reckless hearts: vegas nights

by richmond, lucretia

  Brock put the baby���s bags in the second bedroom where he would sleep with Bella Rose, Brock got the loft either way he was happy to have a regular bed.

  ���Do you come here often?��� Bella Rose had become interested the life of the woman who offered her, her home for safety.

  ���I try to.��� Luanne lied.

  She didn���t talk about her sister or about her death, it was too much to go through again. If it were possible she would have her back again, her sister was the only friend she had. She knew Avery would have been proud of her accomplishments. They were more like twins, they both wanted to strive in their own businesses, they finished each other���s sentences; they had a strong love for the outdoors. Avery would stand outside by the river and paint everything she saw many of her paintings still remained in the cabin. She hadn���t put them out, but she thought of it the second they entered how much color was needed and what her art would add to it. She would stay out there until sunset, taking in what creativity would come to her. It was a gift their mother had given to her, Luanne had gotten the gift of drawing. She knew she could have made a living out of it, opened a studio to sell her sister���s paintings, it was what they had talked about before she died.

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  It was what she had wanted, to display her work around the world. Luanne thought of the money she had saved in the bank and hadn���t touched since she began the collection for her own building. There was a strip mall in Meadowbrook she had always had her eyes on, she thought it would have been perfect if only she had gathered up the courage for what she needed.

  Reese wasn���t one to let anyone get under his skin, but Georgiana did, his partner was going downhill because of what she did. The last thing he wanted was for her to destroy any more families. Mickey told him about Brock and how she was infatuated with him. He knew what could be meant for Brock and his girlfriend. With all the information he had on her, it still wasn���t enough to put her in handcuffs. Georgiana knew she was being followed and enjoyed the attention, even though it wasn���t the man she wanted it to be from.

  Brock had thought of leaving Vegas after he finished his album, but with the way things were going with Bella Rose and Luanne he knew he was going to have a reason to stay.

  They were two of the most beautiful women he had known, he didn���t know he had gotten that way.

  Luanne wasn���t going to tell them of her plans of moving to Meadowbrook, she thought it would have been better if she left quietly.

  Although not telling Brock about her pregnancy, would been a bad thing, she didn���t see herself in competition with Bella Rose not after seeing Brock with Christopher Samuel, she was his first love. How could she come between them?

  She didn���t know how Brock felt about her or if he would have been ready for another baby but she knew their relationship was at a standstill.

  If it hadn���t been for Georgiana, Luanne wouldn���t have gone back to the cabin and making her life changes. She was hoping their lives would find peace soon and she could begin what she needed, there was a shop with her name on it.

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  She knew Brock would be happy. Luanne couldn���t see it any other way. She stood by the river the same spot her sister would stand in and take in the fresh cool breeze.

  Yes, she could raise a child here.

  ���You���re in deep thought.��� Brock walked up behind her. ���We���re going to be okay you know.���

  Luanne stopped telling Brock what was on her mind and he did wonder why. What was the purpose? All he thought of was Bella Rose and Christopher not that she blamed him.

  ���I can see why you���re family loves it here.��� He tried keeping up conversation, she was quiet; too quiet.

  ���We would come here every summer, go fishing and swimming everything little girls dream of and have our dinners in the sunroom.��� It wasn���t all picture perfect.

  Before her sister died, Avery had gotten into trouble started drinking and partying, letting her paintings go.

  Luanne didn���t see it, didn���t see her sister was hurting . Avery didn���t talk about the pain she was in, she kept it hidden.

  Luanne blamed herself.

  ���How���d she do it? ��� Brock finally got the nerve to ask. He didn���t want to put her in that dark place.

  ���Pills. She swallowed a bottle of pills along with a bottle of vodka.��� Luanne replied wiping the tears from her eyes.

  ���Maybe this is your time to heal.��� Avery didn���t fight her pain, Luanne could.

  Move on to what? Luanne thought. Meadowbrook was a town she could escape from, a town where she would be alone with a baby of her own. Could she really keep it a secret from him? He could find out the truth and know just where to find her. She wouldn���t keep the baby from him, but to be a part of his life was more than she could handle.

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  Chapter Ten

  There was a voice inside of her head telling her this was the right thing to do, a feeling so strong she had to listen. It was what her sister would have wanted, she knew that. She went down into the basement and found her paintings stored in the secret room. There was one painting that stood out more than the rest, the last one she had ever done. Maybe if she had seen it as she was painting it, it would have explained more. It perhaps could have saved her sister���s life. The thought of it had never had occurred to her until she was looking at it. There was a powerful stroke she used, one she had never used before. There was something different about it, something Luanne couldn���t quite put her finger on. She thought it was mysterious, it was as though she was speaking what she was feeling through her art what she couldn���t say out loud not even to her own sister. It was a painting she couldn���t sell, she decided as she took it upstairs to her room. She would examine it more.

