Brynn

 

 

"I love him, Ad." I hear my voice cracking. "I can't lose him. My heart can't take it."
"Brynn, listen to me." Adley York grabs my bare shoulders. I was in such a rush this morning that I threw on a strapless white dress and slipped my feet into a pair of worn out flip flops. I didn't even bother to brush my hair. "He's not going to die. We're going to start him on a cycle of antibiotics. I'll show you how to administer them. If you're not comfortable doing it, I'll come by your place before and after work to handle it."

"You'd do that for me?" I feel tears well in the corners of my eyes. Since I met Adley six months ago in the elevator of my apartment building, we've become good friends. We're almost the same age. We're both single and when either of us needs a shoulder to cry on, the other is there in an instant.

Adley lives two blocks from me. Fate put us together in the elevator that day. She was on her way down to the lobby from a disastrous dinner date with a guy she'd met at work. I was on my way out to have a drink with a man I didn't have anything in common with.

I called my date to cancel and Adley and I went for martinis. Our bond was formed that night.

"I'd do anything for you." She swipes her finger across my cheek to catch a tear. "Pike has an infection. You did the right thing bringing him in first thing this morning. He's not young, but he can fight this. He's strong. You know that."

I do know that.  Pike, my sweet little brown and black Yorkie, was an adoptee. I don't know his exact age, but I know that his time is coming to an end. I'll fight with everything I have to keep him with me as long as I can. I won't let him suffer. If he's in pain, I'll let him go, but he's still as spry as he was eleven years ago when I first met him.

"Did Dr. Hunt get the test results back?" I look toward the brown haired veterinarian Adley works for. Two women are talking to him. It isn't surprising. The waiting room is always filled with women and their pets looking for a minute or two of the good-looking doctor's time.

He has a following on social media that has reached several million. I admit I'm one of them, but it's only because the last time I brought Pike in for his check-up, Dr. Donovan Hunt took a selfie holding my dog. Pike was a star for a day-and-a-half on Instagram before an overweight cat stole his thunder. Dr. Hunt flexed his bicep in that photo and there was a sudden rush of single women bringing their cats to the clinic to be evaluated.

It keeps Adley busy. Being an assistant to Dr. Hunt is a stepping stone to her dream of becoming a vet herself.

"Most of the results are in." She looks down at the tablet in her hand. "It's a stomach bug. It's not uncommon, but you need to make sure he's drinking plenty of water and I'll give you a couple of cans of food. Feed him that until his stomach calms down."

"Will do." I nod as I cradle Pike in my arms. "Is there anything else I should be doing?"

"You should answer your phone." She gestures toward the large brown leather purse slung over my shoulder before she pushes a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. "It's ringing again."

"It's nothing important."

She tucks the tablet under her arm and reaches to take Pike from me. He instantly nuzzles into her chest.  "Someone thinks it's important enough to call twice in the past five minutes. See who it is so you can be sure it's nothing."

I sigh heavily as I fish in my bag for my phone. "It's probably Mrs. Pentlow checking in to see if I've found a man yet."

"Isn't that the woman you're doing design work for?" Adley smiles, her blue eyes brightening. "Are you taking relationship advice from her now?"

"She was offering advice. I wasn't asking for it." I glance down at my phone and the incoming, unfamiliar number. "This might be a new client. I should take it."

"Take it." She looks over at the reception desk. "I'll get that prescription ready and pack up the food. Once you're done your call, find me and you can take this little guy home."

I nod, stepping to a quiet corner of the waiting room. I clear my throat, calm myself and answer the way I always do. "Brynn Janie Interiors."

"Brynn Bishop. It's been years. "His voice is pitched low, rough, and as sexy as I remember. My face flushes and my insides knot in ways I've never felt before.

"Who is this?" I ask, even though I know exactly who it is. Every cell in my body can sense the energy that's coming from him. It's palpable. Smith Booth's voice hasn't changed. Its effect on me hasn't either.

