Page 25 of Breaking Point
Brion, the coffee stall manager, came up to the railings and held out a cappuccino.“I’ve been watching you for the last three minutes.The expression on your face says you need this,” he said.
Luciana straightened and tried to smile at him.“Brion, I…thank you.”Her voice was strained.She took the cup.Her hand trembled and she gripped the handle of the cup to make it stop.She wondered if Brion had noticed.
He touched his forehead with the back of his finger.It was half a salute and half a wave goodbye.“Maybe sip that and relax a moment, huh?”
“Thank you.I will,” Luciana told him.Nothing on the computer behind her could possibly draw her back to work matters today, so she was speaking truthfully.
She moved around the business tower to the area beyond it.She had laid out a carpet and three armchairs here.She hosted meetings there, and invited people who lingered at the rail to sit a while and talk instead.
Had she been wrong about Brice?Had she miscalculated?Had she misunderstood the shift in the relationship…and yes, itwasa relationship, although she was now even less certain what the relationship was.She had thought, after the arena tragedy, that things had changed.
Why had she left the matter alone?Why hadn’t she insisted they speak about it, so that she knew where she stood?
You’re gutless, Luciana.You’re still just a meek little mother under the business clothes.
Luciana put the cup on the flat arm of the chair, and gripped her hands together.She was chilled and shivering, even though the sunlights were at summer strength.
What was she supposed to do now?
Chapter Nine
FOR THREE DAYS, LUCIANA DIDnothing.
She took care of any business that must be dealt with, and everything else she put off.She canceled and rescheduled appointments.She didn’t do her daily rounds of the market.She didn’t stop by Brion’s stall for coffee, either.She ignored messages, and avoided the Forum.
She sat in her house, and watched mindless entertainment…or tried to.Her mind slipped away from the plot and she would come to minutes later and realize that even though she had been staring at the screen, she had processed nothing of the story.Instead, her mind was back to Brice and that damn kiss.
Had she misinterpreted?
Their heads together.The way the red head had leaned against Brice.How close together their heads had been…..
Had he been parading the woman around the ship for days or weeks?Was Luciana a laughingstock now?The silly woman from the Capitol, with pretentions of becoming a great businessman, who had no clue that she had been….
…what, exactly?
And so her mind would circle, over and over again.
After three days, shehadto at least engage with the real world.She rose stiffly from the lumpy sofa, a leftover from Devar’s childhood, and went through the motions of preparing for the day.
It was Endurance day.The entire ship took the day off and headed to the Palatine for a picnic by the river.There would be free food and drinks, music and other performances, speeches, and miniature fireworks.
She had agreed to go to the picnic with Brice over a week ago.While she dressed, she seriously considered just not showing up.
Only that would bring him to the house to find out what was wrong.She was surprised he hadn’t shown up at the door on any of the last two nights, wondering why she hadn’t come to the house after work, which had become her habit.Work, then dinner—often one that Brice cooked—then the evening together.Sometimes out, often just sitting on the sofas and being together.They would talk, or not talk.
She would return home in the morning, ready for another day just like it.
Luciana hadn’t stepped out of her house for nearly three days, so why hadn’t he asked her what had happened?Or was he too wrapped up in his latest…acquisition, to notice that she wasn’t there?
Stop that, Luciana!She railed at herself as she stepped out of the house and shut the door.She wasn’t the only Capitolino wending their way to the Artery, bags and blankets and sun hats in hand, heading for the Palatine.She joined the small flow of people, while lecturing herself.You still don’t know what this is all about.
In her gut, she knew.And the evidence confirming it was mounting.
Brice was waiting by the flat rock beside the river when she reached the picnic area.The river ran behind the elevated stage, so he was easy to find.
He smiled at her.“I have a blanket staked out.”He held out his hand.“I’ll show you where.Then we can get some food.”
The long row of food printers sat to one side of the stage, looking oddly out of place, for they sat on the grass, instead of being mounted into a wall.Lines of people waited to use the printers already.
