Yay! My muse has returned for this story and I absolutely love this chapter. I hope you do, too, and thank you for being patient with an update. My muse can be such a fickle thing sometimes.

…

Seven.

Stupid rain. Stupid freezing rain. Stupid skirt and heels and stupid freezing rain.

Beth raced from her car, across the parking lot and up the steps of the judicial building, her umbrella keeping her head dry, but doing nothing to help her poor, bare legs as she ran and the puddles splashed at her. This was not in the weather report when she checked it this morning – as she did so every morning. The forecast had showed that it would be partly cloudy with only a ten-percent chance of rain. It mentioned absolutely nothing about freezing rain and not for the first time, Beth thought that weather people on the morning news had the absolute easiest job in the world. The whole thing was just a guessing game.

"Thanks, Mitch," Beth smiled at the usual security guard as he held the door open for her.

"Get yourself some hot chocolate, Beth," Mitch suggested and she smiled at the kind, older man, who had been a guard here for as long as she had been coming here and for many years before that. He used to be a police officer for the city, but after he got shot on duty, he decided to retire from the force and take a job that didn't hold as much danger.

"Thanks, Mitch," she said again as she closed up her umbrella and shook it off before setting her personal items down and setting through the metal detector.

She stepped through without setting the alarm off and she gathered her things again. A cup of hot chocolate sounded absolutely perfect, but first, she had to get these papers filed. She didn't like this case. Didn't like it one bit. She just got a feeling that maybe the woman was telling the truth. That Phillip Blake, when he was the Mayor of their town before becoming a Statesman, brutally assaulted this woman in a hotel room. Beth just had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she felt her hands tied. Her firm was defending the accuse. The accuser had another attorney and it was Beth's job to help Aiden prove them both wrong.

It took her some time to file all of the motions that she had been tasked with and once that was done, she was still cold from the rain outside and now, her stomach was grumbling. She looked to the big clock hanging from the wall in the building's front lobby and saw that it was just a little before noon. Perfect timing.

Heading down the main stairs, she went towards the lunch counter and smiled at Karen, the usual waitress who worked there.

"Hi, Beth," Karen smiled in return. "Nasty out there today."

"Tell me about it. Stupid weatherman," she grumbled and Karen laughed. "Can I get a mug of hot chocolate and a bowl of the chicken noodle soup?"

"You got it, hon," Karen quickly pressed the buttons on the cash register and Beth handed her some bills from her purse. "Go and get yourself settled and I'll bring it to you."

Beth chose a booth against the back wall beneath one of the large circle windows, setting her purse and bag beside her, against the wall. She could hear the rain fall on the roof and she sighed. She was in absolutely no hurry whatsoever to get back out there. Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed Aiden's office phone, but it immediately went to voice mail, letting her know that he was already on the phone. She left him a message, saying that all of the motions had been filed and she was taking her lunch break now before returning to the office for the rest of the afternoon.

When she was finishing up the message, Karen appeared with a mug of hot chocolate with steam dancing into the air and a deep bowl of the lunch counter's homemade chicken noodle soup with a thick slice of bread next to it. Steam rose from the bowl as well and it hit Beth in the face and she instantly felt warm.

"You're the best," Beth smiled up at her.

Karen laughed again. "Just let me know if you need anything else," she said before going back to return behind the counter.

Beth pulled the book she was in the middle of reading from her bag and once she arranged everything in front of her, she began reading and taking her first sip of soup. Instantly, she felt it hot, rushing down her throat and she was aware that it was almost too hot, but she didn't care because her feet were still cold and she needed to be scorching right now.

Her slice of bread was gone and her mug of hot chocolate and bowl of soup was half empty and she had just begun a new chapter when she heard her name.

"Beth?"

Beth instantly lifted her head to see who it was and she suddenly hated that she had decided to choose being dry and warm over racing out of the building into the freezing rain as soon as she finished what she had come there to do.

She did her best to give her most genuine smile; as if she was truly happy to be interrupted during her lunch break by him, of all people.

Their city was a small one in comparison to others, but still large enough where certainly not everyone knew each other and it wasn't small enough where people were constantly running into each other. This was the very first time she had seen him since high school graduation and she wondered why she was seeing him here, in the judicial building, of all places. Maybe he had a parking ticket he was taking care of or maybe something more than that. Maybe he had been arrested for murder and he was out on a bail and was meeting with his lawyer to discuss his case.

Yes, she knew that was far-fetched and slightly ridiculous but still, she dared to dream.