He huffs out a surprised laugh. "You know exactly who it is."
Charming egotistical asshole is still a part of his repertoire.  Bitchy brat is still a part of mine when need be.

"Matthew? I've been thinking about you," I purr.

It's not a lie. I have been thinking about Matthew.  He's a friend and a recent client. I redesigned his home office in rich dark tones and imported woods. He paid me my going rate and let me drag a professional photographer to his apartment so I could add the before and after images to my online portfolio. The sexual tension between us ranks below zero, but Smith doesn't need to know that.

"No. It's not Mathew," he replies flatly.

I take a deep breath. I'm tempted to end the call, but knocking Smith's ego down a notch or two is worth the anxiety I'm feeling talking to him. I pull the name of my dentist from out of the ether. The only thing about me that Dr. Tony Adami is interested in is my slight overbite.

"Tony, it's you, isn't it? Do you want to meet for drinks? I'm available now."

"It's not even noon, Brynn." His words come out as a warning.

I jump in before he can say anything else. "We can skip the drinks and go straight to your place."

"Jesus." The sexy rasp in his tone sends shivers down my spine. "How the fuck is this conversation happening? I'm not Tony."

I smile. Toying with Smith is fun, but I have a full day of work and taking care of Pike ahead of me. "My bad. Whoever you are, it's been a slice, but I need to run."

"You know who I am." The sound of a blaring horn punctuates the words. New York traffic is a familiar third voice in many conversations in this city. "Drop the act, Petal."

Petal.

He's the only person on the planet who has ever called me that. It started more than a decade ago when he caught me plucking the petals off a bouquet of daisies my middle school boyfriend had brought me. It wasn't a game of he loves me; he loves me not. I was in shock that day, knowing that Rhett Marin, the boy who had hand delivered the flowers, had kissed my best friend the day before. I knew he didn't love me. I doubt he even liked me very much. The flowers were a token gesture meant to patch my broken heart.

He'd used me to make my friend jealous and when she ignored him after that kiss, he turned back to me as his consolation prize. 

Smith walked into our sun filled apartment on a bright Tuesday afternoon in early summer looking for Julian. Instead, he found me sitting next to our ornate dining room table with dozens of daisy petals at my feet.

He called me Petal and Rhett became a distant memory, replaced with an instant infatuation with my brother's best friend.

"Smith Booth," I whisper his full name. "What do you want?"

"You're not even going to ask how I am?"

I don't care how he is. I care what he did. A phone conversation isn't going to erase his past deeds. He can't undo the damage.

"I'm busy, Smith. I can't talk right now."

"I saw you at the gym." The thud of a car door slamming in the background draws my eyes to the street outside the vet clinic. He's likely miles from here. Manhattan may be an island, but there's always a way to avoid someone you don't want to see. Some people don't believe it's possible, but I know firsthand, that it is. I've been doing it with Smith since he got back to New York City. I was successful until yesterday when he walked into my gym.

"I didn't notice you," I lie.

"Bullshit." He sighs. "You saw me. Why didn't you say hello?"

Because I hate you. Except I don't.

"I didn't see the point." I motion to Adley that I need another minute. She kisses the top of Pike's head.

"I want to see you." He exhales sharply. "I'm on my way to a meeting, but let's set a time now. Tell me when we can talk."

"There's nothing for us to talk about." I rub my fingertips across my jaw as I grind my teeth together. 

"You're wrong." His voice lowers. "I thought we were friends. I know I hung out with Julian when we were younger, but we were friends too, Petal."

Friends? Friends don't stab each other in the back and twist the knife until it pierces the heart.

"You're Julian's friend. You were never my friend."

"That's not how I see it." His deep voice is husky. "I have to get into this meeting. Give some thought to sitting down with me. It could change your life."

He already changed my life in immeasurable ways.

I don't bother with the expected goodbye. Instead, I end the call, toss my phone back into my purse and try to reason away the pounding of my heart and the hunger for the man I've despised for the last three years.