Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
Clearly, she wasn’t happy. Beck suspected she was still pissed off that Jack and Connor liked to share girls. That didn’t bode well for Seth’s conversation with his mom tomorrow.
And he was probably feeling that, too.
Fuck.
Seth pocketed his phone and turned back toward the dining room when Matt walked through the door.
Immediately, he pulled Grace into a hug with a smile. “How’s married life treating you?”
“It’s been less than twenty-four hours, but so far? Wonderful.” Grace beamed up at him. “I’m so glad you’re here. Danny is home with a sick baby, and don’t get me started on the twins.”
“Hungover as fuck?”
“Language!” Grace snapped, then sighed. “But yes.”
“Called it.”
“Me, too.” Carl smirked, moving in and shaking Matt’s hand.
“Some things never change…” Seth’s brother grabbed a coffee and made his way through the crowd, stopping to greet Gene with a hearty handshake and a few words Beck couldn’t hear from across the room.
He turned back to Seth. They exchanged bro hugs and a few words. Matt said something that made Seth smile, but the happiness didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Heavenly approached next. Matt hugged her briefly before he strolled in Beck’s direction and shook his hand, the gesture welcoming. “Morning. How’re you holding up?”
“Fine. You?”
“Just ‘fine’?” Matt raised a golden brow.
Beck glanced Heavenly’s way, then shrugged. “You know.”
“Yeah.” Matt looked back toward his mom as he grabbed a pastry off a nearby platter, voice dropping low. “She’ll come around.”
“For your brother’s sake, I hope so.”
“Give it time. No other trouble in paradise?”
Beck frowned. What was Seth’s brother getting at? “Why would there be?”
“Well…” Matt’s gaze drifted back toward Seth, who was rearranging chairs that didn’t need rearranging. Matt’s brow furrowed slightly. “Something’s up with Seth. Any ideas?”
“Not entirely,” Beck replied, purposely vague. If Seth was struggling with the fact that Heavenly was pregnant, it wasn’t his place to spill the news. “But it’s bugging the shit out of me. When this is over, he and I will be having a long talk.”
“Good plan.” Matt studied Seth for another moment. “Don’t let him fester. When he stews, he usually—”
“Pulls inward and stops talking? Yeah, I know.”
The look Matt shot him was both wry and full of respect. “Clearly, you do.”
“Not my first rodeo with your brother. I’ll get him sorted out.”
Matt hesitated. “He’s lucky to have you. I know you two aren’t, like…together, but after all the shit he’s been through, I’m glad he’s surrounded by people who love him.”
Beck couldn’t help but smile. “When Seth and I first met Heavenly, we fucking hated each other. But the bastard has grown on me.”
Matt laughed. “I’m glad. If no one else has said it yet, welcome to the family.”
That actually choked Beck up. “Thanks. I like you a hell of a lot more than Jack and Connor.”
“God, I hope so. They’re fucking morons.”
“They are.” Beck lifted his coffee mug.
Matt did the same as they clinked and shared a grin. “Hope to see you at Thanksgiving or Christmas, man.”
“If…things don’t work out”— Beck cast a glance at Grace—“you’re always welcome in LA.”
“I just might take you up on that. The twins did say the girls are pretty out there…” Matt shook his hand. “I should probably go mingle. If I don’t see you before you head to the airport, it was good to meet you.”
“You, too.”
With that, Matt crossed the room and approached Gene, ready smile on his face.
Beck stayed where he was, coffee in hand, focused on Seth, still circling the thinning crowd like a man trying to outrun his own thoughts.
As the guests began making their way to the door, hugging Grace and thanking her for the lovely brunch, Beck helped clear a few plates. The room had gone from packed to manageable. The energy loosened. Conversations grew quieter as the house emptied out.
Blake’s phone chimed. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen, then turned to his sister. “Uber’s five minutes out. Ready?”
“Yep.” Cat turned to her dad and Grace. “Sorry we have to leave so soon.”
“It’s all right, sweetheart. We know you two have to get back,” Carl assured, setting down his mug before hugging his daughter tightly.
“We’re just so happy you came for the wedding,” Grace said, smile warm but tinged with sadness.
“Me, too.” Cat’s eyes were glassy.
Blake pulled his father into a tight hug. “I’m thrilled to see you happy, Dad. You deserve it.”
“Thanks.” Carl’s voice was rougher than usual. He quickly cleared his throat. “Let me walk you two out.”
Grace wrapped her arms around Cat, hugging her a beat longer than necessary.
