Pieces of it All (27 page)

The memory, forever etched into Beth's mind, happened two years prior. She would always remember the moment. The warmth of Ryan's body, the sweetness of his cologne, the crashing of pins echoing through the alley. She tacked the picture back into place. Did Harvey's photo spark memories for him? Did he remember his mom holding him, and kissing him? Did her voice visit him in his dreams? Was there a perfume or shampoo that resonated in Harvey, opening up every memory with his mom each time he smelled it? If he didn't have that already, he never would.

She was it. Beth became his only happy memory. He came to her, to right his wrong, because she was all he had. Once he learned his mom died, no one remained but Beth, and she, too, left him. Twice. Had she not given him a chance? Maybe she was too unforgiving. She built up her expectations on how her first sexual encounter would be - she never imagined to be crawling out a window - but she should remember it
was
her first time. The same situation would have occurred at her house, and her dad came home, except Harvey would have no choice but to jump from a second story window. He stole the ring he gave her, but Sue found enough room in her heart to forgive once he returned the stolen items. Life was about second chances. Harvey deserved one, too.

"Maggie? What are you doing here?" Harvey ran his fingers through his hair. The sun beat down into the house, almost blinding him. "What time is it?"

"Around five. I have quite the bone to pick with you. What happened with Nelson?" She pushed through the door, knocking Harvey out of the way. Her blond hair, pulled into a ponytail, swung back and forth with force. Her long, straight hair usually rested over her shoulders. Even in her thirties, the hairstyle worked well on her. He shut the door and she already stood in the middle of the living room, her hands on her hips. "You walked out on the job? The job
I
got you? The job to get you back on the right track?"

"Maggie-"

She put her hand up. "And what's this I hear about drinking? Nelson overheard a lady accusing you of being drunk. What the hell, Harvey?"

So she knew everything. Nelson couldn't only tell her he walked out on the job. No, he had to fuck things up even more by ratting him out. He needed to sit down. Scratching his head, he sat on the couch. "I don't know, Maggie. I lost it. I got upset and walked out."

"Didn't we teach you anything about responsibility? You don't walk out on a job. Ever! You disrespected Nelson, and not only did your actions reflect poorly on you, but now my cousin is pissed at me." She sat down next to him. "God, Harvey. I went out on a limb for you. I stepped in where I shouldn't."

He watched Maggie sink into the couch, her face buried into her hands. He'd never witnessed her like a real person with feelings. She always helped and guided him. In all his months in rehab, she'd befriended him, going above and beyond what was expected of her. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I really am."

A strand of hair freed itself from her ponytail and stuck to her now tear stained face as she cocked her head. "Are you drunk right now?" She whispered. "You reek of alcohol."

This was what real disappointment looked like - staring someone in the eyes who truly cared about you and admitting you had failed; coming to terms that the last months of your life had been a waste of not only your time, but someone else's. "I...Maggie."

She waved her hands at him. "Just don't, Harvey. Why didn't you call me? I could've talked you through it."

He stood, put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorway leading to the kitchen. "I don't think so. Not this time." After he and Beth had their first argument, she successfully talked him down, but finding out about his mom was something else entirely. What would she say if she found out he fell off the wagon twice now? Even if she stood before him, her sharp blue eyes begging for him to put down the drink, he wouldn't have. He couldn't have.

"Is that why you didn't answer your phone? I tried calling you at least five times before I jumped in the car and drove down here."

He shrugged. "I wasn't aware you called. I passed out in bed, drunk and feeling sorry for myself because that's what I do. It's who I am."

"Harvey." This time she cocked her head up like a sad puppy. "You're not that person. You know that."

"No. I don't. I spent my whole life wondering about my mom while I lived with a father who would rather drink and beat the shit out of me than be a parent. After all these years, I finally found someone I thought I truly loved, only to lose her and find out my mom is dead." Tears never came easy to Harvey, but a river was about to flow through. "DEAD! My father called her all kinds of names and made up stories. I assumed they weren't true, but never in a million years..." He gulped and wiped his nose. He looked up at the ceiling. "I never imagined she was dead. The possibility never even crossed my mind. Yet here I am."

