13. Johnny
Johnny
I was late.
I hated being late, but there was nothing I could do to speed up the HVAC guy at the resort.
We had allotted extra time to go through all the cabins, but it still wasn’t enough.
The good news was everything checked out okay.
This big of a project made me nervous, but I knew if I didn’t take the opportunity to go through with it now, I never would.
I was speeding and probably ran a couple red lights on my way, but I wanted enough time to shower and get the stench off me before I saw Beth. I lifted my arm and could tell—a shower was not optional.
Oberon rode next to me without a care in the world, head hanging out the window with his tongue wagging. The seat was covered in hair, but I knew Beth wouldn’t care. She seemed to love having him around when he was with us.
Driving through downtown, I hit streets chock-full of cars as the city people drove up the coast for the long weekend ahead.
RVs of every shape and size lined the streets with bumper-to-bumper cars, trying to make it to their holiday destination.
Luckily, I was coming from the other way, so it wasn’t too bad on my side.
I looked at my wrist, shaking my head. Shit. I’d have to tell her I’d meet her there. There was no way I could swing by and then bring her back to my place.
Me: Hey—Sorry—running late. Any way you can just meet me at my place instead of me picking you up?
Beth: Oh yeah, no problem. Just send me your address again.
As soon as I put the truck in park, I ran into the house to get ready. I’m sure I looked ridiculous as I hopped around trying to tear off my clothes to get in the shower and get dressed before she arrived.
I had just finished up and was running a towel through my hair when I heard the doorbell ring. Of course, Oberon went running.
“Hey, boy. How are you today?” I could hear Beth talking to him through the screen door.
“Be right out. Let yourself in!” I grabbed the first pair of jeans in my drawer and pulled them on, quickly buttoning them.
“No worries!”
Walking out to the front room, bare feet padding on the ground, I stopped and looked at her.
I’d told her to dress casual. She did, and she looked sexy as hell.
She had on those black yoga pants that showed off every curve and a tank top with a zippered sweatshirt over top, and my dick swelled just looking at her.
Looking down, I realized I hadn’t put a shirt or socks on yet, and I was basically on full display to her, her eyes directly on my bare chest.
I looked down at myself and back to her. “I’m glad you came over tonight. Thanks for driving here. I was running late… obviously.” I ran my hand on the side of my torso to indicate I hadn’t yet put a shirt on.
“Thanks for having me. Yeah, this will be good.” She was still looking down at my chest when she said it, gaze slowly raking my body as they dipped lower, but she seemed to catch herself and looked me directly in the eye. “Let’s just knock it out.”
After I got dressed, we ordered pizza from Tony’s for delivery, and once it arrived, we ended up on the floor of my living room with all the individual folders for the donations laid out in front of us.
“Looks like we’re almost done.” Beth leaned on the couch behind her with a beer in hand. “How does this compare to last year?”
“Pretty damn close.” I started counting the piles we had lined up.
“Phew! That’s good. I thought we were behind.”
“Nah,” I said. “I’d like to get a few bigger items though. Have you given it any thought to talking to Mary about the sunset boat tour?”
I had mentioned it to Beth a few weeks ago, and she felt uncomfortable at the time because she was so new to the shop. I understood. I didn’t want to pressure her, but it also made a lot more sense for her to bring it up since she worked there.
“Yeah, I know she’s always said no before, but maybe this will be the year. I’ll ask her.”
“You still liking the shop?”
“I am. I’m actually loving it more than I thought I would. Maybe that sounds kind of odd, but I just thought it’d be a fun thing to fit in between class and helping my parents. It’s quite a business she’s built. I’m learning a lot from her, and she seems to be trusting me with more too.”
“How often are you helping your parents?”
“Eh.” She shook her head side to side. “A little less than I was expecting, but it’s a regular thing. I’m basically always on call with them, and they put me on speaker phone, which is terrible.” She laughed as she said it.
“I know you complain sometimes about things, but it sounds like you have a really strong relationship.” I paused, not sure if I should go further. “I’m just curious though, was it always the plan for you to work on the farm with them? I guess I’m a little confused by the setup.”
