| Those first few days following his unannounced return, Brian kept to himself. AJ gave him as much space and time alone as needed. Brian spent hours on the back deck just staring into space. There were no tears left and the rage he felt towards Laurie made him nauseous. He barely ate and one night AJ found a line of beer bottles on the ground and Brian sound asleep in the lounge. AJ knew getting drunk was not the answer. He�d tried it and could vouch that the problems would still be there in the morning. So he let him stew and work it out on his own. Brian made no attempt to leave AJ�s and the younger man didn�t push him. AJ knew he was still licking his wounds and berating himself for being so blind to Laurie�s deception. And then after week of silence Brian finally asked AJ the questions he had churned over and over. AJ�s keen sense of Laurie only made Brian angrier. How he could have been so swept up in her deceit made him realize he had a lot to learn about women. AJ�s revelations only convinced him further that he needed time to heal from this hurt before he even thought about another relationship. He had been at AJ�s nearly a month when again on one such night as Brian again tried to understand his blindness, he yelled at AJ taking out his hatred on his loyal friend. �Rok, don�t do this to yourself.� AJ pleaded with him as Brian paced across the living room floor. �Why? You saw it. How could I have been so stupid?� He demanded of AJ. �Simple. You loved her or thought you did and therefore you didn�t see the obvious.� Brian sat down on the sofa and cradled is head in his hands. �I�m finished, no more.� He mumbled as he ran his hands through his hair. �Don�t say that. You just haven�t found the right woman.� There was one, AJ thought, but had no idea how to find her. �She doesn�t exist AJ.� Brian almost laughed at thought of his perfect mate waiting somewhere for him to find her. Well he was swearing off women for a while. And he knew that it was time for him to move on. He needed to give AJ his home back and get on with his life. �I�ll be gone in the morning Bone.� �You don�t have to leave.� AJ sat across from him. �Yes I do. I�ve been here longer than necessary. Laurie�s well gone from the house. I�m going to put the house up for sale and go home for a while. Maybe I�ll find a place there and settle down.� He eased back on the sofa and AJ could see that his mind was made up. �But one thing is for sure I can�t live in that house any more.� Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he wiped them away. �I�m going to start fresh and leave the romance to you.� He chuckled and AJ smiled. �Are you sure?� �Yes. You and Rachel have been so tolerant and I know I�ve cramped your style. So tonight is the last night you�ll have to put up with me.� �Rok?� �Yeah?� �Come here.� AJ stood up and so did Brian. AJ wrapped his arms around him. �You�re my brother and I know if the circumstances were reversed you would have done the same for me.� He smacked his lips on Brian�s cheek. �Look, I appreciate it, but the kiss, AJ, wasn�t necessary.� Brian wiped his cheek removing AJ�s slobber. �I know, but I love ya, man.� He smirked as he attempted to plaster his other cheek. Brian held him at arm�s length. �Yeah well I love you too, but no more kissing!� AJ laughed and wrapped his arm around Brian�s shoulders. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Fall eased it�s way into winter and then spring struggled to peek out from under the layer of snow and icy temperatures that blanketed the Kentucky countryside. It seemed like it was never going to warm up. Then one day, as if by magic, crocus popped up through the hard earth and the forsythia began to sprout its yellow leaves. The clouds and wet gave way to warmer sunny days and the dreariness of winter evaporated like early morning mist. It had been nearly a year since Shelby left Florida but her years there had made it hard for her to cope with the winter. The coming of spring and the hope of warm days ahead put a lilt in her step as she entered the foundation offices on this sunny April morning. She greeted the receptionist with a wave of her hand and took the elevator to the fourth floor. She was already anticipating a hectic week. There was only two weeks left before the Derby and the list of �to do� items was longer than the time left to accomplish them all. It had been her idea to plan this fundraising event with the Kentucky Derby as a theme. And if she didn�t sleep for the next fourteen days, it just might come off without a hitch. Shelby stopped and got a cup of coffee on her way into the office sipping as she walked down the hall. �Good morning, Elise,� Shelby called to the young girl at the reception desk. �Oh Shelby, you are here.