Read Online Stargazing (The Walker Family Book 2) by Bernadette Marie - Free Book Online
Authors: Bernadette Marie
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wanted to—she’d slept all night without dreaming of anything.
It had been a few weeks since she’d opened that bottle of pills. It was justified then, she thought as she placed her feet on the floor. Nightmares had consumed her. They’d started after the night Douglas had attacked her. Then it only led to parts of her life she’d rather forget playing out in her sleep. The first time she’d swallowed a pill not to dream was after she’d awakened to her mother’s dead body—just as she’d found her before Christmas.
Bethany squeezed her eyes closed tight. She shouldn’t have touched them. In fact, when her mother died, she should have thrown all the bottles away, but she hadn’t. She wasn’t her mother. There would be no taking too many pills. Bethany had her life under control. One night of rest here and there wasn’t a problem. In fact, she’d throw them away, when she thought of it next.
For now, she was going to go for a run. She needed to work off that chocolate she and Pearl had eaten. She’d only had a few pieces, but that was enough to make her stomach pooch out just a bit, she decided as she stood and looked in the mirror. And if she was dining with family, she’d need quite a few miles and a nice long yoga session.
It was a good day for it. There were no catering events scheduled. She could have a carefree day.
Susan was seated at her computer when Bethany jogged down the stairs.
“Are you just getting back?” Susan asked as she turned to look at her.
“No. I got a really late start. I’m headed out. You want to join me?”
Susan laughed and lifted her coffee mug. “No way. My parents used to take ridiculous ten hour hikes. I think my rebellion as an adult is to not go outside and sweat. But you have a great time.”
“I will.”
“Oh, and dinner tonight is at seven.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Why don’t we just ride together? It’s some new place Lydia invested in, I guess. Pearl wants to check it out to see how the wedding reception venue would be.”
“Funny how this entire family can work anything into a business deal.”
Susan chuckled as she sipped her coffee. “Speaking of which, I have a luncheon in two weeks. A bridal shower. Pearl set me up. Are you interested in doing centerpieces? You’re super talented at it.”
Bethany tightened the ponytail on the back of her head. “You’re buying the supplies?”
“Of course. It would be part of the bid.”
She gave her a nod. “I’d try my hand at it.” She thought about it a little more. That might just be the calm she needed. No acting. No public show. Just her and a table full of flowers. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Few hours? Isn’t a run around the block enough?”
“Not for these thighs,” she hollered back as she headed out the front door, shutting it behind her.
Bethany’s run had been perfect and she followed it up with an hour of yoga. A long soak in the jetted tub in her room, and she was back to normal. There would be no need for sleeping pills tonight, she thought.
On her way home, she’d stopped by the organic grocery store and bought a salad. The thought of eating out was weighing heavy on her mind. She wondered what kind of food they would have. Certainly, they would have salads, but she was such a sucker for a big hunk of meat and dessert if it were presented.
Her willpower was horrible, which was why she was so worried about the meal at all. Would anyone notice if she didn’t go? She’d been very social and really, she deserved to not be. People had hovered over her for the past two months. Would they really think anything about it if she didn’t go to dinner one night?
Then again, she really did want to go. She loved Susan and Lydia. Any time she spent with Pearl was a delight. Of course Eric was more of a big brother than he was a cousin. She didn’t want to miss dinner.
It would also give her a chance to be with Pearl in a social situation and prove to her
It had been a few weeks since she’d opened that bottle of pills. It was justified then, she thought as she placed her feet on the floor. Nightmares had consumed her. They’d started after the night Douglas had attacked her. Then it only led to parts of her life she’d rather forget playing out in her sleep. The first time she’d swallowed a pill not to dream was after she’d awakened to her mother’s dead body—just as she’d found her before Christmas.
Bethany squeezed her eyes closed tight. She shouldn’t have touched them. In fact, when her mother died, she should have thrown all the bottles away, but she hadn’t. She wasn’t her mother. There would be no taking too many pills. Bethany had her life under control. One night of rest here and there wasn’t a problem. In fact, she’d throw them away, when she thought of it next.
For now, she was going to go for a run. She needed to work off that chocolate she and Pearl had eaten. She’d only had a few pieces, but that was enough to make her stomach pooch out just a bit, she decided as she stood and looked in the mirror. And if she was dining with family, she’d need quite a few miles and a nice long yoga session.
It was a good day for it. There were no catering events scheduled. She could have a carefree day.
Susan was seated at her computer when Bethany jogged down the stairs.
“Are you just getting back?” Susan asked as she turned to look at her.
“No. I got a really late start. I’m headed out. You want to join me?”
Susan laughed and lifted her coffee mug. “No way. My parents used to take ridiculous ten hour hikes. I think my rebellion as an adult is to not go outside and sweat. But you have a great time.”
“I will.”
“Oh, and dinner tonight is at seven.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Why don’t we just ride together? It’s some new place Lydia invested in, I guess. Pearl wants to check it out to see how the wedding reception venue would be.”
“Funny how this entire family can work anything into a business deal.”
Susan chuckled as she sipped her coffee. “Speaking of which, I have a luncheon in two weeks. A bridal shower. Pearl set me up. Are you interested in doing centerpieces? You’re super talented at it.”
Bethany tightened the ponytail on the back of her head. “You’re buying the supplies?”
“Of course. It would be part of the bid.”
She gave her a nod. “I’d try my hand at it.” She thought about it a little more. That might just be the calm she needed. No acting. No public show. Just her and a table full of flowers. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Few hours? Isn’t a run around the block enough?”
“Not for these thighs,” she hollered back as she headed out the front door, shutting it behind her.
Bethany’s run had been perfect and she followed it up with an hour of yoga. A long soak in the jetted tub in her room, and she was back to normal. There would be no need for sleeping pills tonight, she thought.
On her way home, she’d stopped by the organic grocery store and bought a salad. The thought of eating out was weighing heavy on her mind. She wondered what kind of food they would have. Certainly, they would have salads, but she was such a sucker for a big hunk of meat and dessert if it were presented.
Her willpower was horrible, which was why she was so worried about the meal at all. Would anyone notice if she didn’t go? She’d been very social and really, she deserved to not be. People had hovered over her for the past two months. Would they really think anything about it if she didn’t go to dinner one night?
Then again, she really did want to go. She loved Susan and Lydia. Any time she spent with Pearl was a delight. Of course Eric was more of a big brother than he was a cousin. She didn’t want to miss dinner.
It would also give her a chance to be with Pearl in a social situation and prove to her
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