Love Believes (Sully Point, Book 5) (8 page)

"You cook?"

"Oh, heavens no. I eat. Out. A lot. I'll have
to discover all the good places around here."

William smiled at her. "You're in luck. I'm
also a foodie. I've got this place scoped out already, and I can tell you where
to avoid and what places are good. The Diner, surprisingly, is one of the
best."

"Interesting. I'll have to try it out."

"Are you okay, with what happened
today?"

Beth frowned. "I don't know what to think
about it. Sure, I'm okay, but I can't believe he came all the way out here and
was so intent on my returning with him. He sounded...I don't know, obsessed or
something. It was weird."

"Yes, it was. I think you need to be careful,
Beth. Keep aware of your surroundings at all times."

"What...you think he'd come back? No, I don't
think so. He has a show to put on out there. He'll be back and tied up in his
work and forget all about me."

"I hope so, I really do. But keep your eyes
open, okay?"

"Okay," she said. "How does your
hand feel now?"

"Better since the ice...and the wine."

"So tell me about life on Broadway," she
said. "You must have a million stories."

He gave a laugh. "Yes, about that many."

As he talked, he found her to be a good listener.
Talk about plays led to talk about music and then they had coffee while discussing
books. Suddenly he realized it had gotten quite late.

"I don't think I've talked that much at one
time in quite a while," he said.

"It was fun," she said. "But you're
right, the time got away from us. I'd better get home."

"Be careful."

"I will."

An awkward moment developed as they both stood at
the door. She said, "Well, see you tomorrow, or rather, later today."

"Yes," he said, and watched her leave.

Yes? That was all he could think to say? He wondered
at his lack of speech as he shut the door. What was it about her that made him
feel awkward, protective, and turned on, all at once?

* * * *

Beth drove home slowly, thinking. He was a
fascinating man. Once he stopped being the control freak director, he was also
sophisticated, yet personable and intriguing. And attractive. He had an innate
charisma that included sexiness she couldn't avoid noticing.

Once inside her apartment, she locked the door and
sighed. No matter how sexy he was, he was a director. She didn't need that in
her life. She turned out the living room light and went into the bedroom,
tugging her boots off.

The apartment door rattled in the silence. Beth
froze. Was that the wind?

The doorknob was being turned right and left. Then
a loud bang sounded, like someone was beating on the door.

Unbelieving and yet sure there was someone trying
to get in, she grabbed her phone out of her pocket and hit the redial button.

"Hello? Beth?" William said.

"William?" she whispered. "I
thought I dialed Sam, but never mind. Call the police, call Sam, call anybody
but I think Benton is at my door pounding on it trying to get in."

"What?"

"Hurry!" she said, as the pounding got
louder.

She turned off the phone and dashed into the
kitchen to look for something to use for defense. She grabbed a frying pan, and
dialed 911 on her phone.

"This is Sheriff Jones," she heard.

"The apartment above the bakery," she
said, gasping for breath out of fear. "This is Beth. A guy is trying to
break down the door."

"I'm already on the way, Miss Carter. Mr.
Christopher called me. He said he was on the way there too. I'm on the edge of
downtown now, just hang on."

She heard a loud crack. "He's getting
in!" She started to run across the living room for the bathroom which had
a lock on the door.

"Two minutes," Sheriff Jones said.

"Too late," she whispered. The door
crashed open.

* * * *

William crashed through the remains of the front
door after flying up the stairs. He heard a scream and saw Benton reach out to
shove Beth...who swung a frying pan and connected with the side of his head.

William shook off his surprise and grabbed Benton,
who appeared a bit wobbly.

"One move, pal, and you're history," he
said gruffly, shoving Benton up against the nearest wall.

The sound of a siren came floating through the
door, as he turned to look at Beth. She was standing in the same place, arm at
her side with the frying pan dangling. Dressed in tight black pants and a red
sweater, green eyes wide, he thought she was magnificent. Then he realized her
face was very pale, and he wondered if she was going into shock.

"Beth? You still with me?"

