Unbroken Promises (16 page)

Then Bradley knocked on the door. Cody, who had heard someone drive up, immediately opened it. Before Beth had time to think, Cody had her in a bear hug. Cody led them to the living room where everyone was having coffee. Susan jumped up, squealed, and threw her arms around Beth. Jordon took his turn in giving her a bear hug and picked her up. She was playfully beating him on the arm.

“Okay, okay, you’re breaking my ribs,” Beth laughed.

Susan told Cody to bring them some coffee. Beth made eye contact with Jesse. She had noticed him and his friend as soon as she walked in, but she had not looked his way.

“Hello, Jesse, who is your lovely friend?” And she meant it for the woman was indeed lovely.

“Elizabeth, this is my friend, Donna. Donna, this is Susan’s sister, Elizabeth, and her friend…?”’

“Everyone, I like you to meet my special friend, Bradley.” Bradley shook everyone’s hand and said it was nice to meet them.

“I’m so happy you’re home, honey. Please tell me it’s for good and that you’re not going back,” Susan pleaded.

“It’s for good. I already have everything arranged for me to go the university here. I’m not positive but I don’t think I’ll lose any of my credits. I love Austin, loved the music college, but I’m glad to be home.”

Bradley and Beth sat on the couch facing everyone. Cody brought the coffee to them. Beth lifted her hand to take a sip.

“What a gorgeous ring, Elizabeth!” Donna exclaimed.

Everyone stopped talking and stared. Beth had forgotten about the ring, “Uh, thank you,” was all Beth could think to say.

“Is it real?” Cody asked at the same time Susan asked. “Where did you get it?”

“Yes ma’am, it is a real three carat marquise diamond. I gave it to Beth and I asked her to become my wife.”

No one said a word. Beth was speechless also.

“Beth hasn’t given me her answer yet. With your permission, of course, Beth and I plan to go on a two-week vacation with my family. Beth will give me her answer at that time.”

“But you hardly know each other and, Elizabeth, you’re only 19.” Susan said distressed, not thinking that she was only 18 when she married.

“No disrespect, Mrs. Bately, but many girls get married at 19. I’ve been in love with Beth since she moved to Austin. If Beth will have me, I will always love and appreciate her. Please don’t think I’m boasting, but I will be able to give Beth her heart’s desire in material things. My family has money, but I’ve invested wisely and have wealth of my own.” Bradley stood up. “I don’t want to impose on your homecoming any longer. It was so nice to have met all of you,” Bradley said looking at everyone. “Beth, I will call you later tonight to talk about the trip.” Then he bent down and kissed her cheek.

Jordon withheld his reply for now. He knew something wasn’t right, but he wanted to wait and see what unfolded before he put up a protest.

Susan was in a state of shock thinking she just got her baby home and now she was going to lose her.

Cody thought Beth had gone and lost her mind. There was no way she could have fallen out of love with Jesse that fast, not after being in love with him her whole life.

At the mention of marriage, Jesse instantly felt the stinging of suppressed tears. How could he lose her now after they had been through so much? He had wanted to give her a few more years to experience life before he began changing his role from uncle to that of a husband. Now it seemed he had waited too long.

Jesse and Donna were soaking in the Jacuzzi. “You love her, don’t you?” Donna asked in a sympathetic voice.

“Who? Beth? Sure, I love her. I’ve been like an uncle to her for most of her life. I’ve helped raise her.”

“Jesse, you might fool yourself, but you’re not fooling me. You’re in love with her.”

“Well, a lot of good that realization does me now. It looks as if I’ve just lost her to Mr. Rich Boy,” Jesse said sarcastically.

“So, are you just going to let her go?” Donna asked scornfully.

Jesse didn’t say anything. He just stared at her as the fight began to pump back in his veins.

He had been so dejected ever since he had seen Beth with Bradley’s ring on that he couldn’t even think, but Donna’s question made him snap out of it. No, he was not going to sit by and let that rich boy take what belonged to him.

“I’m n-”

“And, no, you haven’t lost her,” Donna said as she cut Jesse off. “To have known Beth ever since she was a child; you sure don’t seem to know her right now. Beth only likes Bradley. You remember this; she’ll never agree to marry him. Her mind is already made up. She is in love with you. You can see her heart in her eyes every time she looks at you.”

