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“Sounds like quite the hardship,” I deadpanned. “Especially since my bestie is being really annoying.”
That made her laugh. “Oh, please. If anything, I’ve learned from the best.”
I examined my nails. “Obviously.”
“So what do you say?”
My heart picked up speed at the thought of spending time with both Beck and Alice. Damn it if that little girl hadn’t left an impression on me. If I were being honest, I kind of want to be there too. Not because I felt like I had any right to be with them. This was for their family, and I was distinctly not part of it. But because I wanted to see the joy on Alice’s face when she found her forever friend. I wanted to see Beck’s face when he realized his daughter picked a dog that he didn’t want but would eventually come to love because he couldn’t help himself.
It was as if I could picture the whole scenario in my head.
“You’re thinking a lot over there. I can practically hear it from here in the woods,” Faith said.
I rolled my eyes as my mind reeled, every instinct telling me to go.
Faith lifted a brow. “What do you say?”
“I’ll think about it.”
* * *
Faith
I guess you thought about it.
Luna
Don’t you start.
Faith
I’m basically a matchmaking genius.
I scoffed and lifted my gaze to find Beck’s attention on me in the rearview mirror. After my call with my former best friend yesterday I went to work at Club Deux. Things were running smoothly there—thank goodness—and luckily there were no surprises. No drop ins from an ex or missed shipments.
It was very late at night when I’d gotten home and decided to go back out on the patio. It had become a habit of sorts to spend time out there. One of my bartenders sent me home with a mason jar of mojito mocktail to test out so I poured myself a glass, added the sprig of mint for garnish as I was instructed to do, and quietly sat out in the dark, admiring the stars when I suddenly heard my neighbor’s back door creak open.
I startled in my chair. It was well past two in the morning, way past most people’s bedtime. Not for my neighbor who had gotten very comfortable traipsing back and forth between his back yard and my own.
I wondered how he’d react if I put a lock on the door…
“Luna, you out here?” Beck whispered, making his voice sound raspier than ever.
Then his head peaked over the shared fence of ours because of course the door was slightly lower than the rest of the fence, probably for this exact purpose. His eyes twinkled like the damn stars above us and my heart beat unevenly as I watched him tug on the string that lifted the gate latch.
His gaze lingered on my body, and I tugged the sleeves of my silk nighty to make sure there was no sign of goosebumps. That would just get to Beck’s head, and we couldn’t have that.
“I’m glad you made it home safely,” he said, voice like it was combed over hot coals.
I raised a solitary brow and teased him. “Were you waiting up for me?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
I gulped, then crossed my legs, looking for something to do. “You don’t need to do that.”
“I’m your bodyguard next door. Of course, I’m going to wait up for you.” Beck sat down across from me.