"How was your weekend?" he inquired in a tone of forced cordiality.
"Um, it was great. I really needed to get out of this place for a few days, and feel young again. Thanks for letting me go." She bent and kissed him on the cheek.
His face softened a tiny bit. "You got some mail while you were gone."
Gianna froze. "Oh?"
"Oooooh, yes." William held a small white letter up, the top jagged from being ripped open.
"You opened my mail?" Her indignation was tempered with the anxiety rising in her stomach.
"I couldn't resist. See, there are only two people who would be sending you mail from Wyoming - Les or Kara, and that's not either of their handwriting. Come to think of it, I think I've seen it before, I don't know, on her homework or somewhere. Here, read it. Unless you'd rather I just tell you what it says?"
Gianna snatched the letter away from him, sitting down on the couch and devouring it. When she was finished she looked up at her brother, smiling incandescently.
"You can wipe the smirk off your face now."
"William, don't you see? She still cares about you too, it's so obvious. This is good news! You should be thanking me."
Crossly, William rose from the chair and strode out of the room into the kitchen, bracing his hands against the counter. "You never should have sent her a letter without talking to me first. It was none of your business, Gi."
"Blah, blah, blah. Don't be such a drama queen, William. She deserves to know why you ran out on her. And anyway, it was my information to share."
"You went beyond that Gianna, and you know it. You told her I'm not happy?"
"Well, you're not! You're stubborn and ornery and you're always staring off into space, and you work out too much. You're going to look like the Terminator soon."
William blew out an exasperated breath. "What did you tell her? Exactly. Everything."
"I don't remember everything I said, William. I told her about Jaxon and why you came home. I told her you still loved her and were sorry for being a jerk, even if you weren't saying it."
"You said WHAT?!" The counter issued an ominous crack, as if it might snap under the pressure. "I never even told her I loved her, Gi!"
"Well, you should have, because it's true. Someone needs to be honest with her, William. You're my brother and I love you. But you're being an idiot about this."
William rubbed his forehead.
"Have you called her?" Gianna pressed.
"For crying out loud, Gi. What, exactly, am I supposed to say to her? 'Hey Beth, it's been a while…..thought you should know I can't live without you……wanna have a double wedding?'"
That sidetracked Gianna. "Wedding?"
William sighed. "Les called last night to tell me he's engaged. They're getting married here in a month."
"So…….?"
"So, Beth is Jenna's maid of honor."
Gianna squealed. It was like being handed a bouquet of balloons and a three-scoop ice cream by your very own clown. "And you're the best man! Oh, this just couldn't get any better!"
William, apparently resigned to the fact that he had lost the argument, banged his head on the counter several times, but Gianna just smiled. A scheme had begun to take shape in her head, and if she was going to pull it off, she had a lot of work to do.
SHELLS
"We…..were exceedingly agreeable, as we did not speak above once in three miles."
~Jane Austen
When Beth's flight touched down, she finally loosened her grip on the arm rests. She had never been on an airplane before. In fact, she had never been further from home than Hartford until now. The takeoff had been exhilarating, but the descent had left her queasy and her ears wouldn't pop, upsetting her equilibrium and making her feel heavy and sluggish. Exhausted, she hoped she would be able to squeeze a rest in before meeting everyone for dinner. As she followed the other passengers off the plane, Beth unwrinkled a piece of paper from her pocket, on which had been penciled step-by-step instructions for getting from the plane to the Bradfords'.
The plan was to catch a shuttle which took her to some kind of bus depot, where Jenna would pick her up and take her to Les's to change and deposit her bags. Jenna had said there was a monitor at the airport that listed all shuttles and the times they came in. Locating the monitor was pretty easy; but deciphering the red dots scrolling across it (apparently words), was another matter entirely.
Another wave of fatigue broke over her as she squinted at the dots. In her haze of weariness she almost missed the weight of her duffel being lifted from her shoulder. A belated sort of alarm gripped her and she whirled, anticipating a confrontation with some nameless terrorist.