"Hi, Jimmy," Beth smiled, closing her book after taking note of which page she was on.

For the first time, she noticed that Jimmy wasn't alone. A woman with copper-toned red hair and a slightly taller frame than Jimmy's – which was impressive because Jimmy was as tall and lanky as he had been, years before in high school – stood a little bit behind him as if she didn't want to intrude.

"Hey," Jimmy smiled, looking relieved, and Beth wondered if he thought that she would have thrown her bowl of soup into his face. He certainly would have deserved it and it was amazing to Beth that he seemed to recognize that. The Jimmy from years past wouldn't.

Beth and Jimmy Hines had dated from the time they were freshmen until they were seniors, almost graduating to head off to college, and during their junior and senior years, Jimmy began asking her about sex. Asking when they would have it. Asking her if she was ready. And Beth had told him more than once that she just wasn't ready for it. Honestly, she hadn't imagined herself having sex before marriage and she told that to Jimmy because they went to the same church and surely, he would understand her stance on the matter.

But he didn't and he used every line in the book to try and convince her that there was nothing wrong with them having sex at their age. Beth still sometimes wondered if she had finally had sex with Jimmy just to shut him up. It had been terrible – uncomfortable and painful – and when it was done after just a couple of minutes, Beth had hated herself. She felt a heavy weight crushing in her chest that made her want to cry because she hadn't stood up for herself and she had given in and done something she hadn't wanted and hadn't been entirely ready to do.

Afterwards, Jimmy had driven her back to the farm, stopping off at McDonald's and buying her an egg McMuffin – though she wasn't hungry in the least – and two days later, he had proceeded to dump her, saying things that she couldn't remember anymore. Beth knew she hadn't loved him – which made the whole sleeping with him anyway even worse to her – but still, having him end their relationship right after she lost her virginity to him, it had crushed her and it had taken her years to get over it.

There had been another boyfriend, finally, in law school, but it had been more for companionship than anything – a constant study partner and someone to watch movies with on Saturday nights – and he seemed to be in agreement. Beth was pretty sure she was just a cover for him, anyway, since she was fairly certain that he was gay, but he wasn't ready to come out to his parents yet.

She had never told Maggie – or anyone – what happened between her and Jimmy so when Maggie went on and on about Beth having more fun – which meant, having more sex – Beth just let her talk, ignoring her and having absolutely no plans to ever follow Maggie's advice.

"How are you?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm good. And you?" Beth wondered if she should stand up, but maybe that would just have him think that she wanted this conversation to go on for longer than absolutely necessary. Plenty of years had passed since high school, and she never thought about Jimmy Hines anymore, but that didn't mean that she wanted to talk with him.

"Real good," Jimmy smiled easily at that. "I'm getting married."

Beth admitted that she wasn't positive as to what her reaction to that should be, but she smiled nonetheless. It had been years. She certainly wasn't jealous that an ex-boyfriend from forever ago was getting married, but she admitted that she didn't know if she was happy either. Indifference was probably the best word.

"We just came here to get our marriage license," Jimmy said, looking back towards the redhead and smiled at her before looking back to Beth.

"Congratulations, Jimmy," Beth said, smiling and all the while hoping that he didn't ask if she was married or seeing anyone. "When's the big day?" She heard herself ask even though she had no idea why she would and Jimmy smiled, please that she had asked. She was too darn polite; that's what her problem was.

"This Saturday," he answered. "Mandy's not religious so we're not getting married in the church. We found this great spot in Sherman Park for the ceremony."

"That sounds lovely," Beth said because she wasn't too sure what else to say and she made a note to stay far away from Sherman Park that weekend.

"Well," Jimmy said and shifted a little on his feet. "I saw your dad the other day. He said that you've been real busy with work."

Beth wondered how long this conversation would go on for.

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm a paralegal and we just got a big case at the firm I'm helping with."

"That's great!" He answered a bit too enthusiastically and he seemed to realize that because Beth saw him visibly cringe and she pursed her lips together to keep from laughing.

Past Jimmy, something caught her attention though she wasn't sure why it would. Someone, among all of the other people, stepped into the lunch counter area and Beth's throat immediately leaped into her chest.

Daryl.

She felt as if she hadn't seen him for years though it had just been a few days before when they had been talking about books and she had learned that he was quite a bookworm. She wasn't the sort to usually make assumptions about people, but finding out that Daryl was so well-read, she admitted that it had taken her by surprise.

