Stargazing (The Walker Family Book 2) by Bernadette Marie Read Free Book Online Page A

psychopath Douglas Brant had ruined Bethany’s life long before she’d come to Georgia. Her father had been protecting her by shutting her out.
    She stepped out of the car and walked across the street. Pearl looked up when Bethany pushed open the door to the store and a small bell chimed.
    She smiled wide as she helped a young bride with a veil.
    “I’ll be a few minutes,” she said.
    “It’s okay. Do you mind if I wait for you in back?”
    Pearls eyes locked on her as if she knew something was bothering her. It was a sisterly thing, Bethany assumed.
    “I have bottles of water and soda in the fridge. Help yourself.”
    Bethany made her way to the small room behind the counter. She opened the refrigerator and pulled a Coke out. Sitting down at the small table, she contemplated not opening the bottle for nearly a full minute. Her mother’s voice rang in her ears. “No man wants a woman who lets herself go,” she’d say to her whenever Bethany even thought of eating junk food or drinking soda.
    Unable to go through with it, she replaced the soda and took out a bottle of water instead.
    Pearl glided through the door as Bethany sat back down. Her sister was a sight, she thought. Her blonde hair was in a bun, or a twist—something fancier than what Bethany would do with her own hair. She had bands of pearls around her neck and her wrist and small diamonds in her ears.
    Suddenly, Bethany was glad she’d reached for the water. The few strands of red curls that had worked their way out of the band that held her hair up, hung over her eyes. She quickly brushed them behind her ears. It was only then she realized she still had on the red apron from the event.
    “So how was the book signing?” Pearl asked as she took a Coke from the refrigerator, opened it, and took a long, satisfying sip that ended with an “Ah!”
    “Fine I guess. It’s still going on.”
    Pearl pulled out a chair and sat down across from Bethany. “So what’s he like?”
    “Who?”
    “The author. Kent Black?”
    “Nice enough, I guess. He rambles when he talks. Observes too much when he’s in a crowd. Has a dimple in his chin,” she said with a smile and then pursed her lips to conceal it.
    “Lydia promised to get me a signed book since I couldn’t be there.” Pearl took another sip of her drink. “So what brings you by? I didn’t have you down for a fitting for the dress Susan picked out.”
    “No. I was just needing a sisterly moment I guess.”
    Pearl’s eyes actually went moist, she noticed. “Oh,” she said on a small gasp and smiled. “I like that. You look like something is bothering you.”
    Bethany opened her water and took a sip. Where did she begin?
    “Kent Black is a really nice guy.”
    Pearl’s brows lifted. “This is about him? Didn’t you just meet him?”
    “I did. And I’m not interested,” she said convincingly. “It’s just that…well…I realized that I’m scared.”
    Pearl reached for her hands and held them tightly in hers. “Honey, nothing is going to happen to you. Douglas is locked up.”
    “I’m not worried about him.” she sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t want to be who I was anymore.”
    Her sister’s grip tightened. “I’m not understanding. You don’t want to be an actress?”
    She shook her head. “No. I don’t. I don’t want to be known as Violet Waterbury’s daughter. I don’t want people to look at me and say loved your movies . It came with a price that I’m not happy I paid. I want to be…normal.” Her voice shook and Pearl’s eyes clouded with worry.
    “What price did you pay?” her sister asked in a careful tone and Bethany’s stomach began to clench.
    “I shouldn’t have come here. I don’t need to drag you into this. I am who I am.” She stood and turned, but Pearl reached for her.
    “You’re not leaving. Sit down. Drink your water. I’m going to lock the door.”
    “You can’t close your business because your baby sister is in your