Eye of the Beholder Ch. 03

"I just need to get back home."

"Shit. Renee, wait. At least let me take you home. In the truck this time."

Renee silently got into the pick-up truck while he drove her back to the Turquoise.

"'Night," he said. She barely responded.

Thelma was right -- the best way for him to find out would be on his own. She didn't want to concern herself with the situation. There were only two problems: she didn't want to see him get hurt and she cared for him so deeply it scared her.

*

Barrett rested against the headboard of his bed. God damn it.

All he could think about was Renee.

Ever since his birthday party she had invaded his thoughts so selfishly that very little came close. He wanted to know more about her but this past week he couldn't bring himself to talk to her much. Not after what happened between them. As much as he wanted to admit it was nothing, there was no way in hell he could. Before the party, Renee had always been guarded to the gills with little glimpses of her true self shining through every blue moon. But that night it radiated and was intoxicating, inside and out. She had found some peace and comfort in Quentin, with him and his friends and family. That alone was enough to make him feel great and he wished it had just stopped there, but....

"Hmm." Barrett exhaled and visualized Renee as she was that night. That gorgeous smile just about turned him into a diabetic and man... that dress. He had seen various girlfriends come and go, model all kinds of revealing garments for him. None would ever stand out in his mind like that hip-hugging, curve-clinging dress she was wearing. Of course these thoughts were followed by extreme guilt and internal chastising.

He glanced towards the closed bathroom door when he thought of Sarah. He had never thought about another woman so strongly while being involved with someone else, and it was like a stab to the gut each time. Sarah had been good to him. Yeah, she was superficial and slightly lost most of the time but hell, she was only 24. She'd grow out of it.

And Renee...

Even if he was single, he wouldn't think sideways about asking her out. She deserved a fresh start with a complete gentleman, someone just as full of promise and life like she was. Someone who could treat her like she needed to be treated. Not him.

The bathroom door swung open.

"Damn," Barrett grinned, looked her over.

Sarah slinked out in platform stilettos and some kind of red lingerie that only covered her midriff. Her small breasts and light pink nipples were out for his viewing pleasure. She did a full turn and revealed that her small, firm ass was also exposed. Since when did Sarah, the amateur nudist, start wearing lingerie?

"You like?" she said playfully. "I bought it yesterday as a surprise for you."

"It's... somethin'," he chuckled.

"Mmm," she giggled and slid up the foot of the bed towards him. "So are you."

She pulled the covers back from his torso and legs, ran her hands over his boxers and pulled them down just so his member sprang to life. Every night since Sarah started working at Town and County she'd been riled up so much that they barely got enough sleep to function the next day.

Her small, porcelain hand gripped him at the base and he exhaled at her touch. She glided over him, from base to head and back again. Fuck if she didn't know how to tease.

"Barrett... if someone asked me to say ten things I love about you, do you know how easy it would be?"

Her lips parted and Barrett groaned when her tongue pressed against his hard flesh.

"One... two.... three...." She rattled off every inch her tongue travelled up his cock. "Nine... ten." Without warning, Sarah opened her mouth wide and took most of him inside of her throat, her head bobbing violently against him.

He grunted, pulled her hair back to the base of her head in his fist. He watched her every move and was about to close his eyes when he noticed something on the side of her neck. A dark purple bruise that wasn't there this morning. His eyes sharpened skeptically as he looked at her and when he could contain his curiosity no longer, he yanked her head back and away from him.

"What the hell is that?" he growled.

"What?" Sarah said absently, rubbed at the corners of her mouth. "What's what?"

"On. Your. Neck," he emphasized. "What is on your neck?"

Sarah stood up and walked to the wall mirror, confused. "That?" she laughed. "Oh baby, that's just um... I was stocking somethin' kinda high, right? And I didn't put it on the shelf right so it fell back down and hit me in the neck. Crazy, huh?"

Barrett pulled his boxers up over his now flaccid cock and stood to his feet, towered over her in suspicion. "Why would it hit you in the neck and not the face?" he reasoned.

"I don't know!" she said, breathing heavily. "It-it just did. Why are you angry?"

Barrett stared at her and said nothing. He turned around, laid down in bed and turned the lights off.

Night after night of late shifts. Increased sex drive. Lingerie and stilettos. Barrett never had what he called intuition but if it was what he was feeling now, he couldn't ignore it. Too many changes in such a short period of time.

