Blooming

  Blooming

  By

  Peyton Fletcher

  Text Copyright ©2013 Peyton Fletcher

  All Rights Reserved

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used

  in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission

  of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  -----------

  Although based on some of the author’s personal experiences,

  this is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organisations & events

  described in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Chicago

  She stared transfixed at the lips approaching her face, could she do this? No, ah, stop him, stop him. She put her hand up to cover her mouth preventing him reaching any further, “I’m sorry Max I just can’t.”

  The look of bemused shock on his face almost made her relent, but she knew it was no use and she knew the pressure would just keep coming; it was time to make the break.

  ****

  Bloomington, Indiana

  Godamnit she hated moving – and if not for two kindly but interfering neighbours wanting their pound of flesh she wouldn’t have had to this time.

  It wasn’t easy living a life where you tried to avoid letting anybody get close, but it was easier than letting people in so they started expecting things from you – needing you, wanting to help you.

  Jen cursed again looking up at the building that was to be her new home - it looked safe, solid, anonymous. The agent had said that the other tenants were young professionals, a fashion designer, a nursing student and a lawyer, exactly the kind of people guaranteed not to spend a lot of time in their apartment or sticking their nose into their neighbours business.

  The only good thing was deciding to hire the professional movers who’d done all the packing and set up the new place in no time at all, the only things to carry up now were the things that made up her home office, items the control freak in her wouldn’t entrust to anybody else.

  She stretched up briefly trying to ease her stiff legs and arms, four hours on the road driving from Chicago, plus the two trips upstairs with boxes and she was pretty exhausted. A lifetime of looking out for herself had made sure that even standing at only 5ft 2 she had strong arms and legs and was no pushover when it came to heavy lifting but, she admitted to herself, she’d had enough for one day. One more box and the rest could stay in her beat up old car for the night, all her real valuables were inside now.

  Using the keys she’d picked up from the letting agent, she opened the door to her 2nd floor apartment and surveyed her new home – just enough space for her, tall windows that let in welcoming shafts of late afternoon sun, it felt right, it had to, she couldn’t move again, her heart wouldn’t take it. This time she was going to ensure she stuck to her life plan. Keep to yourself and don’t invite scrutiny, immerse yourself in work and everything will be ok.

  Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Jen felt a brief moment of guilt for the way she’d left Chicago. Mr & Mrs Kenton were good folks and renting the room above their garage for 3 years had been a great way to live cheap while she established her website design business. But little by little they’d invaded her life; trying to include her as family, inviting her to family parties trying to fix her up with their male relatives. It had become harder and harder to come up with excuses to distance herself without sounding like the lunatic she was. This had led to laying her carefully conceived exit strategy – doing a flit while they were on holiday in Hawaii, leaving no forwarding address just a stash of extra rent money and a woefully inadequate letter of apology.

  Attempting to mentally shrug it off, she put her boxes down and set about creating her new home office space. Her business had been increasing steadily over the last two years and she would have to get straight back to work. She lovingly erected her workstation, plugged her computer in and set up her phone and fax. Her business was her baby, the only way she had found to make money that she could cope with. It offered her minimal interaction with real people, although there were still far too many customers who preferred the old fashioned telephone to conducting business by email.

  Jen literally had to force herself to answer a ringing telephone, her anxiety overwhelmed only by the need to earn a living. Her life was what it was. A carefully constructed means of coping - for someone struggling with zero social confidence & panic attacks.

  Her office complete, she opened a bottle of red wine and curled up on her sofa drawing a blanket up around her, and sipped slowly from her favourite glass. The familiar object bringing her a little much needed comfort. She had no intention of making up the bed tonight, the weather was warm enough that she should be cosy on the sofa, and it wasn’t long before the mellow wine and the exhaustion of the last few days caught up with her, and despite her ever present unwanted anxiety she drifted off to sleep knowing that at least for a few hours she was safe.

  ****

  Jen woke early; with no blinds up yet the sun streaming in roused her and she wearily sat up and checked her watch. Six am she should be safe enough to go down for the last box from the car, hopefully there wouldn’t be an early riser about. Still in last night’s clothes she left her apartment as quietly as she could and slipped downstairs to the parking lot.

  Stumbling back in with her box of stationery she froze as she heard the click of a lock opening from across the ground floor hall – “Shit,” she put a spurt on and had made it up several steps when her foot slipped on a patch of worn stair carpet and she fell awkwardly, banging her head hard enough on the sharp corner of the box to draw blood.

  Temporarily disorientated, she was powerless to halt her slide back down the stairs feet first, bumping her breasts painfully on every step as she went – holy hell that hurt. The wind knocked out of her, she was in no position to evade the person who came running up to see what all the commotion was.

  Lily Baker swept round the corner, startled by the noise like a small earthquake hitting, peering down she saw a tiny brunette covered in loose leaf paper, face down on the floor, moaning. “Todd,” Lily shouted, “Todd – get out here will you, somebody’s fallen down the stairs.”

