Page 60 of The Escape Plan

His eyes get a little misty. “I had two great loves in my life. Your grandmother was my second. Noeleen was my first.”

“What happened with Noeleen?” Keeley asks, and I can tell she’s purposefully trying to keep her tone light.

Douglas’s forehead wrinkles in confusion. “I… I… I’m not sure.”

Keeley shoots me a sideways glance, and I realize that at this point, she’s digging for my sake. She wants to get me an answer as to why they broke up that might help explain why Gran left so suddenly. Why she never mentioned this place.

But it’s an answer I don’t need right now. I just want to be here to support Keeley.

I give her knee a little squeeze under the table, then use my other hand to gesture to the deck of cards on the table. “Why don’t we play a round of Gin Rummy?”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Keeley

The nightafter Becks and I visit Gramps, I can’t sleep again.

Although this time, I’m not even trying to sleep.

In fact, I’m almosttooenthusiastic to leave my bed and make my way to the fire escape—by way of a detour to my bathroom to brush my hair and apply lip balm.

As I slide open my window, I’m surprised how much my heart is racing. How much I’m hoping he’s out here.

I step out onto the metal platform… and find Beckett already sitting down, looking in my direction. Like he was waiting for me.

Butterflies swirl in my stomach as little Sammie’s words from earlier ring in my ears again:

“Beckett thinks you’re pretty, by the way!”

Then Beckett telling me,“She’s not wrong.”

I mean, way to make a girl blush.

“Evening,” Becks says now in his lilt, and I get a little flash of his dimples when he gives me a quick smile.

“We meet again,” I joke as I sit next to him. A couple of inches away, so he can’t feel my heartbeat, which is currently vibrating through my body.

“It’s almost a routine at this point,” Becks replies. “Insomniacs Anonymous’s nightly meeting.”

I smile, because I know all too well that I could’ve fallen asleep tonight if I really wanted to. The footsteps upstairs no longer bother me; when I came out here a moment ago, I was simply driven by hopes that Becks would appear.

And he did.

Ialsoknow that he’s been in town long enough that there’s no way he can blame jet lag for his insomnia.

Which means that we’re both out here tonight because we want to be. It’s a realization that makes me want to lean closer. Inch towards him until I feel his arm pressed against mine again.

“Thanks again for coming to see Gramps with me earlier,” I say instead. “He loved meeting you.”

“I loved meeting him, too. Although the old man sure kicked my arse at Gin Rummy.”

“That he did,” I say proudly.

Becks was wonderful with Gramps, which just made me warm to him even more. In fact,hotis a better descriptor thanwarmwhen it comes to how I feel towards Beckett. Because at this point it’s clear that he’s not just good looking; he’s also a good guy.

Agreatguy, in fact. The type of guy any girl in this town would feel lucky to call theirs… if he were sticking around, of course.

I was touched how well he read the situation while we were at Silver Springs earlier. How he could tell that Gramps was getting confused, and so he gently redirected the conversation towards calmer waters—even though I know how badly he must have wanted to ask about his gran.

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