Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Bentley
She was like a drug to me. I couldn’t get enough of her.
I’d watched her the entire time at her party, feeling empty every time someone took her attention away from me.
When I’d left her party, I’d told myself that after tonight, after she came to me at the bar, we couldn’t happen again.
Yet after she’d left me that night, the cravings started all over again.
It seemed the more I tried to stay away, the more we were together.
In fact, a night hadn’t passed since that night that we hadn’t been together.
She’d either come here or after her parents were in bed, she’d sneak me up into her room.
The idea of being caught by her parents somehow turned me on more than ever, but it was a dangerous line we were flirting with.
I’d not only lose Noelle, but I’d lose my best friend too.
Holiday music floated through the air. The bar was full, the tree in the corner was lit, and the lights Noelle had convinced me to put up flashed in the front window. Jenelle and Bruce sat at the end of the bar, keeping me company while I poured drinks for the server.
“So, we just wanted to thank you for looking after Noelle the night her car broke down,” Bruce said as he stuffed a fry into his mouth.
The glass I was holding slipped right out of my hand and crashed to the floor. I had no idea she’d mentioned anything to her parents about that night, and suddenly I felt guilty. I’d taken care of her that night alright, in more ways than one.
“Oh dear, Bentley, are you alright?” Jenelle said, jumping off her stool and grabbing the broom that I kept off to the side of the bar and handing it to me.
“Yep, occupational hazard.” I chuckled as my pulse calmed.
“What do I owe you for the tire?” Bruce questioned as I swept the broken glass into a pile and started again. “Noelle said it could have only been you that had fixed it, since she had come here during the storm, since she was close to here.”
“It was me, and it was nothing. I had a friend of mine repair it. He owed me a favour,” I said.
“You’re sure.”
“Yep, it wasn’t a problem at all,” I said, focusing on what I was pouring.
“I’ll be right back, just going to run to the little girls’ room before we head out into that cold, snowy weather,” Jenelle said, getting up and heading toward the washrooms.
Bruce watched as Jenelle entered the bathroom and then turned his attention back to me. “You haven’t noticed Noelle in here with anyone, have you?”
I swallowed hard. “No, why do you ask?”
“Ah, she just seems secretive, is all. Sneaking out late at night, making excuses to go out. The other night Jenelle was sure she heard someone in her room with her.”
“Was there?” I questioned, my voice cracking.
“No, we asked her about it. She assured me no one was in her room, that she was just on the phone, but I felt like she was lying to me.”
I cleared my throat. “Ah, kids, you know how they can be,” I said, putting the bottles of liquor back where they belonged, so Bruce couldn’t see my eyes.
“You alright? You seem off tonight,” Bruce questioned.
I glanced over at him and nodded. “Of course, I’m alright. What makes you ask?”
Bruce shrugged. “I don’t know. You seem on edge, like something is bothering you.”
I felt a surge of cool air as the bar door opened.
I turned my head like I always did to see who was coming in.
A surge of excitement ran through me as I saw Noelle walk through the door, but it quickly dropped when I saw some guy I’d never seen before walking behind her.
He had his hand on the small of her back and he whispered something into her ear, making her giggle as she hung up her coat.
My fist clenched and my jaw tightened as they moved over to a booth off to the side.
“Just an off night,” I said, looking back at Bruce. “Noelle seems comfortable with that guy. Do you know him?” I questioned, asking because I wanted an answer.
Bruce looked up and over at the two of them sitting in the booth and shook his head. “Can’t say I do, but then who the hell can keep up with these kids now? What do I owe you?”
“Ah, it’s on the house,” I grumbled.
It wasn’t unusual for me to comp their dinner, so I knew I wouldn’t get asked questions. It was the least I could do for Bruce after he saved my life one night on a mission overseas.
“Thanks, Bentley. Well, I think we are going to head home before the weather gets too bad. Jenelle has some last-minute Christmas wrapping to get done, and since we know Noelle is out, she’ll be thrilled to be able to wrap them in the dining room instead of on the floor in our bedroom.”
We both chuckled. I walked around the bar and helped Jenelle with her coat, then gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. Then I shook hands with Bruce and watched as they left the bar.
I walked back behind the bar, only to see Noelle standing off to the side. She gave me a huge smile and waved. I held my finger up to her and quickly picked up the broken glass, then I glanced over to see the guy she was with had his face in his phone.
“How are you?” she asked, giving me that smile I loved so much.
“Good, busy. What about you?” I questioned, brushing a loose piece of hair behind her ear.
