Grabbing my coat off the rack, Beck’s MacBook starts to ring with a FaceTime. When I look and see his dad calling, I mumble some curses. Beck said he had texted…
“Beck,” I call, but no answer. “Shit.” Didn’t he say something about texting only…what if something’s wrong?
The laptop rings again, and my lack of impulse control takes over and I’m clicking the Answer button. When an older man with red hair just like Beck’s pops up on the screen, I’m holding my breath a little, and then I see the woman on his side.
She’s beautiful with her smooth gray hair and kind brown eyes. They both look at me extremely confused and we sit in awkward silence for about two seconds before I find my voice.
“Um, hi, sorry, Beck’s upstairs. I’m his…friend, Jensen.”
Beck’s dad’s smile grows. “Hi, Jensen, I’m Rory, his dad, and this is Milicent.”
My smile softens and my shoulders fall. Rory doesn’t have to say that this is Beck’s mom, I can see the resemblance. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you both.”
“Alright, Jen, Dottie’s taken over my bed, so we’re?—”
Beck stops talking the moment he sees who’s on the screen. Yep, that tension in my shoulders is back.
“Sorry, they called and I yelled for you, but—” I start to ramble but then he’s at my side with a faint smile.
“It’s okay,” he whispers. “Hey, what are you guys doing?”
His dad sputters a laugh. “I think the question is what are you guys doing? You look awfully nice in that suit.”
Beck’s mom speaks up next. “Oh, he does look nice, but look at her, she looks beautiful. You didn’t tell me your son had such a pretty girlfriend.”
My heart simultaneously feels like it just got a hug and a beating. Beck’s never come out and said his mom doesn’t remember him. I knew that’s most likely the case with the brief details I’ve gotten from him, but I know that hurts to hear.
Beck lets out a nervous laugh. “Jensen’s actually my…roommate. We’re going to our mutual friends’ wedding.”
Rory’s eyebrows lift. “Your roommate? That’s new.”
Clearing my throat, I try to take this one. “Temporary roommate. Beck kindly offered to let me stay here until I find a new place. His home seemed to be the only one in our friend group that allows dogs.”
“Oh, you have a dog?” Milicent asks.
“Yes, I do. A border collie named Dottie. She’s got a lot of energy.”
Rory hums softly. “Well, how lucky Beck’s place allows pets.”
Beck’s shoulders tense as he rocks back and forth slightly on his feet. “It is. Like Jensen mentioned, it’s temporary.”
Ouch, that hurts a little. I know it’s true, and I just said it myself but still, did it have to get reiterated?
I could go out to his truck and wait for him to finish this call to save any more possible comments of our impending end, but I don’t want to leave him knowing how much he’s struggled with this.
Even though I don’t exactly know the details of what happened between him and his dad, I can’t leave him. And it’s not like Beck’s lying—I want this to be temporary too.
I guess my rose-colored glasses do have a few clear spots after all.
Watching Beck and his dad talk with his mom is also amazing. They both word things carefully and answer her questions in ways that have her feeling excited. I’m in complete awe, then again, I shouldn’t be surprised the already emotionally well-rounded man in front of me knows what to do.
Beck checks his watch. “I would really love to keep talking, but we do have that wedding to get to.”
“I’m sure Dex and Lucie would understand,” I say, barely above a whisper.
I can see it written all over Beck’s face that he’s considering it, but Rory makes the decision for him. “You guys go have fun. Send us some pictures if you want.”
Milicent nods slowly. “Pictures would be nice.”
