And suddenly, I realized I just couldn’t do this. I pulled away, and Bentley stared down at me, shaking his head.
“Roxy… don’t.”
His eyes were pleading, and I could tell I was hurting him, but right then, I couldn’t think about it.
“You have to be able to trust me, sweetheart,” he said. “Or else this isn’t going to work.”
“It isn’t going to work,” I cried out. “It’s too much Bentley. I’m always gonna’ be suspecting the worse. I hate seein’ her here all the time. I hate always wondering in the back of my mind. I just… I need some time.”
He tried to pull me back to him and I pushed him away.
“No Bentley,” I croaked. “Please, just let me go. Just give me some space.”
He dropped his hands and looked more defeated than I’d ever seen him. And there was nothing I could do, so like the coward that I was, I ran.
Chapter Fourteen
Bentley
The first thing I did was went to the liquor store and bought a bottle of scotch. I decided then and there, I shouldn’t even bother with trying anymore. Look where it got me every time I did.
I was feeling sorry for myself, and not thinkin’ clearly, but even so, I couldn’t do it. When I opened it up and smelled the liquor, it did nothing for me. Because it wasn’t Roxy, and nothin’ was ever going to substitute for that.
I walked out onto the front porch and poured it over the railing, wondering what the hell to do now. I knew Roxy well enough to know that she was gonna’ run from me. She was scared, and she had every right to be, but I didn’t want it to end like this. I couldn’t let it end like this.
So with a renewed sense of determination, I got into my truck and drove on out to her house. There was only one light on in the whole place, which seemed a bit odd, bein’ that it was only eight o’ clock. But I figured she’d probably just gone to bed.
As I walked up the stairs though, I heard some stumbling around inside before I knocked.
“Rox?”
A full minute passed before I heard any sort of response.
“Go on home, Bentley,” she said through the door. “Please.”
Her voice was wobbly, and it was making the ache in my chest even worse.
“Roxy, please… just let me talk to you.”
“I can’t tonight.” She sniffled. “Just do as I asked Bentley, and I’ll see you tomorrow for tacos.”
I pressed my hand against the wood and sighed before turning to go. But as I drove down the driveway, something clicked into place for me. It was Saturday night, and we didn’t have Tacos any other day but Tuesday.
Was Roxy confused, or was she trying to tell me something was wrong?
I slammed the brakes and turned off the ignition, bolting back up the driveway on foot. If someone was in her house, I needed to be careful how I went about this.
I walked around and checked all of the windows, not hearing a peep from inside. Everything was locked to the gills, just like I’d intended, and for a minute I thought I was just being paranoid. But then I heard a sob, followed but what sounded like glass shattering.
I snuck up to the back door and used the force of my weight to bust it straight open.
Roxy was there on the floor, sniffling beside a broken lamp. And standing above her with a wild expression, was Corey. He was holding a gun.
Chapter Fifteen
Roxy
My heart felt like it was goin’ to explode when I saw Corey swing the gun in Bentley’s direction.
“No,” I begged him, tugging on his pant leg. “Please Corey. Please… don’t do this. I can get him to leave, I can.”
“You said that before,” he snarled, smoothing his finger over the trigger.
Bentley stared down at me with a terrified expression, and I knew he was reliving his nightmare. He thought I was going to die right here in front of him, just like Jake. Only it wasn’t me Corey was waving the gun at.
“Now I gotta’ figure out what to do,” Corey said, his words sounding slurred as he paced back and forth. “You weren’t supposed to come here Bentley. You should have stayed out of it. This is between a man and his wife.”
Bentley swung his gaze from me to Corey and back several times before I saw his hand moving slightly. He was gesturing for me to move away, and I realized in panic what he was going to try to do. I shook my head and pleaded with my eyes.
“Just put down the gun,” Bentley said in a strangely calm voice. “And let’s discuss this like men, Corey.”
“Men?” Corey scoffed. “What kind of man thinks he can just come in here and take over my life, huh? That’s my woman, not yours!”
I stared up at Corey in disbelief, seeing that he truly believed what he was saying. He was completely delusional, and I didn’t know how to reason with him. But I knew that I wasn’t going to let Bentley take the fall for my bad choices in husbands, and I couldn’t see him hurt because of me.
“I don’t want to be with him, Corey,” I said in a shaky voice. “I only want to be with you. So just let him go, and me and you can get back to making up.”
Bentley ground his jaw together as Corey stared down at me with a cold expression, waving the gun in my direction.
“Do ya’ think I’m a fuckin’ idiot?” he bellowed.
I didn’t have time to answer him, because the next thing I knew, Bentley was tackling him to the ground. They were wrestling around, and fear took over when I realized I couldn’t see the gun. I heard it though, just as soon as it went off.
Chapter Sixteen
Bentley
Just come back to me.
Somewhere in my fog induced state, I kept hearing those words in my head. I knew it was Roxy’s voice, but I couldn’t make sense of it.
