Beverly had just finished giving her statement to the cop in uniform. Her black tights were ruined, but it kept her legs and knees from getting scraped up. Half her palm was red from where she had caught herself falling all the way on the ground when that jerk mugger slung her to the ground. All in all she was fine – physically.
Bruce was talking to a sergeant in uniform. Beverly began walking up the sidewalk to them. As she was, two EMTs wheeled the mugger on a gurney pass Bruce and the cop.
“God damn,” the sergeant eased out. “You said you roughed him up a little.”
The mugger’s eyes were crossed. Cotton was up his nose and his upper lip looked
Bruce whipped the Jaguar around the Floyd Bennett hangers. It had been an airport years ago. Then he slowed up as they were heading straight to a hanger that had the doors open and light was coming from it. Bruce drove in the hanger and he turned the wheel, sliding the car to a screeching halt. Beverly’s body whipped side to side as the car stopped. She whirled her neck to look at him. “Well?” he inquired with an eyebrow up. She be damned if she admit he could drive his ass off. “You’re a cocky bastard,” she stated flatly.&n
A few days later . . . Bruce stopped by Coco Blanchet’s fashion design offices to see Joanna. She was surprised, yet happy to see him. “You’ve never been here before. What do you think of my office?” Bruce looked around at the beige walls and easel like desk on the side of the room, the regular brown desk at the back of the room, the large window looking out at the city, the thick rose colored carpet, rows of fabric on a shelf, and three partial mannequins. “It looks like you do a lot of work here as well as at home.” Joanna had a sewing room at the mansion in the west
A week later . . . Bruce had spent the week at Catherine’s condo and it was a nice experience. In the past, he had spent the night there, but not the whole week before. It was Saturday morning and it was time for him to go home. He walked into the living room carrying his suitcase, a carry-on, and a garment bag. He was about to pick his shirt up off the sofa when Catherine walked in from the bedroom. She walked right to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You don’t have to rush off,” she oozed. Bruce chuckled. “You’re not sick of me yet?” “Absolutely
Trevor was hot and not in a sweaty way. “Bruce, you’ve never been a push over in your life. Why are you starting now?” “What do you mean?” Bruce asked. He was still shocked by Trevor’s outburst. It was rare when he got really angry. “I mean you’re letting that dull-ass fiancé of yours separate you from your own family!” Trevor shouted. “She is not,” Bruce said sternly. “She wants us to have a fresh start. A place of our own will help with that.” “A fresh start from what? Getting starch removed from her ass?” Trevor asked heat
It was Wednesday, April Fools’ Day. Bruce was working from home and Joanna was, too. Selena had to go into the art gallery. Trevor and Christopher had gone into the office. In the afternoon, they were going to meet with a group of investors who were taking bids from contractors and developers for a new two-hundred and thirty room hotel in Philadelphia. Bruce went to the dining room for lunch. Joanna was already in there eating a large shrimp salad and drinking lemonade. She was wearing a pink dress that made her look like the beautiful expecting mother she was. “Hi,” Joanna said with her mouth full. “Hey. Getting a lot of work done?” Bruce asked.&nbs
Trevor had rejoined them as quickly as he had left. “I apologize, gentlemen. False alarm,” he said calmly as he sat back down.Christopher kept it moving, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Bruce wanted. A few minutes later, the conference room door opened again. It was Stella. Bruce’s secretary. She marched in like she belonged there. “I apologize, Mr. Hudson,” she said to Christopher. “But, coming in here like this is me following Mr. Bruce Hudson’s direct instructions. I am to follow them to a T. Part of that instruction is to read this as follows.” She cleared her throat. “And I quote, Christopher, will you please tell our idiot brother that his wife really is in labor and to get his fucking ass to Lenox Hill Hospital ASAP. Thank you very fucking much, Bruce.
Christopher and Bruce arrived at the hospital the next day. Ray was picking up the new parents in the family limo, but the brothers wanted to be there to. There was no reason for Joanna and little James to stay longer than one night at the hospital. Both of them were healthy as horses according to what Trevor told them over the phone that morning. “Ray is downstairs acting like the child is his. He’s so honored to be driving them home,” Christopher said. “I know,” Bruce said with a little smile. They saw Trevor slowly walking down the hall like he was in a daze.&nbs
Beverly waited at the door as she watched Bruce walk down the hall. She really didn’t want him to go. Then again, why would he stick around for her? To him, she was the wild woman who hijacked his engagement party for thirty minutes, wrote filthy fiction doing erotic and crazy things to him, and was clumsy. The door opened. It was Trevor. “Well, hi,” Trevor greeted with a smile. “Hey, I came to see the new mom and the new addition,” Beverly said. “Not me, huh?” Trevor said with a croaked smirk. “You weren&r