My Unexpected Love: The Beaumont Series: Next Generation

by Heidi McLaughlin

  Once we’re on the train, I sit down while Ben stands next to me. It's crowded, and everyone is forced to violate the personal space issue. Ben doesn't take his eyes off of me though, and I have a feeling he's watching and waiting for a temper tantrum.

  "I'm fine," I tell him, even though I don't believe my own words. This will take some adjustments, but it'll work out.

  Ben grips my hand tightly when it's time for us to get off. I breathe a sigh of relief when we're back above ground. He leads me across streets, and by others, in a rush to get to our destination.

  "A park?"

  "Not just any park," he says, weaving in and out of trees until we come to a wall, keeping the bay away from us. "Look," he says, pointing out toward the harbor.

  "Wow, she looks so small." Out in the middle of the water is the Statue of Liberty. "I've only seen her from the plane."

  "You need a reservation to actually take the tour, which usually has to be booked three to six months in advance."

  "So, no spur of the moment arrivals from your best friend."

  Ben looks down at me. "Girlfriend."

  I smile and nod. "I like that." After we take a selfie with just a small bit of the statue in the background, Ben takes me to every possible spot he can, including the neighborhoods he thinks we'll like to live. Of course, I fall in love with Brooklyn Heights, and he promises we'll come back after graduation to really look at places to live.

  We stop and eat pizza in Little Italy, like tourists. The thought makes me giggle, but I love it. When we visit Times Square, we take another picture together, and I post this one. The caption is a heart, and my sister is the first one to respond with, "It's about time."

  "Peyton agrees." I show Ben while we're sitting on the steps, people watching. He puts his arm around me and kisses my cheek.

  "It's because she knows how I feel about you."

  I look at him oddly. He doesn't shy away. "Explain."

  "When she was in the hospital we bonded over being in love with people who didn't love us back. She encouraged me to tell you, but I couldn't. For the longest time, I thought you had a boyfriend."

  "Why would you think that?"

  The people in front of us leave, and Ben uses the space to stretch his long legs. "You kept disappearing from the hospital. You'd be gone for hours."

  "Why didn't you just ask me where I was?"

  Ben shrugs. "I didn't want to hear that you were with someone. I liked the bubble I was in, I guess."

  "Ben?"

  He turns his head to look at me.

  "I was at the church across from the hospital, praying. Asking whoever would listen to save my sister, to not put my mom through the same thing she went through with my father. To ask that my dad and brother be spared from losing someone they love so much. While I was there, I met the priest, and I kept going back because he gave me hope when I was so ready to give up on her. When Noah first arrived, I told him to say goodbye to Peyton because I was so sure she was going to die. Without even trying, I had already expected the worst, and I hated myself. When she woke, I needed someone to tell me that I'm not a horrible person."

  "And did they?" he asks.

  I shake my head. "Not until the morning after your birthday. I sat on the beach, wondering how my life became such a mess, and all I did was think about you. If it wasn't for that night, I don't know if I'd be here right now."

  Ben presses his lips against mine, keeping things brief. "Well, thank you for shunning me. It's been the best birthday yet." He smiles, and while I know he's joking and trying to make light of the situation, I can't help but feel like I almost destroyed everything important to me.

  30

  Ben

  Since Elle returned to California, I've submerged myself in my work. Not only on the joint project Talia and I are working on but also the pharmaceutical one as well, familiarizing myself with everything. After telling Elle about it, she suggested I take a step back from doing any work on it until I've accepted the job and my contract was signed. She feared Omni was taking advantage of me and wanted me to protect myself. I heeded her advice and informed Margie, who surprisingly agreed.

  Now all there was left to do, was sign my contract. Each time I pulled it out to add my signature, I stopped. Working for Omni is my dream, so I don't understand why I’m hesitating to accept employment. It could have something to do with Elle, but I'm not sure what. She's already agreed to move here, and she's right, she can do her job from anywhere. In the two weeks since we've last seen each other, things have returned to normal. Well, as normal as Elle and I can be living three thousand miles apart from each other. The time difference flat out sucks. By the time she's finished any homework, I'm already in bed. When I'm up and walking to work, I text her, even though I know she's still sleeping. All I know is that in a few days, Elle and I will be together again.

  When I took her to the airport, we had a proper goodbye. Something we should've had when I flew out to New York, but the both of us were battling some inner demons. Mostly, stubbornness. I should've told her when she asked about our fateful night, instead of lying to her, and she should've demanded answers from me. I suppose it was easier for us to pretend everything was okay when it wasn't. Lesson learned by both of us.

  I smile at Talia as I approach my desk. Thankfully, things between us have been good, except she asks a lot of questions about 4225 West, which makes me uncomfortable. I get that she's a fan, but some things are better left unknown, like what kind of underwear Liam wears and if Harrison and Katelyn have an open relationship because they're not married. The latter question bothered me the most because they're my family. When I told Elle, she said it was common and suggested I stay away from looking at the comments people post on the band’s Instagram. Again, I took her advice and promised not to look.

  "Today's the big day," she says, handing me a cup of coffee.

