Beck
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so bad. All I could do was lay in bed—half-awake/ half-asleep and cover my eyes with my arm, protecting my eyes from the light. I hated it. I wanted to get up and check on Ava, but the dull ache in my stomach and my pounding head kept me bound to the mattress.
I groaned as I rolled to my side, and I was trying to get comfortable when I heard a loud crash. It was immediately followed by a loud thud and then endless giggles. I could hear Torch’s deep voice, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. There was more movement, rustling, and then Ava’s excited squeals. I wanted to get up to see what was going on, but just lifting my head off the pillow felt like a monumental task.
Ava sounded happy, and that was all that mattered. Knowing Torch and hopefully my mother would keep an eye on her, I let out a sigh and let my head sink back into the pillow.
The sounds continued—laughter, shuffling, and what I swore was the unmistakable thunk thunk thunk of a hammer. I couldn’t imagine what they were doing. I wanted to yell out and demand answers, but my throat was dry, and my body refused to cooperate.
So, I did the only thing I could.
I closed my eyes and prayed that my house would still be standing when I woke up.
The next morning, I felt a little less like death warmed over and more like myself. The house was quiet now, and that alone made me suspicious. I eased myself out of bed and wrapped myself in my comforter before shuffling down the hall.
I rounded the corner into the living room and stopped dead in my tracks when I finally saw what Torch and Ava had been up to.
There was a real Christmas tree in the corner with twinkling white lights adorned on every branch, and fresh pine garland was on the mantle with our stockings hanging beneath. They’d even put out the Christmas village I’d inherited from my grandmother.
Torch was on the couch with one arm slung over the back and one under Ava, who was curled up next to him. They were both fast asleep, and I couldn’t help but smile as I stood there, taking it all in. It wasn’t perfect—the tree was leaning a little, and some of my village was missing —but it was beautiful.
I was on the verge of tears when Torch opened his eyes and spotted me standing in the doorway. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck like he’d slept wrong, and smiled. “Hey, what are you doing up?”
“What… what is all this?” I croaked, gesturing to the tree.
A sheepish grin spread across his face as he answered, “You said you needed to get your tree up, so... Ava picked it out herself. She also told me where to put everything.”
“That sounds about right.”
“Yeah, she’s bossy like her mom, but she did good, don’t you think?”
“Yes, she did great. You both did.” Tears filled my eyes as I whispered, “Torch, you really didn’t have to?—”
“I wanted to.” He nodded over to Ava. “She did, too.”
“Well, thank you,” I looked back at the tree and the messy, wonderful magic they’d created, and for the first time in days, I felt like all was right in the world. “It’s perfect.”
“Glad you think so.” Being careful not to wake Ava, he slipped his arm from beneath her and stood. “Why don’t you go take a hot shower, and I’ll scrounge us up some coffee.”
“Coffee sounds wonderful. Thanks.”
I turned and headed down the hall to the bathroom. I walked over and turned on the water, letting it warm while I got undressed. I took a quick glance in the mirror and cringed when I saw the dark circles under my eyes. This stomach bug had done a real number on me, but I hoped that I was over the worst of it. I stepped under the hot water, and my aching muscles felt an immediate relief.
I closed my eyes and thought back to seeing Ava nestled up next to Torch. She was clearly taken with him, and I couldn’t blame her. I was pretty taken with him myself. It was hard to believe that the man who’d spent so many years ignoring me was now so attentive and thoughtful. It made me wonder what had brought on the dramatic change.
It had taken a bit more effort than I expected to wash my hair and bathe, and I quickly became exhausted. I turned off the water and stepped into the cold air. I stood there a moment, hoping it might help shake the cobwebs, but no such luck.
I wrapped myself in a towel and shuffled to my dresser, grabbing the first pair of sweats I could find. Combing through my wet hair felt like a workout, so I gave up halfway and left it to dry however it wanted. I sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to catch my breath before heading to the kitchen.
The faint smell of coffee drew me in like a lifeline, and I couldn’t wait to take that first sip. When I walked into the kitchen, Torch was leaning against the counter with his mug in hand, and he looked far too handsome for a man who’d spent his night sleeping on the sofa.
He watched as I entered the kitchen, and it didn’t take long for his brows to furrow and for him to demand, “Sit. I’ll get your coffee.”
“I’m fine.”
“Sit.”
I considered arguing, but he was already on his way over to the coffee pot. I walked over to the counter and sat down on one of the stools. “Where’s Ava?”
“Still sleeping on the sofa.”
“I’m not surprised. You two had a long night.”
“Yes, we did.” He poured the coffee as he asked, “Sugar and cream?”
“Yes, please.” I motioned my head towards the fridge. “The creamer is in the side door.”
“Got it.”
He added the sugar and creamer, then brought the cup over to me. I took it from his hand and immediately took a sip. “Perfect.”
“You up for eating a bite?”
"No. Not just yet.” I placed my palm on my stomach. “I’m still a little queasy.”
“Yeah, I can tell,” he chuckled. “You’re still a little green around the edges.”
