by Stuart, Amie
Her daddy turned and opened his arms to let her in the circle they’d created, and she threw herself at him. Maggie’s hesitant kindness had always left her off-kilter, but with Daddy, she knew right where she stood. That didn’t keep the tears at bay. Or her anger.
She’d considered snagging the keys to Daddy’s suburban and going after Zander. Running him off the road and leaving him lying in a ditch, bleeding seemed better than he deserved. Not only for her sake but Betti’s. Poor Betti still hadn’t stopped crying.
But her mother’s words came back to haunt her: Be careful what you throw out into the Universe. It’d come back and bite you on the ass tenfold.
Maggie’s words caught her attention. "Delaney, I have to say something. We both know we’re supposed to focus on the future, the stuff we can control, but I sincerely regret the past.
"I regret that we missed so much of your life. If I hadn’t been so stubborn, all of this could have been avoided. Even the transition after your mother died would have been easier."
Delaney bit her lip against the tears that threatened, against the tears that poured down Maggie’s face.
"So you see, Jerrod, it’s not all your fault. It’s mine." She turned her tear-filled eyes back to Delaney and continued, "I know your mom meant the world to you and you two were very close and I can't ever replace her, but I love you as if you were my own."
"I miss her." She let Maggie pull her close and Dad wrap his arms around them both.
"I know," Maggie whispered. "It’ll be okay."
"Seeing you two together has done a lot for this battered old heart." He squeezed her so tight, Delaney could barely breathe. "What the hell are we going to do with all that turkey?"
* * *
Ty slumped on the couch, feeling as limp as the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. He couldn’t figure out which was worse—Zander’s treatment of Mom, Dad and Delaney or the look on Bee’s face when she’d found out about Rhea.
Dad had been right. He should have told her but hadn’t thought there was any harm in waiting one more day.
Bettina was awake and Angi and Aunt Susie were with her. She’d gotten sick again and he could still hear her crying. They’d put in a call to the midwife who finally called back and suggested they bring Bettina in if she didn’t start feeling better soon. But Bee refused.
"She’s resting," Angi said, sinking down next to him on the couch.
"How is she?"
"Well her stomach is finally empty."
He nodded and wished for just a minute that he was twelve again. At least at twelve life was fairly easy. "Does she hate me?"
"Why would she hate you?"
"I dunno." He shrugged, eyes on his hands. He’d never noticed how callused and busted up they looked
"Because of your ex?"
He nodded and buried his face in his hands. One more day. All he’d wanted was one more day.
"Ty, she could never hate you," Angi whispered, leaning closer and wrapping an arm around him.
He struggled for words. "I don’t know what to say to her. I’m just...numb." And angry and scared. "I’d planned on telling her. Honest."
"I believe you, and I’m sure she will, too. Just give her some time to settle down and sort things out in her head, and I’m sure she’ll talk to you. I know my sister and she’s not one to let things fester."
They were interrupted by a light knock on the door. "I’ll get it." Angi patted his back as she stood up.
Ty flopped back on the couch and kicked the coffee table with his booted foot, ready to throw everyone out and curl up with his wife. If she’d have him.
"That’s no way to treat your wife’s furniture." Tim softly closed the door behind him.
"Angi, could you leave us alone."
"I’ll be in the bedroom."
He waited until the bedroom door softly clicked before speaking. "Well?"
"Zander left." Tim sat in Betti’s big chair then rubbed his head and growled in frustration.
"That’s too bad. I hope he has a wreck on the way home." Ty pushed himself deeper into the couch.
"You wanna hit me? ‘Cause if that’ll help, you can."
He laughed. It was either that or cry. He abso-freakin-lutely hated confrontations and he’d really been through the ringer today. "It just all feels so weird. I should go talk to her."
"Then why don’t you?" Tim asked softly.
Unable to meet his brother’s eyes, Ty fidgeted, finally resting his chin on his fingers and frowning at nothing. "I ... I don’t want to see that look on her face again."
"What look?"
