The Way You Love Me

by Donna Hill

  Apryl’s eyes fluttered open. “Sis,” she croaked.

  “Hey,” she said softly. “How are you feeling?”

  Apryl groaned. “Like I was in a car accident,” she said, trying to make light of her situation.

  There was a bruise on her cheek, and her eyes looked slightly swollen. Her lip was cut, but other than that, she looked like herself. That was a relief.

  “The doctor said that you’ll probably go home tomorrow. You’re going to stay with me until you’re feeling better. No argument.”

  She tried to smile but winced instead.

  “What happened?” Bailey pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed.

  “It was so freaking dark, and the rain was crazy,” she said in a halting voice. “The next thing I knew I’d hit a divider.”

  “Where in the world were you going in this weather?”

  “I was going to see John, the guy I was telling you about. Never made it.”

  Bailey slowly shook her head. “The main thing is you’re okay.” She lightly squeezed her hand.

  “You mean you’re not going to fuss me out?”

  “Not this time.” She offered a soft smile. “I’m just happy that it wasn’t worse.”

  A nurse pulled the curtain back. “We’re ready to take you to your room, Ms. Sinclair.” An orderly followed the nurse into the tight space.

  Bailey squeezed by and stepped out while they unlocked the wheels on the bed and connected the IV to a hook on the bed.

  “What room will she be in?” Bailey asked as they began to wheel Apryl out.

  “Third floor. Room C14.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You won’t be able to come up, but you can come back in the morning.” She offered an apologetic smile.

  “Okay.” Bailey walked with them to the elevator and held Apryl’s hand the entire way. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She tenderly brushed her forehead then placed a kiss there. “Get some rest.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they pushed the bed inside. Bailey finger-waved at her sister as the doors closed. For several moments she stood there staring at the door and replaying the events of the evening. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion overtook her, and she felt like her body was going to give out. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and took deep breaths. She opened her eyes and looked around at the rush of nurses and doctors, the anxious faces of family members, heard the clang of metal, orders being barked out and the cries and moans of the sick and injured. She had to get some air.

  When she stepped outside, the wind seemed to have died down, but the rain continued. All she wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. She dashed for her car and stepped into a puddle that reached her ankles. Perfect. By the time she got to her car she was soaked through and through. Her shoes were soggy, and her clothes were sticking to her.

  “Just get me home,” she said and turned on the ignition.

  The drive home was riddled with obstacles from stalled cars to flooded streets. Finally, there was daylight at the end of this seemingly endless tunnel. She was two blocks away from home, and then her car shut off in the middle of the street.

  “Oh, hell, no. Not tonight.” She turned the car off then back on. All she heard was a click. She tried again. And again. Click. Click. She pounded the steering wheel in fury.

  Clearly she couldn’t stay there. She gathered her belongings, checked the glove compartment and took out all of her important papers and stuck them in her purse. She checked around the interior of the car for anything of importance then got out. She locked the door and prayed that it would be there in the morning.

  The streets were beyond dark. There were no streetlights and only intermittent light coming from scattered windows. By the time she reached her front door, she was beyond soaked and felt like a leaking pipe with water dripping off her from everywhere. She left a watery trail up the darkened staircase.

  She opened her apartment door, whispered a silent prayer and flicked on the light switch. Nothing. She felt her way into the kitchen and found two old candles in the overhead cabinet. She was sure she had a flashlight somewhere but didn’t have the energy to look for it. She lit a candle and lighted her way to the bathroom, where she peeled out of her clothes and left them in a wet heap on the floor. She didn’t have the energy for the shower that she desperately needed, but instead dried off with a towel, took her nightshirt off the hook on the back of the bathroom door and put it on. She padded back into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water before plopping down on the couch. She blew out the candle, and the room was sufficed in darkness. Better to hide the tears of exhaustion and frustration.

  * * *

  The sound of sirens and the oppressive heat woke Bailey the following morning. She blinked against the blazing light coming in through the window and slowly sat up. Every muscle in her body ached from having fallen asleep on the couch. She rotated her neck and then pushed up from the couch. Her knees ached. The clock on the microwave was flashing. At least the electricity was back on. She walked to the window and looked outside. The neighborhood was slowly coming to life, and then the events of the night before stiffened her spine. Her sister!

  She hurried over to her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She plugged it in and while it charged she took her much-needed and long-overdue shower. When she’d finished, she felt human again. She checked her phone and there were three messages from Justin. Her stomach fluttered. She went into her voice mail and listened to his calls. He sounded genuinely worried and asked her to please call him no matter what time. His last call was at 3:00 a.m. She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth, literally biting back a smile. He was thinking about her. He was worried about her. She would call him back and let him know she was fine.

  But, first things first. She needed to call the hospital and get the update on her sister, which she did. The on-duty nurse told her that the doctors had not made their rounds and would make a determination then about her discharge. Rounds would be completed about 11:30 a.m. She could call back after that time. Bailey thanked the nurse and hung up. According to the clock on her phone it was just after eight. She had some time to get her place in order for her sister and fix some coffee to get rid of the remaining cobwebs.

