Page 47 of Healed Hearts

“Of course. How about after they leave, I run you home so you can change, and we’ll go out from there? It sounds like I need to meet Beck, anyway. If you’re ready for that. I know Roman kind of forced your hand this morning.”

I cock my head at him. “Do you think I don’t want to introduce you to my friends?”

“No, of course not. It’s just very new. Besides, when I opened the door, Roman said something about you not wanting Beck to know.”

“That’s because he’s crazy overprotective,” I say, laughing. “He hated me when he first met me. But when the switch flipped, it flipped hard. Now he’s like a big brother.”

Julian gives me an indulgent smile and leans in, brushing his nose against mine. “I can’t imagine anyone hating you, darlin’.”

I hum, unable to form words because his lips aresoclose, and I love kissing him so much, but he doesn’t kiss me. He pulls back with a soft smile right as Wren comes barreling into the room. She stops at Julian first, giving him a big hug, and then she runs to me, giving me the same treatment. My heart swells in my chest. God, I love this kid already. Julian, like always, is watching us with a smile.

She takes off running and grabs Ruby’s hand. “Bye, Daddy! Bye, Holden!” she shouts, and then she’s practically pulling her grandmother out the door.

“I love you, baby girl,” Julian calls as he watches them leave, and then turns his attention to me. “Are you gonna wear that home? Or do you want to change into the clothes you had on yesterday?”

“I’ll wear this. Beck’s gonna give me shit no matter what I wear. At least this way, I’m comfortable.”

“So, is the eyeliner an occasional thing or an all the time thing?” he asks.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Is it a problem either way?” I ask.

“No. I was hoping you’d wear some on our date. I think it looks really nice on you. Makes your eyes pop. That’s what got my attention, you know? That night. Your eyes. They were gorgeous, even from across the room.”

My stomach flutters. That’s so crazy to me. That it was myeyesof all things that caught his attention. “It’s usually an all the time thing. I had washed it off before bed the night you called me, and I wanted to get back to you, so I didn’t even mess with putting any on.”

“Hmm, that makes sense. Roman told me you ran out of the house like your ass was on fire,” he says, his lips turning up in a teasing smirk.

I groan. “I’m going to kill him.”

I’m a nervous wreck as we walk toward the front door of the house, so I reach over and grab Julian’s hand in mine. I have zero idea what kind of crazy shit Beck is going to do and say. Even though holding Julian’s hand yesterday felt like anOlympic feat of bravery, it feels like nothing compared to the bravery I’m trying to summon right now. Why is introducing Beck to Julian so much more scary than it was with Roman?

Part of me feels like it’s the fear of rejection. Roman has stood by me for ten years, without wavering even once, and Beck has stood by me too. But it’s like there hasn’t been enough time for me tofullybelieve it, even though Ifullytrust him. Honestly, who knows? My head is a mess.

I open the front door and walk in with Julian right behind me.

“So nice of you to finally join us, CT,” Beck says, and I groan.

Julian freezes beside me. “Um, I thought your name was Holden.”

Beck laughs like the fucking menace he is. “It is. Fuck you, Beckett.” Already starting his shit.Already. Ugh.

Julian shakes it off, clearly wanting to make a good impression. He holds his hand out to Beck to shake it. “Hey, I’m Julian. It’s nice to meet you. Beckett, right?”

I stifle a giggle, and Beck shoots me a glare. “It’s just Beck,” he says, taking Julian’s hand. They shake hands, and Beck’s eyes light up. “Oh hey, I remember you!” Julian squints at him like he’s trying to figure out where he knows him from. “You were in the ER a few weeks ago. Damn, I sent you up to Holden, and you really ran with it, huh?”

Julian chuckles, recognition lighting up his face. “That’s right! You told Wren that Holden would give her extra stickers. Sorry I didn’t recognize you at first. I barely remember that day at all. My anxiety was through the roof.”

Beck’s asshole smirk slides off his face and compassion takes over, showing that hecanhave a good bedside manner when the situation calls for it. “Yeah. How’s your little girl doing? She was a little sweetheart.”

Julian’s eyes dart to mine like he wants me to take that one. “She needed a blood transfusion a couple of days ago,” I say. “Dr.Mays is being his usual shitty self and is swearing it’s a folate deficiency. I ripped his ass, and he’s doing more tests, but I was going to have you look at her case and see what you think.”

“Of course. Bring her chart down to me next time we’re working. Anyway, make yourself at home.”

“Oh, we won’t be staying long,” I say. Where the fuck is Roman, and what happened to “helping me mitigate the overprotectiveness?” “Where’s Ro?”

“In the kitchen. I promised him a blowjob if he let me have five uninterrupted minutes with you guys.”

My jaw drops open in shock as Julian’s laughter rings out beside me before he says, “I like him.” Beck grins like that’s the best news he’s ever gotten.

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