Resume Of Romance

Chapter 28

“That’s not true and you know it.  I wanted you to work beside me, I appointed you to this position.  It had nothing to do with Jayson, you were always jealous of him and you still are.”  Richard Braxton leans over reaching his hand out to grab the bottle of scotch, Chace moves it out of his reach.  

“I came back dad because Jayson told me you were sick.   You’re still sick so quit trying to sneak a damn drink.  Jayson told me you asked him to run the company he said he couldn’t do it.  I’m not jealous of him dad I never have been you just like to pit us against each other to see which one of us will do you’re bidding first.  I’m tired of talking about this, it never goes anywhere.  Come on get up so I can help you up the stairs.”   Chace stands up. 

“I don’t need your help I can go up them on my own.”  Richard Braxton tries to stand and stumbles back, his son catches him just in time as he falls against the table. 

“Goddammit, don’t just stand there help me.”  Mr. Braxton grabs onto his son’s arm, the room is spinning he’s obviously drunk. 

Chace helps his father out of the kitchen up the back stairs, they have to go down the hallway pass the room Rylie is sleeping in to get to Mr. Braxton’s. 

Rylie is lying across her bed looking at some recipes on the internet.  She’s trying to keep her mind off of thinking about Chace and the offer his father made her.   She’s feeling disillusioned that he can be so callous about his oldest son’s feelings.  She’s seen enough of the way they react to one another to know that there are some serious issues between them.  She doesn’t know how she can reveal what Richard offered her to Chace or if she should.  What if he doesn’t believe his father is willing to go that far.  Does Chace care for her enough to believe it, his father seems to think the only relationship they have is a physical one anyway.   

Trying to take her mind off of it Rylie misses her special nights of Tuesday cooking but she still collects recipes on her Pinterest account.   It’s been weeks since she has been able to do it.  A thump hits the wall.  Getting up she walks tentatively to the door holding her ear to it.  

She can hear voices, it sounds like arguing.  Slowly she opens the door only to see Chace helping his father down the hallway.   Mr. Braxton is going on and on about how he built the company from scratch and how ungrateful his sons are.  He appears to be drunk, Chace isn’t saying much he’s just allowing his father to rant on in his drunken stupor as he holds him up walking him slowly to his room.   Rylie runs back to the bed to grab her rob then hurries to open her door. 

“Is he alright.”  She says coming out into the hallway with a look of concern on her face.  Chace stops walking with the older man they both turn around facing her.  

“Chace….Chace…..”  Mr. Braxton grabs at his son’s arm.  Don’t tell your mo… mother I had a drink, she doesn’t need to know.”  Mr. Braxton slurs his words.  

“I won’t tell her dad….come on let me get you to bed.”  Chace says in a tired dry voice.  Rylie walks up to the side of them her gaze meeting Chace’s. 

“Is there anything I can do to help you?”  She softly remarks. 

“You can open his door for me.”  Chace says.  Rylie rushes to the bedroom door to open it just wanting to help him if she can.  Going into the room she runs ahead to lower the covers for Chace to lay his father in the bed.  Rylie leaves the room as Chace undresses him and puts him to bed. 

Wrapping her loosened robe around her waist, she’s unable to listen to Richard Braxton berate his son who is trying to help him.  She leaves his door going back to her own room to wait for Chace.  Thirty minutes go by she wonders where he’s at.