Champagne and Lemon Drops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance (12 page)

***

That evening, instead of relaxing in the
theater's air conditioning watching a romantic comedy like she'd
planned, Beth found herself standing in the day's lingering heat,
banging on Oz's door. Something felt off and it was more than the
group shifting nervously behind her and the small pack of onlookers
tittering on the sidewalk. Something in the heavy summer air was
warning her like a bird's screeching call of danger.

Basically, she wanted to pee her pants. But
being the one thrust to the front of the intervention's gang of
eight—even though Angelica had promised her a nonspeaking role—she
had to stand tall even though she knew her night was not going to
end in Oz's arms like his mother had promised.

She squared her shoulders and turned to the
group. "He's not home. Let's go."

"His truck is in the driveway," Oz's father
pointed out.

"Maybe he's taken your bike," Cynthia
offered with a smirk.

"That's quite enough," reprimanded Oz's
mom.

Beth's cheeks burned.

"Try again," Angelica commanded.

Beth turned to the scarred wood door and
thumped on it, waiting for it to swing open. She traced her finger
over the small 'B' Oz had carved into the door the night they'd
signed the mortgage papers. He was going to carve their initials,
but she'd stopped him, feeling self-conscious. It was a door, not a
tree.

She pulled in a long, calming breath. Maybe
if she was the one he saw first when he opened the door she could
make sure it turned out all right and she could act like this was
simply a social call to see how he was doing and she could somehow
shield him while redirecting everyone away. Away. Away. Away. Yes,
she could do it.

She could feel it.

Okay, she couldn't quite feel it, but she
was hoping a lack of good feelings wasn't a bad omen. She bit her
lower lip. Maybe he was trying a new career or hobby right now.
What if they were interrupting some sort of 'find yourself'
epiphany?

She turned to the group. "Hey, has anyone
heard of Oz trying any new hobbies lately?"

Basically, if nobody saw him exploring new
hobbies... and he hadn't made any changes... and he hadn't asked
her back... then maybe things really were as bad as his mom
thought.

They group looked at each other in question,
everyone shaking their heads. "Nope. Why?" asked Cynthia.

"Just asking," she said with a sigh. She
rubbed her throbbing hand, wishing they'd installed a doorbell like
Katie had frequently suggested. She'd give anything to have Oz's
strong, warm arms pull her in right now. To have him kiss her
deep—in that way that made her feel like she'd finally come home.
Like she belonged somewhere special. How he'd look her deep in the
eyes, his face's lines relaxing as he told her he loved her.

She tried the doorknob. Locked.

It figured. He thought to lock it now that
he lived alone and not back when they were getting friendly all
over the living room and risked people popping in at inopportune
moments. She selected the correct key on her keychain, slightly
bothered she still had it even though it signified the hope she
kept secreted away. She released the lock and let out a breath.

He hadn't changed the locks.

Hope swelled along with relief and she swung
the door open.

She could do this.

She stepped over the threshold and just
about melted as the trailer's heat pummeled her. She faced the
group and tried to ignore the way everyone stared at her with
raised eyebrows, acting as though she had the right to play
welcoming hostess rather than unwelcome intruder.

Harvey gave her a nudge. "Lead the way."

Peeved, she stepped inside the small entry
and cast a cautious look around. The place was a disaster.
Apparently he was also discovering whether he missed having a clean
place to live.

"That boy needs to grow up and clean up or
else hire a housekeeper," Harvey grumbled from behind her.

Beth cleared her throat and
called, "Oz? Are you home?" Her voice caught on the word
home
.

The blinds were drawn in the living room to
her right and the room's heat and darkness created a suffocating
sensation. She pushed her way between the couch and coffee table
which was littered with take-out bags. She opened the blinds and
cranked open a few windows, letting a cool evening breeze enter the
room. She turned to the group who was crowded into the entry acting
similar to a herd of deer caught in a big rig's headlights. "For
crying out loud you guys, come in," she chirped.

