Unbroken Promises

by Dianne Stevens

  As Jesse was turning the boat around for Beth to have the best run, Beaux walked over to Beth. He began helping her with the ski jacket. He positioned her so Jesse would get the best view of him trying to help her. Jesse stopped the boat and waited for her to get ready. He steamed as he watched Beaux put his hands all over Beth.

  “Mais, de zipper seems to stick some rat here. She might need another jacket,” Beaux said smiling as he zipped the jacket up and down over her breasts.

  “Beaux, the jacket is fine!” Jesse said heatedly. “Beth, jump in.” Beaux looked at Jesse, “I’ll jomp back in and help Beth get started sk-…”

  “The hell you will…!” Jesse fumed. “Cody, get ready to go back in and help Beth,” he ordered.

  Cody, who was still laughing, jumped in.

  “Aye, aye, mon ami,” Beaux saluted, and grinned. “Jus’ trying to help out a lovely lady in need of a gentleman’s assistance.” Then the smug chuckling Beaux took a bow.

  “Gentleman, my ass. The man must have lost his mind if he thought I’d let him in the water with Beth knowing he would be putting his hands on her to steady her before the boat pulled her up. I have known him way too long to ever allow that to happen,” Jesse mumbled to himself.

  “Jesse, don’t leave me in the water as long as you did Beaux. As soon as Beth remembers how to get up, swing around, and pick me up,” Cody said from the water After everyone took turns again, they headed back to the cabin. Jordon invited them all to stay overnight. He said they had plenty of room for everyone. Jesse knew he’d have a nervous breakdown before this was all over. Beaux was flirting equally with Beth and Donna. Beaux had driven his own vehicle, but did he decline Jordon’s offer to stay the weekend? No-o-o…the coonass said he would lo-ve to stay, Jesse pouted.

  After they had eaten a light dinner, Beaux asked the girls and Cody if they wanted to play cards with him on the porch.

  “No, thanks, I’m too tired,” Cody said, but both girls said, “Sure.” On the way out Beaux whispered in Jesse’s ear, “Do you tink I can talk them into a game of strip poker?” Jesse wanted to choke him. “You can try,” was all he replied, knowing Beaux was just trying to get him riled up again.

  They hadn’t played very long when Beth rushed back in the house asking who wanted to go into town to watch a movie. She explained that, if they left now, they could still have time to catch the late show.

  “Beth, I’m tired and ready to go to bed,” Jesse said. He just wanted to get this weekend over with and sleeping through it sounded pretty good to him, but he couldn’t sleep and keep Beaux and Beth apart.

  “I’m pretty tired myself; I think I’ll call it a night, too,” Donna said, knowing Beaux was up to more of his mischief.

  “Well, shâ , I guess dat jus’ leaves you and me,” Beaux said as he came up behind Beth and put his arm around her shoulder.

  Jesse came up out of the chair at the same time Jordon and Susan walked in.

  “They don’t even have a movie theater in this little town,” Jesse said, feeling smug.

  “Mais, dat’s a shame,…” Beaux said as he shook his head as in defeat. Then he looked up.

  “But, you know, I did see an old drive-in movie theater in de next town; and, if I’m not mistaken, it plays movies all de’ night long. Come on, Beth, if were goin’, we better go or we’ll miss de beginnin’ of de first movie,” Beaux said with that cocky grin of his.

  “That sounds fun. I’ve never been to a drive-in before. How do they work? Do they have popcorn and drinks or should I make some to take with us?”

  “Non, dôn worry ‘bout dat, there’ll be a building in de center selling food and drinks. De theater is set up so dat you pull your car into a parking space facing a huge screen. There’ll be a speaker on a pole right next to de driver’s window. You put dat speaker on de window and roll your window back up. When de movie starts playin’, you watch and listen to it from your car.”

  “So we sit and watch from the car. That sounds cool, and the weather is comfortable enough we won’t get hot,” Beth said.

  “Well, Boo, if we get hot, I’ll jus’ turn de car on and let de air conditioner run.”

  “Did you, by chance, see what was playing?” Beth asked.

