“The girls are going out dancing tonight,” Brynn said, in response to his glance. “I thought I’d get dressed before coming over.”
“Is that one of the dresses Marta picked for you?”
Brynn nodded.
“It suits you well,” Eliot said. Well was an understatement. The dress was stunning, a perfect fit to show off Brynn’s curves. The bright red color contrasted with her alabaster skin and her reddened cheeks, made bright by the cold outside, only added to the effect. He yanked his gaze away from her figure.
“It’s cold out here,” she said. “Even colder than in the city.”
“We’re up higher in the mountains,” Eliot said. “The snow is actually staying on the ground.”
“I wish it wouldn’t melt down where we are,” Brynn said. “I’d like to have one walk through the garden again.” Her words stopped abruptly, as though she had just reminded herself of the memory with her and Eliot.
“Marta will be coming by later,” Eliot said, and the topic was mercifully changed back to Lucky’s fate in the hand of Marta’s friends.
They walked back into the kitchen, where Lucky sat contentedly on the counter top. Eliot had given up trying to keep the damn thing off of the tables, but it was beyond him to admit that he enjoyed sharing the last of his milk with the small kitten.
“He’s grown bigger,” Brynn said with a touch of pride, as she petted the kitten’s newly silken coat. “Thanks for taking care of him.”
“He’ll be happy at his new home, I’m sure,” Eliot said.
“I’m sure he will,” Brynn said, her eyes sorrowful. She turned back to Eliot. “And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Will you be happy back in America?”
Eliot stared at Brynn. She had struck to the heart of the matter. Eliot didn’t know if he could be happy anywhere. The few glimpses of happiness he had seen in the last few years had been with Brynn.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “I’ll have my work.”
“Your work is here with your students,” Brynn said, slightly admonishing.
“Of course,” he said, moving over to the kitten to stroke its head. Lucky purred. “But there is something to be said for solitude in making progress on these things.”
“Really?”
Eliot did not know what to say. She was right, of course. The best part of his work had been done here.
“I can’t stay, Brynn.”
To his surprise, she began to cry. He put his hands on her arms, trying to comfort her.
“I only wanted to come here to see my mother,” Brynn said. “I didn’t care about the prize, I didn’t care about this stupid problem. I didn’t care about you!” She stared up into his face, her eyes flashing darkly in anger.
“Brynn, I’m so sorry,” Eliot said. “But you’ve made so much progress on this problem.”
“I didn’t want any of it,” Brynn said, her words catching on her sobs. Eliot pulled her towards him and she balled her fists against his chest.
“I’m so proud of you. You’ve done so much—”
“It’s not enough!” Brynn’s head tilted back, her eyes wet with tears. “Why did you kiss me?”
Eliot’s heart sank. He couldn’t explain what had drawn him toward her the last time they had met. Pure desire and lack of willpower. Her beautiful face had turned up to his, just like it was now. He felt himself falling back under her spell even now as they stood so close to each other.
“It was a mistake,” he said lamely.
“That’s what you said before!” Brynn pulled away angrily. “That it was just a mistake!”
“I shouldn’t have—”
“Everything isn’t a mistake!” She was furious, her brows slanted angrily above her stormy eyes, and he thought she had never looked so beautiful. “Some things happen for a reason.”
“I was weak,” Eliot said. “You’re a very lovely girl…”
“That’s it, then? You’re so weak you have to run away from me, leave the country, leave everything here?” Brynn’s voice filled with rage. “I can’t believe it.”
“You’re right,” Eliot said. “I should never have come back.”
“No. You should have come back years ago. You should never have left.” Brynn wiped her tears from her face, crying through her words. “You’re not weak, you’re stupid.”
Eliot was speechless, and Brynn continued to lash out, turning toward the window.
“Look at this. All of this. It’s so beautiful. And you gave it up—why? So that you wouldn’t have to face her death?”