Part 13 (2/2)
They set a time to reconvene and then split up. Two hours later, Bethanne arrived at the designated area. Ruth was already there.
”I'll never think of Vanna White the same way again,” her mother-in-law muttered. ”She took all my money.”
Bethanne laughed. She, on the other hand, had struck oil and was up more than a hundred dollars.
”Tell Annie good-night for me, will you?” Ruth asked. ”I'm going to the room. I'll read for a while and turn in for the night.”
”Okay. Good night. I'll probably be joining you myself in an hour or so.”
Annie showed up a couple of minutes later with a young man in tow. ”Mom, meet Jason. Jason, my mom. We're going to hang for a while,” Annie announced, then kissed Bethanne's cheek and was off.
Bethanne had barely managed a word. ”Well,” she said with a sigh, ”I suppose I'll sit down with that oilman again.” She found the area where she'd been earlier and slid onto the stool. After inserting a twenty-dollar bill, she pushed the b.u.t.ton and waited.
”Any luck?” a familiar voice asked.
Bethanne swiveled the chair around as Max claimed the empty seat beside her.
Twelve.
Bethanne was speechless. As casually as could be, Max fed a twenty-dollar bill into the machine next to hers, glanced over and smiled.
A smile. He'd actually smiled. ”Hi,” he said.
”Hi.” Her tongue felt as if it had twisted itself into knots. ”How did you know where to find me?”
He spoke as he played the slot machine. ”Rooster heard Annie and Grandma talking about Vegas. I figured if I was Annie's age I'd head for the Hard Rock Casino, so I took a chance you'd be here.”
Out of all the casinos in Vegas, he'd found the one she was in, although it was Friday night and the city was crammed with people and cars. The clang of the slots, music, laughter-the sounds of excitement were all around. Even if he'd guessed the right hotel, it was pure luck that he'd happened upon her.
”I've been winning,” she said, imitating his casual tone.
”How much?”
”Not enough to set the casino back any.”
The music pounded in the background and seemed ten times louder than before. Bethanne had lost track of popular tunes and musicians years ago; she couldn't have identified the singers' names or the song t.i.tles. In fact, she was aware of nothing except the man sitting next to her.
After several minutes Max sent her a pained look. ”Do you like this music?”
”Not particularly.”
”Wanna take a ride on my bike?”
She nodded. She wanted to get away, too. With him. It was difficult to think, but she couldn't blame that entirely on the music. ”Have your ribs healed?” she asked.
”Not quite, but I'm willing to risk it again.”
”You're a brave man.”
They stepped outside and the contrast to the ear-splitting music was almost shocking. She started to tell him how much she appreciated the fact that he'd found her, but he shook his head.
”What did you say?” he asked. ”My ears are still ringing.”
”Just that I'm glad you're here.” Bethanne hadn't intended to admit that. Yet it was true. She hadn't expected to see him again, hadn't believed it was even possible. The explosion of surprise mingled with joy gave her pause. Bethanne had planned to use these weeks away to consider her future with Grant. This wasn't the time to confuse the issue by indulging some romantic fantasy about a man on a motorcycle.
Max studied her with those intense brown eyes. ”I'm glad I'm here, too.” He clasped her hand and intertwined their fingers. Bethanne's heart raced like that of a teenage girl on her first date. Get a grip, Get a grip, she told herself. As they walked out of the casino she kept reminding herself how ridiculous being with Max was. This was a dead-end relations.h.i.+p. A dead-end everything. she told herself. As they walked out of the casino she kept reminding herself how ridiculous being with Max was. This was a dead-end relations.h.i.+p. A dead-end everything.
Although it wasn't nine o'clock yet, it remained light out. ”Any place you'd like to go?” he asked.
Being unfamiliar with Las Vegas, Bethanne didn't know what to suggest. ”Not really.”
”Okay, I'll choose.”
They reached his bike in the parking lot and he removed Rooster's helmet from the older man's Harley, which was parked beside his, and handed it to her. She climbed on the back of Max's bike and set her feet where he'd shown her before. Max took his seat, started the engine with a roar and turned out of the parking lot.
Bethanne slipped her arms around his waist and held on, although less tightly than the first time she'd ridden with him. Closing her eyes, she felt the breeze rush past and after a few minutes she relaxed. She wasn't sure where Max was going. It didn't matter.
When he slowed the bike, Bethanne realized they were completely out of the city, on a hill that overlooked the valley. Night had settled in and the casino lights lit up the sky.
”It's beautiful, isn't it?” he said, after they'd parked and taken off their helmets. He looked down at the city, and Bethanne joined him.
”I used to sit up here and just stare at the lights,” Max continued. ”It's so crazy down there and so peaceful up here.” He stood beside her in silence for a few minutes. ”Tell me about your ex-husband,” he suddenly said.
”Grant?” she asked, uncertain what to say.
”You have more than one?”
”No. Your question surprised me, that's all.”
”Is it difficult to talk about your divorce?”
She shook her head. ”Not anymore. I guess it comes down to a case of the two of us growing apart. He found someone else and the sad part is, I was so involved with his career, with our children and friends, that I didn't notice. I mean, a wife's supposed to sense these things, right?”
”I wouldn't know.”
”Did you...did you ever cheat on your wife?”
”Never.” His answer was quick and decisive. ”I wasn't even tempted.”
”At the time, Grant and I had been married nearly twenty years. We'd grown comfortable with each other. Complacent, I guess. He wanted me to be a stay-at-home mother and I enjoyed that role. I hosted dinners, arranged all his travel... I considered myself a full partner in his life and his career-and yet I didn't know about Tiffany. I honestly didn't have a clue. If someone had told me, I swear I wouldn't have believed my husband was capable of betraying me that way.”
”Were you unhappy?”
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