“Gee, thanks. I’ll remember that the next time you catch the flu.”
Before he could fire back, the front door creaked open, and my mom’s voice rang out. “Beck? “
“In the kitchen.”
Seconds later, I heard my mother gasp, and then silence. She must’ve spotted Ava sleeping on the sofa and didn’t want to wake her. After a few moments, she appeared in the kitchen with wide eyes and a confused expression. “How in the world?”
“Torch.” I glanced at Torch, who just shrugged like it was no big deal. “He and Ava spent most of the night putting everything up.”
“Is that right?” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Torch, then back at me. “Well, it looks beautiful.”
“Yes, it does,” I said, cutting her off before she could launch into a critique of everything they’d done. “So, what are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you, of course.” She waved a hand dismissively. “You sounded awful last night, and you still look like you don’t feel well.”
“That’s because I don’t.”
“Then, get back in bed.”
“I will in a...,” I started, but she gave me a look —the one that could wither you into submission with a single raised eyebrow.
“Bed,” she said firmly. Then she turned to Torch. “And you—thank you for everything you’ve done. It was really sweet of you to take care of my girls.”
“No problem.” Torch stood, and his lips twitched with amusement as he glanced over at me. “Looks like you're finally getting rid of me.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“I do, but I’ll be back later to see how you’re doing.” He gave me a wink, then said, “See you ladies later.”
With that, he was out the door, leaving me alone with Mom’s no-nonsense glare. “What was that all about?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’ve always known that boy had a thing for you.”
“What?”
“It’s true.” She walked over and poured herself some coffee. “He was crazy about you, and it was rough on him when you left.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried, but you wouldn’t listen. You would just say it was all in my head.”
She was right. She had tried to tell me, but I never believed her—now, I wasn’t so sure. “You really think...”
“I do, but that’s a conversation for later. You need to get some rest.”
“But...”
“Bed, Rebecca,” she fussed. “You’ve got a busy week coming up, and you need to be at your best.”
“Okay. Okay.” I sighed, pushing myself out of the chair. “Ava needs a bath and some breakfast.”
“I’ve got it covered,” she said, giving me a small, satisfied smile before shooing me toward my room. “Now, go get some rest.”
I did as my mother insisted and crawled back into bed, but I didn’t rest. I couldn’t. I was too busy thinking about Torch and everything he’d done over the past few days. And I couldn’t help but wonder if my mother was right. Maybe he really did have feelings for me. It was a thought that had me smiling as I drifted off to sleep.
The next day, I woke up feeling more like myself. I’d finally shaken off the lingering fatigue and made it to my first day of work. It was mostly training and paperwork, but it felt good to be back to my old self. I’d even managed to make dinner. It wasn’t anything fancy, just spaghetti and garlic bread, but it was progress.
I’d just started to clean up when I heard the familiar rumble of Torch’s bike pulling up. Butterflies erupted in the pit of my stomach as I wiped my hands and stepped out onto the porch. The crisp evening air nipped at my skin, but I barely noticed as I watched him climb off his bike and make his way toward me.
His eyes caught mine, and I couldn’t help but smile when he stepped up to the porch. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Looks like you’re feeling better.”
“I am.”
His eyes skirted down to my purple scrubs as he said, “How was the first day?”
“Pretty good, actually.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.”
“I wanted to thank you again for the last couple of days. I really appreciate everything you did.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, Beck. I wanted to do it.” His eyes grew intense as he admitted, “Besides, it gave me an excuse to spend some time with you.”
“Didn’t realize you needed an excuse.”
I glanced up at him, seeing the longing look in his eyes, and my pulse pounded harder, roaring in my ears as I waited for him to take that last step.
And then it happened.
He was standing in front of me, so close I could feel the heat of his breath against my flesh. My eyes drifted down to his perfect, round lips. Unable to stop myself, I leaned into him and pressed my mouth against his. His arms immediately wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him.
A light moan vibrated through my chest as his tongue gently ran across my bottom lip. I couldn’t hide my attraction to him any longer, not from him, not from myself. His hands slowly reached up to the sides of my face as I opened my mouth to him.
The kiss became demanding, sending an involuntary shudder down my spine. This man had consumed my thoughts, my dreams, my very existence for weeks, and now, in this moment, he was consuming my heart.
His scent, his touch, the heat of his body next to mine. I wanted all of him. My hands roamed across his broad chest, feeling his muscles tighten as he continued to claim me with his mouth. I wanted to remember everything about this moment.
The feel of his hands against my body. The taste of him against my tongue. Every minuscule detail about this moment would be locked away forever in my memory. Without me even realizing it, Thomas had claimed my heart, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he would do with it.
With my back pressed against the wall, he pulled back, releasing me from our embrace, and said, “I’m taking you out on a date.”
“What?”
“ A date. Something I should’ve done a lifetime ago,” he repeated, taking a step back. “Call your mom and see if they can keep an eye on Ava.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”
With that, he flashed me a quick smile and left, leaving me wondering what he had planned with this date of ours. Because I had plans of my own.