33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Beck
When Dallas answers her door, I’m hit again with such a feeling of happiness and longing that I’m not sure I can survive it. Like I might really need to be called in as a DOA.
She’s barefoot, her lightly golden legs and feet in fine form under a black, oversized Vampire Weekend T-shirt with a photo of a chandelier on it. Her auburn waves are disheveled, and she scrubs her face with the heels of her hands.
“Beck?”
“Hey, beautiful.”
She cocks her head to one side. “I was sleeping,” she says with a small smile, her gaze going to the bakery box I’m holding.
“I didn’t think you ever slept past eight.”
She yawns and opens the door wider so I can come in. She seems surprisingly okay, all things considered. “I don’t sleep in. Except for this morning. I had a hard time falling asleep last night, what with my career in a dumpster fire and all.”
“Why didn’t you call me when you couldn’t sleep?”
“I just…I’ve caused enough trouble,” she offers feebly, then points to the box. “Did you bring me something?”
“I’ll get to that. But first, you haven’t caused any trouble. It’s been the opposite, actually. And I want to help. When you’re sad or frustrated or stressed or happy or excited about anything, I want to be there.”
“Once that video goes viral, it’s all over for me.”
“How is having a llama showing up at a wedding and causing a bit of a mess your fault? How does that reflect poorly on you at all?”
“It just does, Beck. I could have better secured the area. Besides, it’s all in people’s perceptions, anyway. I’m bracing myself that in a few years, Lila and Ryan will be just another casualty to the Death List.”
I ignore the Death List comment. “That wedding was the nicest, most beautiful wedding we’ve ever had here. I had a few different people tell me that.”
“Well, the venue had a lot to do with it.”
“True. But so did you.”
She turns to go into the little living area off the kitchen. “Anyway, I’m not trying to whine or be all ‘woe is me.’” Sinking down into the sofa, she pulls her feet up, stretching her T-shirt over her thighs. “It was just disappointing, that’s all.”
I set the pastry box down on the coffee table. “You were prepared for it. You said yourself something bad was going to happen and it did. But it didn’t even matter. It’s an outdoor wedding, the unexpected is expected. And Lila and Ryan and their families got over it. I think they’re looking forward to their fifteen minutes of fame.”
“They did seem to be good sports about it.”
“It’s like a badge of honor. They’ll forever be known as the people whose wedding was crashed by a llama. How cool is that?”
She cringes. “‘Decimated’ is more accurate. Just ask my arch.”
“I am sorry about that. But we got it standing again and it still looked good, even after the unfortunate fabric amputation.” I feel a laugh coming again, but I’ll rein it in for Dallas.
Turns out I don’t have to since she’s now trying to hold back laughter, too. “It’s just so—I thought my other wedding mishaps were bad, like the groom opening his new box of shoes for the wedding moments before and realizing he’d been given two left shoes, or the mother of the bride breaking out in the worst case of hives I’ve ever seen during the ceremony. But this? This wins first prize.”
“I’m glad it happened when I was there so I could help you through it.”
“You did help me through it. I’ve never seen such an expert surf raker.”
I shrug. “It comes with growing up in a beach town, I guess. Like someone in Calgary learning to drive a Zamboni. Same thing.”
This earns me a smile and, if I’m not mistaken, the bare echo of a laugh. “Well, I appreciate it. And the food you brought me later. And helping clean up. Everything.”
She’s wistful and her blue eyes glow. It distracts me so much I’ve forgotten about the breakfast I brought until she glances back at it.
“Oh. I brought you a breakfast sandwich.” I hand her the box and a large insulated cup. “And a boatload of caffeine.”
“Bless you,” she whispers, taking the cup from me and ripping the tab off the lid. It seems like she’s going to try guzzling it, but she only takes a sip. “Mmmm.” She stands from the sofa and begins to pace.
“Hey, you can sit back down and relax. It’s Sunday. Neither of us are working today. I’m all yours.”
She stares at me pointedly, her cup in front of her mouth. Still, I can tell her lips curl into a smile. “ Are you all mine?” she whispers.
Whoa, baby.
“I want to be.” I wait to step to her. I have to give her space and time to figure out what she really wants.
She lowers her cup just enough to bite her bottom lip. “It’s what I want, too. I’m in love with you, Beck.”
She’s in love with me.
I ratchet in a breath. Take it all in.
I close the gap with three steps to reach her. I take the cup out of her hands, set it on the counter, and sweep her into my arms. “Dallas? There’s a lot that needs to be addressed right now. But first things first. I love you, too. Will you be my date to Elliott’s wedding, please?”
“Your date?”
“I don’t know how that all works with you being the wedding planner and all. I want to be your right-hand man.”
“You want to be my Mary?”
I chuckle. “I want to be your Mary, yes. But I also want it to be known, far and wide, that I’m in love with you.”
She gasps and wraps her arms around my neck. “Oh, Beck.”
I want to kiss her. Terribly. But I can be patient. There’s still more to do and say. Around our hug, I sling the bag off my shoulders. “Let’s see. I brought some foot cream so I can rub your feet. And some peppermint oil to wake you up even more than your drink will.” I start to go through the bag. “Oh and a photobook. It’s just…”
She grabs it out of the bag and thumbs through it. “Ace? These are photos of Ace!”
“And my family. My parents. I wanted to share a little more about them before you meet them.”
“Thank you, Beck.”
“Well, it’s not without a price.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”
“Will you check the sea turtle nest with me today? They have to be about ready to hatch by now.”
Her grin lights up her whole face. “You think we’ll really be able to catch it happening? That would be so lucky.”
“I don’t know, but I already feel like the luckiest guy in the world.” I rake my gaze over her. “Anything else would be a bonus.”
The phone on the coffee table starts to buzz. When Dallas picks it up, her eyes widen. She shows me her screen. “It’s Shoshana.”