"That...sick...look. Like, pity...and disgust."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
TIGHTROPE
"You don’t disgust me," I said softly, swallowing a fresh round of tears at my husband’s words.
Ty stumbled to his feet, Tim right behind him. I crossed my arms and gave up on trying to stop the tears. "Tim, would you please leave and take everyone with you."
While he silently herded Aunt Susie and Angi out, I headed for the sofa on wobbly knees. My heart hurt and I felt as if someone had scooped out my soul and was playing soccer with it.
"You should be in bed." Ty watched me, concern visible in his red-rimmed eyes.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"You’re gonna make yourself sick, honey. Stop that." He reached for me and I hurled myself into his arms, burrowing against him as another round of sobs hit me.
I couldn’t even begin to process the fact that Rhea had abused him. It only made me want to scream and pull my hair in frustration—or hire a hitman. I’d never in my life felt so helpless and weak and frustrated. I hated it.
"Stop it, Bettina," he crooned, his arms around me. If anything, I cried harder at his gentleness. "Stop, stop it." He forced my head back and made me meet his eyes. I blinked and hiccupped as he snapped at me. "Stop it! Breathe!"
"I...I...I."
"Hush, don’t talk just breathe."
I breathed.
"Nice and slow. That’s my girl. Exhale nice and slow." His voice was low and gentle and I kept my eyes focused on him. "Better?" he asked, leaning closer.
I nodded and ducked my head, laying it on his chest.
"I was going to tell you." One hand cupped my face and he stroked my cheek with his thumb.
"When? When did you plan on telling me?"
"Soon. The next couple days. This weekend." His grip on me tightened. "And I want you to know something. Last Wednesday when I came home from Dr. Ritter’s, I made a promise to myself to give you one hundred percent because you deserved it. You still do. I hope you still feel like can give me the same."
"Who’s Dr. Ritter?" Last Wednesday when he’d disappeared. When we’d made love on the kitchen table and broken the dishes.
"My shrink."
We silently stared at each other while I let his latest revelation sink in. His stormy green eyes never blinked. I traced his eyebrows and cheeks with my fingertip, searching for the words to form some sort of reply.
But I didn’t have any.
"Bee, so help me God, if you could give me the chance, hell, I’ll even settle for fifty percent. I’ll be the best husband you could ever ask for. I’ll be so good to you and our baby. I’ll be the best daddy just...gimme a little."
Ty Boudreaux did not deserve to settle! If he had any clue just how much I loved him, he wouldn’t even have to ask, but this wasn’t the time for that discussion. Instead, I pressed my lips to his and whispered, "Wanna watch a home movie?"
He chuckled and kissed me, his lips sipping at mine. "I swear you won’t regret this," he said, his voice hoarse and low.
My heart broke all over again at his earnestness, but I painted a smile on my face and said, "I already don’t."
* * *
Still feeling hung-over from the previous day’s upset, I rolled over and confiscated Ty’s pillow when he got up. "I could fix breakfast."
"You don’t have to do that." He le
aned down and kissed me.
Since I’d be home all morning, the least I could do was cook. Besides we still needed to talk. I stretched and wiggled my toes, smiling at him. My nausea was almost gone, I just hoped the baby was okay after yesterday’s upset. "I want to. What do you want?"
"I want you to rest and take it easy." He kissed me again and faded away as I dozed off.
"Bee?"
"Hmm," I mumbled, scrubbing at my face and trying to wake up. The smell of soap and him filled my nostrils.
"Biscuits and gravy."
My eyes flew open and I nearly jumped out of my skin as I felt something firm and smooth press against my ear. "What the hell was that?" I screeched, rolling away.
"I kissed your ear." He chuckled, knowing damn good and well why I was upset.
I was wide awake now and eyeing my husband. "You shaved!" I might as well have caught him wearing one of my paisley blouses, I was so shocked.
He grinned self-consciously and rubbed a thumb across his bare chin. "Yeah. If you don’t like it, I can grow it back."