  They hadn���t heard or seen Georgiana in days, they were wondering if they were free of her but to find out meant returning to Vegas something neither of them wanted to do.

  Bella Rose was still in the clear, Georgiana hadn���t tried anything on her, yet. If only she could use that against her.

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  ���No, no its too dangerous.��� Brock already didn���t like the sound of her plan. ���Neither of you are safe near her. Look what she tried to do to Luanne.��� He didn���t want her doing it, if Georgiana had suspected anything it could have meant something awful for her.

  Bella Rose wanted to take that chance for her son, she didn���t want him running away from fear. She thought Brock would have understood. They had lives back home, careers.

  Sitting and waiting was driving her crazy. ���I think she has a point, not hearing from Bella Rose could be more suspicious for Georgiana. I think we might have jumped the gun a little.���

  Brock couldn���t believe what he was hearing. ���I still don���t think it���s a good idea, what about the baby? I don���t want him anywhere near her.���

  He couldn���t believe how the day was going, when it started off beautifully. It seemed he wasn���t going to get through to her. She was going to do it her way. ���I���ll be fine and Christopher will be fine.��� She reassured him.

  Bella Rose didn���t like the idea of driving back alone but she knew she had to. They had to know what Georgiana���s next plan was and Bella Rose was still close to her. She had to think of what she would say and how her behavior would be, she couldn���t let on that she knew anything.

  Bella Rose didn���t want to know what it could mean for her if Georgiana found out the truth. Being back in her own apartment left her with the feeling of dread, she laid the baby down in his bassinet and made herself a cup of tea to calm her nerve
s. She knew she couldn���t contact her too soon even though she was already feeling impatient.

  Georgiana���s birthday was in two days, she thought as she stood in front of the living room window watching the rain; a peaceful night she thought already missing the cabin. She had to do what she needed to and she was prepared for anything.

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  Luanne was happy to have the time alone with Brock, she thought of telling him almost brought it up many times then the image of Bella Rose and Christopher popped into her head. She wasn���t going to have this again, she thought. He would go back to Vegas and she would stay in Meadowbrook where she belonged. If she hadn���t been given the interview she would have never met him, but then she would not have the child growing within her. If her sister was still alive she would have pushed Luanne to tell him the truth, she knew a child should know its father and she wouldn���t keep that information from her own baby. Looking in Brock���s eyes, she felt her heart melt all over again she wanted it to be that way for as long as possible.

  ���Everything will be perfect again.��� He reassured her.

  Not as perfect as you think, she thought. How it hurt her to know she would no longer be with him.

  ���Coming to this cabin was a good idea, no matter what memories it brought.��� Luanne knew she would find closure in her sister���s death. It had been eating her up for years, not knowing why she did it. Another reason why she had to stay.

  ���You���ve been blessed, Luanne. Truly blessed.��� He never knew someone like her, who had her strength.

  Luanne agreed, she had been blessed. Her life was still everything she wanted it to be and everything she needed was in Meadowbrook. She thought of her father and mother knew they would love knowing she was taking care of the cabin and not letting it go. She had a lot of work to do when Brock and Bella Rose go back to the city. She was ready for her new career and putting her sister���s work on display for everyone to see what a true artist she really was.

  Bella Rose was anxious to see Georgiana, the first thing she did was go to her apartment and knocked but there was no answer. She called her cell phone and heard it ringing on the inside. She had to be there, she thought.

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  She called for the manager of the apartments to let her in. The manager followed her into Georgiana���s bedroom where they found her lying cold and still, not breathing. She must have been there for a day or two. No one had heard from her and didn���t know why, she must have done it when she couldn���t find Brock.

  As the coroner���s office took her body, Bella Rose felt a sense of relief come over her. She couldn���t wait to tell the other���s it was finally over.

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  Chapter Eleven

  Brock wasn���t surprised when he drove back with Bella Rose and Christopher alone, Luanne had said she needed some time at the cabin by herself. What Luanne didn���t tell them was they would never see her again. She needed a place where she could be herself, she called Debra to quit as disappointed as Debra was, she had expected it. In her mind, Luanne wasn���t cut out for the job, there was something more for her. It was a sweet release to have no more troubles or worries. She knew Georgiana was crazy but didn���t think she would have gone as far as slitting her own wrists. She thought of her parents and what they must have been going through, knowing what her own went through.

  She could still hear the excitement in her parents voices as she told them the news of her opening her own shop right in the heart of Meadowbrook, the anxiety of wanting to sign the papers to the store deepened as she held the pen in her hand. It was happening, it was really happening.

  ���Here are the keys.��� The real estate agent placed them in front of her. She was thrilled. She was taking that chance she never thought she would. She shook his hand happily and couldn���t wait to leave his office and see the store again.

