Stargazing (The Walker Family Book 2) (11 page)

Heavy footsteps hurried into the house and a moment later Eric was standing in the kitchen.

“Where is she?”

“She ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door.”

He stepped in. “What happened?”

“Eric, I’m sorry.”

His eyes narrowed as he inched further into the kitchen. “You’re sorry? What did
you
do?”

“I made us late. I didn’t help because I overslept and then she forgot items that had been my responsibility.” Bethany ran her hands over her pant leg. “I dropped a serving tray full of food,” she said as the tears began and wouldn’t stop.

“Hey,” he pulled her into him and held her. “Now things go wrong once in a while. It’s okay.”

He pulled back and looked her over.

“Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale and skinny.”

That caused her to snort a laugh. “I’m fine. Pale and skinny are normal where I come from.”

“They’re not normal here,” he said taking her hands and looking at them. “You’re shaking.”

“I haven’t eaten today.”

“You eat. I’m going to go check on her.”

“I’m going with Kent to dinner. I’ll eat soon.”

Eric nodded and started for the stairs.

She called after him and he turned back. “Tell her I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt her. I understand why she had to let me go.”

He walked back toward her. “She said that?”

Bethany bit down hard on her bottom lip as she nodded. “She has no choice. I understand that.”

He touched her cheek. “I’ll talk to her.”

She watched him walk away and knew that she deserved to be fired. How could she blame Susan?

A glance at the clock told her if she didn’t get her ass in gear she was going to be making Kent wait for her too. It was a trait she wasn’t too keen to have. Her mother was always late. She lost countless jobs over it too. No, Bethany wasn’t going down that road.

~*~

“I like the blue shirt. No tie,” Kent’s nephew said.

“Ties are nice.”

“Nope.”

He laughed as he removed the tie and looked back at his computer. “Better?”

His nephew shrugged and ran off in another direction.

His sister laughed. “I liked the tie.”

“I’ll think about it.” He picked up the computer from the dresser top and walked toward the window, setting it on the small table. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“I believe in being alone so long you think it’s love at first sight,” she said.

Kent sat down and thought about that for a moment. “I don’t want that to be the case.”

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“Sure I do,” he said putting the tie back on. “She makes me feel like I’ve never felt before.”

“And that’s why you’re dating. You go out in public a few times and see what you think about each other and then you spend some time alone. Kent, there’s no need to rush anything. You just met this woman.”

He nodded as he finished the knot. “She doesn’t like people to recognize her.”

“Then don’t take her anywhere where they will. Keep it low key.”

“I want to bring her home.”

“Mom will think that’s pretty serious.”

Kent clucked his tongue. “I know. Maybe it will be.”

His sister picked up a wandering toddler that happened by. “Tell Uncle Kent to have fun on his date.”

Instead he was blown a kiss and that was even better, he thought.

“I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“If it ends early enough, they’d love a bedtime story. But if it goes well, don’t call too late.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Bye, sis.”

“Bye,” she said as he closed his laptop and stood to examine himself in the mirror.

He wouldn’t consider himself a catch by any means, but Bethany seemed interested. How that happened, he had no idea, but damn it felt good.

Tonight would be a big one, he figured. They’d already kissed. Really that should have waited, but hey, they were adults. Date number two could have a lot more kissing.

He let out a long steady breath to calm his nerves. Closing his eyes, he sent up a little prayer for the night to go well, because he really—really—wanted it to go well.

As he turned down her street, Kent looked at his watch. It was seven-fifteen. He hated to be late, but he’d taken that damn tie off and changed one more time.

There was a beat-up red pickup truck out front of the house, which, when he thought of it, might have been there the night before. Oh, how could he remember anything such as a detail as that. All he could remember was kissing Bethany and hoping he was going to get to do a lot more of that tonight.

Kent put the car into park and opened the door just as the front door to the house opened and Bethany stepped out.