I wanted to tell her that I’d never left, but I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t seem to open my eyes, or feel… anything.
Days passed this way. Or at least, I think it was days. I couldn’t be sure, but it felt like forever. I kept hearing her crying, and whispering things I couldn’t always understand. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t know how.
And then, finally, my body started to cooperate. It felt like I was weighed down by a ton of bricks, but I moved my hand. There was something soft beneath it, like a blanket. I rubbed the material between my fingers trying to figure out what it was as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room.
That’s when I realized I was in a hospital bed. And it wasn’t a blanket beneath my hand, but Roxy’s hair. She was bent over at an uncomfortable angle from her chair, her face pressed into the mattress beside me. She was asleep, but even so, she looked exhausted.
It took me a minute to gather more strength before I could touch her. I started to stroke her hair, and her face relaxed as she let out a soft little whimper.
I scrubbed the pad of my thumb over her lips, and she blinked her eyes open, staring up at me in shock.
“Bentley?” she sobbed, springing up to get a better look. “Bentley!”
She threw her arms around me and squeezed the life out of me, and I felt a sharp stab of pain in my gut. And then it all came back to me. How I’d been shot and started bleeding out on Roxy’s floor, thinking that was gonna’ be the last time I ever saw her beautiful face.
“Corey?” I rasped.
Roxy pulled back to stare at me in disbelief, wiping the tears in her eyes with a laugh.
“You foolish, stubborn man Bentley Daniels.” She shook her head. “Corey’s in jail, where he belongs. And he ain’t getting out this time, for a long time.”
I nodded my head in satisfaction and gestured for her to come closer.
“I have to call the nurse.” She frowned. “To let them know you’re awake, so we can get you checked out… and your parents, they just went down to get some coffee. There’s so much to do…”
“Just lay with me a while first.” I smiled up at her.
She couldn’t resist, and when she crawled up onto the
bed beside me, I didn’t let her go for the rest of the day.
Chapter Seventeen
Roxy
It had been three months since Bentley was almost taken from me right before my eyes, but I still couldn’t shake the nightmares.
I hadn’t let him out of my sight while he was recuperating, and I think I was drivin’ him nuts. I didn’t care though, because even a grumpy Bentley made me happy as a clam.
Tonight we were puttin’ on a big barbeque in celebration for him, bein’ that he’d be returning to work next week. I was happy that he had his health and energy back, but I wasn’t happy to see him go.
I was in the kitchen helping Mrs. Daniels work on the salads when Archer walked in with one of his award winning smiles.
“Heya Rox, Mrs. Daniels… it’s a beautiful day today, isn’t it?”
“It sure is,” Mrs. Daniels replied as she wiped her hands on her apron. “How’s little Walter Jr. doin’?”
Archer got a faraway look in his eye at the mention of his daddy’s name, just as he always did since he’d passed on. I knew the wound was still quite raw for him, especially with their relationship bein’ the way that it was. But Archer was there for him in the end, insisting he come and live out his last few months at home with his family.
When him and Annabeth had their second boy, there was no question as to what they were gonna’ name him. Walter Beaufait may not have been a perfect man by any means, but he sure was gonna’ be missed in Belle Pont.
“Little Walter’s doin’ great,” Archer said. “It’s a whole different experience getting to see it all through from the beginning.”
His voice choked up a bit and he paused, looking lost for words.
“Well you better get used to it,” I piped up. “I’m sure you and AB are gonna’ be makin’ a whole lot of babies.”
We all had a good laugh as Archer gestured to the living room where Bentley was sitting.
“Bentley wanted me to take him down to Lafayette for a few errands Rox, so that’s why I’m here anyway.”
I frowned and started to feel that familiar fear building up in my chest before Mrs. Daniels gave me a reassuring hug.
“It won’t last forever,” she said. “Eventually, things will get back to normal. You just have to believe that it’s in God’s hands, sweet girl.”
I nodded and pushed back my tears, knowing she was right. She better than anyone knew what it was like to be afraid of losing someone. Especially when it came to her children.
***
We all gathered outside, the smell of barbeque and Magnolias in bloom filling the air around us. It was a beautiful evening, with every star in the Louisiana sky shining down upon us. I watched one of them streak across the heavens, smiling as it faded away. Instead of a wish, I said a thank you.
A thank you for all of the friends and family gathered here, and most importantly for Bentley being alive. My heart squeezed in my chest as I thought about him, that stubborn man that I loved so much.
“Don’t start cryin’ on me now.” Mrs. Daniel’s smiled at me, handing me some napkins to set out. “Or I’ll start blubbering too, and then we’ll never get anything accomplished.”
I laughed and nodded, laying out the napkins on the tables to keep my mind on the present. Mrs. Daniels had really went above and beyond in setting up for the night, and I knew how much this meant to her. There were little mason jar lanterns strung all along the deck and in the center of each table. The walkways were filled with little lights too, and it almost looked like a fairytale.
