Conceal (The Barker Triplets 3)

He had to pull back. It’s what she wanted. It’s what she deserved.

“You’re right,” he said slowly.

Betty’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears and something that looked like regret. She strode toward him and he stilled when she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. He closed his eyes. Breathed her in and when his arms circled her to draw her closer, she let him.

Betty nestled into him, for just one second, and she whispered, “I know.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

BEAU SIMON LEFT New Waterford, the same way he had come—on his new custom ride with his brother, Tucker, riding wing.

Betty watched the circus at the end of Logan’s driveway dissipate within minutes of Beau leaving. His security team held back the paparazzi for as long as they could, and less than ten minutes after he’d left, there wasn’t a soul on the sidewalk.

That was good. It meant that things could get back to normal. That her life—at least for the moment—could get back to normal.

Except that it didn’t.

Her sister Bobbi warned her that a gaggle of paps were camped out near the hospital waiting on Betty to come see the new baby. They’d accosted Bobbi as she was leaving.

So Betty snuck in through the service entrance, posed for a few pictures with some very surprised maintenance staff, and managed to get in a half hour visit with her sister before spying more than a few curious souls outside Billie’s room.

“I can’t believe the fuss over a few pictures of me on the hospital steps with Beau,” Betty said as she fluffed her sister’s pillow.

Billie looked tired, but still managed to smirk. “It’s not because of those pictures.”

Betty paused, mid-fluff. “What do you mean?”

Billie’s grin widened a little more. “Some motel guy gave an interview last night. I think it was on,” she glanced over to Logan, “TMZ?”

“I don’t waste time on that crap.” Logan rolled his eyes and moved toward the door. “I’m going to get rid of these losers and check on Abel.”

“Oh,” Billie said. “I want to come.”

Logan glanced out into the hall and shook his head. “I’ll wheel you down to see him once I get rid of this crowd. You’d think the hospital would do something.”

“They’re patients,” Billie said with a chuckle. “Half of them have IV carts trailing behind them. It’s not like they’re going to kick them out or anything.”

“Well, I’m going to kick something if they don’t stop hanging around our room. Christ, Beau’s already in Canada and they think they’re going to catch sight of him here?” He grimaced and left, muttering to himself.

Betty’s stomach flipped as she gazed at her sister. “TMZ,” she repeated.

“Yep. TMZ.”

Great.

“The man said you and Beau spent the night together and he took one of their guys for a tour of the room, which looked like a bit of a mess.” Billie snorted. “Actually, it looked like a tornado had gone through it.” She paused and winked. “A sex tornado.”

Jesus fuck. Betty knew she should have taken time to clean up before they’d left for breakfast.

“The bed was unmade, the lamp was on the floor along with a few towels and I’m pretty sure the picture above the bed was crooked. Or cracked. It was probably crooked and cracked. Now everyone in America is visualizing you and Beau Simon doing it on a red with black checker sheets.”

Betty scowled.

Billie cleared her throat. “So is it true?” She took a sip of juice, a sweet smile on her face. “Did you and Beau have lots of hot and heavy sex?”

Betty glared at her sister. “That’s none of your business.”

“Hah!” Billie giggled. “I guess that means, hell yes!”