Enchanted Enough, page 19
She buried her face in her hands. “Oh no…I don’t want to hear that, Avery.”
“Why? It’s true. Mom, I’m not a little girl who needs to be bundled up in bubble wrap and kept safe. I grew up a long time ago, and the only reason I was able to take care of myself in France was because I knew you and Daddy trusted me. I need you to trust me now with Beck.”
The door opened suddenly, and my father walked into my bedroom. His face looked drained of all color.
“Dirk?” my mother asked, rushing over to him “What’s wrong?”
He closed his eyes, and I swore he swayed a little. “Karma. It’s made its way back around, Merit. I knew it would the moment we found out we were having a little girl. It’s finally found me.”
“What are you talking about, Dad?” I asked.
Holding up a finger to silently ask me to stop talking while covering his stomach with his other hand, he looked at my mother. “She was seventeen, Merit.”
Mom pressed her lips together tightly to keep from smiling. Turning to me, she said, “I believe your father overheard our conversation.”
“Oh! Daddy, here, sit down,” I said as I rushed over and took one arm, while my mother took the other. My father dropped to the bed and leaned over, arms on his knees as he took deep breaths.
After several seconds, he lifted his head and looked at me. “He wasn’t out with your brother this morning, was he?”
I chewed on my lower lip. “No. But we didn’t…that didn’t happen.”
My mother mumbled something under her breath that sounded like, “Only because we came back home.”
When I scowled at her, she smirked.
“But something has happened between then and—”
My father started to stand, but I put my hands on his shoulders to push him back down.
“Wait. Let me talk, Dad.”
He looked at my mother. “Now I’m Dad. I was Daddy not five minutes ago.”
Rolling my eyes, I went on. “I felt a connection with Beck the second I sat down next to him on that plane. Yes, I thought he was handsome, and I flirted with him. But then we got to talking, and even before I found out who he was, I liked him for the man he is. And I believe it was fate that put us together on that flight.”
My father closed his eyes briefly, then he looked at me. “I never wanted to be that father…like your uncle Ty.”
“Dirk!” my mother said, hitting him on the shoulder.
“What? He scares the shit out of poor Bryson to this day! Poor kid can’t even hug his own wife without Ty sending him death glares.”
I laughed, as my mother reluctantly nodded in agreement.
“Anyway, I don’t want to be that kind of father…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want the perfect man for you, Avery. I want you to be happy. And can you honestly say you’ll be happy when Beck heads back down to Texas? Do you want a long-distance relationship? Have you two talked about it?”
Ignoring the sudden pressure in my chest, I answered my father. “I don’t know what will happen when Beck leaves. Dad, I’m not asking him to marry me or make a lifelong commitment. I like being with him, and despite the fact that I believe fate had a hand in our meeting, I’m still trying to keep in mind that it was just a few days ago. But if I fall…then I fall. I’ll deal with my heart when I have to.”
My mother and father looked at each other, then back to me.
“I’m sorry…are you our eighteen-year-old daughter or a forty-something woman who’s traveled back in time?” my father asked.
I shrugged. “I know what love is. I’ve seen it all around me growing up. I can’t tell you that I’m already in love with Beck, that it was love at first sight like Bradly and Mackenzie. What I can tell you is that he makes me smile when I’m with him. I care about him, and I don’t want to see him get hurt, and I know he doesn’t want to see me get hurt. I don’t know what’s going to happen when he goes back to Texas. But I know that I have two loving parents who will be there for me, however it works out.”
My mother stood and walked over to me, drawing me to her for a hug. “When did my little girl grow up to be such a smart woman?”
A small sob escaped as I hugged her back. My father stood and wrapped his arms around us both.
When he let go, they both stepped back. Mom drew in a long breath and exhaled as my father simply nodded. Then his eyes turned dark, and he said, “If he ends up hurting you, long-lost Shaw son or not, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
Laughing, I dabbed at the corners of my eyes before I blew out a breath. “Now that we got that talk out of the way, do Beck and I really have to drive all the way into town and pretend we’re going out to eat?”
My mother’s mouth fell open. “How did you know?”
I raised a single brow. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Mom.”
When the doorbell rang, I quickly made my way to it, beating my mother by half a second.
“I’ve got it,” I said, thankful I didn’t slip on the floor in my mad dash.
Opening the door, my heart stumbled over itself at the sight before me. Beck was dressed in a suit—a black suit with a tie the same color as his blue eyes. He wore dress shoes and his hair had been cut. It was buzzed around the back and a bit longer on top. He hadn’t shaved, so he was rocking a five o’clock shadow that looked hot as hell.
I opened my mouth a couple times before words finally came out. “You look…wow.”
Beck grinned as he let his eyes move slowly over my body. “You look absolutely gorgeous, Avery. You take my breath away.”
“Mmm,” I heard my father say. “He’s smooth.”
Frowning, Beck looked over my head to see my father and mother standing several feet away. I opened the door wider and motioned for him inside.
“Come on in, it’s freezing out there.”
Beck did, and as he faced me, he started to lean in to kiss me—but stopped himself.
“Oh, go ahead and kiss her,” my father sighed. “We already know.”
I nearly laughed when Beck’s eyes went wide as saucers. “I’m sorry? You already know what?”
My father cleared his throat. “That you were here this morning but, according to this one,” he jerked his thumb to me, “nothing happened. Is that true?”
I was pretty sure I saw a bead of sweat appear on Beck’s brow. “It is, sir. Nothing happened.”
Then it was my mother’s turn. She folded her arms over her chest and regarded Beck. “Of course, you were interrupted by us getting home early.”
“That’s right!” my father barked, pointing at Beck and making him jump back.
“Daddy. Uncle Ty…?” I warned.
He cleared his throat again. “Avery’s explained to us that you’re both…what did you say?”
“We’re just taking things day by day. Now, can we move on?”
“Oh, I should have asked you earlier, sweetheart,” my mother said, taking my arm and moving only inches away from my father and Beck. “Are you on birth control? Did he use a condom?”
“God above!” my father shouted, then covered his ears with his hands as he headed into the house, toward the family room. “I did not just hear that, Merit! It’s Karma. Karma!”
“Shit,” Beck whispered, looking back at the front door as if he was about to bolt.
“Mom…seriously?” Turning to Beck, I yelled, “Stop!”
“I’m just going to go wait out in the rental. I think your dad might be going to get a gun.”
My mother laughed. “Don’t be silly. He’d be walking to our bedroom to the gun safe, not to the family room where the alcohol’s located.”
Beck seemed to relax…a little.
Dad walked back in carrying a bottle and what looked like shot glasses. He stopped in front of Beck and handed him a glass, handed one to my mother, and kept two for himself before he poured for the three of them.
“Why do you get two shots?” I asked.
Glaring at me, my father said, “Would you rather I get the kind of shots that go in a rifle?”
I shook my head quickly.
“I’ll take another,” Beck wheezed as he held out his glass.
My father raised his brows. “Bring it with you, let’s go to my office.”
As my father started to walk away, Beck looked at me with pleading eyes. My mother walked up and gently took his arm in hers.
“Don’t worry, he’s a pussycat. Just go have the talk, get it over with, and we can all enjoy our evening.”
Beck looked at me once more before he allowed my mother to lead him off in the direction of my father’s office.
“Avery doesn’t seem to want to tell me, but did you use protection?”
I nearly fell to the floor as I watched them walk off, and I heard Beck say, “I forgot, but—”
“Beck! Shut up! Don’t talk unless you have to!”
The front door opened, and Bradly and Mackenzie walked in on the tail end of my words. They both looked at me with confused expressions on their face.
“What’s going on?” my brother asked.
“You look beautiful!” Mackenzie said, the same time my brother asked his question.
I said the only thing that I could think of. “He’s going to die. He could be the love of my life, and he’s about to die.”
Both Bradly and Mackenzie’s gazes followed where I’d turned to look.
“Shit,” Bradly said. “Dad’s office.”
Mackenzie drew in a sharp breath, then wrapped her arm around my waist. And in what I could tell was her fakest, most upbeat voice said, “He’s going to be fine!”
Bradly turned to me, one brow raised. “Should we go listen at the door?”
And without me even replying, I slipped off my heels, and my brother and I ran toward my father’s office.
Chapter Twenty
BECK
The moment his office door clicked shut, I started praying. Merit moved to the side of the desk, where Dirk was currently sitting, and leaned against it. It was a lovely oak desk that looked to be an antique.
“Beautiful desk,” I managed to say.
Merit crossed her arms as Dirk leaned back and steepled his fingers.
“Thank you,” he replied. “You seem to like the word beautiful, since you used the same one to describe Avery.”
Reaching up and trying to loosen my tie, I replied, “Actually, I think I said she was gorgeous.”
Dirk frowned, and I took a step back.
“No protection?” Merit asked.
Dirk’s head jerked to look at his wife. “What?”
“Wait. We did. I mean, Avery’s on the pill. It’s just…we got caught up and…” My voice drifted off, and I looked longingly at the window.
“So you did sleep with her?” Dirk stated, shaking his head slowly. “In my house.”
I held up my hands. “No! It was at the hotel!”
Merit covered her mouth and looked away. I suddenly saw her shoulders shaking.
“Mrs. Littlewood, please don’t cry!”
When she looked back at me, I had to blink to make sure I was seeing correctly.
She was laughing.
Dirk sighed and rolled his eyes. “For the love of all things, Beck, stop talking. You’re digging yourself deeper into the ground. Although, that could be to my benefit…it means the less I’ll have to dig to dispose of your body.”
“What?”
Dirk leaned forward. “In less than a minute, I got you to admit you’ve slept with my daughter, and you forgot to use protection. I ought to kill you.”
I didn’t say a word. But when I looked at Merit, she motioned for me to say something.
“Should I talk now?” I asked in a lower voice, as if Dirk really couldn’t hear me.
“Yes, Beck. You should probably tell us what your feelings are for our daughter.”
“Right. Yes. Um, well. The first thing I should say is, I tried really hard to fight my attraction for her, but that didn’t work.”
“Clearly,” Dirk deadpanned.
“I, well, I…you see…” I scrubbed my hands down my face before dropping them to my sides. “I’m just going to be honest with you. I’ve never in my life met anyone like Avery. The second she smiled at me on that plane, I felt this crazy sensation in my chest.” My hand went to my chest, and I didn’t even realize at first that I was rubbing over my heart. “I’ve never, ever felt the things I feel with Avery. I thought I was in love once…and I can’t stand here and tell you I love your daughter, because it’s only been a few days. But what I can tell you is that I care for her deeply. I feel…different when I’m with her. She makes me feel…”
Frowning, I looked down at the floor, trying to figure out the words I needed to describe how I felt when I was with their daughter.
Finally, I looked up at them and simply said, “Whole. I feel whole when I’m with her. At first, I thought I felt that way because I’d finally found my father’s family, and a part of me does feel that way when I’m with them. But it’s different. Avery has filled something else, and I don’t know how to describe it.
“I don’t know what my future holds. The Shaws have given me my father’s portion of the ranch. I laid in bed last night, and sat in my father’s room for hours today, trying to decide if I want to stay here and make a new life, or go back to Texas.”
“And have you come up with an answer that quickly?” Dirk asked.
I shook my head. “No, sir. I’m torn. And now with Avery, I’m even more confused.”
Dirk stood and walked around his desk. He leaned against the front and crossed his ankles. “What’s happening with you and Avery is new. We remember that phase,” Dirk said, looking at Merit. “I messed up big time because I was too afraid to admit how I was feeling. Your daddy isn’t here to give you advice, so I’m stepping in for him.”
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes.
“If you care for her, and she cares for you, then you’ll find a way. If she’s just something you’re attracted to physically—”
“No, sir. She’s not. I mean, I’d have to be blind not to see how beautiful, er…how stunning she is, but it’s more than physical.”
Dirk nodded. “I’m only going to ask you to do one thing. It’s something I didn’t do, and I almost lost the love of my life.”
My eyes went to Merit. “Anything, sir,” I said, as I swung my gaze back to Avery’s father.
“Don’t hurt her.”
It felt like someone punched me in the chest. All the air left my lungs, and all I could do was shake my head.
Merit walked to her husband and laced her fingers with his. “Beck, be honest with her about how you feel. About your future. She acts like she’d be okay if you left, but I think you and I both know that won’t be the case. Even this early on.”
“I don’t think I’d be okay either, ma’am.” Looking directly into Dirk’s dark eyes, I said, “I swear to you, sir, that I will never hurt her. Ever.”
I held my breath as I waited for him to say something. When he dropped Merit’s hand and pushed off the desk, I fought the urge to close my eyes and shrink back.
Clapping his hands, Dirk grinned. “Thank fuck we got that over with. Bring me that shot glass, son.”
Standing there for a few moments, I finally got my feet to move me forward. I handed Dirk the shot glasses, and he lined all four up. Pouring them to the top, he handed one to Merit and one to me before he picked up his. He raised it and said, “May you someday have a daughter of your own.”
Merit giggled.
Confused, I looked between him and Merit as they both drank the entire shot. When they looked at mine still in my hand, I quickly drank. Dirk poured us each another.
Holding up his glass, he said, “To Beck Senior. He would have been damn proud of you.”
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, so I quickly took the shot. I went to put the glass down when Dirk shook his head. He filled up the glasses once again.
“To having our little girl back home. To Avery!”
Merit called out, “To Avery!”
“To Avery,” I said, taking the shot.
Again, I went to set the glass down, but Dirk filled it yet again.
“To Beck. Welcome home.”
Merit and I both lifted our glasses and drank.
Dirk poured another round. “To family.”
Merit and I both said, “To family.”
I held onto the glass this time, swaying slightly, as I waited for Dirk to fill it again. When he set the bottle of whiskey on his desk, he turned, spotted my glass, and frowned. “You want another shot? You don’t have a drinking problem, do you?”
“No…no, sir. I actually don’t drink that much.”
Merit hiccupped. “Oh dear.”
By the time we were walking up the steps of Brock and Lincoln’s house, I had a buzz that could rival the worst ones from my teens.
“How many shots did you do?” Avery asked.
I held up my hand to count. “One in the living room. And…” I tried to remember how many we’d done in the office. “Five more shots in your dad’s office.”
“Six shots!” Avery shouted, causing Dirk to smirk over his shoulder.
“Beck, you did six shots?”
“Full shots,” I said, tripping over the last step.
“Daddy!” Avery growled. “How could you?”
He laughed. “Don’t worry, he’ll get rid of that buzz in about twenty seconds when the entire Shaw family rushes him.”
“What?” I said, grabbing Avery’s arm. “Did he say rushes me? What does that mean?”
Avery waved off my concern, saying, “Don’t listen to him. Try to take a few deep breaths.”
“I’m not drunk, Avery,” I said as I tripped over something else. When I looked down, I didn’t see anything.
Bradly hit my back and leaned forward a little too much, bumping into Avery, who steadied me. “You tripped over your own shoe, dude.”
