“Plans?”
David winked. “Yep. See you in the morning.”
Garrett came down, and they fed him ice cream. Bethany looked up at the clock. Zoe would be here any minute.
“I’m gonna go take a shower.”
She gave Garrett a kiss on the cheek and headed upstairs. Bethany didn’t like being around Zoe, so she generally avoided anytime Zoe would be at the house, and she never went with Jamie to pick up Garrett. Hexa stayed downstairs. Bethany smiled. Three months ago, Hexa would’ve been up the stairs before her.
After her shower, she wrapped a towel around her head and threw on a robe and traipsed downstairs, thinking enough time had passed that the woman would be gone. Bethany wasn’t sure how she was going to manage things with her for the next several years. Zoe was Garrett’s mother, so Bethany would put up with her. But only for his sake.
Bethany and Jamie spent most evenings sitting on the upper porch drinking a glass of wine. It’d become a routine for them and one that Bethany appreciated. She loved their quiet evenings. She thought he would’ve come upstairs with the wine by now, but maybe he was still outside talking to Zoe. She decided to get it herself.
She walked into the kitchen and froze. Standing in front of her were Zoe and Jamie, locked in an embrace. At first she thought that maybe they were just hugging, but then she registered Jamie’s lips moving furiously against Zoe’s. Bethany brought her hand to her mouth and took two steps back. She didn’t want to believe what she was seeing. She cleared her throat.
Jamie pulled away and met Bethany’s eyes.
Zoe turned around. “Oh, oops, we didn’t see you there.”
Humiliation swam in Bethany’s veins. She’d been so stupid. She wanted to run, but instead said the first thing that came to her mind. Tears pricked her eyes. “Guess it’s a good thing this marriage is a fake.”
Something inside her cracked. She’d opened herself up to him, and he completely shattered her. She’d never hurt this much. She turned and slowly walked upstairs. She couldn’t hear anything below her. She collapsed into a chair on the porch and let herself cry ugly tears. When they finally subsided, her mind raced. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t exactly kick him out of her house. Not now. But she could next week. Then file for divorce and get her money—something she hadn’t thought about in a long time. She’d thought he was the real deal. But he admitted he was a recovering womanizer. Maybe people couldn’t change.
Jamie waited until Zoe and Garrett left and then sank onto the couch in the living room. He should talk to Bethany, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She was angry with him, but he was angry with her too. She didn’t realize the implications of her comment, and she might have lost him his son.
Sure, Zoe said she wanted to marry him and make a happy little family, but he didn’t want to marry Zoe. Maybe it looked like he was kissing Zoe, but she’d taken him by surprise. He should’ve backed away when he saw that look in her eye. The one that said she wanted him. But they’d been having a real conversation about how to raise Garrett together and not in the same house.
He’d never thought she’d be so reasonable. She’d actually admitted that his being in Garrett’s life was a good thing. Then she kissed him. He didn’t react soon enough, he knew that. If he’d pushed Zoe away, Bethany never would’ve seen the kiss, and she would’ve never said the sentence that could cost him everything.
The next morning, Bethany put two pieces of bread in the toaster. She wasn’t sure what Jamie was planning, but she didn’t want to avoid him. She decided at the last minute to make eggs too. They had a long conversation ahead of them.
Jamie came into the room a few minutes later. He looked like he wanted to move toward her but changed his mind at the last minute. She set down a plate with toast and eggs in front of him.
“We should talk,” she said.
He nodded.
“Are you going to get back together with Zoe? I understand if you want to. She is the mother of your child after all. I need to know where things stand.”
Jamie chuckled. “No. I’m not. What you saw was not what it looked like.”
“You were kissing her.” Bethany’s heart raced. She still couldn’t believe he’d do that to her.
“No. She was kissing me. It took me by surprise, but that girl had a death grip on my neck. I was trying to push her away. If you had come in ten seconds later, you would’ve walked into a fight.”
