“Later,” Kenny stated as he winked at Blake.
* * * *
Blake tried to focus on Lena as they walked through town then back over toward his truck instead of what Kenny had told him about Bryant. He wondered how his brother Bryant could be such a jerk. Especially to Lena when she had done so much for him.
As he thought about it more and also about the way Bryant cared for Lena at her house, he wondered if this was all part of his decision to push everyone that he cared about away from him. Did Bryant care about Lena the way he, Quinn, and Kenny did already?
He took her hand as he carried the bags from her shopping trip. They were light, and she barely brought anything, but he was glad that Kenny purchased the other things. Lena deserved the best, and she deserved to be taken care of.
As they placed the bags into the truck, Lena stopped him from leaving just yet.
“Hey, Blake, I’d like to step into the supermarket and grab something to make for Bryant’s dinner tonight. I wasn’t able to make him breakfast or lunch or do the other chores. The least I can do is make his dinner when I get back.”
He held his anger inside. If Bryant couldn’t appreciate Lena, then he didn’t deserve to have her in his life.
“I’m sure he took something out. I wouldn’t worry about him.”
She held his gaze. “Blake, I understand that things have been rough between your brothers and Bryant for a while, but you have to understand that he’s just scared. He’s hurting, and he doesn’t feel that he can live up to everyone’s expectations with his injuries. It’s easier to push people away and be alone than to have to face people feeling defeated or weak. Believe me, I know exactly how he feels.”
Lena began to walk away when Blake stopped her by taking her hand into his. Her words hit him directly in the chest. Bryant scared? Bryant feeling that he couldn’t live up to their expectations?
“Why do you think those things about him? He’s been nothing but horrible to everyone.”
“It’s kind of hard to explain in words, really. I can tell you that something traumatic happened in the war. He witnessed or experienced something that has made him feel like he doesn’t deserve the life he has. He doesn’t feel that life is worth living because of a loss he sustained. He’s made some comments to me here and there, and this is just speculation on my part, but I think he’s crying for help but no one hears him.”
He was shocked. She was so in tune with his brother on a level and depth even his own family couldn’t get.
“For Christ’s sake, Lena, he’s my brother. Me, him, Kenny, and Quinn were inseparable. How come he couldn’t and can’t talk to one of us?”
She took his other hand and held them both. She stared at them a moment then looked up into his eyes.
“I don’t know what that’s like, Blake, to have siblings or family to love and care about and be close with. I’ve never had what any of you have. It sounds like you’re feeling hurt and you feel betrayed in a way. Did you ever think that maybe this is Bryant’s stubborn way of asking for help?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I mean, almost like he knows that you all will always be there for him, so he pushes you away and tries to hurt you because lashing out makes him hurt inside. It makes those feelings override whatever it is he’s really upset about.”
“Holy shit, Lena,” Blake stated then pulled her into a hug. “You are so special, sweetheart. I ain’t never gonna let you go.” He held her against him. He was going to talk with Kenny and Quinn. It seemed that Lena, a woman on her own with no one to love her until now, knew more about unconditional love than the entire family.
* * * *
Lena knocked on Bryant’s door, carrying a box filled with dinner items and some stuff he could make for breakfast and lunch tomorrow.
“I’m coming in,” she exclaimed as she pushed open the door and let herself in his house as she had done for practically a month now.
Bryant was nowhere in sight. She unpacked the items and then walked through the house looking for him. She couldn’t find him anywhere, so she went back to preparing dinner.
She set the table for him and left everything on the counter as usual and decided to write him a note telling him where the items for lunch tomorrow were because she was having lunch at his mom’s house.
She felt a little funny not seeing him. He had showed compassion this morning, breaking into her home to check on her then staying with her as she recovered from the night before. It said a lot, and she loved the feel of waking up in his arms with his large, warm hand covering her breast. She understood that he was rough around the edges, a man used to being in charge and giving orders. She respected his profession and was utterly turned on by his good looks despite his piss-poor attitude. She chuckled as she thought about him. To think that he was such a jerk to her when she first showed up at his house.
She drew a small smiley face at the bottom of the note and signed it “from Detroit.” Surely he would smirk at that.
As she headed out of the house, there was still no sign of him. It was getting dark now, so she hurried across the lawn to her cottage.
As she entered her house, she saw a bouquet of roses sitting on the table. They were stunning and filled with multiple colors of roses. There were red, yellow, white, dark pink, and light pink. Some were two-toned and others solid. There had to be at least four dozen sitting in the large glass vase. No one had ever brought her flowers before. She was surprised.
As she picked up the card and sniffed the bouquet, she smiled.