“Well what about you then? What was that earlier, when the photographer came over? You didn’t want to be in a picture with me?”
“It’s not that?—”
“It totally was.” I swallow. “Is it because you’re already halfway out of this family?”
His mouth tightens. He rubs the back of his neck, then lets out a breath.
“I just… why would I do that? Do you hear yourself right now—” He cuts himself off, looking down at the pool deck, not at me. “You kicked me out of the house. I’m honestly surprised you’d want me in those pictures.”
Right.
But he’s also right about Luna.
She’s no fool. Just the opposite.
“Okay, Yeah, whatever.” I say, more to myself than to him. And then I exhale. “I suppose we need to try harder though… to look like we’re still in love.”
I pull the towel up over my legs and stomach like armor.
“Ash—”
“I mean, it’s not like we’ll be glued to each other's sides or anything. I’m booked solid, and I’m sure you have work to do as well.”
He’s quiet for a moment. And kind of grimaces.
“Don’t you?” I ask a little too brightly. “Keeping busy hasn’t exactly been a problem for you lately. Might as well use that to our advantage.”
His mouth twitches again. With those stupid glasses, I can’t tell what’s going on in that head of his.
When he does finally answer me, it’s not at all what I expect.
“I… lost my laptop,” he says, not meeting my eyes. “But I’m sure I can keep myself occupied. If that’s what you want.”
I bristle. “It is.”
Then the rest of what he says lands. “Wait. You…lostyour laptop?”
“Yeah.” He says it easily—but his thumb drags along the hem of his shorts, like he’s smoothing something down.
I study him.
Beckett doesn’tlose his laptop.
For as long as I’ve known him—especially this last year—that thing has been glued to him. Meetings, trips, late nights on the couch. It’s been his constant companion. His best friend, his most trusted confidant. If I’m being honest, there have been times I’ve almost been jealous of it.
“Where?” I ask. “I mean… how?”
“Not sure.” Then he shrugs. “I guess I thought it was in my car.”
“That’s not like you,” I say carefully. “You don’t just misplace something like that.”
He exhales through his nose. “Maybe I’m trying something new. Forcing myself to slow down.”
It’s exactly what I’d begged him to do for months.
But he doesn’t expand on that.
So I let it go.
