Page 28 of Claiming Becca

“I hate it when you do that,” she says. I cock my head at her.

“Do what?” I ask.

“Turn your baseball cap around like that.” She flicks her fingers up at me. I stare at her.

“What? Why?” I’m confused about how the conversation turned around to how I wear my ball cap. She throws her head back, looking up at the ceiling, and groans.

“I swear you are completely oblivious sometimes,” she says before stomping off to where Melissa is now talking to Victor. I stare after her, not sure what just happened. One thing I do know. She will not be dating anyone. Over my dead body.

I’m on edge the rest of the time at Melissa’s, but I force myself to focus. Melissa walks us through each section she wants to be redone and tells us exactly what she wants. I’m finishing my notes on my phone when she turns to Becca.

“Bailey told me you’re great at decorating,” Melissa states, and Becca clams up. “I was wondering if you’d decorate her bedroom after they pull up the carpet?” she asks. Becca runs her fingers through her hair.

She’s always been uneasy about her ability to decorate. I’ve asked her several times to come to work with me, but she always refuses. She’s got an eye for home interior, and I wish she’d go for it.

Becca sighs, but nods. “Sure.”

Melissa claps her hands in excitement. “Oh, thank you! Bailey pretty much lives with Julian now, but I want her to have a safe space if she decides to come home.”

Becca gives her a small smile. “Of course. I can start working on it next week once I order supplies.”

Melissa wraps her arms around Becca, hugging her. “Thank you.” Becca returns her hug, but there’s a hint of sadness on her face.

Becca never had this. She never had a mother figure that looked out for her. She always had to look out for herself. Becca’s parents died of an overdose from the same drugs Donovan put out on the streets when she was young. After we finish, Becca and Melissa go into the kitchen while Victor and I review our notes.

“I don’t want to step on your toes, so you let me know what I can do to help, and I’ll do it,” Victor says. It’s pretty much the first words we’ve spoken to each other since he arrived. Guilt settles in the pit of my stomach as I finally acknowledge him.

“Look, I may have misjudged you,” I admit. He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. “I jumped to conclusions but never went to the source.” I motion to him.

A huff of laughter leaves him. “I get it.” At the look I give him, he smirks. “I do. You saw that I was friends with Donovan and jumped to the only logical conclusion. Trust me when I say I regret not seeing what you saw with him. But I promise you I’m doing everything possible to compensate for it.”

“What do you mean?” I ask him. He shakes his head gently.

“I can’t say just yet, but when the time comes, you’ll know,” he says his goodbyes to Melissa, walking to the door to leave. He turns to me one more time before leaving. “I’ll be in touch. I want to help, but only if you want me to help.” With that, he leaves.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to head into the kitchen. Why is he always so cryptic? I’ve gone years not trusting that man, but that’s beginning to change, and I don’t know how I feel about it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BECCA

“I CREATEDa profile on the dating app,” I tell Bailey. She came to visit me at the new gym Bass opened. Her green eyes meet mine.

She tilts her head and studies me. “So you’re really doing that?”

I shrug, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth. “I’m tired of waiting. Living with him is making it so much worse. My room is right across from his, and it’s getting harder and harder to keep my feelings to myself,” I explain.

She reaches her hand across the counter and touches my arm. “I know it’s hard for you.” She sighs. “I see the way he looks at you. I’m convinced he has a thing for you too.” She’s said this before. I’ve heard this from others, but he doesn’t do anything about it.

Granted, I don’t do anything about my feelings either. What would he do if I walked up to him and kissed him like I’ve wanted for years? Bailey gives me a sympathetic look. She’s the kind of person that goes after exactly what she wants. She wanted Julian, Connor’s brother, and her professor and didn’t care what stood in the way. It helped that Julian was just as obsessed with her as she was with him.

“I wish I could be more like you,” I admit.

She smirks at me. “I have my own insecurities, but I can help you. If you want my help.”

I tilt my head and wait for her to explain. “Maybe going on a date will help. Didn’t Ansley do that?” she asks. I chuckle, thinking of the story. Ansley signed up on Lincoln’s dating app as well. She went on a date, and he showed up and followed her into the bathroom at the restaurant.

“She did,” I reply.

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