Reflection (The Chrysalis Series) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Bridget idly tapped her fingers on the battered top of the small bistro table as she waited for Claire to arrive. Around her, Bean There Done That was alive with the energy that only a college town coffee house can have. Small groups of students clustered around laptops that competed for space with encyclopaedic textbooks which overflowed the tables. The huge tomes crowded out their cappuccinos and macchiatos while they debated the merits of lives they hadn’t yet begun to live.

Several of her own students were currently huddled around a table in the far back. Hopefully, they were studying for the exam she’d dropped on them for the following day. They’d waved to her as they’d come in, calling out a “Hey, Professor Ross, you drink coffee?” as if it were completely alien for their teacher to actually do something human like drink coffee.

Unfortunately, her “Of course, coffee’s the single best chemical reaction in the world” had fallen on deaf ears. The blank look she’d gotten let her know that she needed to step up her Chem 101 classes if they hadn’t understood the apparent, albeit bad, joke that it was.

Still, they were good kids. It warmed her heart to see the group included Jack Rigby, who was a great guy, but a very poor chem student. Skyler, her best student, was also in the group and it looked like she was taking a special interest in helping him. More than likely that interest had less to do with altruism and a lot more to do with Jack’s baby blue eyes and well developed body, but hey, if it helped him pass she was all for it.

Her eyes danced restlessly around the café as she waited for her best friend. The pale green walls were unexpected in a coffee shop where so many went for mocha shades that matched their primary cash crop, but they worked here. Mona Van Hove, the owner, was not your usual sort of person and there were significantly more comfortable, overstuffed chairs arranged around low tables than there were bistro tables.

The artists’ work adorning the walls was for sale. Mona took a special interest in displaying local works and showcasing aspiring unknowns. The fireplace that dominated the back wall was always in use during the frosty Vermont winters and during the summers she filled the area with candle displays that created a cosy atmosphere no matter the temperature.

The vibe was one of bustling energy. Conversation was lively, but muted enough that you didn’t have to raise your voice to be heard. The clink and tap of dishes as coffees and espressos were made to the accompaniment of the hiss and spit of the machine frothing milk was a comfort on a day like today.

Despite herself, she’d been unable to get the unfortunate encounter with the strange jogger out of her head. She’d been barely civil to him and that wasn’t like her. She was polite to everyone. It had been bred into her from the time she was old enough to walk. No Southern woman worth her salt lost her manners regardless of the situation. However, she had definitely done that this morning.

She’d wanted to put it down to the fact that he’d startled her. That she’d had the dream
again
when she’d gone so long without it she’d thought she might actually have gotten past it. But the reality was that her own reaction had startled her more than anything else.

Yes, he’d absolutely frightened her, but she’d learned years ago to clamp down on the terror and panic that hit her like a Mack truck every time a man caught her by surprise. But no, this time she’d actually pushed him. She’d physically assaulted a man who was guilty of simply startling her. Making it even worse, once she’d recovered her composure she’d found that she’d wanted to reach out and touch him for very different reasons than fright. And
that
was not like her at all.

Bridget Ross of the Charleston Rosses did not run around touching strange men just because she found them attractive. The weirdest thing about it all was that he wasn’t a stunning individual. If he’d been gorgeous she could rationalise her reaction. His features, however, were relatively nondescript. His hair was a deep, chocolate brown cropped extremely short in one of those styles that said a man just couldn’t be bothered with it. His chin had been strong, with the morning’s stubble still present as if he’d gone jogging before shaving. His nose had clearly been broken at some point in his life as it sported a distinct bend.

His eyes, well,
they
had been extraordinary. She would give him that. He had the greyest eyes she’d ever seen. A pale shade of charcoal, they were almost the colour of the ash left in the grill after a good barbecue. He’d towered over her, but only because she was five feet tall on a good day and he was probably just under six feet. She’d had to look up at him and the lack of equilibrium she’d felt had a lot more to do with the way her heart had begun to race and her body had responded to him.

He’d looked at her with those ash-coloured eyes and she’d felt as if she was on fire. As if she was being consumed from the inside out and she wanted nothing more than to continue to burn.

That was unacceptable.

