Page 21 of Forever to Fall
“I have no doubt of that,” Emily said, pulling herself to standing.
“Let me help with the dishes,” Beckett offered no one in particular.
The news about the ring was making him antsy, and Mallory’s reaction hit him in the solar plexus. If she were truly okay with CeCe having that ring, she’d be showing it right now. A happy, excited Mallory was impossible to contain. Instead, she was sullen, gathering dishes and keeping her eyes downcast while Evan chatted animatedly about the plans to propose.
Beckett met Mallory at the sink, placing the stack of plates to her left. “You wash and I’ll dry?” he offered, a familiar carry-over from his time at the Lawson household.
Mallory shrugged but didn’t decline his offer. When Beckett was certain Evan and Emily weren’t joining them, he got right down to business. “Did you approve Evan using that ring?” he asked, his voice low.
At first, he feared Mallory didn’t hear him over the gushing faucet, but when he caught her sour expression, he knew she was playing coy. “I don’t need to give approval. It’s not my ring.” Her hands trembled as she handed him a clean plate to dry.
Snatching her hand, Beckett squeezed. “You’re allowed to speak up, Mal. It doesn’t sound like Evan’s particularly in love with the ring. He’s more in love with putting it on CeCe’s finger.”
“Then that is where it belongs,” she said with a huff, dropping a serving spoon into the sudsy water with a clatter.
“I don’t want to upset you, it’s just that—” He stopped his argument when Emily entered the room.
Tyson was in a car seat, hanging from her right arm. “I hate to eat and run, but Zach just texted that he’s stuck at work and can’t let Baxter out. If I wait too long, I’ll come home to a puddle of pee and a cranky baby.”
“Baxter is still alive?” Beckett hated asking the question, especially so rudely, but that hound was about ten thousand years old. The last he’d seen him, he could barely bark and had a white snout the color of freshly fallen snow. As children, they used to run after the Lawsons’ dog until no one could breathe. That was over fifteen years ago, and Baxter was half in the grave back then.
Evan cackled, doubling over in laughter. “God no, this is Em’s new dog.”
Emily clapped a hand on Beckett’s shoulder and smiled. “I’m touched you remember Baxter One though. He was a sweetheart.”
Mallory joined them, sliding a tinfoil-wrapped package into the diaper bag. “Those are brownies for the ride home, and I threw in an extra for Zach.”
The sisters kissed each other on the cheek before Emily leaned in and whispered something to Mallory. With a quick shake of the head, Mallory stepped back and shoved her hands into her pockets. It didn’t take a genius to see the sisters were talking about the ring, and Beckett didn’t blame them.
But that didn’t mean Beckett wasn’t going to bring it up—and the sooner the better. Like a lot of things with Mallory, this didn’t sit right with him. He needed to get to the bottom of this conundrum, and fast.
CHAPTER 7
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“Em looked good,” Evansaid from his perch on the couch, socked feet resting on the coffee table. In his haste to get comfortable, a stack of magazines teetered onto the floor. “And Tyson is adorable. I can’t believe how big he’s gotten.”
