Page 19 of The Path To Us

It was the potential that Tyson had with making baseball his career. It was the idea of being with him as he played college ball and hopefully one day the major leagues. Visions of being one of those couples that found each other in high school and stayed together against all odds because of the pull and friction that being in the spotlight can bring to a couple.

She was latching on to him thinking she’d just landed the golden ticket, so to speak. But he had other plans. The two dated until he got an offer to play for a team in Arizona, though I suspect neither did so exclusively. While she expected he’d ask her to join him, he had his eyes set on other things. The glitz and glam of stardom and wealth that drew Lizzy into his world was the same thing that he broke up with her for. He didn’t want to be saddled to one woman when he would have several throwing themselves at his feet, according to Amelia who’s good friends with Tyson’s sister.

When he left Lizzy, she didn’t let him go quietly. She made sure to make everyone aware of the reason why she was with him, and that it wasn’t because she loved him. It was disgusting and sad but not at all surprising. Not after the way she threw Beau aside without a care.

I watch as she places a well-manicured hand on Beau’s arm and press my lips together to stop myself from smiling when he looks down at the connection only to take a step back. It wouldn’t surprise me if she always assumed Beau would wait for her. Pine away for years until she was ready to come back. I have no idea how the two of us were as good of friends as we were all those years.

Maybe I’m wrong about her. I haven’t spoken a word to her since the day I confronted her about cheating on Beau. Not a peep when I announced I was pregnant or when I announced Zoey’s arrival. Nothing about my mother’s cancer or when she passed away. Nada. No words of condolence or sympathy.

But now she’s here and my guess is it’s not for any reason other than to get her hooks into Beau.

Not on my watch, though.

I may not have the right to even have an opinion about who Beau dates, but Lizzy? That’s a road he should never go back down. I won’t allow it. Her betrayal sent him packing and ruined his ability to trust people. Maybe if she’d cheated on him with anyone else, it wouldn’t have hurt him quite so much. But the fact that she was sleeping with Tyson, his best friend — other than me — is what damaged him the most. At least that’s what I think.

Beau’s eyebrows furrow as he listens to whatever she’s saying. I roll my eyes when I watch her thrust her chest in his direction and once again, touch his arm and throw her head back in laughter. Not just laughter — but incredibly loud, obnoxious laughter. And by the look on Beau’s face, he’s not even sure as to why she’s laughing. Does she not realize where we are? Who laughs like a hyena at someone’s brother’s burial?

Beau meets my eyes and I see the humor there as he notices me watching with my arms crossed over my chest and my jaw dropped. He winks and tops it off with a smirk and I narrow my eyes when I see him tip his chin up in my direction. When Lizzy turns to see what he’s pointing out, her face drops before she clears her expression and replaces the obvious disappointment with a fake toothy smile. Behind her, Beau grins as his mouth moves in what I’m sure is encouraging her to come over and talk to me.

That jerk. I have no desire to talk to her and he damn well knows it. After we discovered her cheating on him, I made the decision to choose sides. I was eighteen and in love with Beau, so I chose him.

Not only because I was in love with him, but also because he’d been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Beau was my protector, the person who never failed to be by my side. There was no way I was going to turn my back on him and not only because I was so angry with Lizzy. I had been so jealous of their relationship but pushed it down because Beau was happy. The second that happiness zipped away with the wind, I turned my back on Lizzy. Maybe it wasn’t right but like I said, I was only eighteen and felt like I could play both sides of the proverbial coin.

And then the two of them are on the move. I open my mouth to excuse myself from speaking with Beau’s uncle only to realize he already moved on to speaking with someone else. Probably because I was ignoring him while staring at Lizzy and Beau.

“Oh my gosh, Addy! I didn’t even see you!”

Liar. How could she have not have seen me? I was sitting with the family the entire day.

I return her awkward hug. “Hi, Lizzy.”

I don’t ask her how she’s doing or say anything else. I’m not a liar and I’m not about to pretend that I care about how she’s doing or what she’s up to. I’m not callous, it’s not that I wish ill of her. I just truly don’t care what’s going on in her life.

She didn’t spare me a second thought when my mother died and over the years, she’s been only a memory. Not all bad, of course. At one point she and I were as close as sisters. I loved only a few people and she was one of them. I trusted that she wouldn’t hurt any of those people. And then she betrayed that hard-earned trust by hurting the person I loved most, aside from my mother.

“I didn’t know you’d be here.”

I look at her with raised eyebrows. “Did you think I’d not show up for the funeral of my daughter’s dad? Or my friend’s brother? Or… my family?” With every question, I feel heat rising within me. I’m irritated that she’s even standing in front of me, let alone that she just spouted off something as stupid as she just did.

“No. I guess… I mean here.”

She means with the family. Which also means that she was lying earlier, just as I suspected. She’s a real piece of work.

Rather than respond with words, I just shrug my shoulders and resist scoffing, rolling my eyes, or curling my lip.

“She’s family,” Beau explains and I wish he’d just stay out of it. I don’t need him to be explaining anything. I throw him a look that I hope tells him to shut up but it only humors him. He scrubs a hand over his smiling face. The irritatingly handsome jerk.

“Well, her daughter is,” Lizzy argues.

“Not just her daughter, Liz. Addy’s been a part of our family for longer than I can remember.”

“Oh.”

I want to say “take that!” but I don’t. Because I’m an adult and right now, arguing in the middle of a cemetery where we just buried someone we love isn’t helping anyone. Nor is it appropriate.

“Anyway, what’s up, Lizzy?” I ask, only because I want to move on from the ridiculous argument we were just having.

“Not much. Just moved back and heard about Chris. I’m so sorry, again, Beau.”

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