“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I haven’t seen him yet. Just Hunter. And it’s such a mess, Mom. Even I don’t know the whole truth, but I’m pretty sure they owe a lot of money and they came back here to get it . . . from one of us. I’m furious that Hunter allowed this to happen. Again. I can hardly see straight when I think about Memphis ignoring our phone calls and emails all this time because he was messed up in this. And don’t get me started on Sam. How can I ever trust him again?”
“Oh, baby.” She reached over to caress my cheek and tuck my hair behind my ear. “You have not had an easy go of things lately. I am so sorry.”
Just hearing her say that, knowing she understood, made me feel a little better already. But we had a long way to go before the skies were clear again. It seemed rain was in the forecast for much of the foreseeable future.
Mom and I tried to call Memphis together, but once again there was no answer. There was no doubt she was agitated about what I told her, but there was only so much she could do from a hospital bed. I would have to call Allie in a little while to see if she’d made any headway with Memphis, and I would talk to Henry about keeping a close watch on Mom for the next day or two.
I felt like a selfish coward for asking, but I had to be sure Mom would be okay with me stepping away for a bit. “Will you hate me if I go?” I cried when I was done explaining myself.
“You’re not running away or abandoning me, London. You’re taking a breather. I wish I had the answers for you, but only you can decide what you want to do. And no matter what you decide, you know I’ll back you one hundred percent.”
“I know,” I whispered. “And thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“That makes two of us,” Henry said as he entered the room.
“Hey.” I welcomed him.
“Sorry to barge in unannounced, but I just got off the phone with Sam and I had an inkling you’d be here.”
His tight smile was aimed at me. He walked in and handed Mom a bag of what I assumed to be some kind of dessert. They shared a loving look and a heart-warming smile.
Kissing her on the cheek, he said, “I brought you a piece of cherry pie from Murray’s. Do you mind if London and I take a little walk?”
“Not at all.” She shook her head. “I take it you know?”
He closed his eyes and nodded in confirmation.
“Do you know where my son is?”
“Sam seems to have an idea, but Hunter’s not talking. We’ll get everything sorted out, I promise. Don’t worry, okay?” His eyes were fixed on my mother but when he said the last part, he brought his reassuring gaze to me. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s go have a chat.”
My childhood was a happy one, in spite of being raised by a single mother. In the split second when Henry called me kiddo and reached out for my hand, I knew everything I’d been lacking in a father figure was staring me right in the face.
We walked down the corridor in silence, save for the click of Henry’s heels against the tiles and the hum of other people mulling about the floor. A couple and their two small children filled the elevator with chatter on the way down to the lobby. Once there, Henry led the way to the cafeteria and asked me how I took my coffee.
“Light and sweet, thank you,” I said. “I’ll go grab an empty table.”
He winked and smiled, and I headed off to find a spot where we could have some privacy.
It was after lunchtime and too early for dinner so the cafeteria was fairly vacant with plenty of tables to choose from. I decided on one that was hidden in a corner and surrounded by a border of tall potted greenery. Something told me that this conversation would include tears. I was no stranger to crying with an audience these days, but the seclusion was a precaution. I didn’t need all of New Bedford knowing my business.
“Here you go,” Henry sang as he placed the coffee and a large chocolate chip cookie in front of me.
“Oh, thanks. What do I owe you?” I asked, reaching inside my purse for my wallet.
He sat down across from me and placed his hand on the table. “London, don’t be silly. You don’t owe me a thing.”
But I did. Henry had taken so much of the brunt of Mom’s illness off of me. He’d breathed new life into her when she must’ve grown bored of seeing only my face day in and day out. He loved her unconditionally and he made her happier than I’d ever seen her. And now here he was, dealing with our family drama and my crisis between head and heart. Of course, I owed him—a lot more than the cost of a cookie and a cup of Joe.
“Thank you for this,” I said. “And I don’t mean the cookie—although I already know it’ll be well worth the calories.”
“You’re welcome.” He nodded and sipped his coffee.
Henry was a wonderfully patient man. I knew that because it had taken my mother over ten years to finally go out with him. If it took me an hour to open up, to say what I needed to say, he wouldn’t bat an eye. He’d still be here. But what was the use in waiting? It wouldn’t solve my problems any quicker, would it?
I swallowed a bite of the chewy cookie and washed it down with the coffee. Clearing my throat, I finally said, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to—I respect your ‘bro code’ with Sam—but I was wondering what he said to you.”
“London, please don’t take this the wrong way. I really like Sam; I think he’s a great guy, but you’ll never have to worry about ‘bro code,’ or anything like that. My only concern is Ella . . . and you.”
That warmed my heart in ways I didn’t expect. It was nice to know I had another person in my corner. Someone to rely on when all else—everyone else—seemed to fail.
“That means a lot, Henry. Thank you.”
He smiled again, placing his coffee down in front of him and hugging it with his hands. “That being said, I have to tell you the way I see things from where I stand. You can tell me to take my opinion and shove it and I won’t think any less of you. But just hear me out, okay?”
I laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever. “I would never say that to you, Henry. I value your opinion. You’re a very kind, very smart man. The men in my life should take some pointers from you. They’d be a lot better off.”
“Oh, well, I appreciate that but I’m far from perfect, London. I’m sure my late wife would attest to that if she were here.”
“Nonsense,” I insisted. “You’re a saint.”
“Fair enough. I won’t refuse a compliment.” He laughed. “But will you take some advice from an old man?”
“Of course. In fact, I’m all ears. I’m at such a loss, Henry. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
“I’m sure you do, but don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? These circumstances are out of your control. You did nothing wrong.”
Deep down, I knew he was right but I couldn’t help thinking that trouble had a way of seeking me out and following me around lately. “I must have really pissed someone off in my former life. It seems karma is certainly out to get me.”
Henry reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “Not a chance in hell, kiddo. You’re a good person with a heart of gold. Anyone who takes advantage of that is—”
“An asshole,” I finished for him.
He laughed and nodded his head. “For lack of a better word . . . yeah. It’s not fair of me to make presumptions about your ex-husband because I don’t know him personally, but . . . after talking to Sam, I do know the kind of person he is. I’d like to hear your version of things because I realize Sam has a very biased opinion, but from what I can tell he has a serious problem that won’t go away on its own. And he’s hurt you, more than once. Those kinds of weaknesses say a lot about a man. Like I said before, I’m far from perfect. We all have flaws, but we’re not supposed to let those flaws harm the ones we love.”
What Henry said was so obvious, yet something I hadn’t pondered before. I was no stranger to making mistakes or suffering shortcomings, but other than keeping Mom up an ho
ur or two after curfew as a teenager, I always factored in the effect my actions would have on the people around me. I cared about the well-being and peace of mind of the people I loved most. Could I say the same for the men in my life? I wasn’t so sure.
Hunter’s flaws had put me in harm’s way, at least twice that I knew about. Memphis’s flaws had impacted us all. And don’t get me started on Bryce. His weakness was an actual sickness that could have resulted in serious danger had we not uncovered it.
But then there was Sam. What was his flaw? I imagined his one weakness was me. There was no doubt what he did was wrong and deceitful. But when I thought long and hard about why Sam would keep something like this from me, it all boiled down to love. His love for me was his flaw. I wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing or the most beautiful imperfection imaginable.
“Henry, am I making a mistake by punishing Sam for this?”
He shook his head and scrunched his brow. “I don’t think you’re punishing him. I think your reaction to what he did is fully justified.”
“So, you understand then? My trust in him is . . . it’s ruined. How can we build a future that way? How do I know he won’t lie to me again?”
“You don’t,” he answered bluntly. “That’s the leap of faith we take in any relationship. But London, your trust in a lot of people has been tested lately and sometimes we have to evaluate why the ones we love lie in the first place. Is it for their own gain? Are they pulling one over on us? Or is to protect us from what they don’t want to burden us with; is it for the greater good?”
It struck me like a bolt of lightning then. I gasped as realization sank in and woke me from the haze of unhappiness clouding my judgment.
“Sam didn’t lie for his own purpose or to pull one over on me,” I whispered.
“No, I don’t think he did,” he agreed.
I stood up from my chair, scraping the metal against the floor as I pushed it out behind me. “Oh, Henry. I have to go. I have to go to him. I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No,” I said, hooking my purse over my shoulder. “But can you please keep an eye out for my brother? You may have single-handedly helped to solve one of my problems, but we still have Memphis and Hunter to deal with.”
Standing and coming around the table to place a hand on my back, Henry assured me, “One thing at a time, kiddo. And remember, you’re not alone.” He bent down to kiss my cheek and backed away with a wink.
“Henry, I can’t thank you enough.”
“Ah,” he said as he shooed me away. “Just doing my job.”
“Taking on all of this was definitely not part of the deal when you started dating my mother.”
“Of course, it was, kiddo. We do crazy things for the people we love.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, holding back different kind of tears for a change—tears of joy and appreciation.
I left Henry with that and a tight hug as I zipped through the cafeteria to head home.
To my home. To my Sam.
Only, in an effort to get out here as quickly as I could, I failed to notice the person walking through the automated door at the same exact time I was exiting.
“Oh, crap. I’m so sorry,” I offered before attempting to dart out of the way.
“It’s okay. London?”
How does he—? I looked up to see how this random man knew who I was and slapped my hand over my gaping mouth at the unexpected sight of him.
“Bryce! What are you doing here?”
London
WE WEREN’T SUPPOSED to be within one hundred feet of each other.
I never planned on seeing him again. Ever. And of course, I was alone and vulnerable, which was just my luck.
Fear froze me still for a split second before I craned my neck to look over my shoulder. I thought about calling out for Henry just to be safe, but my efforts would be futile. The cafeteria was too far away and Henry was probably already in the elevator and on his way back up to my mother.
