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His condo was large, expansive. He walked through to the main entrance with its grand spiral staircase leading upstairs to the master suite. Sylvia was already dressing for the night’s event. Her dark green cocktail dress was thrown casually on the bed and she stood in the bathroom in her lacy underwear putting on her makeup. Bryce came in, took off his jacket and tossed it on the bed by her dress. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, admiring the view in front of him.

“… You look gorgeous, Sylvia…As usual…” He smiled at the tall, willowy blonde. She finished putting on a stroke of eyeliner before responding. His eyes traveled from her beautiful face, to the low-cut nude bra to her barely there panties and shapely legs. She wore only the sheerest and most expensive lingerie and underwear.

“You need to change, Bryce.” She cut her eyes over to give him a quick once-over before returning to her reflection in the mirror.

He walked behind her and put his hands on her hips. “Sylvia…”

She shook her head. “… Don’t even think about it. If we don’t leave in thirty minutes, we’ll be late…”

Bryce kept his hands on her hips and nuzzled her neck. “Why don’t we just stay home and scramble something, hmm?” He teased her neck with little puffs of air. She pushed him away…

“No. We did that last time and I really want to see the concert tonight.” She returned to putting on her eyeliner and shadow. “Besides, aren’t we meeting your boss and his wife someplace afterwards?” Bryce blew out a breath.

“…Fine. What should I wear?” He walked over to his huge walk-in closet with multiple shelves and compartments. Several racks of quality suits were lined up and he brushed a hand through a few of them to contemplate his decision. He felt textures of wool, cashmere, cotton and silk.

“Wear the Ralph Lauren that you bought over at the Bellagio last week,” she called out. “It looks terrific on you.”

So Bryce picked out a light gray pinstripe suit with a white shirt, gold cufflinks and silver tie. His double pleated pants fit him like a glove as did the jacket – The suit had been custom made for him. Bryce took a quick shower, dressed and was about ready to go when a phone call interrupted the Windsor knot he was tying in his tie. Sylvia, needing him to zip her cocktail dress, glanced around irritated.

“We need to go…”

“It’ll just take a minute,” he said while balancing his cell phone between his chin and shoulder, as he tried to zip her up at the same time. His tie remained untied for now.

“Hello… Yes, sir. We’re heading over there now…All right… That sounds good…See you there.” He clicked off the phone and tossed it on the bed. He finished zipping Sylvia and continued tying his tie.

“Who was that?”

“Nick.”

“… And…”

“He and his wife will meet us at the concert. We’ll all go for dinner afterwards.”

“Where to?”

“…Le Cirque on the Strip.”

She raised her eyebrows while reaching for her Jimmy Choo heels. “Nice choice.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Nick likes the best…”

Driving over to the symphony hall, Bryce remembered something.

“Tell me again why I’m going to a classical music concert?” He gave her a pained expression.

“First, it looks like you might have good taste.” He winced when she said that. “…And second, it’s very nice music.”

“I prefer my rock...”

“Yes, I know, but quite often you make contacts at these things, in case you’ve forgotten.”

He glanced over at her as she was checking her lipstick in the overhead mirror. “You’re more interested in my career than I am sometimes. Have you noticed that?”

She shrugged. “It’s the tie that binds, Bryce…”

That gave him pause.
Was it really
? Was his career really the main reason they were together?

Before he could really dive into that thought, they had arrived and he gave his keys to the valet who was parking cars. Walking into the beautiful crystal and gold auditorium, Bryce and Sylvia said hello to a few people and chatted briefly with a state senator they knew. The usher showing them their seats in the orchestra area handed both Bryce and Sylvia programs of the night’s performance. After they’d been seated, Bryce’s boss and his wife arrived and they exchanged pleasantries. Then he relaxed and took a look at the program.

“
The San Francisco Piano Quartet?
That’s what we’re listening to tonight?” Bryce tried to refrain from rolling his eyes as Sylvia gave him a pained look.

“It’ll be beautiful… Can you just cool your jets? You can go see The Grateful Dead some other time.”

