Chapter 34
Eli
“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” Beck asks quietly, his brows drawn down in concern.
We’re in his childhood bedroom together, away from everyone else.
Beck’s mom, Jenny, is entertaining everyone in the rest of the house. Probably feeding them baked goods. Last I heard, she was in a big sourdough phase. A few years ago, it was cookies. Years before that? Cake pops. She’s always got something going on in the kitchen.
“Yeah,” I say softly, my eyes roaming over the room.
They haven’t changed very much of it at all. There’re still band posters on the wall, a few awards from talent shows through the years sitting on top of the dresser, not a speck of dust in sight.
I remember sleeping on this floor, on an air mattress that became my designated spot.
“I’ve gotta do this,” I finish.
“Okay.” He nods, reaching out and squeezing my hand.
“I’m bringing Andi with me.”
I brace myself, waiting for his reaction. Is he going to be upset? Is he going to say it’s a bad idea?
His eyes widen ever so slightly before the tension there melts.
“Good.” He nods. “Glad you’re bringing someone.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Mad? No. Not at all.”
He peers down the hallway and nudges the door closed. The new addition of Cameron, his camera person, and the driver we’ve been assigned means the two of us have to be a little more careful.
They’ve all signed NDAs, but still, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.
Beck looks up at me, his hands cupping my cheeks. He looks adorable, blinking up at me with that determined furrow between his brows.
“Look, I know we don’t have the best track record when it comes to us sharing our feelings, but I mean this, okay? I’m glad you and Andi have been getting closer. I love the two of us together, but I love the two of you together, too, you know?”
“I get it.” I nod. “I feel the same way.”
“That applies to this too, okay? Seriously, I’m glad you’re bringing her so you’re not alone.”
“Okay,” I nod, swallowing past a lump in my throat. “I think... This’ll be the last time I talk to him. ‘Specially if it’s as bad as Lucy and my Momma are making it out to be.”
“Good riddance, then,” Beck says, his voice pitching down to his best attempt at a growl.
I let out a sharp huff of laughter, my lips quirking up in an involuntary grin.
“Yeah.” I nod.
It’s strange that society thinks omegas are the weakest designation out of the three. Because Beck and Andi have this way of pulling together the broken pieces of my mind and making me feel whole.
Beck and I make our way back out into the main part of the house. Just like I predicted, everyone is nursing their own slice of fresh bread.
My gaze is drawn to where Andi is standing with Cameron and the cameraperson, Aspen.
“You really know your stuff, huh, kid?” They say, their brows raised. “If my kiddo comes out half as enthusiastic as you are, I’ll be happy as hell.”
There’s something about her that transforms when she talks about cameras or video editing. It’s like she becomes a kid again. The thought of her mom dousing that fire of passion with her bullshit makes my gut twist with frustration.
I cling to that feeling.
That anger makes me feel strong. Capable.
If I’m going to talk to my old Pops today, I’m going to need that.
Andi seems to feel my gaze on her, because she turns, offering me a soft, private smile before excusing herself.
“They’re setting everything up for the first part of the interview,” she says when she makes her way to me.
There are a couple of cameras set up on tripods in the Knights’ living room, across from where Beck will be answering Cameron’s questions.
“How long do you think they’ll be occupied for?” I ask softly, my hands shoved in my pockets.
“Few hours, at least. This is the first real interview Cameron’s doing, so it’ll probably take a bit of time for them to get into a good flow, especially since this interview is going to be used for both articles and video-format stuff.”
“More than enough time,” I nod. “Want to come help me out?”
“Of course,” she nods, offering me a warm smile.
“Let’s go, then,” I say, jerking my head towards the kitchen.
Jenny and Bryce, Beckham’s dad, are sharing a quiet moment together.
Their gazes fall on me, and I freeze, realizing Jenny is wiping away a few tears.
“Shit, sorry Mrs. Knight, didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re not interrupting anything, I’m just... so proud of you bunch,” Jenny says, dabbing at her eyes with a kitchen towel before tossing it at me playfully. “And it’s Jenny! Not Mrs. Knight.”
Jenny is nice enough to say “you bunch,” but I know it’s really her being proud of Beck. I don’t mind. If Beck weren’t here, there certainly wouldn’t be a whole bunch of people in any of our childhood homes videotaping an interview.
“What did you need, Eli?” Bryce asks, offering his wife’s arm a little squeeze of reassurance before turning towards me.
“I was wondering whether I could borrow the truck for a few hours?”
“Of course you can,” Bryce says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his keys. “Where are you headed?”
“Andi and I are going to... visit my family.”
