Page 81 of Beautiful Deceit
Once I find the number I'm looking for, I pick up the receiver to my desk phone and dial. It rings several times before an answering service picks up. I leave a detailed message, along with my cell and work numbers, for them to return my call as soon as possible.
"I'll try again tomorrow morning," I offer when I hang up.
Beau holds open my jacket. I walk over, turning my back to him and slide my arms in. He loops his arms around me as he ties the belt and brings his face to my neck. He kisses me gently then pats my butt, ushering me forward. I'm not sure what my face looks like during this whole ordeal, but when I see Brian grinning at us, I flush and pull the belt tighter.
We finda trendy pub a few blocks from the store. Walking is an experience. Everybody notices us, but it's hard not to. I quickly order the first thing my eyes land on. I get fish and chips, while both guys get burgers.
Before our food arrives, both men drain a beer each. I quickly down my pineapple juice as the waitress brings refills for all of us. She's friendly and very flirty with both Beau and Brian, but neither men react. Beau steals a few steak fries from my plate, dredging them through the ketchup on his plate. I snag an onion ring from his as revenge.
Dinner is fun and easy. I don't think either man grasps what a big deal it is for me to be there with them. This is what I've been missing for years, and I don't ever want to go back to how it was before meeting the both of them. It would definitely be harder now, knowing what I'd be missing.
When I look around, I see a few people openly looking at our table. As the food disappears, their conversation grows more active and louder, drawing the attention of the surrounding tables.
I stay quiet, mostly content to listen as the two men reminisce about their childhood. They both attempt to include me often, but I find I just don't have much to share in the way of happy memories. The ones before my mother passed would only make me sad, and the ones after aren't worth the thought. Rita was a true bright spot in my life, but her loss feels too fresh to talk about in casual conversation.
As the evening progresses, Beau finds little ways to include me. He picks up my hand and kisses my knuckles or rests our intertwined hands on the table top. They are all small gestures to remind me that I am not being ignored, though I don’t actively participate.
“I think it's time we get going," Brian finally comments as he raises his arm to the waitress. She heads over quickly, and he asks, "Can we get the check, please?"
"Oh sure," her smile falters. She turns away and walks over to the register with a little less pep in her step. When she returns, her smile is back in place as she places the bill down near Brian. He snatches it up before Beau can reach for it.
"Next time," Beau says, standing up. He pulls the back of my chair out, prompting me to stand. Our coats are draped over the backs of our chairs. He again helps me into mine before putting on his own.
By the amount of bills left on the table, it appears Brian has left a sizable tip for the young woman. We part ways outside of the pub.
Brian reminds Beau that he'll be gone a few days, “A week at most.” He asks Beau to keep him updated on the situation here.
The big man takes me by surprise by wrapping me in a big bear hug, then whispering, "Stay safe."
Chapter 23
Walking up to the entry door of my building, I wonder if everyone falls so hard, so fast. Are my feelings for Beau this intense because he's the first person I've let myself care for in such a long time? The first person I’ve been so intimate with? All my relationship, including my friendships, have been at arm's length compared to what I am experiencing now. Am I moving too fast?
I'm not sure of the answer. Maybe I'll talk to Jess tomorrow. She and Tim moved pretty fast. They didn’t have the addition of a stalker and murderer forcing them into cohabitation, but I could really use an outside opinion. I’m already considering giving him a set of keys, so he can come and go as he pleases. Will that scare him away? He seems perfectly content with the way things are now. I don't want to screw things up. Maybe I'll suggest it for practical purposes since that is why I first began considering it.
I pull the keys from my pocket to unlock the door, but Beau gently takes them from my hand and opens the door himself. He hands the keys back to me, holding the door open for me to enter.
"Thank you," I mutter, tucking the keys back into my purse.
"I was just thinking about having some of my stuff sent over here. Do they leave boxes at the door that won't fit through the slots?" he asks, lingering at the bottom of the stairs and looking at the lower door.
"Actually, I've never gotten a package here. I just have everything sent to the store. That's where all my mail gets delivered. I'm not sure."
"I'm gonna check something," he says, sounding completely distracted from the topic. I don't know if he even heard my answer. He strides to the door beneath mine and knocks loudly. No one answers, but I swear I hear shuffling. Beau's head tilts, reaffirming my suspicions. "I think there's someone in there," he states and raps again, harder this time. "Hello, anyone home?" He asks loudly.
When no response comes, he shrugs and walks back up with me near the bottom of the stairs.
"Weird. I was sure I heard someone."
"Maybe they're in their pjs and don't want to answer the door to a huge guy banging on it."
"Hey, everybody wants me to bang on their door," Beau says, making an innuendo of my phrasing. I roll my eyes and run up the stairs. He's fast behind me, taunting, "You'd always answer when I come a knocking, right Sweets?" He chuckles and grabs my hips and thrusts us together in an overtly exaggerated manner.
I laugh and slap his hands away while trying to open the door,
"Stop it," I say through giggles.
"Not until you answer me," he starts to tickle my sides. I'm trying to protect my sides from his fingers by wiggling away from him. My back hits the door, and he's in front of me.
