A Captivating Conundrum (20 page)

He rolled his eyes, and his voice rose. "Beth! I told you not to do that. You have got to leave that chick's situation alone. I mean, I know you want to help her, but she screws herself up over and over again!"

"It's Mark."

"Of course, it's Mark." Bobby took his coffee cup and returned to the table, stretching his legs out across the floor. "Mark
does
suck. The whole town knows it—even Christie, by the way."

I could feel the anger rise inside me. "But-"

Bobby put up his hand. "Beth, she goes back to him every single time. They're fine, then he strays, she leaves and then goes back. It's how they'll always be."

"But-"

"Beth, she's a fool."

"Wait!" Matt's voice suddenly took over and he stood from the table, taking two steps toward me.

I looked at his face. In fact, there was no way not to. His eyes were studying mine with such intensity that I could feel the tears start to burn. Quickly, he took me by the elbow. "There's something else."

I looked away. I so did not want to act like some weepy female in front of this man. I could only imagine how uncomfortable it would make him. 

But I felt the warm hand appear under my chin as he moved my face to look at him once more. "Are you okay?"

I couldn't help it; one tear escaped, as I choked on my words, "I just came from the E.R….he beat the hell out of her."

"
What
?" Bobby jumped from his chair. "God, Beth, I'm sorry."

I shook my head. I wanted Matt to back up but he kept hold of me.

"What happened?" His voice was soft and calm.

"I got there this morning and she wouldn't open the door, so I figured she was just sleeping off the hangover. When I went to get back in the car, I spotted her through the window on the couch. There were beer bottles everywhere and she…" I swallowed, trying to regain the toughness I lived on. "He had beaten her with a bottle. She was cut, bruised…I called the ambulance."

With no warning, Matt's arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me into that broad chest.

And, with even less warning, I burst into tears in his arms.

~ His ~

I don't know how long we stood there, but I know I had no desire to let go. Beth was so upset; her eyes had been filled with anger, but when the anger had dissipated I saw the hurt look of a little girl. Beth had seen something horrible, and I could feel the struggle she was having to keep it all bottled up inside.

I felt her warm tears on my chest and I held her closer, suddenly wanting to shield her from absolutely anything bad that was out there in the world. In fact, there was a part of me that wanted plywood and nails so I could board up this house and never let anyone inside ever again. She and I could just live here forever, enjoying life like Jerry and his Missy had until they'd been separated. 

I felt her spine straighten and she pushed against me. "Thank you," she whispered.

Taking a step around me, Beth sat down at the table as Bobby sat by her side. "Is Christie okay?"

She nodded, taking deep breaths and sipping the hot coffee. Looking across the table at Chris who wore a kind smile, Beth smiled in return.

"Men suck," Chris said, releasing a small laugh into the kitchen.

Bobby's fists were clenched. "I hate that son of a bitch. I should go find him at his chosen whore's house and make sure he knows what an 'eye for an eye' really means."

"I'll come with you," I said.

Beth shook her head. "Forget it. Mark's been arrested."

Bobby snorted. "He'll just get out."

"It won't matter," Beth replied. "Her mother's here now and she's taking Christie back to upstate New York with her when she's released."

"Alive," Chris reminded the room of the most important point to remember.

Beth took a deep breath, as if trying to regain some kind of balance. Standing up, she turned to me. "I'm fine. Really."

Heading around the corner, she walked upstairs. And when I heard the shower, I knew she was attempting to wash the dirt and grime of a very ugly memory from her mind.

Turning back, I leaned against the doorframe and stared into Bobby's very angry face. 

"She's right," he said. "Men really suck."

Chris laughed. "Well, thankfully none of those men are in this room."

I watched in awe as one word and one smile from Chris seemed to lighten Bobby's demeanor in seconds.

"True." Bobby nodded.

"And seeing as that there are
so
few of us good ones left, I think you and I should go out on the town this evening and try to rub our goodness off on others," Chris said slowly, as if scared that Bobby would turn him down.

Bobby snorted. "Out on the town? What town?"

Chris wagged his finger in Bobby's face. "You have dining here. You have movies here. Do you not?"

"Yes, we do," Bobby chuckled. 

"Then I say dinner, dancing, movies—the whole shebang."

I wanted to tell Bobby to just give in; he was so not going to win this one. Chris would have his way, so he really should just save his oxygen for a different day.

As if knowing he was already taken, Bobby smiled. "Okay. Sounds like a plan." He sent me a nod. "What's this one gonna do? He coming to make sure his aura of goodness rubs off, too?"

