Page 35 of Inked Obsession

“Yes,” he said and looked down at our clasped hands before squeezing mine, but he didn’t let go. I swallowed hard before I let go. He shook his head and then took a drink. I hadn’t even realized the waiter had dropped them off.

“You’re okay?” I swallowed hard, trying not to panic. He was right in front of me. He had to be okay. Right? Or maybe he was on this trip because he wasn’t. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t lose anybody else.

“I am. I hurt my back slightly, but apparently, that’s it. Just an aching back when it gets cold, and the fact that I can’t sleep at night.” He paused. “I didn’t really mean to say that part out loud.”

Relief spread through me, and I had to wonder why it was so strong for a man I shouldn’t think about as much as I did. “You know, last night was the first night that I’ve slept a full eight hours. I got a new bed once I moved into Jacob and Annabelle’s rental. I didn’t want to sleep on the one I had shared with Marshall for so long. And I love my new bed. It’s comfortable, and it’s wonderful, and yet I can’t sleep for more than four hours a night in it. I toss and turn, and then I wake up and do some work before going back to bed. It sucks,” I grumbled.

“You slept here?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes. Finally. And then I took a long day to relax and try to enjoy myself.”

“You know, when I was too busy thinking about myself before I came here, I thought about you. About what today would mean. I didn’t want to bring it up. I also don’t want tonotbring it up.”

I sighed, not knowing how I should feel. I leaned back as the waiter dropped off our sushi. We ordered a whole lunch tray, enough that I was probably going to overindulge, but I knew Beckett could eat the same as my brothers, so we would be fine.

“I think… I think if I hadn’t known I’d been lied to, today would feel different. Now? It just feels like a day where I need to move on. To figure out who I am and what I want. And I’m glad that I’m here. Not that I don’t love your family and my friends. I do. So much. Honestly? It was more that I didn’t want to accidentally deal with Marshall’s family.”

He gave me a knowing look. “Because they might contact you.”

“Or show up or want to ask about money again. I don’t know. I’m not answering my calls right now, and my brothers are actually dealing with it.”

“Do you need help? I’ll help.”

My chest ached slightly. This man. He gave so much, even when he didn’t realize it. I shook my head. “I think I’m going to be okay. Maybe. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I have a huge family, and your huge family. We’ll figure it out. I wanted to spend today and the weekend alone to cement the fact that I’m going to be me now. And okay.”

Beckett popped a piece of sushi into his mouth then shook his head. “First, this is the best damn sushi I’ve had in my life. Second, I’m sorry that I’m ruining your alone time.”

“You know what? I think you needed your alone time, too. So if this is the last time we speak this weekend, I understand.”

He frowned. “I don’t think I can spend the whole weekend at a resort with you in it and not talk to you, Eliza. I’m not going to spend every moment with you, so we can both have our alone time or whatever the fuck we need, but I can’t just ignore you. I never could.”

I didn’t know why those words warmed me from the inside. They shouldn’t. Maybe it was the three sips of the Bellini I’d had. I took another before taking a big gulp of water, as well. And then, I chowed down on some sushi.

We talked about nothing important, work, and family. I felt normal. As if I were just spending time with a friend. It felt different, too. Maybe because this was Beckett. Annabelle’s big brother. And the guy who had held me after I broke down.

Who I had dreamt about one night and then hadn’t let myself think about it too hard.

I hadn’t expected him to be here, but I wouldn’t leave because he happened to be near. I would just be. Finally, I would be me. And I would enjoy figuring out exactly who that was. Even if Beckett was along for the ride.

Chapter 12

Beckett

Eliza had been right. There was something about the beds in this resort. I hadn’t had a full night’s sleep in months, and yet last night once my head had hit the pillow, I’d slept for eight hours. The two of us had finished our lunch the day before and then had parted ways…only to realize our rooms were right next to each other.

We’d stood in the hallway, our keys in our hands, and stared at one another. It had to be because we were in the guest rooms provided by the owner and not some scheme by the Montgomerys and Wilders to get Eliza and me to check in on each other.

Eliza and I hadn’t said a word other than goodbye at the interaction, and I’d gone to the beach while she’d taken time for herself. I still couldn’t believe that she was here at the same time and place as I was, getting through her issues as I tried to get through mine.

And if I were honest with myself, I was grateful that she was here. I’d come here to rest, to do what my family thought I needed to. Had I been alone for all of it, I would have figured it out, but I liked having someone to talk to who already knew me.

And I liked that I was here if Eliza neededme. Not that she really needed me for most things since she was so damn capable.

I knew she had to be hurting over everything, considering what she was going through, but she had laughed, and she had smiled yesterday. We had talked, and then she’d acted like the person I knew she had been in the process of becoming before she found out about the affair.

I liked Eliza. A lot. She was beautiful, brilliant, and talented. And I wasn’t going to think about her in any way but as my friend’s friend. Andmyfriend. I couldn’t think about her in anyotherway. That would be wrong.

At least that’s what I kept telling myself.

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