Instead, William stood before her, tall and somber. His eyes were burning into her as they always had, though the flame was tempered with gravity.
Beth snapped her jaw shut, unsure how to react. After opening and closing her mouth three times she managed, "What are you doing here?"
William looked down at his shoes, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The dinner reservations have been changed, and if you take the shuttle you'll be late. Jenna and Les were going to come get you, but there was some big catastrophe with the cake, and they had to meet with the wedding coordinator." He looked back up at her. "So, here I am."
Beth tried to smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. "Oh. Well, sorry…you…had to come. I'm sure there are a million other things you'd rather be doing," she said, trying to control the trembling in her voice.
William looked at her steadily for a moment, then blinked. "Did you check any bags?"
"Nope, this is it," Beth answered, twisting her fingers together. For a moment, she wished she'd checked luggage - then at least she would've had something else to do with her hands.
"The car's this way," William said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.
Beth nodded, then fell into step beside him. She could feel the heat crawling from her chin to her hairline. Obviously, she'd known she would see William at some point - and several times at that. But she hadn't been prepared for sooner rather than later. Tucking a clump of hair behind her ear, she dared a glance up at William, and found him watching her with wary interest. When she raised her eyebrows, questioning him, he looked away quickly.
"You cut your hair," he said with a touch of accusation.
Beth rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're one of those old fashioned long hair sticklers," she said dryly.
William chuckled a bit unsteadily. "No, it's just different -" he broke off awkwardly. "It looks good on you," he finished quietly.
Beth looked at him for a long time and couldn't think of anything to say. Resisting the urge to touch her hair again, she quickened her pace.
They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence, William carrying her duffel and Beth crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Somehow, she wasn't at all surprised to see that William's car was shiny, red, and topless. "Nice car," she commented. "Is it a Porsche?"
William withered a look at her, popping the trunk to stow her bag. "It's a Ferrari California," he answered. "Zero to sixty in three point eight seconds…..four point three liter V8.…." His voice faded when he took in Beth's obviously blank expression. They stood at the passenger door now, William looking down at her. "She tops out at one hundred ninety three miles per hour - or so I've heard," he added virtuously.
"She?"
William just smirked. "Anything with this kind of punch has to be female."
Beth almost smiled, nearly forgetting that she was not on good terms with this person. No matter how darkly his eyes sparkled while he teased her, she had no right to be smiling and laughing with him. There was no picking up where they left off.
After an uncomfortable moment when their fingers collided as they both reached for the door handle, Beth stepped back as William opened her door. A moment later they were speeding toward the restaurant.
They drove in silence for several minutes before Beth decided she couldn'
t avoid the question any longer. She had tried to think of a few different ways to get the information she needed without actually talking to William, unsuccessfully. Then she decided they were going to be spending the whole weekend together, both of them being in the thick of things, and that she had better just break out the ice pick and let the chips fly.
"So, do you know what kind of place we're eating at? Do I need to change?"
William's eyes took in her shape hugging t-shirt and her faded jeans and sneakers. Then he looked back at the road. "It's called Bob's Ribs & Spuds and there are peanut shells all over the floor," William answered, amused. "You're perfect." He flushed red and set his jaw.
Beth wasn't sure how to take it. Maybe he meant that it was a white-trash hang out for loose women. Maybe he just meant that she didn't need to be dressed up. Maybe he wanted to step on her and crunch her, like a peanut shell. She looked out the window instead of replying, folding her arms across her stomach as if her insides were falling out, wondering if she could possibly be in a more awkward situation.
Several uncomfortable minutes later, William parked the car against the curb and Beth's head swiveled in confusion. "They serve food here?" The question came out more like a statement.
William smiled the first genuine smile she had seen since he picked her up, and she found herself staring at his mouth. He didn't seem to notice. "I never took you for an uptown girl, Beth."
