you.”
That brought tears to his eyes. “Jesus, Beth. I don’t deserve you. I walked out…”
“I know… I was there. But I also knew how desperately you felt about losing your father. It’s just a shame you couldn’t talk about it to me.”
“…Or to anyone else.”
He smiled at her, got up and held out a hand.
“Let’s go back to bed, sweetheart. I have to work in the morning and a little sleep would be good.”
They stood up and walked to the staircase together. Bryce kissed Beth’s hand and they went up to the master bedroom. He lay on the bed and pulled her close to him. Spooning with Beth, he lightly kissed her soft hair and shoulders. She closed her eyes, gave a contented sigh and snuggled deeper in his arms.
Bryce closed his eyes. Just before Beth fell asleep, he heard her whisper, “Please don’t leave me again…” He choked up and his eyes smarted.
“Never again, sweetheart…Never again…” He hugged her tighter and then they were asleep.
* * *
CHAPTER TEN
Work the next day was difficult. Bryce knew he was stalling for time…for something… Until he could figure out what he needed to do. He’d even contemplated quitting until Beth talked him out of that idea.
This morning, after they’d made sweet love again, he’d really opened up to her about the company and the business deal in play. He knew she sensed his hesitancy, yet she told him to come up with a different plan – Do something unusual… unpredicted. His head was totally immersed with Beth… with this company in Gardnerville. Bryce knew he had to have her with him – That this company needed her as much as he did.
Around five o’clock, Nick stuck in his head in Bryce’s office. He looked excited.
“Hey, Bryce…”
“Nick. Come in…”
“How’s the deal going?”
“… It’s going…”
“How about we take off for a drink this evening? Got plans?”
“No, not really. Where do you want to go?”
“Let’s head over to that little corner bar at the Bellagio…”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you there in what? Fifteen minutes?”
“…See you there.” And Nick left his office.
Bryce immediately picked up his cell to call Beth. She answered on the first ring.
“Hi, sweetie. How’s your day?”
“Pretty good. The Quartet has been brainstorming what to do after our Las Vegas run.”
“Sounds wonderful… Where are you?”
“I’m at your place. When are you coming home? Want me to cook something?”
He laughed. “Can you?”
“Ha ha… Yes, I can cook, if it’s nothing too fancy. I’m pretty good with spaghetti.”
“Spaghetti it is then. Listen…”
“… What?”
“Nick’s asked me out for a drink just now, so I will probably be home in an hour. That okay?”
“Of course. I won’t start cooking for a while…”
There was a catch in his throat. It was all so domestic and so familiar… He’d never had discussions like this with Sylvia. They’d gone out to eat almost all the time – She hated staying home and she hated cooking even more. The differences between her and Beth were too numerous to count, and he was so damn thrilled that it was Beth waiting at home for him…
“Honey?”
“… Hmmm?” she purred.
“I love you, as you’ve probably figured out.”
She laughed at him. “Yes, it’s become obvious…”
“You always could see right through me.”
“Yep, you’re pretty transparent,” she laughed again.
“… So I’ll see you later.”
“Bryce?”
“…Yes?”
“I love you too…”
“… I was hoping to God you’d say that.”
“Bye…”
“Bye, sweetie…”
* * *
Armed with Beth’s love and little else, Bryce met Nick at the Bellagio bar. It was a gorgeous place with plush seats, crystal vases on the bar, deep mahogany tables and low, recessed lighting. It seemed like an interesting place for Bryce to meet his boss for a friendly drink, but he was willing to go with it.
“Bryce!” Nick waved at
That brought tears to his eyes. “Jesus, Beth. I don’t deserve you. I walked out…”
“I know… I was there. But I also knew how desperately you felt about losing your father. It’s just a shame you couldn’t talk about it to me.”
“…Or to anyone else.”
He smiled at her, got up and held out a hand.
“Let’s go back to bed, sweetheart. I have to work in the morning and a little sleep would be good.”
They stood up and walked to the staircase together. Bryce kissed Beth’s hand and they went up to the master bedroom. He lay on the bed and pulled her close to him. Spooning with Beth, he lightly kissed her soft hair and shoulders. She closed her eyes, gave a contented sigh and snuggled deeper in his arms.
Bryce closed his eyes. Just before Beth fell asleep, he heard her whisper, “Please don’t leave me again…” He choked up and his eyes smarted.
“Never again, sweetheart…Never again…” He hugged her tighter and then they were asleep.
* * *
CHAPTER TEN
Work the next day was difficult. Bryce knew he was stalling for time…for something… Until he could figure out what he needed to do. He’d even contemplated quitting until Beth talked him out of that idea.
This morning, after they’d made sweet love again, he’d really opened up to her about the company and the business deal in play. He knew she sensed his hesitancy, yet she told him to come up with a different plan – Do something unusual… unpredicted. His head was totally immersed with Beth… with this company in Gardnerville. Bryce knew he had to have her with him – That this company needed her as much as he did.
Around five o’clock, Nick stuck in his head in Bryce’s office. He looked excited.
“Hey, Bryce…”
“Nick. Come in…”
“How’s the deal going?”
“… It’s going…”
“How about we take off for a drink this evening? Got plans?”
“No, not really. Where do you want to go?”
“Let’s head over to that little corner bar at the Bellagio…”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you there in what? Fifteen minutes?”
“…See you there.” And Nick left his office.
Bryce immediately picked up his cell to call Beth. She answered on the first ring.
“Hi, sweetie. How’s your day?”
“Pretty good. The Quartet has been brainstorming what to do after our Las Vegas run.”
“Sounds wonderful… Where are you?”
“I’m at your place. When are you coming home? Want me to cook something?”
He laughed. “Can you?”
“Ha ha… Yes, I can cook, if it’s nothing too fancy. I’m pretty good with spaghetti.”
“Spaghetti it is then. Listen…”
“… What?”
“Nick’s asked me out for a drink just now, so I will probably be home in an hour. That okay?”
“Of course. I won’t start cooking for a while…”
There was a catch in his throat. It was all so domestic and so familiar… He’d never had discussions like this with Sylvia. They’d gone out to eat almost all the time – She hated staying home and she hated cooking even more. The differences between her and Beth were too numerous to count, and he was so damn thrilled that it was Beth waiting at home for him…
“Honey?”
“… Hmmm?” she purred.
“I love you, as you’ve probably figured out.”
She laughed at him. “Yes, it’s become obvious…”
“You always could see right through me.”
“Yep, you’re pretty transparent,” she laughed again.
“… So I’ll see you later.”
“Bryce?”
“…Yes?”
“I love you too…”
“… I was hoping to God you’d say that.”
“Bye…”
“Bye, sweetie…”
* * *
Armed with Beth’s love and little else, Bryce met Nick at the Bellagio bar. It was a gorgeous place with plush seats, crystal vases on the bar, deep mahogany tables and low, recessed lighting. It seemed like an interesting place for Bryce to meet his boss for a friendly drink, but he was willing to go with it.
“Bryce!” Nick waved at
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