Beth's pen hovered over the paper as she weighed her options. Make something that would be easy to make over a hot plate or in a microwave. It wasn't the kind of activity she'd usually do. The last person she tried to teach how to cook was Annie, she thought as she crossed out a few more options on the list in front of her. And that was – a disaster. Maybe this audience will be more interested. Her pen stopped at the lentil soup. A hearty soup, add some vegetables, that could work. Could she also make a frittata over a hot plate, she wondered?

"Whatcha doing?" Annie asked, seated across from her. Ben sat on the floor playing with large pieces of Lego, under Buddy's watchful eye.

"Planning for the cooking class."

"At the shelter? Thanks, honey," Annie smiled at Ben who gleefully passed her a couple of pieces of Lego.

"Yes. Didn't you have to go?" Beth glanced up from her writing.

"Yeah, I just wanted to ask you something. There's a party Saturday afternoon. Wanna come?" She asked, her voice perkier than usual. Beth sensed some kind of trap.

"Party?"

"Birthday party." Annie leaned on her elbows.

Beth furrowed her eyebrows. "Whose birthday is it?"

"You gotta grow your circle, sis."

"Look who's talking, like you- No," Beth said resolutely.

"Oh come on," Annie tilted her head. "You'll have fun."

"Do you even talk with Sylvie anymore?"

"Not really. But I'm trying to make things up to her."

"This is how you want to do it?"

"Please? It'll be better if you come too. Ruby's coming. And she might be bringing Stan."

Beth shook her head. "You want to tell me Sylvie invited you?"

"A – common friend did. Lots of people are gonna come, he said we could bring a plus one. But Gregg can't make it. And I know what you're thinking – don't we already get enough of gangfriend, well he's out of town."

"What for?" Beth asked, immediately regretting giving in to curiosity.

Annie made a face. "I don't know. I didn't ask."

Ben got up, running over to the living room, and Beth got up to follow. "Didn't you have some errands to run?" She asked her sister again.

"Would you at least think about it?"

"OK," Beth agreed and was rewarded by a big smile. "I said, think about it."

It made sense for Annie to go. Sylvie had been upset at not being able to be part of the fake clothing brand business. More upset than Beth had expected and it worried all three of them. Sylvie was their protection, a reason that Rio wouldn't hurt them. Maybe Beth was arrogant but she didn't expect Rio to just put it all aside just because her sister and Sylvie had some falling out. But quickly she saw his patience thinner on the occasions they came across him.

Still, why did she have to be dragged into it? But at least, if Rio wasn't there. Not that it mattered. But she was seeing enough of him already, and was still unhappy about him snatching her business from her fingers. Their business.

A few days later she was driving with Stan and Ruby, Annie letting them know she'd meet them there.

"Dean's not coming?" Stan asked innocently enough when she got in the car, and Beth muttered, "Couldn't make it," and glanced out of the car, making the choice not to make eye contact with her best friend.

Even if he wasn't going to be there, it just didn't seem like a smart move. Anyway, it was best those worlds were left far, far apart. In fact, she was surprised Stan was coming. How much had Ruby shared with him?

A few moments later Stan asked a few questions about Sylvie, and Beth realized Ruby kept as much from her husband as she kept from Dean. For some reason it relieved her a little to learn that. She was sure Ruby told Stan everything.

Even though they'd arrived fairly early the back yard was already filled with people milling around and kids playing. A few minutes after they showed up Annie came behind them.

"Where's the birthday girl?" Ruby glanced around the the guests.

Annie shook her head. "I don't know anyone," she admitted, searching for Sylvie.

Beth didn't either. She remember Katy, but she was nowhere around, and she wasn't sure if Mona was going to make an appearance. Still, she stiffly stood next to Ruby and Stan who were mingling more comfortably than she was, especially Stan, while Annie finally recognized a common friend. It felt a little like crashing a party, and while Ruby had Stan, Annie was intent on finding Sylvie.

As she was sipping on her drink, the crowd parted to reveal Rio standing with a group of guys a good distance away from her. What was he doing here? She thought, annoyed, about to say something to Annie. As she watched a beautiful woman came up to the group and Rio's face broke into a big smile. He hugged her warmly. Though she didn't want to she couldn't take her eyes off them, an unwelcome twitch in her heart exasperating her more than anything else.

