It was creepy and enthralling how he could stare me down like he could see completely through me. He wasn’t fooled one bit by my loud mouth or the too-bright-too-fake smile that I always wore. He saw me for me; the plain-Jane, broken Bethany.
My life wasn’t butterflies and rainbows. It was rough, and my mask was the only thing I owned that I could hide behind. Well, besides my best friend Princess. I hid behind her beauty a lot. She’s not like me. She’s strong and never lets anyone push her around, and it made me gravitate toward her like a dog to a bone.
My phone goes off, the ringtone blaring Avenged Sevenfold loudly. Grabbing it quickly, I take off into the bathroom, so it doesn’t wake up Maverick. He fell asleep in the car after I’d picked him up on my way home from the restaurant. As much as I want him to be up and alert so I can spend some time with him, you don’t wake a toddler at bedtime; you just don’t do it.
“Hello?” It’s whispered in a rush as I close the thin bathroom door and swipe across the screen to answer.
“Hey! Are you having sex? Oh, my God, why in the hell did you answer the phone?”
Her excited rush has me breathing out a giggle. “No. dumbass, Mav is sleeping, I was running.”
“Why were you running if he’s asleep?”
“Because my ringtone would’ve woken him up.” With my little boy being around me every moment that I’m not working, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to live without having a kid. Princess has her man and his little brother, who’s not so little. More like a six-foot-three, eighteen-year-old that eats her out of the house practically.
“Oh, well, I feel like an ass.”
“Don’t, you’ll figure it out someday.”
She huffs, and in my mind, I can picture her rolling her eyes. “Viking still says he needs more time with me, to himself.”
“Trust me, don’t rush it. Enjoy each other while it’s you guys. Maverick is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but it’s not easy, Prissy.”
“I must sound so ungrateful to you, and you’re the one always over-working yourself.”
“I don’t mind; he’s worth it. Plus, I don’t like you sending me money. It makes me feel guilty, and I don’t like that hanging over our friendship.”
“I’ve known you my whole life, and that kid is my family too. It’s nothing. Besides, what would I do with it anyhow?”
“I don’t know, go grocery shopping maybe?”
She laughs, and it brings a smile to my face. I miss her so much. I miss the many nights we were off screwing around, just having fun together.
“You’re still coming, right? No excuses?”
“It’s your wedding, I wouldn’t miss it.”
“You promise?”
“For the millionth time; yes. I promise I’ll be there, with bells on and Maverick at my side.”
“Okay…it’s just…well, I told you that it’s going to be at the compound.”
“We’ll be fine. No one will remember me and nobody knows anything about Mav. He’s the only concern I have.”
“Night and Vike have grown close since Nightmare gave up his Nomad patch.” She admits softly.
“He’s not a Nomad anymore?” I trail off, not being able to hold back from asking about him. His name has my mind racing with the few memories I have of him.
“No, he’s not; I thought I told you?”
“You, ah, haven’t mentioned anything.” I would remember if she had; I remember everything she says about him, and it’s been kept to a minimal, even over a three-year period.
“Right, sorry. I don’t want to bring him up. I just don’t want you to be blindsided either. You’re finally coming home after three years, and I don’t want anything at all to go wrong. I need you here, standing beside me when I tie the knot.”
“I still can’t believe he asked you to marry him.”
“Me either. From Viking, it was the last thing I ever expected, but he’s calmed down a bit, you’ll see.”