CHAPTER THREE
This morning, Bethany should have been waking up to the view of Cabo’s white sandy beaches.
She should have been in her private pool, soaking up the sun and quite possibly a large Margarita while nibbling on the elaborate breakfast delivered to the honeymoon suite.
She should have been married. And happy.
But thanks to the dumpster fire that was her life, where was she waking up instead? Her ex-boyfriend’s bedroom, that’s where. Wrapped in pine-scented sheets, that she couldn’t quite stop herself from drinking in all night.
I hate myself.
A sentiment she voiced by moaning into the soft feather pillow before forcing herself onto her back.
There, she stared at the wooden beams above her, wondering when the hell Benjamin Tucker grew up.
This was the room of an actual adult male.
There were no peeling posters of dirt bikes and rock bands.
Clothes weren’t scattered everywhere and the only things cluttering the nightstand were the three empty cans of beer she’d drowned her sorrows with last night.
Right. Hence the pounding in my head.
Or was it her chest that was still thumping so hard it was likely shaking the rest of her body, too?
Her eyes went to that note again, positioned between two cans.
Fuck. There was so much she had to do. Speak to Doug, to her parents, figure out what to do with the apartment, where she was going to live.
Maybe start by turning on your phone?
She really didn’t want to do that. Doug’s note was bad enough; she wasn’t mentally prepared for her inbox yet.
Talking of things she wasn’t ready to face, her head shot up as two knocks hit the bedroom door.
“B?” Benny called before knocking once more. “I made you some coffee.”
Coffee sounded great. Seeing her first love again while she had smudged make-up, bad breath and hair that looked like she’d just been electrocuted, did not.
“I’ll be down in a sec!” she called out, hoping he’d get the hint.
Last night, once his friends had left, Benny had left her alone with her beers, only knocking once to let her know her bags were by the door. She appreciated the time alone. She needed it. But now it was time to face the music.
“You sure, I brought it up so you can have it in bed?”
Of course he did. He knew she liked her coffee in bed before she even thought about getting up and ready for the day.
But as much as she wanted coffee in bed, she wanted her dignity more.
Which was why she declined and braved leaving the bed in search of a bathroom.
Another good sized, adult room just next to the bedroom, with a fancy whitewashed brick wall behind the vanity and her dream walk-in shower with black metal framing around the glass.
Is he an interior designer now or what?
Seeing just how put together her ex’s life was, really wasn’t helping her feel less like shit. He’d clearly done well for himself. And he seemed happy.
Without me.
Yes. Without her. Not that she expected him to have spent the last decade pining after her. That was highly unlikely, not just because of who he was, but that sort of thing doesn’t tend to happen to the person who made the decision to end things. All that fun stuff was left for the dumpee. Her.
Okay. Time to wash her dumped ass and sort her life out.
***
Feeling slightly less like a hot mess, Bethany was back in the kitchen twenty minutes later, this time in her own clothes. She’d thrown on some jeans and a black tank and let her hair dry naturally around her shoulders.
With a fresh mug of coffee in her hand, she was in the middle of eyeing some extremely tempting muffins when Benny’s voice boomed from the doorway.
“Lemon curd poppy seed.” She looked up to find him casually slumped against the doorframe, “and yes, they’re for you.”
“For me?” Bethany’s head tilted suspiciously with the question.
“Yup.” Benny straightened, and she couldn’t help but admire the view as he swaggered over.
He was freshly showered too, the tips of his hair still damp.
She didn’t know what she liked more, the navy fire department T-shirt on him or her.
Or maybe it was the waft of freshly sprayed cologne tickling her tongue.
“Rachel owns a bakery in town, she thought you might like them.”
She thought right.
Plucking one of the soft, golden treats from the linen, Benny held it out for her, a knowing glint in his eyes as if daring her to resist.
As she reached for the muffin, her fingers brushed against his, sending a spark she wasn’t quite prepared for, shooting all the way up her arm.
Rendering her frozen. Instead of pulling away though, Benny’s touch lingered.
His eyes never leaving hers as his fingertips grazed her palm.
Softly. Deliberately. Enough to make her breath hitch until she finally remembered to pull back.
She’d never been very good at resisting. Especially when it came to Benjamin Tucker.
Would you please stop. You’ve been single eighteen freaking hours. And he’s your fucking ex!
Only he wasn’t just an ex. That was the problem when it came to Benny.
She wished he was just some guy she dated for a few months, even a year.
But he wasn’t. He was her first everything and always would be.
Her first love, her first kiss, her first time.
But more importantly, the first and only person to break her heart.
