Buddy was definitely taking advantage of how her thoughts wandered. That and being so adorable, waiting for her to find him across the room and motion towards his leash. He was getting a lot more walks as Beth tried to think as they strolled around the neighborhood.

Ruby and Annie weren't happy when Rio had cut off contact either but now that it was resolved, well, she could've sworn Ruby had seemed almost… Partially relieved when he hadn't texted them, even though she knew she needed the money. And then when he'd said they were back in business they grumbled like her, but went along. It wasn't any different from her of course. They all needed – the work. Him. That fact bugged her, not nudging at her less, even though it's been a week since they'd seen him. Even got a few jobs since then. It was that she had to drop everything sometimes, seeing as he'd been so childish the one time she hadn't showed. Once she even had to leave Dean on a spontaneous date they were on, walking hands in hands at a conservatory. She had to tell him it was Annie who needed help. Which, to be fair, wasn't all untrue.

If only there was some kind of job she could apply for, something that got real cash. But she wouldn't exactly find an employer like Rio in the job ads.

When she came home she pulled out the flyer from her kitchen drawer. The one Dean had given her. She hadn't seriously considered it but – she looked over the the date. It could be a distraction.

"Mmm… Apricots?"

"That's correct."

She'd still floundered a little, unsure of whether she should go until Annie found the flyer two days later and pushed her to do it, promising she and Ben would come to cheerlead. Slowly the group of contestants dwindled to Beth's hardly hidden delight, and before too long only four people stood beside her.

As the competition grew even narrower, she stopped at the next choice, chewing carefully, trying to savor the taste, her brain firing in a hundred directions.

She just wasn't sure, she'd have to go with a shot in the dark. "Octopus?"

"No, I'm sorry!"

While she didn't win the grand prize she did get a meal from it. Since Dean was the one who'd first told her about it and encouraged her to go, and because she was excited to celebrate her win with him, she wanted to invite him to join her. He had congratulated her and told her to invite Ruby and Annie and have a night's out.

It felt so good to enjoy it, have someone prepare a meal for her. Ruby and Annie and her laughed and talked, and she felt she could take a time out. They were all in good spirits and it felt they could relax, something they hadn't done in a long time. Ruby's mom was doing well and Annie and Gregg seemed to be in a better place.

"I'm proud of you," Dean told her when she'd gotten home. Beth's heart grew fuller. "It's nice when you get to do things like this."

She nodded. It was nice. More than that. It was amazing. It was a different kind of thrill from what taking a delivery for Mona, or dropping off bags for Rio's guys. This was safer, but winning, showing off her skill, getting accolades. Being recognized.

The next day she overheard a mom at Annie's parent group (that Beth had suggested and somehow ended up getting on better with them than her sister) talk about volunteering teaching a cooking class at a downtown shelter. She's asked to hear more and signed up once she checked and saw her calendar was free. She didn't have to have a culinary degree or work in the field, she was assured. She had no idea what it'd be like and she was curious to see how it'd go.

The competition had calmed her agitation somewhat, so when she next walked Buddy now there was something in her step, like wind behind her, driving her feet to pick up a dash, have Buddy beside her and not stop. Still, as these thoughts ran, she didn't miss any of the drop ins and she didn't speak more than she needed to.

It was a few days after that that she called the phone number. The same she'd taken from Mona's phone.

"I work at DQ and I was thinking lately that maybe… Maybe there's a better way I can make money."

Kiara laughed. "What do you mean?"

Beth hadn't spent too much time on small talk. She didn't have the time and maybe she was also a little nervous, too ready to jump into it. When the first opportunity showed itself to talk about how something or other they'd bought was expensive, she jumped into it.

"I mean I thought that I need money. Fast."

It was taking a chance. She saw Mona and her huddling the night that she – had some drinks with Mona and some of her friends. Yes, that was all that happened that night.

"What makes you think I know anything about that?" Kiara cocked her head at her, eying Beth with apprehension.

"I did a job for Mona," she said.

Kiara narrowed her eyes a little before she widened them. "What."

Beth nodded.

"You – you're with Rio."

Beth tightened her lips, jumping to the thought Kiara meant she was with Rio, but Kiara didn't seem to suggest anything by it.

"I don't wanna mess with him," Kiara drank her latte.

Beth waved her hand. What was this, some monopoly on her? "I'm not looking to compete with him. Just want to expand a little."

Outside of him.

"OK."

"Maybe you know of something I could step in – where you need some pair of hands?"

Or pairs. But that was her next step.

"I did something."

