An Unexpected Affair by Elizabeth Lennox
Chapter 12
Three days.
Brock had been staring out the window for three freaking days! He’d been drinking thirty year old scotch, not sleeping, and barely eating. He went into the editing studio during the day and tortured himself by watching clips of Evie as he directed the editors on how to put the film together. The more he watched, the more he hurt. And yet, he couldn’t seem to pull himself away. She was so damn beautiful and every moment of her portrayal of Lucy made him realize more and more what an incredible actress she truly was.
He’d tried drinking to ease the pain, but it hadn’t worked. He could still feel the ache. He could still feel the loss of Evie every time he breathed.
He wanted her back. And just now, he didn’t even care about…!
His eyes caught on the television screen. He’d had the stupid thing on for days because it helped him to feel a bit less alone. He hadn’t really paid much attention to whatever was on the screen. But now he was! Evie! She was in sweat pants and a tee shirt, huge sunglasses and a big, floppy hat. Obviously, she was trying to disguise her identity. But the paparazzi were good at their jobs.
That was definitely Evie trying to sneak into the store, but the aggressive photographers swarmed her! She practically had to wade out of the store and was clutching the fabric bag filled with groceries to her chest.
Why was she even trying to sneak around the city right now? The movie industry was big, but everyone gossiped. And rumors were flying about the movie she’d starred in. Brock had kept the details minimal, wanting to build up curiosity and interest over time.
Speaking of time….
Brock checked the time on his cell phone. Or more specifically, the date. The pictures surfacing on the television set had been taken yesterday! She’d been in danger and he’d been…he muttered a curse and turned, grabbing his keys. Evie had been scared and in danger and he’d been hiding, wallowing in his anger and frustration.
“Enough!” He started his car and drove to her house.
Ringing the doorbell, he peered in through the side window and saw her sitting on the couch. He could barely see the top of her head, but he could tell that she was watching a movie. She was there! “Evie, open the door!”
“Go away!” she yelled without even looking around.
“I’m not going away, Evie. Open the door. I can help you!” And damn it, he was going to help her. He…he loved her!
As he stood there, stunned for a long moment, he thought about that word. Love. What the hell? Love? He loved Evie?
Yes, he loved her. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back, waiting for the pain to hit him. Love was always painful. No, not painful, scary. Yeah, he was a coward. He was afraid of admitting that he loved Evie! The evidence had been there all along, but Brock had been ignoring the clues and denying it. He’d pushed everything aside because…because he didn’t want to feel the pain of losing Evie.
But the reality was he was in pain without her.
“Brock?” Evie whispered.
He opened his eyes and realized that she’d opened the door and was watching him worriedly.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded, taking his hand and…he almost laughed when she pressed her thumb against his wrist. The adorable woman was taking his pulse! “Come inside, Brock. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m not hurt, Evie,” he said, but followed her into the house. “I just realized that….” He froze and stared at the normally pristine family room. The sofa and coffee table were covered with candy wrappers and chips, dips, and…cupcakes? What the hell?
Evie crossed her arms over her chest and he blinked, noticing a small smear of…was that chocolate on her cheek, almost under her ear? How had she gotten chocolate all the way over there? Around her mouth, he could understand. But on her cheek?
“Honey, what’s going on? Why are you eating all of this junk food?”
She stiffened and stepped back. “Don’t call me that!”
He was mystified. “Don’t call you what?”
“Honey! You don’t have the right to call me honey! And how dare you judge me! You accused me of doing drugs and…” tears slipped down her cheeks and she swiped at them angrily, leaving streaks of orange in their wake. He glanced behind her and saw the bag of cheese puffs on the table. Ah. The orange fingers made sense now.
And then he realized something else. “Your crutch…” he murmured, comprehension dawning finally. “Your crutch isn’t drugs, is it?” There was silence for a long moment, and he looked down at her. “Your crutch is junk food.”
“Yes. But if you judge me, I’ll…!”
He scooped her into his arms and spun around. “Evie, I’m so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?”
“NO!” she grumbled, but he felt her arms go around his neck. Brock buried his face against her warm skin, chuckling because she smelled like chocolate. Had she bathed in the stuff?
“Why did you leave me?” she asked, her voice muffled.
