“Yougoing to see your folks?”
“Yep.Then maybe I’ll go out to San Diego, see Cooper, and meet his fiancée.” Beckettlooked at her, and his eyes brightened. “Hey, let me ask you something.”
“Sure.”
“They’regetting married next June. I have to go stag unless I can find a ‘nice girl’ tobring, but I don’t know any nice girls besides you. If you’re not with someoneby then, go with me. You owe me that much after screwing yourself out of eightygrand.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Shedidn’t know what caught her more by surprise. That he invited her, that hethought she might possibly be with someone else, or that he was walking out ofher life. Now. Today. After he’d grown on her, like a lichen she couldn’t quitescrape off.
“Thatsounds wrong,” she said.
“Whichpart? Let me guess. The nice girl part?”
Shepunched his arm. “No. The ‘screwing yourself’ part, and you know it!”
Hechuckled and pulled her to him. “C’mere.” He wrapped her up. “I’m going to missyou, pixie.”
“Ican’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to miss you too.” Her crackingvoice was muffled by his shirt.
“Soit’s a date?” he prodded.
“It’s adate.”
As hepulled away in his truck, she fought back unexpected tears and bravely waved. BeckettMiller, you come into my life like a Colorado storm and leave like one too.Sudden, thundering, spitting hail balls, bursting with lightning, shaking theheavens, then disappearing and leaving everything drenched in your wake.
On herway home, Paige turned on an old sixties station and began singing along to“Red Rubber Ball.” Yes, she should have known he’d bid her farewell—just likeeveryone else in her life.
.~ * * * ~.
The roads were choked as Beckett came out of the mountains aweek later. A bright day, the sun winked off chrome and mirrored windows as hesped along I-70. Once in cell range, he called Andie. His heart did asomersault when he heard her cheery “Hello, stranger.”
“Hey,pixie. A ton of stuff just happened, and I’m flying to Chicago in the morning.Right now I’m heading to a pickup game with the boys. Do you want to come watchme play, and I’ll fill you in?”
“Chicago?I thought you were going to Michigan.”
“Chicagois a new stopover. I’ll tell you all about it when I see you. So can I pick youup? I want to show off.” He grinned.
“Areyou in shape for that?”
“Showingoff? Always.”
Hecould practically hear her eyes roll. “I meant playing,” she huffed.
“I’llfind out. I’ve been training, hoping for that call, but the only way to get ingame shape is by playing. Nothing substitutes. Regardless, I need to keepexercising. You should see me when I don’t. No, actually, you shouldn’t.”
“Why?Do you go all potbellied?”
Hesnickered. “No. I go all kinds of nutty.”
“Hardto believe you could get any nuttier.”
“Ouch!I resemble that remark.”
“I wishI could join you, Beck, but I’m booked solid. Where are you staying tonight?”
An ideasparked and commandeered his mouth. “With you.”
She wassilent a few beats. “You’re kidding, right? Marty and Claudia have a guest roomI’m sure they’d loan you.”
“Martyand Claudia also have noisy kids.”
“Don’tyou have girlfriends in Denver dying for a Beckett Miller sleepover? Or guyfriends, for that matter?”
“Jesus,I hope my guy friends aren’t dying for a sleepover. Anyway, if it’s not toomuch trouble, I’d like to stay on your super-comfy couch. I’ll take us todinner tonight, then I can Uber to the airport in the morning and leave mytruck with you for a couple days. You owe me after your closing stunt.”
Hecould practically hear the sigh of relief on the other end. Because he wasn’tasking for a ride, or because he wasn’t asking to sleep in her bed? Allrighty, then.
“Okay.You can stay tonight. Why don’t you come over when you’re done, and I’ll fix ussomething to eat here?” she said. “I’m raring to hear about Chicago.”
“Worksfor me. See you soon, pixie.” Beckett turned the radio dial, and the guytalking about his “exquisite, one-of-a-kind Russian diamonds” faded into thewhite noise of traffic.
Acouple of hours, a few sore muscles, and a shower later, Beckett sat acrossfrom Andie on her patio, sucking down a cold Corona. “So a couple years ago,when I had money to throw around, I helped fund my buddy Joe’s startup inChicago. He had this product he was trying to market called DeFunked. It’s acleaner you use on pads, gloves, body armor, your gym bag—all that stuff.Anyway, it removes the locker room smell with non-toxic materials. Bacteria,actually. I forgot all about it. Figured when I invested the cash, it was athrowaway like so many other so-called investments I dabbled in, but he trackedme down two days ago. He’s got a big-time deal on the line, and he’s asked meto fly out and help land it. He’s also been developing other products, like awipe you throw in the wash.”
“That’swonderful! You must be so excited, Beck.” She clinked her bottle against his.
“Itbeats moping around.”
“Wereyou going a little stir-crazy?” She pulled her sunglasses down and peeked athim. Her eyes glittered in the afternoon light. Celadon.
“Just alittle,” he laughed. “A guy can only work out, watch movies, and play videogames so much.”
“What,no playmates?” She looked genuinely dumbfounded.
“Idon’t take women there. Never have. But you know what? I’d like to show it toyou sometime.”
“Really?I’d like to see it.” She touched his arm. “I’m honored, Beck.”
“Youshould be. I’ve designated you a ‘triple F.’ I don’t hand those awards outoften. In fact, I’ve never handed one out. You’re my first.” He raisedhis bottle to her.
Shegave him a quizzical look. “Triple F?”
He tooka pull on his beer. “Favorite female friend. Or you could be my CFF: closestfemale friend.”
“I’myour closest female friend?” Surprise replaced the question mark on her face.“What about your girlfriends?”
Heshrugged. “So far you’re the only woman I’ve met who’s willing to drink beerwith me and debate the supply and demand of pork bellies or the pluses andminuses of the electoral college without asking for anything in return.Intellectual stuff
