Chapter 11
Beck
“I still can’t get past the fact that you drive a truck,” Jensen grumbles as she climbs in the front seat.
“And I still don’t understand why. It’s a form of transportation.” I open the back door for Dottie to jump in. She asked about it on the way here. I get that a lot of athletes have fancy cars, but it’s not like this isn’t a brand-new truck.
Jensen turns around to scratch Dottie’s head. “I know that. I just thought you’d drive something flashier. It’s also a normal truck, not something jacked up with tacky lights and obnoxiously loud. You know, something that screams ‘I’m overcompensating for my small, pierced dick.’”
Gah, her smart mouth gets me every time. “It’s good to know you still think about my dick.”
“Yeah, thinking about how tiny it has to be really brings a smile to my face.”
I snort a laugh before closing the back door then rounding the truck to get in the driver’s seat. I lean over the console and hold Jensen’s eyes in a serious stare. “It’s not about the size, it’s how you use it.”
We hold the silence for maybe three seconds before we both start to laugh.
I lean back, satisfied that our moods have lightened. I have a feeling that I might have to do that several more times for Jensen today, but much to her probable disagreement…I make her laugh.
Before pulling out, I shoot off a text to Will and Callie to have them meet us at Jensen’s old apartment in about an hour.
I want her done with that place today. I’m fine with letting her figure out what’s next on her own, but I’m not about to let her continue to have ties to this place so they can hold it over her head.
“Where are we going?” Jensen asks once she realizes I’ve turned the opposite way of her apartment. I don’t answer her and hit my favorites on CarPlay to make my next call.
“Why are you calling Lucie?” Jensen asks before the first ring.
“Impatient, much?” I mumble to her. “You’re gonna hear what—”
“Hey, Beck,” Lucie answers.
“Hey, Baby Mama, how are you feeling?”
“Tired and nauseous, you know, the usual. How are you feeling about your new roommate?”
“I’m great…” I look at Jensen with a smile, but she’s giving Lucie’s contact photo the evil eye. “She’s hanging in there. Listen, think that kid of yours would want to have a play date with a dog for a couple hours?”
“Beck—” Jensen starts, but Lucie talks over her.
“I think Dex might kill you for it, but I’ll help calm him down.”
Lucie can’t see it, but a devilish smile comes to my face. “So that’s how you got pregnant. Every time Dex starts acting like a dick, you calm him down. The team was wondering why he’s nicer now that he has you.”
“Beck!” Lucie squeals, but Jensen…Jensen folds her lips together the best she can, but the corners tilt up ever so slightly. I’ll still qualify that as a Jensen smile nonetheless.
“You walked right into that one. Come on, what’d you expect me to say?”
Knowing Lucie, her cheeks are probably bright red right now. “Just bring Dottie over and don’t tell that joke to Dex.”
“Thank you, we’ll be there in about twenty minutes. Oh, and Luce, Jensen needs some clean clothes to change into.”
“Okay, see you soon, Jen,” Lucie sings.
“Bye, Luce.” Jensen hits the End Call button on the screen with a huff. “My hips are not about to fit into Lucie’s clothes.”
“I’m assuming that’s a comment I don’t need to respond to, so I’ll just tell you the plan instead.
We’ll take Dottie over to play with Miles for a couple hours, Callie and Will are meeting us at your apartment to get you moved out, where you can put your own clothes on then.
” And because I can already see the argument about getting so much help all over her face, I lie for her benefit.
“I want my shirt back…it’s cold as fuck. ”
Jensen presses her lips into a thin line. “You know, there’s most likely a stain on your shirt now.”
“I’ll survive. Believe me, I’ve worn dirtier clothes over the years.” When I let that statement fully register, I double back. “Not that you’re dirty, I meant—”
“I know what you meant, Beck.” Jensen’s shoulders drop a bit as she sinks farther into the seat. “Thanks,” she mutters.
I want to make a smart comment about her looking like she’s actually enjoying the truck she was making fun of me for having, but when her eyes fall shut, I’m fighting off the urge to rest my hand on her thigh.
I flex my hand against the steering wheel as the words my father said come back to haunt me.
Don’t rob yourself of that happiness. Your mother would hate to know you feel this way.
The look of utter disappointment is something I’ve never seen from him, but fuck, I can’t do it. I won’t.
Moving Jensen in with me temporarily is what any good person would do.
Giving her my shirt when she needs it is what any good man would do.
Me not giving up on our chemistry is more about how great we could make each other feel.
