"No fucking way." Ben glanced around, his eyes wide, his face red. "It's just a promotion, guys."
"Senior manager is a big deal, dude. It's partner next or death. We're like the mafia, move up, but you don't get to move out." Damon moved through the crowd and walked toward Ben.
The guy's smile widened as Damon approached. "Thanks, boss."
"Boss at the office. Friend everywhere else." Damon reached out and pulled Ben into a quick hug. "The night's on the firm, so drink, eat, be merry."
"Just don't get the cops called on us, buddy." Philip patted Ben's back as he walked toward the large dance floor in the center, pulling Sadie along with him.
"Are they?" Damon turned and put his hand on his hip. "Really? I thought he was into you?"
"He was. Thanks for the reminder that I'm old news." Bethany pushed out her bottom lip, looking too cute for her own good.
"You're always front and center for me." Damon reached for her hand as the music started to play from the speakers in the ceiling. "Ben... the DJ is over there, man. Tell him what you want to hear. It's your night, buddy. Congrats."
"Thanks, bo- Damon." He smiled and jogged toward the bar as several of the staff followed him.
The dance floor filled up, which was good. Damon was used to playing the stiff asshole at the office. No one at the firm had seen him let his guard down, and he wasn't sure he necessarily wanted that to start tonight but dancing with his woman? Hell yes.
"Remember this place? Bottom level, the dance floor, you in a skimpy something with a mask and me pressed to the back of you?" He moved behind Beth, wrapping his arm around her and pressing his hand to the front of her tight stomach. "You were so fucking hot that night."
She moaned and rolled her hips as more people piled in around them. Glancing back, she stole his heart. Everything about her. He didn't let her answer, but leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her several times softly.
"What was that for?" She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Because I couldn't help myself." He memorized the way she watched him with interest, the look of love in her eyes, the sexy smile tugging at the side of her perfect mouth. "You were horny the last time we were here, remember? Demanding and shit?"
"You were a bastard." She pressed herself to him and licked her lips seductively. "You threatened to take me on your desk or in your bed, and then you took me home and left me wanting. Asshole."
"I had to make sure you wanted me for me and not my money." He brushed her hair back. "Never in a million years did I expect this."
"You thought we'd just sleep together and then become family and what?" She laughed, the sound of it causing his heart to flutter. How the woman had so much power over him was a mystery, a concerning, disturbing mystery.
"No... I thought we'd fuck a few times, you'd get addicted and become a stalker, and I'd have to put a restraining order on you." He laughed deep in his chest as she yelped and pulled away. "I'm teasing you, baby. I didn't know what would happen." He wrapped her in a tight hug, moving her around the dance floor, but never taking his eyes off of her. "I still don't know what's going to happen, but I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world besides here with you."
"You're getting sappy in your old age." She gave him a cheeky grin and pulled him down for a few short kisses. "I like it. A lot."
"Good. I'm pretty sure I'm just going to keep aging." He wagged his eyebrows as she grumbled something softly. "It's the best option I can see."
"My turn, boss." Ben cut in, stealing Bethany from him.
Damon moved back and smiled. Ben was about the only guy that could take his girl for a spin around the dance floor and Damon not be upset about it. He would come out of the closet sooner or later, but that would be his choice. Damon would support him no matter what. Ben's future was locked in with M&B without a doubt. The guy had given them 150% of himself since the day he was hired.
"Boss." Philip moved up beside him, a beer in one hand and the other tucked into his pocket.
"You get through that audit I put on your desk last week?" Regardless of the fact that he actually liked Philip and found his work to be outstanding. The guy had been interested in Beth. There was no getting around that.
"Sure did. Linda has the final files for you. She was typing up the opinion letter, and then it's all yours." Philip grinned. "It's two days earlier than the deadline you gave me."
"Yep. Buy yourself a beer on me tonight. Good job, kid." Damon patted his back and walked toward his dad and Karen, who were laughing about something in the corner together. "What are you two up to?"
"Just enjoying each other." His dad moved toward Karen and pulled her into a side hug. Bethany's mother looked like an older version of Beth. It was almost uncanny how much they resembled one another.
"It's not hard to do." Karen glanced up at his father. "I think we'll always enjoy each other though. He's soft when I'm not and hard when-"
"Too much info." Damon pressed his fingers to his ears and gave them a look of false disgust.
"Oh, hell." Karen pressed her hand over her mouth as her pretty face turned bright red.
"Damon. Jeez." His father rolled his eyes and popped Damon in the chest. "You'd be grounded for a week for that comment if you were just a little younger."
"A little younger?" Damon smiled. "I was teasing." He glanced around. "I know this is an office party, but I'm ready for Matt to get his ass home. When did he say he would be in?"
"Sometime on Sunday. We're picking him up unless you want to."
"This Sunday?" Damon's interest was piqued. "So he'll be here all week with us?"
"Yeah, Bethany wanted him involved in all the stuff for the wedding this week. You know she didn't want to do most of the stuff until the week of, which is insane, but she enjoys the last minute rush of getting things done." Karen rolled her eyes.
"She's a pantser." Damon glanced over his shoulder to find her dancing with another one of their associates. "Good thing I'm a planner."
