Page 50 of Tactical Lies

Never again.

“Breakfast is served,” he told her, sweeping out his arms to indicate the table and the counters filled with plates of food.

“Is your whole family coming to join us?” Becca asked, a hint of amusement in her tone as she finished coming down the stairs.

“Nope, just the two of us.”

“And do you figure we can eat all of that?”

“Probably unlikely.”

“Then why make so much?” she asked as she reached the kitchen counters.

“Because I wanted you to have anything you felt like. You’ve been through a lot these last few days, and with what happened to Bella, I know you have to be struggling. When we’re stressed, we don’t always take care of ourselves the way we should. I want to make sure that I made you something that will appeal to you even while I'm sure you have a knot of anxiety sitting in your stomach.”

Her dark blue eyes softened, and she gave him a hint of a smile. “It’s hard to do anything knowing what Izzy is likely suffering through right at this moment.”

Taking a step forward, Connor hesitated for a moment before trusting his gut and grasping Becca’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “I don’t know Isabella as well as you do, but one thing I do remember about her is that she’s a fighter. She won't give up. That means you can't either.”

“I won't,” Becca said softly.

“Part of not giving up means that you keep living. You do everything you're supposed to do, like eat, and sleep, and you do the things that make you happy. That’s what Bella would want you to do.”

“I hate that you're right,” Becca said with a sigh.

“I'm always right,” he teased, reluctantly releasing his hold on her.

“Arrogant much?” Becca huffed, but good-naturedly, and she picked up a plate and piled it up with more food than he would have thought she’d take.

It wasn't until he’d also filled his plate and they’d both taken seats at the table, that her eyes widened, obviously taking in what he was wearing. Her glass of sparkling water paused halfway to her mouth, and when she quickly went to set it down before spilling it, she almost knocked over the glass of apple juice he’d also poured. There was a mug of coffee as well, just so he covered his bases.

“You kept it,” she said, partly in awe, partly amused. “I always hated that apron.”

“You loved it,” he corrected. “You smiled every time I put it on.”

“It has a giant penis on it.” She snorted, genuine joy sparkling in her midnight-blue eyes. “What is it with you and penises?”

He laughed. It felt like the first real laugh he’d given since that fateful night, even though he knew in reality it wasn't. There had been plenty of times he’d laughed over the last twelve years, but he’d never once felt this light.

“After I saw how much you laughed the first time I gave you one, I just wanted to keep recapturing that moment,” he answered honestly.

That softness he’d seen in her earlier was back. “I remember you gave me the first one the morning after we had sex for the first time.”

“Your sixteenth birthday.” Every second of that night was etched into his memory. He’d done everything his teenage self had thought was romantic, wanting their first time to be utterly perfect. And it was. Every moment with Becca had been.

“I don’t think I ever told you this, but my mom found it and asked me if the two of us were having sex,” Becca informed him. “It was highly embarrassing. I tried to lie but?—”

“You're a terrible liar,” he finished for her, laughing at the thought of poor, sweet sixteen-year-old Becca and her mom talking about their sex life.

“Hey,” she exclaimed, tossing the penis plushie at him, hitting him square in the forehead. “It’s your fault. You bought me the silly toy.”

“Silly, maybe, but I bet you still own every single one I bought you over the years.” Connor arched a challenging eyebrow. He was taking a big gamble there because there was a chance she’d tossed them all after they broke up. But he knew Becca, knew how sentimental she was.

The smile fell from her lips, but no frown or sadness was taking its place. Instead, she looked almost thoughtful, like he was making her think of something she hadn't before. “I do. I still have them all,” she acknowledged, making his heart soar.

Hope.

There was still hope for them, and he would cling to that because he couldn’t accept that Becca would never be his again.

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