She took out the plates and served the meal for them both. Stooping to get the platter of potatoes from the oven, she burnt her hand forgetting to put on the gloves. Duke offered to help but she rejected his offer saying that she child manage.
He was very happy in his heart that things had turned out that way. When the meal was set, Bethany sat down and asked,
” Tell me more about Mr. Duke Smith”, she said after a comfortable pause.
Duke let out a smile telling her that she will not like to know about him, as the was not much to say about him.
Rolling her tongue in her mouth, she met his amused stare.
“Then tell me what little there is”, she insisted. Rolling his eyes, he said that he was a very gentleman and had been in several relationships. His gaze met hers and they both laughed out.
” Gentleman huh?”, she spoke out laughing at him. Duke had not been this free and easygoing with any woman for a long time now and he planned on living every moment of it without thinking of anything else.
Keeping his eyes on her, he could not stop reckoning how beautiful she is.
“What exactly do you want to know about me?”, he asked eating his food with so much appetite.
” I just want to know every basic information about you”, she spoke out.
“Why Bethany?”, he inquired.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly,
” I am surprised you have to ask me why”.
“But I am asking, sweetheart”, Duke spoke out and Bethany felt a shame for some seconds and then ignoring the endearment she said,
” I am not your sweetheart”.
Duke taking a close look at her and letting out a smile he said softly,
“You do not have to be shy when talking to me you know, if you are interested in me then you can as well say it as we are no longer kids”.
Bethany’s jaws dropped when she gave attention to that and she had to behave like the mature lady that she is. she was fully aware of what she was. feeling for him but for some reason, she chose not to admit it.
Duke had finished his meal and drinking his juice, he rose to his feet and carried his plate along to wash at the sink. He was very surprised by the way he was doing things but he also knew that finding the right person makes everything simple and nice.
He had cleaned it and Bethany was done with the meal too, going to the sink with her plate as well, she stood by the corner waiting for him to get finished so that she could clean up her plate but she was surprised with his reaction when he told her not to bother about it.
” I will just clean up everything you don’t need to stress”, he spoke out with a cute smile. Bethany felt strange but had to over his order so she turned to the gas stand and took out a kitchen nap, cleaning the table where they had just eaten on, she made sure that there was nothing left on it anymore.
Eva and Henry were having a good time and Eva was had that Bethany and Duke had the opportunity to be in one place as they were going to make the most of it.
Feeling Henry’s kisses on her forehead, she smiled out feeling so happy that he had not given up on her and had decided to love a simple girl like her.
Though she could not find the right words to explain to him what had happened in the past, she was still certain that she had to tell him sooner or later before things could get rough.
Bethany was done and looking at her T-shirt, she noticed that she had dropped some sauce on it. Feeling uncomfortable and wanting to get her bath at once, she asked Duke whether there was any less that he could give to her and he accepted.
“I also have some boxers that I have never put on I can give them to you”.
Selling embarrassed, she looked outside wondering when the rain was going to stop and she turned to the television catching a glimpse of the many cases that were being recorded in the country.
” This rain has decided to ruin people’s lives today huh?”, she asked realizing that she has no choice but to get the things that Duke was asking.
Noticing that she was still skeptical about him, he repeated what he had said to her before and which was that if she is not ready to do anything with him, he was going to wait.
Bethany who could not hold her tears back burst out crying out,
“I am in love with you too can’t you see it you, idiot?”.
Duke was confused, did not know what to say or do so he sit stood there looking at her while she spoke out. Not being to withstand what she had just said, she ran into the kitchen and closed herself inside imagining the kind of a shame she had put on herself.
Duke followed her and knocked on the door imploring her to open it so that they could talk things over but she was adamant and refused to open it.
” I can understand how you feel now Betty, and I can assure you that I will not make a mockery of you not make you feel bad”, he put in.
“I feel so childish right now and I should not have said anything to you”.
” But I already know how you feel for me and it could be seen clearly as it was written all over you”, he insisted. Duke had known that Bethany was in love with him since from the first moment as her behavior said it all. She was always angry towards him unnecessarily.
