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The phone was silent for a few moments, and Bryce wondered if she’d hung up, or if he dropped the call. He was pulling into the driveway of Miss Mabel’s when she finally spoke.
“Why don’t you start from the beginning,” she suggested.
That was a solid plan. Things would only sound worse if he explained in bits and pieces. After a long sigh, he explained his miserable situation.
“I’ve done a few jobs for this property owner. It’s the only reason I agreed to work an out-of-town job. He asked me way in advance so I could get licensed in this state.
“Anyway, his daughter is helping out on this job. I wasn’t expecting her to be here because she’s literally never worked with him on any of the other jobs I’ve done for him. She insisted I meet her for dinner. Trust me, I’d rather be on my way to see you.”
Samantha responded after a pause. “Am I missing something? This doesn’t seem like a big deal. Do I come off as a jealous person? I have no problem with you having business dinners, or business lunches.”
“Well, that’s not all. We have a bit of a history. Lizzy and I went out a few times. Things never went far, I swear. She’s too forward. But she is the one who introduced me to Mr. Martin, so I feel like I’m in a terrible position right now. I don’t like spending time with her, and having you back home makes the whole thing feel even worse.”
“Bryce. It’s okay,” she soothed. “Has she done anything recently? What about her makes you uncomfortable?”
“Just being around her does. It’s bad enough that I’m three hours away from you. Whenever she talks to me, she touches my arm, or my hand. She’s just to—familiar.”
“Why don’t you talk to her? It’s probably a good idea if you guys get together outside of the office. Tell her she’s being too familiar. She might not even realize it bothers you. You’re stuck working with her, so you need to find a way to do it comfortably.”
Bryce was stunned. That definitely wasn’t the reaction he’d been counting on. Considering her history with his brother and the way he behaved during their marriage, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she ended the phone call or started putting up her walls again. But everything that came from her mouth was completely reasonable.
“Bryce?” Her voice broke the silence. “Are you there?”
“Yeah. I just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Expecting what?”
“Your response. I think worrying about how you would handle it is part of the reason I’ve been so on edge. I don’t want to ever give you reason to doubt me,” he explained.
“I know you aren’t your brother. If I had doubts, we wouldn’t be where we are. I trust you. Clear the air with this woman. You’ll feel better. I’ll call you in the morning.”
Bryce sat in the truck for several minutes after the call ended. As he sat there, the tension eased from his shoulders. He always thought it was a figure of speech when people spoke of a weight lifting off their chest, but that was the only way he could describe the feeling. His chest literally felt lighter. He inhaled slowly one more time before releasing his breath and stepping out of the truck to meet Lizzy.
Chapter 13
“Tell me I’m being stupid and need to turn around,” Samantha said as soon as Meka picked up the phone.
“Uh oh.”
“Are you closing up? You can call me back,” Samantha said once she noticed the time.
“All I have left to do is close and lock the door. So, tell me what crazy thing you are doing. I refuse to weigh in without the facts.”
Samantha started from the beginning. Meka already knew Bryce was away for work. She was careful to point out that her unexpected trip to Delaware was to cheer Bryce up, not to try to catch him. She hadn’t been lying when she told him he had her trust. It was obvious the distance was wearing on him the same way it was wearing on her.
“So, am I crazy?”
Meka chuckled. “Yes.”
Samantha rubbed the back of her neck. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, and the weight of her braids only added to the tension there. “God. I should turn around.”
Meka laughed again. “Stop freaking out. I was only teasing. I think it’s cute. You are missing him, and he’s obviously missing you. You have an unexpected Saturday off, so you shouldn’t waste it. Go find your man.”
“You make it sound so creepy. I don’t have to search for him. He sent me his accommodations when he found a place that would allow Asher. I’m not stalking him or anything.”
“Exactly. Remember that when you start overthinking again. I’m on my way to pick up Chenille, so I better get going. Let me know how it goes.”
Samantha felt much better after talking to her friend. Rayelle would have had a better idea of Bryce’s reaction, but she didn’t want to be talked out of her trip. The surprise was for the right reasons. She had already been feeling needy before finding out it would be at least another week before she would see him.
