ChapterEighteen
Mary Elizabeth gripped the chair back tightly and watched out the window as Bryson made his way up the walk.
He paused halfway, turned like he wanted to retreat, but then finally turned back again to continue toward the door.
She loosed the breath she hadn’t realized she held and forced herself to wait until she heard Bryson’s steps leading up to the main entrance.
He didn’t knock.
She opened the door anyway.“Hello.”
Her son—her son!—looked her in the eyes, his expression that of a love-hungry boy looking for answers.Her heart broke, and in that moment, she knew Hadley had made her decision and it hadn’t been Bryson.
Cheryl had been all aflutter the entire weekend and revealed what she’d done in inviting Kyle to stay at Hadley’s with the kids.Mary Elizabeth couldn’t believe her friend’s audacity—until she remembered Cheryl’s own transgression early on in her marriage and the struggle to repair the damage.
She understood wanting her daughter’s marriage to heal and her family to remain whole, but Mary Elizabeth didn’t believe Kyle to be truly remorseful.To her he fell into the category of once a cheater always a cheater.He was only sorry because he’d been caught.“Bryson, come in.”
Cheryl seemed not to notice Kyle’s wandering eye whenever another female was around.Why, her own girls were often under Kyle’s perusal, and it made her uncomfortable to think Hadley would put up with such behavior having already felt the consequences once—that she knew of.
“I don’t know why I came here,” Bryson said.“I just looked up and it was your house.”
“I’m glad you did.Please, come inside.Would you like a drink?We can talk?”
Bryson ran a hand around his neck as though to ease the tension but then lowered the hand and crossed the threshold.Mary Elizabeth watched as he looked around with interest, his gaze taking in each of the family photos on the walls.
Mary Elizabeth moved to where he stood and pointed out each of her girls—his sisters.“You met them the other night at Izzy’s gallery show.That’s Izzy, of course, Allie, and Sophia.
“They’re pretty.Hadley said one has kids?”
She tapped beneath Allie.“Yes.She has two children, and a third on the way.And Izzy is expecting now as well.”
Bryson smiled and lifted his head when Adam’s footfalls echoed down the hallway from the kitchen.
Mary Elizabeth took hold of Bryson’s forearm as though that alone would keep him from bolting out the door and turned toward Adam, introducing them.
“Sir.”
“Please, call me Adam.”
“Yessir—Adam.”
“Bryson, we were about to sit down for dinner.Won’t you join us?There’s plenty.”
Color filled Bryson’s face and Mary Elizabeth’s heart pinched at his embarrassment.She remembered Dean coloring up the same way whenever he felt awkward or shy or embarrassed.
“I should’ve realized the time.I’m sorry.I’ll go—”
“No, stay.Please?”Mary Elizabeth asked.“There’s more than enough food and I’d love to…chat.”
Bryson looked from her to Adam.
“You’re welcome here, Bryson,” Adam said.“I hope you’ll join us.”
“I suppose I can.If you don’t mind.”
Mary Elizabeth squeezed his arm and then released it to wrap both arms around his lean waist for a quick hug.
Bryson chuckled softly in surprise, as did Adam, and after a second, Bryson’s arms surrounded her.