His crying turned to anger as he approached her. "So you tell me, Maggie, what the hell was I
supposed
to do? Go on my cheery fucking way and pretend like the last seventeen years of my life didn't happen?" Maggie flinched as Harvey shoved his hand in her face. "This scar and countless others make that impossible."

She grabbed his hand with hers and held it tightly in her lap. "Those scars don't define you, Harvey. They define
him
. They make
him
the cowardly bastard unable to be a man to his son."

He ripped his hand away. "The apple doesn't fall from the tree. Now
I'm
him.
I'm
the drunk. I should just accept it and make things a lot easier."

"I can't believe you're saying this, Harvey," she yelled as she bounced off the couch. "Are you even listening to yourself? You did it. You walked into the rehab center wanting nothing more than a drink. You left a changed man. Don't throw everything all away."

He had no more words. He was who he was. The faster he admitted his fate, the faster he moved on. He opened the door for her. "Why don't you leave now?"

"Harvey?"

The voice sent shivers through his entire body. He turned to see Beth standing in the doorway, her hand in the air mid-knock. "Beth! What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way back to school and wanted to talk." She glanced into the house. "Is this a bad time?"

Maggie. Shit. "No. This is my friend Maggie. She was just leaving. Right, Maggie?"

"You need to come back with me, Harvey. Do what's right. You can change again."

Beth took a step back, her lip quivering. "Maybe this was a bad idea." As she moved further away, Harvey tried to grab her arm. "I'm sorry I came."

"Beth! It's not what you think!" Frantic, he turned in circles. "Maggie, tell her."

But it was too late. Beth was already in her car, wheels squealing, breaking his heart again.

Chapter Thirty Five

Beth jiggled the keys in the lock. She turned the knob a few times before it clicked and the door opened. When she entered, the sweet perfume of roses and daisies welcomed her. A short, green vase overflowing with yellow roses, white carnations and amazing lilies and daisies sat on the kitchen table. Lush greens peeked out from the charming display. What in the world? Her eyes didn't leave the bouquet as she felt around for a surface to set her keys down. She'd never gotten flowers before. But who?

Harvey. He must've sent them. Did he think he could win her over with flowers after she walked in on him and whoever Maggie was to him? She should grab the flowers and throw them in the trash, vase and all. Yeah. That's what she would do. She ran to the table, snatched the flowers off, the card falling out of the center and onto the floor.

The white envelope laid on the linoleum, teasing her, aware reading the message inside would anger her more. The sweet petal scent entered her nose as she inhaled. Fine. She set the bouquet back down and grabbed the card. The words presented themselves slowly, "I had a wonderful evening with you. I can't wait to go out again. Mark."

Relief sent tingles up her arms and a giggle from her mouth. The flowers were from Mark! Thank goodness she didn't trash them. In the midst of everything with Harvey, she hadn't considered things were moving forward with Mark, a funny, attractive man who liked her back. She pulled the card to her chest, a smiling. She had to stop wasting her energy on a destructive relationship.

Her cell phone rang, jolting her from a daydream of thanking Mark. She put the card back in the flowers and answered without looking at the display. "Hello?"

"Beth, it's Mark. Did you get the flowers?"

She hadn't stopped staring at them. "Yes, I did. Thank you so much. You're so thoughtful." She gently pressed her fingers against the soft petals.

"Heather said you had to go home for a few hours. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, much better now. My dad had a heart attack."

"Oh no! Do you need me to come over? I can be a great shoulder to lean on."

A strong, muscular shoulder. The fact he'd even consider dropping whatever he may be doing to come added to the reasons she liked him. "No, but thanks for the offer. He's doing well. It was mild and he's already going home tomorrow."

The smile on the other side of the phone infected her. "Great news. I'm glad for you." He paused. "Did you want go out again? Well, not out so much as in. My place for dinner tomorrow? I'll cook."

