Chapter 23

Bethany

There was something about James Talling that Bethany liked. He seemed almost like a warm, fatherly figure.

"What's that smile for? Looks like trouble." Ben glanced up from the large conference room table where he, Philip and Sadie were gathered around his computer.

"What?" Beth forced her smile to fade - a little. "I just met Mr. Talling. I like him."

"Should we inform Damon?" Sadie gave a shit-eating grin. "Kidding."

Bethany chuckled. "No, but if we're going to lunch and still trying to make the Accounting Controls meeting at UT this afternoon, we need to get a move on. Who's driving?"

"Damon coming with us?" Philip stood and twisted his torso as he swung his arms around.

"No, he's still talking with Mr. Talling, I believe. I'll text him where we are, but he could probably lead the meeting or discussion this afternoon." Bethany reached down and grabbed her purse. "Sadie, you coming with us?"

It was almost comical to watch the way the girl's eyes lit up when Bethany spoke directly to her. She had to have been the biggest bully in the whole damn company when Beth started as an intern. The old adage must have been true - smack the bully back and they become your best friend.

"Yeah, I think so." She stood and picked up her purse. "I'm going to dinner with a new guy tonight at six. You think we'll be done by then?"

"A new guy? Jeez. What's he, the fifth one this week?" Ben winked at her and stood, walking to the door. "I'll drive."

"Fifth one? You on a dating spree?" Bethany followed after Ben, ignoring the way Philip's eyes lingered on her. They could have so easily moved into having a relationship, but the sexy Aussie became the friend she needed instead. She still wasn't sure how he felt about her and Damon moving forward, but he was playing the supportive friend role from the side.

She was grateful. The last year had been more drama than she wanted to think about.

"Yeah." Sadie moved up beside her and brushed her thick red hair over the shoulder. The girl was beautiful and knew it. "I don't know... I'm just tired of being alone."

"I second that." Ben lifted his hand in the air. "However, I've decided to turn a new leaf."

"By doing what?" Philip moved up on Beth's other side as they stopped at the elevator.

"By being true to myself." Ben pressed the button and turned to face everyone. The tight expression he wore left Bethany a little concerned about what he was going to confess.

"Keep going..." Sadie walked into the elevator and turned to face them. "Stop leaving breadcrumbs and spit it out. You're gay, aren't you."

"Sadie. Shit." Beth rolled her eyes and walked into the elevator. "Ben isn't gay."

"Yeah, I am." Ben shrugged and joined the group. "Time to stop living a lie. I hate myself every day I get up and think, 'today I'm going to ask a woman out.'" He visibly shivered. "Gross."

Bethany laughed and reached up to clamp her hand over her mouth. "Sorry."

"Good for you, man. I'm not gay, but I'm proud of you." Philip reached out and patted Ben's back. "There's nothing worse than wearing a fucking mask all the time."

"Here. Here." Sadie waved her hand around. "I'm just going to stop dating if this guy tonight doesn't work out. I keep thinking the next one is going to be the one , but it's just not happening."

"Can I be honest?" Philip spoke up, his eyes on Sadie.

"Oh hell," Ben muttered and pressed his hand to his face. "This is never good."

Bethany crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the wall behind her, waiting for the show to start. Philip was a ballsy guy, and Sadie was a firecracker.

"Yes. Please do." Sadie turned to face him, her expression growing tight.

"You throw yourself at guys, and where you think that they want that, in fact, they don't. Play hard to get. You're worth the chase, Sadie. Don't run after the next guy that takes you out. Let him come after you." Philip gave her a knowing look, and Bethany held her breath.

The look on Ben's face said that he was bolting the minute the door to the elevator opened.

Nothing but silence. Tense, thick, uncomfortable silence.

The door opened, and Ben jogged through. "I'll get the car. Meet you guys out front."

"Me too." Bethany moved out of the elevator, ready to jog after Ben.

"No. You stay here with me." Sadie reached out and gripped her wrist, pulling her to a stop. "And tell me the truth. Do I throw myself at guys?"

Fuck. Bethany gave Philip a 'really, right now' look and forced herself to face Sadie. The girl didn't have many people in her life from what Bethany came to know over the last year. And of the people she did have in her life, rarely would anyone confront her or tell her the truth. She was too mean for that shit.

"Did you throw yourself at Philip?" Bethany asked, keeping her expression welcoming, her voice soft.

"Yes," Philip responded as Sadie responded, "No!"

"Right." Bethany let out a quick sigh. "Let's wait outside for Ben."

"I didn't throw myself at you, you big, ugly oaf. You were the one that wanted to sex it up in Ben's office. Not me." Sadie's voice was a little loud.

"Did you think this would go well?" Bethany glanced over at Philip, who looked sick all of a sudden.