People trickled in, quietly seating
themselves on her favorite velvet couch and standing at the edges
of the room. Framed photos of her and Oz that had once lined the
shelves were either missing or face down. But the bowl of lemon
drops on the coffee table was as full as ever. "This place heats up
so fast," she said to nobody in particular, ignoring the candy. "I
swear you take a nap and wake up in a sauna a half hour later. It
cools off quickly though. We should be fine in a minute."

Angelica shooed Beth out of the room like
she would ruin a surprise party if she didn't go grab Oz. Footfalls
landed on the porch steps and Beth paused as Scott, the town's
bulkiest police officer, took up post just inside Oz's front door,
taking up much of the entry.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Serve and protect," Scott said. "That's my
job."

"Who are you going to protect? And from
what?" She shook her head. This was getting ridiculous. Why not
just invite Mary Alice and get the humiliation over with? Everyone
could have a grand old time at their relationship's expense.

"Um..." he replied uncertainly.

"I think you should go," Beth said
gently.

Scott frowned in Angelica's direction. "Uh.
I think maybe I should stay?" He met Beth's eye, his expression
serious. "In case."

"In case of what?" she asked, eyes narrowed,
hands on hips. "Someone breaks the law?"

Scott gave a few rapid blinks and
straightened his back. "I'm staying."

"Fine. Whatever." Beth's flip-flops stuck to
the kitchen's linoleum as she went to go find Oz and the muffled
sound of a toilet flushing drifted from the opposite end of the
trailer. Seconds later Oz staggered into the kitchen, ruffling his
messy hair. He yawned and grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge
and in one fluid movement, cracked it open, guzzled it, and tossed
the empty in the sink. He grabbed a fresh carton before noticing
Beth standing at the far side of the room.

He froze as if trying to determine whether
she was an apparition.

Several months ago she would have believed a
week's worth of stubble would have been a sexy look on Oz, but
right now he only looked broken. She resisted the temptation to
walk across the room and pull him into her arms.

Oz pulled his t-shirt over his gut and
stepped toward Beth. "What are you doing here?"

She whispered, "There are people here to see
you."

Oz cocked his head and slowly made his way
to the living room, his bare feet making little shucking noises as
he crossed the room. Beth let go of the chair she'd been using for
support, flexing her hands so the blood would return. She crept to
the living room doorway to listen. She remained a few feet behind
Oz with Scott, a solid wall, to her right.

His parents spoke in quiet, careful tones, a
light breeze drifting through the room. Beth stared at the floor,
deaf to their words. Angelica and Harvey went silent. Oz slowly
turned on his heel, shoving an accusing finger at Beth.

"An
intervention
? Why can't you let me
have the time and space I asked for?" He turned back to the group.
"You've all watched way too much TV if a man can't go on a weekend
bender without this bullshit."

Scott made shushing noises from the
doorway.

"Oh, Scott. Fuck off all ready," Oz said,
tilting his chin up in challenge. "This is my house. You should all
be tossed out for breaking and entering and ganging up on a guy
who's trying to enjoy his evening." He looked Beth straight in the
eye. "Alone."

"Oz," she said, trying to
find her courage, the word
alone
hitting her hard. "We're here because—"

"Give me the key." He held out his hand and
Beth heard the whispers begin. She slowly fumbled his key off her
chain and handed it to him, ignoring the pain. She blinked away the
brimming tears. He tucked the key in his track pants and after
fishing through his pocket held out his fist, palm down.
Hesitantly, she held out her hand and he opened his fist, dropping
her engagement ring. Her eyes flicked up to meet his, hope bubbling
up.

"Keep it or not. Whatever you want—"

"Oz!" snapped his father as gasps and
indignant murmurs spread around the room.

Beth wobbled on weak legs as she stared at
the ring resting on her palm. She placed her other hand on the wall
for support.

"I thought you were on my side," Oz said
quietly. "I thought you understood."