Beth was such a talented, smart person, and it felt like she was being kept in the shadows of the family business—always focusing on someone other than herself.
“Not always. I was supposed to go away to business school. Got into the honors program at State. I didn’t tell you that?”
I shook my head.
“My dad got sick. He had a stroke right before I went away. My mom asked me to stay.” She paused, looking to the ground.
“It was… too much for her to handle on her own. I had to step up, and from there, I took on the lion’s share of the business.
Got my Associates. That Professor Mackey I mentioned?
He was one of my first professors and was a huge help in getting resources when I didn’t know what the hell I was doing running a business.
It was a rough few years, but my dad is doing better now.
Not the same as before, but he takes on more of the business than he used to.
It was tough on everyone though. We all had to make sacrifices. This was just mine.”
“Beth, I’m so sorry.” I placed my hand on her knee. “That’s a lot… for anyone, but especially for an eighteen-year-old.” I took a deep breath.
I couldn’t help but feel this connection to her—one I wasn’t expecting.
I still wasn’t comfortable sharing everything about Anne with her.
I rarely talked about it with anyone except Lane and my brother.
But there was something with Beth that put me on the edge and made me want to share with her, even though in the past, I’d usually just shut down when it came up.
I knew it was a problem. I just didn’t know how to fix it.
My heart clenched as we held each other’s gazes, and I swallowed, trying to push the feelings away that I buried down every day.
“Thanks. I’m glad I stayed though.” She put her hand on mine.
“Back when it first happened, I promised my mom I’d stay and help for a while.
It was definitely the right decision at the time, and it was only meant to be temporary, but life happens.
The next thing I knew, it’d been ten years of living there and working together.
I know I make comments and roll my eyes at them, but I love them. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”
“How’s your dad now? You said he’s not fully back?” I asked.
“He’s better, but it’s just not the same.
He drops the ball a lot—forgets things. Even though he can do the day-to-day for the most part, he’s not as sharp as he used to be.
” She waved her hands back and forth. “It’s why we’ve hired some additional help that we may not have had if the stroke had never happened.
” Her eyes widened. “Myself included. We have another manager who helps with the operations side of thing now too, along with some part-timers. Michael was a huge add when he came on full time. It was weird because we were high school sweethearts back in the day.” She paused.
“And dated for a few years in our twenties.”
I nodded, just listening, and I tried to ignore the sharpness in my stomach when she mentioned Michael, but my gut told me not to react when she was opening up.
“That’s got to be tough sometimes. And awkward.
” I paused. “Is anything still going on with him?” I held my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“No.”
I let out a deep exhale.
“Not really, anyway,” she said. “We broke up back in the winter, but when he found out I was moving here for the summer, he made a big point about wanting to figure something out when I got back in the fall.”
“And what do you want?” I met her eyes, and she held them.
“I don’t know exactly. It’s almost like the universe keeps pushing us together because of proximity, but something doesn’t fit. He’s the only man I’d been with though.” She clenched her hands together, and I could tell she was nervous talking about it. “Other than you.”
My chest swelled. “So, what do you think is going to happen? Between you and Michael that is. Not that it’s any of my business…” I trailed off.
She put her hand on my knee. “Not sure. I need to give it some thought. It’s just that the longer I’m here, the more I’m realizing I missed out on what could have been.
I feel guilty for wanting more though. More than what I have.
More than Michael. And sure, I want to help my parents.
I have all these big plans for when I go back, but the more I think about it, something feels off.
I just have to figure things out.” Unshed tears welled in her eyes.
“Hey, look at me.” I put my hand on her shoulder.
“You’re doing the best you can. You gave up your late teens and your twenties to try to do right by your family.
There is nothing to feel guilty about. Even your mom encouraged you to move here for the summer because she recognizes it. You need to take care of you.”
She bobbed her head.
“You are an amazing woman who put her family before herself when they needed her, and you do it graciously and with an infectious joy most of the time. But even if you didn’t, it’s okay to want things for yourself.”
“Thank you… I needed to hear that.”