Playing in Shadow (11 page)

Scarlet was taken aback by the solemn query. The dull light in Bryce’s eyes was haunted by dark shadows, and Scarlet desperately wanted to banish them away. She caught Bryce raising a hand under her ever-present cap to run her finger over the scar that marred her forehead. Scarlet recognized the unconscious nervous gesture and her heart ached.

“I’m asking you out because I think you’re fascinating and gorgeous and are someone I want to get to know more about.” The startled look Bryce shot her at the mention of her looks gave Scarlet a reason to pause.
Doesn’t she see that scar doesn’t change anything? It doesn’t alter the fact she’s still an attractive woman at all.
She folded her arms across her chest and gave Bryce a playful scowl. “I’m not without interested suitors, you know. I have it on good authority that the minute I miraculously turn straight Gregor will be the first gentleman caller pounding on my door.” She was delighted to see a smile tug at Bryce’s lips.

“His wife might have something to say about that.”

“Well, she’s safe because it’s going to be a very long time before I hand in my lesbian card.” Emboldened by Bryce’s smile, Scarlet reached out to stroke her cheek. Bryce froze at her touch and Scarlet let her hand linger just a little more. “So, what do you say? Will you come out with me?” She trailed a finger down Bryce’s neck slowly, feeling the steady pulse that accelerated at her bold move.

Bryce captured her hand and Scarlet thrilled to her touch. Bryce’s work-roughened fingers were warm against her own and their strength was obvious.

“I’m not very comfortable out in public.”

“Then I’ll pick somewhere quiet and intimate. I’d like to spend time with you outside of work. If it becomes too much for you we can always leave.” Scarlet squeezed Bryce’s hand. “What do you say? Please say yes.” Scarlet watched as Bryce wavered for the longest time then finally capitulated.

“If that’s what you want.”

Her low tone made Scarlet’s insides tremble. “So, can I pick you up at seven?”

Bryce shook her head. “Tell me where you want to go and I’ll meet you there.”

“Bryce, I can come and pick you up. It’s no bother.”

Bryce hesitated, appearing to be at war with herself. Scarlet waited, eyeing her closely, watching the indecision darken her face. Finally, Bryce spoke.

“I don’t ride in cars, Scarlet. I can’t yet. I just…
.can’t
.”

Startled by this revelation, Scarlet finally realized why her father had asked for her to drop Bryce’s tools over at Trent’s house. She had been visiting her grandma anyway and hadn’t initially thought anything of it. Her father obviously knew though and was sparing Bryce’s feelings. It certainly explained all the buses Bryce traveled to and from work on.

“How about a taxi?” Scarlet asked.

Bryce shook her head. “Still too enclosed.” She took a hasty step back and away from Scarlet. “Maybe you should just forget—”

Scarlet reacted quickly and stayed Bryce’s hasty departure with a hand on her arm. “The Crimson Dragon on Broadway. I seem to recall there’s a bus stop right by it. You’re not getting away from me that easily, Bryce Donovan. If I have to get the food hand delivered to your door and bring the chopsticks myself, I will do so.”

“Why does this mean so much to you?” Bryce’s tone held more than a hint of exasperation.

“Because you’re beginning to.”

Scarlet had spoken without censure and watched as Bryce’s surprise was replaced by the first true smile Scarlet had seen from her.
Oh my God, she’s beautiful
. Through the lingering pallor and all too obvious pain left by Bryce’s accident, Scarlet could finally see beyond that and was seeing some of the real Bryce beneath. It took all her strength not to reach out and kiss her then and there.

“Your eyes just changed color. What are you thinking?” Bryce asked as she stepped closer, all her attention fixed firmly on Scarlet’s face.

“How much I want to kiss you,” Scarlet said, her voice breaking as she stared at Bryce’s mouth. The smile remained on Bryce’s lips.

“You might want to save that for the date. Besides”—Bryce cocked her head toward the men who were starting to file into the buildings—“we don’t want to startle our work colleagues or break Gregor’s heart.”

“They’d enjoy it.” Scarlet shrugged, only now noticing that others were milling around them, gathering up their equipment.

“They probably would, but I’d rather they didn’t get their jollies from something as special as that first kiss between you and me. I’d rather that was something kept for us alone.”

