Starting over chapter 22

Chapter twenty two

Meg stood at the rail looking out over the beach and ocean, she sighed happily “Anything wrong?” she heard from behind and turned and looked at Ben “Not at all, it’s perfect. Couldn’t be better” Ben walked up and put his arms around her and he too looked out over the beach. Meg looked up at him “I was wrong, it could be better” Ben smiled at her “I love you Meg Cummings” he said and kissed her. Meg rested her head on Ben’s chest “I actually didn’t know that you could be this happy” “Apparently you can” Ben said softly and held Meg even closer. “Sorry to disturb” they both turned around and looked at Joan “We thought we’d go back to the house” “Ok mom” Meg smiled “Do you want any leftovers with you back?” Joan shook her head “Not even some turkey? There is a lot” she laughed “Ok then, I know your father likes some on the sandwich next day” They both went into the kitchen and fixed it all up and then Joan and Hank left. Sarah and Derek had gone back to their place earlier. “So, we’re all alone now?” Ben said and locked the front door “Do you want some more wine?” Meg shook her head “No thanks, I’ve had enough” she snuggled close to him “Why don’t we call it the night and go upstairs instead?” Ben grinned “That’s a good suggestion”

Meg woke up the next morning still in Ben’s arms feeling extremely happy. She rolled over and looked at Ben who was still asleep. Carefully she got out of bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower. He was still sleeping when Meg got out. She got dressed, wrote Ben a note and headed to the hotel. She had quite a lot to do so she could be by Ben’s side at the Boxing-day party at the Deep in the evening.
Ben woke up alone in bed “I guess Meg’s downstairs” he said and went down dressed in just his pajama’s bottoms and this robe open. He didn’t find her anywhere, but in the kitchen there was a note from her telling him she was at the hotel. The doorbell rang and with a cup of coffee in his hands Ben went to open it “Probably is Meg, with her hands full so she can’t open” he said to himself and opened the door with a sexy smile on his lips. “What a welcome” the woman at the door said. Ben put his cup on the shelf, pulled his robe together and got a hard look at his face. “Now, is that the way to great a guest?” the woman said “When the guest is uninvited it is. What do you want Maria?” “Can’t a friend come wishing Merry Christmas when she’s in town?” Ben was still standing by the door as Maria walked into the living room “I thought I made it perfectly clear that I didn’t want to see more of you than necessary” Maria’s mother was living in town and he couldn’t deny her the rights to go visit her, or her brothers. “But Ben” she pleaded “I just wanted to wish you and your girlfriend Merry Christmas” Maria looked around “Isn’t she here, or you’ve not let her move in?” she asked sarcastically as Ben had been reserved about letting her move in when they had been together. “Not that it’s any of your business but Meg’s her own woman and she comes and goes as she likes” he didn’t feel that he had to share more information with her. “Now I would like for you to leave, I’ve got things to do, places to be” Ben said and opened the door. Maria walked up to him and ran a finger down the opening of his robe “No matter what mood, you’re still sexy as hell Ben Evans” Ben ignored her and quickly closed the door behind her. He returned upstairs to put his jogging clothes on and then went for his morning run that usually cleared both his head and his mood.

Meg was busy at the office. The first thing she went thru was the bookings for New Years. She and Sarah had thru a friend managed to land a famous band to play and although it was a secret people had booked. There weren’t many tickets left and a lot of the people had booked rooms too. Of course the band would get the suits since they would bring their families. Meg couldn’t deny them that, it was after all New Year’s. There was a knock on the door and she looked up “Come on in Steve” she said “Everything ok at the front desk?” “Yes Miss Cummings” he answered “So what can I help you with?” Meg asked “Well… I’ve” he hesitated “That is, my girlfriend and I, we got some friends who’s also in college and well I was just wondering, could I buy four more tickets for the New Year’s party at the same price” he looked down to the floor. Meg laughed “But of course you can, didn’t you read the mail we sent out?” he shook his head “Well we decided that if there was tickets left we’d let you all have them for the reduced price if you wanted” “Thank you, you and Mrs Evans are very generous” Meg smiled at him “We can be even more generous if you all just learn to call us Meg and Sarah” Steve smiled back “I can’t talk for the others, but I will try” he turned towards the door “I better get back to work” “You do that, I will be out in a while when I’ve sorted this out” Meg pointed to the pile of papers she had on her desk.