And as if he felt her eyes on him, he turned his head from looking over the menu that hung on the wall and found her instantly. His face, as it usually was, seemed blank so she couldn't tell if he was surprised to see or not. She wondered if he would turn and leave now that he knew she was there. Most of the time, he seemed like being around her for any amount of time seemed like the very last thing he wanted. There was something about her that he didn't like – and that was obvious – but she just had no idea what it was about herself that seemed to bother him as much as it clearly did.

Beth did her best to be herself and be at ease while around him, but in the back of her mind, there was always that tiny voice reminding her that he didn't like her and he was only talking with her because she sat at his bar and it was his job.

Seeing him looking at her, she gave him the smallest of smiles before looking back up to Jimmy. She didn't want Daryl to think that she was just assuming he would come and speak with her now that he had seen her. It had been so long since she had had a crush on a man and she had forgotten how unsure and nerve-wracking it could be when the object of her crush was anywhere near her.

She had had a crush on one of her professors in law school. He had been in his mid-forties with prematurely graying hair and a gray beard and he wore these thick cable knit sweaters to class in the winters and Beth would sit there, taking diligent notes and listening intently all the while imagining herself wearing one of his sweaters and nothing else.

For the entire semester, any time she was in his lecture or saw him somewhere on campus and he greeted her with her name and a smile, Beth felt her face explode in red.

It couldn't have possibly been a secret to the man that Beth had a crush on him, and Beth wondered if she was just as obvious now while around Daryl. She hoped not. Plenty of women went to The Pine Cone and Daryl was a handsome man who could probably have his pick of any of them if he so choose to do something like that. Beth would never expect him to show any interest in the girl who blushed too easily and ordered Shirley Temples like she was still some teenager.

"It was good to see you, Beth," Jimmy said, recognizing that the conversation was ending.

Beth's smile was a bit easier now. "You, too, Jimmy. And congratulations."

When Jimmy and Mandy turned, walking out, Beth let out a breath that she must have been holding, but hadn't realized she had been. She sank a little in her seat, feeling exhausted all of a sudden, and she picked up her mug of hot chocolate, cupping it between both hands and bringing it closer to her face. It wasn't as hot anymore, but it was still warm and she closed her eyes, able to feel it sweep onto her face.

She took a sip and opened her eyes and saw Daryl still at the lunch counter, waiting for whatever it was that he ordered. She wondered why he was in a judicial building on such a crummy day. The last time she had seen him in here, he had mentioned the lunch counter and having heard good things about it. Obviously, he was here again today to finally try it for himself.

He turned his head and saw her looking at him and Beth quickly whipped her head away, feeling her blush explode on her face and creep down her neck. Darn it, Beth, she harshly scolded herself in her head. Can we go one day without you acting pathetic around him?

Remembering her book, she opened to the page she had left off on before Jimmy came, and she began reading again, pausing only to take spoonfuls of her soup. She made sure she didn't look up again for anything and assumed that Daryl had gotten his food and had left.

But then, she heard a throat clearing.

For the second time since sitting there, Beth stopped reading and she lifted her eyes. This time though, it was someone much more welcome than Jimmy's presence at her table.

"Hi," she greeted Daryl with a bright smile.

"Hi," he returned and Beth thought that maybe he was smiling, too, but she couldn't be too sure because Daryl didn't smile like most people did. His lips always seemed to barely twitch and that was his definition of a smile. A person had to be looking for it to see it.

"Would you like to sit or…?" She trailed off then, unsure of how to continue that.

"I don't wanna bother you," Daryl said with a shake of his head, but he didn't step away, and Beth smiled, gesturing to the bench seat across from her.

Slowly, he slid into it and set his food down on the table. She saw that he had gotten himself a tuna salad sandwich with a side of fries and a bottle of Coke. The lunch counter made their fries, made-to-order, the cook having a pile of big, brown potatoes back there with him. They were the best fries probably in all the city. Just looking at them, Beth felt her throat go a little dry for a taste of one and she told herself she would order a bag to take back to the office with her even if most of her coworkers would want one for themselves when they smelled what she had brought back with her.

"Was he a friend of yours?" Daryl asked as he took a couple of napkins from the dispenser on the table and it took Beth a second longer than it should have to realize that he was referring to Jimmy.

"I wouldn't exactly call him a friend," Beth replied with a shake of her head. "More like… an ex-boyfriend who cruelly crushed my eighteen-year-old heart."

"Ah. One of those," he said and she smiled.

"Guys are the worst," Beth teased, feeling a bout of confidence right then to do so.

