Unplanned Love (Savage Love) (14 page)

     “How was he today?” asked Peter’s father. He was a nice looking guy that looked to be in his early thirties. Dark hair, cut in a close cropped military style. Seanna recognized the wounded look in his eyes.

     “He was great. He always is,” she said with a smile.

     “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for what you said to Peter a couple of weeks ago,” he said shyly.

     “What did I say?” she asked as she watched Peter playing on the swing set.

     “He said you talked to him about your dorm room, and family. Whatever it was, he seemed more content with the new apartment. Thing haven’t been the best since his mom left. With only one income, the apartment was our only option. He’s a good kid though,” explained his father.

     “It was nothing. We just had a conversation. I like hanging out with him. His questions catch me off guard sometimes, but he is a lot of fun,” she laughed.

     “I know you don’t know me very well…but, I was wondering. Would you like to go out Friday night with me?” he asked hopefully.
“Unless, that isn’t cool, with you being his teacher and all.”

    
“Um…sure. I think that would be fine. Do you have someone to watch Peter for you?” she asked. She knew it was time to get on with her life.

     “My mom likes to keep him overnight every other Friday. They go for pizza and she rents kids movies,” he answered.

     “Ok. I’ll meet you in town. We live so far out…” she said, wanting to have her own vehicle just in case.

     “Sure. Why don’t we meet at Carl’s at seven o’clock? That’s the place next to the bowling alley. It’s a bar and a restaurant, they have great food,” he suggested.

     “I know where it is. Friday night at seven,” she said as she stood to retrieve Peter.

     Friday was hot and dry, most of the day they spent in the pool or in the shade sipping on cold drinks. The guys had decided to make lunch for the girls and were inside doing their best to come up with something amazing, when Bryce came out handing Alyssa his cell phone. He told her that it was his grandmother Lucille. Alyssa took the call and walked away from the rest of the group to talk in private.  Bryce waited for her to finish with his phone and evaded all of their questions about what they might be having for lunch. When Alyssa returned his phone she looked sadly at Bryce and went into the house. When they called her to lunch, she said she wasn’t feeling well and was going to go to bed.

     When she came down later that night, she told Bryce that
Jeff had called Lucille looking for her. Not wanting to give out Alyssa’s number, she had promised Jeff that she would let Alyssa know that he wanted to talk. Lucille had taken his number and given it to her earlier. Now she was confused. All of her old emotions were coming to the surface and she was scared. Bryce comforted her the best way he knew how and encouraged her to go home and talk with Jeff in person. When she agreed and just sat there crying, he leaned over to hold her.

    
Meanwhile, Seanna was ready for her date. Now that the time was here, she wished she hadn’t agreed to go. Feeling sorry for someone wasn’t a good way to start a relationship. As she was heading down the stairs she had pretty much made up her mind to call and cancel when she saw Bryce and Alyssa hugging on the couch. She choked back the tears and quietly headed out for her dinner date.
You need to go. You can’t come between them. And it’s just dinner with a guy who is lonely.
By the time she got to Carl’s she had calmed down and accepted her fate. Peter senior was there waiting for her, and she had to admit he cleaned up pretty good. It was the first time she had seen him out of his work clothes.

     Samantha thought it was all going well until half way through des
sert, he looked at his plate and shook his head, “Seanna, I’m sorry…I just can’t do this. You’re a nice girl and all, but I don’t think I’m ready to date.”

     “Oh…Peter
its ok, really. I’m not looking for a relationship right now either,” she assured him.

     “I somehow thought that with Peter liking you so much that…I don’t know…I’m an idiot.
Look, I’m just gonna go. I’ll pay for everything on my way out. Sorry,” he looked close to tears.

     “Ok, look, no big deal. I’ll see you when you drop your little guy off on Monday,”
Seanna said, not wanting things to be strained between them.

     “Yeah, thanks for being so understanding,” he gave her a sheepish smile.

     Seanna picked at the remainder of her dessert and finally gave up.
So much for trying to move on. I guess nobody wants me, Kevin never did, Bryce is in love with Alyssa and now super-dad still loves his ex.
She was on her way out when a group of guys came in.

    
“Where you going little lady?” asked the better looking one in the bunch.

     “Home,” she said trying to walk around them.

     “Aw, but it’s still early. Why don’t you let me buy you a drink?” he asked with a friendly smile. “Don’t let the other guys scare you, they’re not as mean as they look. I’m Chad, my buddies and I just got done helping a friend move and we decided to grab a few beers. Why don’t you join us?”

    
Why not?
she thought, saying “Sure…ok.”

Chapter 16

Incalculable
Error

     Seanna knew she had had too much to drink, she knew that she shouldn’t be in this motel room with a guy she just met at a bar, she knew that she was making all the wrong decisions, but she just was so past caring that she turned off that still small voice.
I just want to forget! Is that so terrible!
Stumbling into the room with Chad, Seanna laughed as she closed the door behind them. He obviously wasn’t as drunk as she was. He wasn’t having any trouble standing as she clung to him. What he took as passions was simply her attempt at staying upright.

     Soon she found herself on the bed and Chad was whispering in her ear. The room was spinning around her and her heart was literally pounding in her ears. She willed her mind to shut up, but it rebelliously continued to replay the picture of Bryce and Alyssa in each other’s arms. Though she could feel Chad’s wet kisses and could feel his hands roaming over her body, she felt unattached to what was happening. It was as if she was out of her body watching from the edge of the room.
What she saw disgusted her. A drunken woman, makeup smeared, hair in disarray, half dressed, in an intimate situation with a total stranger, pawing and panting like an animal. Suddenly she was back in her body and struggling to get out from under the weight. Pushing with all of her might, she managed to shove Chad off.