"No more pussy tickler." I fell back on the bed and covered my face with his pillow trying to block out the shocked look on his face and smother my giggles. The bed shifted as Ty leaned on the mattress. Oh God. He tugged the pillow low enough to reveal my eyes.
"Did you just say what I think you said?"
I nodded, snorting with laughter.
"I kept the moustache. That should count for something," he replied with a grin. "And I like my sausage well done."
"Well just for your information, I like my sausage hard," I shouted at his back.
He stopped, one hand on the doorframe, and looked over his shoulder at me. "Maybe tonight. If you’re a good girl."
I laughed long and loud as he headed out. "Ty Boudreaux!"
"Yeah, baby?" he bellowed from the living room.
"You’re a horn-dog!"
"And it’s all your fault," he announced with a slam of the door.
My laughter turned into chuckles that didn’t sit too well on my tender stomach. Wide awake now, I climbed in the shower where I scrubbed and shaved and washed my hair twice. Finally feeling like a whole human, I headed for the kitchen to start Ty’s breakfast.
Unfortunately, when he returned, he wasn’t alone. I hugged Tim, unable to miss the concern on his face, then set out another plate. All I wanted to do was talk to my husband in the clear light of day with a clear head. Was he avoiding a deeper discussion or was it all just settled in his mind?
Because it didn’t look like that talk would happen this morning.
After breakfast, they headed out to do whatever ranch work they had to do. I suppose, someday I’d sit down and make Ty give me a crash course in ranching, as long as he didn’t make me get on a horse.
Jessa showed up later that morning, while I was straightening up.
"I’ve already warned your husband about not knocking." Swallowing a sudden bout of nausea, I folded one of Ty’s t-shirts and added it to a growing pile.
"Sorry. I just came to see how you’re feeling. Looks like you and Ty hashed everything out."
"For the time being anyway." I finished folding a pair of Ty’s jeans and hung them on a hanger. Then picked up a plastic pill bottle and shook it to get her attention. "Do you see these?"
She nodded, her expression wary.
"Xanax. Prescribed to Ty Boudreaux. Now, I don’t mean to be a bitch, but I’m gonna. A week ago you walked in my house and threatened me…when you should have warned me. You could have saved us both a hell of a lot of heartache."
She sighed.
"Exactly! Instead of threatening me if I didn’t ‘run with the herd’, you could have clued me in. Did you know my husband was medicated!?"
"No!"
"But you knew he was seeing a psychiatrist? And you didn’t say a word, even knowing that I love him?" I growled as the front door slammed.
"Get used to it. There’s nothing you can do about that."
"The door? Hide and watch me."
"Betti-Sis?" I blew out a sigh of relief at the sound of Angi's voice.
"We’re in here."
"You’ve been busy," she said, giving me a hug and looking around. "Feeling better?’
"I’ll live, and good afternoon, Delaney. I see you lurking back there. How are you, sweetheart?" I held my arms open wide. "Come here."
With a sigh, she laid her head on my shoulder and we hugged. "I’m alright, and so glad you’re okay. I can’t believe how horrible he was."
"He was a rude-ass the night he got here too," Jessa said from her spot at the table.
My anger returned full force. "You mean this was preventable?" I demanded, looking over Delaney’s shoulder.
"Well, I don’t know if it was preventable, but I can’t say I was surprised," she said with an apologetic shrug.
I groaned, glad he was gone and praying he didn’t return for nine more years. "I have to go into work for a little while, once I get done here." I had a couple of haircuts to do. Despite being tired and slightly crampy all morning, I was bound and determined to get off the ranch, at least for a little while, today. If nothing else, I desperately needed to talk to Cassi. "Then I’m gonna come home and take a nap. What have you two got planned for the rest of the day?"
"Me, too. No, seriously, I need my nap before tonight."
Jessa left as Ty showed up to check on me, and our hugging and kissing nearly ran Delaney and Angi off.
"My God, Ty, did you shave?" Delaney asked.
