The Art of Love

by Celya Bowers

  “I’ll go check out the kitchen,” he said, rising from the couch. “Stay here and don’t move. If I’m not back in five minutes call the police, then leave as quick as you can.”

  Peri rose and faced him. She knew he was doing this for her, she couldn’t let him face her demon without her. “I’m going with you.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t have time to argue with you about this.”

  “Good. It’ll save time in the long run.”

  “You’re one stubborn woman. It’s a good thing I love you.” He reached for her hand.

  “Right back at you, sweetie.”

  Then they heard it. Because the house was so quiet, every noise could be heard. As quiet as Robert thought he was being, the closing of the back door sounded like a warning bell.

  “He’s in the house,” Brendan said.

  “I know.” The house was in darkness with only the light spilling in from the streets. Peri led him to the hall closet. She opened the door and retrieved a box her father had given her. “Here.”

  He took the box and looked at her. He opened it and his blue eyes narrowed at her. “I thought we discussed this. No guns.”

  “Don’t start. My dad gave me this a few weeks ago. I just don’t use it.”

  He didn’t say anything else only slipped in the clip of ammo into the nine millimeter pistol and quietly walked to the kitchen. Peri followed behind him.

  He motioned for her to be silent as he prepared to enter the open room. “Stop right there,” he called from the doorway.

  Robert actually laughed. “Yeah, I’ve been waiting on you. Come on in, man.”

  Peri knew what was going to happen, and there was no way she could watch it play out before her eyes. She wanted to tell him not to, but her voice was caught in the back of her throat. She instantly thought of Chelsey. “Brendan, no.”

  But it was too late. Brendan took one step and entered the room, or at least that’s what she thought happened. Brendan fired one shot and then moved toward her. “Call the police, baby.”

  Peri nodded and headed for the phone when she heard another shot ring out and Brendan fell to the floor. The gun fell out of his hand. She ran back to him. “Brendan!”

  “Damn it! He got my hand!”

  Another shot was fired, but missed. It got her prized photo of a Picasso reproduction that hung in the dining room. Peri was thankful it wasn’t her or Brendan. In the dimmed light she saw the blood oozing from his right hand.

  Robert laughed and called from the kitchen. “You’re next, Peri.”

  She expected him to walk out of the room, but he didn’t. She realized that Brendan must have wounded him. She flipped on the light and, sure enough, there was Robert wriggling around in a pool of blood. She felt a sense of security watching him.

  Her security was short-lived as she saw Robert get to his feet and start limping toward her.

  “You thought he was going to save you from me? Oh, no, baby, I’d come back from the dead to get you.” He raised his gun at her. “Do you know what I went through when you had me thrown in jail?”

  Peri felt her heart thudding against her chest. Something snapped in her soul as she remembered what Robert had done to her. “Do you know what you did to me to get to jail?”

  “So?”

  “So you left me for dead. You took away my self-esteem, and you made me lose my baby. I say we’re even.”

  Another shot rang out and Robert fell to the floor. Peri looked down and saw that Brendan had shot Robert. He was holding the gun with two hands, but he got him. She threw her arms around him. “Honey!” She was careful not to hurt his injured hand.

  “I couldn’t let him hurt you anymore, Peri,” Brendan said quietly. “I love you, Peri.”

  “I love you, too, Brendan.” She touched his hand. “We need to get to the hospital.”

  Brendan’s breathing slowed. “Call the police first.” His eyes fluttered closed.

  After Peri called the police, she went to her linen closet to get some towels to stop the bleeding. There was blood all over her shirt, but she didn’t care.

  When she returned to Brendan, his still form hadn’t moved. She quickly worked on the bullet wound and was wrapping it up when the police arrived. She’d never been so happy to see the police in her life.

  * * *

  “Sir, you have a serious injury and need to go to the hospital. We can get you there in a matter of minutes,” the paramedic said.

  After Robert had been had been carted off to the county hospital, Brendan was seated on Peri’s couch being tended to by the young paramedics. They cleaned up his wound as best they could. The bullet was lodged between two bones, he heard one of them say to the other.

