CHAPTER 14
The congregation was standing for the second song when Adam slipped in the back of the church and looked to find Beth. His eyes scanned the room and between the rows he spotted her sitting about halfway back on the right.
Garrett felt the presence and managed to resist the urge to turn and look. He knew it would be Adam. A smile curled his lips briefly before he shifted his weight closer to where he stood sharing a hymnal with Beth and placed his hand in the small of her back.
Adam knew he would be there, but when he walked to the row and realized where Garrett was standing, he had to calm himself internally. The look he gave a very surprised Beth was direct. Why had she forgotten her promise to stay away from Garrett so quickly? Had she even intended to keep it? All these questions ran through his mind and Beth read them clearly in his eyes.
She motioned for Adam to slip behind her father to come and sit beside her, wishing Rayna hadn't invited Garrett to sit with them . wishing she could tell Adam that there hadn't been a choice but to let him sit with her when her sister insisted. She knew he was angry with her, but what could she have done?
Adam looked past Beth, his eyes briefly locking with Garrett's before moving to see Rayna standing on the other side holding Cassie. The song ended and Beth scooted as close as she could to Adam, but his posture remained stiff and unyielding as she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. There was no way she could explain without being overheard by her father or Garrett, so Beth was forced to try and connect with Adam silently by the way she gripped his arm or tried to slip her hand in his.
Adam knew that her father would notice if he didn't take her hand so he let her, but he kept his grip tight and didn't allow her to lace her fingers with his as had become their custom. He had never broken a promise to Beth . he didn't understand how she could break this one to him so easily. It was the first time he'd really felt a twinge of doubt about whether they could exist in one another's world.
It was all Beth could do not to burst into tears. She tried to focus on the preacher, but all she could feel was the distance between she and the man whose hand she held. She couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did. He must believe she'd lied to him. It was the longest hour she could remember.
Duncan and Richie were waiting outside. They had agreed with Methos that it would be better if they could catch Garrett off guard and observe his reaction. When they heard the final song, Richie strode up the stairs and inside the main door.
Adam watched him out of the corner of his eye and noticed when Garrett stopped singing. He watched as the young man swallowed hard and his breathing became shallow.
As soon as the last note ended and the preacher finished the benediction, Garrett tried to be casual as he turned in the direction Richie was standing. He had only just caught site of Richie when Duncan came in the side door. His head whipped around as his eyes sought out and locked with those of the Highlander. Being a new immortal, he didn't immediately remember he was on holy ground and was therefore safe. His hand slipped inside his coat, reassuring himself as he felt the handle of his sword hidden inside. At that moment Adam, Duncan and Richie knew that Garrett was more than aware.
Beth saw Duncan come in the side door and breathed a sigh of relief. If Adam wouldn't listen to her explanation, she knew Duncan could reach him. People were moving into the aisles to leave the building, and Rayna was busy bundling up Cassie for her. She looked up at Adam and called his name, but he didn't respond. Turning, she saw Garrett looking nervously between Duncan and Adam and her heart sank. He knew. And with that realization she knew that if Adam mistrusted him before, it would be much worse now.
Her Father was almost out the door and Rayna asked if she was coming or if Leandra and Cassie would be riding with Adam. Adam still hadn't looked down at her, so Beth turned to her sister and asked her to take Cassie. "I'll be home soon."
Rayna didn't like the catch in her sister's voice or the steel she saw in Adam's eyes as he glared at Garrett. Something wasn't right here. She started to question the request, but when she saw her sister's eyes pleading with her, she knew the best way she could help would be to take the baby home.
When Rayna moved out of the pew aisle, Garrett moved around her and was out the door in a matter of seconds.
Beth swallowed hard, realizing this was not good. "Adam" she started to tell him what had happened, but he wasn't listening. His eyes were distant and she could see he was angry.
"You should have done as I asked." He told her.
"It wasn't how it looked." she replied, not missing the way his jaw was set as he doubted her. She had to think fast. "Adam . please, if you love me . you need to hear me."
Both Duncan and Richie could see trouble brewing and wanted to try and diffuse the situation if they could.
"Where can a man get a proper greeting?" Duncan asked Beth, opening his arms to give her a hug. Tearing her eyes away from Adam, Beth returned Duncan's embrace and told him how glad she was they were there. He hugged her tight and whispered to her that everything would be all right.
Richie didn't want to cause any more tension, so he simply kissed Beth on the cheek and moved back.
"We'll leave the two of you alone to talk." Duncan said, motioning for Richie to follow him outside, but Adam asked him to wait. He knew how angry he was right now, especially after learning the truth about Garrett. If MacLeod was there, at least Beth would have some support when his temper flared . and he knew it probably would.
