Stargazing (The Walker Family Book 2) (18 page)

“This is a fine idea,” he said as she took him under with a kiss as he unbuttoned his shirt.

At some point, he’d have to seriously consider if this was the best method to keep her clean and sober, but for now it seemed like a perfectly legitimate way.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kent had three signings in South Carolina in two days. They would be very busy and he had given it a lot of thought. Bethany was used to being busy. Downtime for the past few months wasn’t her style.

She’d talked about some of the brighter sides of her career and living in Hollywood during their four-hour drive. He wasn’t sure she even realized she was opening up to him as much as she was.

She’d worked on movie sets, even if she wasn’t in the cast. It seemed she had a good eye for detail and the set designers let her help out on more than one occasion.

She was the face of Esquire Denim Company too. He hadn’t known that, but then he’d quickly realized he’d never heard of the company.

On a laugh, she’d told him it had gone under before it had started, but it was a good experience.

There had been a lot of table waiting at restaurants. Retail was not her favorite job choice and she didn’t enjoy pizza delivery either.

No matter what job it was, though, Bethany had always seemed to have more than one at a time.

“I’m going to introduce you as my assistant,” Kent said as he checked his tie in the mirror outside the first bookstore.

“That makes you sound important.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?”

“Okay, Mr. Black. What does your assistant have to do?”

He pushed his hair around with his fingers and closed the mirror. “Just do what you did at the book signing at the Garden Room.”

Her smile faded. “So I’ll be right there with you?”

“Yes, and your name is Bethany Walker, so no one will recognize you.”

“Just because that’s my name doesn’t mean…”

“Trust me. The minute you tell them you’re not
her
that will be that.”

She took in a deep breath. “Okay then. Miss Walker is here to serve you.”

He felt the heat move into his cheeks and she must have noticed because she rested her hand on his thigh and gave it a squeeze. “Later, Mr. Black.”

Kent hadn’t quite realized the scope of Bethany’s acting ability. While he’d been talking to the store manager, Bethany had dismissed herself to look around.

She’d worn another long skirt today, not quite as bohemian as the one she’d worn on their drive, but flowy. As the manager got Kent set up at his table, she’d managed to sneak away to the bathroom, pin up her hair, and now she had glasses?

“Where did you get those?” he asked when she returned from the restroom.

“Little boutique next door had them. They’re fake, but cute, don’t you think?” She adjusted them with her fingers.

“You look studious.”

“I look like an assistant.”

He laughed and gave her hand a squeeze as the first people walked through the door and the line began to form. It was time, for just a few hours, to not think about Bethany, but to think about himself. This was what made his life so easy and so free. He had to focus now on his readers.

Bethany handed him books, open to the specific page he preferred to sign on. She’d run to Starbucks and brought him back a drink. She’d even talked to his sister when she’d called and told him he’d call her back. It would be interesting to see what each of them thought of the other after a few brief moments on the phone.

He was an hour into his signing before someone walked up to the side of the table and tapped Bethany on the shoulder. “You’re Bethany Waterbury.”

Kent was quick to turn in his seat, but Bethany placed her hands folded in her lap and smiled at the man. “That is a huge compliment, but no. I’m not her.”

“You have to be.”

“Again, thank you. She’s beautiful. I’m Beth Walker,” she said shortening her name and holding her hand out to shake the man’s hand.

He studied her and shook her hand. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I could have sworn you were her.”

“I get that a lot, actually.”

He nodded and walked away.

“Beth?” Kent whispered.

“My mother would never let me shorten it. She’s not here is she?” she asked. She picked up another book with a smile and handed it to him for the next person who came to the table.

Bethany felt free with her plastic glasses and her new name. This was the most uplifting moment of her life. How was that possible? Beth Walker, assistant to Mr. Kent Black. Oh, God, it was as if she’d died and gone to heaven.

When the manager of the store came by the table in his second hour, he knelt down next to her and asked if they’d like sandwiches from the deli down the mall. She very professionally gave him their orders and even that was uplifting.

In the course of the day, a few more people had asked her about being Bethany Waterbury. She had a calm ease about her telling them that wasn’t her.

By the time Kent’s signing was over, her fear of being seen with him was gone. No one could touch her as long as this man was with her.

When they reached his van, she pulled him to her and kissed him as hard as she could.

“What was that for?”

“For giving me my life back.”

He narrowed his gaze on her. “One day of giving out a fake name behind fake glasses isn’t going to solve anything.”

“No, but my heart is so full right now. Your sister said I sounded beautiful too, by the way.”

“She’d be right about that.”

“Anyway,” she said pulling her hair from the knot on her head. “I’m ready to be Beth Walker. Susan said I could design floral arrangements for her. I could be your assistant. I don’t have to be that person I was before.”

“Is that what you want? You want to give it all away?”

“It’s not worth fighting for, Kent. Bethany Waterbury was more fake than Beth Walker could ever be.”

“I’m not sure of that name change,” he said nipping her nose with a kiss. “We may have to talk about that.”

He walked around the side of the van before she could ask him about that. Before he got into the van, his phone rang and he answered it as he started the engine.

“I promise to read you a story tonight,” he said as he backed out of the parking space. “You want a story about a dinosaur? Okay, I’ll find you a dinosaur story.” He nodded as he listened. “Two more weeks. Yes, then I’ll push you on the rope swing.”

Kent finished his call and set the phone in the cup holder. Bethany said, “I don’t want to ask, but who was that?”

“My nephew. I read to him almost every night. Tonight he wants dinosaurs.”

“That’s precious.”

“You have to read to kids early to get them into reading. Studies show that it helps.”

“Yes, and he has parents, but you take the time to be in his life even when you’re not there with him.”