"Yeah, well, just let her be who she is. That's who you fell in love with." Damon's dad patted the side of Damon's face as he turned back to them.
"You're just full of advice today, aren't you, old man?" Damon responded.
"I guess I am." Damon's dad shrugged. "It feels like you're growing up, finally. You'll have kids of your own soon, and then you'll understand."
"Wait a minute. Let us get married first and then-" Damon started.
"Kids! I cannot wait. Please tell me it's going to be sooner than later." Karen moved toward him, pressing her hands to his chest. "I would love to hear the sound of little feet filling up the hallways. You have to have three, or maybe four, or five."
"Or more," Damon's father chimed in.
"Or more what?" Beth moved up beside him, her breathing off kilter from dancing.
"Five or more kids." Damon wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "Your mom's request."
"What? Not only no, but hell no." Bethany reached out and took her mother's drink. "You want more kids; you have them."
To his surprise, Karen glanced up at Damon's father and smiled. "You wanna?"
"Oh God," Bethany mumbled and dragged Damon back to the dance floor, saving all of them from yet another awkward conversation. It would seem they were getting good at them, without Matthew being there to facilitate.
The world was suddenly a strange, strange place.
Chapter 27
Bethany
"Did you have fun tonight?" Damon reached for Bethany's hand as they walked toward the house.
"Yeah. You sure you don't need to go back to the office? I honestly understand if you do, Damon." She squeezed his hand and moved in front of him.
He wrapped his arms around her as she fumbled with the keys. As silly as it was, there was something so right about them being there together, waiting to walk into the house they shared. It was dreamy and a little overwhelming.
"No. I'll put in some extra hours next w
eek. Tomorrow is your graduation, and then Matt comes in on Sunday. I have my office here at the house if I need to wrap something up. Stop worrying. I'm yours for the next few days." He kissed the side of her neck, causing chill bumps to race down her back.
"Good. That sounds incredible." She pushed the door open and walked toward the kitchen, the sound of her heels filling up the hallway. "You go change, and I'll make us something to drink."
"That's my line." He popped her butt. "Go get out of those heels and that dress. I'll meet you in the living room in a few minutes with a bottle of wine."
She purred and walked toward the bedroom, shaking her hips a little more than was necessary. Her phone buzzed in her purse as she walked into their bedroom. Pausing, she pulled it out to see the same number that kept calling the day before.
Bethany dropped down on the bed and pressed the phone between her ear and shoulder as she worked on her first heel. "This is Bethany. Hello?"
Nothing. Complete silence. Then, breathing. Soft, masculine?
"Hello? Who is this? I'm hanging up and blocking your number if you don't-"
The call ended, leaving her with silence again.
"How frustrating." She reached up and grabbed the phone, tossing it onto the bed behind her before getting her heels off. It rang again, and she turned and flopped down on her stomach, barely able to reach it. "What do you want?" she screamed into the phone.
"Um, a cheeseburger, a massage and for you to enjoy your graduation tomorrow?" Matthew's voice surprised her but brought her to her senses.
She narrowed her eyes. "Have you been calling me and breathing into the phone like a weirdo?" She got up and pressed the phone between her cheek and shoulder again as she started to work on getting her dress unzipped.
"What? Oh man, I wish. Hell no. I've been knee deep in this art showing tomorrow with Jonathan. Erica was too busy with the firm to help me with this one, so it's been all me. I thought you weren’t actually an adult until you hit forty. I'm not sure it's fair to have to act like one this early in the game," he growled.
Bethany finally got her zipper down and moved back as her dress fell to the floor. It would have been the perfect time for Damon to come in and find her half naked, but he was in the living room by the sound of the TV in the background.
"Okay, well, someone keeps calling. Never mind." She huffed. "I wish you could be here tomorrow. I know it's selfish, and I'm sorry for that, but I miss you. Like, bad."
"I miss you too. I'm so sorry I didn't coordinate being back home with our showings better. That was stupid of me. I swear I only have so many brain cells to use, and walking and breathing are taking up A LOT of mine right now." He chuckled, and Bethany smiled.
There was no use in trying to be mad at Matt. It was impossible.
She walked to her dresser and pulled out a black nightie, the silk soft in her hands. "It's okay. I'm just ready to see you."
"Good. I called to make sure you or Damon were picking us up from the airport."
"Us? Is Erica coming early with you?" Excitement filled Bethany's chest.
"I’m not sure. I think so. Either way, she's going to work from the downtown office for most of the week, but she'll be free when we need to do this or that. It's going to be a pretty busy week, right?"
"Yeah. I saved a lot of stuff for the end just because I work better under pressure and I hate making decisions too far out. I always change my mind ten times, so this time I just waited."
"Smart girl." Matt cleared his throat. "Is Damon around? He's been so fucking busy that I haven't talked to him in a week. It's getting old trying to leave a voicemail message on his already filled up phone."
Bethany walked toward the living room with her nightgown in her hand, hoping to give her man a show. "Let me see where he is. He misses you too. He mentioned it yesterday."
