S. Gardner - An Affair of Love

"Different that I would stayed with her yes, and been a father to you," Arthur admitted sadly.

Gabriella was surprised at the admission.

"I'll leave you to settle in. Abigail has planned a special lunch for you. See you down stairs at one." He then left her with much to think about.

Blayne walked out to the verandah of her bedroom.

She leaned against a wall to the side of the French doors she had just walked through and closed her eyes.

Why had things changed? She asked herself over and over.

Blayne was both angry with Arthur and with herself. And of course he had been right to question her. She had practically assaulted Gabriella twice. More than angry at him for putting her in the position she found herself suddenly in, she was also angry at herself for loosing control, not only of the situation, but of herself as well.

She had never really thought about a mate. Somehow there had always been a goal to surpass or a deal to close. Her competitive and independent spirit had always challenged her to try harder and excel yet again. She never lacked for escorts or romantic interests but a relationship? She knew she liked women for a long time now; but there had never really been one that she would have taken a chance of being found out by seducing her. A mate was something that she simply never thought about and had ever needed. She was a self contained individual. And now it seemed that her whole world had become unstable in a matter of a few days.

First, Arthur, her father…was dying. And secondly, she had not only been expected to bring Gabriella to him but to do it at record speed because, time was not on their side. How had he thought she could get Gabriella to come? At that moment she resented him for putting her in that position again.

Blayne had to also admit that she not only hurt Gabriella by the cold and calculating way she had manipulated her but she had also tried to…

"Dear God!" She ran her fingers through her hair in disgust at herself.

I practically forced myself on her in her living room, Blayne thought to herself. She also realized no one had ever made her feel the things she felt when kissing or touching Gabriella. When she had Gabriella half-naked under her she suddenly understood the meaning of lust. If she had remained that way a moment longer nothing would have been able to stop her from…from?

Blayne took a deep breath and closed her eyes yet again. She didn't like what was happening to her. She didn't like it at all. She was suddenly yanked from her thoughts by a voice next to her.

"You okay?" Diana asked.

Blayne looked at her then looked away. "Yes."

"What do you think of her?"

Blayne took a moment before answering. "She is not what I expected."

"Better or worse?" Diana questioned.

"Different."

"You are not going to make this easy for me are you?" Diana was about to walk away when Blayne suddenly grabbed her by the arm.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I'm just…" she trailed off and released Diana. Blayne took a few steps towards the rail. "Give her a chance, Diana."

"A chance for what?"

Blayne turned to face her.

"I've always been too busy. I'm sorry I wasn't…" she turned away again.

Diana waited. Blayne had never seemed this unsure and that intrigued and concerned her.

"I think she is someone that if you allow her into your life she will always be there for you," Blayne said finally.

"You like her, huh?"

Blayne took a few more steps and ran her fingers though her hair again. "Let's just say she's had a lot dumped on her and…what do I know!" She suddenly became angry.

"I don't understand you."

"I don't understand me either."

"So you think I should give our sister a chance?"

"She's not my sister!" Blayne said harsher than she had meant to. Blayne turned to Diana. "Talk to her Diana. She is of your own blood. She's your sister."

"So are you, Blayne," Diana said accusingly.

Blayne looked at her. "I haven't really been good at it have I?"

"You have sucked at it."

"She won't Diana. Give her a chance."

Diana stared at her for a moment longer then left her alone in the verandah.

A few minutes before one in the afternoon, Gabriella went down for lunch. As she was coming down the stairs she was taken aback by a very attractive man looking up at her. He reached his hand out to her with a charming smile on his face as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Hello, I'm Chaz."

Gabriella shook his hand as she searched his face. The likeness to Blayne was uncanny.

"Sorry I didn't mean to stare." Gabriella said returning his smile.

"It's okay I get that a lot. Blayne and I look a lot alike."

"You wish." Blayne said coming down the staircase. "I am definitely much better looking."

"But I have the right equipment," Chaz teased but Gabriella noticed that his smile did not reach his eyes.

"Some of us don't need it." Blayne went in for the kill. "And the one's that do don't know how to use it."

Blayne stood next to Gabriella for a moment looking at her. "Ready to go into lunch?"

"Yes," Gabriella smiled.

"Shall we?" Chaz offered her his arm.

Blayne stiffened as Gabriella took Chaz's arm.

They were served chilled lobster salad on plates made to look like seashells. Gabriella looked around the table and noticed how comfortable they all were with the wealth that surrounded them.

The lobster salad was delicious and the perfectly chilled white wine was divine. Gabriella noticed that the only person who hadn't tried to engage her in conversation was Blayne who seemed to be brooding at the other end of the table.

"So you have two kids?" Diana asked.

"Yes…"

"Where is their father?"

"Joseph, my husband, is in Chicago on business."

She looked towards Blayne who looked away with a frown.

"You're an artist," Chaz smiled charmingly.

"I'm a sculptor."

"Are you any good?" Diana asked tactlessly.

"Well…"

"You're being modest Gabriella," Arthur said proudly then he turned to the others. "She has several pieces on display at galleries in New York City."

Gabriella looked back at him. He looked at her and smiled as he said, "She is very talented."

"I bet she is," Chaz said crudely then smiled innocently.

"Chaz!" Blayne finally spoke up. Chaz hadn't fooled her for a minute.

"What?"

"Enough you two," Arthur intervened.

Abigail took this opportunity to jump in.

"We have a lot of interesting things to see here in Quincy, Gabriella. Have you visited Massachusetts before?"

"Yes once."

"Oh really," Abigail smiled.

"Yes I came to visit Harvard."

"You tried to attend?"

"I got accepted," Gabriella answered looking down.

"You didn't go?" Diana inquired with renewed curiosity.

"No, my scholarship fell through." Gabriella could not hide the disappointment even after all the years that had passed by. She still remembered how proud her mother and father had been. She also remembered the day that she found out that the money she needed to attend would not be available.

Arthur stopped eating as he noticed the disappointment that showed on his daughter's face.

"Blayne went to Harvard." Diana broke the silence.

Gabriella looked up and met Blayne's eyes, which looked back at her softly now.

"She also attended Harvard Law," Diana added. "She is the president of the Law Review."

"Blayne has never known when to stop," Chaz said in jest.

"At least she finished Chaz!" Diana blurted at him.

"Look who's talking," he said with a smirk.

"Children!" Abigail reprimanded them.

"Blayne, are you staying for a few days?" Arthur redirected the conversation.