  With a mug of coffee in hand, she checked her phone that was now fully charged. She sat down at the kitchen table and called Justin. He picked up on the first ring as if he’d been watching the phone, waiting for her call.

  “Bailey! I was worried sick. Are you all right?”

  “A little worse for wear but I’m okay. Sorry I missed your calls. My phone was dead. We didn’t have any power...and my car... Oh, damn.”

  “What? What happened to your car? Were you in an accident?”

  “Not me, my sister Apryl.” She ran down the events of the evening up to her car dying on the street.

  “I’m getting dressed right now. You stay put.”

  “I can take care of it.”

  “I know you can. That’s not the point. Wait there.”

  “Justin, you don’t have to come. I can handle it.”

  “Goodbye, Bailey. I’ll be there soon.”

  “Justin!”

  “Goodbye, Bailey.” The line went dead.

  She sucked her teeth in an attempt at being annoyed, but she was bubbling inside. As much as she may protest, she didn’t want to deal with the day ahead alone. Now she didn’t have to.

  Chapter 13

  “Girl, you had some kind of night,” Addison said. “Is your car still there?”

  “I sure hope so.” She sighed.

  “At least Justin is coming. He’ll take care of everything. And worst case, he can take you to pick up Apryl from the hospital.”

  “You know that depending on men rubs against me like sandpaper. Depend
ency leads to nothing but trouble and heartache.”

  “Don’t even start with that mess. Independence is fine. Shouting I am woman, hear me roar from the rooftops is fine, but there comes a time when there’s nothing wrong with asking for and accepting help from a man. It’s not going to diminish your womanhood. Did it occur to you that he’s doing this because he cares?”

  “Too late to stop him now,” she groused. “But let me tell you about this gorgeous doctor that is taking care of Apryl. Perfect for you.”

  “You are always so concerned about and fixing everybody else’s life.”

  “Don’t go there again, Addy. Not today.” She had to fix and worry about everyone else. It was the only way she could keep the past at bay, but it was always lurking in the shadows, following her wherever she went. What scared her in a place deep in her soul was that she was mirroring the life of her mother—as much as she tried to fight it.

  Phyllis Sinclair was forty-seven when she took her own life. Saddled with three kids and no man. That was what drove her mother to do the things that she did and to ultimately take her life. Her mother had been gone for five years, and she missed her every single day. The only way she could avoid the path that her mother had taken was never to need or depend on a man. She would maintain her independence at any cost.

  “I have to go, Addy.”

  “Okay, one last thing.”

  “I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to.”

  “Fine.” She paused a beat. “Let him help you, B...this one thing. Accept it gracefully. If for no other reason than because it will feel good, girl.” She laughed.

  Bailey pushed out a breath. “Okay, you’ve badgered me into submission.”

  “That’s what besties are for. Hugs.”

  “Hugs back.” Bailey put down the phone, looked around her apartment and made a mad dash to put everything in order. Justin had never been to her apartment. Suddenly, the sheer white curtains that let in all the sunshine on Crescent Street looked cheap and flimsy. The crack above the sink seemed to be grinning at her. The bedroom was not much better. Her bed, that was always her oasis, appeared bland and insignificant. She closed her bedroom door just as the bell rang. She’d meet him downstairs. There was no reason for him to come up.

  Bailey opened the downstairs front door, and that indescribable sensation sizzled through her at the sight of him. The only reason to be as damned fine as Justin Lawson was to torment all the women who couldn’t have him.

  “Hey,” she said, playing it casual as she trotted down the three steps.

  “Hey yourself.” He looped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Her chin brushed against the baby-soft fabric of his gray fitted sweater. The tempting V at the neck dared her to touch him. He took her mouth and her breath away as if they were his to own.

  “I needed that,” he murmured against her mouth.

  Bailey was on fire. Her body of its own will yielded to him, longing for him to command it to do whatever he wanted.

  “Do you smell this good all over?” He breathed into her ear before easing back.

  His eyes were endlessly dark as they descended upon her, making her heart race and her pulse roar in her ears to block out the world around them. It was only the two of them until the blare of several car horns intent on outblasting each other snapped the spell in half.

  “Woman, you could make me forget what I need to do.” He grinned that sly, sexy grin, and the dampness between her legs intensified.

  “So, where’s the car?”

  Bailey blinked. “Um, two blocks over.” She pointed in the direction.

  “Did you call a tow service yet?”

  “No. My phone was dead last night...and this morning...I want to make sure it’s still there.” She didn’t know what she was going to do if it needed to be towed.

  “It will be, and if it’s not, I’ll take care of it.” He took her hand.

  His long, slim fingers enveloped her hand. She wanted to tug away, remind him that she would take care of it. Somehow. She drew in a breath, and even Addison’s warning words didn’t stop her from verbalizing the fear that lurked in her heart. “You really didn’t have to do this.” She felt his entire body tighten.

