My Unexpected Love: The Beaumont Series: Next Generation

by Heidi McLaughlin

  “So, what do you say?” Peyton asks.

  The idea is tempting, but being at my parents keeps me from facing my demons unless I can somehow convince Ben to go. Maybe we need a weekend away so we can hash everything out. “No, I think I’m going to go home and see if I can corner Ben.”

  “You make Ben sound like a missing dog or something.”

  “Sometimes I feel like he is.” Instead of engaging in more conversation, I look out the window and watch the passing scenery. Someday, I’m going to be a tourist and visit all the sites and do the tours of the movie studios. I want to see where the magic happens. I know everything there is about the music industry, but not the silver screen.

  “Do you want to grab something to eat before I take you home?” Noah asks.

  “No, thanks. I’m assuming Quinn did some grocery shopping while we were gone.”

  “Or had a massive party and your apartment is destroyed,” Peyton adds.

  I laugh. “Quinn and ‘party’ don’t go hand in hand. He may have invited a lady friend over, but definitely no party.”

  “Does he have a girlfriend?” Peyton turns in her seat to look at me. “He never brings anyone to Mom and Dad’s.”

  “I don’t know. He doesn’t bring anyone home.”

  “Huh.” Peyton looks upset that I don’t have the answer she’s looking for. I know Quinn goes on dates, but he’s never been serious about someone enough to bring her home to meet me, and if she’s not meeting me, I can guarantee he’s not bringing her to meet the rest of the family.

  “I just want him to be happy,” Peyton says. Noah places his hand on her leg.

  “I’m sure he is, babe.”

  “Do you know something?” she asks her fiancé.

  Noah shakes his head. “Nope, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  “That’s not fair. You’re not supposed to keep secrets from me.”

  “Don’t consider it a secret, P. Consider it as Noah protecting his best friend from the embarrassment Quinn’s sisters are sure to show if he were to bring a girl home,” I point out. The truth is, we’d probably gush over her, so I don’t blame Quinn one bit.

  “What your sister said, sweetie.” Noah winks at Peyton, who giggles. Okay, now I’m about to be sick because their overly sweet and the mushy crap is too much. Thankfully, I’m going home because I don’t know if I could take a two-hour car ride with them.

  Noah offers to carry my bag up to my apartment, but I tell him I can do it. Peyton slides out of the car and pulls me into her arms. “I had the most amazing week,” she says.

  “Me too, P. We needed it.” I hug her one more time. “Thanks for picking me up, Noah.”

  “Of course, Elle.”

  Waving goodbye, I rush toward my complex. There’s a gathering going on at the pool. I pause long enough to see if Ben’s there. He’s not there, not that I really expected him to be. The door to my apartment is unlocked. Inside, Quinn is sitting in his chair, playing his guitar.

  “Hey, how was your trip? I’ve been waiting for you to call.”

  “Sorry, Noah picked us up. I thought he would’ve let you know.”

  Quinn shakes his head.

  “Sorry.” I hear a door shut and it sounds like it’s coming from Ben’s apartment. “I’ll be right back.” It takes me under thirty seconds to get from my living room to Ben’s front door. I knock, but the voice coming from the other side is female. My heart drops with the realization that I’m too late. He’s been distant because he’s met someone and didn’t think he could tell me.

  Back in my apartment, I shut the door and lean up against it. Quinn is staring at me, probably wondering if I’m about to have a breakdown. He doesn’t know I’ve been sober since Ben’s birthday. It’s nothing I’ve broadcasted anywhere.

  “Something wrong?” Quinn asks.

  I shake my head, but quickly start to nod. “I think Ben has a girlfriend.”

  My brother looks at me, confusion all over his face.

  “Did you know?” I ask.

  Quinn strums his guitar before answering. “Honestly, I haven’t seen Ben around for the last couple of weeks. Did you just meet her?”