Tomorrow evening, he'd make a trip over to Town and County. If it was nothing, it was nothing.

If his instincts proved right.... God help everybody involved.

~

All Sunday morning and afternoon was delegated to maintaining the farm. The cows and horses were fed and taken care of and Wesley stopped by to help rebuild one of the horse's stalls. He was skipping Sunday dinner with Brandi and Eden and felt guilty about it but as he walked on foot to Town and County, he knew it had to be done. For a moment, he thought about taking his pick-up truck or his Harley. But seeing as how they were both louder than the engine of a 747, it wasn't exactly the best way to be inconspicuous.

He cut across the parking lot and entered the store. Pete was almost always on till or stocking something in view but he didn't see him, nor was Sarah anywhere to be found. He walked quietly through the store and scanned each aisle. Nothing.

Maybe it was nothing.

He was on his way out when he heard muffled voices coming from a room marked "Employees Only." He wasn't one to eavesdrop but this time he'd make an exception. He pressed his ear against the door and listened carefully. First a man -- clearly Pete, groaned.

"That's it. God, you're a pro. Go deeper, take it all."

Tick.

Barrett continued listening but didn't hear anything else for a while. Finally, he heard the soft moan of a woman and panting.

"I know what I'm doing." Definitely Sarah.

Tick.

He flung the door open and the visual sent felt adrenaline coursing through him at an alarming rate. Sarah on her knees. Pete with his pants around his ankles. Both of them staring at Barrett like two idiots. The last thing he clearly remembered was lunging across the room and the sting of his knuckles connecting with the soft cartilage of Pete's nose.

Boom.

*

The sound of a disturbing scream woke Renee up from her nap. When she realized it was coming from outside, she threw on clothes and panicked, ran for the lobby door. Her first thought was that Thelma had hurt herself in some way but she was standing out front, pointing to Town and County.

"Across the way!" she shouted.

Renee ran over and rushed through the front door.

"Oh my god!" A woman cried. "STOP! BARRETT!"

Renee flew through the aisles and yelled. Barrett held Pete's collar in one hand and punched him repeatedly in the other. Pete dripped blood and writhed around, tried to break free from Barrett's grasp. Sarah looked at Renee helplessly and gripped at her blonde hair as if she wanted to pull it from her scalp. "Please stop!"

"Barrett!" Renee grabbed him by the arm.

He looked over his shoulder at her. One of his eyes was swollen shut. He stared at her silently and turned back to Pete, his fist still clenched, arm reared back, ready to swing again.

"NO!" Renee yelled, tried to pull him away. "That's enough! Let him go!"

Again he looked at Renee. This time, he opened one fist and then the other. Pete went sailing to the floor and groaned in agony. He was panting heavily and appeared to be almost in a trance. He scanned the room until he found Sarah and went rushing towards her. Sarah backed against the wall and flinched like she anticipated being hit. Instead, he stopped right in front of her, out of breath and sweating hard.

"I shoulda known," he puffed. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were too fuckin' good to be true. You're a spoiled fuckin' brat that wants everything handed to you. You couldn't work a regular nine to five so you quit. Hmm," he laughed bitterly. "I guess fuckin' for pay was a really sweet deal, huh?"

"Barrett..." she whispered, her hazel eyes watered with tears. "Not like this." She reached out to touch him but he backed away.

"No," he sighed, chest heaving. "Just like this, Sarah." He looked down at Pete and back to her, shook his head. "Two of a fuckin' kind. Better hope Charlene doesn't find out. I hear she's got a mean right hand." Barrett backed away and walked out of the employee room, nodding his head towards the exit. "Come on, Renee."

Renee looked around one last time and followed him outside. The second he stepped foot out outside, he slumped against the door and groaned in pain.

"No, no, no, no," Renee said, desperately trying to hold him up. His weight was too much for her to support and she had to let him sit down on the pavement.

Thelma ran over and raved her cell phone around frantically. "Oh my lord... let me call an ambulance."

"No, not for Barrett. If anything, Pete's much worse," Renee clarified. "Go see if he's alright. I'll try to get Barrett home."

*

"Barrett. Barrett man, you alright?"

Pain coursed through his head and abdomen when he finally came to.

The soft fluorescent lights and chorus of voices surrounding him made him stir. He forced his eyes open but could only see out of his left. Wesley, Renee and Thelma stood over him, watched him fretfully.

"Barrett!" Wesley bent down and practically yelled in his ear. "Can ya hear me?"

"I'm hurt. Not deaf," he rasped, sat up at the waist. He winced and reached down to touch his stomach. That stupid fuck managed to give him a hard punch to the gut before he could get his hands on him.

"Don't touch it," Thelma advised. "I called Brandi and she'll be over tomorrow morning to take a look."

"Aw," Barrett frowned, leaned back and closed his eyes. "What'd you do that for?"

"It was either that or the hospital," Wesley chimed in. "And I know how much you hate hospitals."

True. Barrett hadn't gone to the hospital in years and if he had his way, the next time would be his last, hopefully years from now when he was old and gray.

Renee sat at the foot of the couch with her hand resting on his blanket-covered leg. She looked worried and it made him feel like an ass. The last thing he wanted was for her to be concerned over the likes of him.

"Hey," he groaned, gave her his best attempt at a grin.

"Hey," she whispered back.

"You'd better thank Renee," Wes urged. "If it wasn't for her you'd probably be in jail. Or at least in the parkin' lot still."

Barrett reached forward to grab her hand. "Ugh!"

"Don't move," she cooed. "I'll come to you."

She extended her arm to him and he took her hand, laced their fingers together and rested both in his lap.

He smiled and squeezed tight. "Well I appreciate you all lookin' out for me but I'll be fine."

Thelma leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Wes gave Barrett a quick hug.

"Get better, man. And sorry about Sarah."

The name alone inflamed anger in him once more. He didn't respond. The two left through the kitchen door. He looked over at Renee and loosened grip on her hand.

"I uh..." he trailed off. "You... all I can say is thanks," he shrugged. "But you should go on back and get some sleep. With the shape I'm in now I'm gonna need you to take over for a few days 'till I get better."

Renee nodded. "Sure. If you... need anything, just give me a call."

Right before she walked past him, Barrett softly took her hand in his palm, held it for a few moments and then kissed it. She closed her eyes, sighed and smiled before she left.

He spent most of the night trying not to sleep -- he didn't know if he had a concussion or not and didn't want to chance it. Like so many nights past, Renee was the only thing on his mind. That and the fact that he'd gone from involved to single in a little less than 24 hours.

What a difference a day made.

~

The rumor mill in Quentin was rife with gossip after the altercation between Barrett, Sarah and Pete. A small town with enough residents meant fights became the stuff of legends by the time it was passed around. Depending on who you asked, Barrett sent Pete sailing through the window display or tied him to the roof of his pickup truck and went flying down the road at roughly 90 miles per hour. As much as he liked the creative spins he was relieved when the murmurings dissipated for good.

Forward to two weeks later and things were back to normal. Well, almost. Pete pressed charges and Barrett sat in the county jail for two hours before getting out on bond. He knew after the beating (which the fucker deserved) that consequences weren't far behind but he didn't regret a thing. In fact, if he could do it over again, he would. He'd have his day in court soon but luckily, the judge had become well acquainted with him in his teenage years and always ruled with a velvet glove on his old, ironed fist. He'd probably do no more than pay a fine.

To his surprise Sarah and her deceit rarely crossed his mind. Sure, some nights it had left him puzzled and a little hurt but he hadn't been licking his wounds. He jumped head first back into his work and for some reason he could not figure out, the gossip had done wonders for his construction business. Go figure.

He was in the lobby of Thelma's bed and breakfast, inspecting a sizeable crack in the wall. It was hard for him to concentrate knowing that Renee was so close in proximity. He craved her company when she wasn't around and couldn't get her to stay over for longer than a few hours. He couldn't blame her -- she probably thought of him as some testosterone-driven caveman who resorted to using his fists and not his words but he couldn't help it. It's how he'd been all his life and at the age he was now it would be nigh impossible to change it.

He ran his fingertips over the jagged foundation and furrowed his brow. "It's shiftin'," he explained. "When's the last time you had anyone work on the foundation?"

"Well let's see. We opened in 1986. Herbert had the stained glass windows put in around '95. Ah. Never," she concluded.

"I think it's time." He placed an arm around her shoulder to console her. She stressed over the phone that whatever was wrong it couldn't cause the b&b to close but that just wasn't possible. "It won't take long, my guys work fast. Maybe a week, two at the most."

