Page 45 of The One I Want
I already knew what I was going to tell her, but this conversation seals it. I’m going to make sure she knows that what almost happened the other night was a mistake. As much as I wanted it to happen then, and I know she did too, we can’t take the chance. It’s too risky. Because having Betsy in my life platonically and professionally is better than not having her at all.
Chapter18
Betsy
“Betsy? Betsy, wake up.”
I jerk awake, needing a second to remember where I am. The lights of the Christmas tree remind me that I’m at Wes’s house. And it’s Wes who just shook me awake.
“Sorry,” I say, looking at the clock to see that it’s after midnight. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You’re fine,” he says, sitting down next to me. “Everything okay with the kids?”
I nod as I let out a yawn. “Yup. Homework is done. Book bags are packed for the morning and so are the lunches. They went to bed without a fight, and I haven’t heard a peep from them since. Or maybe they threw a very quiet house party and were successful in not waking me up. Your guess is as good as mine.”
He laughs softly, which is good. Helps make this less awkward. This is the first time I’ve talked to Wes since the almost kiss. Last night when the kids FaceTimed him, I hid like a coward. I have a feeling he was asking about me, though. I find it more than a coincidence that after Emerson talked to him alone she suddenly started asking me questions about how I’m doing and if I’m still liking my “employment” here. She also opted to ask specific questions about me getting along with her dad. Emerson is a lot of things, but being sneaky is not her forte.
“I heard something about you this weekend.”
I tilt my head, wondering what on earth he is talking about. “From who?”
“Hunter.”
Oh shit. What did he say? “Did he tell you about the Alabama visit? In my defense, I was eighteen and stupid and at the time didn’t realize that I get even more bold when I drink whiskey.”
“He mentioned a visit but not that. And sometime I’m going to have to see you drink whiskey.” Wes stops for a second, a devilish smile appearing on his face. “You, Betsy Sullivan, did not tell me that we were in the presence of beauty pageant royalty.”
I feel my face heat as I take a pillow and immediately bury myself under it.
“Why would he tell you that?”
Wes leans over and pulls the pillow from my head. “I don’t know, but I’m glad he did.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I say, sitting back up. “At least he didn’t show you pictures.”
“Oh no, but you will,” he says. “I think it’s only fair.”
“Fair? Why is it fair? I have seen no incriminating photos of you. But I can. Who has them? Your mom? Oliver? I bet it’s Oliver. You think he’d give them to me? He would. We’re tight now. Please tell me you went through a mullet phase before they became cool again.”
We both start laughing, each shushing each other as we were probably getting too loud.
“This,” he says.
“This what?”
“This…this is what I don’t want to lose,” he says.
Oh, we’re having the conversation now. I knew it was coming. I just didn’t expect it to segue like this.
“I don’t want to lose it either,” I say. “I like what we have going on here.”
“I do, too.”
The relief on his face is clear. So yes, I do like what we have. But that’s the last truth I’m going to say tonight. Because I know what he’s about to say. And it’s going to hurt like hell when he does. It’s going to hurt even more when I say that I agree.
“That night,” he begins. “I think I just got caught up in the moment. We got caught up in the moment.”
“You’re right,” I say. Okay, one more truth. Because if this is the last time we have this kind of talk, I want him to know exactly where I stand. “I want you to know, I wanted to kiss you. I wanted you to kiss me. If Magnolia wouldn’t have come downstairs, I wouldn’t have stopped you.”