  “No, I left before either of them could answer the door.” I push off the door and go over to the couch, flopping down. “Ben and I haven’t exactly been talking as of late. I don’t know why, but I was hoping to figure it out today.” I leave out the part where I think Ben and I had sex. Quinn doesn’t need those details about my life, and I don’t need to see the disappointment on his face.

  “I was wondering why he hasn’t been over in awhile.”

  “I thought it was because he was studying for his finals. Guess not.”

  “Speaking of, how’d you do on yours?” Quinn asks. He sets his guitar down and leans back in the chair.

  “I haven’t looked yet.”

  Quinn motions toward my phone, which is sitting on our coffee table. I reach for it, scrolling through my app until I find the one that’ll allow me to access my grades. It takes me a few times to type in my username, mostly because my fingers are shaking. I don’t want to know if I failed any of my classes. I need four C’s to pass. Any D’s and I’ll have to retake the class during the summer, which means I won’t be able to graduate with my class.

  “I can’t.” I hand my phone to Quinn and head into the kitchen to get something to drink. I’m not shocked when I open the refrigerator and find only bottled water and juices. Quinn has gotten rid of the beer he likes because the fridge is full of food, so I know either he or our mom had gone shopping. I actually wouldn’t put it past our mom to drive up and take care of him while I was gone. From the day Quinn came into our lives, she’s always had a soft spot for him. He’s her baby boy despite her not being his biological mother.

  “You failed,” Quinn says loudly from the living room. Tears immediately fall, and my heart sinks. I did this. I put myself in a no-win situation and couldn’t dig my way out of it. I tried, but not hard enough. I walk back into the living room, feeling as low as I possibly can and in need of a drink. I need something to numb the pain of being an epic failure. My dad is going to be so disappointed, and I don’t know if it’s worse knowing this or not walking with my class.

  “Summer school it is.”

  Quinn hands me my phone with a smile. “You didn’t fail. You passed, but barely.”

  “I did?” I choke out. The screen shows me C’s with one C minus. “Why would you tell me I failed?”

  “Because I wanted you to see and feel the letdown. I know you tried, but it was late. You’re so much better than those grades, Elle. You know it. We all know it. Now you start this next quarter with a renewed outlook, and you kick ass with it. Shoot for the stars.” Quinn comes over to me and holds his arms out. I push him away, but he doesn’t budge. I don’t care if he meant well, it was a dirty trick, and my heart hurts because of it. Quinn doesn’t care and pulls me into his arms anyway, where I break down. It’s not only my grades but Ben as well. I need him to give me a second chance, to right the wrong I’ve done to him. He doesn’t deserve the way I’ve been treating him.

  I also need him to come clean about the night of his birthday party. Something definitely happened between us, and he’s not saying, and I know it’s because of the way I reacted in the morning. I was confused and scared. Neither of which are adequate excuses for treating my best friend as if he’s done something bad to me.

  “Do you want to go grab dinner?” Quinn asks after he releases me. “I have a gig later at the coffee shop and could use a fan in the crowd.”

  “Sure. Let me go unpack and shower.” I grab my suitcase and head to my room. Every piece of clothing from the trip heads right to the hamper, which is already full. Ugh, I have to spend tomorrow doing laundry, which is my least favorite activity. Thankfully, we have a washer and dryer in our apartment, so I don’t have to lug my basket anywhere.

  In the side pocket of my suitcase, I pull out the gift I brought home fo
r Ben. Each time the tide went out, I combed the coastline for seashells, putting a few into a jar with some sand from the beach. I thought Ben would like this because the gift comes from my heart and not some tourist store.

  I suppose I could give Ben the gift now, but don’t want to screw up the relationship he’s building. I don’t know if he’s told her about me or not. Not that I expect him to. Our BFF status is definitely on a hiatus.

  For now, the jar will sit on my dresser, which will serve as a reminder of a well-needed break from reality and much-needed time with my sister.

  18

  Ben

  College is supposed to prepare you for long hours and late nights. One would think with the number of cram sessions and parties an average student takes part in we’d be prepared for the real world. This is not the case because of naps. We take naps, all the time. The only thing we’re prepared for is the copious amounts of coffee we can drink to stay awake.

