“You’ve hardly lived a lifetime, Shana. You’re only thirty-four,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
She tips her lips up in a pathetic attempt at a grin.
“Is this about Professor Grant?” I ask cautiously.
She looks around, scanning the area. Satisfied no one is within hearing distance, she exhales loudly. “I fucked up, Devon… really, truly fucked up. Jesus, what was I thinking?”
“Is this about your decision to follow your career?”
“Yes, I was an idiot.”
“Why?” I question softly, reaching for her hand.
“I could have had it all, everything I ever dreamed of, but I was too ambitious and arrogant. Leaving Henry was the worst decision ever. I didn’t know it at the time, but these last two months here with him proved I’m a fool.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“He’s still perfect for me. He knew in Brazil I was coming to Virginia, and that my network rented me a corporate apartment, but his mind was more focused on the Summer Expo, so we didn’t really talk about it. When I moved in, the first thing I did was invite him to dinner. That night, I let it all out. There was no reason to keep dancing around what happened all those years ago.”
“Oh my God. What happened?”
“In true Henry fashion, he was understanding, supportive, and one hundred percent forgiving—no hard feelings, no regrets. He held no animosity or anger. We decided to never discuss it again. Gradually, we’ve built this incredible relationship. The last eight weeks have been more than I could ever wish for.”
“Maybe I’m missing something, but this all sounds like really great news. It was obvious at the game a few weeks ago that you have chemistry. No one could miss the way he looked at you, or the way he held you close when you walked away.”
“That’s what kills me. This could have been the last nine years—us together, living the life we should have had. Guilt eats me inside. He’s trying to help me get over it, but I’ve cried more in the last month than I have in my life… and that’s saying a lot.
“He wouldn’t have a son with another woman, a beautiful little boy who fills him with happiness and purpose, but each time I see him, he reminds me of my mistake.”
“Shana, there’s no way for me to strip away the hurt, but you’re overlooking a few things. You’re an inspiration to women all over the world at an extremely young age. Journalism aside, you’ve accomplished major achievements that stand out. People trust and respect you. That is why they allow you into their homes and businesses to do your stories. You may be sad, but nothing you have done is a mistake. You’re back now, fighting for the love of your life. He’s forgiven you and opened the door for a future together. You have to stop looking back.”
Her eyes gloss over with unshed tears, and she visibly swallows, holding them in. The hand under mine flips and squeezes as her face clears of sadness.
“You’re a spunky little thing, aren’t you? Can’t believe I unloaded on you like that.”
“Anytime. But I’m glad to know it worked out with Professor Grant. Quinn and I had a complete plan when school started. Good thing we didn’t have to meddle. That could have gotten embarrassing.”
“Dynamic duo, huh? Trying to sprinkle love on everyone?”
“Something like that.”
“You do know that you can never, ever take another one of Henry’s classes now, right? You know too much.”
I smile and nod. “Good thing I already had him for my courses then.”
“Enough heavy stuff. Let’s talk about your next and final semester.” She smiles widely, her mood changing completely.
We go over my class options, and she openly gives me her opinion on the courses.
I make a mental note. This weekend, Bryce and I are going to discuss our wedding. It’s time.
Chapter 17
My heart sinks when I spot Nate, not Bryce, leaning against his truck in the hotel parking lot. He pushes off and meets me at my car, helping me out.
“Hey, sis.”
“Hey. How are you?”
“Wiped. Long day, actually, long week. Glad you’re here.” He reaches in my back seat to get my bag. “Bryce got caught up with a last minute project. He sent me to get you.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, but he couldn’t call and didn’t want you to worry, so I came to get you checked in. I can take you to base. He’ll only be about an hour.”
“Let me get changed.”
“Absolutely.” He throws his arm around my shoulders and ushers me inside the hotel.
Once we get the keys and get into the room, Nate drops my bag on the floor and falls across the bed.
“Get ready.” He closes his eyes, using his hat to cover his face.
I change quickly and then sit on the bed, nudging his arm. “Can I hold your phone? I’d like to forward a few of the pictures we took from the graduation to myself. I keep forgetting to ask Bryce to send any. Thought it may be nice to get a few framed.”
“Sure.” He unlocks his phone and hands to me.
I scroll through and send a few to myself, hoping the quality is good enough to upload. I freeze when I come across one of Bryce and the girl from the ceremony. He has his usual grin, but she’s smiling brightly, her face glowing. Her head is tilted and leaning on his shoulder in a more than platonic way. My heartbeat speeds and thumps against my chest.
I glance over and see Nate’s eyes are still closed, so I scroll through his text messages to see if it was forwarded or if he took it. Because if he did, I’m going to have a whole lot of questions.
The text was sent the night after graduation, when Bryce and I were already back in Virginia. The name is saved under Liza, and the caption reads “Love this picture of the two of us. We make a great pair.” She sent it to Bryce, too. I lose my breath momentarily then grow slightly dizzy at the implication. Does she know about me? And what does she mean by ‘we make a great pair’?
“You about done?” Nate startles me, and I click out of his messages.
“If you’re tired, we can stay here.”
