Page 49 of Beck and Call

I nearly choked on my saliva. "You're planning the wedding for three months from now?"

Grace looked between Beckett and I with a confused furrow to her brow. "I thought you said something about three months. Is that wrong? It's just with his father planning on dividing the company and grumbling about not having grandchildren, I thought perhaps we'd move the wedding along to give you some time being married before Fitz decided to make more demands. He really does want grandchildren in the worst way."

Beckett's mouth turned down. "Mom, we aren't even married yet. How about you wait at least until after the honeymoon before you start pressuring us for children."

My head began to swim, and I felt my knees buckling. The idea of getting married was overwhelming enough, but now I had to fear they would change Beckett's mind about wanting children.

He rushed to my side in seconds and had his hand on my elbow keeping me stable. He helped me over to the sofa and sat down next to me. "Are you okay?" He ignored the worried looks from his mother and Colter.

"I think I'm still not a hundred percent after Friday night," I whispered.

His blue eyes widened. "I hadn't even though about it, and I should have. I'm sorry, you shouldn't be back to work so soon. Let's get you home." He was so worried and flustered, but in truth, I'd felt a bit off all weekend, and the feeling persisted.

"Sorry, can Beckett and I discuss it tonight and I'll let you know a good time?" I asked her.

Smiling at me, she said, "What a diplomatic answer." She reached her hand out to Beckett. "You chose well. Okay, I'm going to see myself out then, and I look forward to hearing from you."

Once the clack of her heels sounded far enough down the hallway I turned on Beckett. "Three months! You said we had three months to decide. What am I supposed to do, give you my answer at the alter?"

"That would bring some drama to reciting vows," Colter mumbled.

"I'll handle it, or you could just agree to marry me now," Beckett suggested.

"Sex doesn't fix everything," I told him, and walked out of Colter's office.

I wanted to believe him. He was very convincing when he needed to be, but just as I had thought when he first proposed this ridiculous arrangement, a person like him would never stay interested in someone like me. He was worldly, sophisticated, and successful. The only attribute I had on my side was my youth and the fact I had time to make more of myself than I had yet to do.

A thought popped into my mind, and I scoffed to myself. Still, I wondered if I were to agree to his ridiculous demand to marry him after being together for two weeks, would he push me away again?

Chapter Seventeen

Beckett

"Isee you didn't listen to my advice," Colter admonished me.

"I have a plan," I said dismissively.

"Just tell her the truth. Otherwise, this is going to end badly. Do you honestly think she's not going to want to know where you go nearly every Friday night?"

"Callie asked me not to come back," I admitted.

He sat back and stared at me, his eyes wide with shock. "She can talk?"

I shook my head. "She gestures, but not all the time. I told her I'd be back next Friday, and she shook her head."

"How long before you break down and go back to visiting her? I know you, before too long you'll have yourself convinced you didn't see what you know you saw."

She was aware of her surroundings. Frozen inside of her body, and aware of it. I couldn't think of a worse fate. "Yeah, I'll go back eventually." After all, would she be where she was if I hadn't given her that final push over the edge?

Colter grabbed his briefcase. "I'm going home. I suggest you do the same and talk to your fiancée, while you still have one. She's young, but she's not stupid. I don't think she cares enough about your money to marry you for it. You might have to risk the one thing you haven't risked in a long time."

"You're one to talk. I don't see you offering your heart to any of the women that pass through your bedroom," I shot back.

He stopped at the doorway. "The difference is that the woman I love is out there somewhere. When I find her again, I'll still have my heart to give her. Unless—do you still love Callie? If you do, don't marry Evie. It isn't fair to either of you."

I went back to my office. My head needed to be in the right place before I went home. Colter was wrong in a way. He thought I was afraid to let myself love Evie because I was afraid of getting hurt again, when in actuality, I was afraid my love was poison.

My father and grandfather were the definition of gentlemen. My father could get heated during a negotiation, I've even heard him raise his voice, but there was another level to me they didn’t seem to battle. Callie called to the side of me that was more likely to solve a disagreement with my fists than with words.

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