“Oh my God! Chase!” My hands flew to my head as I took in the extent of his injuries.I tried to find him yesterday to see how he was, never assuming that Breccan hurt him too badly since the scuffle was broken up quickly. But seeing the bright purple bruises and fresh cuts all over his face was a shock.
“It looks worse than it feels. I promise.” He sat down, not taking off his sunglasses and keeping his eyes on the menu. I knew he hated people feeling pity for him, but I couldn’t help it.
“Chase, I…” I couldn’t say anything else, too choked up.
He reached over and squeezed my hand. “Don’t. Really. I promise I don’t blame you. I don’t even blame Breccan really.”
I scrunched my face. “How could you not?”
“Because honestly,” Chase continued. “I think all of this is Miranda’s fault.”
Okay, now I was even more confused. “Chase, she’s not the one who punched you in the face. Repeatedly.”
“You’re right, but she did a lot that you didn’t know about. Things I’m not supposed to even know about and could get sued for if I told you. But let’s just say you were spot on when you first thought that she was a bitch. As a matter of fact, I think she may be the queen of all the bitches here in L.A. And that’s really saying something.”
The waiter arrived to take our order, stopping me from commenting any further, but my mind was racing. Chase really didn’t blame Breccan? Was there more at play here than I knew? What was going on with Miranda?
We kept the conversation light as we ate and drank, focusing more about how Chase was going to propose than what happened yesterday. No one was really in a hurry to get back to reality. So, after our plates were clear, we ordered more drinks while enjoying good company. Almost two hours later, I folded my cloth napkin as Simon signed the check. We were completely stuffed and I was a lot less stressed after three Mimosas. Simon’s phone rang and he stepped out, leaving me to say goodbye to Chase.
“You know Breccan really cares for you, don’t you, Cora?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t know. I mean, if he did, why would he get back together with Miranda without so much as a word to me? I think now that I was more of a good idea that he had that didn’t pan out. And I’m pretty sure I liked him far more than he liked me.”
Chase pulled out his car keys. “Maybe he didn’t have much of a choice in pushing you aside.”
“How exactly would that be possible?”
He winked, pulling me in for a hug, “Hear him out, that’s all I’m saying.”
Chase got in his car and waved before driving away. My head spun as I went to find Simon. I finally found him leaning against the building on the side porch. His back was to me and he was still on the phone, and from the pacing and way he kept kicking at small rocks, I’d say he was stressed about something.
I got closer, but didn’t say anything, not wanting to interrupt.
“You can’t cancel, Breccan. That would be career suicide.”
I froze, shrinking back a bit, and fought between listening further and minding my own business. My curiosity won, and I crept closer to listen to Simon’s phone call.
“I know you’re in a jam, but we’ll figure something out. I’ll call every place in Southern California if I have to and pull favors. Trust me, in this town, a lot of people owe me favors. Just don’t do anything drastic until you hear back from me. Okay? Don’t. Cancel.”
Simon hung up and I flew around the corner so he wouldn’t catch me listening. What jam was Breccan in? Was he in a bind because I didn’t give him more notice before I quit? Should I have stayed until he had a replacement? Guilt wormed its way through me until my stomach hurt. I might be pissed as hell at him, but I couldn’t be the cause of hurting his career. There’d been enough damage with that yesterday.
When we got back to Simon’s apartment, he headed straight for his office, already on the phone. He never even heard me slip out the door.
Chapter Four
Cora
I drove to Breccan’s house, warring with myself the entire time whether I was doing the right thing or setting myself up for more hurt. By the time I pulled into my usual spot, I’d made up my mind that I at least owed myself an explanation like Chase said. It would either be closure and I would move on, or I would finally get some answers. Either way, I couldn’t turn back now. I glanced around the street before stepping out, making sure I didn’t spot any paparazzi. Finding the coast clear, I made my way to his front door.
My hand shook as I lifted the brass knocker. Would he be happy to see me? Pissed? Indifferent?
The door opened and Breccan stood before me looking good enough to eat. He wore a simple salmon-colored Polo shirt and board shorts. The tips of his hair touching just below his eyebrows and making me want to brush it off his face.
“Cora.”
That was it. With one word, one breath, I was ready to jump into his arms. My heart begged me to, but my head—and the knowledge that the next word might be no—kept me in place.
“I…” Shit. I should have rehearsed what I was going to say.
He opened the door wide. “Come in. Please.”
I stepped inside, toeing out of my shoes and setting my purse down. Fidgeting nervously with the hem of my shirt.
“I’m really glad you’re here, Cora,” Breccan explained, motioning for me to join him in the living room.
The giant knot in my chest loosened at his statement and I blew out a breath. Following him into the living room. I sat on the couch as Breccan joined me, our knees touching.
