Chapter 46: A Lot to Talk AboutShe stretched lazily and opened her eyes. They'd slept late, she was alarmed to see. They had an appointment with the dive boat at…what time? She knew she should feel stressed but just couldn't work it up. Images and impressions from last night were swirling around in her mind.She looked over at Luke and he smiled at her. "Good morning, Cowboy. How long have you been awake?" she asked, smiling back."Not long," he replied. "I was just enjoying the view."She reached to stroke his face and he took her hand, kissing her palm. "How are you feeling about last night?" he asked quietly.She smiled and flushed a little. "I feel really good about last night.""We need to talk about it, what went well, what didn't. You know, debrief," he said. "We can do that in a while. We should get ready for the day."Over breakfast they discussed their plans for diving today and possible locations for finishing filming the next day. "I'd really like to get over
Chapter 47: Next AssignmentThey arose early the following morning, ready to get down to business. They needed to finish up with Mykonos today, get the intro and the tag done, and touch base with Charlie to find out where their next adventure would take them.They took a taxi to a beach near a group of several of the island's centuries-old windmills. Luke made sure to get as many of them as possible into the shot. As he clipped Bella's mic to her bra, he fixed her with an intense gaze, taking the opportunity to caress her breast gently as he did. She felt a ripple that radiated from her sex to her head and toes. She flushed and tried to catch her breath, suddenly feeling damp…there.After a deep breath, she began. "Three, two, one…Welcome to Two Streets Over. I'm Bella Grant, and this is beautiful Mykonos, Greece. Mykonos is part of the Cyclades islands located in the South Aegean Sea. Its population is about 10,000, but every year thousands of travelers add to that number."
Chapter 48: A Phone Call From HomeLater in bed, they curled on their sides, Bella with her back to Luke, his body curved to hold hers. After he'd untied her, he'd spent time massaging her wrists and backside with lotion. Aftercare, he'd called it. She felt peaceful and marveled that he did that to her. Absently she stroked his arm as he held her close. "I love you, too, Cowboy," she whispered.They slept late the following morning, knowing that their flight to Morocco would be later in the afternoon. When they finally got up, Luke ordered breakfast while Bella checked her phone. "Hmm," she muttered."What's up?" he asked."I missed a call from Bubba last night," she said. Playing the message, she heard her brother's voice: "Hey, Sissy, it's me. Listen, can you give me a call when you get this? Okay, I'll talk to you soon." The phone beeped to signal the end of the message.She disconnected, looking puzzled. "He just said to call him, didn't say why…""Do you think somethin
Chapter 49: A Change in PlansAs soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She worried about what he thought. They'd known each other for such a short time. Sure, they were in love. But spring the whole fam-damily on him?She thought about the townhouse in Birmingham. She'd love to take him there, walk the block to Pale Eddie's for cocktails, return to enjoy the fireplace, make love to him in that huge featherbed… She sighed. Except it's not a vacation. It's not even work, which has been like a vacation. We go to Birmingham, shit gets real.Still deep in thought, she said, "We would just put in an appearance. Visiting hours are probably very restricted. It would be great to see Bubba, even Cornelia. Okay, maybe not Cornelia so much, but T-Nathan will probably come home from school. I haven't seen him since…" She looked at Luke and wondered what he'd think of them, and she sighed again."Well, Cowboy, are you scared off yet?" She laughed halfheartedly, afraid
Chapter 50: CopingIn her dream, her father was standing over her mother's casket, pointing at Bella. "You did this!" he screamed. "She died because you broke her heart!"She woke with a start, Luke dozing beside her. "I need more as alcohol," she muttered to herself, and she motioned to the flight attendant.They landed in Philly, the second layover before the last leg in the eternity that was their journey to Alabama. Waiting at the gate, Bella was restless. "Do you want anything? I can't tell if I'm hungry or thirsty…maybe I need a magazine…I'll be right back."Luke watched as she walked toward a shop down the concourse. She returned with two Diet Pepsis, a bag of Jelly Bellys, and the latest issue of Vanity Fair."I got you a drink," she said, handing it to him. She sat and thumbed through the magazine without reading. "How long to boarding?" she asked."Not long now," he answered. He regarded her carefully, noticing that the closer they got to Birmingham, the more agitat
Chapter 51: Waking Up in AlabamaShe stirred, then woke with a start. Her first thoughts were muddled. What time is it? Where am I? She remembered suddenly, seeing the familiar sight of her own bedroom in Birmingham. She glanced over at Luke who was still sleeping. She smiled to herself. I like the way he looks here, Bella thought. She slid out of bed and hurried to shower and get ready to leave.Freshly showered and wrapped in a fluffy cream-colored towel, she returned to the bedroom and kissed Luke lightly. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We need to go soon." He groaned softly before kissing her and rolling out of bed. She watched him stumble to the shower. "Jetlag is a bitch," she commented, laughing softly.While he showered, she finished getting ready. A few minutes later, her phone rang and she picked up. "Hello?""I'm out front, Sissy," Bubba said."Hey, Bubba. We were expecting Solomon," she said."He doesn't drive after dark these days," Tre explained."I see. Okay, we'
Chapter 52: Family DramaBack in the car on their way back to the house, Tre apologized again. "I didn't think he'd be that bad. Sissy, the cancer is making him more unpleasant."Bella snorted. "Seems the same to me."After riding in silence for a few miles, she said, "Luke, wait'll you get a load of the house. Growing up, I had no idea how incredibly obscene it is." Glancing at Tre, "No offense." Tre shrugged. "None taken." They all laughed.Pulling into the drive, they could see the house situated at the end of a long straight lane shaded by centuries-old oak trees that were draped with Spanish moss. The white antebellum home was two stories tall and fronted by six white columns. There was a broad front porch running the width of house with a matching veranda on the second floor. Bella felt a perverse sense of pride. Bad memories and associations aside, the plantation house was undeniably beautiful. Still, she was glad that Tre and his family lived there. She was perfect
Chapter 53: Karaoke Night at Pale Eddie'sBella closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry, Bubba. I'll go apologize. Then let's head back to town." She left the table to find Cornelia.The three men look at each other. Tre cleared his throat. "Sometimes I think that Bella and Daddy don't get along because they're so much alike. They have that same stubborn streak."Luke pursed his lips. "I have noticed a bit of hard headedness." Smiling to himself, he thought of the bar in Edinburgh where she tried to match him shot for shot.T-Nathan scowled. "I think she's the only real person in this family," he said before stalking away from the table.Tre shook his head. "It's always…interesting…when she's here."Returning to the dining room, Bella said, "I apologized. I was out of line, I know it. Let's go. I want to hit Pale Eddie's." Tre looked at her incredulously. "Really? Don't you think you've had enough?"Bella laughed. "I have not yet begun to drink! Come on, Cowboy," ta