Her head snapped up and she
searched his tired, haggard face, seeking a connection. "I
am
on your side." She
took a step closer and Oz shook his head, stepping away. His jaw
was so tight, the muscles in his cheeks were bunched liked marbles.
"I'm always on your side." Her voice broke and tears streaked down
her cheeks.

"I need more time, and you need someone. I
can see that I can't be who you need right now. I can't bear to
hold you back from your dreams, Beth. I'm setting you free, because
I love you."

"I don't want to be free," she blurted. She
ignored the gathered group and through her tears said, "Neither of
us are worth anything without the other. We're our best when we're
together."

Angelica joined them in the doorway, her
face pinched with worry. "Don't do anything you're going to
regret."

"Mom, butt out," Oz said evenly, his eyes
never leaving Beth.

"Oz!" barked Harvey. "Show some
respect."

"I want to be there for you," Beth said,
reaching out to touch his arm. "To help you."

"And you need help, young man," added his
father. "What you're doing to our business—"

"It's not
ours
any more, Dad.
Jesus." He whirled around, his eyes flashing like a caged animal
seeking an exit. "Let me life my goddamn life!"

Beth gently laid a hand on Oz's arm. "It's
okay to need someone."

"She's right," said Angelica.

Scott nodded and a chorus of um-hmms came
from the living room.

Oz dragged his hands down his face. "You
guys are never going to get it. I need to do this alone." He let
out a shaky breath.

"But you're not doing anything," Beth
said.

"Just because I'm not telling everyone every
little thought and detail in my life it doesn't mean I'm not doing
anything. Some people prefer privacy so everyone will stop their
fucking interference and can't offer opinions or advice every
fucking second."

"Language!" warned Oz's father.

His mom piped up, "We're just—"

"Completely nuts! All of you! You're going
to drive me around the bend." His voice rattled like a loose
muffler as emotion coated it. "All I ever hear from everyone is
when am I going back to the business? That I can't give it up. That
I'm wasting—that I'm making a mistake—that I can't let Beth..." He
caught Beth's eye and slowly looked down. He seemed to shrink half
a size as he let out a shaky breath. He leaned past Scott to push
the door open. "Just go. Everyone just go."

Beth crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm
not leaving."

Oz opened his mouth, stopped, closed his
eyes, then gripped Beth's hands in his and said carefully, "You
need to move on. I can't give you what you need right now."

"Yes, you can," she said in
a sure voice, stepping closer. She gave his hands a squeeze, hope
surging through her. "I don't need anything. I can wait. This isn't
about
me
, it's
about
you
."

Amber sparks lit up in Oz's
brown eyes and he snatched his hands from hers. He took a step
back, his linebacker build shaking with pent up emotion. "If you
can wait, then why are you with
him
? You don't even realize what you
need."

Beth felt as though he'd
spit in her face. This was where he was supposed to sweep her up
into his arms and carry her into the back bedroom and pour his soul
into hers. Not this. "I love you, Oz." Her voice trembled.
"I
love
you
. And I have for years. That's not
going to change."

"We need more space." He took another step
back.

Someone said, "How can she give him more
space? They're already on break and he just gave her ring
back!"

"There is something wrong with that man,"
someone else whispered.

Cynthia piped up, "Oz, you treat her right!"
She shouldered her way through the clustered group, but Angelica
held her back.

Oz focused his fiery eyes on Beth. She tried
to speak but all that came out were confused sounds. Her legs shook
as though she was standing on a shifting fault line.

Oz looked her straight in the eye. He shoved
his big hands through his brown locks. "Staying together isn't fair
to either of us. I know us, Beth, and we're not working. This isn't
who we are. I might be what you want, but I can't be who you
need."

Tears clogged Beth's
throat. "But..." He was drowning on his own. He needed someone to
stand beside him, hold his hand, and let him know it was all going
to be okay in the end. He needed her. He needed
family
.