He studied her through the computer. “I want her to read my dinosaurs.”
Kent looked at Bethany’s face. Her eyes were wide and she appeared to be scared to death. It humored him.
“You heard the boy,” he said. “Bethany, this is Cole.” He pointed to the screen.
“Hello,” she said softly. “Are you sure you want me to read this to you instead of your uncle?”
“Yup.”
“She got a book for your sister too,” he said as another little head appeared in the shot and his sister lifted his niece up on her lap. “Hey, my girl. Sara, this is Bethany.”
She waved sweetly.
“She bought you a Frozen story for tonight.”
That was met with a squeal, but then Cole began to demand his story.
Bethany sat down and he turned the computer so it was on her. It was then the magic started as she read the books and the stories came to life. The kids laughed and cheered for the mighty dinosaur named Clive. She read it twice before she began to read adventures of Anna and Elsa, at which time Cole disappeared, but Sara sat and intently listened.
When the stories were over he blew them all kisses, and so did Bethany. Then she excused herself to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
“She seems nice,” Cassie said.
“She is.”
“You’re bringing her here?”
“When I come for my signing.”
She nodded. “Be careful, Kent.”
He didn’t like her tone and he certainly didn’t need Bethany picking up on it. “I am. I love you. Talk to you tomorrow,” he said as he closed the computer.
Once his sister got something stuck in her head, it was hard to get it out. She was afraid for him. That was understandable. But he loved Bethany. Nothing was going to happen to break him—or her. He was absolutely sure of it. His sister was going to have to deal with that.
Chapter Twenty- Three
Kent had to admit, watching the transformation of Bethany into Beth over the week was entertaining. Each stop they made, Beth had something added to her. First it was the glasses. The next day it was the decorative sticks that went into the pile of hair on her head. She had a certain fashion too and by the last stop, she had on a black suit.
Okay, the sexy assistant was someone he absolutely could enjoy.
It never failed, though, someone approached her at every stop, and even at hotels, wanting the autograph of Bethany Waterbury. But Beth insisted they were misled.
He was proud of her transformation of herself too. Through their stays in South Carolina, into Tennessee, and their final stop in Alabama, Beth was opening up and taking back some of the control she’d lost. Kent wasn’t a fool to think that in one week, twenty-four years of abuse from her mother, an industry, and herself could be corrected. But he could see the progress and he hoped she saw it and felt it too.
“Susan just texted me,” she said one night as she rested in his arms on the hotel bed. The TV played an old movie in black and white. It was Jimmy Stewart and that imaginary bunny, which she had to remind him his name was Harvey.
“What did she want?”
“She has a bridal shower to cater next week. She wants me to help serve and do the centerpieces.”
“That’s nice.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Glenda is going to help too.”
“Her future mother-in-law, right?”
She nodded and turned to look at him. “Where do you have to head off to after that?”
He cupped her face in his hand. “Texas. I have four dates there and an extended promised stay at my parents’ house.”
She sank in next to him again. “How extended?”
“I don’t know. How long do you want to stay?”
Now she sat up and turned toward him fully. “You want me to go home with you?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never been really good with parents. I mean look at mine.”
“Yeah, mine are different.”
“I’m not sure your sister likes me much.”
He posed a hurtful face. “I think she likes you just fine. She’s let you read that Frozen book to her daughters ever night this week.”
Bethany rolled her eyes and let out a small snort. “She tolerated it.”
“She’s worried about me.”
“Because of who I am?”
“Because I love you and haven’t known you that long,” he said as convincingly as he could. “I’m not a guy who dates or gets out of my hotel room except to go to book signings. She thinks it’s a bit odd I find some attractive woman and fall in love.”
“You really love me?”
He reached for her and pulled her to him. “I do.”
Bethany rested against him, her head against his heart. “Are you staying in Georgia until you leave again?”
“I am. And I’ll be looking for a place to live. I think that’s where I’m going to settle down now. It’s time.”
She gazed up at him. “Stay with me for now. Susan is going to move out soon. I’ll need a roommate.”
“You want me to live with you?”
She rose to kiss him gently on the lips. “Forever.”
Yes, that’s what he wanted too. It was much too early to discuss it, but he was sure that’s what he wanted.
Huntsville, Alabama was his last stop on this specific tour. Kent hadn’t been getting much writing done with Bethany around and he didn’t realize just how much of a workaholic he was. All these years living in hotel rooms, he’d netted a lot of hours and a lot of books.
He had deadlines looming now and a meeting with a producer over the new book they wanted to make into a movie. With a lot of thought, he didn’t want Bethany around for that. How strange their lives should cross in such a manner.
As Beth readied herself for the day, Kent watched her. Was this how she got ready for a part? Did she build the character a day at a time, adding tweaks until they were perfect? Sure, Beth was her. It wasn’t really a character as much as a disguise to remain normal. He chuckled to himself. Now that sounded silly, but at the same time made a whole lot of sense.