Sure. Whatever. “That’s not how it looked from my point of view.”
“Maybe not, but that is what it was.”
She creased her eyebrows. He wouldn’t have left her hanging all night if it was Zoe taking advantage of the moment. “If that was all, then why didn’t you come to bed last night? We could’ve talked about this. I assumed you no longer wanted to be with me.”
“I didn’t come up to bed because I’m furious with you.” He clenched his fists.
She froze mid-bite. “Excuse me? What the hell did I do?” He had no right to be angry with her. He was the one kissing another woman.
“You told Zoe our marriage was a fake.”
Bethany brought her hand up to her mouth. She hadn’t even realized what she’d said. She could’ve just screwed this all up for Jamie.
She reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “I’m so sorry. I was just so angry. I didn’t think. I can fix this.” And she would. She’d tell the judge she didn’t mean it. She loved Jamie. She wouldn’t ruin this for him.
“How? This is a mess. First my attorney quits, then you spill the beans on our marriage. It’s like everyone is conspiring against me getting custody of my son. He can’t stay with Zoe. When I brought him out to her car last night, I could smell weed. That environment is toxic.”
“I can explain things to the judge. Make her see that I meant something else.” Bethany wondered if things were over between them, or if he was just angry with her. She didn’t know how to ask.
“What time do we need to leave?” she finally asked, not knowing what else to say.
“An hour. Are you still okay with acting like a married couple? In case Zoe didn’t catch what you said?”
“Of course, we are married, right?”
He scowled. “According to you, it was a fake.”
Bethany clenched her fists. She didn’t know how else to apologize. “I was angry. People in real marriages don’t make out with their exes.” Last night she was wondering what he would have to do to make up with her if he wanted to. Now she was struggling to win his forgiveness.
Jamie was quiet during the rest of breakfast and didn’t say anything as they drove to the courthouse. He didn’t take her hand until others were watching. She tried not to let that get to her, but she felt her future slipping away.
David met them in the courtroom.
“Everything okay?” he asked as he looked from Jamie to Bethany.
“We’re nervous,” Jamie said. Bethany was glad he answered. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to without losing it.
They stood as the judge entered the room.
Zoe’s lawyer stood as soon as the judge took her seat. Jamie squeezed Bethany’s hand.
“Your Honor, we have new information that could impact the case.”
The judge didn’t look up from the papers on her bench.
“Go ahead.”
“It appears that the Mr. Green’s marriage in not authentic.”
The judge looked bored as she raised her eyes and addressed the attorney. “His marriage certificate is in the files. I saw it.”
“Did he also turn in his pre-nup?”
Bethany’s stomach turned over. This was awful.
The judge removed her glasses. “No, he did not.”
“I have a copy of it here. Permission to approach the bench?”
Jamie let go of Bethany’s hand. This would not be good. She had screwed up last night.
The attorney handed over a few papers. The judge looked over them and then ad
dressed Bethany.
“Explain.”
David started to speak, but the judge cut him off. “I want to hear from Bethany.”
Bethany crossed her arms. She had no idea how to get out of this. “I’m not sure what you want me to say, Your Honor.”
“This is a significant settlement in the event of a divorce. How long have you known Mr. Green?”
“Since April.”
Jamie groaned next to her. That was not the right answer, but she didn’t want to lie.
“That was three weeks before your wedding. That does throw up a few red flags.” The judge leaned back in her chair and smirked.
“With all due respect, Your Honor, sometimes things happen when you least expect them. Jamie and I hit it off instantly. Maybe getting married was rash, but I assure you our love is real.”
“Can you explain the pre-nup?”
Bethany let out a big sigh. “Three million is a small percentage of Jamie’s actual net worth. I only signed it because we had only known each other three weeks. If we had dated longer, I never would’ve signed a pre-nup, but I understood that Jamie felt he needed to protect his assets. If the marriage lasts longer than a few years, we’ll dissolve the pre-nup.”
