Tuesday tales: From the Word BAUBLE

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt is BAUBLE. I’m continuing with Trouble with Eden, my contemporary romance. This scene follows last weeks as Eden recalls her parting with Jeff.

As she’d expected, a furious Jeff had followed, but his rage hadn’t even come close to hers. The scene played itself out in front of her eyes.

“How dare you be so rude to Phil! He’s my best client,” he whispered, his jaw clenched.

She turned toward him, wobbling on the damn heels she’d worn at his request to give her height. “How dare you tell him I would take his lousy job,” she hissed in return. She pulled the engagement ring off her finger and shoved it in the pocket of his jacket. “We’re through; you can keep this and all the other baubles you want to decorate your pigeons with. Give them to someone more in keeping with your needs. I’m a mechanic, and I have no intention of being anything else, including your doormat. I’ll find my own way home.”

He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. “Don’t make a scene,” he growled. “You ungrateful bitch. Wait here. I’ll make our excuses, and we’ll talk about this at home.” The muscle in his jaw had jumped and she’d been afraid.

E J exhaled, the room restoring itself. She hadn’t stayed. Instead, she’d left the hotel and had taken a cab back to Easton Corners. It had cost her a fortune, but she’d been home safe. He’d texted, claiming to be concerned about her, asking where she was. She’d replied with one word, home, and had turned off her phone. He called the office, the landline at the house, but she’d refused to speak to him. Finally, he’d sent a dozen roses with a message saying, that since she needed space, he would give her some and to call when she was ready to talk, ending with “I love you. I know what’s best for both of us.” She tossed the roses and the message in the trash can.

Lorraine had been her confidante, assuring her that what she’d believed had been Jeff’s love had been nothing more than obsession on his part. The man had always wanted what he couldn’t have, and now, that was her.

Hurt and lonely, Eden had retreated into her job, the one thing that had never let her down. Dwayne did his best to see to it that she was happy, but she knew he blamed himself for encouraging her to follow in his footsteps.

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales