Borrowing Trouble(40)

***

Jay’s night had started out surprising, why shouldn’t it end with a bigger bang? That seemed to be the theme of his life over the last several months.

Bethany’s call earlier in the day announcing she would be coming in from Atlanta in the afternoon surprised only Jay and the kids, it appeared. When her parents arrived before her, they apparently had known the visit was planned. Premeditated surprises like this evening were some of Jay’s least favorite things because in Bethany’s case, it usually did lead to bigger things.

Her sharp gaze had searched him out the whole night since she’d gotten there. He really had been at a loss. She’d seemed almost accusatory, pointed comments slipping into conversation here and there.

Bethany’s father watching them, spoke of a man who didn’t know what his daughter or wife were about any more than Jay. But her mother, Beverly, cast a shrewd look his way every now and then.

They’d left after hushed conversation in the living room, the kids and Jay all shrugged at each other while waiting for Bethany to return.

Then Bethany had lowered the boom. “Remember I had some news?” She gazed at Jay first, then turned to give each of the kids a grin. “I got a job in Winona. I’m moving home!”

Millie’d bounced from her chair, squealing happily, while Clint flicked his surprised gaze between both his parents. Jay felt gobsmacked. Not that he was angry with her for getting a job closer to the kids. He knew they’d missed her. But a job so close to his home? He hoped she didn’t mean… surely not.

Since it wasn’t late in the night, not much past seven p.m., he’d offered Clint the keys to his truck and sent them the fifteen minutes to Kilmichael with a, “Me and your mom need to discuss some things.” Millie’s expression had been baleful at best, but Clint had quickly scuttled her out the door.

The door barely closed behind them before Bethany snapped. “I figured you’d be happy for us.”

He put his hands up. “I’m absolutely happy for you. A little warning would have been nice.”

“I didn’t know my life required your signing off on decisions anymore.”

He left his hands up, still surprised at the heat in her tone. “Seriously, Beths, I’m not mad. I’m surprised as hell. And you’re all too right. I don’t have a say. This is just gonna be a big deal. We didn’t discuss how it’d work with living arrangements and such.”

She straightened. “That depends.”

“Depends?”

“Mama got to talking with Lynne Sutherland at the auction last weekend.”

Jay had to bite his tongue to hold in his groan. “I can only imagine what she had to say.”

“I already had this job lined up. But Jay, so help me, if you’re really f*cking Landon Petty, I can only imagine you’ve lost your damned mind, and my coming home is happening just in time.”

Jay felt the world tilt under his feet. “I…” Say something, damn it. Even if he’d feared this might be what she was talking about, he hadn’t expected her to blurt it out like that. And he also hadn’t expected the vitriol. She was much more level headed that this, and he’d not known her to ever have a hateful bone in her body.

“Beths. What the hell?”

“Tell me, Jay. Are you f*cking a man?”

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” Stupid question, of course. He probably should have guessed it might be a big deal. She may have lived in a big city, but maybe the small town girl wasn’t ready for this kind of revelation.

“Do you know how goddamned embarrassing this would be, Jay? Is this why you didn’t fight for us at all?”

“What? Bethany. I…” He rubbed his hand over his face. “I’ve been working this out with a counselor.”

“Oh, that’s f*cking rich. You’ll get your shit together for a man? Are you kidding?”

“No! What are you saying? You know me better. I’m not doing this for anyone. I’m thinking about me.”

“Exactly,” she snapped, pointing a finger in his face. He’d never seen her so angry, so damned hurt. He wished he could do something, but she had him dead to rights. He couldn’t exactly lie, could he?

“Do you know what this could do to the kids?” she asked, tears starting to fall. He dared not reach for her. He felt as lost as he ever had. And f*ck if he didn’t want Landon right then. Which made him close his eyes and sigh.

“I don’t understand, Beths. You think this is hard for you? Imagine me? I didn’t know something about myself that was this important.”

“Your mama knew. She was always telling me to be a better wife, to buck up and not worry you so much.”

Jay couldn’t help barking a bitter laugh. “Funny, she said that same shit to me. And you know what? It made me learn to never worry anyone with anything; to keep people from worrying about me, I just shut it down.”

“Well, I’m so glad you’re finally letting it all out,” she snarked.

Jay deflated. He remembered his counselor saying if he intended to have this conversation, it’d be worse if done during an argument. But how could he fix that if that’d been how the whole damn conversation started? He didn’t know why the world had gone mad all of a sudden, but he wished Lynne Fucking Sutherland had kept her goddamned mouth shut.