The chance to be alone with Mark appealed to her, but trusting herself was something she didn't have a lot of confidence in. After her experience with Harvey, she wanted to move at a slower pace. She needed to take her time and let things develop naturally with him. If she agreed, what would his expectations be?

"Beth? If you don't want to come, that's fine."

"No, no. I do."

He sensed her apprehension. "Just dinner," he said in a reassuring tone. "A hearty, home-cooked meal. I promise I won't give you food poisoning."

A laugh, how refreshing. "Sounds like fun. I look forward to it." She'd regret not going, and this summer didn't have room for regrets. Well, just one.

"How about you come to my place around five-thirty?"

She shuffled her feet on the ground, holding in a squeal of excitement. "Works for me. I can't wait." She pressed "End" on her phone, and held it to her chest as she jumped up and down.

"Ahem," a male voice interrupted her dance. She jumped, dropping her phone on the floor. A tall, lanky man with blond hair stood in front of her in nothing but boxer shorts. She couldn't help but notice his defined pecks and large biceps, a surfer type if she ever saw one. He leaned down, picked up her phone and handed it to her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"A thank you would be nice," he stated.

"Thank you." She whispered her words.

"I'm Robert. A friend of Heather's." He offered his hand, but she didn't take it. She did, however, loosen the grip on the phone now that she knew she was not being robbed in her new apartment. "And you are?"

"Beth. My name is Beth. I'm Heather's roommate."

He licked his lips and looked her up and down. He tightened his jaw, reminding her of a young Brad Pitt. "Interesting..."

Positive his remark was a sexual innuendo, she ignored him and asked, "While you're here in
my
apartment, where is Heather?"

"Coffee. She ran to get us some coffee."

Beth ducked her head around the corner. "We have a coffeemaker."

"Broken," he said, offering no other explanation.

"Okay. Well, I guess make yourself at home." She shifted her head left to right, trying to find anything she could in the room to focus on but this man in his underwear. "I need to do something," she lied.

"Those your flowers?" he asked as he pointed to them, slipping past her to sit at the table.

"Yes, as a matter of fact they are." How did she get rid of this guy, or at least excuse herself politely? "Can I help you with anything? Do you need anything?" She pointed to her room. "I have some things I need to do." How many times did she have to say it before he got the hint?

Robert tapped his hand on the chair next to him. "Sit down. Let's chat. You're Heather's roommate. I'm her friend. We should get to know each other, in case I'm around for a while."

The name Robert never left Heather's lips before, and Beth wasn't aware of her currently having a boyfriend. He came off like a ditz and self-absorbed based simply on him sitting across from her in nothing but underwear. She hoped Heather hadn't ditched him and would be back soon.

"So you met Heather where?"

He smiled and put his hands behind his head. "Oh, the roommate interrogation. I love it. Did she put you up to this?"

The amount of hair under his armpits should be illegal. "Um, no, she didn't. Do you recall we
just
met? I had no idea you existed until less than five minutes ago."

"Right," he nodded, clearly in denial Beth hadn't a clue who he was. "We met at a coffee shop this morning. We sat and talked for hours. Then she invited me up here."

Beth couldn't imagine anyone holding a conversation with Robert for hours, much less the time she had to until Heather waltzed through the door to save her. "So you've known her for about ten hours." Heather certainly worked fast.

He looked at his wrist. "Oh, I suppose I'm not wearing a watch," he grinned as he rubbed the bare area.

"No, you're not. You're only wearing underwear."

He shrugged, not embarrassed in the least. "It's been at least ten hours. Maybe even eleven. She's fucking rad. Coolest chick I've met in awhile."

Bile formed in her mouth. A whole half of a day and he already acted as they'd been lovers for months. What type of a person thought they had a lasting relationship so quickly after meeting?

"Yes, Heather's ... rad." He said it, why couldn't she? However ignorant Robert's remarks sounded, Beth could relate. Despite Heather's somewhat snobby comments, she didn't fail in the friendship department. As far as being girlfriend material, she didn't fit the mold, but he didn't need to find out from Beth.