It didn’t take long until the buzzer on the phone went off and Meg picked it up “Meg, it’s Steve at the front desk. There is a woman here that wants to talk to you” Meg was surprised “Who?” she heard Steve ask politely for a name and returned to the phone “Maria she says, shall I send her in?” Meg stood up “No, I’m coming out” Meg was curious; she didn’t know any Maria, at least no anyone who would be in California this time of the year. As there weren’t more than one person at the front desk it was easy to know who was looking for her “Maria I presume” Meg extended her hand “I’m Meg Cummings, what can I help you with?” she asked “Nothing really, I just wanted to see who the Kansas tramp that Ben’s picked up was” she started to walk by Meg but Meg was quick and grabbed her arm “There is no need for you to come in here and call me names when I don’t know who you are” Maria looked at Meg “You never heard of me?” she looked surprised “I’m the one who Ben was going to marry before you came along” she said superior. Meg looked at her “You’re kidding me, if you are the one who you says you are Ben never had any intention of ever marrying you and don’t come here and try to say that it’s my fault you two broke up. I know that Ben was cheated on by you and he was very hurt. So don’t you try anything. In fact consider this a warning, if you ever come here again acting like this again you can consider yourself bared” Meg nodded towards a guard “Please follow this woman to the door, she’s warned” Meg looked at Steve who looked terrified “This is not your fault at all, you did the right thing” she said with a smile “If you want anything I’ll be in the office”

Meg was still boiling when she got home, not so much about Maria now but that she had let her get to her that easy. She found a note from Ben on the shelf when she put her door keys down. He had gone to the Deep to see so that all things were ok. Meg went upstairs and took a shower, then she braided her hair as she knew she would get a nice volume to work with for a nice hairdo in the evening. When she was dressed she walked over to catch up a bit with her parents.

“Wow” Ben said as Meg walked down the stairs “I’m the luckiest man alive” Meg was dressed in a blue dress that glittered. She had her hair lose with just a few combs in it to keep it back. “You look” he took a deep breath “wonderful” he came towards her and offered his hand for the last steps. “Thank you” Meg smiled “You look very handsome yourself this evening Mr Evans” he was wearing his tux “Well it is the dress code for this event since your party on New Years is a masquerade and I don’t get to wear it then” Meg looked surprised at him “I thought all men hated getting dressed up” Ben laughed “I didn’t say I love it, but how could I not dress up when I’m getting the most beautiful woman in Sunset Beach on my arm. Are you ready to leave?” he asked. “Yes I am” she said and put her keys in her purse.

The club was full of happy people partying when Ben and Meg arrived. Of course Ben had to check on a few things and Meg went to talk to a few friends. Meg, Gaby and Caitlin was standing by the bar talking when Meg suddenly said “I don’t believe it” Both Caitlin and Gaby turned around to look what Meg was looking at “What do you mean?” Caitlin asked “Him” Meg pointed “Tim Truman” Gaby looked at Meg “Do you know Tim?” Meg nodded “How?” she asked and Meg rolled her eyes “Don’t get me started” “Now you have to tell” Caitlin filled in “To make a long story short, Tim’s my ex-fiancé and I don’t feel like talking about it” “You and Tim???” Gaby exclaimed “Then you won’t be happy when I tell you that Tim’s involved with Maria, my sister-in-law to be” Meg just stood there thinking, she hadn’t really made the connection earlier that day “Oh no, I had a run-in with her earlier today” Meg turned towards the bar and the other two went to stand on one side each of her “What did she get up to now?” Gaby asked “I know Maria’s been known to stir up trouble from now and then” Meg just shook her head “She was just talking about how I broke her and Ben up and so on…” “I’m so sorry about that Meg” Gaby put a hand on her shoulder “Oh Gaby, it’s not your fault, you can’t help how she acts” “She’s changed so much the last few years” Caitlin filled in “We went to school together and then she was a nice girl, I don’t know what or when but something happened and now she’s really bitchy” she continued. “Bitchy was the word, I’ve never met anyone like her before. But she and Tim can suite each other” Meg said and turned to the bar to take her glass “But let’s not talk about them, we’re here to have fun”
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