The congregation was standing for the second song when Adam slipped in the back of the church and looked to find Beth. His eyes scanned the room and between the rows he spotted her sitting about halfway back on the right.
Garrett felt the presence and managed to resist the urge to turn and look. He knew it would be Adam. A smile curled his lips briefly before he shifted his weight closer to where he stood sharing a hymnal with Beth and placed his hand in the small of her back.
Adam knew he would be there, but when he walked to the row and realized where Garrett was standing, he had to calm himself internally. The look he gave a very surprised Beth was direct. Why had she forgotten her promise to stay away from Garrett so quickly? Had she even intended to keep it? All these questions ran through his mind and Beth read them clearly in his eyes.
She motioned for Adam to slip behind her father to come and sit beside her, wishing Rayna hadn't invited Garrett to sit with them . wishing she could tell Adam that there hadn't been a choice but to let him sit with her when her sister insisted. She knew he was angry with her, but what could she have done?
Adam looked past Beth, his eyes briefly locking with Garrett's before moving to see Rayna standing on the other side holding Cassie. The song ended and Beth scooted as close as she could to Adam, but his posture remained stiff and unyielding as she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. There was no way she could explain without being overheard by her father or Garrett, so Beth was forced to try and connect with Adam silently by the way she gripped his arm or tried to slip her hand in his.
Adam knew that her father would notice if he didn't take her hand so he let her, but he kept his grip tight and didn't allow her to lace her fingers with his as had become their custom. He had never broken a promise to Beth . he didn't understand how she could break this one to him so easily. It was the first time he'd really felt a twinge of doubt about whether they could exist in one another's world.
It was all Beth could do not to burst into tears. She tried to focus on the preacher, but all she could feel was the distance between she and the man whose hand she held. She couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did. He must believe she'd lied to him. It was the longest hour she could remember.
Duncan and Richie were waiting outside. They had agreed with Methos that it would be better if they could catch Garrett off guard and observe his reaction. When they heard the final song, Richie strode up the stairs and inside the main door.
Adam watched him out of the corner of his eye and noticed when Garrett stopped singing. He watched as the young man swallowed hard and his breathing became shallow.
As soon as the last note ended and the preacher finished the benediction, Garrett tried to be casual as he turned in the direction Richie was standing. He had only just caught site of Richie when Duncan came in the side door. His head whipped around as his eyes sought out and locked with those of the Highlander. Being a new immortal, he didn't immediately remember he was on holy ground and was therefore safe. His hand slipped inside his coat, reassuring himself as he felt the handle of his sword hidden inside. At that moment Adam, Duncan and Richie knew that Garrett was more than aware.
Beth saw Duncan come in the side door and breathed a sigh of relief. If Adam wouldn't listen to her explanation, she knew Duncan could reach him. People were moving into the aisles to leave the building, and Rayna was busy bundling up Cassie for her. She looked up at Adam and called his name, but he didn't respond. Turning, she saw Garrett looking nervously between Duncan and Adam and her heart sank. He knew. And with that realization she knew that if Adam mistrusted him before, it would be much worse now.
Her Father was almost out the door and Rayna asked if she was coming or if Leandra and Cassie would be riding with Adam. Adam still hadn't looked down at her, so Beth turned to her sister and asked her to take Cassie. "I'll be home soon."
Rayna didn't like the catch in her sister's voice or the steel she saw in Adam's eyes as he glared at Garrett. Something wasn't right here. She started to question the request, but when she saw her sister's eyes pleading with her, she knew the best way she could help would be to take the baby home.
When Rayna moved out of the pew aisle, Garrett moved around her and was out the door in a matter of seconds.
Beth swallowed hard, realizing this was not good. "Adam" she started to tell him what had happened, but he wasn't listening. His eyes were distant and she could see he was angry.
"You should have done as I asked." He told her.
"It wasn't how it looked." she replied, not missing the way his jaw was set as he doubted her. She had to think fast. "Adam . please, if you love me . you need to hear me."
Both Duncan and Richie could see trouble brewing and wanted to try and diffuse the situation if they could.
"Where can a man get a proper greeting?" Duncan asked Beth, opening his arms to give her a hug. Tearing her eyes away from Adam, Beth returned Duncan's embrace and told him how glad she was they were there. He hugged her tight and whispered to her that everything would be all right.
Richie didn't want to cause any more tension, so he simply kissed Beth on the cheek and moved back.
"We'll leave the two of you alone to talk." Duncan said, motioning for Richie to follow him outside, but Adam asked him to wait. He knew how angry he was right now, especially after learning the truth about Garrett. If MacLeod was there, at least Beth would have some support when his temper flared . and he knew it probably would.