Free Playing in Shadow by Lesley Davis

pineapple,” Bryce dutifully answered, knowing when she was beaten. She spared a thought for Trent who probably had long since lost the ability to argue with this woman.
    Monica shouted a welcome to Scarlet, and Bryce was embarrassed by how fast her head whipped around. So much for trying not to see her . Her breath caught in her chest at the mere sight of her.
    “She is very striking, isn’t she?” Juliet said softly.
    “She’s the boss’s daughter,” Bryce muttered. “I’d be hung from the scaffold by Gregor if I dared go near her.”
    Juliet just smiled. “Look at her though. Wouldn’t she be worth it?”
    Self-consciously, and with a nervousness fast becoming a habit, Bryce touched at the scar that marred her face. The edge of the scar was just reachable under the hat she never seemed to take off now. Her time for attracting beautiful women was gone. Her ex had been very explicit in that. Bryce remembered all too well being in the hospital recovering when Gerri had walked in with Amber in tow. Bryce hadn’t wanted to deal with Gerri’s histrionics so had feigned sleep.
    “Oh my God, it’s worse than I thought. Look at her face. If I stayed with her now it would only be out of pity and I don’t do pity parties very well.”
    Bryce gripped the bedclothes as the cruel words ripped through her.
    “Let’s get out of here,” Gerri spat out in a whisper. “I need to go get my things from her place and move on. She was a handsome addition on my arm for a while, but I can’t be seen with her now. My reputation would suffer. It’d be too much like Beauty and the Beast.”
    Furious, Bryce had opened her eyes to tell Gerri to get the hell out of her room, but the door was already closing on her swiftly retreating back.
    Trapped in her morose thoughts, Bryce jumped when a hand touched her arm. Juliet was looking at her curiously.
    “Sorry, I was miles away.” Bryce tried to shake herself free from the memories.
    “It didn’t look like a happy place to be.”
    For the first time since she’d been released from the hospital, Bryce just wanted to let everything inside her pour out like a tidal wave. The gentle kindness in Juliet’s eyes reminded her of the look she’d seen mirrored in Scarlet’s eyes when she’d woken her up from the nightmare. Suck it up, Bryce. You don’t need to be seen as anyone’s pity case .
    “I’m okay. Just planning ahead for my day.” She smiled to couch the blatant lie.
    Juliet’s eyes never wavered from her, and Bryce easily read in them the moment when Juliet decided to let her get away with it. “Pizza at one o’clock then.”
    Bryce’s reaction was to make an excuse.
    “I’d like you there.” Juliet stared her down gently.
    Unable to do anything but capitulate under that gaze, Bryce nodded and her sympathies for Trent doubled.
    “Did someone say pizza?” Scarlet had gravitated to Bryce’s side, and Bryce felt her whole body twitch at her proximity. Scarlet favored her with a bright smile. “Hello, stranger.”
    “One o’clock, come join the gang down here. Bryce has your invitation.” Juliet smiled at them both, but the look she gave Bryce made her face scorch.
    “Cool,” Scarlet said.
    “It’s a date then.” Juliet winked for Bryce alone.
    Bryce shot her a steely glare. For a seriously pretty blond, heavily pregnant or not, Juliet Sullivan was dangerous.
    “A date?” Scarlet looked down at her work clothes. “Damn, and I’m so overdressed.”
    Bryce thought she looked great in her black sleeveless T-shirt and well-worn jeans. She tore her eyes away, mumbled her good-byes, and hastened to the sanctuary of her job before either woman could say anything more to mortify her.

    *

    The rocking beat of Within Temptation filled the room Scarlet was painting in. She unconsciously swayed to the music while she spread the white paint across the wall with a practiced hand. Enjoying the simple pleasure of doing something she loved, Scarlet began singing out