you. Mostly I…” her gaze briefly wanders over me. “I wanted to meet the woman who has captured my son’s interest. Especially when I found out who you were related to.”

  I stiffen slightly, ready for some form of critique or criticism.

  “I can see why he is so fond of you. You’re a lovely woman.”

  I relax only a little bit. “Why is it you wanted to meet with me?”

  She must see the confusion in my gaze because she flashes another quick smile and goes on to explain. “I’m aware of what my husband has done. Probably not all the details, but enough to…” She darts her eyes to the side as though searching for some explanation. She brings her attention back to me. “To try and broker some peace between us.”

  I nod with understanding, but I’m not about to let her off the hook that easily. “Does your husband know about this peace that you’re interested in?”

  A soft, cynical smile appears on her lips. “I figure I would start with the easier battle.”

  I exhale out a short, humorless laugh. “I see.”

  Alice purses her lips, but I see the resignation in her gaze. It falls to the purse in her hand. “I brought this as well, I suppose as an excuse for coming.”

  She pulls out a black envelope made of paper that looks too expensive to touch. There is a silver wax seal on the back with a scripted W stamped in the middle. When she hands it over, I see elaborate calligraphy in silver ink spelling out Bryce’s full name—Bryce Andrew Wilmington.

  “It’s an invitation to the Wilmington holiday party.” She gives me a meaningful look. “He is allowed to bring a guest.”

  A half-smile comes to my face, understanding what she’s trying to impart.

  “I should confess that Bryce rarely attends. Usually, only when I’m insistent about it.”

  I have a feeling not even her motherly persuasion would work this year. And frankly, I don’t blame Bryce.

  “I will be sure to pass this on to him.” I stare down at the gorgeous invitation. I’m sure it’s usually mailed via some form of special delivery to keep it from getting sullied in the regular U.S. mail. I doubt all the attendees get such personal attention. “I hate to stick this in my purse and ruin it. I’ll just take it upstairs to my place.”

  My eyes flit back up to hers and I hesitate before speaking. “Did you want to come up with me?”

  She blinks in surprise, but smiles. “That would be lovely.”

  I smile back and lead the way to the elevators. Once we get into one and the doors close, I feel the discomfort envelop us like a suffocating cloud. I’m fully aware of the royalty I’m standing next to, at least in terms of New York net worth.

  What she must think of me, I can’t even fathom, especially considering her only connection to me seems to be via my mother, at least until recently. Even now, I still have trouble picturing them in the same universe let alone at the same party once upon a time. Alice looks so elegant and sophisticated…reserved. Everything my mother is not.

  We arrive on my floor and I lead the way, walking down the hall to my apartment.

  “So, you two live directly across from each other?” she says in surprise.

  I turn to find her looking back and forth from Bryce’s place to mine. I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s visited his apartment at some point. He obviously has a better relationship with her than with his father.

  “That must be…convenient?”

  A smile of amusement inadvertently comes to my lips. “I suppose so.”

  “Oh, I’m no prude,” she says quickly. “I just—how long have you two been a couple?”

  “Not long,” I say, a sardonic twist coming to my mouth. “Did you want to come in?”

  “I’d love to.”

  I flash a smile and open the door, leading her in.
Thank goodness I’m such a natural stickler for neatness. The apartment is at least clean and organized enough for company.

  “What a lovely place,” she says, looking around with admiration.

  A surge of pride runs through me as I walk the envelope over to the raised kitchen counter that looks out on the open living room area. I’m not sure in which apartment Bryce and I will be spending the night. I suppose at some point we need to come to a decision. No need to pay two obscene rents if we don’t have to. Still, I want to put it in a spot where I won’t forget it. Not that this little interruption in the day is likely to slip my mind.

  “Oh!” I hear Alice say while my back is turned. “Is that…?”

  I look back toward her, only to find her looking at the side table.

  Where the pregnancy test is sitting right out in the open.

  Shit!

  I quickly walk over and grab it, stuffing it in my purse before she can read what it says.

