Promises Not Kept

9

         When Tommy entered the dress shop, Beth was with a client. The woman was the wife of one of his men. He tipped his hat to her before slipping it off.

"Afternoon, Mr. Shelby." She greeted politely.

Beth wasn't as welcoming. She was still highly suspicious of the Shelby. In her opinion, he had no right to her delicate friend. She didn't know just how much Leah had fared. "She's in the back." Despite her doubts, she couldn't tell him to piss off.

Tommy nodded and walked to the back storage room. It was a narrow hall stacked almost to the ceiling with fabric bolts and broken sewing machines. The man was so stealthy in his movements that he startled Leah.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" She pressed a hand to her chest. "Gave me a fright."

He smiled and he held his hands up in apology. "Thought you heard me."

She liked seeing him smile. Especially because he smiled when she turned around and his eyes settled on her face. At that moment he wasn't the terrifying gangster that everyone else saw. He was just a man who was happy to see someone he was developing feelings for. These feelings were blossoming very slowly and tentatively. He was afraid of them for more than one reason, too many to count in fact, but he didn't often shy away from things that scared him.

"While you're here, can you hold this steady for me?" She dragged a rickety chair towards him.

"Sure." He set his cap and newspaper aside to hold the back of the chair. Leah picked up her long skirt and stepped up onto the chair to reach a bolt of red satin. The aging wood creaked and he was concerned over a very loose looking leg. But it held up just fine and she stepped down without incident.

Her hair swept past him and he caught a whiff of her perfume. It was so alluring he lost his train of thought and the reason he was there.

"Up to no good today?" Her teasing reminded him he did have a purpose for being there. He wasn't just there to see her, although that wasn't a bad excuse either.

"I wouldn't bring trouble to you." He replied with deep fondness etched into his usually intense tone. "I've come to tell you I'll be off to Warwickshire tomorrow. Be gone for the next few days."

Leah tucked the bolt of fabric underneath her arm. "Little holiday?"

"You could say that." He shrugged and leaned his shoulder against a nearby shelf. "Going hunting with me brothers." He didn't tell her about the letter he received from America about his father. His brothers didn't even know yet so he didn't think it was right to tell her before he told them.

"That should be fun." It was nice to know he'd be away from business for a few days. Especially doing something that he enjoyed.

"You could come along." He offered. "Get out of Birmingham for a bit. You'd get to meet Charlie."

She sighed softly. "That does sound lovely, but I have to work."

"Soon though." He stepped closer to her. The space getting smaller in the cramped room. "You'll be safe with me gone?" He asked and brushed a few stray wisps of hair from her face.

"I'll be alright." While Tommy was thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong, Leah was only thinking about how she would miss him.

"I'll leave the number to Arrow House." He let his hand cup her cheek. His eyes were soft on her. "Call if you need anything."

"What if I just want to hear your voice?" A playful smile formed on her lips.