The judge flicked her eyes to Jamie.
“Is this true?”
He stood up and took Bethany’s hand again. She wished it meant more than just a show for the court. “Yes, Your Honor. We can revoke it today if it will make you feel better. Bethany and I love each other, and nothing will change that.”
Bethany felt her heart constrict. Was he just acting?
“Anything else I need to know?” the judge asked, looking at both attorneys.
No one said a word.
“I’m going to take one more day. I want to go over the reports from the GAL again. Right now, I think Jamie’s home would be more stable, but I’ve seen no evidence that makes me want to remove him from Zoe’s. Would you both consider joint custody?”
“Yes,” Jamie replied immediately.
“No,” Zoe said.
The judge looked down her nose as Zoe. “Why not?”
“He’s my son. Until all of this began, he’d never spent a night away from me. Ever since he started visiting Jamie, he’s been surly and spoiled. I can handle that if it’s only on the occasional weekend, but if he’s spending half of his time with his father, he’ll be like that all the time.”
“Fair enough.” She stood. “I’d like to meet with the counsel in my office. The rest of you are dismissed until eight a.m. tomorrow morning. I’ll have my decision then.”
“I’ll see both of you tonight. Go home, get some rest, and make up,” David said with a grin.
Jamie followed Bethany out to the car. “Do you want to get some lunch?” he asked.
“Sure.”
Jamie didn’t know how to make up with her. He wanted to. She was a pro in there, but he didn’t know how to fight with her. They hadn’t been together long enough to understand how the other worked. He wished he could fast-forward five years to when both of them knew how to handle each other. He still wasn’t entirely sure he was ready to completely forgive her. She might have cost him his son.
There had been a beach restaurant near their house that he’d been wanting to try. “Do you mind if we eat at Blu?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t eaten there in years.”
“Why not? It’s close to your house.”
“It’s pricey.”
“Good thing that doesn’t matter.”
She rolled her eyes.
He put his hand on her back when they entered the restaurant. They’d just sat down when they spotted Mrs. Calhoun eating on the other side of the room.
“Yoohoo, Bethany, Jamie, come meet Mr. Calhoun.”
Bethany turned around, and her face paled. “Mrs. Calhoun, how are you?”
Mrs. Calhoun approached Bethany and acted like they were old friends. This was different. She had on a huge hat and a suit only rich old women wore. She kissed Bethany on the cheek.
“You must join us for lunch.”
Bethany smiled apologetically at Jamie and followed Mrs. Calhoun to her table where a man, presumably her husband, sat. Jamie wasn’t sure why Bethany would do that. If he were Bethany, he’d have told that woman where to go. But that was Bethany’s fight, not his.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Bethany?” The man stood and embraced her. “You are still as lovely as ever. Who’s the gentleman?”
Bethany didn’t wait for Jamie this time. “This is my husband, Jamie Green.”
Mr. Calhoun didn’t even blink. “I don’t recognize the name. You must not be from around here.”
They all sat down, and Jamie ordered wine for both himself and Bethany before answering. “I’m from New York, actually.”
Mrs. Calhoun’s eyes bugged out. “Will you be moving north then, now that you’re married?”
Bethany shook her head. “No, we are staying in Charleston. Though I think we’ll keep an apartment in New York, for weekends.”
She was smooth. She knew how to get under Mrs. Calhoun’s skin.
“Why didn’t we get a wedding invitation?” Mr. Calhoun asked.
Bethany gave him a sugary smile. “We eloped.”
Mrs. Calhoun took a drink. “Your mother would be disappointed.”
Bethany shook her head. “My mother would want me to be happy. Jamie makes me happy.”
“Why are you staying here instead of going to New York? Surely Jamie has a job there.”
“I’m a photographer. I can work from anywhere.”