  Brendan didn’t want to ride in an ambulance, it reminded him too much of the events leading up to getting shot. “And I told you that I’m not getting in that thing. You checked out my hand and the damage is minimal. ”

  “But sir, you have to ride in the ambulance. Shattered bones and damaged tendons aren’t minimal. You need antibiotics.”

  “Well give me a shot and I’ll meet you at the hospital.” He winced at the pain throbbing in his hand. “Unless that’s morphine, there’s no way in hell I’m getting in that damn ambulance.”

  “I’ll drive him to the hospital. We’ll be happy to follow you there,” Peri said.

  The young man looked Peri up and down. “And you are?”

  “My fiancée,” Brendan said.

  Peri gasped, but didn’t correct him. “Now we’re wasting valuable time. We could already be at the hospital and he could be getting care while you’re trying to argue with the most stubborn man I know.”

  The paramedic finally relinquished the battle for dominance. “All right, you can drive him. I’ll radio ahead so the emergency room will be ready. They might want to do surgery tonight.”

  Brendan sighed. “I figured.”

  Peri surprised him by agreeing with the men. “Me, too.” She grabbed her purse and helped Brendan to stand. “Elijah got shot like this years ago. They have to get the bullet out, then there’s therapy.”

  Brendan hadn’t thought about therapy. He didn’t like the sound of that at all.

  * * *

  Once they were in his Range Rover, Peri had the task of keeping his spirits up. “Brendan, it won’t be that bad. I’ll be right by your side every step of the way.”

  He looked at her from the passenger seat. “I’m not a fan of surgery. Especially with what we went through with Dad.”

  She’d forgotten about his ordeal with his father. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to ride in the ambulance. “I meant what I said, Brendan. I’ll be with you every step of your recovery.”

  “Thank you, Peri. So you’ll stay at my house?”

  “If you want me to,” she said. She’d walk through hot coals if he wanted her to. “You got shot helping me. Nothing is too much.”

  He shifted in his seat. “So that means you’ll move in with me?”

  “What?”

  “Move in with me. You mean so much to me. I want us to be together.”

  Her mind fluttered with possibilities. “How much medicine did they give you?”

  He laughed. “Not nearly enough. My hand is throbbing like hell. I meant every word I said. I love you, and nothing will ever change that.”

  It was hard driving when he said things like that, she thought. Quick, think of something else. “The hospital is just up ahead.”

  “It won’t change how I feel.”

  “I know. I feel exactly the same.”

  CHAPTER 30

  Two months later

  Peri looked around Maza’s art gallery, watching Brendan with pride. He was so handsome in his signature black Armani tuxedo. Every woman in the room was checking him out, including her. Peri took it all in stride.

  His hand was still not completely healed, and it was wrapped in a color-coordinated wrap. He didn’t let a little thing like that stop him from doing his job.
He spotted her and blew her a kiss with his good hand.

  Peri shook her head. “That man is going to be my death.”

  “You know you like it,” Kyla teased. “You’ve been living with him for two months and you have a permanent smile on your face.”

  Peri looked at her friend. At four months along in her pregnancy, Kyla bloomed. “Yes, I do like it.”

  Kyla looked stunning in her formal black maternity evening gown. “Brendan looks great, as always. So is the plan working?”

  “Kind of.” Her plan was to get her brother-in-law and sister in the same space to talk about their marriage. Three attempts had been made and three attempts had been wasted. “Brendan says this has to work. It’s about art, and Elijah would want to come. But so far they haven’t arrived.”

  “Don’t worry, Peri. I know they’ll be here.”

  “Speaking of, where’s Ryan?”

  Kyla laughed. “He was going to get a glass of champagne. The gallery looks great. Brendan must have spent the whole budget on this opening.”

  Peri nodded. “Probably, but I’m sure it’ll be worth every penny. The Dallas Morning News and The Arlington Times will be here tonight, as well as the local art magazine.”

  “Hey, look. There’s Bailey and Elijah,” Kyla announced. “I told you they’d come. I’m glad for you, Peri. Now you can put your plan into action.”