To say his breath was taken away, would be an understatement. The short dress seemed to fit her casual style. The bright color highlighted the flame of hair that cascaded over her shoulders. He was sure there was never a time she could possibly look bad.

He hurried around the to the other side of the car as she came toward him.

“I’m really sorry I’m late. My nephew was helping me pick out my outfit.”

“No, you’re fine.”

He pulled open the door and she quickly slid past him and sat down. Not so much as a hug or a kiss. Something seemed to be bothering her. That was okay too. He just wanted to be with her.

Kent shut the door and walked around to the other side. “Is there any place you want to go?”

“Anywhere. Just go,” she said.

Her arms were crossed and she kept her gaze out the front window. Kent looked back at the house assuming that Susan would be running after her, but the door remained closed.

“Italian? I saw a…”

“That’s fine.”

Kent took a deep breath, started the car, and drove away from the house. It wasn’t promising to be the romantic night he’d hoped for. Perhaps this was better, though. He’d either help her through whatever was eating at her, or he’d quickly realize there was a reason she was the one that was killed off in all her movies.

He drove through town until he found the restaurant he’d been thinking about when he passed it a few days ago. Usually, you couldn’t go wrong with Italian. How many people could screw up a plate of spaghetti?

Kent parked his van in the parking lot and opened his door just as she did the same. There wouldn’t be a grand chance to be a gentleman tonight, he thought.

Closing his door, he could hear her slam hers. He took a deep breath of caution and walked around the van with a smile.

“I’ve been dying for pasta.”

Bethany turned to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. The action was so sporadic he tripped backward against the van and hit his head.

“Sorry,” she said with a regretful look on her face.

“God, don’t be sorry.” He stood and rubbed the back of his head. “I just didn’t expect that. Certainly didn’t mind it either. What do you say we try that again?”

For the first time the slightest hint of a smile crossed her lips as she moved in and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“This is better,” he said as he dipped his head and took over the kiss she’d started.

When their lips parted, he rested his forehead to hers. “Everything okay?”

“No. But we can discuss that over dinner. I’m sorry I was in such a mood.”

“We all have them. I’m here to listen.”

Kent took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and walked toward the front door of the restaurant.

Inside was quaint, cozy. The smell of garlic permeated the air. His stomach rumbled and Bethany turned with a grin.

“Hungry, Mr. Black?”

“Almost always.”

“Me too.”

Her mood seemed to have lifted after she’d kissed him. That had to be positive if he brought out the best in her.

They were seated in the corner. Red gingham tablecloths adorned each table. Tacky bottles of wine and statues of fat chefs holding pizza adorned the shelves on the walls.

“I don’t even have to look at the menu. I want spaghetti with meatballs. A huge plate of it. And bread, lots of bread,” Bethany said with wide eyes.

“You are hungry, aren’t you?”

“Life is too short to starve. And I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since yesterday sometime.”

The waitress took their orders and brought them a basket of bread. Bethany had a piece in her hand and was slathering it with butter before he’d even noticed it was on the table.

“Can I venture into asking you what happened today?” he asked cautiously. “I took it you were upset when you left the house. But if you don’t want to talk about it…”

“Susan fired me.”

Kent sat back in his chair. “She fired you? Aren’t you family?”

“Family can fire family.”

“I suppose. But why?”

“I deserved it. I was late. I was a mess. I forgot things that were my responsibility to bring. I dropped a tray of food.”

Reaching across the table he took her hands, which he’d noticed had begun to shake.

“Calm down.”

“I can’t. I ruined the luncheon for her. She had other jobs riding on that job. I can’t take that back and make it better. I deserved to be fired. Only now I can’t pay my rent.”

“Susan doesn’t come across as the kind of woman who holds a grudge. I’ll bet if you talk to her, you two can work this out.”

Bethany nodded. “I’m just a little worked up over it.”

“Of course you are. Let’s have a nice meal and I’ll take you back early so you can talk to her about it.”

