Tru and I then shake hands and exchange niceties. I can’t help but notice how beautiful she is.
Tom sticks his hand out to River and says, “Hey man, good to see you, but am I the only one with a dick around here?”
He nods to me and says, “Hello, gorgeous.”
Jake punches him in the arm. “Paws to yourself.”
Tom rolls his eyes and turns, grabbing Bell by the ass. I guess Bell knows everyone already and she’s skipping the introductions since Tom now has his tongue down her throat.
“Don’t mind Tom, he likes to think he’s hot shit,” Tru says and I can’t help but laugh.
Tru and I then start talking about life on the road. She has been on tour with Jake so I have a ton of questions for her.
At some point I notice Bell and Tom have disappeared, but the rest of the party is in full swing. Everyone is singing along with the band, drinking, dancing, and having a great time. When Scandalicious takes a break, all the guys gather around River and start pouring shots of tequila.
I drag Tru to the kitchen with me and leave River with the guys. We need to do the cake because if we don’t sing “Happy Birthday” soon, I’m not sure River will be able to blow out the candles. After giving Tru a brief tour of the house, we walk into the kitchen and I see Bell.
“Bell, I think it’s time . . .” I trail off when I see she’s on the phone with her head down and her hand over her free ear. I turn back to Tru and see Jake in the kitchen doorway.
“Sweetheart, we have to go,” he says to Tru.
“Baby, they haven’t even had the cake yet.”
“Fucking Tom’s already in the car,” he mutters to her.
She rolls her eyes. “Tell me again why we rode with him?”
“No fucking idea, baby.”
We say our goodbyes and I walk them to the door. Looking outside I can see Tom sitting in his car on the phone and another car behind him, which I can only guess holds the security team.
After they leave, I make my way back to the kitchen and see Bell step into the other room, still on the phone and seemingly arguing. I’m sure she’s talking to Tom and I wonder if they broke up already. As I’m putting the candles on the cake, Caleb walks in and looks around before waving me over.
I walk over as he heads my way and we meet in the living room. “Hey Caleb, what’s going on?”
“Sorry Dahlia, didn’t know you were having a party. I tried calling you and River, but neither one of you answered.”
“Oh, sorry. I’m throwing a surprise party for River. It’s his birthday.”
“Again, sorry to intrude, but I got a call that your security system is down, and I thought I should check it out.”
“I have no idea what’s going on with the security system but it seems to be causing you a lot of trouble.”
“Dahlia, it’s no trouble. It’s my job.”
“I know, but it’s still nice of you.”
He drops his head. “I won’t be long, I just want to check the main fuse box.”
“Okay, you know where it is.”
He heads downstairs and I’m wondering if I should talk to him about Ben or ask him to stay for a drink, when the front door swings open, and Ben walks into my house. He closes the door behind him and I stand there, staring. When he starts to walk into the living room I hastily move to stop him. “What do you think you’re doing here?”
His eyes flash down my body and back up as he fingers the flower of my pearl necklace. “You added a necklace to your collection? It’s beautiful, just like you.”
I lean back and he drops his hand. “Ben, what are you doing? You shouldn’t be here.”
“Dahl, I’m with Caleb. We were out together when he got the call about the house. I was waiting in the car for him and I heard a lot of noise so I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “Really, Ben. Well, you’ve made sure now and everything is fine. So you can leave.”
“Since I’m here, I want to talk to you. I’ve been trying to talk to you. Why won’t you answer my calls?”
Holding back my agitation, I try to keep calm. “Ben, this is not the time or the place.”
“Dahl, you won’t give me the time or the place.”
“Because I have nothing else to say to you.”
His eyes seem to have been taking in the room since he arrived and when they settle on the large black- and-white picture of River and his band hung over the sofa he asks, “Why him? Is it because he’s famous?”
I narrow my eyes and look at him. “Fuck you, Ben Covington. Get the hell out of my house!”
Ignoring me, he motions around the house. “I need to know. Did you know him while we were together?”
“Dahlia, you wanted me,” Bell says as she walks up and stands next to me.
Her eyes flash to Ben and she gasps. I turn to look at her—she stares wide-eyed with her hand over her mouth. All the color seems to have drained from her face.
“Bell, are you okay?” I ask.
“S’belle?” I hear Ben question as he, too, stares and I instantly make the connection. Their reaction to each other and their body language tells me I’m right. My head starts to spin as a vivid memory flashes through my mind—
The bile rises up my throat as I run to the bedroom and open the door. I slam it and flatten my back against it. Another memory flashes before my eyes—River taking the broken frame from my hand, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the picture for a long while. Recognition flashed across his face, maybe even pain, when he asked, “Is this him?” Me turning to face him when I hoarsely answered, “Yes. That’s Ben.” River
At the sliding glass doors, I open the curtains and look for him on the pool deck. He’s sitting there with Ellie sitting next to him, laughing and drawing something with her finger on the table. Then I see her lift his hand and do the same. I want to yell for him to come up here now, but I’m not going to make a scene. So I stand frozen, anticipating the words I’ll hear next—the words I don’t want to hear from him because that will only confirm he knew.
My bedroom door opens and I immediately turn. Ben’s standing there, his face pale. He looks around and then walks into the room, closing the door behind him.
“Dahl, how do you know her?”
Confusion sets in as I try to figure out what he’s asking me, but then I realize he has no idea who she is. “Bell is River’s sister.”
“Bell?”
“S’belle,” I hiss.
“His sister?” He, too, looks like he might be sick.
He walks across the room and stands in front of me.
“Who you had your inappropriate relationship with in college is irrelevant right now, Ben. You need to leave.”
With a huge sigh he reaches and takes my chin in his hand, saying, “Dahl, what do I have to do so you’ll forgive me? Talk to me. Tell me.”
The adrenaline starts to pump through my body as I realize all he has brought me is more pain. I step back but he follows and I can’t help but scream, “Get the fuck out, Ben—now!”
He reaches for me again and this time tries to pull me to him. Just then the door abruptly opens and bounces off the wall. River stands there—his eyes narrowed on me. “Am I interrupting?”
He walks closer and his eyes flash to Ben. My heart racing, I take a step back. I am seething mad and he’s