Scarlet swallowed back a moan at the way Bryce’s tone had lowered and made the air more intimate between them. She regretted that they were standing on the driveway in plain view of the work site. “Seven o’clock?”

“I’ll be there.”

*

The Sullivan-Williams household was hosting a lively get-together that evening. Juliet sat beside Monica as they discussed some work-related issues that had cropped up, and Trent and Elton were seated opposite them with their own agenda.

“Zelda is kinda pretty,” Trent said.

“A Ganondorf wouldn’t be bullied…well, not too much. Or how about Leon Kennedy instead?”

“Jill Valentine.”

“Marcus Fenix.”

“There’s always Peach.”

“And you can’t beat Mario.”

Juliet half listened as Trent reeled off baby names for a girl while Elton countered with names for a boy. They’d been at it for five long minutes and Juliet had been impressed by their ability to rattle off the most bizarre names of characters from all forms of media. “I’ve told you both before, there’ll be no naming the baby after a character from a game.” She shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, trying to get in a better position that eased her aching back.

Elton sighed then brightened. “Baelfire,” he announced.

“Ariel.”

Monica shook her head at them. “Guys, I’m guessing TV fairy tale characters are off the list too. Besides, everyone knows the Evil Queen in that show is the fairest of them all. Mighty sexy too in her low-cut regal gowns that I am just dying to re-create.”

“I just don’t want to name my kid anything boring or regular. He or she is going to be amazing just like its mommy so I’m vetoing any old-fashioned name from our grandparents’ era. And no fucking reality TV names either.”

At Juliet’s pointed cough, Trent sighed and reached into her jeans for her wallet. She took out a dollar bill and slipped it into a large jar with the label “Baby’s College Fund” stuck on that was set prominently on the coffee table. Between her and Elton, that night alone they’d added twenty dollars due to the “no swearing unnecessarily” rule that was now in play. Trent grinned over at Juliet in contrition. “I’m really liking the current name we’re calling the baby though.”

Juliet huffed at her. “
We
are not calling the baby anything. That particular name is all your fault, and I am not calling my child
that
!” She ran a hand over her stomach protectively. “I knew you should have stayed at home on the last hospital visit.”

Monica looked between Juliet and Trent, waiting for more. “Come on, spill. What’s the name? I know for a fact you two haven’t gone the cutesy route and haven’t been calling the fetus ‘peanut’ while it’s been growing.”

Trent never broke her gaze from Juliet. “Newt,” she said with a smile.

Juliet grumbled under her breath. “That damned video the nurse showed us has a lot to answer for.” She groaned as Trent ahem-ed and pointed to the jar. Juliet deliberately turned away to direct her attention to Monica, ignoring the so-called other adults in the room. “It was to prepare parents-to-be in case of a cesarean birth.”

Monica looked puzzled, but Elton guffawed out loud. He began to dramatically writhe in pain, clutching at his chest. He then shoved his hand up his shirt, punching through the gap between buttons, pretending it was an alien complete with gnashing teeth.

“Chest burster!” He and Trent burst into fits of laughter.

Juliet sighed. “That’s pretty much what Trent did in class and nearly got us ejected from the screening room.” She had to smile as Trent and Elton were now in hysterics at Elton’s antics. “So, to Trent, the baby has been Newt ever since.”

Monica frowned at Elton’s silliness. “Newt’s not exactly what I expect to be monogramming into the kid’s clothes when he or she goes to kindergarten.”

“It’ll do for now until we can pick a name we both agree on,” Trent said, wiping at her eyes and grinning over at Juliet unrepentantly.

“At least the middle name is sorted. Mom and Dad started a family tradition of always having Grandma’s maiden name as a second name. We just need to pick a first name that Trent doesn’t think is too normal and I don’t think is too outlandish.”

“She even said no to Chun-Li,” Trent said mournfully.

Hanging his head in commiseration, Elton finally removed his hand from inside his shirt. He picked up his beer bottle instead. “Bummer, dude.” He took a long drink. “Hey, how about Thor?”

They both looked over at Juliet who gave them her patented look.

“Guess not,” Elton muttered, cowering a little.

“Newt it is then.” Trent winked at Juliet who just shook her head at her with an indulgent smile.

