He’d only just woken up, reaching out to curl Anna’s warm, naked body against his when he heard Poppy’s voice outside the door.
Anna jerked, eyes flying open. She was out of bed in an instant, digging through her dresser to find a robe.
“Anna,” he said.
She whipped around, shoving her arms into a T-shirt instead, and held a finger to her lips.
“Anna?” Poppy called.
Her face went pale. “Our wine glasses.”
“Your clothes,” he added, then winced when she went even paler. That probably wasn’t helping, but he did remember yanking her dress off in the hallway somewhere.
“I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.”
He sat up in bed, watching as she walked to the door, hand hovering on the knob. “It’s just Poppy.”
“I told you I wasn’t ready,” she murmured. “Stay there.”
He frowned when she walked into the hallway and closed the door softly behind her. He could hear their murmured voices and considered for a moment simply walking out there and saying good morning to Poppy. With clothes on, obviously.
But instead, he got out of bed and found those clothes scattered around the room. He wanted a late morning in bed with Anna, knowing she didn’t have to be into work early. He wanted a shower with her maybe, to make her breakfast, and then to talk about what they hadn’t gotten to last night.
Anna returned to the bedroom, closed the door again, and slumped against it. “She didn’t see anything.”
He gave a curt nod. “Good.”
“Beckett.”
He tugged on his shirt and returned his wallet to his jeans.
“Beckett, please.” She walked to him, lifting her chin so she could look up into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s just Poppy,” he repeated. “She’d understand. Hell, I think she actually might be happy for us. You ever think about that?”
Conflict bloomed in her eyes. “It’s not you, okay? It’s—I’m not ready. After I talk to Tom, or maybe—”
“Maybe what? You want to wait even longer?”
“That’s not what I said.”
He blew out a breath. “Sounds like that’s exactly what you were implying.”
Her lips went soft, tilting down at the corners. Disappointment blended with frustration on her face.
“God, Anna.” He propped his hands on his hips and dropped his chin to his chest. “I’m sorry. That’s not…I’m just tired of secrets. Last night was perfect and now what? I have to sneak out of here?”
“Poppy’s going to hop in the shower. You can leave then and she won’t know.”
His jaw clenched. “So I have to sneak out of here. This doesn’t feel…”
What was the word? It didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like she wanted this relationship as badly as he wanted it. He’d been waiting so long, he couldn’t let go now. But how long did he have to wait to see if they were on the same page? To see if she was truly invested like he was?
Anna pressed her hands against his chest, appealing to him. “I’m going to talk to Tom, like I said. And then we’ll go from there.”
He had to believe those words. Had to compromise. She wasn’t coming at this from the same angle as he was. He hadn’t been cheated on like she had.
He captured her hands in his, spotting the relief on her face. “All right.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded, bending his head to kiss her once. She leaned up on her toes, and he could feel her body through her thin T-shirt.
“I really wanted to spend the morning with you,” he murmured.
“We’ll see each other again. Soon.” She glanced to the door. “I hear the shower.”
He eased back, releasing her. “I’ll stop by the bakery later.”
She smiled, almost enough to buoy his spirits back to when he’d woken this morning. “I’m looking forward to it.”
{} {} {}
Anna pulled off her apron. The cake was almost finished and Leah offered to complete it for her so Anna could go to her meeting. With Tom.
After last night with Beckett, after he told her he loved her, she convinced herself dealing with Tom better happen sooner rather than later. She wanted this done and over with so she could move on.
The next step, dealing with her family, well…she’d figure that out when the time was right.
After saying goodbye to Leah, Anna walked out the back door to her van and stopped when she saw Poppy’s car in the next lot over. She blew out a breath and hesitated. If they’d been getting along, Anna would have told Poppy where she was going. She would have gotten her advice.
She might even have asked her to come along just in case. In case of what, Anna wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she was nervous.
They’d barely said a handful of words this morning when she came home. Just a quick greeting, and then Poppy said she needed a shower before she got to work.
They’d never fought this long before, and it was starting to take its toll.
She sighed and continued to her car, hoping the meeting wouldn’t take long. In fact, she’d make sure it wouldn’t take long because she didn’t want to be around Tom longer than necessary. But Tom was unpredictable. She’d learned that in the worst way possible.