  Jen came round enough to understand not just one but two persons were about to come to her aid, “No – no, I’m fine honestly,” unfortunately just as she said it a wave of dizziness hit and she trembled a little. Gentle fingers drew her hair back from her face and a pretty green eyed blonde peered at her - wincing when she saw the blood.

  Jen wanted to cover her ears when the girl bellowed again, “Todd are you deaf - get out here.”

  Heavy footsteps signalled the arrival of a pair of very male bare feet and Jen held her breath, “Hey Lily, what’s happened here?” a deep sexy voice asked.

  The girl who was presumably Lily replied, “Just help me with her I think she should come and lie down for a bit she’s had a little shock. A jolt of fear shot through Jen but before she could croak her refusal, she was scooped up as if she was a rag doll and found her nose squished up against a very broad, warm naked chest.

  Wri
ggling away as if she’d been electrocuted the grip on her tightened and the chest rumbled, “Sit still honey you’re ok.”

  Short of making a fuss and not really having the strength to resist, she had to allow the beast to carry her across to his apartment, the blonde in hot pursuit.

  Good God this guy was so tall the nausea was fast becoming vertigo, she had never been held in someone’s arms like this and she gritted her teeth to try and stem her discomfort, breathing out her relief when she was laid gently on a sofa, her rescuers’ faces peering over her.

  “Get a wash cloth Lil – let’s see how bad this cut is, she might need a doctor.”

  “No,” screeched Jen, causing her to clutch her pounding head with the volume of her own voice, “I just need a minute; I’m fine I promise, just winded.”

  Todd Baker sat down next to the crumpled figure on his couch. Christ what a start to the day, a 5ft something scrap of a girl, with hair like Cousin It. You could hardly even see her face between the bushy dark hair and the blood smears, but she was slim and fragile looking and the tension in her body language radiated apprehension in almost tangible waves. It got his curiosity peaked.

  Lily came back with a bowl of warm water and a cloth and he took it from her and gently cleaned off the new tenant’s face, because that’s surely who she must be. He brushed her hair away so he could see what he was doing. On closer inspection she was a little older than he first thought, more like in her mid twenties.

  “I don’t think it’s too bad Lily, it’s pretty shallow. If you have butterfly strips in your kit I think that should do it, and some aspirin for her head.”

  Jen’s eyes cast a first fearful glimpse up at the man sitting next to her. His head was upturned towards the girl - showcasing a strong masculine jaw with a couple days worth of stubble. Thick but silky dark brown hair rumpled over his brow and feathered softly at his neck. God he was very good looking and scary, and very, very male.

  Don’t have green eyes; don’t have green eyes she chanted silently, you’ll be too gorgeous to completely ignore if you have green eyes. Crap, he turned back to her and gave her a smile that twinkled all the way to his grass green irises, not even a hint of murky brown. Shit, now he was going to be in her thoughts way too much.

  Lily shooed him off, “Who’s the nurse here bro? I’ve got this Todd – you need to get showered, you’re probably knocking her unconscious with your sweaty morning body.”

  “Nothing wrong with a bit of manly sweat,” he said, feigning indignation while sniffing his armpit. “And you’re only a first year student - because you messed about deciding what to do for so long, plus I’ve had and seen more cuts and bruises than you’ve had baked potatoes.”

  Looking back at the girl on his couch he realised they had not been introduced. “My name is Todd Baker and this is my sister Lily, who I am crazy enough to grant a bed in my apartment, and I guess you are?”

  For a second Jen wondered whether to feign a relapse to avoid talking to him, but realised she would be just prolonging her discomfort at the situation. “I’m Jennifer Harris, I just moved in upstairs, and thank you for your help, but I really do need to get back to my apartment.”

  Lily tutted at her,” just stay a bit longer while I fix you up, I just want to make sure you don’t pass out on us, head injuries can be tricky. Todd please get my first aid kit then scram – I’ve got this.”

  Todd gave the girl another long look. Jennifer, was she a Jen or a Jenny..., she was a prickly one, she probably insisted on Jennifer. Now he could see her face better he registered the pale fine skin on a small perfectly oval face. She had nice well defined features but the best thing was her eyes, dark navy blue framed by thick dark brows and the longest blackest eyelashes he’d ever seen. They elevated her face to something special.

  “Todd - staring much?”

  “Sorry I’m going, I’m going.”

  He came back with the first aid kit, briefly looked at Jen again and headed to the shower. Lily looked at Jen too and busily set about dressing the scratch. “I’m glad there’s another girl in the building, it was just me before. I’ve just moved here to stay with Todd while I do my BSN degree at the School of Nursing.”

  Oh Christ this was not going well, she did not want a cosy chat. How did she get out of here without causing a scene?

  Lily put the finishing touches to the dressing. Her patient was attempting to look anywhere but at her, and something about that made Lily feel concerned. Jen looked old enough to be somewhere between the ages of herself and Todd, but she seemed younger.