"Yes. I still do." Philip reached out and grabbed Sadie's hand, pulling her closer to them. "Stop screaming and act your age. I'm trying to help you because I care about you. You can't throw yourself on the bed for any stiff dick that shows up. You hate yourself because of that shit. Don't act like you don't."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I have to go."

"Sadie." Bethany reached out and pulled the girl to her, hugging her and giving Philip the biggest 'go to hell look' she could muster. "It's fine. Philip is just jealous. He's interested in you, and you giving attention to every guy in the world is pissing him off. He's lashing out."

Sadie pulled back and glanced over at Philip as she wiped at her eyes.

Bethany was simply trying to throw Philip under the bus, even though there was no way in hell Philip had feelings for the wild redhead that had most of them rolling their eyes at the office.

"You do?" Sadie's voice softened, her expression changing from anger to neediness.

Oh hell. Bethany started to answer to save Sadie from really thinking that Philip had any feelings for her.

"Yeah. I do." Philip glanced over and stuck his tongue out at Bethany. "I'm tired of you looking everywhere else. I'm right fucking here."

Bethany stood in stock. Philip had been after her seven months ago.

Seven months.

That was plenty of time to move on and find someone else to fall for. But Sadie?

"Wow. I'm so sorry." Sadie shook her head. "I didn't-"

"I know you didn't." Philip reached out and grabbed Sadie's hand, turning his face toward Bethany. "We'll catch up with you and Ben later. We need to figure this out."

Bethany didn't get a chance to answer as Philip half-dragged Sadie back toward the elevator. Were they sleeping together?

"Didn't see that coming," Bethany mumbled and walked toward the door, numb. She pushed the door open and walked toward Ben, who was waiting in his car out front. Opening the door, she paused to glance behind her. "Weird."

"What happened? Did they blow up at each other?" Ben asked as Bethany got in the car.

"Yeah, but they care about each other." Beth closed the door and buckled up. "How weird is that?"

"Not that weird at all. You haven't been around lately. They've been sleeping together for the last four months, more of a ‘friends with benefits’ type thing from what Philip said." Ben pulled out into downtown traffic. "They need to work it out. Sex without commitment always has consequences."

"I couldn't agree more." Bethany settled into the comfort of her seat and turned her face toward Ben. He was a little overweight and not too terribly attractive, but he had a great heart, and he would find someone to love before too long. "Hey."

"Yeah?" He glanced over at her, his cheeks pink.

"Thanks for sharing your news with us. I think it's great that you're going to start being more the man you know you are." She reached over and squeezed his arm. "I think you'll find someone in no time."

"Right, but if I find someone before the wedding, do you think Damon would flip his shit if I-"

"What? No, not at all. You're one of his groomsmen, Ben. He's planning a party for your promotion for Friday. He cares about you, no matter what choice you make. That's your business." She smiled and dropped her hands into her lap. "I'm still in shock that Sadie and Philip are... were..."

He chuckled. "You jealous that you don't have the office foreigner with the sexy accent chasing after you?"

"Hell no. I like Philip, but that was miserable, honestly. Damon is extremely territorial. I was concerned for Philip's safety on more than one occasion." She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a sigh. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to this session at UT."

"Me too. Isn't Kendal doing it?"

"Yeah." Bethany smiled, unable to help herself. Stiff Dr. Kendal Tarrington, always on his toes and beyond proper. He was finally calming down some, thanks to his new love interest. Dana was exactly what he needed.

"Why the grin? I swear you wear your emotions on your face more than anyone else I know." Ben chuckled. "Damon doesn't have to guess much with you, does he?"

"He can't figure out what the expressions mean. He needs a treasure map key to decipher me." She laughed and sat up, rolling her shoulders. "I was smiling because my life has changed so much, but for the better, I think. Kendal is a big part of it. You know I TA'd for him this last year in his Cost Accounting class, right?"

"Yeah, I knew that. It went well?"

"I loved it. I could see myself becoming a professor after ten to fifteen years in the corporate world." She shrugged. "I like the classroom, but I love customers and the puzzles they throw our way all the time."

"So do both. You have the freedom to choose what you want to do. Come back and work for M&B until you're sick of it, and work on your doctorate on the side." Ben pulled into one of Beth's favorite restaurants, a quaint tapas bar near the campus.

"I'm not sure working with Damon is the best idea." She smiled and unbuckled as the valet walked toward the car.

"Maybe you should talk to him. He has opportunities all the time to do new things. Maybe he's got one that would fit you perfectly."

"You know something you're not telling me." Bethany turned and pinned Ben with a hard stare as the valet opened her door. "Spill."

"Talling is looking for a personal accountant. Maybe that's you." Ben winked and got out of the car.

First Ben being gay. Then Sadie and Philip. Now James Talling needed a personal CPA? Things just couldn't get weirder, or better.