Anna got into her car and started the air conditioning. She dialed Beckett and settled her sunglasses over her eyes.
He answered with a smile in his voice. “Hey, Anna.”
“Hi.”
“Sorry I’m running late. I’d hoped to be there by now. Maybe fifteen more minutes?”
“No, Beckett. Don’t come to the bakery.”
He paused before answering. “Why not?”
Anna dug in her purse for her lipstick. “I mean, you can come here, but I won’t be here.”
“Are you going to be gone long?”
She started to put on the lipstick, then frowned. No, lipstick wouldn’t help her meeting with Tom. Then she put it on anyway. It would help her. She needed that boost of confidence—and to show Tom she’d moved on and she was doing well.
Better than well. She had Beckett in her life. And he loved her.
“I don’t know,” she answered. “I’m going to meet Tom.”
The silence on his end dragged on longer this time. She wished she could see his face, see what he was thinking. Wished she could reassure him.
“Beckett?”
“That was fast. But it’s good, right? So you can get it taken care of.”
She nodded to herself. He understood. “Yes, it’s good. I want to get it over with.”
“Don’t get mad, but do you want company? I could be there for you, or—”
“No. Beckett.” She laughed, touched by his offer. “That’s sweet, but I think I’ll be okay.”
“You sure?”
She had to be. She had to prove to herself she could do this. “I’m sure. Thank you, though.”
He sighed on the other end, and she could picture him pacing, running a hand through his hair.
“I still want to see you,” she told him. “It’ll just have to be later.”
“I understand. Let me know if you need anything.”
She started to tell him again that she’d be okay, she’d take care of it. But she knew Beckett. That’s how he showed he cared. By helping out. “I will,” she said.
She ended the call and drove from the parking lot, heading several blocks down to a café she and Tom had shared lunch at a few times.
Her hands clenched so hard on the wheel that by the time she got there, her fingers felt numb. She parked and flexed her hands a few times, swallowing down nerves.
Tom’s car was already here. She could see him through the window of the café, staring out as he realized she’d just pulled up.
He waved. She looked away.
“You have to do this,” Anna whispered to herself.
But all she really wanted to do right now was go see Beckett. To step into a hug and close her eyes and feel what it was like to be safe. And loved. Not just loved, but loved by someone she trusted completely.
When Tom continued to wait for her, Anna grabbed her purse and slid out of her seat. She entered the café, the aroma of coffee hitting her right away.
Keeping her hands loose at her sides, she walked to the table where Tom sat. He stood as she approached, and then leaned in like he was going for a hug or maybe a kiss on the cheek.
She sidestepped him and dropped into the seat opposite his. “Hi.”
He returned to his seat as well. “I’m really glad you called.”
“I thought it was time that we talked, finally got some closure.”
He nodded. “Would you like something to drink? To eat?”
He’d ordered a coffee, and she figured she might as well get one, too. It would give her hands something to do—a distraction if she couldn’t seem to find the words.
After she ordered her coffee, she blew out a breath and was about ready to start when Tom spoke. “I’ve missed you, Anna.”
She straightened in her chair. For a while there, she’d missed him, too—or rather, the familiarity of having someone to see every day. Someone she’d known for a long time. They’d been friends once upon a time.
“I know it was abrupt,” she conceded. “Everything that happened. But it was for the best.”
“You ended it without telling me what was going on. All I got was your note saying we were through. It came out of nowhere.”
She took a long breath, trying to stay calm. “Like I said, it was best. I didn’t know how to deal with what you’d done and what I needed at the time was to leave. I didn’t want to talk to you about it.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Fair?” When her voice rose, she made an effort to take another calming breath. The waitress arrived with her coffee and she took a slow sip before finally meeting Tom’s eyes again.
“I’m just saying,” Tom continued, “I wish you would have talked with me. Let me explain.”
“That’s exactly what I didn’t want to do. It didn’t need explaining, Tom. You cheated. And to me, that isn’t a negotiable part of a relationship.”
He frowned and gripped the handle of his mug. “It’s not something I planned. I didn’t want to hurt you—and I was going to tell you.”
“Before or after we got married?” she asked.
His eyes widened as though he hadn’t expected her to fight back. “Before, of course.”
“And then what? We would have been over anyway.”