Bryce smiled. “I don’t think they’re touring anymore…” She fluffed her hair and in a huff started to read the program. Bryce did as well, since she was obviously pissed at him already.

The four musicians who would be performing tonight were on leave from the San Francisco Philharmonic. Bryce raised an eyebrow. Wow… Credentials and talent… He turned to the pages listing each musician, their instruments and where they’d trained and performed. Glancing at their photos, he took a second look at one in particular. The pianist would be Beth Lane. Beth Lane
… Beth Lane
? He sat up straighter and smoothed his tie. Looking around him, Bryce took another good look at the pianist’s photo. My God… This was one small world -- That was Beth all right. Beth from Carson City… Beth his former high school girlfriend… Beth who he’d pretty much run out on
… Jesus… Beth…

Her picture was a casual one with her head slightly leaning against her hand propped up on a table. She was smiling at someone not in the photo with her pretty brunette hair piled on top of her head, making her look sophisticated. Her arms and shoulders were bare and she was wearing what looked like a silk dress with thin straps. Twinkling brown eyes with an infectious smile… She looked sweet, wholesome and just exactly as he remembered her. He stopped breathing for a minute.

“Are you all right?” Sylvia glanced at him as he caught his breath. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat.

“…Yeah…”

In the few minutes left before the curtain went up, Bryce closed his eyes and memories cascaded down on him. She was the sweetest and kindest person he’d ever known and they’d fallen for each other as sophomores. Why she liked him, he couldn’t guess. He was moody, sulky, and rebellious… The school’s bad boy... But all that dissipated when his father died. Bryce caught his breath again.

This was the second time today that he found himself unwillingly thinking of Carson City. Silky sentiments swirled around him like snowflakes. Trying hard not to be overwhelmed, he concentrated on the performance that began as the lights dimmed and the curtain went up.

Soon, smooth dulcet tones were flowing over him as the four instruments began to play so harmoniously – Violin, viola, cello and piano. The music of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann softly swam in his mind washing out everything else. He had forgotten how peaceful that music could make him feel.

All the music was wonderful, but when Beth played a solo movement called ‘Joy’ by Johann Sebastian Bach, Bryce thought he was in Heaven. The piece was incredibly moving and he was close enough to the stage to see the joy on Beth’s face as she played it. Her face was simply lit up and he envied her thrill at doing what she loved. He became happy…
happy to be here… happy to be listening to this inspiring music… happy
… As she played the last few notes, he closed his eyes and felt the earth shift under his feet.

Intermission came and they went for glasses of wine, while talking to a few more people they knew. But that music just kept coming back at him. Bryce would zone out for a minute while certain repetitive strains of ‘Joy’ strolled through his consciousness. Sylvia looked at him strangely. When they were walking back to their seats after intermission, she asked him.

“Where are you?”

“Right here…”

“No, you’re not. You keep spacing out. I can see it in your eyes.”

He shrugged it off. “This beautiful music just keeps reverberating in my brain.”

She smiled. “Good…Maybe you’re getting a musical ear at last.”

“…Maybe.”

After the performance, Bryce knew he had to go backstage to say hello to Beth. He wasn’t sure how happy she would be to see him, but he needed to chance it.

“Sylvia, I know one of the musicians in the Quartet and I want to go backstage. Do you want to come with me?”

She paused. “Which one do you know?”

“…The pianist.” One of two women on stage...

“Yes, I’ll come.”

They walked to the backstage area and someone showed them to the dressing room. The musicians were relaxing, talking and discussing where to go for dinner. Sylvia stayed at the door with an uncertain look on her face, while Bryce walked into the room. Beth was chatting with the violinist when she glanced up and saw him come in.

Beth blinked once, then twice in utter astonishment. Her mouth dropped open until she thought to close it a few seconds later. When she gracefully stood to greet him, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

She looks beautiful in that elegant black evening gown, he thought.

He looks handsome in that expensive designer suit, she thought.

“Beth? Is that really you?” Bryce walked up to her and reached out a hand.

She laughed. “Yes, Bryce… My God, how are you?” She reached out to him. He shook her soft hand with both hands and hung on a minute longer than decorum allowed.

They smiled at each other.

