Their Heart Search: Bethany & Jordan's Story (Search Series) (2 page)

Bethany

She was back at Raiden and Tai’s table taking their order and hoping she didn’t insert her foot in her mouth too bad. She hadn’t realized Raiden hadn’t told Tai she was the one he had been arranged with. In hindsight, it didn’t matter she could look at Raiden and know he was sunk.

The door chimed and in walked a very handsome guy, one she knew she’d never seen before. “Who is he?” she asked nodding towards the door.

Before she got an answer she thought she heard Raiden growl. She was too transfixed on the handsome stranger to pay much mind to Raiden though.

“My ex-fiancé, Jordan,” Tai stated plainly.

“Oh, he’s cute.” Bethany fanned herself. Raiden growled again. So, clearly he wasn’t a fan of Jordan or maybe it was the reason Jordan was here that had Raiden on edge. Tai’s laughter helped ease Bethany. She was really distracted by him. Completely locked in a stare with him. She finally peeled herself from his gaze. “Let me go put your order in.” She felt her cheeks flush as she quickly walked away.

Jordan

He wasn’t surprised to see Tai and Raiden at the only diner he had found so far. What did shock him was Raiden waving him over to their booth. The same booth that beautiful waitress had just been.

“Hey, you two,” he said as he stopped in front of their table.

“Have a seat, Jordan. Raiden needs to talk with you about something.” Tai spoke from her new seat next to Raiden. She had moved to that side of the booth when Raiden waved him over.

“I swear, dude, I needed to get away. That’s why I’m staying...I’m not going to try to take her from you...” He knew he was rambling, but he couldn’t help himself. Raiden looked stunned and confused by Jordan’s ramblings and both men remained silent. Luckily for them, Tai’s voice broke the awkwardness.

“Jordan, shut up and sit down.” He immediately took a seat across from them pleasantly surprised by her assertiveness.

“The person that called Tai’s mom was a man by the name of Kai...” Jordan was half listening to Raiden. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her again. She was heading their way. No food in her hands. “...he will do whatever he can to destroy me, to destroy us. Do you understand?”

He nodded, refocusing on Raiden. “Of course, man, I want Tai happy and you’re the one that does that.”

Her attention was completely focused on him. “Can I get you something to drink or eat or both, maybe?” She sounded nervous, it was cute, and she was gorgeous.

“Just some water for now,” he answered, barely croaking it out. She nodded and left, clearly something was being exchanged between Raiden and Tai, but he had other things to worry about. He cleared his throat. “Is she ummm...is she a...is she like you, Raiden?” He saw Tai’s coy smile. Yea okay, so he liked the waitress, she was beautiful, though.

“Yes,” Raiden answered plainly.

When she returned she had Raiden and Tai’s food and his drink. Her eyes never left him as she served the three of them. “I’m Bethany.” She smiled, Tai had a beautiful smile, but Bethany’s smile melted him.

“I’m Jordan,” he said extending his hand to her. Bethany took it, Jordan didn’t make a move to shake her hand, he just held it as her eyes were holding him. Jordan was never leaving Aishan, not unless Bethany was leaving with him. He was starting to understand what Tai meant when she told him that she wasn’t his one and he wasn’t hers. It was clear to Jordan now, he was meant to be with Bethany. Just as Tai was meant to be with Raiden.

Bethany

Raiden and Tai had left a while ago but Jordan was still there. He had swapped from water to a beer. “Still here, Superman?” She flushed with embarrassment. Why had she done that? He chuckled.

“Yeah, beautiful, was hoping to talk when your shift was over.” He flashed her a smile, and it helped calm her nerves.

“That would be nice, Jordan. I get off in fifteen.” He gave her a quick nod. “The beer is on me. Be back soon.” He gave her another nod and smile and she turned in a sudden hurry to finish her shift.

She was really going to have a date. A date, oh shit, she had never been on a date. Raiden was supposed to be her world, not particularly a world she wanted, but she never knew anything else. She never allowed herself to know anything else. Things had changed though, Tai was wonderful. She saw the look in Raiden’s eyes. He was smitten, Bethany was off the hook, but she didn’t feel free yet.

The fifteen remaining minutes in her shift just crawled, but Jordan stayed planted right in the booth patiently waiting. Finally! She rushed to the back to her locker for her things. “Ready?” She questioned coming up behind him.

“Absolutely.” He smiled jumping up from the table. Hitting his knee against the corner.

“Are you okay?” she chuckled.

“Fine, beautiful.” His smile was breathtaking. What had caused him and Tai to breakup? Did he come back to get her back only to be denied? “Bethany, you ready?” She snapped from her thoughts.

“Yes, I need to get out of this. Can we swing by my place?” He nodded.

“Tell you what, Bethany, I have a rental car for now. How about I follow you and then we figure things out from there?” She liked that idea, but she was hesitant to have him at her apartment.

“That sounds good,” she replied, completely distracted by the circumstances of this situation. She had never been on date, a date, oh my. Breathe, Bethany, breathe.

Jordan

He was in his rental following her trying to figure out how to explain things. Why did things end with Tai? Why did he come here? Why was he staying? What was he looking for? She deserved the truth but if she knew all those things she probably wouldn’t give him the time of day.  The drive was short only about five minutes. She went up the steps and he was unsure if he should follow. She was in her apartment for about two minutes before she came back down the stairs still in her work clothes. Jordan had climbed out of the car and just stood there watching her.

