Ms. Frogg's Hidden Prince Read online

  Tia glanced at Brody. “Better only be the good stuff.”

  Brody acted offended. “As if there were anything else to say.”

  Tia speared him with a playful glare. “Flattery will not get you an extra piece of pie.”

  “Well, then what’s the point of being here?” Brody smiled as he bantered with Tia. Her sassiness is one of the things I love about her. His thoughts screeched to a halt. Where the heck did the ‘L’ word come from? But as he studied the woman across from him, he felt his heart flip as she smiled and laughed at something Hank said. Oh, shoot ... I love her. Does she feel the same? He shook his head. How could she? She doesn’t even really know who I am. His thoughts were interrupted when Hank socked him in the arm.

  “Brodes, dude, where’d you go?”

  Brody blinked rapidly, realizing he had been scowling at the countertop as his thoughts had spun. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “What’re we talking about?”

  “How a pretty girl like Tia got stuck with a neanderthal like you,” Hank teased.

  “Oh really?” It’s on now. “How about if I just show you—”

  “All right, boys!” Zellie threw her hands up in the shape of a ‘T’. “I think we’ve had enough of that. Why don’t we go find you a football game or something to watch, hm?” With a roll of her grey-green eyes, she led them toward the television set and got them settled.

  “MEN,” ZELLIE MUTTERED as she walked back into the kitchen.

  Tia was chopping lettuce and barked out a laugh. “Idiots is more like it. Hey, would you mind washing the potatoes and chopping them?”

  “On it,” Zellie replied. After she set up her workstation at the sink, she glanced over her shoulder. Dropping her voice she spoke. “Well, I’ll admit he’s not quite how I expected him to be. He always looks so grim and mean; walking down the hallways with that hair and beard. I mean, you kept saying he was funny and nice, but it was hard to picture it.”

  Tia quieted her voice too. “And now?”

  Zellie shrugged. “He’s got a bit of an ego, but after seeing him watch you so intently and that sweet kiss on the cheek ... “ Zellie pursed her lips in thought. “He obviously has a sweet side that I never would have seen otherwise.”

  Tia grinned. “Yeah. I can still hardly believe it myself.”

  “Do you love him?”

  Tia’s head shot up. “What?”

  “Do you love him? Your eyes go all soft when you look at him and your face lit up when you were flirting.” Zellie raised her shoulders. “Looks like love to me.”

  Tia felt heat creep into her cheeks. “I ... I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. I know I’m falling for him, but I’m not sure I love him yet. I feel like there’s something he’s not telling me.” Her eyes shot toward the family room when she heard the boys holler at the television, then went back to Zellie. “I think he’s using his hair and beard as a way to hide, but I can’t figure out from what. Or maybe from whom.”

  “So ask him.”

  Tia snorted. “You make it sound so easy.”

  “It is. You simply say, ‘Brody are you hiding something with your hair?’”

  Tia threw her head back and laughed. “There are all sorts of answers to that one.”

  Zellie grinned. “All right, word it a little differently, but still. Before you get in any deeper, you should talk to him.”

  Tia nodded. “You’re right. Maybe I’ll talk to him after dinner. Think you can keep Hank occupied for a bit?”

  Zellie bit her lip and turned back towards the potatoes. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

  Tia raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you will,” she said slowly. Hmmm ... could the lovely Zellie find Hank attractive? She never pays attention to men. Tia bit her lip to keep from giggling. Picking up her knife, she went back to chopping lettuce; enjoying the time spent with her friend in the kitchen.

  BRODY LEANED BACK AND slapped his hand on his stomach. “I think I ate enough to last me a week,” he moaned.

  “You and me both, brother,” Hank said, also sliding back in his seat. He let his head fall to the side facing Tia. “Will you marry me?”

  Tia snorted and nearly spilled the sparkling cider she was drinking. After coughing to regain control of herself, she gasped, “Excuse me?”

  “Ignore him,” Brody said with a scowl. “It’s just the food talking.”

  “Oh? You don’t think he could actually want to marry me?” Tia challenged.

