Bethany"We already knew," Bethany's mom responded softly. "We fully support what's happening between the two of you and have seen changes in each of you that leave us breathless. We can't speak for Matt, but we knew this moment was coming."Bethany tucked herself into Damon's side, some part of her wanting to disappear as tears began to streak down her face."I love you both, and you know that. I figured something was up the night you treated me like the fucking pool boy and sent me to fetch shit left and right so you could make out while I was gone." Matt laughed loudly, everyone else joining in but Bethany."Are you sure you're not disappointed?" Bethany spoke up, her voice broken with emotion."No, baby. I couldn't be more proud of the woman you're becoming. Damon is family by marriage, and the way you two look at each other thrills me as your mom."Bethany moved away from Damon and walked to her mom, slipping into the warmth of her hug and letting herself cry a little. Kent patte
BethanyBethany turned and looked around the tiny garage, boxes piled high on both sides of her. There was no way they were going to be able to get her mother's place fully loaded up by nightfall. Why in the hell the woman would want to was the question. She had gotten a wild hair that everything needed to be moved out of the old house and put into storage before the wedding three days away.Letting out a long sigh, Bethany pushed her chestnut hair back, the messy bun at the back of her head not doing its job at all. Her mother walked in from the front of the garage, a few cars having stopped to see if they were having a garage sale."Go call Matt and Kent. Someone wants the washer and dryer.""Mom. We should just donate all of this stuff. There's no reason to sell it.""I am donating it. Go get them, sweet girl."Turning, Bethany checked her phone for the tenth time within the hour. Damon was at the office, holding down the fort so the rest of them could help pack. He was the only on
Bethany"I love you too. I need to get up to the college." Bethany released her mom and ran her hands over her shirt. "The college is closed right now, and I'm not even sure if Dr. Tarrington is up there. Does this look too bad to just drop by for an hour or so? Should I get dressed up?"Her mom reached out and brushed her hand down Bethany's back. "Change into a blouse instead of this t-shirt, and you should be good to go. Your jeans aren't dirty. Before you go, tell me how the situation with your friends is going."Bethany's best friend and roommate, Krista, had gone off the deep end a few days earlier, attacking their other best friend, Jake, and leaving him for dead. It was still a mystery as to what would lead Krista to react so violently to Jake turning her down. It had to be a combination of being off her medication combined with having her heart broken. It seemed to be the most likely reason."Jake is going home on Monday. His parents are with him now. He's doing better, just
BethanyShe had gone through an array of emotions by the time she reached the campus. Parking the car, she rolled up the windows and sat in stony silence for a minute longer. She had promised Damon that she would give him time and space to work through some of the things that bothered her most about him, and she would. Forcing herself not to react was going to kill her, though. He was a different man at home than he was at the office, which made sense to some extent, but she belonged in both worlds with him. They would have to work through their differences of how they expected those worlds to look.Grumbling, she got out of the small Honda and slammed the door, the car groaning in protest. Damon was right about one thing, she needed to get a new car, but there were more important things nagging at her, like paying for her graduate program. The car hadn't fallen apart yet, and her plan was to pay Kent back with the money she was making at the firm and then start working to replace her
Bethany"I can make the adjustments now if you just tell me what you want," she offered."No, I've got it. You have a big event coming up." He brushed his fingers by his mouth before pinning her with his stare. "What's going on? You didn't need to come all the way up here for this."She shrugged, not sure what to say. Kendal was her professor and boss for the next year. They weren't friends. Damon held that spot with him, and yet she knew she could talk and he would listen.Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back and let out a long, shaky sigh. "I'm sorry. I should go. I just haven't made many friends over the last few years for fear of someone realizing what a fake I was. My two best friends are lost to me right now, both trying to heal, and the one person I want to talk to can't communicate worth shit. I just needed to get away from everyone.""I get it." Kendal's voice was soft and kind.Bethany opened her eyes and turned to smile at him; her tears tucked away for the moment.
DamonShe was pissed, and he couldn't blame her. Well, maybe not pissed. Hurt was more like it.Damon set the phone down on his desk and slipped his hand into his slacks before walking toward the full-length windows in his office. The sunny day did nothing to permeate the sickening feeling that swelled deep inside of him. He'd have to miss his father's wedding if he couldn't fix the situation with Zarpeth soon. It needed far more than a quick band-aid, and yet a patch-up job was all he had time for.It was time for his father to have a happy ending, to get to enjoy a relationship that was based on truth and love. Karen, Bethany's mother, was going to be great for him."Much better than my own cheating-ass mother," Damon mumbled under his breath and tried hard not to let the images of catching her with another man poison his thoughts. He was already struggling like hell with keeping his mood under control."Damon?" Linda's voice reached him before the soft rapping of her knuckles on th
Damon"Just leave it alone." He flipped the lock on the door and walked toward the small restroom attached to the back of his office. Privacy was the best part of being an executive, but just slightly above getting to control every aspect of the company when his father was away.There was no reason to call her and apologize for not talking to her earlier. They could talk later. Hearing her voice would just distract him more, and he was already on edge from all the bullshit bubbling up on the Zarpeth account.He flipped on the light and closed the door to the bathroom before dropping his slacks and turning to sit down. It had been a long time since he had to take care of himself, but then again, being with one woman made things more complex."And far more stimulating." He wrapped his hand around his cock and lifted his hips, pressing deep into his tight hold as a tremor ran through him. It wouldn't have taken more than a phone call to get her up there, and if he knew her well enough, B
BethanyBethany took the long way to the office, working hard to talk herself into actually stopping by. Damon would be in a horrible mood because of the situation with Zarpeth. Did she really want to set herself up to be his punching bag?Maybe Kendal was right. She should give him the benefit of the doubt and simply stop by with an 'I love you' of sorts.She made a quick turn off the freeway and pulled into the local coffee shop, ordering herself something sweet and picking up Damon's favorite drink. Pulling back out onto the road, she steeled herself, locking her emotions down. She was disappointed about him not being able to come. That's really what it boiled down to. She could sling anger and accusation at him for not speaking to her earlier, or she could give him the coffee, kiss his cheek and go home to pack.Matt would be in Jamaica with her. There was tons of fun to be had with just the two of them together. She smiled at the thought and turned on the radio in the car, findin