Chapter 28
An update sooner than a year! Please excuse any typos, I typed this on my phone during my kid's soccer practice. Usual disclaimers apply.
Shane slowly stretched before throwing off Beth's patchwork quilt. He could hear Beth in the kitchen talking to the dogs as she made breakfast; the smell of bacon permeated the air. Smiling to himself, he quickly pulled on his jeans that had been hastily dropped at the foot of the bed the night before. As he made his way down the hallway, he could see Beth flipping pancakes. Trying not to be too stealthy, he stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek.
"Morning, sleepy head," she teased before kissing him back. She slid a plate of burned cookies into his view. "If you are too hungry to wait for breakfast, I found these on the front porch." She bit her lip and arched her eyebrow as she watched him crinkle his nose.
"I don't think I have ever been hungry enough to eat Maggie's cookies. At least she seems to have forgiven you for slumming," he winked.
Rolling her eyes, she pushed Shane away. "I am not slumming! Now, make yourself useful and set the table. If we work hard we can finish up in time to still make the annual Sheriff's Department versus the Fire Department baseball game. Rick will never forgive me If I make you miss it."
"Yes, ma'am," he bowed as he replied.
...
Beth's arms and lower back ached from painting, sanding, scrubbing and unpacking. She didn't know how Shane could still be moving after installing new floors and helping her unpack. His pitching during the game didn't seem to be affected at all. Watching his muscles ripple as he wound up and threw the baseball was like poetry in motion, she thought. Maggie plopped down next to her in the front row of the bleachers causing Beth to blush at being interrupted oogling her boyfriend.
"You sure you don't want a hot dog?" Maggie offered, holding a relish covered bun.
"I'm good; Shane says he has a surprise for dinner. Thanks, though," Beth patted her sister's arm.
"Can I tell you again how sorry I am for trying to control your life?" Maggie asked, her forehead creased.
"You are already forgiven, you don't need to apologize again. You wouldn't be you if you didn't try to boss everyone around you." She nudged her sister with her shoulder and focused her attention back on the game. She joined the crowd in cheering as Shane struck out the current batter; the third out. He smiled at Beth, tipping the brim of his hat, as he made his way to the dugout. She blushed and smiled in return. Noticing the crimson on her sisters cheeks, Maggie leaned closer to Beth.
"Why so embarassed, Bethie? Does this mean you have carnal knowledge of the fine deputy?"
"Maggie!" Beth exclaimed, her cheeks turning a deeper hue.
Maggie chuckled gleefully. "Was he as half good as the rumors say?"
Staring at the batter's box where Shane was warming up, she quietly replied, "Even better."
...
The game ended slightly before dusk with the Sheriff's department winning by a run. Shane stood talking to Daryl and Rick, holding a sleepy Nadia Dixon while Beth leaned on his other shoulder. She wasn't following the conversation much - instead she was thinking of the past seventy two hours.
Just three days before she was worried she had lost Shane. Instead of losing him, they were closer than ever, having taken several more steps in their relationship. She thought about everything he had done to help her move into her own place, not just all the physical labor involved in fixing up the trailer but also how he respected her need to be independent for a while. As the fading sunlight highlighted his profile, Beth realized she was head over heels in love with Shane Walsh.