“Because…” he stopped, his arms tightening around her. He took a long breath, then started again. “I was scared, Evie.”
“Of me?”
He closed his eyes, steeling himself, and nodded. “Yeah. You…you make me feel things, Evie. Things I don’t want to feel.”
She jerked out of his arms, glaring up at him. “I don’t make you feel anything!”
He sighed, nodding his agreement. “You’re right. But…here’s the thing. When I saw you acting so excited after…whatever happened between you and that red-head, I wasn’t thinking rationally.” He walked over to the window, looking out because he couldn’t face her right now. “I thought…” he bowed his head. “I thought she gave you drugs, Evie. You were so secretive. Plus, you were so excited!”
Evie walked over to the kitchen and poured herself a big glass of water. “So, since I didn’t confide in you, you jumped to the conclusion that I was on drugs.”
He nodded, still with his back to her. “Yes. I’m sorry.”
She stared at his back, so stiff and formal, even while she could see the defeat in his shoulders. “Why?” she demanded. When Brock turned, she could see the anguish in his eyes as well. “Why would you automatically jump to that conclusion? After I tested negative at the studio, after I told you repeatedly that I have never touched an illegal drug in my life…after all that, you still assumed I was on drugs. Why?”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Because of my mother, Evie. She died of an overdose. I came home from college one weekend and found her in the bathroom. She was just lying there in her own vomit, Evie.”
“Oh Brock!” she whispered horrified. “I’m so sorry!”
“It was a long time ago.”
She gazed up at him, tightening her arms around his waist. “A mother’s death can never be far enough in the past. Especially when you find her like that.”
He leaned into her and she felt him relax just enough to accept her comfort. It changed the way he held her, the way he leaned against her. She rubbed her hands up and down his back, needing to ease the anger inside of him.
“I don’t do drugs, Brock,” she told him. “I eat my way through my feelings.” She sighed. “Well, sometimes I control my emotions through boxing. But when things get really bad, I eat. Anything and everything. If it has any nutritional value, I avoid it and find something that is…really bad for me.”
She felt his arms tighten around her and, for some reason, she felt as if she’d won.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Are you expecting someone?” he asked in surprise.
“Are you kidding?” she yelped, sweeping an arm towards the mess in her family room. “Will you help me clear this up? Just in case it’s someone that might leak it to the press?”
He nodded and they hurried over to the table. Brock grabbed the grocery bag that had been dumped on the floor and just stuffed everything into it.
“Evie, this is…,” he paused, shaking his head in shock.
“Don’t say it!” she warned him, hurriedly shoving things into another bag. “Don’t judge me. I know this is disgusting. Just…please help me.”
The doorbell rang again and Evie groaned. “Hurry!”
A moment later, they had everything cleared away. She shoved her bag at Brock, silently pleading with him to hide the evidence, then headed for the door.
“Evie, wait,” he called out and grabbed her arm, swinging her around with her own momentum.
“I have to…!” She stopped when his finger slid along her cheek. The touch was so sensuously delicious, it stole her breath away. Staring up at him, she wondered how she’d gone for three whole days without him.
“There was some chocolate on your cheek.”
“Oh,” she gasped, then pulled back. Gazing up at him, she wondered if…the doorbell rang again and she turned to answer it.
When she looked through the side window, Evie saw Frankie and hurriedly reached for the door. “Oh god, Brock, this is…” She didn’t finish her statement but, instead, swung the door open. “Tell me!” she yelped excitedly, then gasped when she saw the three tall men standing behind the tiny redhead. Even as she looked, a brunette peered around one of the men and beamed. Then another woman with slightly lighter brown hair!
Frankie cleared her throat importantly as the man Evie had seen several weeks ago wrapped an arm around Frankie’s waist. “Evie Munroe, I’d like to introduce you to your brothers,” she announced with an excited grin. “This is my husband, Kade Wilson. And the big guy behind Kade is,” she stepped aside so that Janus could shake Evie’s hand, “Janus Meyers. You might know him from…!”
Brock stepped up behind Evie, interrupting the introduction. “Owner and former quarterback for the Seattle Badgers!” Brock’s arm was securely around Evie’s waist, but he reached out, eagerly shaking Janus’ hand. “I’m a huge fan.”