We’re talking shattering here. Like, some of the pieces that broke off were so small she still isn’t completely sure where the bits went. Or if they would ever be found again.
Shouldn’t you be feeling that now...after ending things with Doug? You know, the man you were supposed to marry!
She didn’t want to think about why she didn’t. Or the volumes that spoke. She was way too embarrassed for that.
“NeNe? Did you hear me?”
She must have spaced out because she had definitely not heard him.
“Huh?”
An easy smile tugged at his lips. “You gonna eat that muffin or challenge it to a dual?”
“A dual?” She didn’t hide the amusement in her voice. “Actually, I was thinking more like pistols at dawn.”
A deep throaty laugh echoed around the small space, sending more tingles to more places that definitely shouldn’t be tingling.
She’d take tingly over hard to breathe any day though, which is what she was treated with next.
When the laughter stopped, his dark eyes locked onto hers.
And got darker, until all she saw was black as Benny drifted closer.
Close enough for her to become intoxicated all over again, her nostrils most likely flaring as she unashamedly inhaled him.
Her eyelids fluttering closed as she got higher and higher on his scent.
She kept her eyes tightly shut as stubble scraped her chin.
She should be worried about how easily her body succumbed to this man.
How quickly her mind malfunctions when he’s close.
That worry was nowhere to be found as her lips parted for him, ready and eager to swallow the feral growl he just let slip.
But his taste never tinged her tongue, because a moment later, angry, loud bangs tore them apart. It took a minute for her brain to restart and when it did, Benny was already stalking toward the front door.
Oh, God. Angry knocking. Bethany doubted Benny had pissed anyone off in the past twenty-four hours. Which meant only one thing. Someone had found her. Either Doug or her parents. As she cursed her way out of the kitchen, she had no idea which she preferred.
One look at Doug’s red face though, and she started to regret getting her ass over there quite so quickly.
“Him, Bethany. Him!” Venom spiked the words as Doug waved his finger in Benny’s direction while his rage-soaked stare pinned her in place. “You spent the night with him!”
Oh boy. He was so angry. His usually handsome profile looking almost deranged with wild brown hair and even wilder eyes coming at her.
“Hey!” Benny jumped in, “lower your voice, man.”
He did not lower his voice, if anything, it got louder. “I knew it! I knew you weren’t over him. The infamous Ben fucking Tucker.” She shivered at the icy edge in his voice. “But to do this—on our wedding night. I feel sick. You’re fucking sick.”
“Nothing—” She wanted to explain, but he cut her off.
“Shut the fuck up!”
“Hey!” Benny took a step forward, pushing Bethany behind him as he got in Doug’s face. “Watch your goddamn mouth.”
Peeking over Benny’s shoulder, her gaze followed as Doug’s eyes cut to Benny, his expression barely masking the disgust he had for him.
“Three fucking years she wasted. Well, I hope you enjoy fixing what you broke, Loverboy. I’m done playing cleanup.
” What was she supposed to say to that? What was Benny? “You can have the bitch.”
Ummm. Unnecessary!
That, she had a reply to, unfortunately she wasn’t able to get it out before Benny had his hands on Doug’s collar as he hurled him up close and spoke into him.
“Listen up and listen good. The only reason my fist isn’t rearranging your face right now is because you got left at the altar yesterday.
Consider this your one and only free pass.
But from now on, you stay the fuck away from Bethany.
You don’t look at her. You don’t speak to her.
And you sure as hell don’t raise your voice at her. Are we clear?”
Damn. That was way better than what she was going to say. And really hot.
Doug wriggled free from Benny’s grip, no less angry. But the lack of venom being hurled her way indicated he did indeed understand.
Guilt twisted her stomach. This was all her fault. She’d been a coward. First by running away, then by switching off her phone. The realization propelled her forward. Made her do what she should have done yesterday. Speak.
“I’m so sorry, Doug. Nothing happened with Benny, I swear on my life.
” Her hand went to his arm but was quickly shaken off.
“I shouldn’t have run. I should have stayed and talked to you.
You deserved a conversation, I know that.
If I could go back, take it all back, I would.
I would’ve done things differently.” She paused to take a breath.
“I’m truly sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. ”
When she was done, one look at Doug told her that he wasn’t in any rush to forgive and forget anytime soon, which was fair.
His parting “fuck you” still stung though.
Benny was ready to pounce as Doug turned, but her hand shot out. Stopping him in his tracks. “Leave it,” she whispered. “It’s done. It’s over.”
Even as she said the words, she didn’t believe them. Nothing was over, if anything, it had only just begun.