Chris let out a loud laugh. "No." Standing up, he placed an arm around my shoulder. "This one will be staying here and rubbing off on a very beautiful woman who needs to know that
some
men don't suck." 

I grinned, knowing I had a tough mission ahead of me. 

"And now what we're going to do is…Matt's finally going to realize that he needs a shower because…well, ick. And then he will don a shirt and accompany me to the market in order to get the ingredients for a stunning meal that he will prepare for Ms. Beth this evening."

I could almost smell the Italian feast now, as I wondered why I hadn't been quick enough to think of that myself.

Bobby sat back in the chair. "And Beth will be fine with this, I suppose?"

Chris looked taken aback. "Well, of
course
she will. She wants Matt to study that piece in order to be the absolute best he can be up on that stage to help Amber. WE," he said, staring at Bobby, "are going to make ourselves scarce so they can have a 'working' dinner."

Chris's small nose turned up as he took a step away from me. "Really. Go shower."

As I walked around the corner, I reached back and pulled Chris into a hug, causing all kinds of screams to erupt. "Ewww!"

I rubbed my sweaty hair on his cheek and raced away, laughing hysterically.

Just as I got to the top of the stairs, his little tirade calmed and all I could hear from below was Bobby's voice saying, "God, you're adorable."

Chris, Jerry and I were
all
right. There was no time limit; when it was there, it was there.

Sixteen

~ Hers ~

I heard the tap on my door, but I was so completely engrossed with what the angel and warrior were about to do, I completely let it pass me by. Throughout the day I'd heard the mumbled words of the men in my living room as they picked on each other incessantly. I even once thought I saw Matt's amazing figure walking through the gardens outside, singing to himself and carrying a notepad and pen by his side.

But I didn't wake from the story being created in my mind until Chris came barreling through my bedroom door, appearing at the top of my balcony. He sang out that he and Bobby were leaving to hit the town.

I laughed out loud, trying to figure out what town he could possibly be referring to.

Looking up at the tuxedo-clad man, I sent him a whistle of approval. "Well, you certainly will be the belle of the ball, Sir."

Chris bowed. "Thank you, my dear. So I have your stamp of approval for 'sexy'?"

"James Bond is
nothing
compared to you." I grinned. "That is definitely an 'FMN' outfit."

"FMN?"

I laughed. "Never heard of an outfit that screams, Fuck Me Now?"

Gasping, Chris grabbed his chest and took a step back as if I'd offended his virginal ears.

I heard the key in the bottom lock, and as Bobby appeared, I witnessed yet another stunning man dressed to the nines.

Chris stared down at his date and then threw me a wink. "I guess we're both going for 'FMN' this evening."

"Seems so." I stared at Bobby's confused face. "My goodness, where are you and Chris off to, exactly?"

"Wake Robin."

"Ah, tres chic." I sent him a smile that I hoped showed every ounce of love I was feeling for him at that moment. "Have a fantastic time. Chris is a keeper."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom."

"And you be safe, you hear? Don't stay out too late," I giggled.

The rolling of the eyes continued. 

"What is that smell?" The luscious scent was streaming through my door.

"Matt made a surprise dinner for you." Bobby winked.

I swallowed, realizing for the first time that he and I would be alone. "Oh."

"Italian."

I sighed. "I suppose you told him it was my favorite?"

"Actually, no." His voice was serious. "The guy knows Italian stuff. Yet another thing you have in common, I suppose." Bobby sent me an evil grin. "So how do you say 'I hope you score' in Italian?"

I tilted my head and smiled. "Probably the same way we say 'Bite me' in english."

"Love you, too." Turning back, he said, "By the way, what's 'FMN'?

I laughed. "You don't need to know."

~***~

As I watched through the window, the handsome couple walked across the driveway, laughing together in a way that made them seem like they'd known each other for years.

"Hey."

I turned back around to the owner of that incredible voice. "Hey."

"May I interrupt your work?" Matt looked down at the millions of papers that were now strewn all over the floor.

"Please do." I sighed.

"I thought maybe we could work on the play. After all, that
is
why I crashed your house." 

"That's true." My heart fell a little as I realized this was a business dinner…nothing more. "Just give me a few minutes." I walked to the staircase, trying not to stare back down at the man who seriously smelled just as delicious as my favorite meal.

…The night ahead was not going to be easy.

~***~

My kitchen hadn't smelled this good since Grandma was at the stove.

I started down the staircase, listening to Matt's soft voice sing bits of the song he would end
Father
with. It was so beautiful; and I could hear the tremendous power he was holding back. I knew when he released it onstage Matt would bring the entire city to its knees.