Page 89 of A Major Puck Up

Beckett: Talk you through shitting?

Aiden: No, Jill.

Beckett: Ducking A. You do realize it’s Friday, right?

Brooks: Anal Friday.

Beckett: What the duck is wrong with you?

Me: Can someone freaking pay attention here? I need help!

Brooks: Want Sara to call? She can come up with a work emergency.

Heaving out a breath, I glance at Ford. He’s smiling so big now it leaves me feeling like complete shit. I’ve been avoiding my best friend for months because I fucked his daughter and then she broke my heart. I swore to myself that I’d spend time with him, make sure he understands he did nothing wrong.

Fuck.

Me: No. Just. Fuck. Forget it.

My phone buzzes with another text, but this time it’s from Beckett only in a separate thread.

Beckett: I can come to you with the twins. We can hang and watch a game or something. Livy will understand. I can’t imagine how hard it is doing this alone, and if I haven’t told you before, I’m proud of you.

Fuck. Who the hell is this man and what has he done with my grumpy, stoic big brother? Ignoring the tightness in my chest, I respond.

Me: Millie’s here.

Beckett: At your ducking apartment?

Me: No. Worse. At Ford’s. He invited me for the weekend. What the hell do I do?

Beckett: How is she acting?

Me: She asked if I stole Vivi.

Beckett: Who steals a child?

Sighing, I run a palm down my face. Me, apparently.

Me: Who the fuck knows? She’s…I don’t know…different.

Beckett: I can say Dad needs us.

Me: No. I can do this. It’s over. Vivi is all that matters, and Ford looks so fucking happy holding her with his daughter here. I’m the ass in this situation. I’ll just ignore her. We both know this has to have her skin itching with the need to run.

Beckett: Just text duck if you need me.

Me: Not quack?

My phone buzzes again, this time with a message in the other thread.

Aiden: So can I come over?

Brooks: Aiden, Sara said to come over to our place. Let Beckett and Liv have their date night.

Beckett: Thanks, Brooks. Tell Sara she can choose where we order breakfast from next week when we’re in the office.

Me: Sara is the best.

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