With that, Beth pitched the plan that Kiara had offered her. Fake clothes passing as brand ones. Deliver them, exchange the real for fakes. Kiara would get a hefty finder's fee or whatever it is she called it out of the deal, and Beth thought she was using Beth to move product that she would do otherwise, but she couldn't really complain, could she? She'd offered an extra hand.

It wasn't just moving from one boss to another, she told herself. Not exactly. All right even it was – it at least it was one step away from Rio. Even if she wasn't going to be in charge of it herself, it was better than having to be under him.

"And another thing, Sylvie can't be a part of it," she said once the girls agreed to it, Annie more readily than Ruby.

Annie had mentioned before that Sylvie was looking to make some money, and it was true that there were a few drops she'd helped with actually. Beth could tell Annie was just about to ask. But it was too much to risk.

"Why not?"

Beth remembered Rio's words from the lake. "It's too close to Rio."

The truth was that she wasn't doing it for him as much as that she didn't want give him any more ammunition to close something. He shouldn't care, but something made her pause. What Mona had said, that she was off limits. Even with what Kiara had said. Anyway, he seemed like such a control freak.

"Come on, she really helped us out in the last drop. She needs money."

"Is it a family thing?"

"I don't know," Annie shook her head. "But isn't it the point that this has nothing to do with gangfriend?"

"Maybe once we're settled we can look at it again," Beth tapped her mug, hoping to assuage Annie. "But not now."

It surprised her, how much work was coming from the fake clothes business, but Kiara had mentioned something about working on expanding the market. Some clothes needed a few alterations and once Beth mentioned she was able to do some she was able to negotiate a small bonus for that, which she shared with Annie and Ruby, who made up for it by doing some drop offs.

Unfortunately, she couldn't give Dean money. Not directly. It'd hurt his pride, she knew. But what she could do is save costs around the home, and pay in cash anything she could. She wanted to continue to put money in her account but Ruby had mentioned something about being careful about that. Ruby was probably worrying too much, but it as maybe a good idea. And this way it wouldn't make Dean as suspicious.

Still, one night he brought it up.

"You haven't taken any money from the account. And you're not touching the pay checks."

She smiled. "Picked up a few extra shifts and I just asked for a check instead of direct deposit."

"They can do that?"

"Yeah," she smiled.

"You'll still be able to do things around the house right?" He asked with a little hesitation.

"Of course."

"OK," he seemed relieved. "I gotta make extra hours at the dealership. It'd just be hard-"

She nodded quickly. The share of house chores mostly fell to her in any case. Whether he worked more hours or not, this was the set up and she was comfortable with that. It's what Dean knew from home. Judith had been a homemaker and ran the household to the point she wasn't sure if Dean's dad knew where all the dishes were. It was familiar to Beth as well, taking a big role of it while she was growing up. She didn't have a problem with it. It wasn't like hobbies took up her time that she had to take out. The extra work she was doing was cutting a little into the housework, but she mopped a little less often, spread out laundry a little further apart. Cut into sleep mostly. She never needed much sleep anyway.

She was running late. A customer near brawl at DQ forced her to stay back, helping staff to get it under control. As soon as she could she'd texted the girls and then again when she was on her way. Rio drama was the last problem she needed but she couldn't just leave, there was a reason she couldn't make it on time. Maybe she'd get lucky and would beat the guys, it wasn't that bad, she thought as she checked the time. It was ridiculous she had to even worry about this, she thought, trying to catch her breathe she hurried to the park spot that wasn't as close to the parking lot this time.

Finally, she caught a glimpse Ruby and Annie's backs and coughed in relief. Almost there and no Rio in sight.

"What do you think's going on?" She heard Ruby ask.

Something at her tone made Beth slow her steps. Her intakes of breathe were loud to her neither Annie nor Ruby seemed to notice her behind them. Maybe it was the the cool temperature of the evening that was distracting them, which Beth hardly notice having made a run from the car.

"What do you mean?" Annie asked.

"With them," Ruby muttered.

That apprehension at her question – Beth stopped for a moment, slowing down her breathing. She felt she knew what she was getting at.

"Who, gangfriend and Beth?"

At least her sister's tone was disbelief.

"Ever since she told us what happened I just see it. Don't you? They don't miss anything."

Beth glanced to the sky. Please, Ruby couldn't have remembered that one time.

"Do you remember her going off about the pen? I mean who cares?"

One time, one time she mentioned that he was wearing a pen in his shirt's pocket, and Ruby picked up on that? How did she not notice it? It was bright green on a guy who never strayed far from dark blues, maybe risking a shocking black look. Besides, Annie made plenty of comments on the guys, this guy's tattoo or that, but of course Beth would be picked on. Because of some tiny indiscretion that happened months ago. Kind of.