Evie rolled her eyes and elbowed Brock in the ribs. “Ignore him,” she said, staring up at the man who had eyes exactly like hers.
“Evie, it’s great to finally meet you,” Janus replied, his dimple appearing on the left cheek. Just like hers.
Frankie chuckled. “And this guy,” she continued, waving forward the third man, who was just as tall, but leaner, although he came across as just as powerful, but in a more intelligent way. “This is Lincoln Meyers.”
Evie gasped. “Lincoln Meyers? Aren’t you the guy who invented that thing that makes cars more fuel efficient?”
The man nodded. “That’s me. And it’s a huge pleasure to meet you, Evie.”
Brock leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Why don’t you invite them inside?”
“Oh!” she gasped, literally bouncing with excitement. “Please! Come in! Come in!” she stepped back and they all poured into her house.
“Sorry to show up on your doorstep like this,” Frankie explained. “But when I told my husband that the DNA confirmed that you were his sister, he demanded that he come with me to meet you. And he was on the phone with Lincoln and mentioned you. So Linc called Janus and…well, they jumped into a plane, with their wives, and here we are!”
Evie clapped her hands, her cheeks starting to hurt from grinning so happily. But she just couldn’t stop. “I’m so glad that you did! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have brothers!”
Frankie finished the introductions. “This is Kinsley. She’s married to Lincoln. And the brown-haired beauty in the back,” Janus pulled her so that she was in front of him instead of to the side, “is Stevie. She’s married to Janus.”
They all laughed. “A sister was pretty unexpected,” Lincoln replied.
Evie led the way to the patio. “Please, have a seat. Will you…tell me about yourselves?”
Brock watched Evie, unaware that his feelings for her were shining through in his eyes. He was amused at her reaction, but utterly thrilled for her. As an only child himself, he knew that it could be unbearably lonely at times. Walking into her kitchen, he surveyed the contents of her fridge. But Evie didn’t have much available. He pulled out his cell phone and called his assistant.
“Helen, I need you to hit the grocery store and get beer, wine, some soft drinks, prepared appetizers, and anything else you can think of. Bring it all here to Evie’s house. Then call Bernie’s,” he said, referring to the famous Italian restaurant, “and get Bernie himself to make a dinner for eight…” he glanced out through the windows at the large men, and chuckled, “better make that twelve people. It needs to be here fast.”
“You got it, boss,” Helen replied. “I’ll be there in a half hour.”
“Make it twenty. This is important.”
“I’m on it,” she said with her usual efficiency.
Twenty-five minutes later, Helen arrived with bags filled with drinks and foods. Brock was waiting for her at the door so that Evie could stay and talk with her new-found brothers. Brock knew Evie’s kitchen well enough so he was able to find a platter and lay out the snacks. Helen carried out the beers, in a bucket of ice.
Brock handed Evie her customary glass of ice water, his hand trailing along her shoulder. He wasn’t sure what the gesture meant. He just knew that he needed to touch her, to let her know that he was here for her.
She turned her head and beamed up at him, then turned back to the conversation. Brock sat down next to her, also drinking water. He wasn’t really listening to the conversation, but was more just sitting there, reveling in his stupidity. To think that Evie would do something as stupid as drugs…he shook his head. Over the past several weeks, he’d had ample evidence that she didn’t take drugs. That she knew that her health was important. But at the first sign of secrecy, he’d gone down that route. Instead of asking her to clear up the issue…okay, he’d done so the other day when he’d seen Frankie leaving. Still, he should have trusted her.
It was nearing midnight when Frankie nudged her husband. “Right!” the big guy said, immediately standing up. “I need to get Frankie to bed. She’s pregnant and gets tired easily.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. “But can we get together again tomorrow?”
“Absolutely!” Evie assured him eagerly. “Oh yes. Definitely!”
He laughed and, before Brock knew what was going on, Evie was enveloped in hugs from each of her brothers and sisters-in-law.
When the door closed on her new-found family members, Brock stayed back. Slowly, Evie turned to look at him, a wariness in her eyes.
“What now?” she asked, her voice nervous, her hands behind her back and she seemed to be holding onto the door knob.
Brock stepped forward. “Now, I ask for your forgiveness,” he told her softly. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he looked down at her. “I’m so sorry for not trusting you, Evie. I judged you by my mother’s standards instead of letting you be yourself. Can you ever forgive me?”