He turned to me, taking one of my hands into his own. “I know everything has been truly fucked up for the last few weeks, and I have no one but myself to blame, Cora. Honest to God, I didn’t want any of this to happen the way it did.”
I fought the urge to sink into his side. He smelled incredible, and his eyes were filled with remorse. I almost gave in.
Almost.
“So explain, Breccan. Tell me why Miranda was here to begin with. Why you blew me off for her at every opportunity. Why you became such an asshole.”
Breccan nodded. “You deserve answers, Cora, and I swear to fucking God I didn’t want to keep any of this from you, but I had to. Miranda—”
A door slammed in another room, making me jump.
“Fuck,” Breccan muttered.
Anger filled me once again. “Is she still here? After everything?”
“No. God no. I swear. It’s… it’s more complicated than that.”
I crossed my arms, “By all means enlighten me.”
Breccan dropped my hand and stood, motioning for me to join him. I cautiously placed my hand in his as he led us through the living room and down the hallway, stopping at the blue door. Taking out a key, he unlocked it and opened the door, allowing me to step inside.
I took two nervous steps with Breccan right behind me. No one was in the room, but clearly someone was staying here. The bed wasn’t made and nightclothes had been folded neatly at the foot. A woman’s hairbrush and a bottle of perfume were out on the end table, as well as a well worn copy of the Bible.
Breccan stepped around me, moving more toward the back deck. “Cora, I’d like to introduce you to my mother, Evelyn.”
My eyes swept past the amazing view of the Pacific Ocean and landed on a frail woman sitting on an oversized Adirondack chair. Her bare feet were pulled up as she wrapped an afghan around her arms tighter. She never took her gaze off the rolling tide.
“Your mother?”
He nodded, closing the balcony door that was still ajar. “Do you remember when I told you she wasn’t well?”
“Yes.”
“Well, physically she’s fine. But she suffers from early onset dementia. It started when I was barely a teenager, and by the time my father died, I was taking care of her more than she was taking care of me.”
I placed my hand on his bicep. “Oh, Breccan. I’m so sorry.”
“When I was in sch
ool, I never knew what I was going to come home to. Mom might be completely lucid and be making dinner, or she’d have forgotten to turn the water off from her shower and the house would be flooded; carpets sopping wet with water leaking into the basement.
“I was so afraid that child services would take me away and I’d end up in some home. I never told anyone. Not a teacher, not my few friends, no one. I just…dealt with it.”
“That must have been so hard. And lonely.”
“It’s funny, I had no control over what was happening in my life at that time, but I had to be in control over everything else. I paid the bills, did the shopping, cooked dinner, everything. Even now I hide her, because all it would take is one jackass reporter to tell her a lie and she could tell him anything without even a clue as to what she was doing. People would extort her… to get to me.”
Breccan took my hand and led me out of the room and back into the living room. Evelyn never even turning in our direction. Once seated, he scooped both of my hands in his, entwined our fingers, and swept his eyes up to meet mine.
“Cora, I hid everything for so long. Hid her. Hid my life. It’s hard for me to open up again. That room,” he gestured back to the hallway. “That room is set up exactly like it was at our house when we were growing up. Same carpet, same bedspread, same clock radio. When Mom stays here, she feels safe. I need her to feel safe.” He paused, shaking his head. “But yet she doesn’t even notice most of the time that there’s a balcony leading to the ocean—something that we certainly didn’t have anywhere near my house growing up. But the repetitive motion of the waves seems to calm her, so she doesn’t think too hard about it.”
I gave the hand I was still holding a squeeze. “It makes total sense that you wouldn’t want anyone in there. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s. I remember how he’d go off into a fit if something was out of place. It’s…unsettling to them. And to their family,” I hesitated asking my next question. “Why didn’t you just explain it to me? Did you think I would run to the tabloids or something?”
He turned to me once more. “No, nothing like that. You need to understand. I’d been through almost a half dozen assistants. I didn’t trust any one of them. But I do trust you, which is why I’m telling you now. I just…couldn’t at first. Right now, Cora, I’m tired of secrets between us. There’s a lot I need to tell you, and since Mom is here now, it just felt like the right time.”
My heart soared knowing that he trusted me with this. I could only imagine how hard it was for him, in the position he was in. I really felt optimistic that things between us could be worked out after all.
“So is your mom being here the reason Simon was freaking out this morning?” I asked.
“Sort of. I’ve always planned her visits around times when I’m not working or don’t have a heavy schedule. But, well, Mom’s been getting worse and yesterday she was kicked out of the home I had her in. Fucking bastards just dropped her on my doorstep with a suitcase and left. It’s going to take some time to get her in somewhere new, so until then I’ll have to be here with her twenty four seven. She’s not safe left alone.”
