Page 72 of Summer Ride

“What are you doing?” she asked, scooting her chair over to get a look at the screen. “Is that… calculus?”

“Yes.” Beth smiled at her. “I like numbers.”

“So, what? You do calculus for fun?” Kara asked.

Beth laughed. “God no. I’m taking an online class. I’m hoping to get my online degree like Julie did so that I can move into a different position and help the camp out even more. I know for a fact that they hire an outside CPA firm to handle all of their employee payroll, vendor payments, and taxes.” She shrugged. “Maybe they’d like someone inside to handle those things. I mean, this place has gotten so big, they can probably afford a full-time accountant.”

Kara thought about it and nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. Have you talked to the Wildflowers about it yet?”

“No.” Beth looked a little mortified. “I’m not going to until I’ve gotten my degree.”

Kara laughed. “I’m pretty sure that if you talked to them and showed them that you’re capable, which I bet you are, that they would hire you on the spot. I mean, for the accountant thing,” she added, rolling her eyes.

Beth turned to look at her. “You know, you’re nothing like when I first met you. I mean that in a good way.” She smiled at her, then glanced around quickly. “I... have a pretty dark past myself. Nothing like what you went through, but…” She shrugged. “Let’s just say, if my ex wasn’t a cop, he’d have been put away for a very long time for what he did to me.”

“I’m sorry.” Kara frowned.

She never would have imagined that the petite brunette had been abused or that she’d been married to a cop, for that matter.

“I’m thankful we never got pregnant. The moment after we married, he wanted to have kids. I think it was to tie me to him for the rest of our lives. He hates that I work here.”

“He’s still around?” Kara asked.

Beth nodded. “Yeah, he works in Panama City, but still comes around here to annoy me every now and then.”

“Here. As in the camp?” she asked.

“God no. I had Brett put him on his do-not-let-enter list.” Beth sighed. “But he shows up at my apartment just to freak me out.”

“You could file a restraining—”

Beth held up her hand, stopping her. “Already been there and done that. I didn’t get the shirt, though.” She smiled. “He’s a cop, honey. The laws don’t apply to them. When I do call the cops on him, his buddies show up and drag him away. Never in handcuffs.”

Just then, the phone rang, and Beth answered it cheerfully. After she booked the cabin and hung up the call, she glanced down at her watch.

“Why don’t you go on your lunch break? I’ll take my lunch after you get back.” She turned back to her computer screen.

Kara jumped up and grabbed her purse. After walking into the employee’s dining room and seeing it completely empty, she grabbed a couple of sack lunches and headed to the pool house to visit with Andrea.

The second she stepped inside, her friend rushed over to hug her. “Gosh, you really did get it bad. I’d heard but hadn’t had any time to come see you yet.” She pulled back and ran a finger gently down her cheek. “The makeup doesn’t hide it all,” she said softly. Then she pulled out a pen and signed her cast.

“Thanks. I brought lunch,” she said, motioning to the two sack lunches.

“Perfect. My last appointment is just about to leave.” She motioned towards the back, then leaned closer. “He got a little handsy,” she added with a wink.

The eighty-year-old man walked out and handed Andrea a crisp one hundred dollar bill.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Carl,” Andrea said cheerfully.

“If I was five years younger,” Carl said, waving as he walked slowly out the doors.

“Carl is a sweetie. He comes back here every year.” She tapped the crisp bill. “God love ’im,” she said, tucking the money into her pocket. “Let’s eat.” She walked over and flipped the lock and the sign.

As they ate, Kara filled her friend in on what she’d gone through. Andrea hadn’t been able to break free the other night to go to St. George.

By the time Kara was done telling her everything, all of her hidden past, she felt a whole lot lighter. It was as if each time she trusted one of her friends with her past, a weight was lifted from her.

For so many years she’d hidden what she’d gone through in fear of people judging her. Now she realized she’d really been hiding it from herself, afraid of what it would do to her. That it would break her even more than living through it the first time.