� The girl scrambled from her desk with a wad of messages in her hand as she rattled off all the people who had already called this morning. �They wouldn�t use the voice mail,� she said apologetically as she handed Shelby the small sheets of paper. �Sorry about that,� she smiled at the young girl. �I wish they would though because I checked my messages before I left this morning. I could have called them back then and saved you the trouble of writing this all down.� �I don�t mind, it�s just that they refuse to let me put them through when you aren�t here.� With that the phone rang again, and Elise went to her desk. She answered it and with her hand over the mouthpiece called to Shelby, �Shelby, Mr. Davis said he wanted to see you as soon as you arrived.� Shelby nodded and went into her office. Three hours later, most of the fires had been put out. The plans and schedule for the banquet and day at Louisville had been finalized and Shelby felt they all had a better handle on things. �Come on Shelby, let�s go get some lunch.� They all headed towards the elevator and Shelby squeezed on. As the doors closed Brian and his mother stepped off the opposite elevator. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ In the months since Brian�s return to Lexington he slowly let go of the ache and anger caused by his relationship with Laurie. He sold the house and except for a few cherished items and some furniture, which he had put in storage, he came home to start fresh. He held to his vow to swear off women even though both his brother and Kevin tried their best to introduce him to some nice local girls. He just wasn�t interested. He thought about settling permanently in Lexington, but he wasn�t sure. So after months of living at home, he had finally leased a three-bedroom townhouse. It wasn�t what he really wanted, but he needed to give his parents their space back, even though he knew his mother loved having him home, they had gotten used to being a couple again. And he needed to have his own place too. He took a hands on approach to the heart club, visiting the center on Saturday mornings and working out with the children. He helped organize trips and speakers and pick-up basketball games and found he enjoyed spending time with the children and getting to know them. It was a far cry from performing in front of thousands of screaming fans, but in a way it was much more rewarding. So he made a life for himself and settled back into a more quiet existence. Something he hadn�t experienced in a long time. On this particular day, Brian and his mom and spent a good part of the morning with the charity�s board of directors. He knew that this was just as important as each exercise session each week, but he was glad when the meeting had finally wound down. �This will only take a minute, I promise and then we can go to lunch.� Jackie told him as they stepped off the elevator and headed down the hall. �Elise,� Jackie called to the receptionist, �Is Miss O�Connor in her office?� Elise looked up and just stared. She had met Jackie Littrell quite a few times, but standing next to her was her son and suddenly Elise felt very warm. She knew about Brian�s charity and had heard that he frequently came by the foundation offices, but this was a first. He was standing right in front of her. �Ah�ah�� Jackie could see her dilemma and she smiled. Even after all these years her baby still had the power to make women speechless. Brian smiled at the girl and extended his hand. �Hi, Elise. It�s nice to meet you.� She girl just nodded letting him continue to cradle her right hand. �Elise, honey, you okay?� �Ah�yes�I�m sorry Mrs. Littrell what did you say?� She asked never taking her eyes off Brian. His eyes, clear pools of blue, just held her captive and his smile just made these little tiny lines appear at the corners. �Miss O�Connor?� �Oh, I�m sorry.� She shook her head and focused on Jackie and letting her hand slip from his. �You just missed her. She left for lunch. Would you like to leave a message?� Her voice cracked as she took a pencil and her notebook. �Yes, please. Let her know that the heart club will take a table at the banquet.� Elise nodded as she wrote down the message all the while feeling Brian�s eyes on her. �I�ll give her a call later today. Come on Brian; let�s go have some lunch ourselves. See you soon Elise.� Jackie started down the hall. �I�ll be sure she gets this,� Elise replied. Her legs felt like rubber. �It was a pleasure to meet you Elise.� Brian smiled at her and then joined his mother. �Oh no, the pleasure was all mine.� Elise blurted out as she collapsed in the chair with her heart pounding in her chest. |