Keeping her can she curl her face making it seem obvious that she was not happy with what he had said. Duke Ealing away from her, asked what she will love to wear as he opened his closet again.
“I will put on anything that you give me”, she said slowly. Returning with a white t-shirt, a pair of clean socks, and a boxer, he placed it on the bed telling he to use that and also telling her that there was a clean towel and bathing soap in the washroom.
Lowering her gaze she picked up the things and retired to the bathroom. Her heart pumping in her chest and her eyes were watery. She could assert that he is a good man and was ready to have a mature conversation with him.
Duke watched her going into the bathroom and smile,
” I will give you the time that goo wants my little Betty as you are a precious jewel that I will not let go”.
Bethany was in the bathroom and putting on the shower, she felt the water run down her hair to her back. it was warm just as she liked it and the bathroom was so clean and soothing that she could stay them all evening.
The dusk was finally here and she came to accept that, she had to spend the night over at Duke’s penthouse. All sorts of questions ram through her mind making her feel the need not to do anything but in her fears mad questions, she found a way to think back to what Eva always tells her,
“Life is too short Betty and if you find a moment that gives you happiness, no matter how small it is, grab it as it may be your last”.
Washing her hair with the shampoo that was in his bathroom, she rinsed it, and taking the towel that was hung the other way as he had instructed, she dried herself coming out of the restroom.
Taking a look at his entire privy, she was wowed at the space that it had and the clean nature of it. Everywhere was meat and organized and there was an extra side of clean white towels hung on a towel stand.
Duke was a neat man coupled with the fact that he has so much money. She rapidly walked tongue mirror and taking out a new toothbrush and toothpaste, she applied it on the brush and swabbing her teeth, she used some eater to rinse it.
She was done with it and with the towel, she wiped her body again, putting on her dresses and stabbing her hair in the towel when she was done.
Coming out of the bathroom, she took out the towel to wipe her hair with it while waiting for it to get dry. She did not want to make him whether or not he had a dryer in his house but her hair was going to be dried in some moments.
“Are you done?”, Duke raised a question watching her coming out from the bathroom, and Bethany feeling guilty for her childish attitude, smiled at him as she nodded positively.
Rising to his feet he walked closer to her and with his right arm, he sent it around her waist and bringing her closer, he lowered his mouth to her ears and whispered,
” I am happy having you here Betty and if you want we can have something nice”.
Caught up in her feelings as she felt cold from his caresses on her hair, she spoke out,
“I want to but I am scared”.
watching how fragile she is, Duke inclined on one side and with his left hand, he carried her into his arms as he walked to the sofa, sitting on it with her on his laps like a child.
She did not fight back and Duke asking her if she was okay, she nodded with shyness covering her whole existence.
” Don’t be shy with me Betty and you have to learn how to be stable around me”, he spoke out and Betty brought down her hands.
She has always been very tough and direct but something like this made her feel so uncomfortable. Just when everything was going on well between them, her phone had rung out and she excused herself thinking that it was her mom but she found out that it was Carl.
“Hello, Carl”, she asked turning to Duke.
” Hi Betty, how are you doing? hope that the cold is not disturbing you?”, he inquired and Bethany told him not to bother as she was fine.
Carl insisted staying that it was not safe for her to be alone and Bethany, telling him not to worry as there is nothing she could do because the roads were covered with water, she is with her boss.
Her words entered Carl’s ears like a shock and swallowing saliva, he asked,
“Your boss?”.
” Yes my boss, the one you met at the hospital with my mom”, she confirmed. Carl did not like the sound of it and he was not pleased with all, raving mad, he yelled out,
“Why are you with your boss and where are you both now?”.
Bethany could not explain why he had suddenly turned like that but she asked Carl what the problem was and he said that he wanted to come and pick her up how. Trying her best to stop him saying that she was in good hands, but Carl got out of control and he screamed at her,
” Are you that cheap now to be flirting with your boss?”.
Bethany thought that she had not given attention to him well and asking him what he said, he repeated it and that made him drop a tear. Duke sitting on the Davenport, noticed that her countenance had changed, and raised to his feet he walked to her taking the phone, and with a deep voice, he asked what the matter was and why she had dropped a tear.