"Uh..."

"Come on Beth, you did great, don't go into
shock now."

"Right." She shook her head and then
glanced up at him. "You've got him, right?"

William nodded. "Yes, he's not going anywhere,
and here comes the sheriff now. You were amazing, Beth. I think he still
doesn't know what hit him."

"Wow, I need to sit down," she said
weakly.

Sheriff Jones walked in and looked from Beth to
William to Benton.

"I hit him with this," Beth said,
holding out the frying pan.

"He was going to shove her down and that's
when she hit him," William said.

The sheriff walked over and put handcuffs on a
dazed looking Andy Benton. His rights were read to him as William walked over
to Beth's side. He gently loosened her grip on the pan, and set it down on an
end table. He took her by the arm and led her over to the sofa to sit down.

"I'm glad you got here when you did,"
she said.

"I'm glad you thought of that frying
pan."

"Dad always told us, if you're attacked, go
down fighting. I wasn't going to go down." She let out a sigh and William
sat next to her. She leaned against his shoulder and he put an arm around her.

"I'm feeling a little wobbly now that it's
over."

"I know the feeling," he said.

* * * *

Beth's apartment filled up quickly after she asked
William to make a call to Sam. She got up and went into the bathroom to splash
water on her face. Her hands were shaking and she ended up staring at her
reflection in the mirror.

"Close call," she whispered. After a
moment her lips firmed and she straightened her shoulders. Thrusting her hands
through her hair, she shoved it behind her ears. "Okay. I'm okay."

She walked back into the living room to find it
empty. "William? You're still here, right? William?" She hated that
her voice sounded shaky, but she wanted someone here and he made her feel safe.

"Coming," he called out. "Just
making some coffee. You have anything alcoholic we can add to it?"

"Sure," she said. She pulled a bottle
out of the liquor cabinet and took it into the kitchen to him. "That
sounds like a great idea. I'm going to need some kind of makeshift door. The
living room is getting chilly."

"Your brother will know who to call. Here
have a sip of this to warm you up." He held out a large mug.

Wrapping both hands around it, she took a sip.
"Ooh, that is nice." She sat down at the kitchen table and William
joined her.

"I meant to tell you, thank you. For showing
up so fast, for being here," she said.

His eyebrows rose. "No need to thank me, you
saved yourself. I was there for clean-up. That's good swing you've got
there."

She gave a tremulous laugh. "Yes, I guess the
years of softball paid off. Will he go to jail, do you think?"

"I'm sure he will. We may have to
testify."

"I'll be glad to." She shuddered.
"I thought...for a few seconds there...I thought he'd get me."

"But he didn't. You were brilliant. Here,
drink up now."

She obediently sipped the drink. Warmth coursed
through her as the alcohol hit. They both turned at the sound of people coming
up the stairs.

"Beth? You okay? Beth?" Sam called.

"I'm here, in the kitchen," she said.

Sam came running into the kitchen and stopped at
the sight of her. "Beth, what happened? The door, the police
downstairs..."

Maggie, Eric, and Frank, and Cody all pushed in
behind Sam and suddenly the little kitchen was packed.

"Let's all go back into the living
room," William suggested. "Anyone need coffee laced with
spirits?"

After they were all settled with coffee on the
chairs and sofa, Beth explained what happened, with occasional help from
William.

"You hit him with a frying pan?" Maggie
asked, sounding unsure whether to laugh or be worried.

"Yes, well, it was the quickest thing I could
reach in the house that I thought might stop him."

"Good thinking," Frank said from the
doorway. He was looking at the door to see what could be done with it.
"You know, I think we could just hang a new door. I've got doors down at
the store. The framing isn't damaged, you just need a door without a hole in
it."

"Wait," Maggie said. "So then what,
he just fell down?"

"No, it didn't knock him out. That's when William
came in and he grabbed him and shoved him against a wall. Then the sheriff came
and took him away. And that's it."

"Glad you showed up when you did,
William," Sam said. "She might have had her hands full without
you."