  Brody began to sputter as he realized he was between a rock and a hard place. Before he could work his way out of it, both Tia and Zellie burst out in laughter.

  “Oh,” Zellie grabbed her side. “Don’t make me laugh! It hurts, it hurts!”

  “Serves you right,” Brody said as he relaxed from the teasing.

  “You haven’t answered me,” Hank persisted.

  Tia smiled and bit back a giggle when Brody reached over and grabbed her hand, his head still back and his eyes still closed.

  “Sorry, Hank. I don’t know you well enough for marriage.”

  “Darn.” He turned towards Zellie. “How about you?”

  “Me?” Zellie’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t cook anything unless you count chopping potatoes. Don’t look at me!”

  “Maybe I like looking at you,” Hank said softly.

  Zellie gasped softly at the remark but didn’t speak.

  Brody opened his eyes and glanced at Hank and Zellie before turning to look at Tia. He raised an eyebrow in question.

  Tia grinned and nodded in response to his unspoken question. Delicately clearing her throat, she stood from the table and nodded her head towards the front door.

  Brody smiled slyly and followed her. Closing the door quietly behind them, they burst into laughter after they were outside. Brody grabbed Tia’s hand and they began walking down the sidewalk.

  “There’s a park just a couple of blocks up,” Tia said.

  “Perfect,” Brody responded.

  After a slow, meandering walk, they made their way to a bench in the empty park. “Wow. I guess everybody’s taking naps from their meals,” Tia observed.

  “Smart people,” Brody muttered.

  Tia leaned over to shoulder bump him. “Ah, come on. Leaving those two alone was the best thing we could have done.”

  Brody slid down and rested his head on the back of the bench. “Guess we’ll see what happens. I taught that boy everything I know.”

  Tia sighed. “Well, it was nice while it lasted, but it sounds like he’s doomed to failure then.”

  “Hey!” Brody cracked open one eye, only to watch Tia burst into laughter at his expense. “That’s it.” He sat up and pulled Tia into his lap, tickling her sides with one hand while keeping her pinned to him with the other.

  “Stop! Oh my word, stop!” Tia laughed and gasped for breath. “Mercy, mercy! Uncle! Anything! I give up!”

  “Got that right,” Brody said with a smirk, as he quit torturing her.

  Ask him, Tia, just do it. Tia looked at Brody’s face and brushed the hair out of his eyes. He had pulled the long mass into a low ponytail, but strands had come loose. “Brody?”

  “Hmmm?” He traced her face with his eyes and she felt it as if it were a physical touch.

  “When are you going to tell me why you’re homeless?”

  The content look on Brody’s face vanished and his body stilled.

  Tia kept her voice soft and soothing but she was determined to find out what he was hiding.

  “What makes you think there’s any sort of reason? Maybe I just don’t care about stuff like houses and stability.”

  Tia rolled her eyes. “Because I’m getting to know you, Brody. You care. Deeply. It’s part of what drew me to you in the first place. Or at least helped me see past all ... this ... “ She waved her hands around the large amount of hair on his head and face.

  Brody dropped his eyes and looked at their laps.

  Tia waited ... and waited ... and
waited ... The more time that passed the more her irritation grew. “So, you’re just going to sit there?”

  Brody shrugged, his grey orbs finally meeting hers. “What do you want from me?”

  “The truth,” she responded automatically.

  “Well, the truth isn’t always pretty. And the truth of the matter is, right now, I’m not ready to talk about it.”

  Tia shook her head. “I’m falling for you, Brody Gruff, but if you continue to hold back, I’m afraid we won’t be going forward.” She stood and started to walk.

  “Tia, wait.” He reached out his arm, but she moved quickly enough to evade him. Standing, he came after her, stopping her before she got too far. “I’m falling for you too. Can’t that just be enough for now? Why do we have to dig up every bit of our pasts before we can be together? Haven’t you enjoyed these last few weeks?”

  Tia felt tears prick her eyes, but she blinked hard, refusing to let herself break down in front of Brody. “I have,” she said honestly. “But it’s not enough. I won’t be with someone who won’t tell me who they are.” Jerking her arm out his hold, she walked briskly away.

