Page 21 of Bryce

She would be a foolto forget who he was and what he represented. He was not the gawkyteenager who had given her the first kiss and labored over her body,whispering how much he loved her. That boy had matured into agorgeous man – a movie star and certainly very experienced.

He had gone on tobigger and better things while she had… She shook her head asshe pounded on the dough. She had been involved with one other guy,and it had been disastrous. She had been frozen in time. And she wasokay with it. Or was she? The errant thought haunted her enough tomake her stop and blow out a breath.

Of course she was.They would go back to being friends and that was the end of that.Nothing more. He would go back to his world, and she would marrysomeone like William, she grimaced at the thought of it. He was anice guy, but boring as hell.

So what? She thoughtangrily as she painted the dough with homemade honey and butter. So,the hell what? Was she being fair to William? He was not BryceWhitlock, but then again, no one was. He was a decent man who workedfor a living. He was an accountant and… She closed her eyesbriefly and put aside the brush.

Picking up the dishof raisons, she liberally added them to the dough. And decided thatshe was not going to overthink anything.

*****

“If I wasn’talready madly in love and married to that gorgeous man, I would askfor your hand. Straight or not.” Sandra grabbed the white paperbag and inhaled the delicious cream pastries. “I love you.”

Zahra laughed at herfriend’s enraptured expression and went to see about making teain the tiny kitchenette. She had escaped as soon as Jessica arrived,telling herself that she was not running away.

She needed to see herfriend and run some errands. Go to the bank, that sort of thing. Shehad left Bryce ensconced in the library, making phone calls andcurled up on a sofa with a book next to him.

She brought back thetea and set it in front of her friend. The shop was not buzzing atthe moment and besides, Sandra’s assistant was out front.

“Now, bitch…”She bit into the delicate pastry and closed her eyes in delight. “Imight be in love with you, but I am still upset. Why the hell didn’tyou tell me you have a celebrity staying at the inn?”

She poured teacarefully and contemplated how much to tell her friend. They wereclose and told each other mostly everything, but some things were toopersonal to share. Not even to a woman she considered her bestfriend.

“It’sBryce Whitlock.”

“I know who hedamn well is. Action star hero of the big screen. I almost waddled myway up there to make a fool of myself and fall at his feet.”Sandra eyed her curiously. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“He wanted tobe somewhere he would not be harassed.”

“He’s abloody well-known movie star. How did he think he would accomplishthat impossible task?” She demanded.

“I know him.”

“Of course youdo. He’s known to every blessed soul who has a TV or a smartphone or a tablet.”

“No,” sheshook her head and handed her friend the cup. “I knew him whenwe were children. We went to school together.”

She almost lost theplot at the blank expression on the girl’s face.

“That’slike saying Brad Pitt and I were neighbors. What do you mean you wentto school with him and why on earth have you never said anything?”

“I neverthought of it.”

“You never…,”Sandra threw up her hands in disgust. “Girl, we sat in thatstuffy movie theater watching ‘Hot on the Trail’, justtwo months ago and I was salivating. He had blood all over him andthat shirt clinging to his very buffed chest and a black band overhis forehead to keep the sweat from going into his eyes. And younever said a word.”

“You weresalivating, I was not.”

Sandra glared at herand considered. “Come to think of it. You were as cool ascucumber. I wondered about that. You knew him. How well?”

“We werefriends,” she said casually as she picked up her cup.

“You werefriends. With that gorgeous hunk and never said a word. Why not?”

“It was no bigdeal.”

Her friend simplystared at her in shock. “Not a big deal. That man happens to bethe most successful male actor, on a level with Brad Pitt and JasonStatham and you said it’s not a big deal. Who the hell areyou?”

Forcing herself toappear nonchalant, Zahra picked up a pastry even though she was nothungry and took a nibble.

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