Chapter 6
The rest of the ride to the airport was painfully awkward, to say the least. Additionally, Aunt Jean mistook Ghost for Ritchie when they were waiting for her at the baggage claim, saying how cute a couple they made as they stood next to one another.
“No, Aunt Jean,” Becks corrected her. “This isn’t Ritchie. Liam brought his friend down as his plus one. This is Ghost.”
Aunt Jean, who was only slightly taller than her sister Loretta, looked Ghost up and down then her eyes flicked between the two of them.
Becks had the intense need to take a step away from Ghost. They’d barely spoken since the gas station, but she in no way felt less seen by him.
They’d parked her car in short term parking because Ghost wanted to help Aunt Jean with any luggage she might have.
Then they waited by the baggage claim for nearly a half an hour in dead silence.
Becks didn’t have to pee, but went to the bathroom at one point just to escape the tension.
It did not help that he escorted her both ways, waiting like a sentinel outside the ladies room.
The baggage claim was extremely busy, yet others parted like the Red Sea as Ghost approached to get Aunt Jean’s suitcase.
As soon as they were alone, Aunt Jean caught Becks’ eye and raised an eyebrow.
Becks immediately turned away, her cheeks flushed when she realized her aunt had just caught her staring at Ghost’s muscular back.
“He’s just a friend,” she told Aunt Jean again.
The noise Aunt Jean made told Becks her aunt didn’t believe her for a second. Shit. She did not need anyone getting suspicious about her and Ghost. Because there was no ‘her and Ghost’. She’d closed that door, locked it, and thrown away the key.
To make matters worse, as they were walking back to the parking lot, Ghost had to stop to help a little old lady cross the street and onto the trolley—because the universe didn’t already hate Becks enough for her decision.
She shouldn’t feel guilty. She had done nothing wrong.
A year ago, yeah, maybe she would have explored her feelings a little.
Broken things off with Ritchie and gone out with Ghost. The intense attraction and pull she felt towards Ghost had been immediate, whereas it had taken her time to feel so strongly towards Ritchie.
Neither was better or a sign that it was stronger than the other.
It shouldn’t be a competition. It was how she felt, and she couldn’t control that.
The point was that it wasn’t a year ago, and she already was in love with Ritchie, and therefore not free to pursue whatever it was she was feeling towards Ghost.
It was sad and she needed to accept the fact that Ghost had entered her life too late. And the fucking universe needed to stop punishing her for that decision.
Becks sat in the back with Aunt Jean to speak with her during the ride back to Scottsboro.
Her aunt lived in Alaska, so they didn’t get to see each other often.
In fact, Becks’ college graduation was possibly the last time they’d seen each other in person.
There’d been a project her company was working on that would have sent her to Alaska about three years ago, but it was scrapped and Becks never got to go.
They were about forty-five minutes from home when Becks’ phone rang.
Since her phone was attached to her car over Bluetooth, Ritchie’s name appeared on her screen.
Along with a picture of the two of them from his office’s last Christmas party.
Ritchie was smiling, making a toast with a champagne flute, in a tux with a red pocket square.
Becks was standing next to him, her arm around his waist and kissing his cheek.
Becks’ eyes flew up from the screen to meet Ghost’s in the rearview mirror. Time slowed, and for the briefest of moments, Becks saw rage in Ghost’s gaze. She recalled his leap onto the porch last night, how swiftly and efficiently he moved. There was no doubt in her mind that he was lethal.
Yet, she hadn’t been scared. His initial appearance, absolutely. She’d spilled her tea and broken her mug, but the moment she saw him, that fear had dissipated.
What she saw now in his eyes terrified her, because that blink of rage wasn’t aimed at her. She’d been the one to reject him, yet she knew that Ritchie was the cause of his anger.
The phone kept ringing.
As his eyes returned to the road, Ghost pressed the button on the steering wheel that answered the call.
“Hello? Rebecca?”
It took a second for Becks to find her voice. He must still be at the office and near one or more of his bosses if he was calling her ‘Rebecca’. “Ritchie, hi. We’re still in the car and you’re on speakerphone.”
