I wanted to ask questions. A lot of them, but I didn’t want to press Beau when he was like this. I didn’t know what to do, so I just stayed where I was, cupping his jaw.
“She was so cold,” he sighed. “Not breathing. But we got her back. I think I got her back for Elliot.” He sounded so lost, so much younger than he was. So afraid. I realized I’d relied on Beau’s surety, even when it came with arrogance and sometimes cruelty. He was something to rely on. Someone to rely on.
And in that moment, he needed that from me.
“You did.” I sounded more confident than I had a right to be since I didn’t know a single thing. “You got her back.”
I chewed my lip, wondering what I should do. He was cold. Shivering. He’d been out in the rain, at the very least. There was a faint scent of salt that hinted at the ocean. Why would he have been in the ocean during a thunderstorm…? Calliope.
My brain put together details, and even if they didn’t entirely fit or make sense, I recognized that nothing was good.
“I have to go. Calliope, Elliot—” Beau jolted as if he were going to turn around to get back into his truck.
Which I didn’t doubt he would do. I’d learned a few things about Beau over the months. Not just that he could be a massive dick, and that he was a good father. He was stoic. Would do anything for his family. He wanted to fix things. Control them.
“I’ll bet Calliope has lots of people helping her right now.” I took an educated guess, assuming that Beau wouldn’t have come home unless Calliope was either recovering from whatever happened or in the hospital.
“Who doesn’t have someone helping them right now is you, Beau,” I added softly. “Will you let me help you?”
When his chin jerked up and his eyes clouded, I braced.
“I don’t need help.” He spoke more harshly, except it was nowhere near as menacing as he was capable of, nor did he let go of my hand.
“Humor me.” I forced a smile.
After staring at me, searching my face for a long moment, he nodded once.
My breath caught for just a second, a shifting of tectonic plates under me. Beau surrendered. Agreeing to let me help him. It was an honor, even if a rational person might not have thought so, given his prior behavior toward me.
“Okay. I’m going to get the shower running.” I said the words, but I didn’t move. I was so close to him. Our bodies were almost pressed together. My hand was still on his cheek, his on my wrist.
But then something dripped on my bare toe.
Water. From him. He was soaking. And though I felt scalding-hot from touching him, I knew he needed to get out of the wet clothes, and he very much seemed to be in shock.
Why else would he have let me touch him?
“You need to get into a hot shower,” I tried again. I held my breath, imprinting the feeling of Beau’s rough beard on my memory, the angles of his jaw under my palm, the closeness of our bodies.
Then I stepped back.
For a split second, Beau leaned forward, as if he were toppling toward me. But then he caught himself. He still had that glazed-over expression in his eyes.
Concern wrapped around my lungs, stifling my breath.
“You go get your wet clothes off,” I instructed. “Then … shower. I’ll make you some tea. And toast.”
He was still standing there, staring at me. He looked lost. Seeing such a strong, stubborn, infuriating man like that made me want to cry.
But this was not my moment to fall apart. It was Beau’s.
“Beau, you’re dripping on the floor, potentially giving yourself a nasty cold, if not hypothermia,” I spoke sternly. “And I know you probably think your beard, muscles, and general disposition make you invincible, but I assure you, you can succumb to illness just like us mere mortals. And Clara doesn’t need to catch a cold.”
I was babbling to compensate for his scary energy, to help douse both of our panic. He needed someone to take control right then. That could be me. That would be me.
“Take your boots off here.” I motioned to the floor. “Clothes in the laundry room, I’ll take care of them.”
He opened his mouth, but I didn’t give him a chance to speak. “We’ll talk when you’re dry.” I pointed to the hall. I was very proud of myself for the way I was taking charge.
