“I’ve got to say,” Becki jumped in, unwilling to listen to his apology, “it cleared things up pretty quickly for me.”
Swiping a hand quickly across the corner of her eye, she brushed away the single tear that had dared to escape before continuing, “So now, if you will get your hands off of me, I’ll be on my way,” she concluded, trying to wiggle her way out of his arms.
“I didn’t mean it like--” he tried again to explain.
“The hell you didn’t! This is bullshit! At the risk of repeating myself… which I hate to do, get your hands off me you--”
“I’m getting very tired of your name-calling,” Royce warned, pulling her off the pathway and into one of the garden rooms. “We will discuss this like adults.”
“Whatever. I’m getting very tired of your pawing me,” Becki mocked, “so why don’t you just let me go.” Becki pushed harder against his chest. Her heart did not want to leave, but they had already been over this once; he didn’t have time for her. God, would this day ever end?
“Stop squirming or you’re going to be embarrassed when I throw you over my shoulder and escort you to my room,” he growled.
All movement abruptly ceased. As she stood perfectly still, focusing somewhere over his left shoulder, Becki said wearily, “You are going to have to make up your mind, Royce. I can’t keep up. I thought you were “behind schedule” and couldn’t possibly fit me in. You were supposed to be leaving town, or did I misunderstand something?” Becki heaved a sigh before suddenly pinning him with her gaze, “You know what? It doesn’t really matter,” she announced.
Feeling as if he had been sucker-punched, he slowly allowed his arms to drop to his sides, giving her the freedom she wanted.
Becki stood against him a moment longer, and then forced herself to step away. She turned and squared her shoulders as her mother’s words echoed through her ears: “True character is measured by the grace in which a person handles life’s disappointments.” This is certainly turning out to be a big disappointment, Momma.
“I am leaving town, but I have to find something first,” Royce admitted. “Can we take a walk?” he asked, reaching out to grasp her hand.
“My turn to say hell no,” Becki answered as she slid her hand easily out of his grasp. “I don’t want to walk with you. I don’t want to talk with you,” Becki elaborated. “Hell, I don’t want to be in the same time zone as you right now.” Sorry Momma, she mentally apologized.
“I’ve been pretty understanding about all this secrecy bullshit, Royce. I didn’t call the police this morning when you traipsed through my living room wearing a hand towel. I bit my tongue even when I wanted more than anything to pressure you for information. You broke into my house, used my washer and dryer, drank my coffee, and took a shower, for-godsake. I had to think about that the whole time I was in there getting ready this morning. Then to top it all off, you kissed me like--”
She was on a roll now and prayed to make to the end without tearing up again. “You kissed me and then walked away without a backward glance. I’ve known you less than twenty-four hours, and you’ve managed to insult me more than anyone I’ve ever known. So you see, I don’t want to deal with you or your precious “time schedule”; and speaking of which, you shouldn’t waste any more of your oh-so-valuable time with me. Goodbye, Royce. Have a great life.”
Whew, she made it. Now, she just needed to get the hell out of here, so she could have a well-deserved melt-down in private. God, he got under her skin like no other. She should be glad to know she would never see him again, the arrogant bastard.
“Please?” Royce took the wind out of her sails with one softly spoken word.
Her brain screamed, Run--don’t walk, as far away as you can. Her heart whispered, Just a little while longer. With Lucifer sitting on one shoulder and an angel sitting on the other, her brain and heart battled it out.
Her heart won. “Ok,” Becki relented, “but I need to find Natie first.”
Royce recaptured her hand and tugged her in the direction of the sea wall that protected The Battery. A walkway, just inside the sea wall, provided a perfect place to stroll, hand-in-hand, while absorbing the beauty and splendor of