Vicious Carousel (Suncoast Society #25)(20)

“And her?” She pointed at Betsy. “No offense to any of you, but she looks like she should be in the hospital.”

“I checked myself out of the ER last night,” Betsy said. “Don’t worry, right now, all I’m planning to do is survive long enough to look human again and get my life back.”

“So the guy who beat you up…”

“I was a dummy who fell for a guy who suckered me in. Most guys are nice guys. Like Kenny and Nolan. Or Landry and Cris. They don’t do this.” She pointed at her own face. “This is abuse, and believe me, I know it.”

“Okay.” She seemed to be digesting that. Then, she looked at Kenny and shook a finger at him. “I ever hear of you doing something like this to anyone? You’ll be dealing with me, young man.”

Tilly snorted. “Don’t worry. There wouldn’t be enough left of him for you to deal with.”





Betsy didn’t know if Kenny’s mom was just that cool, or if Michelle was trying to act cool because Betsy knew she looked like complete and utter hell, but she didn’t care. The woman was sweet and ordered Betsy and the others to call her “Mom.”

She wouldn’t dare argue.

“Well, I’m glad Dennis didn’t come with me tonight,” she said as they sat down to eat. “That would have made things even more interesting.”

“So how is he?” Kenny asked.

Michelle shrugged. “Still sulking. I think he’s upset that I didn’t beg him to come with me tonight. I told him he could either act like an adult or get the hell out. I raised my child. I’m not raising another one. Especially when he’s supposed to be a damned adult.”

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Kenny said. “We didn’t realize he’d come home, or we would have been more careful.”

She waved him off. “It’s okay. It had to come out sooner or later. So, when do I get to plan you and Nolan’s wedding?”

Betsy couldn’t help but laugh as Kenny choked on the swallow of iced tea he’d been taking. “Mom!”

“Well? The secret’s out now, right? Get married before the boneheads in Tallahassee figure out a way to stop it again.”

“We still have to tell my parents,” Nolan said. “I’m not sure how that will go.”

Michelle nodded. “At least you boys have a supportive group of friends, if these three here—and Betsy—are any indication.”

Betsy thought she might be able to sit there and avoid talking, but Michelle, who’d sat right next to her, pulled her into the conversation. “So, what are your next plans? What did you do for a living? Any job prospects?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m going to work on my resume and talk to the real estate office where I worked before Jack made me quit. See if they’re hiring or know of anyone who might be. From there…” She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“No degree?”

“Just a two-year from community college for business. Bookkeeping, accounting, basic stuff. I couldn’t afford a four-year school and didn’t have the grades for a scholarship.”

Michelle nodded. “Well, keep me posted. If you’re familiar with real estate, have you done any property management?”

“Not really. Our office handled residential sales. Why?”

“One of the women in our office is moving in a few weeks. We’re going to post the position sometime this week. We handle commercial and retail property management. Several business plazas, a mall, things like that. It’s an administrative position. Starts at forty thousand a year, but you’ll have to apply for it. I can’t just give you the job because you’re my son’s friend.”

Hope started to catch fire inside her. “Thank you! Yes, I’d love the chance to apply.” It was a little more than she’d made at her last job, and she’d been living okay with that salary. Not high off the hog, but she’d had a tidy little apartment and a car that ran well and was paid off, with a few extra dollars to go to Venture or a movie every weekend, or to buy herself a nice dinner, if she wanted to.

“Okay. Then get me your resume as soon as you can. The sooner you can apply, the sooner we can get you in to interview. It’ll be about two weeks or so before we start interviews.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” That would give her time to heal up reasonably well.

“I’ll help you with your resume tomorrow,” Tilly said. “I’ll be over here before the guys leave for work and we’ll do that.”

“Thanks.” She stared down at her plate while fighting the urge to cry. The kindness everyone had shown her…It was the polar opposite of the hell she’d just escaped from not even twenty-four hours ago.

This time yesterday, she’d been beaten and bloody and curled up on the couch, nearly unconscious, after a day of struggling to get the chain off her foot.

Michelle reached over and touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“No, but I’m finally thinking maybe I’ll reach that point sooner than I thought I would.”





Betsy said good-night to everyone and headed to bed right after dessert was served and Tilly had quickly examined her to make sure she was okay. She’d taken a couple of ibuprofen and needed to lie down. Her headache was back, along with all the other aches and pains, and she didn’t want to admit to anyone how bad she was feeling.