No, you wouldn't take me at all, Beth thought miserably. She looked back out the window and took in the establishment again, trying to picture barrels of beer, drinks being served in jar-mugs, and rat bait flooring. The exterior was entirely covered with brown shingles, and there was a small neon sign flashing out from a dirty window: BOB'S B S AND S UDS. "BS and suds?" Beth read uncertainly, feeling stupid when she realized some of the letters must be out on the sign.
William almost laughed. "Pretty aptly named, I think."
Beth colored. "Did Les and Jenna choose this place?"
William eyed Beth, as if he were debating something. "It was suggested that Jenna's parents might be more comfortable coming here than some fancy restaurant," he finally offered carefully.
Beth turned to face him, her scowl deepening. "Suggested by whom?"
"Kara, I think. His parents didn't want to offend her parents."
Beth blew out her breath in frustration, letting herself out of the car before William felt like he needed to get the door. Kara had some nerve. Even though she was Les's sister, Beth hadn't seen much of her the last few months. It seemed the reason for her being such an attentive sister had flown across the country. Beth hadn't missed her in the least.
William pulled the shack's door open silently, waiting for Beth to go in ahead of him. The party was seated right up front at a collection of tables that had been pushed together to form a last supper-type slab. Jenna and Les rushed over to greet Beth, Les gathering her up in an enthusiastic hug, and Jenna kissing her on the cheek. Les introduced Beth to his parents, who sat at the near end of the table, across from Jenna's parents. At the far end of the table Kara sat with her lofty expression. To Beth's dismay she saw two empty seats across from Kara, no doubt destined for William and herself. Kara waved half-heartedly at Beth, an artificial smile painted on her unnaturally tan face. Beth hugged Jenna's parents as she walked by them and took her seat, William settling in next to her.
Kara probably wants a front row seat to the train wreck, Beth thought in disgust.
As if she had been lurking in the shadows, the waitress slinked up to the table and asked for the drink order, starting with Beth.
"Dr. Pepper? A big one."
"Mr. Pibb okay?" the waitress managed through her chewing gum. She had unnaturally blonde frizzy hair, which had been pulled back in an attempt to tame it. Her lips had been painted with pasty pink lipstick, and her t-shirt (which was at least three sizes too small) spelled out SPUD LOVE in blood red lettering. Her bra was lacy, black, and peeking suggestively out of her plunging neckline.
"Sure," Beth managed when the waitress made an impatient noise.
The waitress took in William and smiled hugely, revealing a very large gap between her front teeth. "What'll it be for you, handsome?"
William ordered ice water, smiling back flirtatiously. Beth rolled her eyes. The waitress took the rest of the drink orders, walking slowly past William back to the waitress station. Beth stared at him and he continued to grin.
Kara, evidently sensing her own exclusion, leaned across the table with a pouty expression. "William, where's Gi-Gi? You promised you would bring her."
Beth noted that instant annoyance took over his face. Before he could answer, Kara addressed Beth.
"Gi-Gi is as good as my sister. I just adore her! She looks up to me so much."
Beth had to exert an obscene amount of self-control not to let the disgust she felt contort her face. Gi-Gi? Yech.
"Gianna really wanted to meet you," William said to Beth, ignoring Kara completely. "But she had a support group thing tonight."
Beth didn't know what to say, so she just blinked.
William stood abruptly. "I forgot - I was supposed to let her know you got in okay. I'll be right back." Pulling his phone from his pocket, he stepped outside the front door.
Beth watched him go, reeling. Gianna wanted to meet her. Beth had known that - Gianna had said so herself in her letter. But she'd charged her brother to apprise her of Beth's safe arrival as well. Beth felt an elusive connection to Gianna, though it was not something she could put into words, let alone explain to satisfaction.
Beth was pulled from her thoughts by Kara taking William's empty seat beside her. "Poor William," Kara crooned. Next she'd be calling him 'Wee-Wee.'
