CHAPTER 11
A few minutes later, Joe returned to the club with Richie in tow. He'd asked him to help with
some of the heavy stuff in case Adam wasn't up yet.
They were both very surprised to find Beth perched on a barstool and Adam sitting across from
her in a chair at one of the tables.
"Beth … what a nice surprise." Joe greeted her as he slowly made his way across the floor. He
looked over at Adam with a slightly puzzled expression and was relieved to see his friend seemed
to be in a better mood. "Is he behaving himself?" he asked Beth.
"Mr. Pierson has been the perfect gentleman." She replied with a smile. "Who would have
guessed?"
"She bribed me with the first meal I've had in two days." Adam picked up the half-eaten desert
he'd found in the basket on the bar.
"Yeah those are to die for." Richie hadn't been able to stop until he'd taken the boxes he'd been
carrying into the back room. "Hi Beth." He walked over to where she was sitting and gave her a
lingering side hug and brushed his lips against her hairline before looking over at Methos.
Beth's smile was genuine, but her eyes briefly betrayed the worry she'd expressed the night
before when they spoke. Richie seemed oblivious to it, but Methos picked up on it right away …
as did Joe.
"He's on his third one … and he knows if he gets a belly ache it's not my fault." She laughed.
"Ok … I have to ask … why aren't you two at each other's throats?" Joe asked.
"Ms. Parker was kind enough to notify me of the arrival of my luggage … and the whereabouts of
my research I'd stored with the previous owner." Adam replied. "So years of my life … my
research … aren't lost after all."
Joe's expression reflected his relief.
Richie noticed Barkley across the room and called him over.
"I'll have to admit I wasn't feeling myself last night either. I'm afraid I was more sensitive than I
should have been." Beth added as she watched Richie scratching Barkley behind the ears.
"I love it when a woman can admit she's been a slave to her emotions." Adam quipped.
Joe let out a nervous laugh hoping he hadn't stepped in it again, but the grin on Beth's face told
him she understood Adam's humor and wasn't offended.
"And I love it when a man can get in touch with that emotional part of himself as well … even if he
does express it in the most unpleasant way. It's still gratifying to see." She bantered back.
"Ok … truce you two." Joe stepped in between the two of them like a mock referee which made
them all laugh.
Although he laughed nervously along with them, Richie wasn't liking the undertones of the way
this was going. Beth and Adam appeared to be getting along much too well.
"So now I only need to find a place to call home and my current situation will improve greatly."
Adam declared stretching his legs out in front of him. "And who knows? The way my luck is
running today … maybe McCloud will decide to take another extended vacation and offer me his
place above the dojo. I might not have to get used to an unfamiliar surrounding after all." He
leaned back in his chair and finished the last few bites of the fried pie with a very pleased look on
his face.
"I wouldn't count on that." Richie replied. "His cleaning lady is probably still digging out from
under the beer bottles you left on the barge."
Adam didn't even feign offense. He really didn't care … and there hadn't been that many bottles.
He didn't drink as much when it wasn't free.
"Do you have plans for dinner?" Richie asked Beth, changing the subject and bringing her
attention back in his direction.
"Not really. I was planning a quiet night at home … with Barkley …and I have a little baking to do
before tomorrow."
"Would it be all right if I borrow Joe's van to pick up my things?" Adam asked, enjoying the glare
he got from Richie.
"Actually … our walk took us a little further than I'd planned … so if Joe could spare the van …
could you give us a ride home and get your things now?" she asked.
"I've got the keys." Richie stated. "I can give both of you a ride … and a hand." He added.
Joe and Adam exchanged a knowing look at Richie's efforts to be with the woman.
"Well I'm not cooking … at least not a meal … so if you guys are hungry then it's going to be
takeout." Beth replied. "Know any good Chinese restaurants in the area?" she asked as she put
Barkley's leash back on him and led him out the door.
Joe pulled Adam aside before he followed the others out the door. "Hey … don't bait him on
purpose. He's got it bad for her … and you know how quick tempered he can get."
"I know … I know … he's young and impulsive … and can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.
And if you are worried I'd let him pick a fight and take his head … don't." Adam said as he put on
his overcoat and slid his sword from behind the bar and into the lining. "I know what McCloud
would want to do to me if I touched a hair on the boy's head." He finished, letting Joe know he
had reasons to think twice if provoked.
"I swear Methos sometimes you are …"
"A cold bastard … I know … and you wish I'd work on that." Adam replied flatly. "Trust me …
I've mellowed with age."
"One more thing." Joe stopped him. "I know you're careful … but whatever you do, don't let her
see that thing. I'll tell you about it later … but just make sure she doesn't."
Adam gave him a questioning look. He was always careful … but he didn't know why Joe was
making such a big deal of it. He nodded to reassure his friend.
As soon as Adam was out the door Joe picked up the phone and called Mac. Things might be
better between Beth and Adam … but it was looking a bit edgy where Richie was concerned.
