Page 42 of Bryce

“And you said?”

“No.” Sheshook her head. “He would just be using me as a diversion.”

“You said youknew him before.”

“Yes.”She wanted something to do with her hands and to stay away from thetopic.

“You were notjust friends, were you?”

“No.”There was no help for it. Shoving from the chair, she went to thetable where several bouquets were already there. The one from Brianwas huge. Picking it up, she inhaled the scent and closed her eyes.Turning around, she met her friend’s gaze. “We werelovers. He was my first and I was his.”

Sandra stared at herin shock. “You were childhood sweethearts, and you never said aword.”

“There wasnothing to say.” She wandered the room and went to the window.It was still wet out and the overhanging clouds looked ominous. “Heleft and broke my heart, and I got over it.”

“Apparentlynot.”

Her friend’squiet voice had her spinning around. The protest on her lips died aslow death.

“No.” Sheadmitted, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “Ithought I had but seeing him brought it all back up.”

“And he wantsto rekindle the flame.”

The flame is alreadyblazing out of control, she thought dismally, but did not say it toher friend. What she was feeling was too raw, too private to share.Her heart was already leaving with him. What she had feared hadhappened.

She was in love withhim. Had always been it seems. As long as she lived, he would be theonly man who could ever touch the heart of her. It was damn welldepressing.

“Yes.”She firmed her lips. “But it’s not going to happen, andwe should concentrate on you.”

“We will talkagain….Oh! I think it’s time.”

An hour later,holding the adorable little boy in her arms, Zahra felt the tearsburning the back of her throat.

“He’sbeautiful.”

“Of course heis,” Sandra grinned. Now that the ordeal was over and herhusband was on a flight back home, she could smile. All was well withthe world. “And no woman is going to be good enough for him.Bring him here to mama.”

“Of course, Iwas admiring his little fingers and toes.” She handed the babyto her friend and watched as Sandra cradled the infant, anindescribable expression on her face. She wanted that, Zahra thought,but felt as if it was out of her reach. And it made her feeldepressed.

Chapter 11

She barely made itback to the inn in the late afternoon before the freak storm hit.Sandra had insisted on her staying until Brian came, and she had notfound an argument against it.

She figured that bythe time she got back, he would be gone. It suited her well. Theplace would be empty because the other couples had left shortlybefore she had to run out to see to Sandra.

And she was notexpecting anyone until next week. Driving into the cobbled driveway,she sat behind the wheel and stared out at the wind whipping theleaves on the trees. The sky was a sickly gray-green color, and therain had already started.

Fall was asunpredictable as spring, and she had witnessed her fair share ofthese wild storms. Enough to galvanize her into getting out of thecar and rushing inside before it unleashed its fury.

The wind tugged andbuffeted at her and it was a struggle to get to the porch. Oncethere, she tugged the covered chairs inside the hallway to preventthem from getting soaked. Taking a deep breath, she dragged off hersodden jacket and sat to take off her boots.

Jessica had left afire glowing in the hearth, bless her soul. She was about to hunt upfor candles and a flashlight when lightening pierced the sky and thelights went out.

“Blast!”She whispered, rubbing her hands over her arms. The glow from thefire was enough to light the way so that she could see and feel herway to the kitchen where she kept the supplies.

Sighing in relief,she lit the candles and turned on the flashlight. The place was assilent as a tomb, except for the fury going on outside. Brancheslashed at the windows, and it felt as if a giant hand was shaking thevery foundation.

The inn was on aslight incline, so she did not worry about flooding. Leaking inplaces maybe and she hoped the roof was sturdy enough to handle theamount of water pouring from the sky.

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