“Okay, if you’re so smart, then why is she wearing his ring?”

“That, I haven’t figured out yet, but Bradley seems to be a very controlling type of person.

My guess is he manipulated her somehow. I also believe Beth is not the type to be manipulated for very long.

Beth had one day to get ready for her trip to Cayman Island. She really didn’t know why she was going. She guessed it was because she didn’t want to hurt Bradley’s feelings. She was aggravated at him for the way he blurted out about the ring. He knew she wasn’t going to marry him. She never led him on or gave him any indication they were anything but friends. As soon as her family found out who his family was, they were going to have a cow.

Although it wasn’t Bradley’s fault who his brother was; but, even if, and that’s a big IF, she loved him and didn’t love Jesse, it would never work out. His family hated her. “Oh well,” Beth thought. This was going to be one trip she would probably never forget.

She was packed when Bradley came to get her. He said ‘hello’ to everyone then brought her things to the car. She told him she’d be out as soon as she told everyone goodbye. After she hugged everyone, including Jesse, she said she’d see them in a couple of weeks.

As she was leaving she turned to Jordon. “Hey, daddy, be on standby in case I need you to come get me at the airport before the end of the two weeks.”

“Of course, but do you have a particular reason for saying that?”

“Well, when his family meets me, they might throw me out.”

“Elizabeth! Why in the world would you say such a thing? Why would Bradley’s family throw you out?” Jordon said utterly baffled.

“Do you remember Troy and his family?”

“Yeah?”

“Umm…well, that’s them…gotta’ go; love you,” Beth was laughing to herself as she once again made a fast escape.

She heard Jordon as she was running to the car vehemently telling Susan, Jesse and Cody,

“Ain’t no way in hell she’s marrying into that bunch of idiots!”

“The little minx,” Jesse thought amusingly to himself as she left. Donna was right. Beth did not intend to marry Bradley. He didn’t know yet how she’d gotten into this situation, but he knew how she planned to get out of it. She was most likely going this route to save the boy’s pride.

Beth loved snorkeling in the crystal water. She could see the beautifully colored fish as clear as if she were looking at them in an aquarium. She and Bradley were having so much fun floating around in the warm water and listening to the seagulls squawking overhead as they searched for food. She and Bradley stayed mostly to themselves and went sightseeing everyday.

They went to the turtle farm and saw the hundreds of turtles in different stages of growth. Then they took a boat out to Stingray City where they were able to swim and touch the intimidating creatures. To Beth’s amazement the stingray’s felt smooth to the touch; to her, their skin felt similar to that of a flounder she caught one time in the Gulf. Cayman Island was such a beautiful and peaceful island, almost like stepping back in time.

They had been there four days. Bradley’s parents had been friendly toward her but distant.

They did not know who she was yet. Troy was not flying in until the next day. Bradley had told them he wanted to marry her, but they didn’t make any encouraging or negative comments.

Bradley was so sweet. She hoped he found someone who would be good to him and love him and not his money. She started to go ahead and tell him she wouldn’t marry him but then decided she’d wait to see what happened when Troy showed up. She hoped she wouldn’t have to do anything.

When Troy walked into their rented house, Beth felt weak but gritted her teeth and got ready for the inevitable catastrophe. She was in her bedroom when he greeted his mom and dad. She heard Bradley calling her to come out. She took a deep breath, held her head up, and walked out.

“Troy, I want you to meet the woman I want to marry.”

Troy smiled at first and then slowly a puzzled look came over him and then red-hot fury.

“Mom, Dad! This is the girl who cost me my football career! Surely, you are not going allow Bradley to marry this conniver. Her whole family is cracked. Her sister’s brother-in-law is the one who put me in the hospital and he never served one day in jail. She is only after Bradley for his money,” Troy raged.

“You better shut up, Troy! You know you deserved everything you got. If Beth agrees, she’ll be my wife.”

