Page 36 of Beck and Call

"Evie?" Jana asked.

I managed a smile and nodded to her. It was a signal to her that I was fine, and I'd explain to her later when we were alone.

"What did you expect when you told my father I was seeing someone?" Beckett asked Colter.

"Not this!" Colter forced himself to take a deep breath. "I thought it would get him off your back about settling down if he thought it was a possibility."

Jana scooted closer to me and took my free hand. "Evie, you don't have to get married. You can stay with me as long as you need. You can come and work for me."

Beckett scowled at her, and I squeezed his hand to reassure him. "We're here to celebrate. Be happy for us," I told her.

"All right, if you are going to marry my best friend I should probably get to know you better," Colter said, changing the subject.

"There's not much to know." Divulging my life story after the interaction I'd had with Beckett's mom was not the top of my list of things I wanted to do.

"Where are you from? I know it's not the Pacific Northwest. I have heard a slight twang in your voice a few times now," he pushed.

"I was born in Kentucky, and grew up in southern Illinois," I replied, giving as little information as necessary.

Colter looked down at his hands. A slight smile curved his lips, but it seemed sad. "Kentucky is a beautiful state."

"You've been?" There were a few tourist attractions, but outside of horse racing, it wasn't usually most people's choice vacation spot.

He nodded. "A long time ago." He stood from the table. "Excuse me a moment." He marched straight out of the bar.

"He went to Kentucky for almost an entire summer when we were in high school. He doesn't talk about it much, and it took him a long time before he wasn't a complete bastard. He hasn't been like this in a while, but he'll shake it off," Beckett said.

"Okay you crazy lovebirds, it's Monday night, and I'm not the party girl I was in college." Jana stood and took my hand. "It's a beautiful ring. If this is what you want, I'm behind you all the way."

I stood and hugged her. "Thank you."

We followed her out the door and noticed Colter had left. Beckett shrugged. "I'll text him, otherwise we'll see him tomorrow."

"So what now?" I asked. There was a nervous energy coursing through my body, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to scream or dance.

"I've got three months to convince you to marry me."

* * *

"Where are we going?" I asked as he led me through the dark.

"You'll see," he promised.

After nearly stumbling over what seemed to be a theater seat, he stopped in a more open area. There was a blanket laid out on the floor, and he helped me sit down. On top of it was a bucket of ice, and a bottle of champagne. I was only able to see that much because there were dim, red running lights along the floor.

He poured us each a glass. "I promised you drinks, plural. I plan on keeping every promise I make you."

I shook my head. "For a guy who said he wasn't romantic, you go over the top."

"Lay back," he instructed.

"Really? Here?" Come to think of it, I wasn't sure where we were.

"I want to give you everything, even the moon if you want it."

"I don't want everything, or the moon," I whispered.

"What do you want? Tell me, and it's yours."

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