Bethany smacked her lips together after applying lipstick and looked herself over.
“You’re perfect,” he said from his stance leaning against the wall.
“It’ll do.” She placed her hands on her stomach and he lurched toward her.
“Are you okay? Are you not feeling well?”
She laughed and turned. “You’re jumpy and my stomach is growling. I’m starving.”
He shook his head in embarrassment. “You’re starving? That’s a good thing, right?”
“Everything, and I mean everything, I’ve eaten this week has stayed down. I promise you. And look, I’ll prove it.” She lifted up her blouse to reveal the taunt tug on the button of her skirt. “It’s not much, but for the first time in my life my clothes are a little tight.”
It was worth scooping her up and messing up that lipstick. “I love it. Let’s go eat.”
Pancakes had always been a favorite for Bethany. Evil for Violet Waterbury, but Bethany didn’t care anymore.
“Is it hard to write a book?” she asked, covering her mouth with her hand since her mouth was full.
“For me, no. For others, yes.”
“For me?”
He lowered his fork and studied her. “You want to write a book?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I always was fascinated by script writing. It’s not too much different, is it?”
“Night and day, but the creative part is more or less the same. What do you want to write about?”
“I don’t know. A billionaire who falls in love with a normal, everyday girl.”
She saw him stifle his laugh and she appreciated it.
Wiping his mouth with his napkin, he then lowered it to his lap. “You have to start writing. The best advice I can give you is to just get it out. It doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be.”
; “I should look into getting a laptop.”
“You can use mine for now. We’ll be at the bookstore for four hours. It has a nice, cozy coffee shop. You could go write.”
“But, Beth is there to help you.”
“Beth, can go write her blockbuster.”
She laughed. “A book by Beth Walker.”
“I like it,” he said toasting her with his coffee.
“I do too.”
And so she began. With Kent’s laptop on the small coffee table in front of her, Bethany began to write the story brewing in her head. Every line she read was very elementary and she didn’t like it at all. But it wasn’t about what it looked like now, he had told her. Just get the story down.
She’d been sitting there writing for nearly two hours when the chair across from her moved and someone sat down.
Quickly she finished her sentence before she looked up and her heart slammed into her chest.
“Bethany Waterbury. I thought that was you.”
She swallowed hard and looked next to her where she’d set the fake glasses. Quickly she slid them on.
“I’m sorry. My name is Beth Walker. I’m not…”
“That’s cute. Took your daddy’s last name?” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.
The black custom suit and blue tie was his style. The expensive sunglasses that still shaded his eyes didn’t take the heat out of them.
“Like I said, I’m not who you think…”
He leaned in, placed his hand on the computer screen, and closed it. “Don’t mess with me. As someone who has seen you naked and stoned, I think I know who the hell you are.”
Her teeth chattered and every muscle in her body clenched. She refused to cry. She refused to draw attention to herself at all. But suddenly those pancakes weren’t settled and she knew she couldn’t just get up from the table.
“Why are you here?” she finally gathered enough courage to ask.
“Why are you? I heard your pathetic mother died and you ran out of town. Had a contract you breached too. Nice way to leave an impression.” He reached for her hand and she pulled away.
“I don’t belong in Hollywood anymore.”
“You never really did. You and your mother just knew how to work deals, if you know what I mean.” He ran his tongue over his teeth. “I’m not here for you anyway. Wouldn’t waste my time. See that guy over there?” He nodded toward Kent. “That’s where the talent is. That’s the kind of man I’m out to work for. You should go introduce yourself,” he said as he stood. “Maybe he could beg to have you in his movies and then you could get on your knees for him,” he laughed as he walked away.
Bethany was violently sick now.
She gathered the laptop and ran to the back of the store where there was a bathroom. She locked the door and vomited hard, so hard that tears rolled down her cheeks and soon there was blood.
Her head spun and she sat down against the wall and sobbed.
She had to get out of there—out of Alabama and away from Kent Black.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kent looked toward the coffee shop where Bethany had been sitting, but he didn’t see her. He’d have gone to look for her, but the line of readers was out the door. Now was the time he could use Beth.
As he looked around, between greeting people with a smile that was now straining his cheeks, he saw Dez Armstrong headed toward him. What the hell? The producer that wanted to talk movie deals was in Huntsville, Alabama?
“Hey, Kent, how are you?” He was coming at him with his hand extended and ready to shake.
Kent stood and greeted him. “Hi. How are you? What are you doing here?” He rambled even with Hollywood people when he was nervous.
“Wanted to hunt you down. Talk to you about Quantum. It’s doing great on the charts. The studio thinks it could be a big deal in the theaters. The last was killer and it’s good to be a franchise,” he said with a laugh that sounded near sinister as he rested his hand on Kent’s shoulder.
“Great. Maybe I can call you and we could meet.”
“I’m here now. The bookstore said you’re done in a half hour.”
“I don’t know. We’re pretty lucky to still have a line,” he said.
