"Good. Make sure he stays that way." Jake turned a little and groaned as his father walked back in.
"You ready, son?"
"Yeah, I guess." Jake turned back toward Bethany and smiled. "Dr. Tarrington is going to let me TA alongside you until I get back on my feet. The university has been good to us through this crap, but I don't want to get behind. Is that all right with you?"
"Heck yes." Bethany got up as Jake's father pulled him back toward the door. "I'll be right beside you no matter what you need. You putting off your master's this semester?"
His father spoke up, "Hell no. I tried to tell him that one semester wasn't going to make or break him, but you know he's an overachiever."
Bethany laughed and wiped at her eyes again. "He's in good company. I'll help out where I can."
"Study dates twice a week like we used to?" Jake winked and wiggled around in his wheelchair as if trying to get comfortable.
"Only if you're buying coffee." She opened the door more fully and moved back to let them out.
"Him buying the coffee?" Jake's dad chuckled. "You mean me?"
"Are you offering?" Bethany teased him and closed the door as they waved their goodbyes. The thought of what Jake must look like under his loose t-shirt and sweat pants caused her to cringe. Krista had almost succeeded in taking his life, and thank God she hadn't, but he was forever changed. Every time he changed clothes or got naked in front of a girl, they would see the excessive scarring all over his chest and stomach.
"Unbelievable." She tried to discard the thought, but it lingered as she cleaned up the apartment and packed up the rest of Krista's stuff. Both of her friends' lives were forever changed, and hers as well. Fear over what love could do tugged at the edge of her thoughts and tried hard to force her to step back from what could possibly be the greatest love story of her life.
*
The visit with Krista's dad wasn't nearly as bad as Bethany had prepared herself for. He was very much the guy Jake said he was. Friendly and grateful for her help. They loaded everything up in his Lexus and he apologized for the two hundredth time before driving off.
Bethany made the quick decision to go over to Kent's in hopes of seeing Damon. With all he had to catch up on, there was no way in hell she was going to bother him. Things had changed a little, and yet not nearly enough for her liking. The ring on her finger should have been the open door for her and Damon moving in together and planning their days together, but it wasn't. They were back to dating with the promise of moving toward something more solid in the future, or so she hoped.
She got in the car and buckled up before hitting the button for Matt on her phone and sliding the device into hands free mode.
"Hey. Hey. Hey." Matt's boisterous voice filled the confines of the car and caused her to smile.
"Hey you. Are you out at dad's?" She backed up and hit the brake hard as a biker sped across the parking lot behind her.
"Yep. Already here."
"Shit!" Bethany barked as the guy waved like 'no big deal'. Him eating the back of her bumper would have been a big damn deal.
"You don't want me here?" Matt chuckled.
"No. Some idiot just drove his bike behind the car while I was backing up. I swear."
"Kids nowadays!" Matt sounded like an eighty year old with an agenda for changing the next generation.
She laughed and let out a quick puff of air. "I'm glad you're over there. Is Damon there by chance?"
"No. I haven't talked to him since yesterday. I'm hoping you have?"
"Yeah. We spoke earlier. He's at the office, trying to take care of things before your dad gets home on Thursday."
"Your dad too."
"Don't remind me," she grumbled and pulled onto the main street on campus. "That means Damon is officially my brother."
"You're so risqué." Matt had so many personalities it was damn near impossible to tell what was going to come out of his mouth next.
"I'm not sure that's the word I would use, but moving on... Are we still planning on going up to Seattle this weekend with you?"
"Yep. You and Damon both. I know you guys might have to work a little from what he said, but I'd really like it if you could go with me to the gallery. I've never shared my full portfolio with anyone. It's a little nerve-racking."
"We'll be there with you, or at least I will. I'm not sure if Damon has something big he has to take care of up there." She stopped at the stop light at the edge of campus and glanced around, feeling a bit excited. One more year and she would be done with school and ejected fully into the real world. She'd been waiting her whole life to take ownership of her future and her situation and it was right in front of her. As much as she loved her mother, the last ten years had been beyond rough. Never again would either of them go to bed hungry. Bethany wouldn't allow it.
"Erica is going to join us too, I guess," Matt huffed.
"And you're not happy about that? You big baby." Bethany smiled as the light turned. Matt was smitten by Erica Hall, McKenzie and Bryant's Chief Advertising Exec, and intimidated beyond belief. She was a force of nature, but Matt could hold his own. If he tried.
"This coming from the girl that said yes to marriage after three weeks of knowing some weirdo at the office."
She laughed. "He's the hottest weirdo I've ever seen in my life, so sue me."
"You're broke like me, and I'm pretty sure hot isn't the best criteria for a spouse. Those looks will fade, honey."
"Doubtful, and even if they do, I love him enough to remember what he used to look like."
Matt pretended to gag. "You guys are too much. Get over here and help me finish off this gallon of cookie dough ice cream."
"I thought you were working to keep your girlish figure?" She pulled onto the freeway and settled down into the comfy seat that fit her like a glove.
"I am. That's why I'm going to start jogging with you every day."
"No, you're not. That's my quiet time. I need to get back to it, actually."
"Yes, I am. I can be quiet."
"Lies. You Bryant boys are just full of lies."
"Amongst other things."
Chapter 3
Damon
Frustration sat heavy on his shoulders as he drove toward his father's mansion on the far side of town. Having wanted to be just like his dad his whole life, now was his chance, and yet it didn't seem nearly as thrilling as he hoped it would. People were childish and irresponsible, and that was on a good day.
Between the fuck ups his Seattle team made on the Zarpeth inventory and the Kissinger tax audit coming up, he was beat. The trip to Jamaica had been good for him, maybe too good, but returning to another crisis wiped away the positive effects he hoped to hold on to for a few more days.
He pulled up in the circle drive and parked his Mercedes, but didn't get out. Bethany's beat up Honda sat beside Matt's old green truck, both of them looking like something the pool boy might drive. A smile lifted Damon's lip at the realization that Bethany was a lot like him, but a lot like Matthew too. There were parts of her past he wanted to explore, but that would come in time. He didn't have the words to offer if she brought up something devastating. He was still fighting his own demons and had spent far too many years not getting emotionally involved to just dive in head first like he promised her they would.
It was a promise made in the heat of the moment, and a stupid one. It's the type of action that emotionally free people took. Neither of them were free.
The sound of Matt and Beth laughing as he walked into the house caused something to loosen in his chest. He worked his jacket over his shoulders and hung it up near the front door, pausing to listen to his brother tease his soon-to-be wife.
Wife? Odd...
"You guys having fun without me?" He walked toward the smell of garlic and butter as his stomach rumbled. His lunch with Kendal had been light and quick. He was needed in the office to play his role and his father's. That he was taking the evening off was a miracle, and one he would surely pay for the next day.
"Never." Bethany glanced over her shoulder and smiled.
Her white shorts and blue top looked good on her. Long legs that went on forever, and handfuls of silky brown hair. His body reacted the minute she turned and walked toward him.
"Good. I don't wanna get jealous. I'm not a very nice guy when I do." He slid his hands down her arms as she wrapped them tightly around his neck and lifted to her toes to press her lips to his.
He ran his hand down her back, cupping her rear as his other moved to get lost in her thick tresses. He pressed his tongue against her lips and tightened his hold on her as she opened up, letting him in deep. She was compliant and everything he wanted tucked beneath him in a bed. No matter what happened in their struggle to make a life together, sex would be the common meeting ground.