Bethany"I think that someone who's wanted love for a long time, and finally gets it, feels a sense of ownership over it. Sometimes to the point of it being unhealthy. It becomes more like an obsession.""And when that love is denied or taken away, they snap?" Bethany sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, her thoughts sliding from Krista to Damon. How long had he been opposed to loving someone?"Sometimes, but I think it depends on the person." Kendal moved to the edge of the stage again, squatting. "Take Damon for instance. He's had plenty of shallow relationships, but he's never, in all our years together, introduced me to anyone he called his girlfriend.""But what if something happened and he lost me? Would you think he would be violent?""Are you worried?" Kendal tilted his head to the side a little, his gaze inquisitive."No. I love him too much to think about a future without him. I don't think it's the situation with us, but I can't help but wonder.""That's natural. He loves
BethanyBethany got home around four and decided on a quick nap before everyone was scheduled to arrive for dinner. She wasn't much in the mood for company after seeing Jake bruised and laid up in the hospital, but they had advertisements to review and final plans for the wedding trip to make. Lying in the comfort of her bed, she finally gave herself over to the need for rest and slipped into the welcoming arms of darkness."Beth, baby ..." Damon's voice pulled at her. She tried to sit up, but he tightened his arms around her, the handsome thing lying behind her in the bed and spooning her. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and brushed his hand down her outer thigh. "You awake?""Yeah. I didn't mean to fall asleep, or maybe I did. What time is it?" She curled up farther and snuggled back against him."It's almost seven.""Seven? Shit." She pulled from him and slid off the side of the bed. "I need to get ready. I was hoping to take a shower.""There is no reason to hurry, baby.
BethanyBethany slowed just before walking into the kitchen, heat burning her cheeks from her forward response. A smile lifted her lips, leaving her feeling fulfilled, happy. Her mother turned as she stood with Erica, Matt, and Kent."There you are. We were starting to worry." Her mother smiled.Matt walked toward her and pulled her into a big bear hug as Damon rounded the corner and moved to open a bottle of wine. "There's Sleeping Beauty. Damon and Dad working you too hard at the office?""They are slave drivers." Bethany laughed and walked toward the large platter of crudité. She picked up a carrot and dipped it in the creamy ranch sauce as Erica responded."Man, I remember when I started working for these two years ago. I took more naps than I care to remember." She smiled, and Bethany returned the gesture. "I would honestly go home feeling like my brain was bruised.""That's because you're creative, and they aren't. Like trying to teach calculus to Michelangelo." Matt joined in a
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.