"Or when he punished us that one time she didn't show up?" Ruby continued.

"Crabby McCrabberson. What's new? Speaking of, where is she? Better beat them here." Annie checked her phone. "It was just the trip," She scoffed, shaking her head, maybe reacting to Ruby's expression. "Nothing happened since. She was just hurting."

"Hm," Ruby stretched her neck, probably trying to find a glimpse Rio and his guys. Beth felt a little guilty to eavesdrop but she was grateful. She was clearly making Ruby think something was going on when it obviously wasn't

"Come on," Annie went on. "She's getting married to Dean. Don't get me wrong, she can do better. I mean, anyone could do better, but she's been talking about them honeymooning in Vietnam. Getting a bigger house. They're making plans."

She'd have to watch how she was with Rio. She thought she was. For her own sake, not that Rio was making that any difficult.

"She's trying to work this business so we don't have to work with him anymore. What?"

Beth could just imagine her face. Ruby didn't answer, but she knew just what look Ruby was giving her sister. She'd have to make it clear there was nothing to worry about, she reminded herself again.

With the money, with the pleasure of making money of her own outside Rio, the one difficult part of it all was that Beth was finding less free time. She'd cut some hours at work, finding that to be the easiest commitment to reduce, trying to keep up between the work they were doing for Kiara, for Rio, and helping out Ruby with her mom. Recently Gregg's parents were picking up help with Annie who was applying for work, so babysitting time was cut down. To fit all of that in with doing housework as well, she could feel in her feet throbbing in the end of the day. Her mind was blank, like a rag that had been squeezed of all its water. It was clear she was wearing herself thin, she thought as she rubbed her feet, remembering a thought she didn't want to think of. But the joy she got from the clothes gig, the satisfaction she'd been the one put it together, the money that she'd earned, it kept her pushing through.

A few days later, ready to work on their own hustle, they stepped into the familiar room, where they'd kept the clothes, and Beth would later relish that moment right before. Right before they realized. Her first thought as they'd stepped inside and took in the room was that they'd been rob. Half the merchandise was missing. But as they stood speechless at the space they caught view of Mick, grabbing some bags, two men with him. She hadn't even seen him at first.

Of course it wasn't a robbery. Mick's work was too neat for that when a mess wasn't the goal.

Beth stepped forward. "What's going on?"

"Making some pick ups."

"What're you doing? This is ours." Annie motioned to herself.

"Not anymore," Mick said.

"What are you doing?" She spat out the words as she walked towards him, failing to rein in her fury. In a few steps she was the same chairs at the coffee shop where they'd sat in a month ago.

"What am I doing?" He repeated her question, relaxing his face into an innocent expression like he didn't know exactly what she was talking about.

He'd answered none of her texts until a whole day passed, leaving Ruby, Annie, and Beth to themselves to wonder what had happened. No one was more upset than Beth and now they couldn't even ask Sylvie what was going on. It was just like when they'd been cut off communication and work except this was worse. This was her work he was messing with. When he finally replied she'd demanded to see him in person. Stewing about it hadn't done anything to calm down her irritation.

Glancing up at her, he was dressed in a hoodie, and it annoyed her despite her anger that he was dressing casually like this when she'd gotten used to him dressing in buttoned shirts. He couldn't even keep some level of formality. Last time she'd seen him in a hoodie, she vaguely remembered, was in the cabin. She could almost see him there, leaning against the counter.

"This is my business," she motioned at herself, her hands on the back of the chair. "I'm running it."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, his tone still preposterously unbothered.

"Yes. Get your hands off it."

His smile widened and he nodded a few times, turning his face to the road before setting his eyes back on her, his smile gone. "How'd you get it up and running?"

She sat down, tired. "What?"

"Your connect?" He put a hand down next to his glass of tea.

"No one you know," She answered without hesitation.

"No? Got it all on your own? Or did my sister give you her number?"

Had Mona told him? Beth fumed but kept her voice low. "I found her on Instagram," she fibbed.

Again he looked away for a moment, pursing his lips. "Kiara's kind of old school. Doesn't like going on anything," he picked his glass and sipped on his drink. The afternoon was cool enough that steam undulated from the glass. "You use my connections. My sister's," he amended. "She gave me a choice. Either she has her hands in it or I do. I think it's better I do."

She doubted that Mona would give him the opportunity to have this over her, but maybe this pissed her off that she didn't want to deal with her. How had she put two and two together, that it was Beth getting it from her phone?

What was she going to tell the girls?

Beth stood behind her kitchen table, similarly to how she'd stood behind the seat at the coffee shop. Annie and Ruby were seated, waiting. She exhaled loudly and shook her head.