Two long bench tables were littered with just about every Southern salad imaginable, as well as pies and desserts of all types.
Charlotte had made Bentley a ‘thanks for not dying’ banner which was proudly displayed above the food. We all had a real good laugh about it when she showed us, which little Charlotte wasn’t too impressed with.
As I helped make sure everyone was comfortable, I paused just to take in the scene around me. Half of Belle Pont was at this gathering, and it brought me a strange sense of peace being surrounded like this. Even my Mama and Reagan were in attendance, and I noticed that people weren’t snubbing her so much anymore. She’d done a lot to change her ways, and I was happy for her.
Bentley finally strolled out of the house, wearing my favorite jeans and a nice button down shirt as he came me way.
“Well aren’t you all fancy tonight?” I teased, letting him pull me into his arms.
He smiled and kissed my temple, squeezing me tight for a beat. It felt so good, I didn’t want him to let go, and suddenly, I almost couldn’t wait for this gathering to be over.
Bentley looked down at me with a knowing gleam in his eye and shook his head with a laugh.
“You’re liable to wear a man out,” he said playfully. “I should have never told you that Doctor gave me permission.”
“Well, what can I say.” I batted my lashes up at him. “I’m very needy.”
“That’s okay, Rox,” he said softly. “Because I have every intention on taking care of those needs for you. Later tonight, and for the rest of our lives.”
Before I could even process his words, he grinned and walked over to help his daddy with the grill.
I sat down at a table with Mama and some other ladies who were deep in conversation about Mrs. Gentry’s newfound love of spandex leggings. It wasn’t long until we were dishing up food, and eating until we were about ready to burst.
Bentley was beside me, whispering back and forth with Archer the whole night. When he stood up and disappeared into the house, I went to follow, but Archer stopped me.
“Heya Rox, you know those lotions you make at Bits N’ Bobs,” he said, real interested like. “Do you mind tellin’ me what all you put in em?”
I must have been staring at him like he was crazy, because he just started laughing and shaking his head.
“Okay, you got me,” he admitted. “It ain’t really my thing, I guess. But just stay put, will ya? For a minute.”
I didn’t know what him and Bentley were up to, but I agreed, tapping my foot impatiently. Mrs. Daniels stood up and gave a little toast to thank everyone for coming, and got a little teary eyed talking about how much Bentley meant to all of us.
And then almost as if right on cue, he walked out of the house towards me. He had a real mischievous smile on his face, and I didn’t know what the heck he was doin’ when he kneeled down in the dirt before me. There was a little black box in his hand, and I was staring at it in confusion.
Mrs. Daniels voice continued to narrate for all of us as she watched with amusement.
“Now, my Bentley has something else he’d like ya’ll to be party to, if you don’t mind. So if you’d all just turn your attention towards him…”
She trailed off as realization hit me and Bentley grasped my hands in his. He stared up at me with an expression so filled with love and adoration, I wanted to burst. I already knew there were tears streamin’ down my face, but I couldn’t be embarrassed. I forgot everyone else around us when he spoke.
“Roxy Hart,” he began in a nervous voice. “You are the feistiest, smartest, most charming and beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. You keep me on my toes, and you’re constantly surprising me. It’s no secret that I love you with everything that I have, but after what we went through recently, I realized I didn’t want to waste another minute without you. I know we’ve had our share of issues in the past, but I promise to devote the rest of my life to making you happy, if you’ll let me. There isn’t anyone else that I could ever imagine spending forever with. So will you please do me the honor, and make me the happiest man on earth, by agreeing to be my wife?”
I let out a sob and a laugh, the most God-awful sound I’ve ever made as I flung myself into his arms and nearly knocked him backwards.
“Yes,” I cried. “Yes, Bentley Daniels. I want to be your wife.”
The folks around us erupted in cheers of applause and well wishes, but Bentley just ke
pt holding me for a real long time.
Then he finally stood up and gave everyone a polite thank you before he snuck me off to his house on the other side of the property.
The minute we were inside the door, he was all over me, and I was still half laughing, half crying.
“I can’t believe you said yes,” he said between kisses. “I was so damn nervous.”
I pulled back to stroke his face and stared into his eyes.
“You should have known I’d say yes, you silly boy. I’ve always loved you Bentley.”
A huge grin broke out across his face. “So forever then?”
“Forever,” I agreed.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my mom for instilling into me a love of the written word, and for being my biggest cheerleader when I needed it. To my lifelong friend and partner in crime, Amy, for sharing in all things tall, dark, and brooding. And to Lacee, Dad, and the rest of my family and friends for giving me adventures worth writing about. Last, but not least, my Beta Readers, and all of the amazing new writer friends who have helped me along the way.
If you want to see more information on my upcoming projects, you can find me on Twitter under @AshZav
If email’s more your thing, you can contact me at [email protected]
Louisiana Sky (Love in Belle Pont #2) Page 6