"I'm gonna find out who she is," Annie said, already starting to walk away.

It wasn't enough Beth had to see that, she had to have the worst witnesses with her, as Ruby stood next to her too as she watched the pair, hypnotized.

"No, Annie," Beth whispered, "you don't have to-"

But her sister was already making her way through the throng of guests. It was probably too much to hope that she would at least be discrete about it. If Beth could've stopped her, she thought a few seconds too late, she would've let assured her sister she didn't care at all. But Annie had already disappeared.

"You wanna leave?" Ruby asked her gently.

Beth shook her head a little too strongly. "Of course not."

It wasn't going to be easy to pretend, as Beth tried to swallow the lump in her throat. But they hadn't even been there that long and they hadn't seen Sylvie yet, which was strange, since it was her party. Beth wasn't going to let Rio ruin the fun.

It wasn't her instinct, but she tried striking up a conversation with the next few people who wandered by her. The first couple of times she got a smile back, a few words, and regret pooled in her stomach that she'd even bothered showing up. But then a guest had recognized her from when she'd visited before, and it broke the ice a little.

Her and Rio had not made eye contact. She wasn't even sure that he knew that she was there. Finally, she put her glass down, took a breathe. Annie must've found Sylvie and Ruby and Stan were busy talking with another tall couple. Beth took a deep breathe and made her way to the group that Rio was standing with. Luckily, the woman wasn't nearby by then.

"Hi," Beth said collectively to the group. It was probably the alcohol that was giving her a push of confidence, even if she hadn't had that much. "How are you doing?" She asked with a smile to no one in particular.

A few of the men smiled back, and Rio nodded at her, giving her a brief look over.

"Who are you?" One of the men asked her.

"I'm Beth. A friend of Sylvie's," she said avoiding Rio's eyes.

"Beth?" Another guy with dark hair and glasses ask. "Hey man," he turned to Rio and laughed. "Wasn't there-"

"Nope, nope." Rio answered quickly, not letting the man finish his thought.

"What?" The guy beside him asked.

Beth knew where the conversation was going, could feel the tension build, and she wasn't sure how she was going to be described, but she preferred to end the conversation now.

"Wanna dance?" She asked.

"Sure," the same man who'd been friendly and asked her who she was came forward, and they started making their way to the makeshift dance floor.

"Who's the guy staring Beth down?" Stan asked.

"You noticed that too?" Ruby tapped on her glass.

He nodded.

He was, she saw, and wasn't trying that hard to be slick about it either. If she didn't know any better she'd think he was waiting for her to glance up at him just so he could turn away. Beth didn't look for the most part, caught up in dancing. Just what had gone down there, Ruby wondered. She already knew that Beth was holding out on what had gone on. But she had to be careful with her – Beth was reluctant to share much of anything.

"Dance with me," Stan took a few steps backwards, grabbing his wife's hand, and Ruby's thoughts returned to the party.

Once she'd started dancing, Beth was finally able to relax a little. It wasn't something she did often, but Louis was sweet, and she had fun following his salsa steps. At each step she remembered she was engaged, it was just a harmless dance. It wasn't something she did to get Rio's attention either, she told herself, or to weirdly get back at him. Apart from catching sight of him once while she twirled around she kept her eyes on the dancers and her dance partner.

Annie was finally able to find Sylvie, and when she eventually joined them it looked like maybe they were on a little way to make amends.

"OK, I'm ready to go," Beth nodded at Ruby who gave her the look she herself was ready.

"I'll walk them out," Annie told Sylvie.

Annie pulled Beth back a few steps as Stan and Ruby walked ahead. "I don't know who she is yet, but I'll find out."

"It's OK, I'm fine," Beth answered, feeling her heart pick up regardless. All she wanted to do was leave and put this behind her, only remember the parts where she'd danced and laughed and hung out with friends and Annie.

Annie didn't answer, and when Beth turned back to her she knowingly. "You're way hotter, you know."

"I don't need to put another woman down to feel better. I'm fine," she added as Annie stared back at her.

"OK. See you later?"