“The performance was outstanding…” he gushed.

“…Did you really like it?” She blushed a light pink.

“Very much. I enjoyed your solo piece especially.”

Her eyes widened. “The Bach movement, ‘Joy’? You enjoyed that?”

“Yes, it was so beautiful and you’ve become as good a pianist as you always wanted to be…”

“Thank you. That piece is my favorite…”

They smiled at each other again. In the doorway, Sylvia cleared her throat. Bryce looked shyly at Sylvia and then back at Beth.

“Oh… This is my girlfriend, Sylvia Morgan.”

“How do you do?” smiled Beth.

“Great… We enjoyed the performance,” said Sylvia.

“…Thanks.” She looked down at the violinist. “And this is William Lee, my good friend.”

Good friend? Not boyfriend?

“Nice to meet you, William.” Bryce leaned over to shake his hand.

“…Pleasure.”

He smiled again into her open face. Bryce could draw every inch of her lovely face from memory.

“How long are you in town?”

“We’re on tour and in Las Vegas for a few weeks. It’s all been very gratifying and we’re experiencing a great run.”

“…Super,” beamed Bryce. “Maybe we can catch up sometime.”

“I’d like that,” said Beth.

“Hey, everyone,” announced the viola player. “Let’s get a move on. We need to get back to the hotel and then on to dinner.”

“Where are you staying?” asked Bryce.

“…The Mirage,” she answered.

“I’ll call…”

Beth nodded at Bryce and then smiled at Sylvia. She was under no illusion whatsoever that Bryce would make good on his promise to call. As they left, he looked back once more to grin at her. She smiled back thinking of the last time she saw that breathtaking smile of his. It had to be when he left her, some ten years ago, never to return. He was supposed to be going out for pizza – He went to California instead.

No… Bryce Barron and reliable weren’t three words she would use together in a sentence. But she smiled again thinking of how much she’d loved him. He had certainly wound his way into her heart, that’s for sure. And if she wasn’t mistaken, he had felt the same way about her. She shook her head at him now. With his flash, polished appearance and high maintenance girlfriend, he was as far from himself as a hawk from the moon.

Beth joined her fellow musicians as they made their way from the symphony hall to their dinner reservations at the Mirage. And she thought no more about Bryce Barron…

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

Bryce was working away at his downtown office a few days later when he received a very unexpected phone call. He was finishing the last details of the Mesquite Lumber and Supply buyout with no reservations or hesitations. Done deal. With flair, he signed the last few documents, set them aside and smiled. Fragmented thoughts of the company’s owner fleeted briefly in his mind, but were banished by the phone ringing.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Barron. A Mr. Dan Ibarra on the line for you,” said his secretary.

Bryce blinked and froze.

“Mr. Barron?” He cleared his throat.

“…Um… Thank you, Sue. Put him through.”

Bryce moved the phone to his other ear. He gripped the phone a little tighter… Exhaling audibly, he ran a hand through his dark hair, now as untidy as his frame of mind
. Dan Ibarra…Talk about a voice from the past…

“Hello?”

“Hello. Bryce, is that you?”

“Sheriff Ibarra. I’m stunned to hear from you.”

“Dan, please. I’ve been retired for a few years now.” He laughed. “… And nope, I don’t have any outstanding warrants on you, son.”

Bryce laughed too and relaxed a bit. “
Whew
… Glad to hear that. I
was
getting a bit nervous…”

“You were a bit of a hell-raiser, Bryce, but I’m sure those days are past you.”

“Yes sir.” Bryce swallowed hard. “What can I do for you?”

Slight pause.

“I was going through some boxes from my office last week and I came across something interesting… Something that should belong to you.”

Bryce gripped the phone so hard that his knuckles were now white.

“What is it?”

“Some old thing of your father’s. I thought you should have it.”

He didn’t know what to make of that and said nothing.

“…Um…”

“Still there?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s meet for lunch today. I’m in town for a retired sheriffs’ get-together and would like to see you.”

“Today? Not sure I can make it. The paperwork on my desk is sky high.”

“…Understandable, but maybe we can make it quick. This is important, son.”