  But the damage is done.

  She stares at me in shock, then glances down to my abdomen, and back again. “Are you…?”

  My instinct is to say no.

  But why hide it?

  Then again, I don’t want to jinx it. It’s still early and I’m paranoid enough about it as it is.

  Still, she’s technically family, and now that the cat is out of the bag…

  I’ve apparently waited too long to answer.

  “You are!” she exclaims, her eyes growing impossibly wider.

  The tension in my body deflates, causing me to sigh in resignation. I nod.

  “Oh my,” she says, her hand coming up to her neck. “Do you, um…do you think I could sit down?”

  I motion to the couch, feeling my hackles begin to rise. While she doesn’t look horrified at the news, she also doesn’t seem thrilled. I follow her with my eyes as she sags onto the couch, then I do the same, sitting a respectable distance away. I watch her with wary eyes.

  “Well, this is news, isn't it?” She says toward some blank space. She quickly turns toward me. “Are you two planning on—”

  “We’re keeping it,” I say so forcefully I’m surprised she doesn’t flinch.

  She exhales something between a sob and a laugh, but the joyful smile on her face tells me they are both an expression of happiness. She presses her fingers to her mouth, as though she’s committed some faux pas of showing emotion, but the sounds continue unabated.

  “I’m so sorry,” she says for some reason as she desperately tries to compose herself. Good grief, when Bryce said they were WASPs, he wasn’t kidding.

  “It’s not a problem,” I say. “I’m sure the news is a shock.”

  She gives me a horrified look. “Oh, I’m not upset! I mean, yes, it is a shock, but please don’t take my reaction the wrong way.”

  I flash a reassuring smile, mostly a reflection of how I feel inside. I suppose it’s good news that she’s so accepting. I can only imagine what her husband might think. He’ll be sharing a grandchild with Cassandra LeFleur, much to his horror.

  As though reading my thoughts she suddenly inhales. “We’re going to be grandparents.” Now, she truly does sound troubled. “I suppose this means you and Bryce will be…?”

  “It’s early—too early. I’m only a few weeks along, if that. And no one knows yet.” I give her a meaningful look.

  Alice numbly nods in response. “Whenever you’re ready dear,” she says almost distractedly.

  She turns to face forward, her expression reflecting some serious contemplation going on in her head.

  “This certainly changes things,” she says, almost to herself.

  “What things?” I ask, curious.

  She turns to me with a rueful smile. “Everything.”

  “Everything,” I repeat, urging her to just spell it out for me.

  “You—and Bryce—you both deserve to know the truth. Everything. What happened that night at the party. My husband, he hasn’t just been protecting himself, or at least his reputation.” A bitter grimace comes to her face. “He’s also been inadvertently protecting me. I would have lost so much if—” She turns to give me a sad smile. “But I haven’t needed protection for a long time now, I’ve just been hiding behind the lie that he created to cover for both of us. I suppose you could say the statute of limitations has passed by now. I’ve paid my penance,” she says with a sardonic laugh. “And you and Bryce don’t deserve to suffer for our sins.”

  I’m left speechless when I realize that she’s about to reveal everything.

  Chapter Fifty

  Bryce

  True to his word, Pierce has put me in the system so, once again, all I need to do is show my ID to gain access to the elevators up to Wilmington Financial. I arrive directly on Dad’s floor.

  Pierce said Dad would be in one of the conference rooms, but there are several closed doors on this level, and any one of them could be where he’s meeting. Everything is perfectly soundproof—naturally—so even the tell-tale sound of important, billion-dollar business being conducted in muted tones behind one of those doors isn’t there to help me out.

  I look at the four personal-assistants-slash-watchdogs now sitting at attention behind their desks, each of their eyes trained politely but suspiciously on yours truly.

  I plaster a broad smile on my face and approach the one who looks least likely to tell me to fuck off.

  “Hi, I’m here for the Singapore meeting?”

  She studies me, completely unconvinced. “And your name is?”