Mac listened to the short version and said he'd find a reason to invite himself over …
A few minutes later, Joe returned to the club with Richie in tow. He'd asked him to help with
some of the heavy stuff in case Adam wasn't up yet.
They were both very surprised to find Beth perched on a barstool and Adam sitting across from
her in a chair at one of the tables.
"Beth … what a nice surprise." Joe greeted her as he slowly made his way across the floor. He
looked over at Adam with a slightly puzzled expression and was relieved to see his friend seemed
to be in a better mood. "Is he behaving himself?" he asked Beth.
"Mr. Pierson has been the perfect gentleman." She replied with a smile. "Who would have
guessed?"
"She bribed me with the first meal I've had in two days." Adam picked up the half-eaten desert
he'd found in the basket on the bar.
"Yeah those are to die for." Richie hadn't been able to stop until he'd taken the boxes he'd been
carrying into the back room. "Hi Beth." He walked over to where she was sitting and gave her a
lingering side hug and brushed his lips against her hairline before looking over at Methos.
Beth's smile was genuine, but her eyes briefly betrayed the worry she'd expressed the night
before when they spoke. Richie seemed oblivious to it, but Methos picked up on it right away …
as did Joe.
"He's on his third one … and he knows if he gets a belly ache it's not my fault." She laughed.
"Ok … I have to ask … why aren't you two at each other's throats?" Joe asked.
"Ms. Parker was kind enough to notify me of the arrival of my luggage … and the whereabouts of
my research I'd stored with the previous owner." Adam replied. "So years of my life … my
research … aren't lost after all."
Joe's expression reflected his relief.
Richie noticed Barkley across the room and called him over.
"I'll have to admit I wasn't feeling myself last night either. I'm afraid I was more sensitive than I
should have been." Beth added as she watched Richie scratching Barkley behind the ears.
"I love it when a woman can admit she's been a slave to her emotions." Adam quipped.
Joe let out a nervous laugh hoping he hadn't stepped in it again, but the grin on Beth's face told
him she understood Adam's humor and wasn't offended.
"And I love it when a man can get in touch with that emotional part of himself as well … even if he
does express it in the most unpleasant way. It's still gratifying to see." She bantered back.
"Ok … truce you two." Joe stepped in between the two of them like a mock referee which made
them all laugh.
Although he laughed nervously along with them, Richie wasn't liking the undertones of the way
this was going. Beth and Adam appeared to be getting along much too well.
"So now I only need to find a place to call home and my current situation will improve greatly."
Adam declared stretching his legs out in front of him. "And who knows? The way my luck is
running today … maybe McCloud will decide to take another extended vacation and offer me his
place above the dojo. I might not have to get used to an unfamiliar surrounding after all." He
leaned back in his chair and finished the last few bites of the fried pie with a very pleased look on
his face.
"I wouldn't count on that." Richie replied. "His cleaning lady is probably still digging out from
under the beer bottles you left on the barge."
Adam didn't even feign offense. He really didn't care … and there hadn't been that many bottles.
He didn't drink as much when it wasn't free.
"Do you have plans for dinner?" Richie asked Beth, changing the subject and bringing her
attention back in his direction.
"Not really. I was planning a quiet night at home … with Barkley …and I have a little baking to do
before tomorrow."
"Would it be all right if I borrow Joe's van to pick up my things?" Adam asked, enjoying the glare
he got from Richie.
"Actually … our walk took us a little further than I'd planned … so if Joe could spare the van …
could you give us a ride home and get your things now?" she asked.
"I've got the keys." Richie stated. "I can give both of you a ride … and a hand." He added.
Joe and Adam exchanged a knowing look at Richie's efforts to be with the woman.
"Well I'm not cooking … at least not a meal … so if you guys are hungry then it's going to be
takeout." Beth replied. "Know any good Chinese restaurants in the area?" she asked as she put
Barkley's leash back on him and led him out the door.
Joe pulled Adam aside before he followed the others out the door. "Hey … don't bait him on
purpose. He's got it bad for her … and you know how quick tempered he can get."
"I know … I know … he's young and impulsive … and can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.
And if you are worried I'd let him pick a fight and take his head … don't." Adam said as he put on
his overcoat and slid his sword from behind the bar and into the lining. "I know what McCloud
would want to do to me if I touched a hair on the boy's head." He finished, letting Joe know he
had reasons to think twice if provoked.
"I swear Methos sometimes you are …"
"A cold bastard … I know … and you wish I'd work on that." Adam replied flatly. "Trust me …
I've mellowed with age."
"One more thing." Joe stopped him. "I know you're careful … but whatever you do, don't let her
see that thing. I'll tell you about it later … but just make sure she doesn't."
Adam gave him a questioning look. He was always careful … but he didn't know why Joe was
making such a big deal of it. He nodded to reassure his friend.
As soon as Adam was out the door Joe picked up the phone and called Mac. Things might be
better between Beth and Adam … but it was looking a bit edgy where Richie was concerned.
Mac listened to the short version and said he'd find a reason to invite himself over …