Page 3 of Forever to Fall
And the ring. She hated how much she resented the loss of something that wasn’t even hers. A tiny voice in her head shouted at her to stand up for what she wanted, but she didn’t want to make it an issue. Evan seemed set on the ring, and she needed to respect it and move on. Granted she’d mourn the loss of something that was never really hers, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be an adult about the whole thing. He was getting married first, and that was that.
Desperate to change the subject, she went back to the reason they got together in the first place. “So how are you going to pop the question?”
Evan’s eyes lit up as he explained his grand plan. “I have a few ideas,” he started, licking his lips as he rattled off his thoughts. “My first option is something simple, intimate. We’re always staying late at the diner, and since it’s where we met, I thought it might be nice to do something there.”
Mallory didn’t hate the idea, as it was clearly a special place to Evan and CeCe. “I think there’s potential there. What else are you thinking?”
“You know how we’re going to Chicago in a few weeks?” Mallory nodded and Evan continued. “Well, I was thinking it might be nice to do something there. It used to be CeCe’s home, and she’s going to show me around all her favorite spots. Maybe I could do it from the deck of the Hancock Building? Or down by the lake? I don’t know, that’s still just a thought.” He shook his empty glass, the ice rattling in time with her heart.
“Whatever you decide, don’t make it a spectacle. You know CeCe would hate to be the center of attention.” Her future sister-in-law was a lot of fun and clearly in love with her brother, but she was also no-nonsense and hated public displays of affection.
Evan rolled his eyes, easily slipping back into bratty brother mode. “Oh wow, really Mal? You don’t think I know what my fiancée would like?”
At the mention of the wordfiancée, both Lawson siblings beamed and giggled. “Oh my God, Ev. You’re going to get married.” Mallory covered her chest with her hand as tears prickle her eyes.
“She has to say yes first,” Evan said, humor tinging his voice.
“She will.” Mallory had no doubt. These two people were made for each other, and she looked forward to watching their new life unfold. Evan doted on CeCe, and she kept him on his toes. It’ll be a fabulous life for two of her favorite people.
Evan reached out to pat his sister’s arm. “Thanks. I hope you know I want you standing up there with me on the big day.”
“Aww, Ev. Are you asking me to be your best man?”
Blanching, Evan pulled his hand back and rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, uh. I was thinking of asking Foxy to be my best man. We’ve been friends forever, and I thought it made sense to have him up there.” Watching his sister’s face fall, he hastened to add, “But you’re right. Gender stereotypes are BS, and I should be able to have a woman up there with me. Besides, CeCe hardly knows Foxy.”
Every mention of Foxy, or Beckett Fox as he was known by everyone else on the planet, felt like taking a punch right to the solar plexus. “You’re asking Beckett?” Saying his name brought a flush to Mallory’s cheeks and a sense of dreaded anticipation coursed through her. She covered her nerves by chugging her water. God, she wished it was something stronger.
“Yeah? I mean, of course. Foxy would kill it, that is if you don’t mind. I assumed you, Em, and Sophie would be busy with girly things with CeCe. Foxy can handle the bachelor party and all the crap I don’t even know to think about.” It all made sense, naturally it did, but that didn’t stop Mallory from gasping for air. Every second spent thinking and talking about Beckett took months off her life.
The reasons didn’t matter, but they were justified. Because since they were kids, playing around his family farm, Mallory had been utterly in love with Beckett Fox. From his lopsided smile and crooked glasses to how funny and sweet he was, Mallory had fallen for Beckett years ago and learned how to hide her feelings. You didn’t date your brother’s best friend, and you certainly didn’t fantasize about what would’ve happened if you ever saw each other again.Nope—definitely not.
After clearing her throat past the growing lump, Mallory asked, “And where does Beckett live now?”
She prayed it was somewhere remote and far away, like Arizona or Siberia. But Evan quickly burst that bubble. “He’s actually just got a place in Buckeye Falls.”
Mallory didn’t hear a word after that. Her ears rang like she was in a church bell tower. Beckett was back in central Ohio, and suddenly her girlhood crush didn’t seem so simple. How would she function knowing he was around? They would breathe the same air, walk the same streets. Buckeye Falls wasn’t that big, so they were bound to run into each other.
Beckett was coming home, which meant Mallory had to put her heart into Witness Protection.
*
Beckett Fox droppedthe last of the boxes onto the floor, his back aching and his face covered in a sheen of sweat. His glasses slid down his nose for the fifth time in as many minutes and he cursed himself for not wearing contacts. To save a few bucks on moving, he’d opted to skip the moving crew in favor of free labor that only lifelong friends could provide. As he came up behind him, Beckett heard Evan drop a box and huff out a sigh.
“Man, if we’re this exhausted now, imagine when we’re in our thirties.” Lifting his shirt up, Evan dabbed at the perspiration on his brow.
Once he’d plodded toward the kitchen, Beckett snagged two beers from the fridge and handed one to Evan. They clinked bottles before falling back onto the couch, which was still covered in plastic wrap. The couch made a squeaky sound as Evan got comfortable. “Thanks for coming out and helping, Lawless.”
Evan smirked at his old nickname and took a long pull from his beer. “Anytime, Foxy.” Surveying the mess around them, Evan quickly amended, “Well, maybe not anytime soon.” He grimaced as he shifted again on the couch. “I think I pulled a muscle I didn’t know I had.”
Beckett chuckled as he sipped from his beer. It had been a long few months, and he was relieved to finally be in his own space again. “Hopefully this is my last move for a while.” He thought of the big empty house he used to share with his grandfather and bit back a grimace. It was time to put it on the market, but he wasn’t ready yet. Some places were too important. Some memories were too important...
Over the last months, Beckett had watched his role model and only living relative wither away before his eyes. Cancer had taken every ounce of strength Gramps had, but it never dulled his spirit or sense of humor. During one of his last lucid nights, he’d called Beckett into his room. This wasn’t unusual, but his request was.
“I want you to do me a favor, son,” Gramps had said between coughing fits punctuated with bloody handkerchiefs. He’d covered his mouth and heaved again, and when Beckett saw the red spots, he felt weak and powerless against the disease eating his Gramps from the inside. The man before him was a mere shadow to the vibrant, joyful man of his memory.
Beckett squeezed his hands into fists and fought a surge of tears. He wanted to stay strong, even up until the end. He could fall apart later; hewouldfall apart later. “Anything, Gramps.”
Patting his grandson’s balled fists, the older man pulled himself upright and met his gaze. Lately his green eyes had been glassy, fogged over from months of chemo and medications. But at that moment, they were crystal clear and laser-focused on Beckett. “I want you to find your other half and settle down. When I’m gone, there’s no reason for you to stay in this old house alone. Go out, find your girl, and make a life for yourself.”