  “Yeah, Beaux, did you, by any chance, see what these movies were rated?” Jesse asked with the hope Susan or Jordon would help out some because he knew most the shows at that theater were rated “R” or even “X.” He didn’t want Beth in the car alone with Beaux period, but he especially didn’t want them alone watching an X-rated movie together.

  “Beth, do you have your key to get in the house? We’ll all be asleep by the time y’all get home,” Jordon said, which made Jesse seethe with anger because he wanted Jordon to tell Beth she couldn’t go.

  “Yeah, Daddy, I have it.” Then she went and kissed him bye. “I’ll see y’all later tonight,” Beth said as she turned to go.

  “Hold up. Cody wants to go with y’all,” Jesse said and stared at Cody, with a “you know what I’m saying” look on his face.

  “No, he doesn’t. We’ve already asked him,” Beth said.

  Cody looked back at Jesse with an “I’m tired and I want to go to bed look,” but then said,

  “No, I think I’ve changed my mind. I haven’t seen a movie at a drive-in before either. I’ll just be a minute.” As Cody passed Jesse, he said low enough for only him to hear, “You owe me big for this.”

  Jesse nodded his head once slowly. Jesse stayed where he was until Cody came back down from the loft. When Cody walked by him, Jesse gripped his arm, and whispered in his ear.

  “Cody, don’t fall asleep.”

  “Shoot, Jess. I’ll do my best but I’m awful tired. I’ve been up since five. Why are you so worried? You’ve known Beaux since you were a kid.”

  “You’ve just answered your own question.”

  “Jess, even if I do fall asleep. I’ll still be in the same car with them. They ain’t gonna make out while I’m sitting in the back seat for goodness sake.”

  “Just don’t fall asleep.” Jesse knew that what Cody said was probably true, but he didn’t want any form of ‘making out’ going on.

  “Alright, alright, I’ll do my best,” Cody said exasperated, then walked out the door to join Beth and Beaux.

  Beth enjoyed herself. She found Beaux to be very entertaining. The temperature was perfect with the light breeze blowing gently through the windows, carrying with it the smell of the concession stand. In addition, surprisingly there were no mosquitoes. The movies were as bad as the ones she had watched at Tammy’s when she was in tenth grade, but she still thought they were very romantic. Cody had fallen asleep in the back seat not 20 minutes after they parked.

  Beaux bought them some popcorn, candy, and drinks. They ended up watching three movies in a row before they left. It was about four in the morning before they made it home. Beth woke Cody up and sent him to bed.

  Jesse hadn’t slept all night worrying about Beth. If he didn’t think Susan or Jordon would have overruled him, he would have made Beth stay home, but he knew they liked Beaux and wouldn’t have seen anything wrong with it. They most likely would have encouraged it, but they didn’t know Beaux like he knew Beaux.

  The man loved women. He had a gift of words and maneuvers like Jesse had never seen before. Any women, virgins included, didn’t last very long alone with him. As far back as Jesse could remember, Beaux got just about every woman he set his sights on. In Jesse’s heart, he really didn’t believe Beaux would try to seduce someone he knew Jesse loved, but Jesse didn’t like leaving anything to chance. After a sleepless night of staring at the ceiling and pacing the floor, he knew he made a mistake. He should have just forgotten his pride at seeing Beaux’s smug knowing smile and gone with them.

  It was four in the morning, when Jesse finally saw the car lights. After hearing the car’s engine turn off and the doors slam shut, he crawled back in bed and waited. There were three beds in the loft where he, Beaux, and Co
dy were to sleep.

  It was about 10 minutes later before Jesse heard boots clomping up the steps. Cody stepped through the door and shut it quietly behind him. Jesse could tell by looking at him he’d been sleeping.

  “You fell asleep, didn’t you?” Jesse accused.

  “Jesse, I tried to stay awake, but I couldn’t do it. I was just too tired to babysit. I tried to tell you how tired I was, but you wouldn’t listen,” Cody said in defense before he fell in his bed and went back to sleep.

  Jesse knew he shouldn’t blame Cody. He lay back down and waited for Beaux to come up.

  After waiting about 20 minutes, he gave up. He jerked on his pants and stormed downstairs to see what was keeping him.