She rounded the corner and stopped. The wine glasses sat on the table, the wine next to them and the TV playing softly in the background. Damon was on the couch, his hands clasped across his stomach, his eyes closed. The soft snoring coming from him was endearing and yet disappointing. He'd put himself under too much as of late. Why wouldn't he be exhausted?
"Well, not sure if you'll believe this, but he's passed out on the couch." She turned and walked back to the bedroom, trying to keep her voice down. "He's been working non-stop trying to get ready for the time off that I asked him to take for the wedding."
"Guess that's good and bad. At least he was willing to take the time."
"True. I'll have him call you tomorrow."
"No, I'll be in the showing all day. I'll just text you the time and flight number for Sunday. Just make sure someone is there to pick us up. If nothing else, send one of my dad's drivers."
"All right. Be safe. Love you." She tossed the nightie onto the chair beside her.
"Love you too. See you Sunday. I can't wait!"
She smiled and pulled the phone away from her ear before setting it down and undoing her bra. No need to wear something sexy seeing that Damon wasn't going to get up again until morning. She yawned and walked to her dresser to pull out a cotton t-shirt and sleeping pants, almost happy to get to wear them instead.
"Maybe him falling asleep early isn't such a bad thing." She snorted as she pulled the shirt over her head and the pants up her legs. She'd muscle him into the bed and lay in the circle of his arms until she passed out. It was something she loved to do, watch him sleep and wonder what he was dreaming about.
Hopefully her.
***
"You ready to go?" Damon moved around the bed, working on his tie and trying to get his feet into his shoes as Bethany stood behind him, checking out her dress in a full-length mirror.
"Yeah. I'm sorry about the alarm. That was stupid of me. I finally got you in the bed last night, put the wine up and crawled into the bed to snuggle with you a little before you fell back asleep. I figured I would get back up and read a little. I never got back up." She huffed and brushed her hands down the front of her dress. "Does this-"
"It's beautiful." He moved toward her, gripping her hip and pulling her toward him. "Fix my tie and let's get out of here. You have to line up in thirty minutes and traffic is going to be a bear."
"Okay. I'm sor-"
"No more apologies, Beth. It was an accident." He touched the side of her face, smiling as she worked on his tie.
"What? I keep thinking I know that grin, but it means something new every time I see it." She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and tilted her head, trying to concentrate on getting his tie just right.
"I'm not telling you. My secrets are my own, but I will say this... I'm proud of you. You're graduating with your master’s from a great school and you're doing it with a 4.0. I'm rarely impressed, but you just keep pulling off feat after feat."
She finished with his tie and touched the sides of his face. "I just expect a lot from myself. High standards. High rewards."
"Who taught you that?" He pulled her hands down from his face and leaned down to kiss her a few times. "You know what? Tell me in the car. We're late!"
"My dad did, though I don't know why. He obviously had no standards at all." She pulled back and walked toward the hallway. "We'll be fine. It's not like the ceremony starts anytime soon. We practiced the lineup yesterday. What in the world could they want from us now?"
"It takes time to get that many excited people in the right order." Damon moved up behind her. "Just look for us in the stands."
She smiled and reached for the door. "Am I going to be able to find you out of the thousands of people there?"
"Yep."
"Why does this worry me?"
He laughed. "Because it should?"
***
The big pink signs Damon, Kent and Bethany's mom waved for her as she walked across the stage weren't easy to miss. Their voices weren't very loud, but their efforts were heard loud and clear. Her eyes filled with tears as she walked down the far end of the stage, diploma in hand. It was a g
reat honor to complete her master’s, but even more than that, she had three people in the stands that thought the world of her. And a few more coming into town the next day.
"I'm proud of you." Kendal stood at the bottom of the stage with a smile on his handsome face. He was decked out in his master’s attire and looked studious.
"Thanks. I'm pretty proud of me too." She extended her hand, knowing that he hated any public display of affection. His past didn't allow for too many questions to be asked about involvement with a student.
"Cocky thing. You're taking after Damon now." Kendal shook her hand before pulling her into a quick hug. "You know I could always get you a job at the college. Just say the word."
She smiled. "Maybe down the line, but for now, I'm going to figure out where my place is beside Damon at M&B. I'm not sure it's there, but we'll see."
"Good. We'll talk soon. Congratulations." Kendal moved back to let her pass.
She glanced back and noticed that the line was getting a little ridiculous behind her. Time to let everyone else have Dr. Tarrington's attention. It was coveted in the accounting department, no doubt.
Bethany made her way toward her seat, but something caught her eye. A man stood by the exit closest to the graduate seats. He turned about the time she really got a good look at him, but she didn't need much more than a few seconds. She'd know him anywhere.
"Dad?" She walked past her row, ignoring the urging of the professor in charge of getting the graduates seated again.
The guy walked out of the Coliseum and into the chilly night air, stopping just outside the door and glancing up at the sky.
Bethany picked up her walk to a jog. Maybe she saw what she wanted to see. Maybe he wasn't who she thought he was, but she couldn't not test out the theory. If it was him? What the fuck was he doing there? Did she really want to see him after all the years of living without him? She was only twelve when he left. Seemed like ages ago.
Mister Big Stuff_A Single Mom Friends to Lovers Novel Page 90