I laughed so hard, thinking of our morning’s conversation, that I almost missed his muttered, "Yes ma’am."
"Looks real nice." Delaney smiled shyly at him and he grabbed her up in a big bearhug.
"I need to get back. I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Ty mumbled before kissing me again.
"I’m fine. Now, go get back to work."
"Bye, honey," Angi teased.
Ty stopped and looked her up and down. "Rowdy was asking about you, girl. Better be careful."
He laughed and never looked back as we yelled indignantly. After we’d settled down, I looked over at Angi, my eyebrows raised.
"What?" She frowned at me.
"Watch yourself."
"And for God’s sake," Delaney added, "take your birth control pills. They’re multiplying like gerbils around here."
* * *
I stuck my head in the door of Cassi’s room. "When you get done, come see me, please."
"What in the word are you doing here?" She glanced up from the set of nail fills she was working on and frowned at me.
"Deni’s gonna cut my hair and I’ve got a couple appointments. Catch me in a few."
She did, dragging Tara behind her, and they plopped down on the couch on either side of me. "What’s going on, Bettina? Did the in-laws try to roast you for Thanksgiving?"
"Is it that bad, sister? What did Ty do? Should we take out a contract?" This from Tara. Ms. Pre-Law.
"On his ex-wife, maybe. Thanksgiving was a national disaster." I grimaced, waiting for them to commiserate with me. After all, they were my best friends.
"Family gatherings just aren’t all their cracked up to be. Hell, my cousin "came out" and no one blinked an eye. That’s what happens when you belong to a family full of hairdressers."
I chuckled weakly, but Cassi didn’t blink.
"Tara, could you leave us alone?" Cassi asked.
She nodded and very wisely beat a hasty retreat, not even bothering to act insulted at being tossed out.
"Tell me."
"Ty’s brother...h-he was horrible!" Between sips of coffee, I finally managed to choke out part of my tale of woe. "He insulted almost everyone...the things he said to his mother. It was the most horrible experience of my life. We didn’t even carve the fucking turkey."
"Oh my God!"
"Oh but wait. It gets better...Rhea abused Ty." This morning’s low-level nausea seemed to double.
"Whoa! You mean like spousa
l abuse, abuse?" she hissed her voice just above a whisper.
"Yeah." I forced myself to meet her eyes.
"Did she...beat him or...what?" She wrinkled her nose and frowned, obviously as mystified as I about how it had happened.
"I didn’t ask, and to be honest, I’m not sure I want to know the particulars. We still haven’t really had a chance to talk about it."
"My God, y’all sure didn’t have much to be thankful for, did you?"
I shook my head. "Oh but wait, it gets better."
She flopped back against the couch and curled her feet underneath her.
"I found out in front of his whole family, but not until after his brother practically called me a whore."
"What an ass!"
"I feel so sick," I moaned, sitting up. "What time is it?"
"You need to take it easy—" Cassi shook a finger at me, "—and you and Ty need to talk."
"I know. I’m not staying long. But Deni’s cutting my hair and I really needed an ear to bend." I stood and stretched, working out the kinks in my back. "Ty’s playing at the dancehall tonight," I sighed.
"Betti?"
"You’re right." I turned and gave her a sheepish grin. "I’ll pin him down when I get home. You’re the best, by the way."
"That’s why I’m the best friend." With a smile, she stood and hugged me. "If you need me, you just call."
"Thanks." I yanked open my office door and hollered, "Deni!"
She stuck her head out of the room next to mine. "You look pitiful, Boss Mama. I told you not to get married," she teased.
"You gonna cut my hair or just stand there giving me grief?"
We headed for the shampoo bowls and she washed me, cut me and dried me.
"You wanna talk about it?" She yanked the smock off.
"In-law’s are for the birds," I quipped, standing.
"You need anything, just let me know—I know people."
I hugged her and headed to my room to get ready for my first appointment while thinking I really needed to start doing background checks on lessees. Physically I felt increasingly yucky...and crampy, and a quick trip to the bathroom revealed I was spotting.