"We really are," Daryl agreed, picking his sandwich up with both hands. He took a bite and waited until he had finished chewing and swallowed before speaking again. "Surprised you didn' get a sandwich to eat," he commented and Beth saw his ears turn a little pink. "I know how much you love 'em," he then added as if he had to.

Beth smiled, feeling more pleased than she probably should that he had remembered her saying how much she loved sandwiches.

"I was feeling cold because of the rain outside, but I usually order the peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I come here for lunch," she answered. Daryl lifted his eyebrow at that, chewing on another bite of sandwich, and Beth let out a little laugh. "Don't knock it until you try it. They use chunky peanut butter and they make their own bread and their own strawberry jam here. It's the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich you'll ever try."

Again, Daryl's lips twitched and Beth was pretty certain this time that he was smiling.

"I'm gonna have to remember that for next time," he said. "Tuna's pretty good, too."

"You have to try one of their fries," Beth said. "I really want to see you try one." She felt herself blush and nearly cringe after she said that, aware of how crazy she probably sounded to him because she definitely sounded crazy in her own ears.

But Daryl just smirked and listened to her, taking one of the fries and taking a bite.

She watched as he chewed slowly and then swallowed.

He nodded after a moment. "Yeah. That was pretty good," he said and she felt like laughing.

"Just pretty good?" She asked, aware that she was teasing him again and how on earth did she get so comfortable with him all of a sudden to be at ease with teasing him?

"Pretty damn good," Daryl edited.

"Better," Beth beamed and this time, she knew that he was definitely smiling.

She took a small sip of soup and Daryl chewed the rest of his fry.

"What are you readin'?" He asked. Beth lifted the cover so he could see and his eyebrow lifted again. She felt her cheeks warm. "That's an interestin' choice to read while eating."

"At least it's not The Jungle," she smiled.

Daryl smirked a little. "That book turned me off of meat for a while."

"Me, too," Beth kept smiling. "This one, I've been on a waiting list at the library and it's finally my turn."

Even though he didn't ask, she held the book out for him to take and Daryl wiped his fingers on one of his napkins before taking it. He read the inside cover and then looked over the pages of pictures that were gathered in the middle of the book. He then looked at her.

"You like readin' books on Jeffrey Dahmer?" He asked.

"And Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Jack the Ripper… I like serial killers," Beth said. "I mean, I don't like serial killers. I like reading about them. I like reading the psychological aspects to them and the author's theories on what made them tick. Do you know the FBI has this horrifying statistic that there's something like at least 25 to 50 active serial killers in the country right at this very second?"

Daryl set the book down and picked his sandwich up, but didn't take a bite. "How'd you go and defend a guy like that?"

"I'm just a paralegal," she reminded him.

"But if you were a lawyer and your client had killed ten people. How'd you defend 'em?"

"Good old fashioned insanity," Beth said, only half-joking.

There would be a lot of work to be put into a defense for a captured serial killer and the insanity plea would be the most obvious. Luckily, the offices of Harris & Monroe had never gotten such a case. Beth would definitely be working overtime with that one and honestly, it would be like the case she was working with Aiden on right now. Defending someone like that wouldn't be the easiest thing for her to do.

One of the things she loved about practicing the law in this country was every citizen – no matter who they were or what they had done – got the chance for a fair trial and a person who worked to defend them. It was their right. Even if the person had been caught holding the severed head of his latest victim, they were still innocent until proven guilty.

It was one of the reasons why she hadn't become a full-fledged lawyer. She loved the law. But Beth could admit to herself that there were certain cases and people that she wouldn't be able to defend no matter what oath she took to do just that. She already knew that she wouldn't be a good lawyer because of that. Aiden had told her more than once. Andrea, too. Beth had a habit of taking things too personally. She wasn't able to ever turn it "off".

She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts and focus on the fact that Daryl was sitting across from her and for all intents and purposes, they were eating lunch together and he actually seemed comfortable enough around her for once to talk with her.

"I haven't even asked," Beth said, wanting to change topics. Maggie was right about something. She worked too hard and maybe, for this time she sat across from Daryl, she wanted to talk and think about something other than work. "What are you doing here today in such terrible weather?"

And within a second, he stiffened and something passed over Daryl's face that she couldn't identify, but whatever it was, the ease from just a second ago that they had been talking with had disappeared completely; and so quickly, Beth would have thought she would have imagined the previous relaxed mood if she hadn't been experiencing it for herself.

She had been out of the rain for almost two hours now, but she felt cold again.

…

Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!