Page 79 of When We Break

“Good boy,” Connor says as I step inside. My eyes scan everyone, and the anxiety is already lifting as I see my family. Then my gaze lands on a smiling, smug face that makes my heart explode.

“Mik!” I run into my partner’s arms, and he lifts me off the ground, turning a circle as he hugs me close. “You’re here! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming along?”

“Surprise, malishka,” he says into my ear as my eyes fill with happy tears. “It has been too many months.”

“And who is this, then?” Ma asks, and I pull away from Mik to introduce everyone to Beckett. “It’s a handsome guest you have here,a stór.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. This is Beckett Blackwell, and he is my date this weekend. Beck, this is Mik, my ma and da, Maeve and Patrick, and of course, you’ve briefly met my brother, Connor.”

Beck’s already shaking everyone’s hands, and I’m taken aback again by how handsome he is in his simple blue button-down shirt and jeans, his sleeves rolled up his forearms. He trimmed his beard and must have gotten a haircut this past week.

He looks sexy, like he could milk a cow or walk a runway.

“More surprises,” Ma says as she smiles at my man. “And a happy one at that. Welcome, Beckett.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Gallagher,” Beck says.

“Oh, we’re not formal here. Please, I’m Maeve.”

Beck nods, and I take his hand in mine. He gives it a squeeze as we find seats next to each other.

“Where’s Benji?” I ask Mik as we all get buckled in and ready for takeoff.

“He had to work this weekend,” Mik replies with a shrug. “But he sends love.”

“We’ll video call him so he doesn’t feel left out,” I reply.

“How’s the ankle?” Mik asks, his blue eyes narrowing. Nothing about him has changed. He’s still lean and fit and beautiful. So painfully beautiful.

“It’s as good as it’s going to get,” I reply simply and shrug. I know he wants to know what my answer will be about London and dancingGiselle, but I’m still unsure. It’s so good to see him, though.

Ma and Da are listening but unusually quiet as they hold hands and watch the rest of us. Connor reads something on his phone, as he usually does.

Miller and Sally are in the back of the plane, and Riley’s lying at my feet.

It’s a full plane.

“You’re not in shape,” Mik says in that honest way he has that no longer offends me.

Beckett’s hold on my hand tightens. It seems Mikdoesoffend my man.

“I think you look beautiful,a stór,” Da says with a wink. “You look happy.”

“Thanks, Da. I am happy. And no”—I turn to Mik—“I’m not in professional dancing shape. I already told you that when you called and demanded that I do this performance with you.”

“What performance?” Connor asks, lifting his perceptive gaze at us.

“It’s one night,” Mik says, and outlines what he told me to my family. “It’s not in New York, it’s in London. For one performance. And yes, you’ll have to lose the fifteen pounds you gained, malishka. Not ten. Fifteen.”

“Keep talking to her like that and you and I are going to have a problem,” Beckett says, his voice harder than I’ve ever heard it, and I tighten my hand in his once more.

“He’s right,” I tell Beckett, as the two men have a stare down. “I’ll have to get into shape.”

“Oh, I hope the dress I brought with me fits,” Ma says with a concerned furrow of her brow. “I used your older measurements for it, not taking into consideration that you haven’t been dancing. I’m sure we can make it work. Maybe we can let it out at the hotel. Although it’s couture, so altering it would be a shame.”

“Well, I can’t lose the fifteen pounds by this evening,” I reply, immediately feeling bad for the snarky tone. “I’m sorry, I’m sure it’ll be just fine. I’m still in the same sizes.”

“Not your costume sizes,” Mik says, and Connor sighs heavily, rolling his eyes.

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