  “Mr. Wilmington. Yes, I’m related.”

  I leave off the first name, just in case Dad has put me on the no-fly list.

  “Hmm,” she says without a hint of deference. “And your first name, Mr. Wilmington?”

  “Bryce,” I confess.

  “I see,” she murmurs. Which tells me everything. “How did you get onto this floor?”

  “I was put into the system by Pierce Wilmington himself. You can check.” I decide to do myself the favor of leaving off the suffix, informing her as to which Pierce Wilmington I’m referring. “Because I need to get to this meeting.”

  She still doesn’t look impressed. “The meeting started twenty minutes ago, and I’m afraid I don’t have you on the list of people who are to be in attendance.”

  Good grief, she could make the guards at Fort Knox seem like the Keystone Cops.

  “It was a last-minute addition. I have information vital to this deal that I was working on for them.” I lean in and give her a sympathetic smile. “Do you really want to be responsible for this billion-dollar deal going south because you wouldn’t let me in?”

  She finally shows the first signs of cracking—and it’s all I need. One quick dart of her eyes to a door behind me to my left tells me where the meeting is.

  “Thanks!” I rush toward that door.

  “Mr. Wilmington!”

  I reach it before she can rise up and stop me. It’s blessedly unlocked. I shake my head at the hubris of the powerful in their domains.

  I open the door and quickly close it behind me. Around the large conference table, set in front of a view that is probably worth a billion dollars, I see four Asian men, presumably from Singapore. My brother is also seated, giving me a sardonic smile. Dad, at the head of the table, has the exact opposite of a smile.

  If looks could kill….

  The door is opened behind me and Ms. Voice of Authority attempts to set things right.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Wilmington. I have no idea how he even got access to this floor. I tried to stop him.”

  “Just call security, Gladys,” my father says, giving me a hard look.

  “Yes sir,” she says as she gives me a scowl, then quickly exits to do just that.

  “Calling security? On your own son?” I say in a mocking voice. “That’s low, father.”

  “I apologize for the disruption,” he says, ignoring me in favor of the four unknown men at the table.

  “I would also apologize for t
he disruption, but this will be quick,” I say, giving a gracious smile to each of the men, who look understandably bewildered. I catch my brother biting back a laugh that could probably have him escorted out of the building as quickly as my ass is about to be.

  I turn my attention to my father and lose the smile in favor of a hard stare. “I just came to give you my answer to your ultimatum. You know the one where you forced me to choose between maintaining control of the magazine I damn well started and the woman I damn well plan on spending the rest of my life with?”

  His brow creases with barely controlled outrage.

  I suck air in through my teeth, pretending to be filled with self-reproach. “Oops. I guess I gave it away there—my answer, that is. Because yes, I do plan on marrying Lola Edie Hartman, Dad.” I turn to each of the four unknown men. “That’s right, the daughter of Cassandra LeFleur and Alfred Hartman. If you don’t know who they are, I suggest a google search. From what I hear, they are both characters.” My eyes land firmly on Dad and narrow with taunting contempt. “Especially back in the eighties.”

  “Get. Out!” Dad says, finally losing his cool, even though his business guests only seem even more confused. They obviously have no idea who I’m talking about.

  I wish I could tell him about the baby just to watch him have a complete meltdown. But I’ll die before dishonoring Edie’s wishes.

  I ignore him and turn my attention back to the four men. “Oh and, while you’re at it, you may want to look up the website Pierce Wilmington the third dot come, that’s with three i’s.” I shoot a wicked grin to my father, causing that crease of concern in his forehead to turn into a perfect abyss.

  As promised to my brother, Dad’s face turns a delicious shade of red. I’ll definitely pay for this, but it’s worth it just to watch him squirm like an eel out of water.

  “I’ll take care of this, Dad,” Pierce finally says, casually rising from his seat and rounding the table to confront me.

  Having said my piece, I follow him as he wordlessly leads me out, Pierce maintaining a straight face the whole time. Security has arrived by the time we exit the conference room.