  Justin stopped walking. “What exactly shouldn’t I have done—come to see if I can offer some assistance to a woman that has taken up residence in my head, be here if she wants to talk or just be a decent kind of guy who doesn’t want to see a hardworking, beautiful, fiercely independent, sexy-as-hell woman stranded? Any of those strike a chord?”

  Bailey twisted her lips to keep from grinning. “Fine. The defense rests.”

  “Hey.” He lowered his head and lifted her chin with the tip of his finger. He looked deep into her eyes. “Never think or imagine in a million years that you’ll ever have to be on the defensive with me. Okay?”

  She nodded her head. “Okay.”

  He took her hand again, and they continued on for the block and a half and there was her car, right where she left it.

  Bailey pressed her hand to her chest and exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness it’s still here.”

  Justin squeezed her hand and kissed the top of her head. They hurried over to the car, and a quick inspection turned up no apparent damage, not even a parking ticket.

  “So far, so good,” Bailey said before unlocking the driver-side door. She got in behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened.

  “I’ll call a tow service,” Justin offered as he slid into the car next to her. He pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, found the number and placed the call. Shortly after, he was giving his info and then asked Bailey for her plate number. “They said about a half hour.”

  “Thank you.” She released a breath of relief.

  “What time do you need to be at work?”

  Bailey groaned and pressed her hand to her forehead. “Late shift. Seven to twelve. I’m going to need to get a rental.”

  “You can use my car.”

  She snapped her head toward him. “Your car?” Her brows knitted.

  “I can drive...my other car.”

  Her cheeks heated. Of course he would have more than one car. “I couldn’t ask you to do that. I can get a rental.”

  Justin lowered his chin. “Let me ask you something. Why is it so hard for you to accept any help...at least from me?”

  The slight hitch in his voice caught Bailey by surprise. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “It’s not you,” she whispered.

  “Okay. That’s a good start. Then what is it? Seriously.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “I’m listening.”

  She couldn’t look at him. “It’s... I’ve seen firsthand what depending on someone can do to you.”

  Justin rocked his jaw. “Seen? Who? What did you see that was so damned foul that it keeps you second-guessing and keeping at arm’s length anyone that wants to get near you?”

  Bailey’s features flinched. Her throat worked as the words clung there, stuck against her tongue and struggled to get past her pinched lips.

  “My mother,” she finally blurted.

  Justin kept his surprise behind a neutral expression. “Must have been rough.”

  Bailey reached for the handle and opened the door. “It was.” She needed air. “And I really don’t want to talk about it.” She stepped out of the car.

  Through the car window, Justin watched Bailey pace. He didn’t know what she meant by “her mother” but whatever happened, it had dug a deep hole in her soul that had been refilled with doubt, suspicion and fear. He’d leave it alone for now, but he had every intention of digging all of that crap out and filling her up with what she really needed.

  He took out his cell phone and spent the waiting time answer
ing a couple of emails and checking into the office to let his assistant know that he would be there by early afternoon. He spotted the tow truck coming down the street, got out of the car and went around to stand next to Bailey. He draped his arm around her shoulder and felt her relax against him.

  The driver checked the car, hooked it up to his truck and gave Justin instructions to the garage where it would be taken.

  Bailey thanked him as she watched her precious baby being towed away.

  “So what do you want to do, get a rental or drive my car?”

  Bailey slid her gaze across Justin’s polished two-seat Mercedes Benz. “Um, maybe I should get a rental. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to your car.”

  Justin chuckled. “It’s only a car, Bailey. But if you feel more comfortable, do the rental. The family has an account with a private car rental agency. I’m sure I can get you something you’d feel more comfortable with.”

  The gleam of sunlight bounced off the hood of the car. “Well...maybe the Benz won’t be so bad.”

  Justin tossed his head back and laughed. “That’s what I’m talking about! Come on, get behind the wheel and get comfortable. We’ll go pick up your sister, and I’ll take a car service from there.”

  Bailey got behind the wheel and sighed as the lush leather seats cushioned her like a lover. The brand-new, off-the-showroom-floor scent still lingered. The dashboard was a series of blue lights and glass and panels. Daunting. She turned the key in the ignition, and the engine purred to life. She gave Justin a quick look, and he simply adjusted his seat back and closed his eyes. She drew in a breath and pulled off.

  At the first stoplight, Bailey scanned the dash to figure out what button to press to turn on the radio. She finally found the icon, and the local jazz station joined them for the ride. Containing a satisfied smile, Bailey maneuvered the dream machine in and out of the growing traffic, or rather the Benz did the driving. The ride was so smooth and the vehicle handled so well, it was akin to gliding on a cloud. It would be so easy to get used to this.

  She stole a quick glance at Justin, who was completely in relax mode, eyes closed, head back, fingers lightly tapping the armrest in time to the music. Not a care in the world. The life of money and privilege.