Chapter Four
“If you’re not going to help me, then I would suggest you leave me the hell alone,” Bennett barked to Meagan, who was hanging all over him at the ice cream shop that evening. It wasn’t Bennett’s first choice to get away, but in a town like this there weren’t many options. He certainly didn’t want to be at home with his father.
“Why should I help you? Bea doesn’t deserve you.”
“I think you mean I don’t deserve her,” he said, correcting her as he carefully shaded a pencil drawing of a snow-covered mountain.
“Tell me I’m beautiful.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I’m having an ugly day,” Meagan said. “Hearing your voice makes me feel better.”
“I wouldn’t call you beautiful if my life depended on it.”
“What about Bea’s life?”
Bennett frowned, turning back to his drawing. “Maybe hers,” he grunted.
“Do you want me to get her? Are you still working on that project from art class? You were drawing all period and I didn’t come here to continue to watch you do so.”
“So leave.”
“Shouldn’t you be with your friends?”
“You have too many damn questions. You’re giving me a headache.”
“Seriously though, Ben. I haven’t seen you with your boys lately.”
“I have no boys,” Bennett said.
“Whatever, you’re boring,” Meagan said. “I’ll let Bea deal with you. She seems to have more patience for it than I do.”
“Please do,” Bennett said, continuing to sketch.
“What if she won’t come?”
“She will,” Bennett said. “Now get out of here before I stab you with this pencil.”
“Ugh,” Meagan said, standing up. “You don’t have to be so vulgar.”
“Be careful with words like that or you’ll choke on them,” he said, watching her head back into the shop and whisper something into Bea’s ear. Bea lazily lifted up her head and looked in Bennett’s direction before rolling her eyes and sauntering over.
“What?” she asked, still looking sleepy.
Bennett smiled, inviting her to sit on the stool next to his. “Beatriz, did you actually come over here because I asked you to?”
“Yup, and I plan to leave when you ask me to.”
“Then you’re not going anywhere,” he growled, pulling her stool closer to him. “You can stay until I ask you.”
“There you have it,” Bea said. “You just asked me, didn’t you?”
“That’s not what I meant, you vixen, and you know it,” Bennett said. “Stay.”
“What happened with you and Clark?” Beatriz asked.
“I pushed him against a car,” Bennett said, shrugging. “Clark was his usual dumbfounded self.”
“And?”
“I cursed at him, and now…” he said, leaning forward, “I’d like to kiss you.”
Beatriz shoved him away. “If you were speaking foul words then I bet your breath reeks of them and I won’t have your mouth anywhere near me. I think I’ll go back to my seat unkissed.”
“Oh come on, Beatriz,” he said, gently tugging her arm. “Don’t say that I’m foulmouthed, I only speak wonderfully foul words to you.”
“What an honor.”
“Fine then, perhaps this will earn me a kiss. I challenged Clark.”
“To what?” she asked, chuckling. “To a duel?”
“Something like that, I dunno. I just want to kick his ass for what he did to Heaven. I thought she’d be back at school by now. Now tell me, Beatriz, what do you like most about me?”
“You’re impossible,” Bea said. “If I’m going to answer that, then you must answer what you like best about me.”
“I love that I don’t want to love you,” Bennett chuckled.
“How charming,” Beatriz said, smiling. “Well I love that I don’t want to love you either. Still though,” she said, laying her head against his shoulder, “I think you can’t not love me. Sometimes it feels as though we are the only ones in this place with any sense.”
“I’ll agree with that,” Bennett said, kissing the top of her head. God he loved the smell of lavender and sage. “You and I, we really are too smart to be paired up together. Are you sure you want to do this again with me?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean, Beatriz,” Bennett said, squeezing her carefully. “I did a horrible thing to you. I don’t necessarily deserve your forgiveness.”
“Damn straight you don’t,” she said. “But for you to admit that it was a horrible thing, I’ll give you credit for that. Many men out there would never admit they were wrong in the first place.”
They gathered their things and headed towards the park across the street. Frowning, Bennett looked at Beatriz. “But I’m flirting when I should be concerned. How’s Heaven doing?”
“She’s…not doing so well,” Bea said. “She hasn’t been herself.”
“How are you dealing?”
“Me? I’m not the one whose name was publicly ruined by Clark’s ignorance.”
“You know what I mean,” Bennett said. “How are you dealing with this whole situation?”
“I’m tired,” Beatriz admitted, taking a seat on one of the benches. “Heaven’s so broken up about everything and everyone’s going about their lives as though it doesn’t matter!”
“Heaven’s name will be restored,” Bennett said, taking a seat next to her and wrapping an arm around her. “Don’t worry, Beatriz…” he trailed off with surprise as Bea dodged his arm and rested her head in his lap, staring up at him. He swallowed deeply and looked down as he gently brushed a knuckle across her cheek. “Love me, Bea,” he whispered, “and we will right all of this.”
“Good,” she said, smiling softly. “I’m tired of all this drama. I want to feel better—”
“And you will,” he said, still rubbing her cheek. “Dammit,” he said, looking up. “Sola’s coming over.” With a frown, Beatriz left his lap and sat up.
“What’s going on?” Beatriz asked, straightening her hair. “What are you doing here, Sola?”
“You need to go to Leo’s,” she said. “Heaven’s been proven innocent of those terrible things! Donnie and Clark were both tricked by Jason, who skipped town. You need to come with me right away!”
Beatriz stood up immediately and held her hand out towards Bennett. “Do you want to come with us?” she asked.
Bennett stood up and dramatically took her hand, much to Bea’s and Sola’s surprise. “Beatriz, I will live in your heart, die in your lap and then be buried by your side. That said, yes I’ll go.”
“You’re entirely too theatrical to be a jock,” Beatriz said, already feeling lighter as their fingers entwined.