"He's so worried about Gianna," Kara continued. "I'm the only one she trusted with her little secret. The reason she took a year off school and all." She eyed Beth with a distinct neener-neener expression, and Beth grit her teeth. No doubt Kara was feeling her out to see if she was in on the big mystery. But Beth wasn't about to gift wrap her the satisfaction.
"Oh, right - Columbia. I heard about that. It must be such an honor to have an ivy league school like that grab you up before you've even graduated!" Beth leaned forward eagerly and rested a hand on her chin in a decided 'let's gossip' posture. When Kara rewarded her with a stupidly blank expression, Beth popped up out of her seat. "I have to use the bathroom. Do you want to come, Kara? We could bond!"
Kara's eyes widened and Beth dropped the act. "Yeah, me neither," she remarked dryly, turning away from the table..... and running into William.
He looked like he was trying not to laugh. How long had he been standing behind her? Biting her lip to hide a smile, she hurried past him, peanut corpses crunching underfoot.
A moment later, Beth stood in front of what she assumed was the bathroom. "You've got to be kidding me." It was no bigger than one of those portable bathrooms they have at fairgrounds, and there was a crooked sign hanging on the door that read Ye Olde Outhouse. Pushing it open, she was relieved to see an actual toilet and not a hole cut into a slivery plank. She took her time washing and drying her hands at the rusty water spigot, which you had to manually pump for water. Then she brushed on some lip gloss and ran her fingers through her hair. William had noticed her haircut, as she'd known he would. The few times they'd been together at Hartford, he'd seemed quite interested in her hair. The memory of his hands tangling in it constricted her heart in her chest. Knock it off, she scolded her reflection. You can't be thinking about all that now. Keep your head in the game.
When Beth returned to the table, she couldn't decide what she was feeling more - relief or trepidation - at seeing Kara back in her own seat and William next to the empty seat meant for her. Avoiding both pairs of eyes, she sat down and seized her drink. She had been right about the glasses - they were large jars with handles. At least they were clean, though, which was a perk for a place like this. Beth winced as the soda frothed in her mouth, stinging her tongue. Pull
ing back and glowering into her drink, she made a disgruntled noise. One lone ice cube floated weakly at the top, so there was nothing to cut the fizz. She may as well be drinking from the can. Feeling William's eyes on her, she decided to busy herself with the menu.
"Beth," Jenna called from Kara's other side, "don't let me forget - tomorrow at nine a.m. you have a fitting for your bridesmaid dress."
"Okay."
"And, I wanted to ask you how you felt about singing at the reception."
Beth groaned inwardly. "I thought you had a guy singing already - one of Les's friends?"
"An old roommate of ours," Les piped up. "William's cousin, Fritz."
"Fritz? Is he German or something?" Without realizing it, she had turned to William with her question.
"He's a music guy," William offered dryly, sidestepping the ethnicity question. "He has his own studio here in New York. He's one of those artsy types," he finished with a sidelong glance at her.
Was he actually trying to provoke her? It seemed like it. Ignoring him, she addressed Jenna. "Okay, so tell me again why you want me to sing instead?"
Jenna swallowed a mouthful of peanuts. "Not instead - with. We want you guys to do a duet."
Beth sat still, considering. "What's the song?"
"An 'original' he wrote for the happy couple," William answered, framing the word with quote marks in the air.
Beth noted the distant apprehension in his eyes, though she couldn't account for it. She sighed. "I don't know, Jenna. Will I even have time to learn a song?"
"It's already settled. I'll take you over there tomorrow after the dress thing. I'm sure you'll pick it up fast."
Beth felt like she was missing an inside joke. "Why bother asking if it's already settled?"
Jenna shrugged, smiling angelically over at Beth, fully aware of the fact that Beth couldn't stay mad at her for long. She'd never been able to, and that wasn't likely to change on the most important weekend of her best friend's life.
The waitress returned to take their orders, starting at the opposite end of the table this time and ending with Beth. The waitress was stowing her notepad when William added, "Can you also bring me a glass of ice, please?" Then he gave her a dazzling smile before looking at Beth.
Pride's Prejudice Page 19