“I’m sorry please...come in.” She stuttered. He reached for her hands and held her eyes. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Bethany, have you ever had a boyfriend?” She shook her head. He stared in surprise she was a bombshell. “How is that possible beautiful?” He questioned still holding her gaze.

She swallowed hard. “I was supposed to marry Raiden.” He felt his eyes widened in shock.

“Tai’s Raiden?” She laughed at his choice of words.

“Yes, when we were sixteen it was decided. Look I don’t want to talk about this out here.” She nodded towards the apartment.

“Lead the way.” He smiled. She gave him a small, quick, nervous smile before leading him up to her apartment.

“Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back.” He nodded and she disappeared into the room.

His phone rang. He fished it from his pocket
‘Meredith Calling.’
  He sighed before answering it.

“Jordan?” God why did he answer? With no logical explanation to that question he hung up.  He didn’t need multiple guesses, Meredith calling was about him bringing Tai home, away from
‘a monster.’
As she put it, but Raiden was anything but from what he had seen thus far. He could feel her reenter the room. Something he hadn’t ever felt with Tai. It was a force pulling him to her, his eyes never left her as she just stood at the entrance to her living room. She was gorgeous and he made a mental note to later thank Tai for coming here of all places. Meredith would surely have something to say, but fuck her, she ruined one relationship for him, oddly enough with her own daughter, but she had no more power over him, he was done. He came here, Tai said no, it was over Tai was happy she deserved happiness. Jordan wanted happiness too, but he had a lot of work to do in order to prove he deserved it.

Bethany

He was staring at her. Not moving a muscle. Did she look that bad? “That bad?” She asked quietly.

“Hell no! You’re beautiful.” She smiled unsure still. She never considered herself a self-conscious person, but she had also never been in this type of situation where her attraction to someone was being honestly returned. Raiden loved her, but like a sister, a best friend, but not a lover or wife. She never had feelings for him either, but she also never let herself have feelings for anyone.  She was always assuming one day she’d have to fulfill the role of wife to Raiden to keep the Lukas family at bay. Funny thing was Raiden, Kai, and her remained friends till he was about twenty. That was when his father started really brainwashing him. At twenty-one, they all had a choice. Choose as their parents had or go back dark night. Kai did the same thing her and Raiden had, but she never understood why. For months Kai said he was going back to dark night, but when the time arrived he didn’t. “You okay, Bethany?” His gentle soothing voice breaking through her thoughts of the past and what was supposed to be. She hoped she was looking at her future she just needed to figure out how to get there.

“Fine, sorry. I’m new to this.” He smiled and held his hand out to her. She took a few steps and reached for him. When their hands connected he tugged her towards him. She landed flush against his solid chest. Her breathing began to pick up, her heart raced.

He leaned close and she couldn’t pull away, “We take our time,” he muttered so very close to her lips sending shivers down her whole body. She braced for a kiss and was terrified. He winked at her then kissed her cheek. “Baby steps, beautiful,” he whispered in her ear slowly pulling back.     

“Not sure how we proceed, she whispered still wrapped in his arms.

“First, we get to know one another. I’m not in any rush.” She smiled.

“Somehow I don’t think that is a normal guy response.” She laughed and he followed. He had a deep laugh and she melted.

“It isn’t, but I’ve made mistakes in the past. Mistakes I vow to never repeat.” She nodded towards the couch and he followed her lead.

She swallowed hard. She wanted to ask him about Tai.
‘Too soon, Bethany.’
she chanted in her head. “What brings you to Aishan?” She thought it was a simple question.

“Tai’s mom got a phone call that freaked her out, she wanted me to drag Tai back to the states.” That surprised Bethany a little.

“Oh I see. What freaked her out?” She bit her lip. She was nervous about his response.

“The fact that Raiden is a vampire.” He said it like it was nothing.

“Yeah and I am...” He silenced her with a finger to her lips.

“They told me at the diner. It doesn’t bother me, Bethany. I want to get to know you.” She felt tears in her eyes, this handsome guy wanted to get to know her. Why her? She was unsure of everything, herself, him, what could happen, and the future Raiden and Tai were just starting out. There was still a possibility for things not working out.

Jordan

He could tell she was nervous, frankly, he was too. She felt too perfect in his arms. He would one day have to tell her what he did to Tai and who it was with. How does one explain something like that? For the first time since the affair with Meredith Corretti happened, he understood the full penalties of his actions. Bethany could be, and should be, mortified that he could do something like that to someone he was supposed to love, someone he was getting married to. “So, tell me a little about you. No boyfriend ever?” He was still surprised by that fact. Surely he wasn’t the only one who saw how gorgeous she was.

She nodded slowly, pulling one leg under her and facing him. “Yeah, it’s complicated.” He smiled, he had time for complicated. “Well, Raiden...” She paused looking down and knotting her hands in her lap.

“What did Raiden do?” he questioned, suddenly concerned that he had read the guy wrong. She looked up at him instantly and shook her head fiercely.

“It was what our parents did. When we were sixteen, it was agreed that when the time came, Raiden and I would get engaged and then married. Unless of course, he settled down on his own.” Wow, okay not what Jordan was expecting, an arranged marriage?

“I was focused on school at the time and never dated, and then, well I watched Raiden go through more women then I could count. I never thought he would settle down. I was afraid of falling in love. Afraid of falling in love and then having to fulfill my obligation to our society, to my best friend.” Jordan saw the tears fill her eyes, oh he didn’t want her crying.

“Hey now, it doesn’t matter anymore. He has Tai.” She nodded. “Look Bethany, we can be friends, okay?” A sadness filled her eyes even further.