Beth nodded, choosing not to think about whether Annie believed she really cared or not. She absolutely meant what she said about the woman he'd hugged. She was beautiful. Even if she didn't particularly love that, this woman didn't owe her anything and well – neither did Rio. She just loathed how her chest had crumpled when she'd seen them them, like wrapping paper Ben tore off when unwrapping a present. Why couldn't her body feel rationally like her brain did?

As she got in the car she pushed the thoughts away and wondered if she could get Dean to go dancing. It wasn't really something they did often at all, but it had been fun to do that today. And it didn't feel like she'd gotten much opportunity to let loose.

She didn't expect it to go as smoothly as it did. But her class went well and the students – all adults – were engaged and some asked questions and gave her advice. It made her think back to that cooking class she'd never got to go to. There was so much more she could learn. One of the students had been a cook before and told her how she started as a dishwasher and went up the chain in the kitchen.

Exhausted she'd gotten home and was grateful to remember that Dean had volunteered to cook that night.

"That was really good," She complimented her fiancé. He'd made a meal of baked chicken and vegetables, swearing it wasn't Judith who had made it. He'd even put effort into adding seasoning. Beth suspected Dean's mom had coached him intensively through it but regardless, she was impressed, and pleased that she had one meal less to make.

"See, I can cook too," He smiled. "You got the dishes." He picked up his plate and walked it to the sink.

She watched him walk away from the table and set the plate down. Thinking, she wiped her mouth with her napkin. "What would it be like if I worked out of the home?" She asked before stopping herself.

"What?"

"If I kept working. After we got married."

She got up and picked up her plate and glass and brought them to the sink.

"I didn't know you liked working at DQ that much." He stepped back as she put the dishes in the sink.

"Maybe I'd work somewhere else." She looked away.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. You know I told you I'd taught a class at the shelter. I enjoyed it. Maybe I want to do something like that." Her eyes went back to the the dishes in the sink as she struggled to meet Dean's eyes. Her heart beat quicker as she waited for his response. "It felt good."

"So what, you want to teach cooking?"

"I don't know. I was just thinking I don't think I want to give that up."

Dean nodded, his expression pensive. "What about kids?"

"I'd work part time," she leaned against the cabinets, still facing him. "Your mom could help out."

"Bethie, we didn't talk about this. You always wanted to stay home with the kids."

She nodded again. She had, but a lot had happened in the past few months.

"Is it about this guy?" He interrupted her thoughts.

"Excuse me?" She narrowed her eyes.

"The guy you went on the trip with."

"It wasn't a trip," she waved her hand but guilt still chipped at her tongue. "I was helping Annie. That's it."

"You want to tell me he has nothing to do with this?"

"No," She said, raising her voice.

"OK," he raised his hand. A few silent seconds passed. "I don't think I could," he said honestly. "I don't think I could do more to help. I'm going to take over the business."

Beth knew he wasn't being malicious, but genuine.

"We need to talk about this," he shook his head. "think my mom is ready to take it easy now that her kids are grown up."

"She still brings us food." Beth turned on the faucet to soak the dishes. "I don't expect you to stay at home."

"We can talk about it. OK? That's what I can do right now."

"OK," Beth picked up the sponge and put it under the running water.

It was a start.

Beth passed Rio the heavy duffel bag. He motioned to Mick to grab it and count. The same routine, she thought, and again asked herself why she had to make it to each of these meet ups.

Not like she forgot the last time she tried to take advantage of it, on the rare occasion that she'd met Rio alone.

"I need more money," she snapped at him and he smiled at her, amused. The tension hadn't gone away from the time she'd seen him in the party, even though it had already been a few drop offs she'd done. Even though she told herself each time it'd be less weird, she'd be standing near him and it was like she was taken back to that afternoon, the hurt that twisted her.

"You gotta earn it," he had told her in her car.

"What do you want me to do? There's only so many hours in a day."

"Figure it out," he shrugged and left.

Two weeks had passed since then. A whole month since that party.

Beth closed her eyes briefly, then looked away. A thought hit her. "We'll get you more."

"How much more?" Rio asked.

"$10,000. We can do that."

"We can?" Annie said squeakily behind her.

"But you want more money, we need more back. Think of it as an incentive," Beth added confidently.