She didn’t agree to his proposition. Instead, she stood from her seat and walked around to his side of the table. Taking the seat next to him, she rested her hand on his knee, which managed to ramp up his heart rate to a dangerous level.

“How about I forget about my horrible day and stay with you for the night.”

Kent swallowed hard and willed his body to behave as she touched him. “I…of course…don’t you…” He stopped and took a breath because he sounded like an idiot. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely sure,” she said, lifting her hand into his hair and raking her fingers through it.

It was official, he thought as he placed his napkin on his lap. He was going to lose his mind over this woman. He could feel it slipping away every minute he was around her—and he liked it.

Chapter Fourteen

Kent sincerely thought it would be best to take Bethany back home after dinner. She’d had three large glasses of wine and had eaten all of her dinner, a few bites off of his, and most of the basket of bread. He certainly didn’t mind. But looking at her in the van, her head rested against the back of the seat and her eyes closed, he thought it was taking advantage of the situation to take her to his hotel.

“Why don’t I take you back to your place? Something tells me you could use a good night’s sleep tonight.”

She rolled her head so that she faced him and opened her eyes. “I don’t want to go home.”

“You need to talk to Susan.”

“Not tonight. I don’t want to talk to anyone but you tonight.”

That should have been flattering, he supposed. However, looking at her he wasn’t sure.

“How about I order us up a pot of coffee to the room when we get to the hotel? Maybe it’ll make you feel better.”

She only nodded and he was sure she’d then fallen asleep on the ride to the hotel.

Bethany opened her eyes when she felt the van stop. “This is your place?”

Kent chuckled. “Yeah. It’s ugly, but they do have room service and an outdated gym.”

She sat up and opened the door.

“Let me help you,” he offered and she sat still, realizing she had eaten more than she had in months. Add the wine and she wondered why he hadn’t just pushed her out of the car and onto Susan’s lawn.

Kent hurried around the front of the van, then stood before her with his hand extended. She took it and he helped her out.

“I’m a mess, huh?”

“You just look a little lost, that’s all. I know you had a rough day. But we’ll get you some coffee and…”

“I wanted to have sex with you.”

He cleared his throat and she could see the flush in his cheeks turning brighter. “That’s quite an offer.”

“I know. I’m a mess. You don’t have to be nice to me tonight. I’ll sober up a bit and get a cab.”

“You’re in good hands, sweetheart. Let’s just get you upstairs.”

She leaned against him. She couldn’t believe she had just told him that she wanted to have sex with him. How embarrassing.

Suddenly that massive meal she’d consumed and the wine were mixing and she didn’t feel good at all.

“Is there a bathroom in the lobby?”

“Yes.” He pointed her in the right direction and she hurried toward the door.

Though she’d fully intended on ridding herself of the meal and the alcohol she’d consumed, she hadn’t thought it would happen spontaneously.

She had barely reached the stall before she hurled her dinner into the toilet. Though she purged her meals often, she’d never get used the vial feeling that vomiting had on a body. She hadn’t eaten all day and then to pig out as she had and to drink—she’d been asking for this. It was a punishment for her horrible attitude and behavior today. Susan never should have had to wait for her or work around her. The money she probably lost was—she didn’t even want to think about it. Eric was probably livid with her too by now. Why wouldn’t he be? She’d upset Susan so much she wouldn’t blame them if they asked her to move out.

She’d be on her own again. She was used to that. Family had never been there for her anyway, why would now be…

Another wave of sickness moved over her and she heaved again and again before falling to the floor next to the toilet.

The sobs came next. They always came next, but this time it was because she was lying to herself. Her family had been there for her. Her father kept her safe and Eric had accepted her right away. Her sisters were working on a relationship with her and so were her brothers. Her mother was gone at her own hands. Bethany couldn’t be blamed for her past.

The sobs came harder and she could hardly breathe.