“I’m fine.” He gets up and pats me on the head. “Let’s get your ass to Randolph. He’s about to crawl out of his skin.”
His words do little to reassure me, but I decide not to put him on the spot. I’ll ask Bryce about this girl later. For now, I try to play it off. “It has been almost a month since we’ve seen each other.”
He cuts his eyes to me and shakes his head.
My excitement builds when we get onto the Navy base, the unease from earlier lifting. As we drive, he points out the main buildings. When the ships come into sight, my eyes almost pop out of my head. It’s beyond incredible. Nothing could prepare me for the sheer size and magnitude of these vessels.
“Pretty amazing, huh?”
“I can’t believe it. Can we go on one?”
“I think Bryce is working on getting you a tour, but for now, we’re meeting him at the commissary.”
We pass the area where their base housing is located, and Nate points out their place. Bryce explained their furnished two bedroom, two bath was clean and well kept, but it was a complete bachelor pad. They were hardly ever there, so they had only the basics. It was a quick decision to live on base for a while, getting used to their new roles, but they had their name on a wait list for a townhome nearby.
“Why didn’t we meet him at your place?”
“I needed to pick up a few things, so it was my idea.”
Bryce isn’t here yet, so we sit at a table outside and wait. Nate explains his job. He and Bryce have similar roles, but with different teams and areas of the ship. I bring up the latest version of the diving article on my phone and show him all the pictures I chose. He’s making fun of me about my dive when I’m hoisted from behind and swung around.
I squeal loudly as strong arms squeeze me, shaking me lightly. “Hey, superstar!” To
mmy Betts booms. “We finally got you here!”
“Hey, Tommy,” I hug him back. “Good to see you.”
“You ugly prick, you want to let my girl down?” Bryce runs up, out of breath and his face beet red.
Tommy lowers me slowly, his body vibrating with laughter.
I turn and jump into Bryce’s arms, not caring about the sweat pouring down his cheeks. His lips seal over mine, and I almost groan when our tongues touch. The taste of spearmint fills my mouth. He pulls back too quickly, nibbling on my lower lip. His eyes dance with happiness.
“Hey, babe.”
“Hey, yourself.”
“Shit, you should have seen your face!” Tommy yells, still cracking up. “Priceless.”
“Payback is a fucking bitch, Betts. Remember that,” Bryce snarls.
I step back and notice we’ve been joined by a small group. I recognize Tommy and Rick from graduation, but there’s another man and woman watching us with amusement. My gut coils when I recognize her not only from the ceremony, but also the recent picture on Nate’s phone. Bryce introduces them as John and Liza. The minute I touch Liza’s hand, my blood runs cold.
When our eyes meet, her gaze is no longer amused but indifferent. There’s no warmth or kindness at all. Her stare alone makes me uncomfortable.
Bryce kisses my neck gently, and her face turns to stone.
“Stop, you dipshit.” Nate slaps the back of Bryce’s head. “I’ll say it again—she’s still my baby sister.”
Anyone not paying attention would miss it, but I don’t. Liza’s eyes slice between Nate and me then land on Bryce. Bitterness pours from her gaze. She catches me watching and holds my stare.
“How was your drive?” Bryce wraps his arms around my waist, oblivious to the silent show between Liza and me.
“Great. Why are you all sweaty?”
Tommy and Rick start howling again, John joins in.
“Dickhead over here,” Bryce motions to Tommy, “left me behind. Thought it would be funny to make me run.”
“You running wasn’t the funny part. It was watching your face in the rear-view mirror when I told you I’d get to your girl first.”
“Hardy-har-har. Told you, payback’s a bitch. We may find ourselves too busy to come to the party tomorrow.”
Tommy’s dark face pales, all humor gone. “Man, Nicole will kick my ass if you two aren’t there.”
“I’m feeling a sharp pain in my calf.” Bryce bends over dramatically, rubbing his leg.
“He’s joking! Of course we’ll be there.” I slap his shoulder and smile at Tommy. “Aren’t we celebrating a birthday?”
“TJ’s going to be one next week, but it’ll be small. We’ll have a family party next time our folks can get here.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Did Bryce talk to you about our favor?” he asks nervously.
“Sure did, and I’ll be there early to get the family shots.”
When Tommy found out about my love of photography and saw some of my pictures, he asked Bryce if I’d take some pictures of his son, TJ, and their family at the party. They’ve never gotten formal family portraits, and Nicole really wanted some nice shots. I agreed immediately.
I smile sweetly and look directly at Liza. Her face is twisted in confusion.
“You guys want to grab a beer?” Rick asks.
“Not us. We’ve got dinner plans. See y’all tomorrow.” Bryce links our hands and tugs, indicating he’s ready to go.
I give Nate, Tommy, and Rick a quick hug and wave politely to Liza and John. She’s no longer giving me a death stare but is looking at Bryce with sadness. Maybe she didn’t know about me? That seems impossible, but regardless, obviously, Bryce isn’t hiding his feelings.
“We have dinner plans?” I question Bryce when we’re out of earshot.
“Oh, yeah.” He raises his eyebrows, and his face splits into a knowing smile. “I definitely know what I’m having for dinner.”