"OK." Rio nodded at her as Beth felt Annie's anxious eyes and no less uncomfortably, Ruby's piercing ones.

She wanted to lift her head and shout in triumph. She'd gotten them more money. It wasn't much more of a percentage, but it was something. And even if Ruby and Annie weren't looking for more, they'd get it. They needed this too.

So even if the walk to the car was more quiet than usual, Beth took it in stride.

"Now you wanna tell me why you did that?" Ruby spoke as the car door closed shut. "How are we going to make that happen?"

"I got it." Beth put her hand on the wheel, before glancing between Ruby and Annie. She motioned at herself. "Look, I can take on more. What?"

"When?" Annie put her hands on the headrests in front of her. "When will you do it? Did time magically grow outside of 24 hours?"

Beth put her hand out. "Don't worry. I have a plan."

And if it did mean that she was going to work more hours at this and less at DQ, that was OK. DQ was a cover job at this point. It still took time and energy, but it gave less excuses to explain to Dean where she was.

Annie and Ruby hadn't been as happy with the plan than she was, but they were hurting for money too. She could feel Annie coming around as they made the way to Gregg's parents' house.

"Oh, by the way." Annie said with her door on the car handle. "She's an ex."

"What?" Beth met her eyes in the rear view mirror.

"The girl at the party. On and off again thing. Now off,"

"OK," Beth answered like it had nothing to do with her, ignoring how her chest felt lighter. "He can do whatever he wants," she added, looking away. "Date whoever, I don't care."

She felt Annie and Ruby exchange glances before Annie's door shut but kept staring out the window. All she wanted to do was enjoy the increase in pay they'd been able to get.

Conversation was sparser after her sister left. Beth let Ruby process what had just happened, as she thought about her schedule for the next week. Cutting hours at DQ would work out. But it did mean that it would be harder to come back to her normal life, wouldn't it? It was a step away from normalcy which was exactly what she didn't want. But it justified the end. That's what she was in this for.

Ruby's house came up and Beth slowed the car down, before coming to a stop.

"All right, what?" She asked when Ruby gave her that look like she had something to say.

"You're sure about this?"

Beth nodded. "I can do this. I may be able to help out a little less," she motioned behind Ruby to her house.

"That's OK." Ruby looked down for a moment and paused. "Listen, with this guy," she looked away and back at Beth. "Is there anything else?"

Beth stared back at her, though she realized she was feigning ignorance. Just a little bit. "Excuse me?"

Ruby let out a big sigh. "Come on. With this guy?"

Beth lifted her hand to her face, her engagement ring on it, only then hoping Ruby wouldn't say anything about how she didn't always have it on. It was just forgetfulness. Taking it off to clean something. Last few months she'd had a lot on her mind.

"This guy?" Beth put her hand down. "The one who stole the business that I – and us, that we were working for?"

Ruby put her hand out, stopping Beth.

"I know. I can't believe I'm saying this," Ruby glanced upwards. "He took over something that was bringing cash in."

"Exactly," Beth folded her arms.

Ruby shook her head.

"What?"

"If he took it over he sees potential in it."

"Or he just had to have his hands on everything," Beth snapped, then leaned forward. "What do you mean? You're saying that I should be flattered he took over our business?"

Ruby's expression of frustration didn't change. "Listen, I didn't want to say anything." Ruby touched her forehead with her hand then put it on her lap. "But he was still looking at you while he was with her. At the party."

"So what?"

"He was putting on a show. Boy likes to get attention. And he wanted it from you."

Like that the tension lifted a little, and Beth realized Ruby had wanted to say something for some time.

"How do you even know he knew we were there?"

"B," Ruby answered resolutely. "He knew."

"None of this has to do with him. It has to do with getting more money-"

"I know. I know. I just – I just wanted to know if there was anything else going on."

"No," Beth put her hand on the wheel. And it wasn't a lie, she told herself. "It's just business."

Beth stifled a yawn as she turned the corner with her shopping cart. They'd just moved the pasta section again.

It hadn't been as easy as she thought. Not in the last week especially. Something had to give, and it was mostly her sleep, but it was also not being able to keep up with her house like she wanted to, getting some comments from Dean. The good news was she spent a little less time at home so there was less opportunity to get it busy. Maybe she shouldn't- no, she needed to. She didn't have a choice. Cal wasn't very happy, but he let her take some time off, and a part of her thought she was pushing it, but another part assured her that she had put in years at the place.