  "Thank you," I say as I set it down on my desk, along with my bag. "Are you nervous?" Even though I have a job lined up, if I decide to take it, I'm still nervous. There's a certain amount of pride that comes with winning a competition, and honestly, I want to win. I want this for both Talia and me.

  "I didn't sleep at all last night, although that could've been the flashing lights from the police cars. What was that about, do you know?"

  I shake my head. "I'm afraid to find out. I didn't hear any gunshots or anything. Did you?"

  "Nope, I heard nothing. Do you suppose the police will knock on our doors, asking us? It'll be like we're in the middle of one of the shows that film here."

  I laugh, but she's right. Often, we'd have to reroute ourselves on our way home from work because of filming. I thought about signing up to be an extra, thinking it would've been fun, but never did. There's still time if I come back.

  "If they're going to ask, they better do so quickly. What time is your flight tomorrow?"

  "It's not until nine a.m. Want to grab dinner tonight? For old time's sake?"

  "I'd love to, but I can't. I'm taking the eight-fifteen out of JFK to head home."

  Talia masks her disappointment with a forced smile. "You probably have lots to do, right?"

  I nod. "Classes start back up on Monday."

  "Thankfully, I have a week off."

  "Lucky. Right back to the grind. I can already feel senioritis setting in. Living close to the beach isn't going to help."

  "What’s it like?" she asks. I'm on the cusp of telling her she should visit, but don't want to send the wrong message. Everyone is free to come to California. However, I don't want her to think I'm inviting her to stay with me. I know it's a hard assumption to make.

  "It's amazing. It's always sunny and warm, and the sky is always blue. Granted, we do have crappy weather from time to time, but nothing like New York. We can go to the beach almost all year round. My friends and I surf a lot."

  "Sounds like heaven. I've been landlocked my entire life until I came out here. Being near the water, albeit a gross infested river,
was nice. I'm going to miss it. And you," she says.

  "I'll miss you too, Talia. Thank you for being such an amazing co-worker."

  There's an awkward silence between us, where we're just looking at each other. We both jump when my intercom goes off, and Margie’s assistant is requesting we meet the managers in the boardroom.

  "Here we go," I say, motioning her to walk in front of me. When we arrive, the other four are filing into the room in front of us.

  Roy looks confident, while Ashley looks like she's on the verge of tears. Tara is picking at her nails, and Jeff is fidgeting with his jacket, buttoning and unbuttoning it repeatedly. I want to set my hand on top of his to still his movements, but I don't. Instead, I stand behind Talia and wait for the outcome.

  "Good morning," Margie's boss says. "We won't keep you long as we're all aware you have some packing to take care of and flights to catch." He looks at the six of us and smiles. "When Omni started the internship, the length was six months long, and we saw students waiting until the last minute to get their projects done. When we switched it to three months, productivity increased tenfold, giving us a better opportunity to assess the finest six applicants of the current graduating class. With that said, the Board is pleased with the outcome of your work. Each team has given their manager fresh new ideas to take our clients’ needs to the next level. However, this is a competition, with the winning team receiving an employment offer."

  "Congratulations, Tara and Roy." We clap, even if it's half-hearted. I wanted to win, more so for Talia. Margie's boss goes on to say a few more things, but I've since tuned him out.

  Talia and I walk back to our cubicle. She's somber, and I don't blame her. I pretend to be, but it's hard knowing I have a job waiting for me. "I'm going to go," I tell her. "I have a few things to do before my flight."

  "Goodbye, Ben. If you're ever in Iowa, look me up." I hug her before leaving and don't tell her the same thing. She has my number, and if she uses it if she finds herself in Los Angeles, great. Although, I don't think Elle would like it too much.

  The truth is, I have nothing to do, except go to the airport. I've been packed for the last couple of days and living out of my suitcase. As soon as I'm free of the building, I pull out my phone to call Elle.

  "Hey," she says, answering immediately. "Did you win?"

  "Nope, we lost, but I'm okay with it. Just sad for Talia."

  "So now what?"

  "Now, I'm going to wait at the airport and see if I can get on the standby list to fly home early."

  "Okay, keep me updated. I have to run to class."

  "Will do." I can’t wait to tell her that I love her again, but not over the phone. I want to look her in the eyes and say the words so she knows I mean them.

  I only have to wait on standby for a few flights before I'm finally on a plane and heading back to Los Angeles. Elle promises to be at the airport, which pisses off my brother. He doesn't understand how I can forgive her so easily. It's easy; I'm in love. For most of the flight I sleep, and when I'm not sleeping, I'm scrolling through the pictures on my phone.

  The second my plane touches down, I'm antsy, eager to get out of my seat and find Elle waiting for me at baggage claim. Before I even booked my flight, Elle said I could use the private jet, but I didn't want to seem like I was taking advantage of her or the band. Now I wish I did because the wait is killing me.

  I'm in a full sprint, weaving in and out of people with my backpack slapping against my ass, which is somewhat annoying.

  When I enter baggage claim, I stop dead in my tracks. There's my beautiful girlfriend standing there holding a sign with my name on it. I go to her and scoop her up into my arms and twirl her around. "I've missed you so much," I tell her. There's nothing like starting a relationship, and not being able to see each other when you want. FaceTime doesn't cut it.