The waiter came, and Jamie ordered for Bethany again. This time she didn’t argue. There was a tension in the air. Mrs. Calhoun was glaring at Bethany, and Bethany had her arms crossed.
“Oh, you should come over to my house sometime and photograph my roses.”
Jamie never did floral pictures. He wasn’t good at them and found them boring. But he smiled and nodded anyway.
“I have the best rose garden in the state. I’ve won the award three years in a row, until that bastard Mr. Howe built a bigger one. I ran out of room.”
Mrs. Calhoun glowered at Bethany, and Jamie understood now why she wanted the house. Mr. Calhoun put off his wife by regaling them with stories of his and Mrs. Calhoun’s courtship. But when the food arrived and Mr. Calhoun dug in, Mrs. Calhoun started in in again. She didn’t even look at her food.
“You know, if you start a family, you won’t want to live near the water. A little dangerous.”
Jamie wasn’t going to let her talk to his wife like that. “Actually, I want my kids to grow up on the water. Even if I hadn’t met Bethany, I would’ve found a house on the beach.”
“Maybe you two should find your own house, so that you don’t always think of it as Bethany’s house. Marriages have been ruined for less.”
Jamie took a bite of his fish. She was like a dog on a bone. Might as well get it all out on the table.
“How much are you offering?”
Bethany pinched his knee.
“One and a half. Way more than it’s worth.”
“Actually, I had it appraised before Beth and I got married. It’s worth two. Maybe you should sell yours and buy a house with a yard big enough for your garden.”
Mrs. Calhoun bristled and sat up straighter. “Young man, rose gardens don’t go up overnight. I’d have to spend years building a new one. If I could simply expand the one I have, then I can reclaim my title, but it won’t happen if I have to start over.”
“Have you tried the neighbor on the other side?”
“Their yard is all sand. It won’t work. The Davis’s soil is better.”
“Well then, perhaps you ought to reconsider your offer. One and a half is way too low.”
Bethany pinched him again, but his words had shut the insolent woman up. When they stood to leave, Mr. Calhoun finally spoke again.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Bethany. Your parents would be
proud of your choice.”
Mrs. Calhoun glared at him, and Bethany gave him a grin.
Bethany didn’t say a word on the way home, and Jamie didn’t know where they stood. The house was quiet when they entered. David must’ve still been out.
Bethany headed upstairs, and he followed her. She went out on the balcony and pointed. “See, there’s her garden.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Impressive.”
“Did you really have my house appraised?” She wouldn’t look at him.
“I made that up. I have no idea what your house is worth.”
“Your funeral. That woman never backs down. She’ll be over here with her own appraiser to prove you wrong. I don’t know why you told her we’d consider a bigger offer. I won’t sell the house.”
He shrugged. “Not so nice when someone says something without considering the consequences of what they say.” He was being petty, but he wanted her to understand how he felt.
She backed away. “I can’t believe you’d do that to me. You know how much my house means to me.”
“The implications of what you said could cost me my son. It didn’t stop you from spouting out the first thing that came to your mind. Maybe this marriage was more of a fake to you than it was to me.”
She stalked up to him and glared with those ice baby blues of hers. “You were kissing another woman. What the hell was I supposed to think?”
“That maybe there was a mistake. If you’d walked in on Annabelle and me kissing, what would you have thought?”
Bethany didn’t take the bait. “Did you accidentally kiss her too? How many women have you kissed since we got married?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “No. That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying that sometimes appearances can be deceiving. It bothers me that you wanted to end it without even talking to me about it.”
She threw her hands up. “Oh, come on. People say all kinds of things they don’t mean when they’re angry. You’re right. I didn’t think before I spoke. But it doesn’t mean I meant it.”
Her nostrils flared with anger, and she blinked rapidly. His anger at her dissipated, and now he didn’t know how to end this. He should apologize, but his pride wouldn’t let him do that. They’d both made mistakes, and now they had to move forward.
Folly and Forever (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 3) Page 16