  “Yeah, now I just have to get Brendan’s attention.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem. He’s always got an eye on you.”

  Peri knew Brendan always had her in his line of vision, even though Robert was safely tucked away in jail awaiting his ride to state prison. Whenever they were out, Brendan was always nearby. “Oh you think you’re always right, don’t you?”

  “Of course I am. Ask my husband.”

  “I would, but I have a marriage to save right now.” Peri left Kyla and met her sister and brother-in-law. “I’m so glad you guys could make it.” She hugged them both. Elijah excused himself to speak to Brendan.

  Bailey smiled at her. “You think Elijah would have passed this up? That’s all he’s talked about since you guys came to dinner a few weeks ago. You look great.” She nodded at Peri’s body-hugging black evening gown.

  “Thank you, Bailey. I love that dress. It hugs your curves.”

  “I’m glad somebody noticed. I bet Elijah couldn’t even tell you what kind of dress I have on. He was so focused on getting to this damn opening.”

  Peri put a calming hand on Bailey’s arm. “Don’t worry, Bailey, by tonight’s end, Elijah Brown will definitely notice you.”

  “Since when did you become such an optimist?”

  “When I met Brendan.”

  * * *

  Brendan watched Peri as she chatted with Bailey. What a difference a few months made. Bailey, as well as the rest of Peri’s family, was actually friendly toward him now. He’d thought once Peri moved in with him, her family would be pressuring him for a wedding date, but they just seemed happy that they were happy.

  “Brendan, you’re looking well.” Elijah extended his hand.

  Brendan shook his hand. “I’m glad you and Bailey could make it. Would you like to meet the artist?”

  Elijah’s dark eyes lit up with excitement. “Really? Are you serious? I’ve never met an artist before.”

  Brendan laughed. “Well, this is your lucky night. We’ll meet Gabriel Santos and then we’ll grab a drink from the bar. How would you like to see my office?” Brendan knew Elijah wouldn’t turn him down.

  “Sounds great.”

  They walked across the spacious lobby to a large display where Gabriel stood watch over his masterpiece. Brendan approached him and made the introductions. “Gabriel, I would like to present Elijah Brown. He’s Peri’s brother-in-law.”

  Gabriel extended a hand to Elijah. “Very nice to meet you, Mr. Brown. Peri is a beautiful woman. I told Brendan if I was a little younger, he might have a challenge on his hands.”

  Elijah chuckled. “I’d like to see you try. I don’t believe that’s possible.”

  Brendan cleared his throat. “Yes, Gabriel, I’ll have to agree with Elijah. You’d have to pry her out of my cold, dead hands.”

  Elijah and Gabriel looked at him in surprise. “Looks like another one is down for the count. So when’s the big day?”

  Brendan shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He knew but didn’t want to admit it to the guys. He was planning on proposing really soon.

  “Right,” Elijah said. “Same thing happened to me when I set eyes on Bailey twenty years ago. I proposed to her as soon as I got the nerve. She’s the only woman I will ever love.”

  Brendan knew that was his cue. “Excuse us, Gabriel. I’m giving Elijah the tour.”

  “Of course. Nice to meet you, Elijah.”

  After a pit stop by the open bar, Brendan and Elijah headed upstairs. Once Elijah was seated in one of the leather chairs, Brendan started Peri’s plan.

  “We really enjoyed having you guys over for dinner. We should do that again. It was fun hanging out.”

  Elijah took a healthy drink from the crystal glass. “Yeah, but my work schedule is crazy now. How do you find the time? It seems you and Peri are always together doing something, either as couple or with your daughter.”

  “I just make it a top priority. It’s easy to get caught up in work. Life starts passing you by. You have to remember what’s important. Nothing is more important to me than Peri and Chelsey.”

  Elijah muttered something under his breath. “I guess you’ve been talking to Bailey.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s been acting funny lately, always making a face when I tell her that I have to work. All of a sudden, she thinks I work too much, but I’m doing it for us. Private school education isn’t cheap, but I want the best for Dakota.”