Frantically, I scanned the space to make sure there were witnesses on the chance Bryce decided to lash out. Flashes of his violent outbursts played before my eyes. Was he still a loose cannon? Rehabilitated or not, I had no idea whether seeing me again would trigger something for him. I hid the panic simmering inside of me, but could not shake the uneasiness of being this close to him again.
Bryce must’ve registered my apprehension because he backed away with his hands in the air. “I had no idea you’d be here. I’m here to get the rest of my belongings from my office. I’ll . . . I can leave and come back when you’re gone. I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
His tone was stable and relaxed. I immediately recognized something different about his demeanor. Dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a puffy goose-down jacket, he looked naturally casual. His brown eyes, no longer swimming with fire or angst, remained fixed on me and I could tell his lips fought the urge to flash a smile. Where everything about him used to seem so . . . intense, even before I knew about his obsessive past, he was now subdued, at peace, a different man.
But that didn’t necessarily mean I was safe. He’d fooled me into believing his façade before. It was best if I didn’t tempt my luck any further and left before something unfortunate happened. After all, that’s what the provisions of the restraining order stated: If you become aware that Doctor Bryce Owen is within the protection zone based on the terms of your agreement, it is up to you to remove yourself from the location.
“That won’t be necessary. I was just leaving.” I kept my head down as I spoke to him and quickly dodged to the right.
“London,” he called out to me just as I thought I’d gotten away unscathed.
I should have kept walking. There was nothing left to say, but then he said something that stilled my feet.
“I am truly sorry, for everything. I never meant to hurt you . . . or Sam. I was . . . it doesn’t matter. I’m leaving New Bedford and I thought you should know so you don’t feel you need to hide from me any longer.”
I hadn’t seen him since that last time in the courtyard over three months ago. When everything first happened, Doctor Bronson informed me that Bryce was in therapy and had taken a leave of absence.
As fearful as I was that he could snap at any minute, I pitied Bryce. I believed his obsession was a sickness, not something intentional. If he was bettering himself and getting help for his disorder, that said a lot about the person he truly was.
I turned to face him, leaving a safe distance between us. “I haven’t been hiding from you,” I admitted on a whisper. I meant it as a peace offering rather than a gibe.
His lids fluttered and he took a deep breath, which told me he was in some way grateful for that disclosure. “How’s Ella?” he asked cautiously. “Doctor Bronson isn’t allowed to discuss the case with me, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. Did she have the transplant surgery?”
I nodded in answer.
He simply asked, “Sam?” and I knew that meant he wondered if he’d been the one to give her his kidney.
“Yes. They’re both doing well.” He didn’t need to know more than that.
“I’m glad to hear it.” The look of relief on his face told me he was being sincere.
I was about to thank him and wish him well in his endeavors to wherever he was headed, when he surprised me with what he said next. “He’s a good man.”
Momentarily stunned, I narrowed my brows in confusion.
“Sam,” he clarified. “He’s a good man for what he did. For your mom, and for you.”
It was nothing if not strange hearing that from him. There was a time when it seemed Bryce was out for Sam’s blood. I’d chosen Sam over him, even before I uncovered the truth about his obsession. It took a certain kind of person to admit defeat and do it graciously. Maybe Bryce had changed after all.
And maybe this was the clarity I was waiting for.
Henry had vouched for Sam bac
k in the cafeteria and now Bryce was basically doing the same. It was hard to imagine he had an ulterior motive, and I took his opinion with a grain of salt . . . but still. Samuel Goodwin was two-for-two today. Without even trying. That had to mean something, and I had to do something about it.
Adjusting my purse strap, I smiled shyly at Bryce as I tucked my hair behind my ear. “I really appreciate that, Bryce. Thank you. Now, I better get going. Good luck with . . . with whatever comes next for you.”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple vibrating visibly, and then smiled at me one last time before he turned around and walked away.
Even once I was safe and sound in my car, I couldn’t fight the urge to keep looking over my shoulder.
The encounter with Bryce left me somewhat bewildered as I never imagined seeing him again would go as smoothly as it did. And I certainly didn’t think it would leave either of us with the sense of closure I currently felt.
It was quite the relief.
My short past with Bryce had been behind me for more than three months now. Forgotten and forgiven, there was no looking back. But today’s conversation had a much better ending and a healthier resolution than our last.
If only everything else in my life could resolve itself so painlessly.
Patience, London. These things take patience.
The little voice inside my head sounded very much like Henry’s. I laughed as I thought about how he managed to have such a positive, loving impact on my life in such a short amount of time. Thanks to him, I didn’t feel I was drowning anymore. He was an unforeseen lifeline, a beacon in a dark and endless night.
“Thank you, Henry,” I whispered aloud, hoping that somehow he would feel my gratitude and know I was thinking about him. I pictured him doting on Mom and assuring her, the same way he had me, that everything would work out. It was a lot to promise, especially not knowing what Memphis and Hunter were fully capable of, but if anyone was up for the task it was Henry. And he wouldn’t have to do it alone. Together, we were a small but mighty army and we would fight—as we always did—until everything was back to normal.
Take My Breath Away (The Every Breath Duet Book 2) Page 14
