And then we go our separate ways.
If you’ve ever wonderedwhich would emerge victorious in a match to the death between the heart and the brain, I can assure you, it’s not the brain. By two in the morning, my brain lies in a lifeless heap in the boxing ring. For the organ that represents love, the heart can sure be ruthless.
I’m half tempted to run over to Beau’s house and kiss him senseless at this indecent hour, but I restrain myself. I do have some self-control left, and with my luck, it’d be Tristan who answered the door. So I stay in my bed and try to get back to sleep.
I just know that, if I let my head hold me back, I’ll always wonder.
Thanks to the middle-of-the-night primary organ boxing match I was party to, I don’t wake up until past nine. What happened to the woman who used to wake up to work out at five thirty before going to the office?
She lost her job, that’s what.
I’ve just gotten showered and dressed when I hear the telltale tap on my window that lets me know Beau is below. He’s wearing casual clothes rather than his police getup. He definitely deserves a break after working all morning, day, and night yesterday.
I pull up the window and look down at him, feeling a rush of butterflies. I’m not ready to dive into things with him headfirst, but I do want to show him that I’m letting off thebrakes a bit.
“Hey, you,” he says, shading his eyes from the sun as he smiles up at me, Xena at his heels.
“Hey, you.”
“Want to join us down here before I burn what’s left of my vision?”
I nod, shut the window, and make my way downstairs like an excited puppy. Apparently still on an adrenaline high from its overnight victory, my heart is in hyperactive mode as I walk with a bounce in my step toward the doors that lead to the deck.
Beau stands in the same exact spot beneath my window, looking toward the canal with his back to me, like he’s lost in thought.
He turns as I open the sliding door. “Good morning, GG.”
“Good morning, BB.”
His brows go up slightly, like he’s trying to decide if there’s an implicit message hidden in the nickname.
Xena runs up to me, and I crouch to receive her as she tries to lick whatever parts of my face she can reach. “Well, aren’tyoujust a big ball of energy in the morning?”
“You do realize it’s almost noon, right? And she’s acting like a whacko because she knows I’m leaving. Saw my suitcase.”
My head comes up.
He bends down, joining me in petting Xena. “Don’t you, girl? You always know.” He looks at me, a thousand times more handsome than he even was last night. “I have a huge favor to ask.”
“Sure,” I say, my voice higher than usual.
“I’d ask Tristan, but he’s a bit…preoccupied.” He smiles. “Happily so, but still. I don’t want to bug him and Capri this weekend, and Xena really likes you.”
“You want me to take care of her?”
“Would you? It’d be making sure she has food and then taking her out for a couple of walks during the day. If not, I can ask?—”
“Of course,” I say, stopping him before he can say Jane or Presley or whoever else has been wooed by Xena and him. “Where’re you going?” Do I sound casual? I don’t feel casual.
“To Miami,” he says. “Just for the weekend.”
“Oh.” My voice goes up an octave with every new thing I say. I force it down. “Everything okay?” Whoops. Too low.
“Yeah,” he says. “I’m just going to see an old friend. I’m sorry for asking for help so late. It’s a last-minute trip. But thanks for being willing to take care of my little princess.” He grabs Xena’s paws and pulls them up to his chest. Xena pants in his face happily. “I’ll be back Monday around noon.”
“Great,” I say, keeping my voice upbeat like there’s nothing I love more than Beau going to Miami.
“Lemme show you where I keep her food and leash and everything,” Beau says, putting her paws back on the grass and standing up. “If you have time right now….”