She had panicked. Unable to comprehend her reaction, she’d resorted to rudeness to gain control. Her loss of discipline rankled her. That wasn’t like her and now she didn’t even know where to find him to apologise.

The bells on the door tinkled, drawing her out of her thoughts. Claire entered with Wade Stalls, a native of River Rock and the owner of Stalls General Contracting. He was doing some renovations on the townhouse Claire and Evan shared a few blocks away. Bridget tensed as Wade approached the counter, where Mona was preparing the order of an elderly gentleman. Unfortunately, this was as predictable as the fact that mixing Mentos with Coke would be explosive.

She watched with a mixture of sympathy and pain as Mona caught sight of Wade approaching with Claire and promptly dropped the coffee she’d been about to hand to the old man. Porcelain shattered and hot coffee spilled all over the counter, thankfully missing both Mona and the customer. Mona’s skin, normally a lovely shade of cinnamon, turned crimson and her caramel-coloured eyes went wide with mortification. She looked down and shook her raven hair across her face as if she could hide the physical evidence of her shame. Mona’s hands shook and her friend, normally so together, witty and sharp, literally began to trip over herself. She lost all composure whenever Wade was in the room.

For his part, Wade seemed embarrassed by her distress. He was solicitous to the old man and helped clean up the mess, grabbing a handful of napkins and wiping up the counter after making sure the man was OK. He was abrupt and clipped with Mona, treating her like a criminal. Obviously unable to take it any longer, Mona fled after asking one of her baristas to take over. Bridget went after her with a quick stop to let Claire, who was ordering for herself, know where their table was.

She ignored the “Employees Only” sign on the swinging door next to the restrooms and knocked gently before letting herself into the office. Mona was slumped in her chair, a tissue crumpled in her hand and her arms wrapped around her body as if only sheer will was holding her together.

‘Oh sugar, don’t be so hard on yourself!’ Bridget exclaimed as she hurried over to Mona and wrapped her friend in a hug.

‘Bridg –’ her voice was watery ‘– why can’t I get myself together whenever he’s around?’ The question was more of a wail.

‘Because you refuse to realise that he’s just a man, darlin’. He’s not this god you’ve put on a pedestal. Hell, he’s friggin’ stupid as far as I can tell. He can’t even see such a phenomenal catch right in front of his face. Now, do you really want a stupid man?’

Mona snorted at Bridget, considering they both knew Wade was anything but stupid, but it had the desired effect as Mona took several deep breaths and swiped at her eyes.

‘Bridget, I have loved that man since I was in high school and, frankly, I’m sick to death of feeling this way. I’m wasting my best years pining for a man who doesn’t want me.’

‘I know, Mona.’ Bridget hugged her friend again, unwilling to lie to her. She stroked her hair and said, ‘But I completely disagree that you’ve wasted your life. You have a wonderful business, gorgeous friends who love you –’ She flicked her hair and got the laugh she’d hoped for at her obviously self-aggrandising words. Capitalising on the moment, she said, ‘Come on, sugar. Come take a break and have a coffee with me and Claire.’

Mona shot a panicked glance in the direction of the café. ‘I don’t want to go back out there, Bridg.’

‘Mona, don’t make me go there.’

Mona gasped and pulled back from Bridget. ‘You wouldn’t!’

‘I absolutely would.’ Bridget pulled her best stern look. ‘Now, what are you going to do?’

‘Well –’ she drew herself up to her full five feet six inches and pushed her chair back under her desk ‘– I guess you leave me little choice.’

‘Indeed.’ Bridget barely contained her grin as Mona pushed past her, grumbling about how she’d be damned before she’d let Bridget ruin another espresso machine making her own coffee.

‘Caramel, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon.’ Bridget licked her lips unconsciously as she swallowed the silky brew Mona had set before her.

‘Yup.’ Mona grinned, clapping as Bridget guessed the flavours in her latest find. Turning to Claire, she said, ‘Your turn.’

Claire sipped carefully and closed her eyes, a look of pure bliss passing over her features as she swallowed. She took another sip and repeated the process before saying, ‘Almonds and chocolate.’ She set the cup down with a satisfied grin.