     “What the hell?” he exclaimed.

     “Get out!” she cried. “Get out!”

     “What’s wrong with you? Are you on drugs?” he exclaimed as he picked himself up off the floor.

     “I made a mistake…I can’t,” she said tears streaming.

     “Hey, I already paid for the room!” he interjected.

     Seanna got up and grabbed her purse, she dug through her wallet and grabbed some cash. He grabbed the bottle of booze and held out his hand for the money. As he walked out she reached over and took the bottle out of his hand.

    
“Keep it,” he sneered as he walked out of the room.

    
Seanna locked the deadbolt and sagged against the door. Within minutes she was even drunker and more depressed. Managing to wash the makeup off of her face and get partially undressed, she flopped into the bed. Lying in bed, feeling so alone and shaken over her behavior, All rational thought had vanished. She could only think of one thing. Bryce. She needed Bryce.

     Bryce and Alyssa were sitting on the patio, having talked way into the night, when his phone rang. “It’s Sea,” he said with his brows drawn together. “Hello.”

     “Bryce…” she slurred.

     “Sea, what’s wrong? Where are you?” he asked.

     “Bryce I messed up…you won’t love me anymore…” she said incoherently.

     “Sea, are you drunk?” he asked in shock.

     “It’s
all my fault…I just needed someone…”

     “
Seanna,
where are you?” he demanded.

     “I’m at a motel…keep-away…no…” she giggled, “Sleepaway.”

     “The one in town? Are you ok?” he looked at Alyssa with fear in his eyes.

     “M
mmm…yeah…?” she continued to slur.

     “Seanna, I’m coming, ok? Don’t hang up! I’m on my way,” he cupped his hand over the phone and told Alyssa that he was going to go get her. “If we aren’t back
before morning, cover for us, ok?”

     “Sure, be careful,” answered Alyssa, following Bryce to the house.
“Call me when you get there.”

     “Seanna, are you alone?” he asked
turning his attention back to his phone.

     “Yep, he’s gone…I couldn’t…he’s gone,” she answered.

     “Who’s gone?” he asked as he piled into the car.

     “
Umm…I can’t remember…it wasn’t you …I’m your sister…”

     “Yes, Sea, you’re my sister, Big Bro is on his way,” he assured her.

     “No, don’t want a brother…want
you…
bye, Bryce…bye...”

     “Seanna, don’t hang up!” he was too late, she was gone. He tried dialing her back several times
on his way to town. When he was almost there she finally picked up the phone, but must have dropped it. He could hear her breathing and that was good enough for him.

     It wasn’t until he pulled into the motel, that he realized he didn’t know what room she was in. Running into the lobby, he rang the bell for the night clerk.

     “Need a room?” asked the sleepy woman as she came out of a back room.

     “No, I’m looking for my sister. She called from here and asked me to come and get her. I think she passed out and I don’t know what room she is in,” he explained.

     “Short girl with dark curly hair?” asked the desk clerk.

     “Yeah, that’s her,” he answered.

     “I saw her go into room twenty-one earlier with the guy that paid for the room. She looked pretty wasted. He didn’t stay long, squealed out of here quite a while ago,” she said handing Bryce a room key. “Hope she’s ok.”

     Bryce didn’t even bother knocking, but just let himself into the room. Seanna was curled up in one of the beds with her cell lying on the pillow next to her. He shut off her phone and quickly called Alyssa and let her know that he had found Seanna. “She’s passed out. I think we’ll just stay here and let her sleep it off. Can you just tell
everyone in the morning that we had to come into town? I’ll let Seanna explain what she wants to later.”

     “Sure, are you ok?” asked Alyssa sleepily.

     “Yeah, I’ll feel better once I know what happened. She checked in with some guy,” he sounded clearly shaken.

     “Well, try to get some
sleep; I’ll pray for you both. Night, Bryce.”

     “Thanks, good-night Alyssa.”

     Bryce made sure the door was locked then as carefully and quietly as he could, he took Seanna’s shoes off, pulled down the heavy bed spread and covered her lightly with just the sheet. He stroked her heavy hair away from her damp face and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Checking the air conditioner, he saw that it was turned up as high as it would go. Since Seanna was oblivious, he felt comfortable stripping down to his boxers and wearily flopped into the other double bed. Sleep came much more quickly than he thought it would and he slipped into fragmented dreams.

     Sometime during the night, Seanna awoke to a full bladder and total disorientation. Silver moonlight was streaming into the room from a gap between the curtains. She looked around, finally recognizing her surroundings. Memories came crashing in as she realized where she was. Noticing a body in the bed next to hers caused her heart to jump into her throat. Getting to the
bathroom quietly, not wanting to wake up her unwanted roommate, ended up being harder than it should of, obviously she was still a little drunk. Once she emptied her bladder, she decided to try and sneak out of the room. Tiptoeing past the man in the bed to find her shoes and her purse, she couldn’t help but take a last look on the person she had spent the night with. The moon light lit up the face in the bed next to her.

    
Byrce! How did he get here? Did I call him…what did I say to him. I told him I loved him and didn’t want to be his sister…he came…Bryce.

    
She eased herself onto the bed next to him and watched him sleep for a few minutes. He was sleeping with his mouth slightly open and a slight smile on his face. It seemed so natural for Seanna to lie down next to him in the bed and snuggle into his side. Bryce stirred, and she thought she had woken him. But he only turned and put an arm around her. They were lying face to face. Seanna’s heart felt like it was going to burst. Almost without her knowledge, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the mouth.