Page 122 of Flare

“Well, considering he’s yet to face my wrath about running into a burning building, for fuck’s sake, you might need to get back to me on that. He’s been texting with Drew. It was good of your mother to take him in even temporarily.”

I snorted. “I’d ask Drew how he feels about that in a week.”

Beck chuckled. “He must figure it’s better than the alternative.”

“True. And I’m glad for him. I haven’t even asked what the arrangement is, but he’s safe there for however long. And Greg will keep an eagle eye on things.”

He shot me a look. “I’m so fucking sorry about the store.”

I shrugged. “Insurance will cover most of it. I’m trying not to worry too much until I can get in and assess the damage. Basically, the fallout will depend on how long I’m closed for and whether I can replace the stock quickly. Anything else is useless imagining. Kip had the bright idea of doing a pop-up somewhere.”

Beck chuckled. “There’s no keeping a goodmanagerdown.”

I laughed. “I’m going to buy him a suitable badge.”

Valentino appeared from the laundry and stretched out his long body before returning to his general inspection of the house, and that cone of awkward silence settled over the kitchen once again.

Fuck it. I wandered across to stand at Beck’s side and he looked up from where he’d been earnestly stirring our mugs of Milo. “So.” I watched the gold in his eyes darken as we locked eyes.

“So.” He put down the spoon and cupped my cheek with one hand. “Are you too exhausted to talk, at least a little?”

I went up on my toes to press a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth, brushing my lips over his beard to imprint the memory, just in case. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

He led me to the couch, and we took an end each, a feather-stuffed beige linen Grand Canyon between us. But it was a start.

“I’m sorry.” We spoke simultaneously and then laughed, kind of.

“Jesus, we’re idiots.” Beck held his arms open. “Come here.”

I scooted to his side, one leg tucked under me, the other slung across his thighs with my arm around his neck so I could bury my fingers in all that long silky hair.

“I fucked up. I should’ve stayed and talked like we’d promised.” Heat flared in my cheeks. “But I ran, for the second time, and it was a cowardly thing to do. I don’t think you’re like Nolan, I never have. But something inside me still worries, I guess. Hunter thinks I was pushing you away before you ran, like he did, and maybe I was.”

“Hunter?”

I pulled a face. “Yeah, don’t hate me. He knows everything about me, including...” I glanced down.

Beck leaned in and kissed my cheek. “It’s okay. I talked to Rafe, as you probably guessed by his frosty reception last Sunday. Although hedoesn’tknow about...” Beck nodded to my groin and we both snorted.

I twined a dark lock of his hair in my fingers and waited, but when he said nothing, I guessed he was leaving it to me. I’d been the one to run, after all. “I talked with Callum last week.”

Beck’s eyes grew soft with understanding and I wanted nothing more than to crawl into his lap.

“He wasn’t surprised, although I think he was frustrated that I hadn’t told him earlier about my littleproblem.”

“What did he say?”

“The usual Callum stuff.” I parroted a few of the details.Step by Step. It’s not unusual. We can use a workaround for a bit if you need it. Medication. Techniques. And don’t forget, waste not, want not—try not to let an opportunity pass you by when it presents itself.

Beck belly laughed at the last and I whacked him on the arm. “It’s good advice.”

He schooled his expression. “It’s excellent advice. Blue pills?”

I groaned. “Blue pills. Fuck. Me. I’m thirty-four and I have a container of blue fucking pills.”

He laughed. “Precisely.”

I thought about what I’d said and snorted. Then I curled into him. “How is it I’m laughing at this? I have intermittent limp dick and I’m bloody laughing about it.”

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