  There are very few people left in the office this late at night. Most of us are interns, trying to earn a coveted spot with Omni, Inc. Each manager has two reporting to them, and it’s the stiffest competition I’ve ever been in. Of course, Margie’s team’s going to win because I have music resources I can call upon to make sure our marketing proposal blows not only the clients and their manager but also the board out of the water. We need to knock the socks off everyone involved.

  Right now, my partner, Talia, is face down on her desk. Over the past few days, I’ve found out a lot about her. She’s from the midwest and is not a party girl, which has been evident with our late nights. By nine, she’s always yawning, and by ten, she’s usually out cold. Still, she’s a hard worker and pulls her weight fairly. While I can stay up all hours of the night, she’s a morning bird, always bright and cheery, ready to tackle the day. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, and we make a pretty good team. We’re like yin and yang, and we both want to succeed.

  My only complaint, Talia is chatty. I know everything there is to know about her parents, brother, her roommate in college and the type of cows her grandparents raise on their ranch. Talia wears a size six shoe, which allows her to shop in both the adult and kids section.

  Our first weekend in New York is coming up, and while I want to stay in and work, Talia and the other interns have made plans for us to all go out. As much as I’d love to say no, I can’t. It’d be stupid not to build a network with the others. I don’t want to be seen as someone who isn’t a team player, both in and out of the office.

  The security guard walks down the aisle-way, whistling. He does this to alert us to his presence to not scare anyone. Believe me, I’ve seen Die Hard a few times, and when I hear odd noises, I wonder what’s lurking in the shadows.

  “Mr. Miller, how are you this fine…” Bernard pauses and looks at his watch. “Morning.”

  “Morning, huh?” I glance over at Talia who is dead to the world. “I suppose I ought to wake her and get her home.”

  “You be safe out there,” he says as he continues his patrol. New York is a somewhat safer city than it used to be, but it’s still a city, and there’s still crime all around us. It’s really no different than Los Angeles. This is where I have the benefit over Talia. While I haven’t been here before, I know what it’s like to live in a city.

  I close the file and pack it away into my bag before scooting across the aisle to tap Talia on the shoulder. “Talia, it’s time to go.” I like that she stays with me, even though she doesn’t have to. I worry less knowing we’re walking together instead of her out there at night by herself. I’ve grown a bit protective of her.

  “I fell asleep, huh?”

  “Yeah, but it’s okay. I got a lot done. You can look it over in the morning. Well, later in the morning,” I say as I look at my watch.

  Talia stretches. “Maybe I should drink more coffee,” she says, gathering her belongings.

  “You’re fine. I feel like we balance each other out.”

  “We do, don’t we?” She slips her arm into mine, and we walk out together. There are a few more desk lights on, but we don’t stop to see who else is working. If we stress about who’s staying later than we are, our project will suffer. We need to have a clear mind at all times.

  Talia and I walk to the subway. She stays close to me, keeping her bag between us. Her father gave her a list of things to watch out for, and how to not make yourself a target. I’d probably do the same thing if I were him. Talia also has to text him whenever she leaves her apartment or the office, as well as when she arrives at her destination. Her father seems a bit overbearing, but it’s probably nice having someone who cares.

  We make it to our platform just in time for the train. A minute later and we’d have to wait anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes for the next one. That’s the one drawback about working late. The cheaper transportation is hard to come by.

  Talia takes the inside seat and leans her head on my shoulder. Even though we’ve only known each other for a few days, it’s better than her leaning up against the dirty window.

  When our stop is announced, I’m surprised to find Talia awake. Usually, she’s out like a light once the train starts moving. Another reason she shouldn’t ride alone at night. I’ve got to find a way to keep this girl awake in case I’m not around.

