Page 4 of Beckett the Bad Boy
Not a cute, curvy stranger.
“Was that our neighbor I saw you with?” Grady asks upon my approach a few minutes later. We started at the firehouse around the same time and naturally gravitated toward each other, forming an easy friendship.
“Our neighbor? You know Beth?”
Grady smirks. “A pretty girl lives across the street from where we eat, sleep, and work dozens of hours a week? Yeah, I noticed her, though I don’tknowher… yet.” He slaps the back of my shoulder with a confident wink.
Usually, Grady and I get along fine. We’ve been each other’s wingman too many times to count whenever I’m looking for alittle fun and female companionship in Seattle. But, for some reason, his cavalier attitude about Beth grates on my nerves.
“Keep it that way,” I grunt, watching as more City Hall employees are hustled out of the building.
“I know you have a rule about not dating anyone local, but I don’t.”
“You’re free to date whoever you want except for Beth. She’s off-limits.” I don’t know why I’m pushing this. Didn’t I already decide that this is a perfectly normal physical attraction, and not something more?
Why should I care who Beth dates?
Why should I care if the man she allows to touch all those soft curves is one of my closest friends?
Grady tilts his head, confusion wrinkling around his eyes. “You want her? That’s not like you.”
“She’s friends with my sister,” I say by way of explanation. “She’s too close to home.”
“Right…” Grady drawls. “Butsheisn’t your actual sister.” We’re silent for a moment, then he shrugs nonchalantly and raises his hands. “Whatever, no hot neighbor for me. Ready to get back to work?”
Our captain is waving us over, and I exhale in relief, nodding as we walk his way. Anything to distract me from the uncomfortable conversation.
And from thoughts of Beth, ourhot neighbor.
CHAPTER THREE
BETH
Cream pages flip in a mesmerizing display—a shot of calming serotonin straight to my brain. Words blur, and the whisper of a breeze brushes the back of my hand as I absentmindedly start the process over again. Too in my head to focus on the conversation around me.
Another book club meeting.
Another night pretending not to envy my friends.
I don't begrudge their happiness, but is it too much to ask for some of it to come my way?
They've found love in Suitor's Crossing.
All I've gained after moving here a year ago is ten pounds.
And an embarrassing memory that confirms I might be single forever.
God, why did I have to freak out on Beckett? Why couldn’t I be cool or witty or literally a thousand other things besides neurotic?
I flip the book in my hands over again and watch three hundred pages of a couple falling in love condense into hazy smudges.
“Are you okay?” Faith leans over to check on me.
“Yeah, I'm good,” I lie. What other choice do I have? I can't admit to a mini pity party during one of the best nights of the week for me.
Hanging out at the Reaper’s Wolves MC compound with Caroline, Faith, Kat, Amelie, and Lindy is always fun, and we just started a new hockey romance series. I should be excited to chat about the hot goalie and his taboo relationship with the coach’s daughter, yet here I am.
Wallowing in my lack of romantic prospects.