Sharing Beatrice A Luna To Her Stepbrothers by Alexis Dee Book 3
Chapter 562 – A New Guy In Town (Beatrice)
“Are you feeling comfortable?” Ronnie inquired as he adjusted the rearview mirror to check on me. I was seated in the back of his car with Gloria, who appeared more delighted about interacting with Ronnie than concerned about leaving me alone at the party. I’m not implying she needed to stick beside me indefinitely, but considering I was new to these gatherings and had relied on her presence, it felt a bit unnerving.
“I’m good, thank you,” I replied, gazing out of the window. Leat high, our town, strictly enforced curfew, with everyone expected to be home by 10. The roads were lengthy and dimly lit, with the woods teeming with wildlife. The most intimidating aspect was the considerable distance between residential homes. However, my mom and I resided in an apartment complex close to the large mansion that had been abandoned for some time.
“Why don’t you drop off Beatrice first? I think she’s eager to get home,” Gloria suggested, giggling and urging me to agree with her. She was solely focused on impressing Ronnie.
“I think she’ll be fine. Besides, her apartment is farther from yours, so it’s only logical that I drop you off first,” Ronnie replied, pulling over near a house with tall grass behind it. That was Gloria’s destination. She disliked being at home and harbored animosity towards her parents. However, I couldn’t help but think she was ungrateful at times.
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“Okay, then,” her tone shifted, and with a visibly somber expression, she exited the car. “Thank you for the ride,” she murmured, her enthusiasm waning.
“Beatrice! I’ll give you a call once you’re home, alright?” She offered me a weak smile before closing the door firmly. I observed her take a deep breath and then proceed steadily towards the house. She didn’t seem eager to step inside.
The backyard of the house was overgrown with tall grass, which inexplicably unnerved me. “Ahem!” Now that we were alone, I heard Ronnie clear his throat and attempt to steal a glance at me through the mirror.
“You must be feeling shaken,” he began, shaking his head in disappointment with himself.
“I’ll be fine once I get a good sleep,” I replied, attempting a smile that felt forced. All I wanted was to go home and cry myself to sleep.
“How about we grab some ice cream?” he insisted, and before I could decline, he had already turned the car towards the town’s renowned ice cream parlor. Despite it being midnight, I expected leniency from the sheriff and others since Ronnie was with me. The curfew primarily targeted the youngsters, those under eighteen, but even adults were restricted from certain areas, including the woods, parks, hills behind the town, and nearby roads. Closed buildings, shops, and malls were off- limits too.
Ronnie got out of the car and held the door open for me. Feeling awkward, I glanced around before stepping out. I followed Ronnie, noticing the guards outside giving him a smile and a nod of acknowledgment. Once inside, we took seats at the far end, and Ronnie placed our ice cream order. The parlor was aptly named the Glass House; three walls were glass, while the counter and the lone wall stood behind it, leading to the backroom.
“Are you always this quiet, or is it a special occasion?” Ronnie leaned in to smile at me, acknowledging my awkwardness.
“Umm,” I mumbled, biting my bottom lip in embarrassment.
“It’s okay, we don’t have to talk if you’re not feeling up to it,” he reassured me, sitting tall and handsome, making it hard for me to focus on the ice cream.
“I guess I didn’t thank you,” I managed to find a topic to talk about, and he tilted his head in my direction.
“Well, you can do it now,” he continued to smile, which made me feel incredibly awkward. He was undeniably charming, and the way he kept licking his bottom lip was mesmerizing.
“Thank yo-” Before I could even finish expressing my gratitude, someone burst into the parlor, slamming the glass door so loudly that I almost jumped. Ronnie frowned and turned his head to see who had arrived. I peered over his shoulder and saw a tall guy entering the parlor with an air of affluence.
Dressed in a black suit, his cologne was so potent that it masked the scent of the ice cream. Even his watch seemed expensive. He approached the counter, and it dawned on me just how tall he was–taller even than Ronnie. Even the guy behind the counter seemed intimidated by him.
I hadn’t seen him in town before. His eyes were a striking sterling gray, his black hair styled neatly in the back and slightly tousled yet freshly cut in the front. His features were breathtakingly attractive, and it was his demeanor and mannerisms that captivated me.
He placed an order for four ice creams and paid from his wallet. As he shoved his wallet back into his pocket, he looked around, his gaze landing on me. Strangely, he paused, and our eyes met for a few seconds before he glanced away and thanked the guy behind the counter.
“Seems like you’re mesmerized,” Ronnie’s voice snapped me back to focus on him, and I could tell he wasn’t very pleased.
“No! It’s just that I’ve never seen him in town before,” I quickly added, trying to mask the fact that I was blatantly checking out the guy.
“Me neither. I’ll ask Dad who this person is and what he’s doing in my town,” Ronnie declared, already displaying his determination not to let anyone seem like they own the town when the rea owner was Ronnie and his father.
We finished our ice creams, and then Ronnie dropped me home. The car ride was filled with silence. It seemed like he didn’t appreciate someone else stealing the spotlight at the ice cream parlor. After that, Ronnie didn’t even seem interested in talking to me.
But I knew that’s all it was. The guy must have been from another town or maybe a guest of someone. The weird part was when I entered the house and headed to my room, noticing that the mansion in front of my apartment was lit up.
“I guess somebody is moving in,” I frowned, peering out the window before calling it a night.