Page 104 of One Touch

My heart sank. In his mind, timelines often got muddy, and I was sure he assumed I was talking about Declan. “Oh, Dad, Declan and I aren’t—”

“I’m not talking about that little shithead. His brother. The older one who Duke got into a tussle with.”

I swallowed hard. “Beckett.” His name was a thousand tiny pokers under my ribs.

“That’s the one. Your mama always liked him. Said deep down he had a lost soul but a good heart.”

Emotions welled inside me.

“I’m in love with him, Dad,” I whispered.

Dad put his arm around me and squeezed. “Well then, sugarplum, he’s the luckiest man in the world. Sometimes it feels like I don’t know much, but I do know that.”

As the night wore on, Dad grew more and more tired. Nighttime routines were important for him, so Lee took him back to Haven Pines to settle in. Wyatt and Lark corralled a bouncing Penny out the door, and Duke quietly made his exit right after them.

I hugged everyone goodbye and headed up to my childhood bedroom, feeling a sense of loneliness wash over me. I couldn’t help but think about Beckett and what could have been if we weren’t separated by distance.

My father’s words flooded back to me.Love is the simplest thing in the world.

As I crawled into bed, I pulled out my phone and stared at it, wondering if I should text him. In the end, I decided against it. I didn’t want to bother him, and I didn’t want to seem desperate. We’d made a promise, and as far as I could tell, we were both sticking to it.

I breathed in the familiar, comforting smells of the farmhouse. I closed my eyes and tried to push away the ache in my heart, hoping that someday I could find what we lost.

THIRTY-SIX

BECKETT

I sat alonein my Chicago penthouse, staring out the window at the bleak, gray skyline. It was Christmas, but there was no joy in my heart. The place felt cold, empty, and lonely without Kate. I missed her terribly, and it hurt to think about her spending the holiday with her family in Outtatowner.

I tried to distract myself by flipping through TV channels, but nothing seemed to hold my attention. The only thing I could think about was Kate, and how much I wished I was there with her. I knew I had made a mistake by letting her go, and now I was paying the price.

I thought about picking up the phone and calling her, but I didn’t want to bother her during her time with family. She needed them as much as they needed her.

I had already texted her a few times, but the distance between us felt more significant than ever. The thought of her being so far away made my heart ache.

As I sat there looking around my sterile home, I couldn’t help but think about how different my Christmas must have been from hers. I knew from years past, Outtatowner would be decorated with holiday lights and cheer, while my penthouse was cold and lifeless.

She was surrounded by loved ones, while I was alone and miserable with my thoughts.

It was nearly eleven when my phone buzzed with a text.

Duke

Ring me up. I’m freezing my balls off down here.

I stared at the message as my brain tried to catch up. Sure enough, just outside the building doors, Duke’s pissed-off face filled the video screen. I pushed the button to talk. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Will you just buzz me up? It’s colder than a witch’s titty out here.”

Laughing, I punched in the code and unlocked the door. Minutes later, the private elevator to my house dinged, and Duke was at my front door.

I opened it for him and pulled him into a hug. We embraced, clapping each other on the back. “What’s this?”

He strode past me, dumping a small overnight bag on the floor before walking to the fridge and scooping out a beer.

“Lee’s got Ed. I’m staying the night. Didn’t seem right for you to be alone on Christmas.”

Duke stretched out on my couch, his feet hanging off one end. “I figured if you looked half as miserable as Katie did, the last thing we needed was for you to be up here alone and brooding.”

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