Page 111 of Tangled Up

The minister brings us out of our bubble when he says, “Ladies and Gentleman, Dr. and Mrs. Beckham Munroe.”

Everyone starts clapping, and Henry steps forward to pull us both in for a hug. “I thought you were going to embarrass Aunt Viv just then.”

“She wouldn’t have been embarrassed,” Carly quips. “Beck can do no wrong in her eyes. She’d probably have started cat-calling.”

Jessica pushes between us next, hugging Carly and me. She’s closely followed by the rest of our entourage.

We don’t have far to go for the reception, since it’s all being held at the house. Carly takes my hand, leading me down the short flight of steps into the mosh pit of our waiting guests.

“Such a beautiful bride.” Aunt Viv blows her nose and hugs us. “It was as beautiful as I knew it would be, and just look at these flowers. Oh, hello, Bryant. I’m glad you decided to join us. We haven’t seen you around Eden in what? A decade?”

My breath stills when I hear my father’s name.

Carly is preoccupied with the Mrses. Davis and Garvey and doesn’t look up, but I do. I feel my shoulders growing defensively broader.If he says one fucking thing out of line…

“I’m surprised you had the nerve to come here.” I don’t hide the irritation in my tone.

Dad arches an eyebrow. “I was invited to come here.”

“By whom?”

“Dr. Munroe!” Carly turns in that moment and steps forward to give him a hug. “I’m so glad you came. You’re always welcome here.”

“Am I?” Dad cuts his eyes to me, and I’m not ready to concede.

I’m ready to walk away and leave him flat. Carly and I can discuss why this is a bad idea later, but he catches my arm.

“If you’ll spare me a minute, son, I have something to say.” The arrogance in his tone makes me want to tell him to fuck off.

Carly’s sweet voice stops me. “He’ll give you a minute. Won’t you, Beck?”

She blinks up at me with those amber eyes, so earnest and sweet, I can’t tell her no. Not even when it comes to this guy.

My tone is clipped. “Only for you.”

“If we could just step this way…” He leads me into a small anteroom off the main floor. The door shuts, and he turns with a smile. “I see you’ve wasted no time getting her pregnant.”

“That’s it.” I’m ready to go, but he catches my arm.

“Hang on. That’s not… that came out wrong.” He smiles tightly. “Caroline is a beautiful girl, so much like her mother. I don’t blame you for wanting to be with her.”

“Okay.” The clock is running out on the time I’ll give him.

He clears his throat and continues. “I never had the life I wanted—with love and all that.”

“Your choice.”

He nods, taking a step back, and wiping his hand across his mouth. “It’s true. I was broken and bitter. And now I’m alone.”

“Again, your choice.”

Lifting his face, he looks at me with an expression I’ve never seen. Is it penitence? “It’s too late for me to try and make things right with your mother. I have to live with how I treated her. But it’s not too late for you.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

His eyes slide closed, and he nods. “I deserve that. But if you’ll let me, I want to be a part of this. I want… to know my grandchildren.”

You could knock me over with a feather. “You want to be a part of my life? Since when?”

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