She looked at him, her eyes softening. “Will you ever do it again?”
He hesitated, then nodded with a sigh. “Probably. Will you forgive me if I do?”
Evie blinked in surprise, then laughed. “Are you ever going to leave me?”
“Never!” he vowed and took a step forward, then stopped himself. “No! I won’t leave you. I can’t guarantee that I won’t mess up again. But I’ll talk to you. I’ll ask questions.” He sighed. “At least, I’ll try very hard not to judge first.”
She smiled, releasing the door and stepping closer. “Will you promise to love me forever?”
“Absolutely!”
She laughed as she reached out to touch his chest. “Good. Because the last three days have been miserable.”
He let his hands move to her waist, pulling her in closer. “Will you tell me why you eat junk food and candy when you’re upset?”
She nodded, moving even closer. “I eat until I’m sick. It’s actually a mental condition that I had been working through with a therapist.” She looked at the middle of his chest, too ashamed to look him in the eye. “I was so…obsessed with my weight when I was acting before, but…” she leaned her forehead against his chest. “I dropped out of the acting world because…because I was going nuts with my weight. I’d get upset about something on the set and binge eat that night. It was a yo-yo thing that I did to myself over and over again. Finally, I just…stopped acting and went to college.” She looked up at him, proud of her degree. “I have a degree in psychology now.” She laughed, shrugging dismissively. “I had to do something to straighten out my head. Studying really helped.”
“Do you throw up afterwards?” He asked.
“No. I’m not bulimic. I just…eat until I’m sick and numb. Usually, if I’m upset, I go down to my gym and pound on my boxing bag. But when it’s really bad, I eat. It’s a horrible crutch and I feel sick the morning afterwards. I haven’t done that in…years.”
He sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “My accusations triggered you, didn’t they?”
She looked at the floor, not wanting to hurt him. But he understood her silence. “I’m sorry, Evie. Please, will you…?”
“I forgive you,” she said, interrupting him again.
“Damn, I love you!” he said with a growl and kissed her breathless. When she was gasping, he lifted his head and looked down at her. “I didn’t want to, Evie.”
“Didn’t want to what?” she asked, blinking because she couldn’t remember what they were talking about.
“I didn’t want to love you. I told myself that I cared for you. And that caring was enough. I knew that I wanted you in my life, in my world, but I couldn’t admit even to myself that I loved you. I was a coward.”
“You really love me?” she whispered, her heart pounding against her ribs.
“I love you so damn much!” He hugged her again as she trembled with reaction. “But I’m a damned coward, Evie. I was afraid of loving you.”
“Why?”
“Because I associated love with pain. I loved my mother and it wasn’t enough to keep her from doing drugs. I loved her and she chose death over me.”
She tightened her arms around his waist. “I won’t leave you, Brock. I will love you, forever!”
“That’s all I need,” he said, then kissed her again. But this kiss didn’t end. In fact, he lifted her into his arms and carried her off to her bedroom.
“We can’t!” she gasped when she heard the door close behind them.
“Why not?” he asked, kissing her neck and her ears.
“Because I’m fat!” she yelped, slipping away from him. “I’ve been eating enormous amounts of food!”
Brock stared at her, noticed the way she tried to hide her body behind her hands. It was a completely ineffective gesture, but he thought it was cute. And revealing.
“Evie, you’re not even close to being fat, honey. And even if you gained fifty pounds, I’m not in love with you because of your dress size.”
She blinked at him, tilting her head. “What do you mean?”
He moved closer, taking her hands and pulling her back into his arms. “I love you because you make me feel good. Because being with you soothes the ragged beast inside of me. I love you because you make me laugh. You talk to me. The real me. The person no one else knew was behind the mask.” He stepped closer still. “I love you because you are a beautiful person, inside. Where it counts.” He was very close now. Close enough to wrap his arms around her. “And now, I’m going to make love to you because this is a physical way that I can prove my love for you.”
Evie was stunned. “Okay,” she whispered.
With that, he proceeded to show her, in detail, just how much he loved her. And afterwards, when they were both gasping for breath, he held her close as they fell asleep, content to make love to her for the rest of his life.
