“Seriously,whereis this coming from, Dew?”
“Because it never occurred to me before.” She stared at their hands, their entwined fingers. “And I’m sorry for yesterday. I didn’t mean to scare you. I honestly never stopped to think about why you would be worried beyond my fears that everyone automatically assumed I wasn’t capable because I’m pregnant now. It led me to wondering if maybe there were times I pushed envelopes I shouldn’t have. That maybe I got my way not because it was right, but because I wanted it. And we aren’t lovers anymore. It’s funny howyouwent from not worrying about me toKenwas worried about me, but now Ken’snotworried about me, right?”
“Ken absolutely worries about you, but he’s trying to learn acceptance that this is who you are and what you do.” Deep lines furrowed his brow. “Is this a pregnancy-brain thing because that made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.”
She drew in a deep breath. “Like you said, you were the voice of reason last night. Ken was the one okay with it. How’d that position flip between you two if I’m not somehow using my Prime on you without realizing I am?”
He dropped his head, slowly shaking it, before squeezing her hand and releasing it. Then he looked her in the eyes. “Nami’s right—I taught you too well.”
“Huh?”
He sadly smiled. “I taught you by example to put everyone else before yourself. If you can’t believe a single word I or Ken or anyone else says about this, then believe this—you arenotthat guy. You arenotEndquist. You didn’t force me or Ken to do anything.”
“I claimed Ken in a goddamned sports bar bathroom.”
“We’re not talking mate bonds. I’m not proud that I kissed Nami on her bus and ran off. I mean, hell, Peyton fucked Gillian behind the dumpster of a restaurant, and—”
“Whoa! Wait!What?”
She’d definitelynotheard this story.
Beck held up a hand. “I amnottelling you that story. You want to know I can safeword? Here it is—please, I ambeggingyou, donotmake me tell you that story. You want to hear it, ask your brother or Gillian.”
She stared at him. “You believe that goddamned rat bastard ordered Ken to take a pic of me wearing that stupid fucking helmet and text it to him?”
Beck snorted. “Peyton?”
“Of fucking course Peyton! Who else is so goddamned sadistic or have that kind of pull?”
“Trent’s terrified of you so I know he wouldn’t.”
“Fuckin’ A, he wouldn’t.”
Beck smiled. “So what’d Peyton say when you talked to him last night?”
“Good job,” she mumbled.
Beck leaned in and cupped a hand to his ear. “Say that again? I couldn’tquitehear you.”
“He told me I did good, okay? He agreed I made the right call.”
“Funny how hearing Peyton tell you that you did a good job always seems to make you uncomfortable.” Beck smiled again. “I willneverregret the time we spent together as lovers. And I will admit that, yes, I wishedreallyhard back then that we felt a mate bond, but we didn’t. Knowing what I know now, I am glad you met Ken, and I’m so glad I met Nami. You are a good person with a good heart, and you put everyone ahead of yourself.”
He held his hand out, indicating her baby bump. “And now is the time for you to put yourself first. Without guilt. It’s a lesson I’m going to do my damnedest to learn, too, because I suck at it as badly as you do.” He stood and opened his arms to her. “You can’t let this shit eat holes in your brain. You have to pick and choose who you can trust but one of those options cannot be that insidious little voice in your head that negs you and makes you doubt yourself. You are Charlie and Chelsea’s daughter, and you are a good person.”
She stood and hugged him, and…yeah.
It felt so different now between them.
Comfortable. Not sexy at all.
The sliders opened and Joaquin stepped out. He nervously eyed Beck. “Everything…safe? We all good?”
“Yeah,” Beck said. “We’re all good. Except I’d like to cut out a little early today so I can go talk to Duncan.”
“He doesn’t hold it against you,” Dewi said.
“Yeah, butIhold it against me. I took my own shit out on him and he didn’t deserve it.”