At least the memory of the woman and Rio had mostly faded. She could barely erase the expression on his face though. He's looked so - relaxed. Not even when they'd, well, spent some time together had his features relaxed like that when they'd looked at each other. He'd held a little back. To see that gone with another woman, no filter it was unnerving. It was also the first time she'd see him with anyone else like that. Well a woman. On again, off again. What did that mean anyway? When were they last on again?

Her eyes followed a loud laugh and her eyes fell on Amber. Beth whipped her head to the left and her fingers grabbed harder to the metallic handle. It'd make an escape harder though, she thought, as every instinct she had was to desert her cart and disappear.

Before she could make a move though, a figure appeared in front of her.

"Hi."

"Hi," Beth said automatically.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure, you don't want to talk to me."

Her emotions turned off, Beth stared quietly.

"I just wanted to say that I was sorry." She looked back at a guy standing by her shopping cart, pretending to examine a can in his hand. She wasn't alone, Beth realized.

"It wasn't just you, it was also him. But that doesn't mean that I want to do this," she said honestly.

Amber nodded, and fixed her jacket. "He didn't do right. Not to you or me," she said, about to turn away.

"What does that mean?" Beth blinked at her as she took in what Amber was saying. "There were – others?"

Usually she would never consider it. She hadn't the last time, had she? She had waited. But she drove on auto pilot to Boland Motors, stepped inside the showroom and nodded at the familiar faces that nodded at her, and opened the door to his office.

Only the fact that two men sat in front of him, documents on the table, stopped her from opening her mouth.

"Beth. Is everything OK?" Dean asked as the two men turned their heads to her.

She paused, before eventually speaking "no."

"I'm in a- do you two mind if we took a short break. It's my fiancée." he said by way of explanation.

The men replied quickly that of course they didn't mind. They would probably love to stay, she pondered briefly as they sneaked a glance at her as they walked out, the door shutting behind them. The entire time she kept her eyes at Dean.

"You want to sit down?"

"How many, Dean? How many were there?" Tears were fighting their way into her eyes.

"What?" He asked softly, and in his question was his admission.

"You heard what I asked. Do any of them work here?" She asked, motioning out the of the office, then pulled her arms to herself like she couldn't even touch the air around her.

The silence filled the room.

"Who told you?"

She made a strange sound that was both a sob and a laugh. "Oh my-. You know what, I can't actually." She shook her head. She didn't want the details. She couldn't handle that.

"I'll stay with my parents for a few days."

"Yeah. Yeah, you do that," she started walking towards the door, wiping her tears quickly before walking out, leaving his door wide open.

For two nights she tossed and turned, barely getting enough sleep. Dean had made himself scarce which she was grateful by for, but strangely it accentuated her loneliness. She hadn't said anything to Annie or Ruby about what she'd found out. She'd tell them, eventually. Maybe. When they asked her how she was doing she just answered she was tired. No nothing was wrong. Annie was busy with Gregg and Ben, Ruby with Stan. Both insisted they wanted Beth to have some time to relax when she'd offered to help with Ruby's mom or with Ben, but she only used the time to fill up on extra shifts at the Dairy Queen. Sitting at home was not going to help her. While there was a lot more work since she'd renegotiated terms with Rio in the last few weeks, that had slowed in the last few days.

It was when her boss Cal asked her to put in another extra shift she realized just how worn thin she was.

"Cal, you know I barely take vacation. I just worked 3 extra shifts in two days."

"I'm not asking for you to do this tomorrow. But I need you on Sunday. You know that we've had a lot of turnover."

"I can't work it. I'm sorry, I need time off."

"I can't." Cal crossed his arms. "I'm sorry."

She braced herself, breathed, and a white blanket went over her eyes. "I quit." She turned on her heel, not before his eyes widened a little.

Could she have come in? Yes she could. But that wasn't the point. A breeze hit her face as she stepped out and she turned left without thinking, unsure where she was going. She left behind her jacket in her locker, some other belongings. A coworker could get them for her, she thought. Exhaling deeply, her legs kept going, taking her further away. She was always the one you could rely on, the one who stayed late. No, she couldn't see herself sticking around at DQ. Even if she didn't think she'd end it so soon.

