Page 3

Chapter Three

Beau

“Okay?” I say, voice soft.

Kit is staring at me like a deer in headlights, and all I want to do is kiss the worry I see written all over her face away. Let her know I’ll take care of everything. That with how we said we still care about each other, we can get through anything.

But just like that one night, I don’t dare do that.

She doesn’t remember any of it. And I’m not forcing myself into her life.

My stomach spirals, and I have a metallic taste in my mouth. But it’s not from the hangover.

Last night, we cleared the air. We talked about what happened that summer night when we decided to try dating. About Luna. What I regretted most. Everything.

The clincher? She told me the same.

The wedding? Well, that part’s a bit hazy…the thirty minutes away from the room made me realize I want this second chance. But it’s now clear that she doesn’t.

Swallowing hard, I run a thumb against her soft cheek, knowing this will be the last time I touch her. The ache in my chest is palpable.

Meeting her gaze, my gut tightens.

Nodding, I say, “I got this.”

Staring at me a moment longer, Kit nods slowly before staring at her folded hands and whispering. “I’m just so embarrassed.”

“Why? You stole the show last night.” The lightness in my tone belies the heaviness in my chest.

The glare she gives me makes me grin. This scowl is the Kit I’m used to. The same expression that happened anytime she saw me in the hallway.

“So…” Taking the focus off our short marriage, I change the topic. “What have you been up to since the last time I saw you?”

“You mean last night?” Her mouth quirks, and a brow lifts.

My grin widens, and I laugh softly. “Since high school, dork.”

I missed this back-and-forth with her. The thrill that would course through me anytime I would see her and try to get a rise out of her. I lived for it.

It wasn’t until the one time I went too far and she told me off that I realized the feelings I felt for her had nothing to do with hate.

“Oh, you know. Graduated college. Went to vet school. Opened my own clinic,” Kit responds, interrupting my trip down memory lane.

If I still regret not forcing her to hear me out about Luna when I was eighteen, how much will this hurt?

“What about you?” I don’t answer right away; I can’t. I’m so caught up in the thoughts running through my head, and Kit's brown eyes have a shade of green around the pupil that changes based on the color she’s wearing. A green that’s the same shade as the trees in spring. Her eyes darken and my gaze drops slightly to her mouth. “Beau?”

Is it me, or is she breathless? “Yeah?”

“What have you been up to since school?” She pushes my shoulder gently. That simple touch does two things.

One, it brings me back to reality, and two, it makes me want to capture her lips and make her mine.

Instead, I answer the question.

“Oh, you know. Graduating college. Playing professional rugby.” I shrug and give her a smirk. “Nothing too exciting.”

Her shoulders drop, and her smile relaxes. “Gen told me you played something. She’s constantly trying to get me to watch with her, but you know I’m not really a big sports fan. She even has an Ironclad Marauders jersey. Number six, I think.”

Immediately I’m reeling from a gut punch. A longing so strong comes over me. I want Kit wearing my jersey.

“I’m happy to have one Garrett sister who’s a fan. How is Genevieve?” I push off the bed and move to the chair a few feet away. If I don’t start creating distance now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to leave.

“Oh, you know, Gen.” Her voice is saying one thing, but the expression on her face says another. “She’s doing amazing! She’s a sought-after professional dog trainer. Pretty famous in her own right.”

It’s not a surprise to me that both of the Garrett sisters have chosen careers that involve animals. Their entire family loved them.

Wiping my hands down my pant legs, I stand and pull out my phone to open my contacts. “That’s awesome. I’ll make sure to keep her in mind if anyone I know needs help. Can I get your number?”

Silence greets me, and I glance up. I snort at her surprised expression. “I want my attorney to call you about the annulment,” I clarify.

“Oh,” she says, her face relaxing. “Yeah, your attorney.”

She spouts off her number, and I enter it in my phone. Instead of putting Kit Garrett as the contact name, I enter ‘My Wife.’ A tiny zing of energy zips through me when I give her that title. I rationalize it by telling myself I’m protecting her privacy.

Yeah, that’s what it’s for. Not because I like calling her that or anything.

I hit send and hear a ding. “That’s me. Just wanted to make sure I entered it correctly.” Avoiding eye contact, I shove my phone in my pocket and pull out the card key, slipping it on the nightstand beside her.

“I gotta head out,” I throw a thumb over my shoulder. “Don’t want to miss my flight home.”

I lift my head and glance at Kit one more time. Her stare holds questions I don’t have answers to. I let out a sigh and force a smile. “It was great seeing you again. I’m sure I won’t forget the experience anytime soon.”

“Ha.” A taut grin curves her lips, and that question still lingers in her eyes. I try to walk away, but it’s like my feet are carrying concrete cinder blocks. My body won’t move.

Blowing out a deep breath, a small smile crawls across my face, and I turn to walk away. “Beau?” My heart squeezes at the sound of my name on her lips.

“Yeah?” I peek over my shoulder. Letting my eyes roam over her face to memorize every inch before walking out of her life…again.

“If I had to marry anyone, I’m glad it was you.” My mouth drops, but I recognize the teasing gleam in her look. This is just part of the game we’d play.

I place my hand over my heart and bow, never breaking our gaze. “I’m happy to have been of service.” Standing up and holding her gaze one last time I smile. “Bye, Kit. Get home safe.”

Without turning back, I walk out the door. Kit’s faint “Bye, Beau” squeezes my chest. Lifting my hand to my chest, I work to rub out the ache.

“Beau, cuz. How are you?” Mike shouts through my earbuds. “You’re on speaker, and I’m at the station, so behave yourself.”

Mike Matthews, my cousin, is like an older brother to me. He lives in New York State, and is the fire chief for his station. He’s the one person I can trust with my impromptu marriage. And he knows the entire history between me and Kit.

I only used to talk about her incessantly when I was in high school.

Passing the hotel rooms and carrying my overnight bag, I’m heading down to the lobby to meet my team for checkout; then heading to the airport to hop on the plane ride home.

“Thanks for the heads-up. I have something I need to talk to you about,” my voice echoes as I step into the stairwell, the door slamming closed behind me.

“Is it about that game yesterday?” Cole Nichols, Mike’s best friend and fellow firefighter, asks. “That was a nailbiter. Rugby is growing on me.”

I laugh lightly, I scrub my hand up and down my face, giving extra attention to the morning scruff. Yesterday’s game seems like weeks ago with everything that’s happened since then. “Yeah, it was.”

“Is everything okay?” Mike asks. “You sound off.”

I blow out a heavy breath. “Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know.” I groan. Stopping on the landing, I lean against the wall and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Ut-oh” Cole chuckles. “Sounds like girl problems.”

“Give me a second, and I’ll take you off speaker,” Mike says. “Just need to finish doing this one thing.”

“I got it,” Cole says. “Go.”

I hear mumbling on the other end and then steps as Mike walks out of the station and into the parking lot. “Okay spill.”

“Do you remember Kit?”

“The girl you talked my ear off about your senior year of high school and freshman year of college?” Mike teases. “Um, no. Why don’t you tell me who she is?”

I snort and shake my head. Okay so it’s safe to say I was obsessed with her for a long time. “I ran into her last night.”

“Is that a good or bad thing?”

“It depends, I guess,” I hedge. “We did clear the air.”

“Finally!” Mike shouts. “Well, isn’t that a good thing? Is she single? Maybe you two can try and pick up where you left off.”

“Yeah, about that.” My chin drops to my chest, and I grip the back of my neck.

“I’m not sure I like that tone.”

“We kind of got married.” I push out through a tight throat.

“You kind of got married?” Mike’s voice gets an octave higher. “Kind of, or you did?”

“We did.”

“Beau, that’s…wait.” I picture Mike scrubbing his face and taking a deep breath. It’s what he does whenever his wife Melanie does something that vexes him, and he needs to pull himself together before he says anything that could get him in trouble.

My body rumbles, and the tightness in my chest loosens a bit.

“The two of you talked about everything, and you told her how you felt?” Mike asks, enunciating every word. “Did she tell you how she felt?”

“Yup.” My lip curls at the corner. Mike is exactly the comic relief I need at the moment. Because even though this situation is not funny, his reaction is.

“So it’s good, then?” He affirms.

“Umm—”

“Beau, you’re acting like Mel and it’s driving me crazy. Just tell me what the heck happened.”

“Well that’s the thing…”

“Beau,” Mike growls, and I let out a chuckle.

“Okay, okay. Geez. You’d think you’re the one who just had the craziest night of his life.”

“I’m gonna hang up.”

My eyes crinkle.

“We talked and cleared the air about everything. It was great. Then I woke up next to her this morning with a ring on my finger,” I pause, and take a deep breath before blowing it out.

“And…”

Pushing my head against the wall and squeezing my eyes shut, I mumble. “She doesn’t remember any of it.”