  The downstairs consisted of a kitchen, living room and two bedrooms. Jordon and Susan had one bedroom and Beth and Donna were sharing the other. When Jesse climbed down the stairs, he looked all over for Beaux. He didn’t see him in the kitchen or the living room. That only left outside. “What could he still be doing outside? I didn’t hear him leave,” Jesse thought.

  Jesse walked over to the window and looked out. Even though it was still dark, he could see the silhouette of Beaux on the porch holding and kissing Beth. Jesse saw nothing but red. He was enraged. He was still in enough control of his anger that he wasn’t going to hurt Beaux, but he was going to let him know he’d had enough.

  Jesse opened the front door and threw the screen door open so hard it banged up against the wall. He marched straight up to Beaux, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and shoved him against the wall.

  “Beaux, I’ve had enough! I’m tired of this sh-.”

  The porch light flashed on and Jesse knew someone was behind him. He knew it was probably Jordon, and Jesse had no idea what he was going to say.

  “Jesse, what in the world are you doing to Beaux?”

  Jesse turned slowly and looked at Beth standing there in his shirt and a pair of pajama pants.

  Then he closed his eyes and slowly turned his head back to the woman standing beside Beaux.

  When he opened his eyes, Donna was looking back at him with a peculiar look on her face. She then waved a few fingers at him and smiled timidly. Jesse had only been embarrassed a few times in his life and this was definitely one of them.

  Jesse realized he still held Beaux and gradually released him. Jesse knew without a doubt the look he was going to see on Beaux’s face. Sure enough, when Jesse got brave enough to look, Beaux was looking back with roguish twinkling eyes and that same all-knowing little grin. Jesse really did want to hit him then.

  Beth walked up behind him.

  “Jesse, don’t you think you’re a little too old and it’s a little too late to be out here clowning around? You’re going to wake up everybody in the house. If daddy comes out, he’s going to knock you upside the head.”

  When Jesse looked again at Beth, he saw her more clearly. She stood under the porch light.

  Even though his shirt hung off of her shoulders and down to her thighs, her braless breasts were stretching the top.

  “Beth, go back inside or put some clothes on,” Jesse said exasperated.

  “I have clothes on”; but, as Beth said this, she looked down at herself. Her eyes got big and her face turned red. “Oh, my,” Beth said as she quickly brought her hands up to cover herself.

  Then she turned and hurried back inside.

  Beaux took mercy on Jesse and changed the subject. “Jesse,” Beaux said as he grabbed Donna’s hand and pulled her to him. “Donna and I would like you to be de first to know that we are now a couple. My playboy ways are no more. This young lady has stolen my heart, so we have decided to see where our relationship will lead us. She will do her best ‘ta tame me, and I will do my best ‘ta try and be tamed. And, we have you to thank for bringing us together.” After Beaux said this, he pulled Jesse to him with his other arm and gave him a hug. “Mais podna’, you should know me well enough to know dat I love you too much to ever try and take something dat belongs to you.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry. I guess I’ve made an ass of myself.”

  “Don’ worry about it. Donna and I both agreed. We aren’t going to rest until de two of you walk down de aisle.”

  “Then y’all have your work cut out for you. There’s no telling what could happen between now and that day.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Jordon & Susan

  Beth saw Becky at the mall one day and told her she was going to go to college here. Becky said she was also. She told Beth she had missed her while she was gone. Becky invited Beth to go out with her and some of the old gang the next weekend. Beth said she would.

  Beth met them at a local dance club. They all were having fun and laughing about old times.

  They had to practically shout to be heard in the loud and overly crowded, smoky club. Beth drank enough so that she was feeling good but she wasn’t drunk. She danced just about every dance. She and Clay had danced to pop music. This was country, so she had to have her partners teach her the steps again. She hadn’t two-stepped since they snuck off to Louisiana.

  Becky walked off to a dark corner table with a guy she had met. Beth was about to call it a night when Jesse walked in. He had a new lady on his arm. When she saw his date walk toward the bathroom, Beth made her way to Jesse.

  “Hey, cowboy, how ‘bout a dance?”