“Boys, that’s enough!” Their dad ordered. “Bradley, I’d like a word with you.” Beth walked back into the bedroom and started packing. She heard the raised voices of Bradley and his father. She felt sorry for Bradley. He was no match for his father. She now knew where he got his controlling nature. Twenty minutes later Bradley knocked on her door.

He looked crestfallen. She walked to him and hugged him.

Bradley cleared his throat before he spoke. “My dad gave me an ultimatum. He said the choice was mine. However, if I marry you, he will cut me off all the family income. He told me you would never be welcome in their home because you would tear our family apart and he would not put my mother through that. He said I had to make a decision tonight.” Bradley cried as he spoke. “Beth, if you will marry me, I will give it all up for you. I have my own money. We will do fine.” Bradley took Beth’s hands in his. “I know you’ve said all along we could only be friends. If that’s still the way you feel, you have to tell me now.”

“Bradley, I care for you not only as a friend but as a best friend; but, no, I can’t marry you.

Even if we did get married, we would have so much going against us we’d be miserable.” Beth was now crying also.

“You can’t say I didn’t give it my best shot. I love you, Beth. If you ever need me for anything, I’ll be a phone call away. I hope that man you love so much knows what a precious gift he has.”

Beth started to take the ring off, but Bradley stopped her. “Please keep the ring. Even if you don’t wear it; keep it. Maybe you’ll remember me with fond thoughts when you see it.” Then he hugged her and she hugged him back.

Bradley took her to the airport that night. They both knew it would be uncomfortable for her to stay any longer. She would have a five-hour layover, but at least she was able to get a flight.

She called Jordon from the airport and told him when to pick her up.

“What the hell is going on, Elizabeth?”

“Daddy, I’m okay, and I’ll tell you everything when I get home.” Beth had a lot of explaining to do when she got home. By now everyone figured out; she didn’t love Bradley and never planned to marry him. So the big question was, why was she wearing his engagement ring?

“I can’t really tell you because I don’t know how it happened myself. One moment we were friends and he was helping me move home. Then, before I realized what was happening, I was wearing a three-carat diamond ring. I should have told him right then but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I knew I would have to tell him sooner or later; but, at the moment, I chose later.

That was a big mistake. That ol’ saying, ‘don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today,’

has a whole new appreciation value to me,” Beth said then smiled a humorous smile.

“I learned a lot about myself while I was gone for those few days. I’m a conniver, a money hunter, and my family is a bunch of nuts…I guess that’s what cracked means,” Beth said laughing.

Jordon and Jesse wanted to go beat some sense into the whole bunch. Like Beth, Susan found it amusing. She could have learned to like Bradley, not as a brother-in law but as a person.

She felt he would have been too controlling for her sister.

Cody couldn’t stop laughing about the part when Troy figured out who his new sister-in-law would be. He said he

would love to have seen his face.

Beth and Susan spent the whole summer catching up. They went shopping and out to eat almost every day.

Before dawn one morning, Beth and Jordon left to go fishing. When asked if she wanted to go with him, Beth could tell he was surprised when she said “yes!” Beth really wanted to have some quality time with her dad; he was always so good to both her and Cody. They couldn’t have asked for a better father.

The water was choppy when they first got out on the lake. Even as heavy as their boat was, the choppy water bounced it up and down as if it were a fishing cork. By the time they made it to the little nook that was out of the wind, it had settled down. The little hidden area had a nice thick log that floated out from the bank. The log looked to be the home of a thousand perch.

And it was. After two hours the ice chest was full of brim and sun perch. When they got back to the lake cabin, Susan and Cody were there. Cody had the privilege of helping Jordon clean the fish, and Susan fried them.

When they were almost finished eating, Jesse and Donna pulled up, followed by Beaux.

They were going to take the boat back out and go skiing. Jesse asked who wanted to go with them. The boat was big enough for five people. Susan and Jordon immediately declined. Susan said they were going to finish cleaning up then relax in the big hammock by the water. Beth and Cody said they would go with them.

Beth couldn’t help but like Donna. She was a very nice person, but Beth didn’t like her enough to let her have her man. She knew she had to think of something to make her lose interest in Jesse.

Jesse hollered for Beth and Donna to hurry up. Beaux and Cody were already in the boat.