I didn’t even hesitate to reply. “I’ll stay. I’ll help watch her.”
Breccan’s eyes softened. “Cora, I couldn’t ask that of you.”
“You didn’t. I offered.”
Breccan leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled back. “Breccan. I am grateful that you trust me enough to tell me about your mom. And I’m more than happy to help out with her as long as it takes to find her somewhere new to live, but there’s a lot between you and me that still needs to be worked out before anything more….” I left it at that, now feeling incredibly awkward.
He sat back, giving me space. “Yes. Of course.” He sucked in a deep breath, and I knew he hated this…distance between us as much as I did. My body yearned for more, but I couldn’t. Not yet.
“I can’t wait until that fucking bitch is out of my life for good,” he commented.
“Tell me about it.”
Breccan turned back to me. “I promise, Cora, I’ll explain everything that happened with her too. But that’s a whopper of a fucking story and right now I’ve got to get mom some dinner.”
“Do you want me—”
He pressed my palm to his lips, “No. I’ve got this covered.”
“Okay, then I’m going to go home and pack a few things. But um...” I bit my lip nervously. “Where…where would I sleep?”
I knew he had five bedrooms, but I couldn’t have him assume that I’d share his bed again.
Hunger flared in Breccan’s eyes, making me feel just as needy. We stared at each other, both wanting what wasn’t possible right now, and neither talking about it. The air was thick as a heated energy passed between us. It lingered until Breccan cleared his throat.
“One of the guest rooms. There’s one across from the master bedroom. It’s the biggest.”
I nodded. I didn’t trust my voice not to cave and spill the words it was dying to release, and made my way to the front door.
Chapter Five
Cora
“Evelyn? Why don’t you come inside now? It’s getting chilly out and we wouldn’t want you to catch pneumonia.” I held the door open, admiring the amazing view of the perfect California sunset. A steaming cup of cocoa with marshmallows warmed my hands. “And I have cocoa!”
At the mention of cocoa, she stood, leaving the afghan where it fell and snatched the cocoa out of my hands. “Give me that. It’s mine. You’re stealing from me!”
I didn’t reply, just closing the door behind her as she snuggled into the recliner in the corner of her room, putting her feet up. “How is that for you?”
“Needs more marshmallows,” she replied tersely.
I chuckled quietly. “Noted. I’ll be sure you get some more next time.”
I’d been taking care of Evelyn for three days now, and every day—hell every few hours—was something totally different. One minute she’d be sweet as pie, wanting to pinch my cheeks and feed me, saying how happy she was to finally see a girl who looked like she had a healthy appetite. While the next minute she was cantankerous and terse, treating me like the help. I never took any of it to heart, and really enjoyed getting to hear some of her stories from when Breccan was little (even though most of the time she still thought he was a little boy).
Since I decided to stay and help with Evelyn, Breccan was able to go to his appearances every day promoting his upcoming movie release. I barely saw him, and when he did finally have some free time, he spent a lot of it working out or holed up in his room. I wasn’t sure if he was giving me space or avoiding me, but I chose to hope it was the former.
“I’m hungry,” Evelyn announced. I glanced at my watch; it was almost six.
“Alright. How does a hot ham and cheese with tomato soup sound for dinner?”
“Can you put croutons in the soup?”
I nodded. “Of course.” The front door squeaked opened before slamming shut a moment later. Breccan must be home. “Evelyn? I’ll be back in a few minutes. Will you be okay here with your cocoa?”
She took another sip, a chocolate mustache on her lip. “Be better if I had enough marshmallows, but fine. Go on now.”
I couldn’t help but smile, which only broadened at the hope to have a chance to talk to Breccan before he disappeared again.
I froze in my tracks when I saw Miranda standing in Breccan’s living room. Her back was to me and she was playing with something in her hands.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
She wheeled around, obviously not expecting me to be there, drawing her hands behind her back in order to hide whatever it was she had. “You!” she sneered.
“Me.” I crossed my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes. “Now answer my question. What the fuck are you doing here? And what the fuck are you hiding behind your back?”
She wore the “deer in headlights” look for only another second before completely changing her demean
or, standing up straighter and squaring her shoulders. She lifted her chin, attempting an air of superiority. “You of all people don’t get to demand anything from me. You’re nothing more than the help.” She practically spat the last word, like it soiled her mouth just saying it. “I should be asking you why you’re here. Breccan’s not even home.”
I refused to back down or be intimidated by her. Not this time. “Which is exactly why I’m about to call the cops on your crazy ass. I know you don’t have a key. How the fuck did you even get in here?”
Something that resembled fear flashed in her eyes, but only for a second. “I’ll have you know Breccan did give me a key.”
Banishing All the Rules (Billionaire Romance) (The A List Series Book 3) Page 2
