The Best Thing (Stevens Book 8)

Chapter 16

"Yes, you do look very nice, Mary Alice. What's the special occasion?" Beth asked as she settled into the chair across from her. She had indeed taken particular care with her appearance even to the point of putting on lipstick and earrings. "Is that a new perfume?"

Mary Alice preened a little as she tweaked an earring. "Elizabeth told me that today was going to be a very meaningful day, and Mary backed up her statement, so they are in agreement."

Beth's eyes grew wide as she looked at Mary Alice. "Mary?" Beth questioned.

"Yes, Mary. I've known her for ages. She was very pleased that you sought her out all of those years ago. She's always kept an eye on you and Mave, but having you visit her home meant a lot to her."

There were no words. Beth shook her head as she looked at Mary Alice in silence. There were so many questions, and she didn't know where to start. She decided to start with the one that was the most important. "Why is today going to be a very meaningful day?" Beth had a hard time believing that it was going to be any different from any other day, especially if her bad luck held.

It had been a week since she had seen Wyatt on the courthouse steps. A week to relive that mortifying moment over and over again in her head, while it got worse every time she pictured it. He had actually looked through her as if she wasn't there.

Mave had called her many times, but Beth wasn't up to talking to her. It would take time to forgive her. Beth missed her sister, but she felt she needed to make a point this time, and she felt the best way to cease all contact. To help her with the no contact rule, she was going to take a trip since he had some time off. Beth had thought long and hard about all of the different places she could go, and her final decision was one of her favorite places, the family house in Savannah. It would give her a chance to spend a little alone time to get her head on straight.

"I'm not sure," Mary Alice said in response to Beth's question. "I think they want it to be a surprise for both of us."

Beth didn't know how to respond to that one either. "How does Mary know Elizabeth or vice versa?" It tickled her to think of her grandmothers hanging out together in the afterlife.

"They both watch out for you," Mary Alice shrugged as if that explained it all.

Beth nodded as they sat looking out the window together. "Oh, before I forget, I'm going out of town for a few weeks, so I'll be missing a few Saturdays."

Mary Alice looked at her and nodded as if she already knew about it. "Roger is going to be disappointed when you tell him. He relies on your card games."

"Why don't you play with him?" Beth suggested.

"I guess I could." Mary Alice shrugged.

"You guess you could, what?" A voice said from the doorway, and Beth froze. She knew that voice. It was Wyatt's.

"Wyatt!" Mary Alice cried as she stood up and moved towards him. He gathered her close in a hug as Beth turned around in her chair to look at him. He didn't try to hide the shock in his eyes as she realized that it was Beth sitting in the chair.

Beth stood, licking her lips nervously, unable to meet his eyes as she took a quick peek at him from under her eyelashes. He would probably think she had set this up on purpose.

"Beth," Mary Alice turned to Beth, "Wyatt, this is my good friend Beth." Mary Alice looked between them with pride. Whether it was because she adored Wyatt, which she obviously did, or because she had a new friend, Beth couldn't tell.

"We know each other, Mother," Wyatt said.

This time it was Beth's turn to look shocked at his use of the word mother. Beth's eyes met his quickly before they darted away.