And Then You Kiss

by Heather A Buchman

  “A moment ago, you said something about this not being fair, and right now, you aren’t being fair to me. I’m not a liar Jace Rice. I may not like you, but I wouldn’t lie to my sister to get rid of you.”

  He studied her, trying to ascertain whether she was telling him the truth.

  “So what did she say?”

  “Apologize.”

  “She said to apologize?”

  “No. She didn’t. Before you ask me what she said, you owe me an apology.”

  He hesitated and Bree turned to walk away. “Wait. I’m sorry.”

  She turned back and studied him, much in the same way he’d been studying her moments before.

  “I’m sorry, okay? I’m on edge, I’m beyond frustrated, but I shouldn’t have accused you of lying.”

  “She doesn’t believe me, but I did defend you.”

  “And? What was her response?”

  “I told her that I saw it all take place. She asked me if I heard your conversation, and I had to tell her the truth. I didn’t hear it.”

  “She believes I knew where Tucker was all along. Why would I have kept that from her? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “To win.”

  Ah—Blythe believed it was still a game between the three of them. “That’s crazy.”

  “I don’t recommend you say that to her, if you’re given the opportunity.”

  “No. I wouldn’t. But this is life Bree. There is a baby’s life we’re talking about. And her life. I stepped in because Tucker wasn’t here, because it was the right thing to do, not because I wanted to win a prize. What a low opinion she must have of the two of us to think her life would mean so little to us.”

  Jace sat down and put his head in his hands. He’d done everything he knew to do for Blythe, yet she still believed he’d been lying to her, that it had only been a game. He knew his feelings mattered little in this scenario, but it didn’t change how hurt he felt. He’d offered Blythe his heart. Whether or not she could return his love, he’d been willing to give her his, and she still thought he was a player, and nothing more. He wondered what that said about him. He’d spent almost every day of the last couple months with her, yet she didn’t know him at all.

  Bree could see Jace’s hurt. He was wearing it right out in the open. It was in his eyes, etched on his face, and in the way he held his body. The truth of it was, her heart was breaking for him. She knew he hadn’t been lying. She also knew he loved her sister. She doubted her opinion would carry much weight, but she’d defend him anyway. He was right, this wasn’t fair. He’d gone above and beyond in wanting to help Blythe, be there for her. Her sister’s dismissal of him was a slap in the face, one he didn’t deserve.

  “I’ll talk to her again. I’ll keep talking to her.”

  “Thank you Bree. I know this isn’t easy for you.”

  “It isn’t about me. It’s about her. And Tucker. And you. I’ll tell her I believe you, but even if she accepts it, nothing much changes. With Tucker back in the picture, she won’t need you in the same way. And she wants nothing to do with him either.”

  “It’s his baby.”

  “She knows that. It doesn’t mean she’ll want him in her life. The baby’s life, maybe. Her life, I don’t know what to think.”

  ***

  They were moving Blythe up to a room on the OB floor. She’d be in the hospital at least overnight, and they’d reevaluate in the morning. The doctor explained the placenta previa meant part of the placenta was covering the opening of the cervix, which is why Blythe experienced bleeding. Since the placenta was only partially covering the opening, the doctor hoped that as the uterus grew, the placenta would move higher, and the blockage would no longer be an issue.

  If that happened naturally, Blythe would be able to resume normal activity. If it did not, he would insist on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.

  Since she’d lost a considerable amount of blood, a transfusion was necessary. Bree went to give blood for her sister. She stopped in the hospital waiting room on her way to give Jace an update.

  “Did Tucker leave again?” Bree asked him.

  “No. He’s outside.”

  “You might as well go home. I mean, not home, but wherever you’re staying. Where are you staying?”

  Jace had been staying with Billy and Renie. Now that Tucker was here, he didn’t know. He was sure it would be okay, but he wouldn’t want to impose. It might be better for them to get a hotel room close to the hospital.

  “Is there any chance she’ll talk to me?”

  “Not yet, and honestly Jace, there isn’t any hurry. Why risk getting her worked up right now. Be patient. You’ll get your chance to clear this up.”

  “Thanks. You’re being awfully nice to me.”

  “Don’t get used to it,” she teased.

  It was nice to see Bree smile. Nicer than he wanted to admit. What he wanted more than anything was to ask her to hug him. It sounded silly, even to him, but it had been too long since someone had hugged him. He needed one.

  As if she’d been beckoned, Lyric bounded up to them. “What’s the word?”

  Bree filled her in on Blythe’s condition.

  “Why aren’t you with her? Or Tucker? I saw him sulking out front.”

  “She doesn’t want to see them,” Bree answered for her.

  “Uh oh.”

  “Yep,” answered Jace this time. “She thinks I’ve been lying to her.”

  “About what?”

  “She thinks I knew where Tucker was.”

  “Did you?”

  “No.”

  “Well okay then. She’ll believe you, when you tell her yourself.”

  Jace hoped Lyric was right. Maybe she’d help plead his case too, and Blythe would relent and agree to see him.

  “Hey aren’t you supposed to be in Pueblo?”

  “Yeah, I called Billy and he withdrew my name.”