  Brody was silent and she didn’t hear footsteps following her. Relief mixed with sorrow as she walked across the grass toward the sidewalk.

  “Hey, Gruffman! You ready to go, man?” A loud voice called out from the street.

  Looking up, Tia found Hank standing on the sidewalk with a scowl on his face and his jerky mannerisms spoke of severe irritation. Join the club. buddy. What happened to him? Wait ... Her mind spun over what he had said. Gruffman? Gruffman! She spun on her heel and put her hands on her hips. “Gruffman? Is your name really Brody Gruffman? As in Gruffman Incorporated?” Please say no, please say no.

  Brody’s face was solemn as he slowly nodded.

  “YOU’RE BRODY GRUFFMAN!” Tia screeched, losing all control over her good sense. “The millionaire playboy who disappeared a couple of years ago? One of the Gruffman brothers at Gruffman Incorporated! Are you KIDDING me?” Tia threw her arms up in the air. “Was this some publicity stunt? You run away from your job and family for no apparent reason. You don’t tell anywhere where you are; the media was totally frantic! Your family was frantic! All so you could what? Pretend to be homeless and grow out your hair? Is someone in on this with you?” Tia looked around as if she were going to find cameras or paparazzi hiding in the bushes. “Or do you simply find it funny to make random women fall in love with you and then drop them when it gets too personal?”

  Brody’s face paled under his beard. “You love me?”

  Tia clenched her fists and shook them by her head. “AHHHH!” She screamed. “Is that really all you got out of that? Not that what you’re doing is wrong? Or how many times you obviously lied to me?”

  “I never—” Brody began, reaching toward Tia.

  Tia put her hand up, the tears she had held in earlier now running in rivulets down her face as she felt her heart tear completely in two. “Don’t even start.” Her voice was thick with emotion and it was difficult to get a full breath. “Lies of omission are still lies. You,” she pointed a finger at him, “are a coward Brody Gruffman. A coward.” The last word broke on a sob and she turned and ran. She ran past a startled Hank, all the way to her house, where she slammed the door and slid to the ground, burying her face in her arms and knees.

  “What the? Tia, what’s wrong?” Zellie dropped down and put her arm around Tia’s shoulders. “Ah, honey! Is this about Brody? What happened? I thought everything was going so well?” She rubbed her hand up and down Tia’s arm as if to warm her.

  Right now, Tia felt like she needed all the warmth she could get. Her body convulsed with sobs and she couldn’t seem to get them under control. Her chest felt like it was being crushed by an elephant while someone pulled her heart out with a spoon. How the heck did he do it? How did he go from being an annoying, unkempt caveman to everything I’ve ever wanted? Do people actually die from broken hearts?

  It felt like her tears would never end but eventually, Zellie’s soothing words penetrated her haze and she began to slow her breathing.

  “That’s it. Take a deep breath and tell Zellie all about it. Come on hon, we’ll figure all this out.”

  Tia shook her head. There’s nothing to figure out. The man is a liar and a manipulator. “Nope. We’re done. That’s all there is to it,” Tia rasped out between gulps of air.

  “Okay, okay ... “ Zellie said. “You don’t have to tell me. But you’ll probably feel better if you do.”

  Taking in another shuddering breath, Tia nodded reluctantly. “Okay,” she whispered. After pouring out her whole sordid tale, Tia had to admit, she did feel better, but one look at Zellie and Tia knew the same couldn’t be said for her friend.

  “So all this time, he’s been lying about who he is and hiding from his family for who knows what reason. And he only told you because Hank slipped up and mentioned his real last name?”

  Tia nodded.

  Zellie barked a harsh laugh. “Oh my word, what a sleazeball. Mom always says men can’t be trusted.” Her voice dropped to a small, defeated whisper. “I guess she was right.”

  TIA SIMPLY NODDED AGAIN, not finding any words left in her vocabulary.

  “What did he hope to gain from it all? Why did he do it?” Zellie mused.

  “I don’t know and I don’t really care,” Tia snorted. Liar. Her inner voice yelled at her, but she pushed it aside. “Starting right now, I’m going to make sure I never see Janitor Gruff again.”

