The Best Thing (Stevens Book 8)

Chapter 20

It was after hours, and the River Moss plantation had closed for the day. It was surreal to be staying in the plantation house that was over two hundred years old, and where her great-grandmother had been a slave. Beth walked over to the window in her room. The view looked over the front of the house and the avenue of Oak trees that greeted people. She wondered how those very trees had looked when Mary had lived. After a few minutes of daydreaming, Beth's mind changed track to what had happened for the last two days.

When they had arrived in Charleston the previous morning, they had rushed to the hospital, where they were told that Wyatt's father was in surgery to repair a broken hip. Sheldon Ramsey had no life-threatening injuries, but his injuries were bad enough to require a hospital stay. After that, he would need to spend time in a rehabilitation center to work on becoming mobile once more.

They had spent the day at the hospital until Wyatt felt comfortable leaving his father, and then they had gone back to the house in Charleston. It had been late when they got there, and neither one of them were really up for talking. As soon as Beth's head had hit the pillow, she had been out cold. The following morning Beth had been drawn once more to the archives where she had worked until she smelled frying bacon, which reminded her that she was hungry.

Beth would never forget the look Wyatt had given her when she had walked into the kitchen. He had looked up to her, freezing with a piece of bacon halfway to his mouth. Wyatt had looked as if he had never seen her before. They stared at each other for a moment before Wyatt had slowly popped the bacon into his mouth and grinned as if he had just won the lottery.

"Did you forget I was here?" Beth asked with a laugh as she moved to the fridge and grabbed the container of juice.

"No," had been his only comment before they had started a conversation about his father and what the rest of the day might hold.

They had decided that Beth should stay at the house and enjoy a little research while he saw his father and made arrangements for his stay at the rehabilitation center. Beth had a feeling that he wanted to discuss a few private matters with his father as well, so she didn't push on going back to the hospital with him.

When Wyatt had returned from the hospital late that afternoon, he had looked tired. Beth had asked him if he wanted to talk about it, and he had given her a weary smile before kissing her on the top of the head. "Maybe in a bit." Then Wyatt had instructed her to gather her things because they were going to the plantation.

Beth's heart soared at the words. He hadn't said no, he might not be ready to talk about it, but eventually, he might be. It was more than she had expected. Part of her was afraid that he was going to close himself off again and push her away.

Now, watching the early evening sun start to set, across the grounds, Beth felt a strange sense of homecoming as if she had found where she finally belonged.

With a contented sigh, Beth turned from the window and started down the stairs. She was supposed to settle in then join him in the kitchen to have dinner. Her only problem was she didn't know the location of the kitchen. It was a happy problem to have because it meant she got to see part of the house that no one else did.

She took her time admiring the house as she walked down the grand staircase, which ran down both sides of the back of the main hall.  The house was about symmetry, and one side of every room was a reflection of the opposite side, hence two staircases. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she realized that the front and back door were open. The gust of air off the river that ran behind the house took her breath away.

Beth stopped and turned to look out the backdoor, across the vast lawn, and toward the river beyond. She felt a weird pressure in her chest and a strong sense of Déjà vu as if she had stood in this very spot before.

"It's an amazing feeling, to stand between two open doors. It feels almost as if it's a transition space, doesn't it? It's as if you're moving from the past to the future, and you have two choices, to return to where you have come from or continue on to the next destination. I used to dream of getting one of the boats and sailing down the river, letting it take me where ever it wanted."

Beth smiled and nodded, she felt it too, and it was a similar to how she felt as a teenager when she would take long walks and hear the whistle of the train that ran near her family's ranch. It was was a romantic feeling full of endless possibilities.

Wyatt placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Are you hungry?"

Beth nodded and turned to face him. "What's for dinner?"

"Depends on what Kay left in the kitchen." He shrugged, not the least bit put out that she had left as he grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen.

There was nothing historical about the kitchen, except for the wooden floors and old fireplace. It was a cook's dream, all stainless steel and granite countertops.

"So, Kay is gone?" Beth asked as she leaned against and counter and watched Wyatt rustle around in the fridge and cabinets.

"Yes, she's told my father, in no uncertain terms, that she is filing for divorce and she is going to take him for everything he has, including this house and land." Wyatt started to pull out pasta and ground beef, which he threw in the microwave to defrost.

"Can she do that?" Beth frowned at the thought.

"No, for multiple reasons. Kay signed a prenup, which I drafted. I know my father's lack of discretion in his personal affairs, so I made sure that this type of situation was covered, but even if it wasn't, the house and land are in a family trust, not in my father's name."

Wyatt passed her an onion, knife, and cutting board, while he started to slice and butter some bread. Beth watched a host of emotions cross his face.

I had a thought, Wyatt?" Beth said without looking at him. What she had to say was important, but she wanted to make sure she said it right and looking at him made her nervous still.

"What's that?" He reached into the cupboard for a jar on marinara sauce. "I hope your alright with jarred sauce?" he asked, holding it up, and she nodded approval.

"I hope this comes out right," she said almost to herself.

"What, the onion?" Wyatt asked with a confused frown.

"No, what I'm about to say." Beth took a deep breath and realizing what she was about to say might be important, Wyatt stopped preparing dinner and turned to face her.

"You've said that one of the reasons that you weren't interested in me, besides my innocence and age, which by the way are fleeting, is that-"

"I was always interested, Beth." Wyatt's voice came out husky and low as he cut her off, and Beth blushed and cleared her throat about to continue, but Wyatt wasn't done. "I pray to God your innocence isn't fleeting. When I say you are innocent, I'm not just talking about sex. I'm talking about your belief and trust in people and your ability to see more good in this world than most people. Your spirit is young and beautiful. I would hate for you to lose that. I would hate to be the one to cause you to lose that."

"But that's my point, why are you so sure you will be the one to cause that?" She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "We are all equal parts of our parents. Why are you so sure that your heart is like your father's and not your mother's? She loves deeply, even when all hope of that love being reciprocated is gone. How do you know you aren't like her? Have you fallen in and out of love a lot?"

Wyatt shook his head as he watched Beth's adamant face. "Why do you believe in me so much?"

"Because Wyatt, I love you. There's no mystery or secret to it. You are the one my heart has chosen. I believe with every fiber of my being that you are the best thing for me."

He walked across the kitchen towards her and gently grabbed her face with his hands. "You're so beautiful, where do you get that confidence from?"

Wyatt's thumbs caressed Beth's cheeks while he looked at her as if he was trying to see into her very soul. 

Beth smiled. "That's easy, my mother and grandmother."

He rested his head against hers. "I'm working on matching it, Beth." He gave he a gentle and fleeting kiss as if it was all he would allow himself. Then he turned back towards the stove and the moment was gone.