‘You guys are so good!’ Mona was jubilant and, now that Wade was gone, the successful, smart, and gregarious woman was back in charge rather than the insecure mess she always reverted to in his presence.

‘Well,’ Claire said, ‘I can’t speak for Bridget, but I take my coffee very seriously, especially now.’ She rested an unconscious hand on her swelling abdomen.

A pang of deep envy shot through Bridget that she quickly stamped out. She wasn’t going there either. The spell was broken, however. As Mona and Claire discussed the merits of decaf coffee in satisfying her cravings yet protecting Claire’s unborn child from the effects of caffeine, her mind wandered back to the morning’s encounter with the jogger.

‘Care to share?’ Claire’s voice cut through her ruminations and she was surprised to see her two friends looking at her quite intently.

‘Pardon?’ She stalled for time.

‘Exactly what has got you scowling?’

‘I don’t know what ya’ll are talking about.’ Pretending a deep interest in the material of her skirt, she smoothed the napkin over her lap even as she blushed.

‘Spill, Bridget.’ Claire was looking at her with one eyebrow raised and worry colouring her hazel eyes.

Remorse flooded Bridget and she sighed deeply before saying, ‘I ran into someone this morning and it’s thrown me off.’

‘Who?’ Claire and Mona asked in unison.

‘I don’t know.’ She picked at her napkin before grabbing it and balling up in a fist. ‘I mean, I literally ran into him, or his dog at least. And then he frightened me, I pushed him, and then nearly tore his head off I was so rude.’ She was tripping over her words and not making an ounce of sense, and she knew it.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at her friends who were patiently waiting her out and started over. She filled them in on the encounter, her reaction, and her remaining disquiet. When she’d finished, Claire and Mona sat quietly, their sympathy evident in their faces. They knew her history. In that, at least, no explanation was required.

‘So,’ she said on a breathy sigh, ‘I behaved like a bitch. I can’t even apologise and it’s nagging at me badly.’

Claire reached out and squeezed her hand. ‘Stop being so hard on yourself. There isn’t one thing that happened that wasn’t a natural response. Both the fright and the attraction. You’re still a functioning woman, Bridget. You’re going to respond to men.’

Hot tears flooded Bridget’s eyes. It wasn’t the attraction she had a problem with, it was the stupidity that giving into attraction led you to. That was something she would never allow. The lesson she’d received had imprinted on her like indelible ink. Once was enough.

Mona took her other hand and began making soothing noises to her which only made Bridget laugh given the role reversal she now found herself in.

‘You guys are good to me, but stop. Seriously. I’ll be fine.’ She gently disengaged her hands and stood, reaching for her handbag. ‘Listen, I have to get to class, but I’ll see you guys this weekend, right?’ Their book club was meeting at Bibliophile as usual.

‘Yup,’ Mona said smiling.

‘Wouldn’t miss it.’ Claire grinned, considering her husband was the proprietor of the shop.

‘Good.’ She forced a grin. ‘I’ll see you ladies then.’ With a wave, she forced all thoughts but the upcoming lesson out of her mind as she stepped into the afternoon sunshine.

Pinewood University was the heart of River Rock. The city itself had grown up around the school and its economy was highly dependent on the university. The grounds were stately and looked very much like they must have looked when the school first opened in 1867. The verdant campus was surrounded by the trees of its namesake. The quad, so named for the four, expansive areas of manicured grass intersected by wide sidewalks that looked more like narrow roads, was crowded and thrumming with energy.

Groups of students clustered on the grass, studying or just hanging out. Their laptops and MP3 players were out of sync with the classicism of the campus and created a surreal feeling at times. Remove the students and you could have been in a Sherlock Holmes novel.

Connor was oblivious to the mystique as he hot-footed it across the quad, trying to get to the auditorium before he was any later. A quick glance at his watch told him it was pointless.

Dammit!
He had to do better than this. He really did. But he hadn’t been able to resist the afternoon sun and the treasures he’d found in the local parks to sketch and photograph. Mothers and nannies with children at play. Dogs and their owners playing in the park. The shot he’d gotten of a Border Collie mid-flight with a Frisbee in her teeth and a look of pure adoration on her face as her owner clapped with joy had been awesome.