  “Where you supposed to be next?”

  “Crested Butte, to train, in a couple days.”

  “You gotta go dude. Can’t be sittin’ around here. That was your agreement with Blythe.”

  “Lyric, I don’t care what you or anyone else says. I’m not leaving until I straighten things out with her.”

  “Gotcha. So where are you and ol’ brood-monster stayin’?”

  “I asked him the same question.” Bree sounded pissy again.

  “And what did he say?”

  Jace loved that Lyric handed Bree’s pissiness right back to her. Although right now he needed both of them on the same side and in his corner.

  “We’ll get a room somewhere nearby. Not a big deal.”

  “You can stay with us.”

  Jace thought Bree’s eyes were going to pop out of her head.

  “What?” Lyric saw Bree’s look too.

  “They cannot stay with us Lyric, and before you make an offer like that, you should consider asking your roommate her opinion.”

  “Oh jeez Bree, lighten up. Don’t know ’bout this one here, but the other one will be your brother-in-law someday. Maybe you should start bein’ nice to him now.”

  “It’s okay. A hotel will be easier, and closer.”

  “Maybe you oughta go stay with them Bree, you’ll be closer.”

  Jace anticipated that any second Bree would either storm off or tear into Lyric. But she didn’t. She laughed. Lyric had a way about her that Bree responded to. Jace should ask her to give him lessons. The more he was around her, the more he wanted Bree to approve of him, like him even.

  ***

  Blythe needed rest, so Paige and Mark talked everyone into leaving. Everyone but Jace and Tucker, who they didn’t bother talking to.

  Jace approached Tucker who was sitting on a bench by the hospital entrance. “Hey man, let’s go find a place to stay.”

  “I’m good.”

  “They’re not gonna let you hang out on this bench all night. I’ve got some clothes at Billy and Renie’s. I can swing by there, get �
��em and then we can get somethin’ to eat.”

  “You go on ahead.”

  “Tucker, come on. She won’t see you.”

  “Don’t care. I’m not leavin’.”

  “First you leave, when you shouldn’t. Now you won’t leave, when you should.”

  “Shut it Jace.”

  “She’s sleeping. When’s the last time you slept? Or ate?”

  Tucker didn’t remember, and he didn’t care. He had to get back in to see Blythe. He had to tell her, make her understand. He left for her, to keep her safe. If he knew she was pregnant, he might not have left. He couldn’t say for sure.

  “Go, do whatever you need to do. I’m staying.”

  “They won’t let you in to see her.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Renie was at the house when Jace got there. And she didn’t look happy.

  “What? And before you answer that, every woman I’ve come in contact with today has yelled at me. If you’re gonna pile on more, save it. I guarantee you, I’ve already heard it.”

  Renie walked over to the oven and pulled out a plate, wrapped in foil. She set it down on the counter in front of Jace.

  “What’s this?”

  “Dinner.”

  “Uh, thanks.”

  Willow came running toward him, holding out her arms for him to pick her up. When he did, she wrapped her little arms so tight around his neck, he thought he’d choke.

  “Thanks baby girl,” he said, pulling his head back a little ways from hers. “You don’t know how much I needed that.”

  Willow continued to hold on to him. It wasn’t as though she was always this way with him. He could swear she sensed his sadness and wanted to make him feel better.

  Pretty soon she started babbling at him, but he could only make out every other word or so.

  “Yes, baby girl. After your bath you can try to talk Uncle Jace into reading you a story.”

  “How did you get all that?”

  “You get used to it.” She patted his hand, “you’ll get used to it too.”

  “I guess you haven’t heard.”

  “I heard. Tucker’s back and Blythe isn’t speaking to either of you.”

  “What else?”

  “Is there something else? That’s all I heard, other than they’re keeping her overnight. I’ll go and see her in the morning.”

  “Is that what you’re doing back here?”

  “She is my best friend. One who I’ve known my whole life by the way. Would you like to hear how many times she’s sworn to never speak to me again?”

  “How many?”

  “Let’s see, I’ve known her eighteen years, so I’d say at least eighteen times.”

  “None were as serious as this though.”

  “What Tucker did was serious, but nothing you did was. She’s strung out. She’ll listen to reason.”

  “Will you help plead my case?”

  “I heard Bree already did.”

  “You haven’t missed much.”

  “Best friend, remember?”

  “So you think she’ll realize she’s wrong about me?”

  “I do.”

  “Then there’s the issue of Tucker.” He shook his head. Much harder, but no less important. More important, in fact. “He’s her baby’s father.”

  “There’s an easy solution.”

  “Oh yeah? What is it?”

  “It starts with you and Tucker telling her the truth about what happened on Thanksgiving. Both Thanksgivings. What happened that made Tucker leave the way he did, and what happened that makes him act the way he does.”

  “I think he wants to tell her. In fact, I think he wanted to tell her before the accident. She told me they were on their way to ‘talk,’ when the accident happened.”

  “And for some reason he decided to leave rather than talk to her after the accident.”

  “He decided to leave because of the accident.”

  “This is getting tiresome Jace. The two of you need to stop trying to keep this secret. It’s ridiculous.”