He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “He’s important to me. They all are.”

Bethany sunk into her seat and gazed out the window. She couldn’t help but wonder what that would be like—to have been that important.

Kent decided that the best place to get a dinosaur book would be at the store he had a signing at in the morning. The owners always liked when you were a patron too.

Bethany walked, hand in hand, with him down the aisles. “Do you read to your nieces too?”

“When they sit still long enough.”

“Maybe you should get them a book.”

He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “Pick one.”

“Oh, this
Frozen
one is a must. If they are little girls, they have to love Anna and Elsa.”

“That’s the one with the snowman, right?”

She laughed. “Yes. It’s very cute.”

“You watch Disney movies?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “Every chance I can get.”

He’d have to remember that.

They met with the owner, purchased a dinosaur book and a Disney Princess book, and headed back to the hotel room where his computer chimed before he could even get settled.

When he logged in, his sister’s face appeared on the screen.

“I have a little boy who can’t wait for his story,” she said.

“I bought a new book. Bethany bought one for the girls too,” he said yanking her in front of the computer screen. “Cassie, this is Bethany.”

His sister smiled. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Bethany’s voice cracked. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Likewise.”

A little head moved into the view of the camera and a moment later his nephew was on his mother’s lap.

“Who’s that?” He pointed at the screen and right in Bethany’s direction.

“This is Bethany.”

She waved as his nephew wrinkled up his nose. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“How do you know about girlfriends?” he asked and then nodded. “Yes, she’s my girlfriend.”

He studied her through the computer. “I want her to read my dinosaurs.”

Kent looked at Bethany’s face. Her eyes were wide and she appeared to be scared to death. It humored him.

“You heard the boy,” he said. “Bethany, this is Cole.” He pointed to the screen.

“Hello,” she said softly. “Are you sure you want me to read this to you instead of your uncle?”

“Yup.”

“She got a book for your sister too,” he said as another little head appeared in the shot and his sister lifted his niece up on her lap. “Hey, my girl. Sara, this is Bethany.”

She waved sweetly.

“She bought you a
Frozen
story for tonight.”

That was met with a squeal, but then Cole began to demand his story.

Bethany sat down and he turned the computer so it was on her. It was then the magic started as she read the books and the stories came to life. The kids laughed and cheered for the mighty dinosaur named Clive. She read it twice before she began to read adventures of Anna and Elsa, at which time Cole disappeared, but Sara sat and intently listened.

When the stories were over he blew them all kisses, and so did Bethany. Then she excused herself to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

“She seems nice,” Cassie said.

“She is.”

“You’re bringing her here?”

“When I come for my signing.”

She nodded. “Be careful, Kent.”

He didn’t like her tone and he certainly didn’t need Bethany picking up on it. “I am. I love you. Talk to you tomorrow,” he said as he closed the computer.

Once his sister got something stuck in her head, it was hard to get it out. She was afraid for him. That was understandable. But he loved Bethany. Nothing was going to happen to break him—or her. He was absolutely sure of it. His sister was going to have to deal with that.

Chapter Twenty- Three

Kent had to admit, watching the transformation of Bethany into Beth over the week was entertaining. Each stop they made, Beth had something added to her. First it was the glasses. The next day it was the decorative sticks that went into the pile of hair on her head. She had a certain fashion too and by the last stop, she had on a black suit.

Okay, the sexy assistant was someone he absolutely could enjoy.

It never failed, though, someone approached her at every stop, and even at hotels, wanting the autograph of Bethany Waterbury. But
Beth
insisted they were misled.

He was proud of her transformation of herself too. Through their stays in South Carolina, into Tennessee, and their final stop in Alabama, Beth was opening up and taking back some of the control she’d lost. Kent wasn’t a fool to think that in one week, twenty-four years of abuse from her mother, an industry, and herself could be corrected. But he could see the progress and he hoped she saw it and felt it too.

“Susan just texted me,” she said one night as she rested in his arms on the hotel bed. The TV played an old movie in black and white. It was Jimmy Stewart and that imaginary bunny, which she had to remind him his name was Harvey.

“What did she want?”

“She has a bridal shower to cater next week. She wants me to help serve and do the centerpieces.”

“That’s nice.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Glenda is going to help too.”

“Her future mother-in-law, right?”

She nodded and turned to look at him. “Where do you have to head off to after that?”

He cupped her face in his hand. “Texas. I have four dates there and an extended promised stay at my parents’ house.”

She sank in next to him again. “How extended?”

“I don’t know. How long do you want to stay?”

Now she sat up and turned toward him fully. “You want me to go home with you?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never been really good with parents. I mean look at mine.”

“Yeah, mine are different.”

“I’m not sure your sister likes me much.”

He posed a hurtful face. “I think she likes you just fine. She’s let you read that Frozen book to her daughters ever night this week.”

Bethany rolled her eyes and let out a small snort. “She tolerated it.”

“She’s worried about me.”

“Because of who I am?”

“Because I love you and haven’t known you that long,” he said as convincingly as he could. “I’m not a guy who dates or gets out of my hotel room except to go to book signings. She thinks it’s a bit odd I find some attractive woman and fall in love.”

“You really love me?”

He reached for her and pulled her to him. “I do.”

Bethany rested against him, her head against his heart. “Are you staying in Georgia until you leave again?”

“I am. And I’ll be looking for a place to live. I think that’s where I’m going to settle down now. It’s time.”

She gazed up at him. “Stay with me for now. Susan is going to move out soon. I’ll need a roommate.”

“You want me to live with you?”

She rose to kiss him gently on the lips. “Forever.”

Yes, that’s what he wanted too. It was much too early to discuss it, but he was sure that’s what he wanted.