"Two weeks? No," she bristled, disagreed. "A few days at the most."

"It's gonna take more than two weeks, Thelma," he sighed.

"I can't!" she shouted. "This is all I have, Barrett. If I can't run my bed and breakfast, I have nothing."

The door to Room 4 creaked open and Renee peered out from around the frame. "Everything okay?"

Barrett grinned and became oblivious to the topic at hand until Thelma continued.

"The foundation needs to be fixed and I'll have to close up for -- oh, no." The stout elderly woman clutched at her chest and shook her head sadly. "Dear, I'm so sorry. Where will you stay?" Thelma looked at Barrett sternly. "See? We can't close. She'll have nowhere to stay!"

Renee, bewildered and trying to process the information, rested a hand on Thelma's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Thelma. I'll be fine."

"You could stay with me," he offered.

Both women turned to him and simultaneously said:

"What?"

"You've been in my house Renee. I mean you haven't been upstairs but for Christ's sake, it's a six bedroom house. More than enough space for you."

"And just where will I stay?" Thelma pushed him, put a hand on her hip.

"Don't you have a sister one town over?"

Thelma deflated. "Drat. You have a point. And it's been so long since I've seen Ada. I'd better start packing." She grumbled under her breath and left the lobby.

Renee shifted in the middle of the floor and looked at him with a nervousness that rubbed off on him. He could see in her eyes she didn't think it was a good idea; he didn't know HER reasons why, but his were simple -- he was afraid of doing anything stupid. He'd accepted that he felt something for Renee but he wasn't about to sort out what, exactly. He loved her spirit, company and from the moment they met, had done just about anything to help and protect her. Offering her a place to stay outweighed the apprehension.

"That's sweet but I really could just, um... go to the E-Z sleep for a few nights."

Barrett cocked a brow. He'd had the misfortune of staying in that dump once or twice.

"Renee. I'd rather you drive 45 minutes to a decent hotel than sleep in that sinkhole of a place. I'm not forcin' you, just offerin'."

Silence.

"Are you sure I wouldn't bother you?"

"Have you ever?"

Her sheepish smile tugged at his heart and he grinned at her. "Go pack. I'll be waitin' outside." He went for the main entrance and realized something.

There it was again. The same little flutter he remembered feeling from his very first girlfriend but it'd been years since that happened. Fifteen, to be exact.

He got into the driver's seat and chuckled, tossed his head back at the memory of Jessica. Man, did he fall hard. It was the first and last time he was a textbook "romantic" -- flowers, cute little cards slipped into her locker in between classes expressing his fondness for her, promise rings. When they graduated and they broke up, it damn near tore him in two but he didn't realize it was a blessing in disguise. He'd grown into his looks. All he had to do was smile and girls were on him like a moth to a flame.

From his second relationship all the way to Sarah, romance never played a part. He was good in bed and "gifted," as they put it. Without the little twinge pulling at his heart, he'd chosen all of his girlfriends by their physical beauty. Only did he shoot for a woman with a brain when he'd gotten older.

When Renee came out with her bags in hand, it hit him. He swallowed hard and denied it, drowned it out. Passed it off on the messy breakup with Sarah and Renee trying to be there for him, professionally and otherwise. She was and would always be just a good friend. ONLY a good friend, he stressed in his head.

She slid into the passenger's seat and put her belongings in the back. "Ready?"

He stared into her brown eyes and swallowed before shifting the car into drive. "Only when you are."

*

Renee laid on the Victorian-style bed and stared at the ceiling.

Barrett had shown her around again, emphasized all of the important rooms -- all three bathrooms, rooms that were safe to go in, rooms that were empty and some that were best left alone. She had gone from feeling like herself to Belle from Beauty and the Beast. A bubbling in her stomach hadn't settled since she stepped foot in the house and she was desperate for it to go away. She had come to terms with her attraction to Barrett long ago but let's face it -- there was no way in hell she'd stay at the E-Z sleep again. The only reason she tossed out the suggestion? She knew he'd insist.

The implication that she would be a bother, however, was genuine. Her room was fully furnished with an armoire, dresser, lamps and a flat-screen wall TV; better than her room at the Turquoise. With her books, journal and the writing she'd been doing with new laptop, she'd have plenty of things to kill the time with after work. Renee reached for one of her books and heard a soft tapping at the door.