It was Saturday evening, and The Hudsons and The Van Dykes had just finished dinner and were now having cocktails in the den.
“In seven days it will all be official,” Victoria said with a big smile. “We’ll all be family.”
“I can’t wait,” Carlton Van Dyke said with a smile and sipped his brandy. “This is fantastic. You guys have to tell me what kind of brandy this is.”
“Actually, we have it special made,” Christopher said. “It’s . . . a Hudson brandy. The original recipe was created by our great-great-grandfather.”
“You don’t s
Bruce had just removed his shirt. He was getting ready for bed. He had to get up early in the morning. He exhaled like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Not only was he lying to Catherine, he was lying to his family – and her family. Christopher had quickly offered to go in Bruce’s place just in case something went wrong and he couldn’t make it back in time for the wedding. He was almost insistent on it. Bruce had talked him out of it by reminding his eldest brother that he didn’t know German. He had also added that he was Bruce’s best man. If something went wrong it would be just as bad if he didn’t show up either. Victoria and Catherine’s sisters hadn’t been pleased, but Carlton and Stephen had calmed
The chauffer put Beverly’s bags in the black town car as she climbed in. She kissed Bruce on the cheek, greeting him. “Hi, hon,” she said with a smile.“Good morning,” Bruce said with a little smile.“Thanks for taking me to the airport – in style. You’re so sweet,” she gushed. She felt like a teenager with a huge crush.“I don’t know about that,” he said with a little amusement.“I do,” she whispered and kissed his cheek again.The driver got in the car and put it in drive.“I rather not leave right now, but . . . it’s taken me forever to track him down. I’ve waited to talk to Jim Davis for a long time,” she said.The driver pulled off.“I know. That’s why I’m coming with you,” Bruce said seriously.“What?”“I said I am coming with you,” he enunciated carefull
Bruce couldn’t believe they had spent almost two hours at that god forsaken farm. The tour of the so called farm was nothing but swamp land filled with crocodiles eyeing them as the jeep with no cover passed by them. They even saw a snake that was longer than the width of the dirt path they had rode on. By the time the tour was over, the passengers’ clothes and hair were dusty and they were sweaty like they had to walk the three mile path in the blazing June Florida heat. Beverly had bought a shirt and a shot glass out of the tacky store before they had left. Bruce had wanted to do a cartwheel when she was finally ready to leave. Once they had left the Glades, Bruce stopped for gas. Then they headed to the hotel. When they arrived, Bruce walked to the front de
The next day . . . Bruce had fallen asleep in Beverly’s room with her in his arms. When he had woken up, he wondered how he had slept all his life without her in his arms at night. They had gone their separate ways for an hour to get dressed. Beverly had suggested Hardee’s for breakfast, but Bruce detested fast food. He had found the pizza last night barely tolerable. They had ended up at a local diner for breakfast. The food wasn’t half bad. They cruised around town in the rental truck looking at the sites. Then they had gone to the local theater to catch a matinee. The movie was so bad they left an hour into it. As they walked down the sidewalk to get back to the vehicle, they stopped outside of a playground. Kids were on swings
Twenty-two years ago . . . Eddie Balsom had just been laid off along with half of his department in the middle of a shift at the steel mill. The supervisor had said that he would bring them back on as soon as he could. Eddie had no choice but to grab his lunch box and head home. His car was in the shop so he got on the bus. The bus stop was a block away from his house. It was a few minutes after nine o’clock at night and it was already twenty-eight degrees outside. The snow was six inches deep and another front was due to come in after midnight. Eddie sniffed the snot back up his nose as he continued to walk home. His heavy Nick’s coat, matching sock cap, and black gloves didn’t do much to protect him from t
The present . . . Katie Davis watched with sympathy, horror, and panic as Beverly fell apart in Bruce’s arms. Beverly was still sitting in the chair – thank God or she would have keeled over. Bruce held her as he stood next to the chair. The girl sobbed and wailed like she was still a toddler who didn’t have her favorite bunny because Janie had put it in the wash. Bruce had jumped out of his seat when Jim had revealed that Beverly shot that slime ball, George MacCovey, because he was hurting her father – and was coming at her.A scared and upset four-year-old with a gun in her hand? What did that idiot alderman think was going to happen when he started stalking toward the little thing like he was going to beat her, too?&n
Beverly had asked Bruce to take her back to New York, tonight. He couldn’t refuse her – not now. He had called the Hudson pilot on his cell as he drove back to the hotel once he had reception again.Several hours later they were on the Hudson jet, flying back to New York. Beverly hadn’t said a word since they had left the Davises’. Her silence was starting to worry him. She had only taken a few bits of her meal on the jet.By the time they had gotten back to New York and her apartment it was after midnight. They had taken a cab from the airport because Bruce hadn’t wanted to waste time trying to arrange for a limo or a driver at the airport. He had to get Beverly home – where she would be comfortable.Bruce carried their suitcases inside as Beverly dropped her keys on the coffee table. The keys thumped on the table like they weighed a ton. She sat down on the sofa – quiet and poised. Bruce sat their suitcases down
Bruce laid Beverly down on the black and white leopard print comforter in her bedroom. Then he straddled her hips and pulled his shirt out of his jeans. Bruce pulled his shirt over his head, exposing his bulging muscled chest sprinkled with brown hair and hard as a rock six-pack abs. Thank God there isn’t a law against a man being this sexy. His full thick bangs had swished to the front of his forehead, practically covering it fully when he had taken his shirt off. Beverly smoothed her hands up his strong thighs as he started to unbutton her light brown blouse. Bruce growled as he found the buttons hard to undo. If she had known what was going to happen in advance, she would have worn a different top. The buttons on her favorite blouse were hard to bu