*

Bryce had agonized over what to wear but had finally decided on a pair of dark blue chinos and a sky blue shirt. She had gathered up her wallet on the way out and checked herself in the mirror one last time. She looked thinner than before. The shadows under her eyes still blatantly broadcast the fact she wasn’t sleeping. Critically, her eyes swept over the scar before she hid it under the cap. She smiled a little remembering Kayleigh’s fascination in its apparent “coolness” to the young girl. A badge of honor. Bryce didn’t feel there was much honor being the only survivor in a car she shouldn’t have been a passenger in anyway. She brushed aside the thought and fought not to let the morose thoughts spoil the ripple of anticipation that was thrumming through her body. For the first time in a long time, she actually felt alive.

The bus journey was short, which suited Bryce fine because she was eager to get the night started. Scarlet had been very attentive over the lunch break they had shared together and had unashamedly called Bryce out on purposely dodging her the past week. Scarlet had known why too.

“So I found you asleep. Big deal. All I could think of was how sweet you looked and how I wouldn’t mind being able to see that look on your face from the comfort of my own bed.”

Bryce had been surprised by Scarlet’s bluntness and by how totally turned on she had become from Scarlet’s admission. Scarlet had just chuckled at her stunned silence.

“I can be terribly forward. You’ll have to be prepared for that. I’m not one for sitting back on my heels when I see a good thing. I just have to grab it. Life’s too short.”

Bryce had the feeling Scarlet was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Before the accident, Bryce would have matched her in confidence and wit. Now, she knew all too well how short life could be, but instead of it propelling her forward to embrace it she found herself wanting to just hide away from it all. She was stepping out of her comfort zone tonight. She was equal parts terrified and hopeful. Maybe now was the time to take a step back into the world she’d known.

The restaurant Scarlet had chosen was a popular Chinese one. It appeared busy with the evening trade, but the booths were set up to give the occupants an air of intimacy. Bryce walked in and looked around for Scarlet. Her heart felt like it was coming out of her chest. All of a sudden, she was terrified.

Calm down for fuck’s sake. Having a heart attack on the first date is not a good way to start the evening
.

She saw a flash of familiar red as Scarlet stood up from her booth and waved Bryce over. Bryce nearly swallowed her tongue. Scarlet was stunning in a low-cut emerald green blouse and a long black skirt. Her hair was loose, hanging luxuriously over her shoulders. Bryce was filled with the urge to grab a handful of it and pull her close for a desperate kiss. An ornate hair clasp caught a swath of hair back from Scarlet’s face and added a touch of
otherworldly
that Scarlet favored. And wore so well, Bryce thought. She wet her lips, desperately aware that her throat had gone dry over the beauty before her. She brushed past the other patrons and hoped she looked cool and collected, when in reality, all she wanted to do was reach out and ravish Scarlet and taste those deep red lips.
Ravish?
Bryce wondered where that word had come from, but looking at how Scarlet stood out among all the rest, she felt ravishing would only be the start of what she’d like to do to her.

She felt the world stutter in place when Scarlet leaned over and kissed her cheek in welcome.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, easing back down into her seat.

Bryce sat with a less elegant thump. “You look beautiful,” she blurted, wondering where all her measured poise and charm had fled to. Scarlet’s smile lit a flame inside her chest.

Scarlet leaned conspiratorially over the table, affording Bryce a flash of pale cleavage that made that flame ignite to a scorching heat. “Thank you. I decided to tone down the Goth look for you, just to show you I can dress reasonably normal.”

“You didn’t have to do that. Don’t ever not be yourself. You do look stunning though.” She hid her hands under the table and gripped her knees. Anything to stop herself from reaching over the table to grasp on tight to Scarlet’s hands to try to anchor herself in this moment. “You must get your looks from your mother because as nice a guy as your dad is, I can’t think you got all that pretty from him.”

Scarlet’s smile widened. “Well, aren’t you sweet? My mom was a redhead so I got my coloring from her. The stubborn jaw too, according to Grandma.”

“I know you lost her when you were just a kid. I’m sorry about that.”

“It was hard, but Dad and Grandma got me through it.”

“Your grandma’s the old lady who lives next door to Trent and Juliet, right?”

“Yes, and she’s very excited that she gets to be an honorary grandma to their child. She’s knitting a baby blanket for them as a gift.” Scarlet gave Bryce a relieved look. “Took the pressure off me and her not so subtle hinting that she needed a great-grandchild to bounce on her knee. I owe Trent big time for that.”