Page 76 of Perfect Composition

“I’m not quite certain of how it happened either.” I catch her under her elbow before tucking her against my body. “But I’m grateful for it.”

Paige’s breath catches as our bodies rub against one another as I guide us through the maze of people on our way out the square. Sliding my hand forward, I twine my fingers in hers, unwilling to let her go. I don’t know what makes me do it. I bring her arm above her head and slowly spin her around so close every soft shift brushes her hip against my groin.

It’s better than the memory of the first time when I kissed Paige Kensington, homecoming queen, because I know what it’s like to have something infinitely more precious in my hands than just her body.

I’ve held her heart.

That’s when I trip over my feet. What the hell was I thinking all those years ago, never coming back to make certain she was happy? What excuse did I have?

“Are you all right, Beckett?” Her hand tightens in mine to make sure I don’t fall. Just like she never let me down all those years ago.

Paige, who’s been betrayed by everyone from me to her brother, to her own father, and yet she still cares. Paige, who did the best with what she had—enduring the whispers and stares from this small town. Becoming a doctor right away to make certain Austyn would always have food on the table and a roof over her head. Paige, who raised our child to become this remarkably talented young woman. Paige did all that.

What did I do?

Spying a break between the people out strolling, I quickly drag her off the square and away from the hoopla.

“Where are you taking me?” Paige begins to struggle.

“Just somewhere we can talk.”

“What if I don’t want to?” Her words strike a chord deep inside of me, triggering a memory of us by the piano in the field.

“What if I don’t want you to just be my friend, Beckett? What happens to us then?”

I stop playing the music I know down to my soul I composed for the girl with the spring-green eyes and the spattering of freckles across her nose. Slowly, I rise from the drywall bucket I remembered to bring with me so I could push down on the pedals as I played, now that I know the damper pedal actually still worked.

She scrambles to her feet on the low part of the wall, but she still doesn’t match my height as I approach her. Gently, I smooth a lock of her long dark hair away from her sun-kissed face. “Then we won’t be friends anymore.”

Her lips tremble, but she tamps down her emotions. “Fine.” She begins to whirl away, but I catch her hand.

“What we’ll be is this.” And I kiss her for the first time.

I’m jerked from the precious memory as Paige yanks her arm away. I make a grab for her wrist. “Paige, I really need to speak with you.”

“That’s your problem. Here’s one for you: I don’t want to listen.”

Baffled, my grip loosens enough where she’s able to step away. The setting Texas sun illuminates her face much like the first time I kissed her. “Why?”

“Listen to me carefully, Beckett. I survived you once; I need to be able to do it again. Before, you left me, here, and never came back. After what you said last night, I figure that’s your plan, and that’s okay. But I live here. I raised our daughter here. But now I realize I’m worth more than what I’ve permitted myself. I need to stop treating myself as if I’m not good enough for a man to stand at my side. Because I am. And unless you’re willing to be that man, I think it’s best if you don’t confuse the relationship we do have—parents.” With that, Paige turns and heads quickly back in the direction of the town square.

I scrub my hands over my face. “God, what kind of damage did I do.”

A male voice answers. “Untold.”

I drop my hands and find myself face-to-face with Paige’s brother, Ethan. I didn’t realize we were standing in front of his store when we stopped. Other than a few flecks of gray hair, he looks just the same from when we went to school together. “Hey, E.”

He jerks his head as he holds open the door. “Why don’t you come in and sit for a spell, Beckett? We can…catch up.”

“Is that a euphemism for you’re going to try to beat the crap out of me?” I ask aloud even as I step through the door.

“Try? Man, it’s going to take a team of guys to hold me back from doin’ just that very thing.”

Just then, Kane and Mitch come running up. They both blast me with murderous looks. “Next time you decide to do something so utterly stupid as get lost in a crowd, we’re activating your tracking device,” Kane says acidly.

I rub my hand along the back of my neck, where the damn thing lives. Meanwhile, Ethan doubles over with laughter. “How much would I have to pay you guys for access to the code to track him just for the fun of it?”

“You don’t have that kind of clearance, bud. Friend or foe, Beckett?” Kane confirms.