"Went that good, huh?" Ruby glanced at Annie before focusing her gaze back at Beth.

"It's his now," she put her hand on the table, tapping the surface with her fingers. The dry tone didn't say anything to the slice she felt it take her chest as she said it.

"What does that mean?" Annie asked.

"It means he gets a cut," Beth snapped, as Annie was to blame. "30%," she said. The negotiation of that was painful enough to repeat.

"What?!" Ruby's eyes widened. "We're doing all the work!"

"I know."

"What happened?" Annie put her hands out on the table.

"Nothing. Some story about how I got Kiara's number..." She let her voice trail off. "That he had something to do with it-"

"How did you get her number?" Ruby narrowed her eyes.

Beth shook her head dismissively. "It doesn't matter. But he had nothing to do with it," she sipped on her coffee.

"Guess leaving Sylvie out didn't really matter." Annie said. "Surprise."

Beth chose to ignore that.

"We were raking in the dough," Annie moaned, her fingers in her hair.

"I needed that money too," Ruby admitted.

"Yeah, we all did," Annie leaned back in her chair. "And you?" She asked Beth. "Aren't you gonna join the bumfest?"

Beth looked down at the table, unable to speak right away. This was her baby. A way to get out of Rio's control. To have something of her own.

"You getting another idea?" Annie smiled hopefully, nodding her head slowly.

Beth shook her head, disappointed she was returned with bad news. Even if she had another plan. Who was to say he wouldn't do this again?

"Can't you talk to him?" Annie broke through her thoughts.

"I already did."

"Maybe do a visit down-"

"Stop it." Beth said firmly, recognizing Annie's tone.

"What?" Her sister asked innocently. "One more rumple in the..."

"I'm engaged. And besides, I'm not for sale."

"I know."

Beth pulled out a chair and sat down. To think she and Rio were ever at a better place for a day or two, even if it wasn't real. It was almost impossible to recall the – it was a kind of affection they'd shared while they were up north. The distance now, despite her attempts to try to just keep it professional. There was just something else, like a stone in her shoe she couldn't get rid of. Never mess around with your boss. Ugh.

She looked up at Ruby and Annie. "Don't you ever think about wanting to be your own boss?"

Ruby and Annie exchanged glances. "With this – I just want to be in and out." Ruby said.

"Make some dough so Ben is good." Annie nodded.

"Why? Are you enjoying this?" Ruby asked with curiosity.

"No."

But it wasn't quite a no, she knew. Not completely.

It wasn't like she liked crime. Not at all. She was a good person. Unlike Rio, who seemed to revel in it. Who just took it on like a coat. It just worked quicker. That's why she did it. But now she was just as nearly back to square one.

"It wasn't our own thing," Ruby grabbed some chips from the bowl. "Kiara was still the boss."

That was true as well. But it was still better. If anything to make connections. To be a few steps away so she could – she wasn't sure what, but step closer to where she wanted to be. She'd figure out once she got there.

"Do you think it's time?" Dean asked her as they finished dinner.

"For what?" Beth sipped on her whiskey.

"For us to talk about choosing a date."

She swallowed, putting down her drink, keeping her eyes on the glass.

"If it's still early-"

"No, you're right," she nodded. His expression relaxed. "We should set a date. I just need – I need a little more time."

He was right. She'd agreed that they'd continue their engagement and wasn't it all going to a final destination, to them making it formal, tying their lives together? It just felt like they had… Like it wasn't quite right yet. Or that they'd needed to give it a little more time.

"We can talk about it later," he smiled, seeming relieved at her answer, and took her hand. "I got the dishes." He got up and started clearing the table.

It dawned at her as she moved to the living room. It wasn't even what had happened. Amber. What she'd done with Rio. What would Dean think about her working? Even though she had continued working at DQ after high school, since they'd moved in together it was only part time. When they'd talked about the future they'd talked about her quitting to stay home with the kids. There hadn't been a doubt in her mind. Starting a family was what she wanted, to be a mom. But the work she'd done with the clothes – even the pick ups for Rio. The pick up for Mona, negotiating with Lucy. All of it. The business. Where she'd succeeded. It left her wanting more.

The crime wasn't it exactly. That wasn't what she was pitching, what she was thinking about saying anyway. It wasn't that she wanted to be a part time criminal. It was that lately the thought of becoming a housewife didn't hold enough in it. She needed something outside it, something of her own, because she was starting to understand more and more clearly – it wouldn't be enough.

She'd considered asking, bringing it up, while she stared into the kitchen, listening to Dean work, not even when he smiled as he walked passed her to their window. But the words didn't come.