Page 82 of Between Two Shores

He turned the key, and the engine hummed as he exited Beth’s driveway. How would tonight go? Should he tell her he was in love with her? Beg her not to go back to Nick? Mints. Peppermint candy should be here somewhere. Wrappers crunched under his fingers as he patted near the gear stick. He found Extra chewing gum and popped one in his mouth, just in case. If he confessed his love tonight, he didn’t want to turn her off with garlic bread breath.

Lachlan spotted Beth at the water’s edge looking out to the deep blues of the ocean. The rhythmic pounding of waves on the shore didn’t soothe his soul as usual. The salty air brushed his face, the temperature slightly cool. A slight glow from the sunken sun remained on the horizon, but the parking lot lights lit the sand and the shoreline.

“Hello.” His voice echoed across the beach.

She twirled, and his heart missed a beat as he made his way down the sandbank. One day without hearing from her and he was a wreck.

The wind flapped a creased paper in her hand. He sucked in a breath. The letter.

Vivid blue eyes implored him, so he stepped closer. It was hard to read her expression. Reluctance? Was she going to announce she’d take Nick back?

“How are you?” His voice came out breathless.

“A little frazzled. A hectic couple of days.”

He scratched at his beard and stared at the paper. “Nick’s letter?”

A tear stained streak glistened on the side of her cheek as she nodded.

“Can you read it to me?”

Beth’s gaze shot to the ocean and she hugged the letter to her chest.

She was going to read it to him, wasn’t she? Beth owed him that much. Hadn’t he picked up the pieces of her shattered heart and escorted her back to Australia. Put his life on hold, waiting for her to fall in love with him. All for her to go back to—what? What had Nick promised?

“Can we sit?” Her whisper was barely audible over the crashing waves. The breeze played with her long hair. Beth’s heavy eyelids showed she clearly hadn’t slept. That made two of them.

He sat with his forearms resting on bent knees.

Beth nestled into the sand and angled toward him. “Nick didn’t make it to Jerusalem.”

Lachlan’s eyes widened. “Is he okay?”

“I’ll read you the letter.” She cleared her throat and held out the crinkled paper. “My Darling, Beth.”

Oh, he could puke right now. Surely, she hadn’t fallen for this.

“Last week, I finally got out of hospital, so please, forgive me for not contacting you sooner. I’m so sorry for leaving you that night. The biggest mistake of my life. I misunderstood you, but my mind is clearer now.

After I left the apartment, I stayed on the streets and tried to convince addicts to get off drugs. On the second night, a homeless guy stabbed me in the leg, and I ended up in hospital. The staff recognized that I wasn’t doing well mentally, and finally, I permitted them to call my mom.”

“Whoa. That’s terrible he got stabbed. But good Nick ended up in a hospital, and the red flags were raised.”

“Yeah.” She sighed.

“Sorry, go on.” He waved his hand.

“They transferred me to the mental health unit, but the mania was out of control by the time I made it to Emergency.”

Wow. He admitted he had mania.

“After some treatment, my mom visited me at the clinic. My heart broke when she said you returned the ring. Everyone in my life abandons me when things get tough.”

Hold on. Nick abandoned her. How had Nick twisted this around to be all about him?

She continued reading. “Beth, I need you. I will listen to the doctors this time and stay on the medicine. Destiny brought us together. You must believe it too because you promised to marry me. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

Lachlan’s fists clenched and his jaw hardened. How could Nick hold her to a promise when he’d left out vital details about his past?

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