He felt his lips twitch as he fought back a smile.“I don’t get to dowhatanymore?”he asked, happily pushing his luck.
Bethany stomped her foot while her bright eyes flashed.“You knowwhat!”
The pink tinging her cheeks told a very different story to the scowl she was trying to muster.And was enough to propel him forward, back in her space, his fingers instinctively going to her hair again, this time to tuck a loose wave behind her ear.
“Looks like I’m not the only one taking a trip down memory lane, NeNe,” he muttered, letting the pad of his thumb slowly glide across her heated cheek.“One of the perks of being someone’s ex is that no matter what happens—the shit I got stored up here—is mine.”He made a point of tapping his index finger to his head.“All fucking mine.”
Pink turned to red as Bethany’s breathing hitched.It was safe to say, she hadn’t forgotten any more than he had.Should he be concerned at how pleased that made him?
Um.Yes!
Bethany took a whole step back.Then another.And then one more.Giving her time to rearrange her facial expression from hot and heavy to cold and indifferent.
Before she put him in his place though, his phone pinged, bringing both their attention to the device he began sliding out of his pocket.Swiping on his friend Hunter’s name, relief flooded him as he read the message.
Thank God for that.
He really didn’t have the emotional energy to fight.He wasn’t in much of a fit state for anything if he was being honest.Even after the first cigarette he’d smoked in years at the church and an overly generous pour of whiskey once he got home, his heart was still pounding like it was trying to break free.
“Hunter and Rachel will be over in a little while with your stuff,” he rasped.“They got the address from Mrs.Molly and are heading over there now.”
He watched on as confusion, anger, annoyance, and then some more anger washed over her delicate features.Bringing back even more memories.
He bit back a smirk as a frustrated growl echoed around the small kitchen.
“Unbelievable,” she huffed as she spun around and went straight to his fridge.“Fuck my fucking life,” she went on as she pulled out not one, not two, but three cans of his beer before swaying her perfect ass out of there.
“By all means, help yourself, B,” he shouted after her.
Resting a hip against the kitchen island, he smiled.A huge grin that was bigger than it should be.He’d allow it for now.Treat himself to five minutes of happy.There was plenty of time to panic.Question what the fuck he’d just done.And then worry about the ache in his chest and the knots in his stomach.
***
“You sure you know whatyou’re doing?”
Hunter’s question wasn’t surprising.Especially since Benny didn’t, in fact, know what the fuck he was doing.Something he suspected his friend was well aware of as he passed him another suitcase.
Not ready to admit that yet though, Benny changed the subject.“Jesus, man.You got her fucking couch in there, too?Why’d you bring so much stuff?”
“Three suitcases is not a lot of stuff, sugar,” Rachel chirped, rejoining them on the porch.“Right.”His fiery-haired friend aimed her finger at him, demanding his attention.“I put the lasagna in the fridge, a few ready meals in the freezer, and the muffins on the counter.Oh, and there’s a double chocolate and peanut butter sponge in the tin next to the microwave.”
Benny’s gaze went from Rachel to Hunter and then back to Rachel.“Am I missing something ...what’s with all the food?Did someone die?”
Hunter remained silent but when Benny looked back, he didn’t miss the goofy grin the six- foot-five hulk had pasted across his face, which only got bigger as his wife began to speak.
“Yes.Lovedied, Benny.It died a horrible death.”He stood silent as she planted her hands on her hips.“And that poor girl in there is gonna need pasta and chocolate, so you make sure you look after her.”
Benny loved Rachel, but she was dramatic as hell.
“You know thatthat poor girl, is the one who left some dude at the altar, right?”
If anything, Doug was the one who could do with some carbs and sugar.He kept that particular thought to himself, though.Rachel may be small, but she was also pretty scary when she wanted to be.He knew better than to anger her.
Proving his point, Rachel gave him an incredulous look.“She was going to marry that man, Benny.What’s wrong with you?”Me?“She must be absolutely heartbroken.A break-up is a break-up, no matter who left who.You just be nice.”Another finger was jabbed in his face.“And give her the cake.Libby, Bella, Cat and I are all here if she needs to talk to someone who doesn’t have the emotional intelligence of a twelve-year-old.”
Hunter guffawed as Benny shot him a dirty look.
Libby was married to Zach, while Bella was Luke’s girlfriend.Zach, Luke and Hunter all worked together as firefighters for the Woodvalley Fire Department.And Cat was married to Cody, the local police deputy.They’d all been friends for years and now the women were part of that friend group, too.