  “Beth? What are you doing here?”

  “Apparently, the same thing as you. I came to dance. Come on, I promise I won’t step on your toes.”

  He looked at her as if he didn’t know what to do, so Beth took his hand and pulled him on to the crowded dance floor.

  Beth was surprised at what a great country dancer Jesse was. He was so smooth, and he smelled so good. After the fast two-step, a slow song began to play. When Jesse started to walk off Beth held onto him and begged him to stay and dance with her.

  Jesse hesitated, darted a glance toward the women’s restroom, and then relented and pulled Beth into another dance

  Beth was determined to make the most of the moment. She got as close as she could. She swayed and rubbed herself against Jesse as much as possible without being down right vulgar.

  Her arms were around his neck and she was staring into his eyes with pent-up passion. To her surprise, Jesse wasn’t backing up. He was staring back at her and rubbing his hands up and down her back. Beth felt as if he was contemplating kissing her. She stilled her breathing and tried to make herself as irresistible as possible. She even opened her lips slightly and pulled herself closer.

  Just as Jesse’s head was leaning down to hers, the latest bimbo he was with stepped beside them.

  “Hey, Jesse, did you forget who you came with?”

  Jesse immediately stepped back. “No, Rhonda, I was just dancing with my nie-…uh, my brother’s sister-in-law.”

  “Beth, this is an old friend of mine, Rhonda. Rhonda, this is Elizabeth, Susan’s sister.” The two women merely nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

  “It’s alright, Jesse, I was about to leave anyway. I’ll see you at the house later.” Then Beth reached up, kissed him lightly on the lips, and gave him the most seductive look she could.

  “Later.”

  “Hey, how did you get here?” Jesse said before Beth could walk off.

  “I drove myself. I came to meet my old friends from high school.”

  “Elizabeth, what are you doing?” Jesse asked in a chastising way.

  “Jesse, relax. I’m older and a lot more mature than I was then.”

  “I still don’t like it.”

  While they were talking, a young man walked up and asked Beth to dance. She agreed and walked away with him.

  Jesse watched Beth dance with the man. She was such a striking woman. She had felt so good in his arms. She was both soft and firm. Jesse knew things were changing between them, and he felt it was about time. She was almost 20. His intention was for her to be older, but he didn’t know how he waited this long, just watching her d
ance with the young man made him mad. He had to face the truth. He couldn’t stand seeing her in anyone’s arms but his.

  Beth was having a small ‘end of summer’ pool party. She only invited a few friends who were cool but not wild. Annette was one. The two of them had stayed close. Annette had even come to see her a few times while she was in Austin.

  Beth knew, if things got too wild, Susan would never allow her to have another party, so she kept it simple. Everyone was having fun, laughing and squealing as they played pool volleyball; there were four boys and three girls besides her.

  It was getting late in the evening, almost dark, still hot with no breeze. The pool’s chlorine drifted in the air as the gang jumped and splashed, trying to get the ball. Beth tried to wait until Jesse got home to see if he would play a game with them.

  Jesse and Jordon had been out on the horses all day riding around the ranch checking for any problems with the cows or fences. Beth got out of the pool to look over the fence to see if she could see them riding up.

  She’d just slapped at the third horsefly that had bitten her and was about to jump back in the pool when she saw them ride up and go into the barn. After a few minutes, they came out and started waling toward the house. Beth started to call out and wave them over when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, two girls walking toward them. It took a few moments for Beth to recognize who they were because she wasn’t friends with them, nor did she invite them to her party. The girls were identical twins and nothing but trouble.

  “Well, hello, good-looking. What a pleasant surprise to find not one but two handsome men.

  We watched you ride in on your horses and just had to walk over and meet you. I’m Stacy and this is my sister, Lacy.” Beth heard one of the girls say silkily. As she watched, one girl stepped up to Jesse and the other one stepped close to Jordon. And almost at the same time, they began rubbing their hands up their arms and over their chest.

  “Why don’t the two of you come party with us tonight? We’ll show you a real good time.

  And I promise, we have something you can ride that’s even wilder that what the two of you rode in on,” the one caressing Jordon said.