Annie would be proud. Turning left she got annoyed at being unsure of where she was going but she kept going. After a few more steps reality hit her, bubbling up in her stomach. It was stupid. Food service jobs were a dime a dozen but she'd still have to apply. And what kind of a reference did she have now? And to get a job at another fast food joint, to deal with some Cal, with the same customers she'd deal with anyway. At least at DQ she knew what she was dealing with.

How was she going to keep three jobs, though, she thought, turning back to find her car. Those two jobs, ones she was actually finding it satisfying, rewarding, even if it was dangerous. But they couldn't be long term. They couldn't become who she was, she thought as she spotted her car.

She walked Buddy mindlessly, waving hello at a few neighbors, wiping down errant tears. She'd come home and hugged her dog, putting her face into his fur and cried, and Buddy had put his head on her shoulder and she laughed through her sobs, thinking about how he was comforting her.

As they neared her house she saw from her periphery small lights. Distracted by them, she glanced up, finding Rio standing against the hood of his car, its lights beaming. Her feet stopped as they watched each other, before Buddy got her attention, his tail wagging. Beth walked up the path to her house and let him in and made sure he had water. Closing her eyes briefly she let herself out again. Maybe she had imagined it, she thought. Imagined him. It had been such a long week. But Buddy had seen him too, had wagged his tail. Forgetting who his loyalties were with.

Rio still stood there, across the street, about half a block away. What was he doing here? He'd had no problem letting himself in before. Had he changed his mind about their agreement? Not that, she couldn't deal with that tonight. Slowly she paced towards him, crossing the street, exhaustion lining her steps. Moments from the past months passed behind her eyes all out of order. Meeting him, finding out about Dean being unfaithful, learning her sister had got herself in trouble (and again), spending time in the cabin, the bar, the-, the new job, him taking over, her negotiating with him, over and over.

"I can't do this anymore," She said after stopping in front of him.

"What's that?"

"I lost my job," she non answered. "One of my jobs." She nodded her head, looking to the side for a moment. "I lie to my friends, I lie to my sister. Knowing you is," she puffed a laugh, "must be like having a newborn." She thought back to when Annie had just given birth, when nights and days got mixed up for the first weeks she'd helped her. It wasn't like she breastfed, it was true, but she helped bottle feed. Those moments with Ben were precious, but it was a chaotic time.

Rio just stared back at her.

"Can we just- go somewhere?" She forced the words out. It was the only way to get what she needed. She needed him. Not just because she was lonely and because she didn't want to be alone. Even if both were true. Annie and Ruby could give her company and companionship. If she wanted something more, well, she could pick someone up, but the idea repulsed her. She just – it was him she wanted.

To make clearer her intentions, she reached up and kissed him, breathing in and basking in his familiar smell, taking comfort in it, each second ready for him to push her away. He didn't, instead quietly and gently kissed her back, following her lead, then as she relaxed into him turned up the heat.

Nearly losing her balance she pushed her palm on his chest, falling back on her feet as Rio followed her. Trying to pull her hand away she felt his fingers capture hers, wrapping them around her palm. He held it to his chest and she let him, feeling his heartbeat, tasting his soft lips and breathing in at each small chance she got.

He broke the kiss and surveyed her face. For a moment it looked like he was going to ask her. Please don't. Don't ask me why. Don't ask me why you.

"You sure?" He finally asked.

Beth nodded. "Yes."

Rio took her by the hand and took her to his Cadillac. "There's just something I have to do first."

"OK," Beth said absentmindedly. She watched Dean and her house grow smaller in the rear view mirror. She'd be sure to text him, to take care of Buddy. She should do it now, she thought and pulled out her phone. Their house, she turned the thought in her mind. What did that even mean when Dean wasn't sleeping there? It was too much, his betrayal, that just grew, the responsibilities, the jobs. If she didn't look at duffel bags or ice cream for the next month. It was all OK while she had Dean, while she thought there was some stability in her life. Finally. That she could lay down her arms for a moment. Just to find that wasn't the case at all. Text sent, she put her phone away, letting the hurt stay behind her in the house.