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Lawson blows out a breath. “Okay, listen. You don’t have to do anything with the knowledge, but I think there are good reasons to know who she is. You should know how old she is. Make sure she’s not a teenager or something.”

Beckett lowers his water bottle, looking properly serious about that. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Lawson goes on. “And I think it would be good if you knew what she looked like, just in case she’d ever approach you or show up somewhere else.”

“Like if she’d try to throw me into an unmarked white van?” Beckett asks.

“More like, if she comes up to you somewhere, you’ll know to be sweet and kind, but not overly flirtatious,” I say. “This is kind of a big responsibility. She’s got a crush. It might be her first. Even if it’s not, you need to treat it with care. So you should be nice, but not lead her on.”

Lawson nods. “It’s a lot like the young boys who look up to us, right? We want to be good role models to them. I think we need to model how a good guy treats a woman, even if he’s not interested in dating her. Maybe especially a woman he’s not interested in dating. We can show these women that guys can be nice, kind, and charming without it being sexual or romantic. Letting her down easy is also a great thing to model.”

I look at him with surprise, and yes, my heart does a little flip. That’s so…nice.

“That would be a great thing for them to experience no matter how much they’ve dated or how old they are,” I add.

Lawson adds, “And it’s a lot easier to know how to react to women approaching you if you know what this one in particular looks like. You can just be a little more careful.” He pauses. “And yeah, then you can also be on the lookout for stun guns and duct tape.”

Beckett snorts, but I can’t even laugh. I’m too hung up on how sweet it is that Lawson is thinking about this girl’s feelings. Even if she isn’t a teen with a celebrity crush, Lawson’s right that the way Beckett treats her could affect her self-esteem. Hell, it could even just end up on the internet if he says or does something wrong.

The fact that this often broody, ex-pro hockey player is so concerned about the woman in this scenario is fascinating.

“I am hoping to meet her eventually,” Beckett admits. “Hoping things progress past mysterious packages.”

I look at him with surprise. “Really? I figured this would stay just a secret admirer thing.”

“Yeah, what about Andi?” Lawson asks.

Beckett sighs, then tips his water bottle back.

“Can I be honest with you guys?” Beckett asks after he swallows.

It’s a silly question for me. Beckett and I are extremely close. We’ve been through a lot. Losing our sister, all of the years dealing with her being sick before that, then watching our parents fall apart afterward made us close confidants. But I do look over at Lawson. He and Beckett have been getting along better, but I don’t think he is someone my brother confides in.

Lawson does look mildly surprised, but he says, “Of course.”

Beckett tosses the empty water bottle into the recycling bin from several feet away, then braces his hands on the counter behind him. He looks down at the floor. “The rejection from Andi gets a little old sometimes. It’s nice to have someone who really wants me. Do I have a fragile ego? Maybe. Still this woman is being playful, making me feel very flattered.” He shrugs. “It’s kind of nice.”

There is a beat of silence in the room.

That was actually pretty vulnerable, and I’m surprised he said it to Lawson.

Lawson clears his throat. “That makes sense. I didn’t realize you were feeling rejected by Andi.”

Beckett chuckles. “Well, what would you call it? She’s definitely not interested.”

I’m not sure that’s true. Yes, Andi turns my brother down repeatedly, and she’s happily single after her divorce, and is generally down on men as a species. And my brother is young, cocky, and doesn’t seem to take much seriously. Still, I see her watching him with clear amusement and even affection at times when he’s not looking.

I think Andi is good for keeping Beckett’s ego in check, and I think his adoration has been good for Andi’s hurt feelings after her husband cheated on her.

“I thought the thing between you and Andi was kind of playful push-pull,” I say. “I don’t know if she knows you’re serious.”

Beckett gives me one of his rare but genuine self-deprecating smiles. “It started out that way. I was just flirting. Then it kind of turned into a joke everyone was in on. I was trying to build her up. She’s awesome and I hated that her dickhead ex made her feel like shit. But as I’ve gotten to know her, I’ve developed real feelings.” He shrugs again. “But I know she’s not interested and it’s just kind of nice to have someone who actually wants me. Who’s doing the pursuing even.”

I see Lawson’s head bobbing up and down and look at him in surprise.

“That makes sense,” he says.

“Right?” Beckett says. “I mean I know yours is more like a mom, but it feels good to have someone caring, right?”