Chapter 21
CLOVER
I’m speechless. I literally haven’t been able to say a word since Beckett kissed me that way in the park. I’ve nodded and given the occasional ‘huh’ and ‘uh-huh’ as Lennon talks, and I feel kinda bad for not paying attention, but what the fuck was that?!
“Do I turn here?” Beckett asks calmly.
“Yeah,” I answer, not realizing we are almost to the rental. “Yeah, it’s the third one on the left.”
We pull into the driveway, and Beckett lets out a long whistle. “Damn, CJ. It might be a good thing that the pipe burst,” he says in awe.
“Why?” I ask, but then I see it. Men in full-body suits and respirators are going in and out of the house. I groan as I watch one lug out a very full contractor’s trash bag and toss it into a rental dumpster.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Beckett and climb out of the truck. I walk towards the door, but I’m stopped by someone with a clipboard.
“Ma’am, you cannot access this property. The Board of Health has condemned it due to severe mold and lead paint,” he says, clicking his pen repeatedly. I want to snap it in half. I know it’s not his fault, I’m just annoyed. Lead paint on top of it all? Damn. It really was a good thing it burst.
“Right,” I tell him. “I’m actually here to get my belongings? The landlord said I was able to today.”
The man asks for my name, and I show him my ID and the emailed copies of paperwork Rich sent over. After inspecting it, he nods once.
“Very well, I’ll get the things we were able to recover.” He shuffles around some papers on his clipboard and hands it over to me, along with the clicky pen. “Fill these out while I retrieve them, please.”
I click the pen a few times after I fill out the papers and wait for him. I get it now, it’s actually pretty cathartic to click. I hand him the clipboard back when he comes back, a couple of people following him with totes filled with my stuff. I’m actually shocked this much was salvageable.
“We also found these keys on the porch,” a girl says, handing them over to me. I’m shocked. I had sworn I locked them in the car. I thank them and turn around to pick up one of the totes, almost walking right into Beck, who’s already got one loaded in the bed of his truck.
“Look what they found,” I say excitedly, dangling my keys in front of him. “Looks like I still have my car!” I push on the remote to unlock it, but nothing happens. I grumble. “I guess the rain got to them.”
Beckett takes the keys from me and carries a tote over to my car, manually unlocking it. “Hey, Lucky?”
“What’s up?” I ask as I come around my car to meet him. He points at my trunk. The rest of Momma’s pictures and journals are there, safe and sound.
I break.
* * *
It’s past dark when we pull back up to the ranch.
It’s weird to ride in a car alone after being with Beck and Lenny.
Too quiet. When we get out, I see the fairy lights on the porch are on, and so is the streetlight near the bridge.
I hadn’t registered that on the way in. Mary and Hayes are on one of the swings around the fire pit.
Beckett has a gorgeous outdoor area, and I’m glad it didn’t all wash away. This area was also an idea Brynn sent me, so I’m assuming she had Beck build it, too. It’s a big fire pit in the middle of four big swings. Two are full swings, and two are split in the middle by a cupholder.
“Come on up, y’all. I brewed some sweet tea when the lights cut back on,” Mary hollers to us as we climb out of our cars.
I can tell Lennon’s sleepy by the way she’s dragging herself to the swings, barely perking up when she sees Purrlock waiting.
When I make my way up to them, she wraps her arms around my leg and rubs her eyes, yawning loudly.
Beck and I sit on the full swing across from his parents, and I pull Lennon onto my lap. She curls against my chest, and I gently stroke her hair as her breathing evens out and a quiet snore comes from her.
Mary asks us how things went today, and we fill her in on what all happened with the house, the landlord, and finding mom’s stuff still safe. Mary’s eyes teared up at that. She knew how upset I had been.
“I forgot to check my phone to see if Brynn texted back,” I say, but I don’t want to move and wake Lennon up. “I asked her when she would be back. When she is, I’ll head over there and get out of your hair,” I say, smiling at Beck. He doesn’t return the smile. He actually looks kind of irritated.
“You should just stay here,” he says gruffly.
“I don’t want to be in the way,” I say softly, reiterating what I was trying to tell him earlier.
“You’re not in the way,” he states. “Your stuff is already all here, ain’t any sense in packing it all up again just to move in with Brynn.
Her house is a mess, too. Her guest room has turned into a closet,” he rambles.
I’m not sure if he notices, but he’s rubbing his knuckles against his chest. He’s stressed about the conversation, about me leaving.
“I’d just be taking up space,” I tell him. “You’ve already done so much for me.”
He shakes his head no. “You do great around here,” he says. “You could watch Lennon in the mornings when I go out to work.” He says it like this is the answer to everything.
“Beck, your momma watches Lennon,” my rebuttal falls short, though, when Mary cuts in.
“Actually,” she says slowly. “If you stayed and did the morning shift, it would free up time for me to go to quilting classes that Susie teaches.”
I glare at her, looking for any sign of a lie. Hayes takes a long sip of his tea, but he isn’t saying anything.
“You’re going to go to a quilting class?” I deadpan.
“Well, yeah,” Mary says matter-of-factly. “I’ve been wanting to, but there ain’t no way I’m just going to leave my Grambaby in the hands of just anybody.”
Beck protests quietly. “I wouldn’t just leave her with anyone, Mom. Damn.”
“Oh, hush, Beckett Hayes. I know you wouldn’t. I had time, and it helped you. It wasn’t a bother. Now that our Clover girl is here, I’d be able to go to my class in the morning and then come over after lunch to help out more.”
Beckett nods. “Makes sense. It would also give you a solid place to stay,” he states, looking at me.
“Now that the power’s back on, the place is like brand new.
” His smile hits me right in the heart. He wants me here.
I’m not forcing it on him, and it’s not so Brynn will have something to hold over him. He doesn’t want me to go.
“Alright,” I say, smiling back at him. “I guess it wouldn’t be too bad,” I emphasize the word ‘too’.
Mary smiles at Hayes with a look in her eyes I can’t quite read.
“Alright, Beetlebug,” Beck says softly, waking Lenny up. “You’ve had a pretty big day. Why don’t we get you to bed?” She’s too tired to object, so she goes around giving everyone a hug. When I lean in to get mine, she holds on for an extra minute.
“Can we all do our best parts together?” She asks sleepily.
“My best part was seeing you, Sprout,” Hayes says with a big smile on his face.
“I think my best part was being able to hug all of you today,” Mary answers. “It’s been a while, especially a long time since I’ve seen my Clover girl.” She grabs Hayes’ hand in hers. “I sure am glad Papa and Beck can build stuff!”
We all agree with that statement.
Beckett goes next. “My favorite part was when Lennon ate booger ice cream,” he teases her. She giggles at that.
“Lovey’s turn,” she says. I think about it hard. I know what my real favorite part was, but there’s no way in hell I’m saying that out loud. I glance at Beckett, and I’m glad it’s dark because I feel my face heat up.
“My best part was breakfast this morning with everyone,” I decide. Food's good. Food is a safe choice.
We all look at Lennon.
“What was your favorite part, baby?” Mary asks her.
She rubs the heel of her hand into her eye and yawns, walking towards the door.
“My favorite part was when Dad kissed Lovey real big in the middle of the playground.”
“Ah, fuck,” Beckett says, swooping her up and rushing into the house with her.
“Another dollar,” Lennon says with an oomph as she gets scooped up.
That leaves me with Mary and Hayes on the porch, and I am frozen.
“Well, that’ll do it,” Hayes says with a shit-eating grin on his face. He stands up and pats his stomach, motioning for Mary. “Let’s go home, Mama. They probably have some more kissin’ to do.”
I’m going to die of embarrassment.