  “That’s you about done Jennifer, and your colour’s coming back, that’s a good sign.”

  “Thank you,” – Jen mumbled, “but seriously I need to go, I’ve got work waiting.”

  “Stay and have a coffee or really tea would be best for shock, I have to get ready to leave but Todd can sit with you for a few minutes, he works mainly from home.”

  Jen didn’t know which news was worse the idea of sitting with the scary hunk on her own and having to make conversation, or knowing that he was likely to be around the apartment building just as much as she was.

  “Here he is now – “Todd,” she shouted, “make Jennifer, do people call you Jenny..., a cup of tea if we have any?”

  “Jen is fine.”

  “It will have to be this herbal crap you bought, I don’t have English breakfast tea,” he complained.

  “Really I don’t want anything,” Jen protested.

  “Humour me,” Lily said, “once you’ve drunk it, Todd can see you safely upstairs if that’s what you want.”

  She dashed off before Jen could argue further, and Todd came across the room and placed a cup on the side table next to her. God did this man never put a shirt on - she didn’t know where to look, everywhere she turned was muscles and creamy skin. As if it was the most natural thing in the world he scooped a large hand under her head and eased her up to a sitting position, crouching before her.

  Todd found himself staring at her again; he must stop it. So she was a Jen, maybe not so prickly after all?

  “Drink your god-awful tea like a good girl.” He chuckled deep in his throat, “nurse’s orders.”

  Jen sipped trying not to grimace. If this is what it took to get out of here so be it. She kept her eyes down and tried to keep a lid on her growing panic.

  Todd didn’t speak for a minute and then decided he’d best try to make conversation, he wasn’t one for awkward silences. “So Jen, what do you do?” she still wouldn’t look at him.

  “I design and manage websites for small businesses.”

  “Hey that’s great, I’d be interested to see what you do some time, I own and let my own properties across Bloomington, and I’ve plans to increase my portfolio. I’ve been thinking about getting a web presence for a while now, but kept getting too busy to organize myself.”

  Jen shot upright, and was at the door before Todd finished his sentence.

  “Hey wait up...” she was struggling with the deadbolt and he put his hand over hers and released the lock for her. Up close behind her he smelled like heaven, and his hands were large and strong over the top of hers. Just because she could never act on it didn’t mean it didn’t affect her, just instead of exciting her, it terrified her.

  Jen flew through the open door and Todd followed on her heels, amazed that half dazed she could move so fast, he had to take the stairs three at a time just to get alongside her. The discarded paper fluttered about in her wake.

  “Was it something I said – you know Lily’s going to kill me if anything happens to you?”

  She held up a hand as if to fend him off and practically ran down the hallway to her door; he was just about to follow her in when the door slammed in his face, missing his nose by a hairs breadth.

  What the fuck was that? He stood scratching his head, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a door slammed on him. He shook it off ruefully; things just got a hell of a lot more interesting roun
d here.

  Jen ran to her bedroom and threw herself on the mattress of her unmade bed, which only jarred her bruised body. Pushing her face into the mattress she screamed soundlessly, stifling the urge to vocalise her distress. No, no, no what was she going to do now?

  ****

  It was twenty minutes later when Jen picked herself up off the bed and into the shower; she had too much to do to give in to her self-pity today. With a bit of luck her neighbours would avoid her like the plague now that she’d given them a good dose of her brand of crazy.

  Unfortunately Todd had decided to take matters into his own hands. First by packing all the paper from the stairwell back in its box, and second by carting the box back up to its owner to make sure she wasn’t dead from a delayed brain trauma.

  A soft tapping on the door had Jen hissing softly. The tapping persisted, whoever it was wasn’t going away.

  “Hi, it’s Todd from downstairs,” he called through the door. “Lily’s left for the day and she made me promise to check on you, are you there?”

  Jen stood undecided in her living room, which way to jump?

  “I’m fine really, I’m just going to take it easy for a bit.”

  “Are you sure? I’ve got your box of stuff out here; I can carry it in for you if you open up?”

  “Er – I’m not dressed, just leave it there, I’ll get it later.”

  She really didn’t sound so good – and he wanted to see her for himself, “ok I’m going, see you round.”

  “Yeah, thanks again.”

  About 15 minutes later Jen opened her door and found she was looking straight into a pair of mischievous green eyes.

  “Shit,” her hand went to her chest, –“you scared the crap out of me and,” her eyes cast down, “you’re sitting on my box!”

  Todd gave her a lazy grin - her unfortunate turn of phrase not lost on him, “Sorry honey, but I had to make sure you really were ok, I couldn’t chance somebody dying in my building. That’s not good for the rental value.”

  “Your building – you own the building?”

  “Yeah, I tend not to advertise the fact when I initially lease someone an apartment here. My agent handles it for me, saves me being hassled by new tenants at all hours of the day & night. I get the impression I’m not going to have that problem with you, you can’t wait to get away from me.”