  “I’M SORRY,” HANK BEGAN as he and Brody walked back toward the car they left at Tia’s.

  “It’s not your fault,” Brody grumbled. “I should have told her who I was a long time ago. I guess I ... I don’t know ... it was just so nice to not be wanted for my connections or money. I hadn’t realized how much I wanted that until I ran away.” He snorted as he buckled up, his eyes not leaving Tia’s house even as the car pulled away. “I guess that’s one thing I can thank Victoria for.”

  Now it was Hank’s turn to snort. “I wouldn’t thank that viper for anything.”

  “Probably right.” Brody finally lost sight of the small house. “It’s cruel to find something you didn’t know you wanted, only to lose it.”

  Hank sighed and rested his head on his hand, his elbow balancing on the car door. “Yeah, I hear ya man.” They drove in silence for several minutes, both men lost in their own thoughts. “What are you going to do now?” Hank finally ventured.

  Brody could feel a muscle pulse in his jaw as he heard Tia’s words echo through his head. You’re a coward Brody Gruffman. A coward. “I’m going home.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Brody took a deep breath as he walked into his house. Bleh. He coughed a little. Obviously, I need to air it out a little. The large home was eerily quiet and, unsurprisingly, full of dust. Walking over to a window, Brody muscled it up, enjoying the fresh air that began to pour in.

  Walking around, he opened every window he came in contact with. “There. That should help,” he murmured as he lifted the last one.

  The buzz of his cell made him jump and he fumbled it out of his back pocket. “Brody,” he said without looking at the caller ID.

  “Are you still alive?” Hank asked across the line.

  Brody snorted. “Well, I didn’t run into any booby traps.”

  “I’m surprised your brothers haven’t shown up. I wouldn’t put it past them to have someone watching the house, waiting for you to return.”

  “It’s been two years. Even they wouldn’t have continued to watch that long.”

  “If you say so,” Hank’s sarcasm oozed through the speaker.

  Brody jumped when Pachelbel’s Canon began to chime through the house. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Brody grumbled.

  “I tried to warn you,” Hank shouted through the line.

  “I’ve only been home ten minutes! Unbelievable.”

  “Just think of the poor guy who has spent the last two ye
ars sitting outside waiting for you to return home.” Hank laughed. “This is probably the highlight of his life, right now.”

  “Shut up,” Brody snapped as Hank continued to cackle.

  The song began to play again and Brody debated letting it go. Can I really face them? His mind wandered back to the scene in the park. You’re a coward, Brody Gruffman. He’d only been separated from Tia for a few hours, but he could already feel the loss of her. He ached to hold her hand and watch her braids sway as she walked. For Tia. Straightening his shoulders and putting on a confidence he didn’t feel, he shut off his phone and walked to the door.

  A tall man wearing sunglasses and a black suit stood on the other side. Brody didn’t recognize him from the staff before he left. Then again, they probably hired someone new so I wouldn’t know I was being watched.

  The man turned sideways and swung his hand toward a limo. “Sir,” he said.

  Brody narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, purposefully making himself look bigger. “Do I know you?” He bit out.

  If Brody’s attitude and appearance surprised the man, he was good at hiding it. He simply held his ground, keeping his arm extended.

  Brody’s right eyebrow shot up. “How much did they pay you to wait by my doorstep?”

  Still no response. Not so much as a twitch. Shoot, he’s better trained than I expected. Brody rolled his eyes, shook his head, and stomped toward the limo.

  Not waiting for the driver to arrive, he threw open the door and slid inside. Glancing back, he realized the driver was securing his door before joining him at the car. Guilt pricked his conscience. It’s not his fault I’m in this a mess. He’s just doing his job. The thought and the guilt made Brody shake his head. Two years ago it wouldn’t have even occurred to him to pay attention to an underling, let alone feel bad for him.

  As the car pulled away from the curb, Brody pulled the lever to draw down the window between the front and back. “Hey, sorry man. I shouldn’t have provoked you.” The words didn’t taste as bitter as Brody expected them to. Tia really has softened my edges.