Dez shrugged. “They’ll buy it anyway. You’re a big deal. You have to act like a big deal.”
“Right, well…”
Dez took his card from his jacket pocket. “As soon as you’re done. You call me. Let’s get this thing tied up.”
Kent nodded as he took the card and continued to scan the store for Bethany.
Dez turned to walk away as a very excited woman approached the table. She’d already grabbed Kent’s hands and was shaking both of them, professing her extreme love for his work when Dez turned back and lifted his dark glasses.
“Hey, Black,” he called out. “Bethany Waterbury, you heard of her?”
Kent’s mouth went dry and he stared at the man as the woman continued to talk to him.
“She’s lurking around here. Maybe she wants a role in your movie. Couldn’t hurt her career which is tanked.” He laughed with a wave and walked out of the store.
The woman holding his hands continued to talk to him. He managed to get a book and sign it for her, somehow sending her on her way, as he signaled the owner of the store.
“My assistant. Have you seen her?”
The woman nodded and pulled a note from her pocket. “She left just a bit ago. She handed this to one of my clerks and walked out with a laptop under her arm.”
He opened the note. HAD TO LEAVE. TOOK CAB BACK.
If she was trying to be cryptic about something that was wrong, she wasn’t doing a very good job. He was now panicked and his mind scattered to the million things that could go wrong.
He looked at the line beyond his table. There were about twenty more people and it looked as though they had roped off the entrance. Okay, he could do this, he thought. He’d finish the signing. Buy a few new books he could pull off the shelves for his nieces and nephews, then head back. Hopefully, Bethany was okay.
Within thirty minutes, he was in the van and headed toward the hotel. A bag of books he didn’t really even look at from the children’s section, in the seat next to him.
He’d called Bethany four times, but she hadn’t answered her phone. The closer to the hotel he got, the more worried he became.
Kent parked the van in two spaces. The worst parking job he’d ever done, but it just didn’t matter right now. He had to get to her.
He hurried through the hotel and to the room. Slipping his key card into the door, he pushed it open. The room was still and dark. The housekeeper had made the bed and usually opened the drapes. That said to him that Bethany had been there.
He opened the closet and only his clothes remained.
On the table was his laptop.
He opened it quickly and saw that whatever she’d written that day was still on the screen. The last sentence wasn’t even finished.
Quickly he called down to the front desk and asked if they’d seen her.
“She asked for a rental car. We had to send her in a taxi to get one.”
Kent hung up the phone, sat down on the bed, and buried his head in his hands.
She’d left him.
She’d just left him.
~*~
The damn attendant at the car rental had even asked for an autograph. Bethany swore that she’d never, ever give out another autograph as long as she lived. Bethany Waterbury was as dead to her now as Violet Waterbury.
Tears rolled from her eyes as she drove down the now dark highway. She had to get back to Georgia, collect her car, and leave. She didn’t know where. She just had to leave.
She’d turned off her cell phone so that no one could find her. The map the car rental place had given her had fallen between the seats. All she could hope for was that she was headed in the right direction.
Since the minute Dez had sat down across from her, her heart hammered
in her chest. She felt vile and dirty.
With a good amount of power, she whacked the heel of her hand against the steering wheel and screamed.
That man had manipulated her and used her since she was fifteen. He’d sexually used her as a pawn in his games. She’d awakened in his bed more than once and not known how she got there. How many rounds of pills had he purchased for her mother so that she’d pass out and he could be Bethany’s savior? “Just come home with me. She’ll be okay,” he’d say.
Kent didn’t deserve to have a woman like her in his life. Her family didn’t deserve to have a bad seed like her. Pearl was too kind and Audrey too innocent. Todd kept to himself and didn’t look for trouble and Jake lived life fast, he’d never notice she wasn’t in Georgia.
Even her own father would probably forget she’d been there in a week.
Susan…oh, Susan crossed her mind. She was more of a sister than her own sisters. She might be devastated to find Bethany gone and moved away. But there had to be somewhere she didn’t accidently fall into a crowd that once knew her.
It wasn’t Kent’s fault that their worlds somehow collided. He deserved his successes. He worked hard. Those books were his life—at least they were until she’d shown up.
Bethany reached for her purse and shook it out in the seat next to her. There was always a bottle of something in there to keep her calm.
But now there wasn’t. She’d thrown it all away, just as she’d promised Kent she would. No, she’d have to cry her way all the way back to Georgia, because she had nothing to suppress the pain she was feeling.
Once she was back, she could pack up and move on. She’d get help. Yes, that’s what she’d do. She’d get some help.
She’d drive to Atlanta and check into a rehab center. She’d legally change her name and she’d go on with her life—alone.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It was nearly midnight when Bethany walked through the front door of the silent house. Both Susan and Eric were gone.
Immediately it came to mind that perhaps their house was complete. Her father had said it was nearly done. Maybe they’d gone to stay there.
Stargazing (The Walker Family Book 2) Page 15
