I Choose You Lopez, Bethany (best electronic book reader txt) 📖

              He’d never seen so many fake noses and boobs in one place, he thought with a chuckle.

              Jake excused himself to go and talk to someone he knew, and Kent began to slowly wander around the room.

              “Did you hear about the Truman’s?” He heard Nicole’s mom say in a loud whisper to a group of ladies dripping with jewels.

              “From the Parish?” A tall bleached blonde asked.

              “Yes.” Kitty said her voice practically oozing excitement. “He was arrested for a domestic dispute. I guess he’s an alcoholic and has been beating her for years. Can you believe it?”

              “Oh my gosh, no.” This came from a short portly brunette, who put her hand to her mouth in mock horror.

              “I can’t believe we’ve been going to the same church with them for all of these years,” Kitty exclaimed, looking each lady in the eye to drive her point home. “Breeding always tells.”

              Kent felt his gut tighten and his face flush with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. He put his glass down on the nearest traveling tray and walked out of the parlor, down the hallway, and out the front door. Once outside, he breathed in deeply and tried to calm himself.

              He could only imagine what Nicole’s mother would think of his parents. Of his life. Of him.

              He heard the door open behind him, but didn’t turn. He knew it would be Nicole, coming out to see if he was okay, but he didn’t want to turn and see her beautiful face. He didn’t want to see the hurt that would inevitably end up there. But he knew he had to face her.

              “Hey,” She placed her hand on his back as she came up next to him. “I saw you rush out, is everything okay?”

              He repressed the need to turn and hug her tightly against him. Instead, he steeled himself against his emotions and turned to her.

              “No, Nic, everything’s not okay.”

              Her hand dropped to her side when she saw the look on his face, and hers became a mask of confusion.

              “What happened?”

              “Let’s just say I don’t fit in in your world.” He said tightly.

              “Kent,” Nicole reached towards him, but stopped before she touched him. The look on his face must have told her that he didn’t want to be touched. “This isn’t my world. What happened?”

              “Nicole,” He began, trying to think of the one thing he could say to make her realize that he was right, that they would never work. “My father is a drunk who uses his fists to get his point across. He beat on me from the time I was two until I was twelve.” He stopped for a moment and breathed in deeply when he noticed the look of shock on her face.

              When he felt composed enough, Kent continued to explain. “He raised his hand to Roni once and I took a bat to his knees. He never touched me again, and I made sure he never touched Roni, but my mother wasn’t so lucky. He’s been using her as his own personal punching bag since they got married, and she lets him.” He couldn’t help the look of bitter disappointment that crossed his face. “I’ve tried countless times to get her to leave him, but she won’t. They live together in misery.”

              He looked Nicole in the eye, trying to drive the point home, “That’s what I come from.”

              Nicole’s eyes filled with tears and she moved towards him, like she wanted to hold him.

              Kent took a step back and put up a hand, causing her to stop.

              “You deserve better than me.” He stated simply.

              “How can you say that?” Nicole asked softly, wiping the tears that were running down her face with the back of her hand. “You are amazing. How and where you grew up doesn’t matter to me. You made yourself into the successful and wonderful man that you are today.”

              “Nic,” He said harshly. “How could you ever believe that your parents would approve of me? That they would ever accept us as a couple? It won’t happen. We’re from two different worlds. C’mon, you can admit it… You’re looking for marriage and children and a perfect home like this one. After seeing my parents’ marriage, and Roni’s, I just don’t see it happening for me.”

              He watched as his words began to sink in, as she began to understand what he was saying. Her eyes began to fill again. He knew he had to finish it now, before he caved, crushed her to him, and begged her to stay with him forever.

              “We both know that this will never work. We are too different, and want different things. I think it’s better if we just walk away now, before it gets more difficult.”

              Nicole looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shined with tears and her full lips quivered. “You want to walk away?”

              Kent felt the burn begin in the back of his throat and slowly start a descent down to his stomach.

              “Yes. I think it’s best if I leave now. You should stay, and be with your family. I can send Roni back to pick you up.”

              Nicole sniffled slightly, then raised her chin and looked him in the eye. “Don’t do me any favors. I’ll get my own ride back.”

              Kent nodded curtly, then turned to walk down the steps and towards his car.

              When he heard the door open, he turned and saw Nicole rush into Jake’s arms, her shoulders quivering.

              He felt like he’d been punched in the gut and fought the urge to go back up the steps and rip her out of Jake’s arms.

              Instead he turned, got into his car, and drove back home.

Chapter Eighteen

              A few days later Kent was sitting at his desk writing a piece on the upcoming local election, and trying unsuccessfully to not think about Nicole, when