  Maybe Tucker’s part of it needed to be said, but Jace wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to talk about the role he played in it all. Tucker didn’t even know that side of the story, and if he did, he’d never forgive Jace.

  Renie walked over and rubbed his shoulders. “Jace, this isn’t like you. Whatever it is, get it out. Talk about it.”

  “I wish I could.”

  “Maybe we need to go for a ride. That worked for me.”

  Jace laughed. It had worked for her. The day he asked her to go for a ride and tell him everything she loved, and everything she didn’t, about Billy Patterson, was the day they both realized how much she loved him. That was also the day Jace realized she’d never love him the way she loved Billy.

  “This is a little different.”

  “I don’t think it matters how it’s different. It matters how it’s the same.”

  “And how’s that?”

  “There’s something going on with you that you’re keeping inside, not talking about, maybe not even acknowledging your feelings about. That’s the same.”

  Everything she said was true. He doubted very much he’d ever be able to talk to anyone about it. Not even her.

  ***

  She was asleep when Tucker crept into her room. The nurse had just left, which meant he had at least an hour before anyone came to check on her again.

  He hated to wake her, but they had to talk. He had to talk anyway, and she had to listen. He sat and watched her sleep. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this. The night they’d spent together, when they conceived the baby growing inside her, he’d watched her while she slept. She was as exhausted then as she was now. As strung out too.

  She hadn’t had much of a break between then and now. Pain, surgeries, pregnancy, almost losing the baby and above all else—worry. The whole time she was going through all of those things, she also worried about him. He knew it as well as he knew his own name.

  There was another thing he knew. She loved him. She was angry, and hurt, but she loved him.

  She’d listen to him when she was ready. He didn’t need to do this tonight. He’d let her sleep, get the rest she and the baby needed. He longed to rest his hand on the swell of her stomach, like he had when he first saw her. If he did that, though, he’d wake her.

  He’d been thinking about himself, not about her. He wanted to tell her, he wanted her to understand, he wanted her to listen to him. But what about what she wanted? He was sure there were a lot of things she wanted.

  He imagined she had wanted him to be there for her, to hold her and comfort her, but he hadn’t been here to do any of that.

  “I love you Blythe,” he whispered. “I love you so much. I’m going to show you how much.”

  Tucker crept back out of the room as silently as he had come in.

  Blythe had been holding her breath, waiting, waiting, waiting, to see what he’d do, what he’d say. He sat so quietly, for so long, she wasn’t sure why he came in. She hadn’t decided what she’d do if he tried to talk to her. She wanted to hear what he had to say. She prayed whatever it was would be enough that she could forgive him. More than anything she wanted to forgive him. She wouldn’t make it easy on him. He didn’t deserve for it to be easy.

  He told her he loved her. That was almost enough by itself for her to forgive him. But she knew that if she let him off that easy now, eventually she’d have to get answers. By then he might not be willing to give them.

  She had to stand her ground. He had to tell her why he left, and what happened in his past that made him leave all the time. He also had to promise her he’d never leave again, and he had to be convincing enough when he did, that she believed him.

  He’d done well tonight. He sneaked in, against her wishes, but he believed she was sleeping and he didn’t wake her.

  ***

  When Tucker came out of Blythe’s hospital room, Mark was waiting for him.

  “Thou
ght you left.”

  “I came back. Come with me,” he said, motioning toward the door. Tucker hesitated.

  “Please.”

  Tucker followed Mark toward the elevator.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the chapel. It’s on the second floor.”

  “I’m not much of a praying man,” Tucker admitted.

  “You will be today.”

  There wasn’t anyone in the chapel when they went in.

  “Have a seat,” said Mark, motioning to the pew. He walked around and sat in the pew in front of Tucker and rested his arm on the back of it.

  “It’s clear to me that there’s more going on here than you being an asshole.”

  Tucker shook his head and looked at the ceiling. “Depends on how you look at it, I guess.”

  “Do you have anyone you can talk to?”

  Did he? He had all those years ago, but it hadn’t helped. Would it help now? Doubtful. And even if he thought it would, he wouldn’t know how to go about finding someone. Assuming Mark was suggesting a shrink. “No,” he finally answered.

  “Son, it’s obvious you care about my daughter. It’s also obvious that something happened in your past that is keeping you from moving forward with your future.”

  “That about says it all.”

  “So the question is, what are you going to do about it? From where I sit, you have two choices. You can be in my daughter’s life, and your child’s life, or you can run again.” Mark waited for Tucker to respond. When he didn’t, he continued. “But whatever decision you make, it’s gotta be one or the other. Blythe will not be able to handle you dropping in, and then dropping back out again.”

  Tucker put his head in this hands. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing by staying.”

  “Tell me what I can do to help you.”

  Tucker sat up and looked at Mark. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how to help myself.”

  “That’s an honest answer. I think the road to anything you want in life starts there. What if I found someone for you?”

  “What do you mean? Somebody to talk to?”

  Mark nodded his head.

  Why not? He wasn’t sure it would help, but wasn’t Blythe worth the try? “Okay.”

  “Is there anything else you want to tell me before we head back?”