A rush of heat travels through me. Liza’s quickly forgotten.
*****
The nervous anxiety I had about meeting Bryce’s friends is gone three seconds after we walk through the door. There are no introductions before Nicole Betts yanks me into a tight hug and squeals in my ear. “Devon, it’s so good to meet you.”
“You too.” I pat her back. She obviously shares her husband’s love for affection. She releases me and goes for Bryce.
He kisses her on the cheek, smiling.
When she stands back, I finally get a good look at her. I have to fight my jaw from dropping. She’s stunning. Looking at her is like looking at Vanessa Williams—beautiful mocha skin, sleek styled hair, striking blue eyes. When she smiles, her entire face lights up. Bryce runs his fingers down my arm lightly, breaking my trance. She stands back, inviting us in, as Tommy yells from somewhere in the house.
“I’m going to help him. Be right back.” She disappears down a hallway and toward the sound of baby laughter.
Bryce leads me to the kitchen and sits down on a stool, situating me between his legs.
“Remember the plan?”
“Yes, but I still don’t understand why we need an exit strategy. These are your friends.”
“We need a strategy because there’s a bed back at the hotel calling our names,” he whispers and kisses along my jawline. “We have weeks of ‘sexual frustration’ to make up for.”
I suck in a breath and try to step back, but his hands trap my hips. “I thought we did that last night and this morning.”
“Weeks, Devon. The image of you in that uniform with your mouth wrapped around my dick has kept me hard.” The heat of his breath on my ear sends a tingle down my spine.
“Bryce, stop,” I mutter breathlessly and squirm. “We—”
“That is HOT!” Nicole’s voice cuts me off.
I turn to see her and Tommy in the kitchen doorway with a baby on her hip. She uses her free hand to fan her face, and I cringe, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Bryce chuckles against my neck. I force myself to step away, and Nicole gives me a small smile, her eyes twinkling.
“This must be TJ?”
“This is him. We’d better act fast. This outfit won’t stay clean for long.”
He understands we are talking about him and starts scrambling to get down. I’ve never taken photos with children, but I know we need to hurry. The patio is already set up for the party, but I spot a perfect area in the backyard with great lighting.
“You guys okay with outdoor shots?” They nod in agreement and follow me.
Other guests start arriving while we’re taking pictures, and TJ loses interest in the minimal amount of posing I could get out of him. Tommy takes him as Nicole and I look through my image viewer at the results.
“Bryce brags about your photography talent to Tommy all the time. Thank you for doing this.” She puts an arm around my shoulders.
“I love it.”
“You want to make a career out of it?”
“I’m going to try my best. There’s still a lot I have to learn.”
“I’ve only been around Bryce a few times, but the way he tells it, you’re the shit. Nate says the same thing.”
Pride surges through me. “Those two are biased.”
She opens her mouth but snaps it shut. Her eyes grow wide, and I follow their path to the patio. TJ is squealing at the lady coming through the back door with a bundle of brightly colored balloons and her arms full.
“That’s our neighbor, Mrs. Knicks. She loves spoiling TJ.”
“Go greet her. I’ll take a few more snapshots of the cake and party. Then you’ll have more for your album.”
She gives me a loud-smacking kiss on the cheek and yells to the crowd, “Bryce, your fiancée is a gem!”
“I know!” he yells back, and heat creeps up my cheeks.
She runs to the house, and I snap shots of the crowd, the cake, the p
resents, and TJ toddling clumsily toward the bright displays. I try to get a picture of everyone arriving. I freeze when I notice Bryce talking to a woman I don’t recognize. My heart starts to race as she throws her head back laughing and puts her hand against his chest. Another guy joins them, handing her a beer. When she turns and locks eyes with me, my chest tightens. Liza’s glare is full of disgust.
Out of her uniform, Liza looks like a totally different person. Her outfit hugs her curves in all the right ways to highlight her body. The bun is gone, and now, her long dark hair falls in waves down her back. She’s wearing more make-up than yesterday, and her smoky eyes scream “night at a club” not “backyard bar-be-que”.
We are opposites in every way. My light blond hair contrasts with her dark. My green eyes don’t seem a match for her shining hazels. We’re built similarly, but her hips and waist seem a lot sexier in the tight black leggings.
Suddenly, I feel frumpy in my jeans and black sweater. Without words, she sends me a challenge.
Fiancée or not, I’m interested in Bryce.
“Dev.” Nate walks up, ending my silent confrontation.
“Hey.” I give him a smile.
“That’s pathetic.” He takes a tug of his beer and then focuses back on me. “You really need to perfect your fake smile.”
“What?”
“Seriously?”
“Fine. I think Liza just threw down regarding Bryce.”
“Probably.” He surprises me by agreeing.
“You knew?”
“Had a feeling. She’s got that look on her face when he’s around.”
“Should I be worried?”
He turns to me with a horrified expression. “Worried? The guy is so fucking gone, he’d die before he hurt you. Do I need to remind you of his proposal? She can throw herself at him all she wants, but he’ll never catch her. He’s oblivious to her advances.”
“How is she involved with this crew?”
“She’s a newly appointed officer on the ship.”
Staying on Course Page 12