Seth clasped Heavenly’s hand before striding over to the group. He gave Cat a sisterly pat on the shoulder, then Heavenly gave the girl a warm hug. He shook Blake’s hand before Heavenly did the same. After more goodbyes from Matt, Gene, and Hudson, Carl escorted his son and daughter out the door.
“Have a safe flight,” Grace called after them. “Text when you land!”
“I will,” Cat promised, waving over her shoulder.
“It will be a while, but I will when I get there,” Blake quipped.
Everyone laughed. Then the door closed behind them.
The house began settling back into its hum of conversation and clinking dishes. Fewer voices, less movement. Beck exhaled, glancing around. Just family now. And Gene, who was clearly an honorary Cooper.
Grace moved through the room with a fresh pitcher, topping off glasses. “Who else wants a mimosa besides me? We’ve got plenty of champagne left.”
“I’ll take one,” Matt said, holding out his glass.
“Me, too.” Gene lifted a flute.
Grace poured with a smile, the tension from earlier—the twins bailing, Danny’s absence—seeming to melt away. She looked lighter now, more at ease. Especially when Carl wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
The social obligation part of the brunch was over. Beck hoped that whatever had been eating at Seth all morning would ease now that hosting duties were largely over. But when Beck looked at him across the room, Seth didn’t look any more relaxed.
Grace poured another mimosa and frowned. “Seth, honey. We’re running low on orange juice. Would you mind running to the mini-mart? Just in case more people come by after the late mass.”
“Sure.” Seth all but ran for the stairs. “Just need to grab my wallet.”
“Thanks,” Grace called after him. “My car keys are on the hook.”
Beck started and frowned. What the fuck is wrong with you? But he couldn’t ask. Seth had already taken the stairs two at a time and disappeared from sight.
Seth bolted up to his childhood bedroom, grateful for a few minutes of peace.
The brunch had been fucking exhausting. Smiling.
Pretending everything was fine when all he could think about was his father’s unexpected letter.
He’d felt Beck’s assessing stare on him, like he knew something was off.
Matt had noticed, too. Seth had caught the look his brother shot him, a subtle scrutiny that said he was filing away questions to ask later.
Seth had stayed busy, doing any and everything he could think of to keep from standing still long enough for someone to interrogate him.
But finally, he had a reason to escape. And maybe…a chance to do something about this fucking weight crushing his chest.
He pushed open his bedroom door and strode straight for his wallet. After tucking it into his back pocket, he reached out again, his hand hovering over the knob on the drawer.
With a curse, he yanked it open. The yellowing envelope sat where he’d left it, his father’s handwriting stark against the aged paper.
Seth’s throat tightened. But he didn’t stop to second-guess. He pulled out the storage facility’s business card and the small key his dad had left. He turned them over in his palm. This place was barely two miles away. A handful of minutes out of his way.
He could swing by, take a quick look, and be back before anyone even noticed.
His chest constricted. He could…but he’d sworn he wouldn’t dig into the past anymore. When he did, violent shit happened.
But what if this was his only chance?
Tomorrow, he’d sit his mother down and tell her the truth about Beck and Heavenly. If that conversation went sideways—and there was a real possibility it would—she might tell him to leave immediately.
And if he went back to Cali without seeing whatever his father had left behind, the not-knowing would haunt him forever. After sixteen years of wondering who’d killed his dad and why, of living with Autumn’s and Tristan’s losses—he might finally have a solid lead. Some fucking answers.
Could he really walk away from that?
Without conscious thought, Seth shoved the key and card into his pocket. Then he tucked the envelope back into the drawer, burying it beneath an old paperback, and slid it shut.
Three minutes. Low risk. In and out.
He exhaled hard. If he got on the road and something felt off, he didn’t have to go. He was merely...keeping his options open.
As he loped down the stairs, he scanned the room.
Grace sipping her mimosa and laughing at something Carl said.
Heavenly stood near the kitchen, listening to their conversation and grinning.
Beck stood near the window, coffee in hand, talking to Matt.
And Hudson sat sprawled out on the couch, absorbed in his phone.
No one was paying a goddamn bit of attention to him.
Seth’s gaze landed on Gene near the hallway—and an idea hit him.
He couldn’t tell Beck yet what he’d found, not without a lot of arguments and explanations he didn’t have time for.
But Gene would understand. He knew this case inside and out.
He’d grasp the implications instantly. And on the off chance something went sideways, Gene would be able to get Seth reinforcements faster than anyone.
He moved quickly, catching Gene’s elbow and steering him into the empty hallway. “Got a second?”
“Absolutely,” Gene assured. “In fact, I wanted a minute to talk to you.”