  It was everything she had hoped for and she knew the grand opening of the studio would be amazing. It was hers, all hers.

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  She set up the studio just the way she had wanted it, she just hoped it would have all been a success.

  Brock hadn���t expected to feel the way he did with Luanne still at the cabin, he wished she was there with him at least he had his son. He knew he would be a better father than his own and he was thankful to have the chance to do so, it was important to him and for his son to know love. Brock never knew love from his father, the only thing his father loved was alcohol and women

  His mother died when she was young he was always alone being an only child, the only friend he had was his dog. It meant more to him than Bella Rose knew having a son. He knew it wasn���t easy for her to raise him by herself before he learned the truth, what she must have gone through.

  Bella Rose couldn���t stand it, her bills were piling up she had decided to go through them as Brock was spending time with Christopher, her new album was nearly finished with Georgiana gone she was able to focus on that.

  How everything changed so fast, she thought. She didn���t have time to plan. She knew eventually life would catch up with her she just had to be patient.

  ���This feels so impossible.��� She complained as Brock warmed up the baby���s bottle.

  ���Don���t think of it like that, you have dreams. You know what you want sometimes that is all it takes.��� He had been down the road she was on, feeling hopeless.

  She knew he was right, what she wanted was her album to go off the charts, she needed it and her son needed it; it was their future.

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  Sitting in the small bookstore, Luanne heard a familiar voice.

  ���So you���re the new store owner.��� Mrs. Norwood snuck up behind her, ���I���m glad to see you���ve returned to Meadowbrook.���

  Luanne knew it was going to be a long conversation as she was searching for the perfect book.

  ���Yes, yes I am. I will be selling some of my sister���s artwork there.��� She was nervous about the grand opening she couldn���t lie about that.

  ���Her paintings, that���s wonderful. She had a good eye when it came to nature. It���s a shame what happened to her. I���m terribly sorry your family went through that.��� Mrs. Norwood remembered that day clearly, the town had felt such sorrow.

  ���It was tragic. I wish I could have done something.��� It felt nice for Luanne saying it out loud.

  ���What Tommy McIntire must have also went through.��� Those words confused her, Luanne had no idea what or who she was talking about.

  ���I���m sorry who?��� Luanne asked curiously.

  ���Her boyfriend, Tommy. They had been dating for a year and a half before her death. He had broken off their relationship a month before her death. He was seeing another woman.��� Mrs. Norwood replied.

  It was all starting to make sense, why she had been so depressed. Where the pain had come from. She cared for Tommy deeply and he broke her heart.

  ���Do you know where I could find him?��� Luanne had hoped he was still around in Meadowbrook.

  ���He bought the old Lawson farm over on the hill.��� She graciously answered, she didn���t need to bother ask why she needed to know.

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  It was important for her to see him.

  He wasn���t what she had expected him to be, she had never thought her sister would have ever fallen for a cowboy. When he had answered the door, he knew exactly who she was, he saw the resemblance in her eyes.

  ���I figured I���d be seeing you.��� He said as he let her inside.

  ���You were dating my sister before she died?��� She hoped he would have been straight with her.

/>   ���Yeah I did until I told her about Tiffany.��� He answered.

  He still wasn���t sure why he had told her when he was happy with her, he never meant to hurt.

  ���We met on Valentine���s Day at a friend���s party, she was wearing the most beautiful red dress I couldn���t take my eyes off of her. I remember the feeling I had when I first saw her. I never expected it to last as long as it did or that I would fall for her.��� He thought of her constantly since the party, it was impossible for him to think of anything else.

  ���And she fell for you, hard. What she had been like before you broke up with her were there any changes?��� She sat with him in the den.

  ���No, and I should have paid more attention, I had been so busy I hadn���t had so much time for her.��� He said feeling the guilt, ���I had also been introduced to Tiffany by mother.���

  His mother lived in high society, everything had to be perfect and when his mother met Avery it wasn���t to her liking. She was more than just disappointed and Tommy knew she wouldn���t have been satisfied until she had things her way.

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  ���I didn���t want to marry Tiffany, it was my mother���s doing. I loved Avery.��� Luanne didn���t understand why he didn���t just stand up to his mother. If he loved her, he should have fought harder. ���I would have done anything for her.���

  Perhaps he would have, she thought. She didn���t know him to judge him. There was something that Avery saw in him that made him special. She knew when her sister gave her heart, she gave her all. It wasn���t easy, being in the same room as the man who had broken her heart but knowing he still loved her meant something. She knew he was kind and gentle to her, it was what Luanne had always wanted for her sister.

  ���I know she must have been so happy with you, the way you talk about her.��� She said wishing he had a portrait of them hanging on a wall. She wanted to see what they were like together.