William shook his head. "I think Beth could have
handled the situation. She still had the frying pan after all."

Everyone looked at each other and then Cody burst
out laughing. "I'm sorry! Sorry, but...a frying pan!"

And then they all ended up laughing in what Beth
felt was a release of tension. She found she felt better after the belly laugh.

"I hope they can keep him in jail," she
said softly, as they all stopped laughing.

"I'm hiring a lawyer to look into things and
to represent your side of things," Sam said. "Plus a detective to
investigate this man. I'll bet he's done other things out in L.A."

"I have no idea," Beth said.

"We can get this door put in first thing in
the morning," Frank said. "But for tonight, you should stay with one
of us."

"Come home with me," Maggie asked,
reaching out to hold Beth's hand. "I have a beautiful guest room that
hasn't even been used yet."

Beth smiled at her sister. "Okay, I think I
will do that. But I want all of you to know, I'm not running away from this
apartment. I plan to be living back here as soon as the new door is up."

"Good girl," Frank said. "I'm going
to go get a piece of plywood to put up here for the night. You want to give me
a hand, Cody?"

"Sure, Dad. But I have to call Julia first
and let her know what's happening. She had to stay home with Jennifer."

"Same here," Sam said. "Anna will
be freaking out."

"Go get your pajamas and some clothes for
tomorrow," Maggie said. "Then we'll go."

Beth stood up and turned to face William who was
leaning against the fireplace. "I just want to say it again. Thank you, so
much, for coming."

He looked down and then back up, almost as if he
was flustered, which would be unusual. "I'm glad I got here when I did.
But you were terrific. Don't worry about work tomorrow. Take the day off. This
kind of thing can shake you up."

"No, I want to work. I want everything to get
back to normal."

"Okay then. I'll be off, and I'll see you in
the morning."

"Okay." She watched him leave and only
then realized that the room had been completely silent and everyone was looking
at her.

"What?" she said. "I'll get my
things."

* * * *

Maggie's house was an old Victorian on the outside,
but inside it had been completely renovated. Small rooms had given way to
larger combined rooms so that it had an open feel. Lovely golden hardwood
floors scattered with cushiony rugs, made the place feel warm and inviting,
Beth thought.

"Everything is updated so it's really energy
efficient," Eric explained on the tour of the house.

"Oh what a great kitchen!" Beth said as
they entered a large room with a French country look to it and a fireplace at
one end. The appliances were faced with cabinetry that matched everything else
in a rich cream color. Highlights of buttery yellow and country red were
scattered throughout.

"As you know, I've never been big on cooking,
but I've gotten much better since we finished the kitchen," Maggie said.
"My fudge brownies are to die for, and my chicken pasta alfredo is yummy
too."

"You'll have to make those brownies for me,
Mags. In fact, do you have any already made? Or anything else sweet to eat? I
want comfort food."

"Did you get a chance to eat dinner tonight,
with everything that happened?"

"Yes. I had lasagna at William's
earlier."

"At William's?" Maggie asked. "Who
cooked?"

"Deb's Deli."

"I've got some cookies from the Bakery.
Chocolate chip and pecan." Maggie opened a cabinet and pulled out a
plastic container filled with cookies. "How many did you want?"

"Just give me the whole thing, with a glass
of milk if you have any," Beth said. She moved to sit at a large oval
farmhouse table near the fireplace. "I love your house, you guys. You've
done a great job with it."

"Thanks, Beth," Eric said, sitting down
at the table with her. "We like it here."

Maggie brought over a gallon of milk and three
glasses. "So. Tell me. What's going on with you and Mr. Christopher."

Beth sputtered her gulp of milk all over the
table.

"Beth!" Maggie jumped up and got a towel
to clean it up.

"What do you mean, what's going on? Nothing's
going on. Absolutely nothing. Why? Did it look like something was going on?
What could be going on?"

"Whoa, hold on there," Eric said,
smiling.

"Bethie, we all couldn't help but notice the,
you know, the tension, the attraction between you two tonight," Maggie
said.