  "I've missed you too," she says as I put her down. Elle continues to hold my face and looks into my eyes. "I have something to tell you."

  "Can it wait until we're home?" I ask. There are too many people in the airport right now, and I'd much prefer she tell me in private.

  Elle shakes her head. "No, it can't."

  "Okay, what is it?" My hands tighten around her waist, giving me a bit of security.

  "I love you, Benjamin. It's taken me a long time to realize this, but now that I have, there's no stopping it. You’re my unexpected love, one I never thought I’d find, at least not in my best friend."

  I lean down and kiss her. I've waited most of my life to hear those words from her, and we could be in a completely different situation had I had the courage to say them years ago. For all I know, we'd have been together, but we could also be apart, living life as former friends.

  Elle doesn't take me back to our apartment complex but drives to her parents. I have to say I'm not exactly looking forward to spending time with Mr. and Mrs. PJ when I'd rather be alone with Elle, but I don't question her. It's late, and she's definitely up to something because each time I ask her what's going on, she clams up.

  Because of the time change, I'm tired and rest my eyes while she drives us south. Had I known she wanted to come this way, I would've flown into a different airport. When her Wrangler slows down, I open my eyes, only I don't recognize where we are.

  "Elle?"

  "Hey, sleepyhead."

  "Where are we?" I yawn and start stretching my cramped muscles.

  "Malibu. I rented a house for the weekend."

  "You did?"

  She nods. "I thought we could use some time to ourselves without Quinn hanging around."

  The console between keeps us separated, but I still manage to pull her into a kiss. "This is perfect. Come on there's something we need to do."

  "What's that?" she asks as she gets out of her car. I rush around to the other side and pick her up. She squeals, making me laugh.

  Once we're at the door, I put her down so she can unlock it. Inside, the house is white and gray, with massive floor to ceiling windows that look out over the ocean. Tomorrow, the view's going to be spectacular once the sun rises.

  Elle takes my hand and leads me down the hall to the bedroom. She steps in first and holds the door, while I take in the surroundings. There are rose petals on the bed, floor, and furniture with what I’m hoping are battery operated candles burning, giving off a romantic ambiance.

  "Elle?" I reach for her and press my lips together. "Are you sure?"

  "I have never been surer."

  31

  Elle

  It took me a few days to find this house, but once I did, I didn’t hesitate to book it. The only problem is, I had to do it for a month, and with school starting its final quarter, there’s no way Ben and I can stay here for that amount of time. However, I wanted to do something special for him when he came back, more so, something special for us.

  Keeping this secret from Ben has been hard. We promised to tell each other everything, and I like to think he’ll forgive me once he wakes up and sees the view from the bedroom. While we may not be able to stay all week, we can come back Thursday night and stay until Sunday. I’m excited that neither of us has classes on Friday.

  Ben snuggles into my back, and this time when he kisses my bare shoulder, I don’t flinch or recoil. I relish in his touch, the softness of his hands and the tender way he’s spent the night making love to me. I know we were supposed to wait, but I couldn’t. Once I left New York, my heart hurt more than it ever had. There’s no question in my mind that I want to be with Ben, now and forever. Together, he and I are going to be super cheesy, corny and probably argue a lot because we’re both stubborn, but it’s going to be worth it.

  “So beautiful,” he says as his lips ghost along the top of my shoulder, peppering me with his kisses.

  “I know it is.” To think we’re going to give this up… it’s the right thing to do for Ben’s career. My job’s going to be mobile. I can do it from anywhere as long as there’s a band playing.

  “I’m t
alking about you.” He stops, allowing me to turn over. My hand immediately goes to his chest so I can feel his heart beating.

  “You haven’t even seen the view,” I tell him.

  “I don’t need to, not when I have you to look at.”

  I bury my face in his chest, feeling embarrassed. He laughs, the reverberations shaking the bed. “Get used to it, Elle. I’m going to compliment you all the time.” It’s not that I’ve never been complimented, it’s that when most guys did it, it’s because they wanted something I wasn’t willing to give. However, when Ben does it, it’s different. There’s so much sincerity behind his words, love in his eyes and tenderness in his touch, I know he means it every time he says something kind.

  “What do you want to do today? We can go surfing,” I tell him.

  “I have a better idea,” Ben says as he starts kissing me. His hand slides under my leg, lifting it over his hip. I can feel him at my entrance, poised and ready, all I have to do is push my hips into him. I do, not caring whether he’s using a condom or not. He’s my Ben, and he’ll never do anything to hurt me.

  By lunchtime, my stomach is growling. We haven’t left the bed, other than to drink some water and use the restroom. Oh, and shower because Ben said we needed to take advantage of the dual showerheads.

  “You’re right,” Ben says while standing in front of the window.

  “About what?” I walk over to him with a sandwich. The view is stunning. It astounds me.

  “This view. It’s hard to give it up.”

  I place my hand on his shoulder and kiss him there. “I’m sure the east coast is pretty in its own way.”

  He shakes his head. “I’ve been thinking, maybe Omni isn’t the right fit for me.”