Page 110 of Flare

He nodded and even managed a weak smile.

The surgeon answered as best he could for a sixteen-year-old boy who hung off his every word, and Beck finally joined in with a few questions of his own. Rafe’s hot gaze drew my attention once again and I turned to find him studying me intently. This time I didn’t look away. Fuck him. It was none of his business, and I knew Beck wouldn’t have broken my confidence by sharing any details. Eventually Rafe nodded and I felt like I’d been given fucking parole.

But once the surgeon left, Beck had little more to say, especially not to me. Some light exchanges with Rafe and Jack, but to me, nothing, just the occasional glance and squeeze of my hand. I wondered what he was thinking, and yet another part of me didn’t want to know. I stayed until they wheeled Serena’s bed past the door toward her room and then turned to Beck.

“Jack needs to be with his mum and you need to be with Jack. Serena and I have only met over video. I think I should leave you and Jack to sit with her and you can text me later how she’s doing.”

He looked... relieved, and I tried not to take it personally. “Thanks. I’ll walk you out.”

I pulled Jack into a hug and tried to ignore the way my heart lurched when he wrapped his arms around my waist and thanked me for coming. Rafe and I exchanged a curt nod, much to Beck’s obvious amusement, and then we headed to the elevators.

Free of the ward, he took my hand and dragged me out of earshot of the small crowd waiting for the elevator. Then he tipped my chin up and stared down at me with much happier eyes. Happier but wary.

“I want to thank you for coming. I... I don’t know what to say about this morning. Or rather, I know there’s a lot to say but now isn’t the time or place.”

I reached a finger to his lips, the rough of his beard sparking warm memories. Had it only been ten hours since I’d left his bed? How could you miss something so badly after only ten hours? “No, not here,” I said softly.

He sighed. “But soon.”

I nodded. “Soon. Did you write the poem you left me?”

He nodded and stroked my cheek and my heart stuttered. “I... I’m not sure it really says how I feel but—”

“Shh.” I kissed his cheek. “It’s beautiful. I was on my way over to you when I got the text.”

“You were?” He looked surprised.

“Yes. But we’ll talk. And thank you for the dragon. I needed the reminder. Text me tonight. Take care. I lo—”Fuck.What was I doing?“I’ll be waiting.” I threw the unspoken words into the ether where they belonged.

He looked about to kiss me before he changed his mind, brushing the back of his fingers across my cheek instead. The elevator dinged and I reluctantly joined the throng, turning in the cab to keep my eyes on Beck until the door closed.

For fuck’s sake. You were going to tell him you love him? Ten hours ago you ran from his damn house. You think he’s gonna trust you after that?

No, I didn’t.

The sooner we talked, the better.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Beck

Soondidn’t happen.Not even close.

The week quickly imploded into a shitshow of epic proportions, starting with the glacial reception I received from my boss first thing Monday morning when I went into work early to clear my calendar for a couple of days.

“I can’t cover you, Beck. Not at this short notice.” Brian Fielding stared down his glasses at me, tossing his pen on his desk. “You know how short we are.”

“And yet you’re looking at cutting staff?” I fired back. The man was an arse.

“We have no choice about that,” he grumbled, sinking into his chair and airily waving me to the other like I was one of his students. “The department is losing money and courses will be cut to accommodate the change. You know all this. In the meantime, I need everyone to pull their weight.”

“I already carry more than my fair share of classes and I’m supposed to still be on reduced hours. This is a family emergency, Brian. My sister is in hospital.”

His gaze narrowed. “Post-surgery and doing well, or so you’ve said. I could maybe give you today, but not Tuesday as well. We need you at that planning meeting.”

I swallowed the sarcastic comment about to leap from my tongue and took a deep breath. “Well, you’re going to have to do without me. Jack needs to spend time with his mother, and so do I. It’s not like we can do that when they move her back, is it? This has been a big shock for Jack. He has to be my priority.”

Brian’s jaw worked in irritation, and I just wanted to slap him.

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