“I’m good,” she said as she bit her bottom lip as she looked up at me.
I could stare into her eyes forever and would have had the guy she was with not appeared behind her. Placing one hand on her hip, he pulled her attention from me.
“What’s good here?” he questioned.
Noelle smiled and mentioned something about a burger, but I was too focused on his hand and how he looked at her to care what he was asking.
“Noelle, can I talk to you?” I growled.
To my surprise, she continued talking with the guy and ignored me completely. I watched as she flirted with him, laughing, smiling, and batting those eyes at him while touching his chest. Anger grew within me.
“I’ll put in for two burgers,” I grumbled and headed back to the kitchen, not giving either of them a chance to say a word.
When I returned, Noelle and the guy weren’t where I’d left them, and they weren’t sitting in the booth they’d been in either. I glanced around to see them out on the dance floor.
Noelle swayed in front of him as his hands rested on her hips. It was when he pulled her in close and placed a kiss on her cheek I lost my temper. I made my way around the bar and headed directly for them, grabbing hold of the back of his shirt and pulling him off her.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing touching her like that?” I shouted as I cocked my arm back.
I heard a scream, and then I saw Noelle right in my face.
“Bentley, I need to talk to you…NOW!” she screamed.
I blinked and looked around, seeing my customers looking my way, disappointment on their faces. I slowly let him go, scowling at him as I glanced over my shoulder to see Noelle heading for the hallway leading up to my apartment. I followed her, and once I was inside, she shut the door behind me.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” she questioned angrily and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Pardon me if I don’t like another man putting his hands all over what’s mine.”
“Bentley, you need to get your temper under control. That man is my friend, my best friend’s boyfriend actually, and he’s here because he is home from school.
He is also the son of a police officer who frequents your bar.
I brought him here because my best friend, his girlfriend, is at work and she asked me to hang out with him until she finished her shift. ”
I closed my eyes and leaned up against the wall. I’d have lost everything had I hit him, because it wouldn’t have just been the one hit.
She stood there with her arms across her chest, staring at me, waiting for me to say something.
As her words ran through my mind again, I knew I couldn’t continue to do this with her.
Christmas was around the corner, and I always spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Bruce, Jenelle, and Noelle.
I’d already gotten the invite. There was no way in hell I’d be able to spend the night under their roof without getting caught with her.
What we’d been doing was already eating at me, then tonight when Bruce asked me about the car I almost choked.
However, when he asked if I knew who Noelle had been seeing because they’d heard things in her room late at night, I immediately knew it had to end.
I mean, how could they not have heard us?
Noelle wasn’t ever quiet, even when I’d told her to keep it down.
“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” she asked, pulling me back into the moment.
I looked at her, not sure how she was going to take what I had to say. I didn’t want to break her heart this close to Christmas, but it had to be done, and it was best to do it quickly.
“Noelle, we can keep doing this.”
“Doing what?” She frowned.
“This…us.”
“Why?” she questioned, looking up at me with worry in her eyes.
“Because, sweetheart, I can’t handle the sneaking around, or the jealousy I feel every time I see another man with you. I can’t constantly feel like I must prove myself to you.”
“You don’t. Don’t be ridiculous. Everything is exactly how it should be, and everything is fine.”
“It’s not, Noelle. You’ve said it yourself the other night, that your parents would never understand, and until you think they would, we need to keep it quiet. It’s all wrong.”
“It’s not.”
“It is, Noelle. We’re over.”
Her eyes watered at my words, and she swallowed hard twice, then she let out the breath she was holding and placed her hand on my arm.
“Bentley, please, it’s Christmas. Don’t do this.”
“Noelle, it’s done. Now, I think you should go.”
“What about Christmas? You always spend it with us.” Noelle sniffled. “Does this mean you won’t be there?”
I didn’t answer her. Instead, I stood tall, looking down into her eyes.
“You need to go,” I said again, putting an end to the conversation. It was torture for me to do this. I hated seeing the sadness in her eyes, but I knew it was better this way.
She tore her beautiful eyes away from mine and turned, marching out of my apartment and back down to the bar.
I followed, watching as she made her way back to where she’d been sitting with her friend.
He was just about to dig into his burger when she said something to him.
He dropped his burger and followed her as she grabbed her coat and ran out of the building.
I felt gutted. I knew crossing this line with her would turn out this way. It had to be done, it was best for everyone I thought as I leaned against the wall, gathering my thoughts.
“Just know, Noelle. This isn’t what I truly want. It’s what has to be done,” I whispered to her more than myself. It was too bad she couldn’t hear me.