Their eyes go wide before they both offer me a nod. I don’t like the change in their expressions. It’s an uncomfortable mix of pity and concern.
“Are you sure, Eli? I know...” Jenny’s lips purse as she struggles to find the right words to say.
“Don’t worry,” Andi says, bumping into me and drawing all of our attention to her. “I’m acting as his bodyguard.”
They both blink at her, and she flashes them a charming grin, pulling up her sleeve and flexing.
“What? I don’t look like I could be one?”
“Put the lethal weapons away,” I huff, rolling my eyes. “We’ll be back later.”
“No rush, Eli,” Bryce nods, his brows draw down ever so slightly as his gaze darts between Andi and I.
My hand rests at the small of her back as we make our way out of the kitchen.
“We’re headed out, Beck,” Andi says, offering him a little finger wave.
He immediately jumps up and off of the couch, much to Cameron’s light exasperation, and throws his arms around Andi.
“Thank you,” he murmurs softly, burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing her in. “Take care of our big teddy bear, okay?”
“I’m not a teddy bear,” I grumble.
“Hush—.” The two of them say at the same time before turning to each other and bursting out in laughter.
I roll my eyes. I seem to do that a lot around Andi.
Before I close the front door behind me, I catch Jenny’s eyes, which are lit up with a conspiratorial glint.
She’s a smart woman.
I’m sure she can probably connect the dots on why her son’s public girlfriend is the one leaving with me.
“Ready?” I grunt, opening the door of Bryce’s old pickup truck for Andi.
“Such a gentleman, when you’re not being an ass,” Andi teases, climbing into the cab. “And I should be asking you that.”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I sigh, pulling out my phone and sending my mom a quick text.
Eli
I’m heading over. Be there in five.
I ignore the following buzzes of my phone, shoving it into my pocket before climbing into the driver’s seat.
I can do this.
The drive to my childhood home is short. It’s about a mile.
A mile that I’ve run bleeding in the dark after a fight, more times than I can count.
“He can’t do anything to you,” Andi murmurs softly, reaching out and resting a small hand against my arm. “And if he tries? We can get the hell out. You’re not stuck there.”
Her words make something clench in my chest.
“Wish I could say the same to you ‘bout your mom,” I mumble.
The atmosphere in the car changes on a dime. Andi’s warm support pulls back as she stares out of the window, worrying at her bottom lip.
“Sorry,” I sigh. “I keep sayin’ the wrong things.”
“No, you’re right. I am kinda stuck with my mom,” she sighs, running an anxious hand through her hair.
“I don’t hurt women, but I’ve never felt a stronger urge to reach through that phone and throw her out the window than when I heard the bullshit she was saying to you on that phone call.” Apparently, going back home and bringing up my Daddy issues makes me want to bring up her Mommy issues.
Before we started getting along, I would’ve chalked it up to sharing the misery, but now?
I think there’s a part of me that desperately wants to feel seen.
And out of anyone? I think Andi gets it.
“You know, that’s one of the sweetest things you’ve ever said to me,” Andi says, letting out a sharp bark of laughter.
“Threatening to throw your mom out a window?” I let out my own bark of laughter. “You’ve got a couple of screws loose and a fucked definition of romance.”
“You want to know one of the first things I thought about you, when you were acting all mean and broody the day you three came to my hospital room? After... you know, everything that happened with my ex?”
“What?” The worn leather of the steering wheel creaks under my grip. I was an asshole back then, so I probably deserve anything she says about my less than stellar behavior.
“I was jealous of how protective you were over Beck. I thought, ‘Damn, wouldn’t it be nice to have my own massive, jacked, hot, guard dog?’ and look at us now.” She’s practically beaming at me, her smile big and bright in a way that melts away the last lingering walls around my heart.
“Look at us now,” I repeat softly, dragging my eyes away from her and back to the road. “Now you’re my bodyguard.”
“You know that’s right,” she teases, flexing her arm.
“You do know there’s nothing there when you do that.”
“Shut up! I hit Pilates, there’s something there!”
“You’re cute.”
“And you’re a dick.”
I pull the truck over in front of my childhood home. The silence that fills the cab when I turn off the engine threatens to suffocate me.
“Well, even if you think I’m cute, I can still be a good guard dog. Chihuahuas are vicious.”
Her comparing herself to a Chihuahua is exactly what I need to find the courage to get out of the car.
“Let’s do this.”
I let out a huff of frustration when she opens her car door herself.
“What?” she asks, her brows drawn down in confusion.
“Let me open your fuckin’ door for you.”