Page 101 of Love on the Run

“What are you laughing about?” Olivia asked, clearly outraged.

“It’s just that Beau isn’t who I thought he was at all. I feel so stupid. Why did it take me this long to see him?”

Olivia shrugged and pulled a fork out of the silverware drawer. “There’s a time for every purpose under heaven I guess.”

Anna swatted Olivia’s hand as she reached the fork toward the chicken. “We’re not eating until Beau gets here.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m starving, and the food is right there!”

Grabbing Olivia’s hand, Anna pulled her friend toward the hallway. “Come on. You can help me organize the clothes that came in while I was out of town.”

Olivia threw her head back and groaned. “I just need food.”

There was a knock on the door, and Olivia quickly shouted, “Come in!”

Anna glared at her friend. “So much for stranger danger.”

“It has to be someone with the gate code. I texted it to Beau.”

When Beau walked in, the whole world stood still. He wore a plain blue T-shirt and faded jeans, and he was completely and perfectly himself and nothing else.

His gaze lifted straight to her, and the grin that still felt like a secret between them spread over his lips.

Letting go of Olivia’s hand, Anna closed the distance between her and Beau. As soon as his strong arms were around her, peace settled over her tired bones.

This was it. This was everything she’d been missing. Beau wasn’t her crutch, he was her motivation when times got tough. He was peace and hope and safety all at once.

His breath was warm as he whispered against her ear, “I missed you.”

Beau was patching up her heart with pieces of his and wrapping himself around her, protecting her from anything that could ever hurt her again.

Chapter 32

Beau

The minute Olivia finished eating, she picked up her plate and headed for the sink. “Gotta run. The chicks wait for no one.”

“Thanks for coming. I missed you,” Anna said.

Olivia turned and flashed her friendliest smile. “You’re never allowed to leave me again.”

The same possessiveness reared up inside Beau. Now that he’d spent a week with Anna, the thought of being separated made his stomach roll.

Good grief. He was in trouble.

As soon as Olivia left, a thick silence settled in the room. Beau hadn’t ever been inside Anna’s house, but it suited her. Even the dark night couldn’t mute the whites and light colors. Her home was as bright as her personality.

Anna grabbed both of their empty plates andtook them to the sink. Still turned away from him, she wiped at her face with the dish towel.

Beau stood, pulled by an invisible force to her side. The makeup around her eyes was smudged, and he brushed his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek. “Have you been crying?”

“It was a moment of weakness. I probably look like a mess.”

Beau’s chest swelled. A twinge shot through him every time she talked about herself as anything less than perfect. “You’re so beautiful, you make the stars jealous.”

Anna covered her mouth, but a laugh escaped. “That’s very sweet but so untrue.”

Reaching for her, he pulled her to his chest where she belonged. “I don’t tell lies, Anna. I don’t like knowing you’ve been crying, and I don’t think you could ever look bad.”

---