But wanting to hear her laugh…resting my hand on her thigh while we drive…
not wanting to go get her clothes for a while longer because I’d love to see her walking around in nothing but my T-shirt again…
Maybe we do need some ground rules.
As I park the truck at Dex’s, Jensen’s eyes flutter open. “Oh, we’re here.”
“Yeah, if you’re tired, I can take Dottie in.
” At the sound of her name, Dottie places her front paws on the console and goes in for another lick to the face.
God, this dog could not be more opposite than her mother if she tried.
I pet her head with a soft chuckle. “I don’t think she would mind either. ”
“Yeah, fucking traitor,” Jensen grumbles barely above a whisper. “I’ll come. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize—it’s not a big deal.” This weird funk hangs over me and I have to flex my hand again at the mere mental image of her asleep. “Come on, let’s head up.”
Jensen nods, and what I’m grateful for now is the silence Jensen gives me. Whatever that was on the drive over here is not what we are. Friends with benefits is the most we could be, and the thing is, I think Jensen would agree with me.
I knock on Dex’s door and it takes about three seconds before we hear a squeal, then Miles is swinging the door open. “Beck is here with the doggie!”
“Miles, this is Jensen, you know her, she’s not a dog,” I joke, but it gets flipped around on me when Jensen backhands me in the stomach. “I was kidding,” I croak.
“Oh dear.” Lucie’s voice comes from behind Miles. “What happened?”
Miles places his little hand over his mouth to hide his snicker. “Jensen hit Beck because he was being a meanie.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right.” Lucie pulls the door open all the way. “Come on in.”
“Yeah, I wanna play with Dottie!” Miles cheers and reaches for her leash.
Lucie points to me. “You handle that. Dex is in the living room.” Lucie then turns to Jensen, but she stops her.
“Oh, we’re definitely about to go talk about your and Callie’s lack of communication.”
Lucie looks between us with a bright smile. “I actually have no qualms about how this worked out.”
“I do,” Jensen mutters.
I kind of do now.
I give Lucie a nod. “Good luck with that.”
Her smile doesn’t falter. “Oh, good luck with Dex.”
Yeah, fair.
Making my way to the living room where Miles’s laughter is absolutely heartwarming, I find Dex…who’s joy is the polar opposite.
“I can’t believe you brought the dog back to my house. You know I’ll be the bad guy for a week at least now, right?”
“Well, that’s because you’re a pushover. Miles asked for a sibling and you said no, but look at you now.”
Dex fights off a smile the best he can. “Fuck off. How are your folks doing?”
I fall onto the couch next to him. “Well, I’m home a week early…and not by my own free will, unfortunately.”
“Beck?” Dex says my name with caution toward Miles, and I know what he’s really asking.
The biggest lump forms in my throat, but I swallow it down. “My mom’s fine. I don’t want to talk about it, just be happy I’m here and brought a puppy over to play with your son.”
The look on Dex’s face is not at all amused, but given the response I just gave, he doesn’t push…on that topic, at least. “Alright, how’s the roommate situation working out?”
“It’s…something.”
Dex sits up a little straighter. “Listen, I’m giving you today, all things considered, but if you think I’m not about to bring this up every opportunity I get, then you have another thing coming.”
I should have known this was coming. “That was a completely different—”
“No, don’t you fucking say different.”
Miles’s laughter stops abruptly. “That’s a bad word, remember!”
I tilt my head to Dex, biting back my laugh, while he sighs. “We talked about this—they are adult words. Daddy can say adult words.”
“Lucie doesn’t say adult words,” Miles retorts.
Dex runs his hands over his face. “Yeah, well, Lucie evens Daddy out, just play with the dog while she’s here, bud. Before you get any ideas, she’s going back home with Beck later today.”
Miles makes a small noise as he goes back to playing with Dottie like she’s about to disappear right in front of him if he doesn’t.
“Way to turn that around on me, asshole,” I whisper.
Dex chuckles. “That’s a tactic I got from Lucie. You, Will, and Callie are the go-to bad guys, but back to our original conversation—fuck you, if you think I’m about to let this go.”
“You just said you were giving me a pass.”
“A day pass—this is different—yeah, fuck off.”
“It is, actually. You were very clearly in love with Lucie out of the gate.”
Dex’s eyebrows pull together then he holds out his hand. “Hi, Pot, I’m Kettle.”
I smack his hand. “No, no. I want to sleep with Jensen. Friends with benefits max—that’s it.”
Miles cuts in again. “Why do you want to sleep with Jensen? That sounds really boring. And what’s friends with benefits?”
Dex mumbles a curse. “Really?”