was so sure the bruises were in
the shape of fingers. Carol felt bad about calling Blake, but she
and Hayley had lunch the day before, and Hayley talked about how
weird Arthur acted while they were out having ladies’ night. His
mother wanted nothing more than to believe that it was just her
imagination, still she wanted Blake to know. It had taken him
almost an hour to try to make her understand that Veronica was not
his concern. Besides being an excellent listener when it came to
his relationship issues, Carol had pretty much stayed out of his
love life. She was fond of Lindsay, but the moment she heard
Veronica was moving back to town, she secretly hoped they might
reconnect. She told him so, one day when the news first broke.
Carol wanted to see him happy again, and the happiest he’d been was
with Veronica.
It had just started to rain outside. Blake
could hear the raindrops hitting the roof. As the downpour began to
pound against the building, Veronica turned to look out the huge
store front window. Blake hadn’t realized it, but he had been
staring at Veronica, perhaps too long. She gave him a quizzical
glance. Time melted away and Blake absentmindedly reached his hand
up to touch the side of her face. Catching on to what he was about
to do, Veronica backed up.
“ Blake, what are you
doing?” her voice lashed out in a sharp crack.
The startled look in her eyes made his chest
ache. He knew then he needed to ask. Yes, it was not his concern as
her ex, but it was as the mayor of the town. Blake tried to respond
in a soft voice.
“ Did he hurt you, Veronica?
I heard about the marks on your face?” As he spoke, he found it
hard to keep the anger out of his voice.
She said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on his
hand still frozen midair. The color drained from her face. Veronica
took another step back and seemed relieved their conversation was
interrupted, when Leo returned with her order.
“ Here you go, Ms. Klark. I
hope your fiancé likes it.” Leo then turned his attention to Blake.
“Let me guess what you would like today. Your mother’s favorite
bread?”
“ Yes, Leo. Can you make it
two loaves, please?”
Leo went back into the back room. The rain
was coming down harder now and Blake didn’t need to turn to know
that Veronica was still in the bakery. If she stepped out, she
would be drenched in a matter of moments. She still hadn’t answered
his question. Blake needed to know. Moving away from the counter he
approached her.
“ Veronica, you didn’t
answer my question.”
He lightly touched her arm, and she jumped.
As she whipped around, he saw fire in her eyes.
“ For your information, a
box fell on me. And what goes on between me and Arthur is none of
your business.”
Veronica’s nostrils flared. Blake knew the
stance well. With raised hands, he took a surrendering step
back.
“ I’m sorry. You’re right.
Your life is none of my business. I-well, I just hope you and I can
be friends. If you need anything, even just to talk, I’m
here.”
In response Veronica mumbled, “Thank you,
Mr. Mayor,” before fixing her sight back on the window.
Leo walked back out with the bread Blake
ordered. After paying, Blake, too, was stuck waiting for the rain
to let up. He sensed Veronica was still upset with him, so he let
the sound of the rain fill the air.
As they stood there, Blake had a flashback.
He laughed and stepped closer to Veronica, so Leo couldn’t hear
what he was saying.
“ Do you remember the time
we were on Hideaway Hill, and out of nowhere it rained like
this?”
Her back was still to him, but he could see
her shoulders relax a little. Shaking her head softly, she laughed
too.
“ Yes, I remember. Your
house was the closest, so we ran there for shelter.”
“ By the time we got to the
house we were soaked to the bone.”
“ And I had to borrow some
of Parker’s clothes until mine dried. But mine didn’t dry in time
for me to be home. So I wore Parker’s home. My dad was
the shape of fingers. Carol felt bad about calling Blake, but she
and Hayley had lunch the day before, and Hayley talked about how
weird Arthur acted while they were out having ladies’ night. His
mother wanted nothing more than to believe that it was just her
imagination, still she wanted Blake to know. It had taken him
almost an hour to try to make her understand that Veronica was not
his concern. Besides being an excellent listener when it came to
his relationship issues, Carol had pretty much stayed out of his
love life. She was fond of Lindsay, but the moment she heard
Veronica was moving back to town, she secretly hoped they might
reconnect. She told him so, one day when the news first broke.
Carol wanted to see him happy again, and the happiest he’d been was
with Veronica.
It had just started to rain outside. Blake
could hear the raindrops hitting the roof. As the downpour began to
pound against the building, Veronica turned to look out the huge
store front window. Blake hadn’t realized it, but he had been
staring at Veronica, perhaps too long. She gave him a quizzical
glance. Time melted away and Blake absentmindedly reached his hand
up to touch the side of her face. Catching on to what he was about
to do, Veronica backed up.
“ Blake, what are you
doing?” her voice lashed out in a sharp crack.
The startled look in her eyes made his chest
ache. He knew then he needed to ask. Yes, it was not his concern as
her ex, but it was as the mayor of the town. Blake tried to respond
in a soft voice.
“ Did he hurt you, Veronica?
I heard about the marks on your face?” As he spoke, he found it
hard to keep the anger out of his voice.
She said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on his
hand still frozen midair. The color drained from her face. Veronica
took another step back and seemed relieved their conversation was
interrupted, when Leo returned with her order.
“ Here you go, Ms. Klark. I
hope your fiancé likes it.” Leo then turned his attention to Blake.
“Let me guess what you would like today. Your mother’s favorite
bread?”
“ Yes, Leo. Can you make it
two loaves, please?”
Leo went back into the back room. The rain
was coming down harder now and Blake didn’t need to turn to know
that Veronica was still in the bakery. If she stepped out, she
would be drenched in a matter of moments. She still hadn’t answered
his question. Blake needed to know. Moving away from the counter he
approached her.
“ Veronica, you didn’t
answer my question.”
He lightly touched her arm, and she jumped.
As she whipped around, he saw fire in her eyes.
“ For your information, a
box fell on me. And what goes on between me and Arthur is none of
your business.”
Veronica’s nostrils flared. Blake knew the
stance well. With raised hands, he took a surrendering step
back.
“ I’m sorry. You’re right.
Your life is none of my business. I-well, I just hope you and I can
be friends. If you need anything, even just to talk, I’m
here.”
In response Veronica mumbled, “Thank you,
Mr. Mayor,” before fixing her sight back on the window.
Leo walked back out with the bread Blake
ordered. After paying, Blake, too, was stuck waiting for the rain
to let up. He sensed Veronica was still upset with him, so he let
the sound of the rain fill the air.
As they stood there, Blake had a flashback.
He laughed and stepped closer to Veronica, so Leo couldn’t hear
what he was saying.
“ Do you remember the time
we were on Hideaway Hill, and out of nowhere it rained like
this?”
Her back was still to him, but he could see
her shoulders relax a little. Shaking her head softly, she laughed
too.
“ Yes, I remember. Your
house was the closest, so we ran there for shelter.”
“ By the time we got to the
house we were soaked to the bone.”
“ And I had to borrow some
of Parker’s clothes until mine dried. But mine didn’t dry in time
for me to be home. So I wore Parker’s home. My dad was
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