  We only have a few blocks to walk once we get off the train. Talia and I live in a secured building, right across the hall from each other and on the third floor with no elevator. Talia thinks Margie and the other managers are trying to teach us a life lesson, showing us what we’ll be able to afford if we were to win and be offered a job. I know she’s right, and I honestly have no problem with my studio. It’s quiet, I have a view of the street, which granted, isn’t much, but it’s different from L.A., and I need that right now.

  After making sure Talia’s in her place and her door’s locked, I head into my apartment, locking the door behind me. My bathroom is immediately to the right, and after a quick shower, I’m crawling into bed after one a.m. I should go to sleep, but instead, I look at my phone. Elle’s name is there, showing my most recent missed call. In fact, she’s my only missed call. Each time, I either send her to voicemail or let it ring through, unable to bring myself to talk to her. I figure by now, she knows I’m gone and is probably wondering where the hell I am.

  By accident, my finger touches her name, and the call goes through. I’m left with deciding to either hang up quickly and hope the call didn’t register on her phone or to talk to her. It’s late, and I need my sleep, but I take too long to decide, and she’s saying hello.

  My eyes close at the sound of her voice. I’ve missed hearing her, seeing her. “Hey.” My voice is strained, and my throat feels as if it’s going to close. This was a mistake. I should’ve held my stance and continued to ignore her. It’s for my own good, even though I know she’s freaking out. How do you tell someone you’re in love with, you don’t want to be near them because you can’t be a part of their self-destruction? Never mind the fact that you can’t bear to watch her be with another guy.

  “Ben?” she says breathlessly, or at least that’s what my imagination tells me.

  “Hi, Elle.” I want my words to be curt, but they’re not. Another reason why I can’t talk to her. My psyche doesn’t allow me to be pissed at her.

  “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you around in weeks. You’re not working at the café anymore. You never answer your phone, and I never see you on campus. I look for you all the time. It’s like you’ve disappeared on me and I’m wondering if I need to send out a search party.” Elle sniffles, a sure sign she’s crying. I roll onto my back and close my eyes. The truth is on the tip of my tongue, but I’ve promised myself to keep my move a secret as long as possible. Elle will undoubtedly show up here, and right now I need to focus on my career and what’s best for me.

  “Elle…”

  “No, I get it, Ben. I messed up, and I’d really like to talk to you about it, but you don’
t call me back, you barely answer my texts messages and when I go to your place… you have a girlfriend, and you didn’t even tell me. I mean, I get it, but I want a chance to explain.”

  “There’s nothing to explain, Elle.”

  “But there is. I know I did something and I think I have it figured out.” Elle’s definitely crying and I’m on the verge of telling her everything, starting with the fact that I don’t have a girlfriend and the woman she can hear is only subletting. “Ben, please.”

  Hearing her plead almost does me in, but I can’t do it. “Look, it’s late, and I need to get some sleep.”

  “You called me back, Ben.”

  I sigh. I have a feeling I’m going to regret saying this. “It was by accident, Elle.”

  The intake of air is very audible over the phone. I have a feeling our friendship is over, despite what she’s done, I’ve now hammered the nail into our coffin. “Ben?”

  “I have to go, Elle.”

  “At least tell me her name so I can be cordial.” No, I don’t want you to be anything to June. I want you to continue believing she’s my girlfriend and it breaks your heart.

  “Talia. Her name’s Talia, but she doesn’t know about you, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

  There’s a long pause before Elle answers, “I see.”

  “It’s complicated, Elle. Right now, everything is just a mess and… I have to go.” I hang up quickly and set my phone to Do Not Disturb. Knowing Elle the way I do, she’ll end up drowning her sorrows in liquor and will start texting me all night. It’s still early for her, and she’s no doubt just getting started with the partying.

  Never in a million years did I think her and I wouldn’t be friends, and most of my life I imagined us together. What’s worse, losing her means I’ve likely lost her whole family. I don’t see myself hanging out with them or being invited to any of their gatherings. Mr. and Mrs. PJ have always treated me as part of the family, but only because I was an extension of Elle.