Haunted(18)

We hugged for what seemed like an eternity. I never wanted to let go, but I pulled away from her and held her face.

“Marry me! Marry me today.” I knew I sounded insane and spontaneous, but all I wanted was her.

“But, we haven’t even decided on anything. I’m not going to let you quit Phantom.”

“Beth!”

“What?”

“Marry. Me.” I smiled at her. God, looking at her…she was my home.

“This is so fast.”

“It’s not fast enough. I’ve been waiting for you my whole entire life.”

“But…”

“I want you, only you, I want to marry you and have babies with you.”

Her eyebrows rose, which made me want to laugh. God, I missed her.

“I want only one baby with you?” I asked.

She smiled…score!

“Yes!”

“Yes?” I asked again.

“Yes!”

I grabbed her and swung her around and around, both of us laughing.

“Shouldn’t be hard to find a chapel in Nashville, huh?” I asked.

“I have to talk to Eric first. I need for him to be okay with this…for Joey.”

“I understand.” I had expected this. She had Joey to consider, but I knew Joey really liked me, so score one for me. Now for Eric...that might be a different story. She grabbed her phone out of her purse. I could see her excitement. She turned her back to me, which I didn’t like. After being away from her so long, it felt wrong.

Calm down! She said yes.

She was on the phone for two minutes, and I didn’t even try to listen in. This wasn’t Tate. I shouldn’t be jealous; this was Eric, the father of her child. She turned to me and beamed.

“Well?”

“Eric said he approved.” She grinned.

I could tell that Eric’s opinion mattered a lot to her. At first, that truth made me jealous, but on the other hand, I accepted that they had a special bond that would never be broken, one that I would never truly understand. Joey. No matter what kind of great stepdad I became, I hadn’t been there from the beginning.

“Really? Eric was okay with it?”

“Yeah, he was shocked when I told him and maybe a bit flabbergasted, but he’s seeing a nice woman named Tara. I think he really likes her. Eric agrees that Joey would think you were the coolest stepdad in the world. Oh gosh, Roman, did you think of that? About being a stepdad?” She looked worried.

I smiled down at her because now she was worried I didn’t want to marry her. Funny how things could change within fifteen minutes.

“Yes, I knew Joey was a part of the package and I’m happy. I met him at the hospital. Beth, he is a part of you, so that makes him just as beautiful.”

“We both have flaws, Roman. Are you sure you’re prepared for that?”

I put my arms around her and hugged her against me.

“A fan told me once that I had no family and no responsibilities. I’m ready. Life is messy. I’m okay with that as long as it’s messy with you. Together, you and I can survive anything. I truly believe that, don’t you?”

She smiled, and it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Never had I been surer of anything in my life.

I grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go inside and look through the yellow pages for a chapel,” I told her as she continued to smile.

“Okay.”

We walked toward her house and climbed the stairs to the front porch.

“You know what would look good right there?” I pointed to the corner of the porch.

“What?”

“A swing.”



Chapter 13 – Beth



We walked into my home, and I was actually a bit nervous about what Roman would think about it. Would he think it was just average? What kind of a home did he live in? A mansion? Was he rich? I was sure he had money.

“I love your home. It has a je ne sais quoi to it.

I looked at him. Was he messing with me? He had to know I didn’t know what je ne sais quoi meant.

I grabbed my phone and hit the microphone. “What does je ne sais quoi mean?”

The robotic voice answered, “Je ne sais quoi means a pleasant quality that is difficult to describe, something that cannot be adequately described or expressed.”

I looked up at him and he smiled with a told-you-so look.

“Why, thank you, Mr. Reed. I’m happy you find my decorating skills to your liking.”

He looked down at me and his expression turned serious. “I have missed you so much. These last two weeks have been like hell for me.” He started playing with a strand of my hair. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t take me back.”

I led him to the couch and made him sit down. I then straddled his lap and looked at his beautiful face.

“Roman, I had to get my shit together before I could have a relationship with you. I had to start my antidepressants again. The Jason thing really f*cked up my mind, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I am totally okay.” I touched his face, my fingers following his jaw. “I know I told you at the hospital that I had to break up with you because you reminded me of the rapes. That wasn’t true. I was just so depressed from what happened and I didn’t feel like I was enough to hold you to me.”