Ghost’s suspicious eyes flicked back to the mirror. Did he think her announcement a warning? Like Ritchie would speak to her any differently now that he knew he had an audience?
“Cool, cool. You got your aunt?”
“Yes, she’s here in the car too.” Based on the time, she would hope Ritchie would be leaving the office soon. “Are you on your way out?”
“That’s actually why I was calling. I had to bump an appointment from this morning to this afternoon to accommodate a client, so I’m going to be staying here a little longer and going straight to the hotel tonight. Hell, I might even be late for my own bachelor party.”
Disappointment sank into her. She’d really been looking forward to seeing him tonight before he went out.
He was staying at the hotel with his groomsmen and they had the private dining room reserved for his party.
The church was right down the road from the hotel, so it would be an easy trip in the morning.
Becks had wanted to be traditional, and with her mom planning a surprise tonight at her house, it just made sense for Becks to remain there and Ritchie to sleep at the hotel.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she answered honestly. “But it’s not the end of the world. I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” She meant it as a joke, yet somehow it came out as a plea.
“I’ll be there with bells on,” he promised. “I really am sorry, babe. It couldn’t be helped.”
Now Becks felt guilty about making him feel bad. He couldn’t help a client meeting. “No, it’s fine,” she insisted, adding conviction to her voice. “Really. I’ll see you tomorrow. Let me know when you make it to the hotel, please.”
“Of course. Love you.”
Becks’ tongue felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as she answered, “Love you, too,” before he hung up.
Ghost attached his saddlebag to his hog. It didn’t matter that it went against every fiber of his being to leave. He had to, because he was fucking honorable. He’d promised he’d go, and now he was going.
It was a little after four in the afternoon. With stops, he should be back in Mount Grove in the middle of the night. How fucked up was it that only days ago he’d been loath to leave, and now he hated himself for returning?
Ghost grabbed his helmet, refusing to look at the house.
What did he expect to find? Becks running out the door in some Hallmark movie moment, calling out for him to wait, and then leaping into his arms where they experienced their first kiss?
Ghost scoffed at the very thought, because this wasn’t some movie where some twisted writer chose his fate.
This was real life, and he’d already worn out his welcome at the Fremont house.
He straddled his bike. Turning on the engine, he backed it out of the driveway.
Becks flinched as she heard the roar of the motorcycle engine. They were in the backyard. Her mom, her aunt, Libby, and her three bridesmaids, Gillian, September, and Dani, who had only recently arrived. Gillian was her closest co-worker while September and Dani were friends from college.
The surprise her mom had set up while Ghost and Becks were collecting Aunt Jean was a giant theater experience for her bachelorette party.
A blowup screen was against the back fence with a projector attached to the roof over the porch.
Lawn chairs and a couch had been moved into the backyard.
Twinkle lights were strung all across. Pillows and blankets were piled up for everyone to take as desired.
Her mom had also rented a popcorn machine, cotton candy machine, and candy dispenser.
Wine, champagne, and soda pop were in bottles.
It was incredible.
Upon returning with Aunt Jean, Libby had rushed Becks upstairs so she wouldn’t see anything yet. She helped her change into a beautiful cocktail dress, did her hair up in a bow bun before putting a crown atop her head. A white sash with Bride stenciled in gold lettering was draped across her chest.
And now she was standing on the back porch while looking over her own bachelorette party with anything but excitement in her heart.
This was the perfect party for her. As much as Becks appreciated the male form and would have enjoyed a night out at a strip club, she’d requested months ago to have a girls-only, homey bachelorette party with the intent of her grandma being here too.
Even though she’d passed two months ago, Becks had still told her mom and Libby to keep their plans.
And her mom had exceeded expectations. Traditionally, it was the maid of honor who hosted, and sometimes paid for, the bachelorette party. However, since Ritchie insisted on paying for the entire wedding, her mom wanted to pay for the bachelorette party.
She felt someone step up beside her. For a moment, her heart leapt at the masculine form, and it was far too telling when disappointment hit her that it was her brother and not Ghost returning.
Fuck.
“He left.”