Page 135 of Perfect Pitch

I can’t. You know that.

I hear a whoosh of air expel as disappointment overtakes her. In this capacity, I work for her father. Still, I scroll through my phone to find a picture of us to remind her of a happier time. I wait for her to head into the bathroom before I send her a message.

Just as the door unlocks, my fingers still on one in particular. I forward it to her, cursing loudly. My message is clear.

Mitch:

When the hell did you take a pic of my junk?

From the corner of my vision, I watch her face break into a wide smile as she lifts her iPad from the table that separates her from her father. After she buckles herself back in, I get a response.

Austyn:

LOLOLOL There’s a camera feature when you FaceTime someone. I AirDropped these to you the other night.

Mitch:

I’ll remember that, Beats. What else did you take pictures of?

Austyn:

Hmm. You should look and... uh-oh.

Mitch:

Uh-oh, what?

Austyn:

Just a guess? Beckett saw them.

I glance up in time to see Beckett’s expression dangerously furious before it slips back into melancholy as he stares at the crown of his grown daughter’s head. As if he can sense eyes on him, he lifts his gaze from Austyn and glares at me.

Austyn drawls. “Please, Beckett. I’ve seen more of your naked ass in the tabloids than one child should see of their father. You seeing a random cock shouldn’t shock you in the least.”

“Nothing is ever forgotten once it hits the Internet,” he lectures like he’s Emily Post.

She shrugs nonchalantly. “That’s why we have Uncle E.”

That piques his interest, apparently, and the two briefly converse about what her uncle does. After, they talk about Paige. Austyn, seeing her father’s face when she mentions her mother, asks her father bluntly, “Did you ever fall out of love with her?”

“What day is it?” he volleys in return.

“Thursday.”

“Nope. It’s a day that ends in y.”

Austyn doesn’t even crack a smile. They talk too softly for any of us to hear over the roar of the jets. Beckett’s face softens at the emotion on Austyn’s when the wheels of the plane touch down. As we taxi toward the gate, she says, “I just hope she’s all right.”

“I’m sure she is.”

“Thank you for bringing me.” Austyn drops her hand and reaches for his.

As much as I want to be the one giving her comfort, I’m grateful she’s giving him this chance to make up for the wrongs done to them all in the past.

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

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