  Brendan knew he was stepping onto treacherous ground. “Sometimes being there is worth more than any amount of money you could make.”

  “Is that Peri talking?”

  Brendan shook his head. “No, this is me talking. When I was first divorced, I threw myself into my work, trying to forget how betrayed I felt. I started neglecting my daughter, not seeing her on weekends. Before I knew it, six months had passed and Chelsey had grown so much, I barely recognized her. But that wasn’t what made me take a hard look at my life.”

  “What was it?”

  “It was the fact that my own child didn’t know me. She cried when I picked her up. She thought I was a stranger. Man, that broke my heart into pieces.”

  Elijah was silent for quite a while. He was quiet so long, Brendan wasn’t sure what to do. When his shoulders began to shake, Brendan knew this tough FBI agent was crying. “Elijah?”

  He sniffed. “Every time I see Dakota, which isn’t often, it seems like she’s grown another inch or something. Sundays are the only time I can manage to see her. I have missed most of the father-daughter dances the last few years.” He wiped his eyes. “Oh, my God!”

  “What?”

  “Yesterday was Bailey’s birthday. I forgot.”

  Brendan knew the price that Elijah was going to have to pay for that mistake. “She didn’t say anything to you?” Brendan couldn’t imagine any woman not dropping a million hints to the fact.

  “No. Not a damn word. It’s like she’s just accepting the situation. Why hasn’t she said anything?”

  Brendan took a deep breath. It was time for some tough love. “Elijah, this is in your court now. You have the power to fix all of the problems in your marriage.”

  “So you think there’s a problem, too?”

  “Yes, but I also think you can fix this, and I can help.”

  * * *

  “You know he forgot my birthday,” Bailey announced as she finished her second glass of wine. “This is really good stuff. I’ll have to ask Brendan who orders the wine.”

  Peri smiled. “You’re looking at her.”

  “Real
ly?”

  “Yes, he let me pick it out. Actually Dante did the actual ordering. I just told him what kind to order.” She took Bailey’s glass from her. “Now, what is this nonsense about Elijah missing your birthday yesterday?”

  “Peri, it’s not that big of a deal,” Bailey said. “He’s been so busy with work and everything.”

  Peri knew crap when she heard it. “Bailey, come on this is me. You’ve helped me climb my way back to sanity, and I know how you are about birthdays, holidays, and anything family-oriented. I can tell this is bothering you.”

  “This is just one more brick in the wall, Peri. He’s forgotten stuff at Dakota’s school. He even forgot his mother’s birthday last month. We used to celebrate the anniversary of our very first date; he forgot it. It’s like nothing matters to him but that damn job and that promotion. I’m just tired of it. I’m tired of doing it all and pretending it doesn’t matter!” She burst into tears and ran down the hall to the ladies’ room.

  Peri was stunned. Bailey was always in control. Nothing rattled her, and certainly nothing would have sent her to the bathroom in a flood of tears. This was so not her rock of a sister!

  Peri had had enough. It pained her to witness her sister’s distress. Bailey had helped her in her time of troubles; now, it was Peri’s turn.

  * * *

  “Come on, Elijah, we can fix this.” Brendan sat at his computer, hoping this wouldn’t bite him in the butt later… “I have a friend who runs an exclusive bed and breakfast off the coast of Florida. You take Bailey there and it’ll be like a second honeymoon. You can rekindle that spark.”

  Elijah gave a martyred sigh and nodded. “It just sounds too easy, Brendan. Bailey and Peri might be sisters, but they are nothing alike.”

  “You just make sure you can get off for a week and I’ll take care of the rest.” He seldom got to flex his planning abilities since he hired Dante. He loved doing things like this.

  “Trust me.” Brendan pulled his cell phone out of his tuxedo jacket and dialed Peri. She answered on the third ring. “What’s wrong?”

  Peri quickly explained the situation. “It’s spiraling out of control, Brendan. If they don’t sit down and talk soon, they’ll be in divorce court. And that would be a big mistake for everyone.”