“I thought we’d work through it. I thought—”
He broke off and sighed, glancing around the coffee shop like he was worried they were making a scene. “This isn’t why I wanted to talk to you today.”
“It’s why I wanted to talk to you. I should have told you that I was leaving you and why, for my own peace of mind at least. And now I am.”
“I still wish we could have talked more. Would it have helped to slow things down some? We could have postponed the wedding. We could have—”
“It’s not going to help to think about all the what-ifs.”
Tom shifted in his seat and lowered his voice. “That’s sort of why I’m here.”
“What?”
He gave her one of his charming smiles, the kind that made her fall in love with him in the first place. The kind of smile that made a woman feel like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. “Look at you. You look different. Calm. Collected. Like this isn’t bothering you at all.”
“I’ve moved on.”
His jaw shifted. “Is there someone else? No—don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter.”
It mattered to Anna. But Tom wasn’t in the picture anymore. She didn’t have to tell him anything.
He reached across the table, close enough his fingers brushed hers before she jerked back. “Anna,” he said, appeal in his voice. “I want to start over.”
Her throat dried and she shook her head, unable to say anything for several long seconds. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I still care about you, and—and maybe we could just start off as friends and then see where things go.”
Anna’s stomach rolled. Beckett had been right. Tom wanted another chance. But even if she wasn’t seeing where her relationship with Beckett went, she wouldn’t want to be with Tom.
“Things aren’t going to go anywhere,” Anna said. “And besides, you’re engaged. Remember Catrina?”
He winced at her name, and then sighed. “Yes, we’re engaged. But…” His voice trailed off and then he looked up abruptly. “It’s him, isn’t it? Beckett? That’s why you don’t want to give us another shot.”
“Tom.” Anna straightened in her seat. “It’s none of your damn business.”
“I knew it. I always saw how he looked at you—like he was ready to steal you away at any moment.”
Her hands shook and she pressed her lips together to keep from saying something she might regret.
“He convinced you not to give me another chance, didn’t he?” Tom continued.
Her chair legs scraped against the tile floor when she scooted back abruptly. She fumbled in her purse for a few dollars to pay for the coffee. “This conversation is over.”
“Wait, no—” Tom stood as well, grabbing his wallet.
She turned on her heel and strode from the café, hopping in her car as Tom exited the front doors. Her hands still shook as she pulled away, leaving Tom staring after her from the sidewalk.
Anna went straight to the bakery, unsure where else to go. She had no idea where Beckett was, and she had to make sure the cake was finished.
But as she sat in the parking lot, her hands weren’t steady yet and her heart still pounded—mostly from anger, but a little from shock. What was Tom thinking? He was getting married! Was he trying to do to Catrina the same thing he’d done to her?
She covered her face with her hands, taking deep breaths until her heart slowed down. When someone knocked on her car window, she gasped, jerking her hands from her face. When she saw Beckett, she got out of the van.
“Anna?”
Without warning, she was in his arms, holding tight in hopes that his strength and steadiness would rub off on her.
“Anna,” Beckett said, voice low and full of concern. He tried to lean back to look at her face, but she just held tighter. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”
“I’m okay,” she whispered.
This time, Beckett took her shoulders and firmly eased her back. Jaw tight, he looked straight into her eyes. “What happened? What did he do?”
“Nothing.” She didn’t want to answer questions right now, she only wanted to be close to him. “I’m just really glad to see you.”
{}{}{}
“We should go back to my place,” Beckett began. “I can make coffee and we’ll talk.”
Her hands still shook slightly when she shoved them into her hair. “No. No, I’m managing. It’s fine. And I have to make sure this cake gets done.”
He gritted his teeth but didn’t argue. Damn Tom. When would he finally get the hint he wasn’t wanted? And it pissed him off that Anna could still be rattled by him.
She gripped his hand, jerking him from his thoughts. “I promise. I’m okay.”
He gave a curt nod, letting her hand slip from his as they entered the back door of the bakery. This was precisely why they needed to tell her family about their relationship. Tell everyone. So he could be there for her. It wasn’t just about a touch or a kiss, it was about support. And he couldn’t do that with this secret looming between them.
Leah looked up with a smile. “That was fast.”
Anna nodded, and he hated that she was trying to pretend everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t. “I can finish this up if you want to head out to lunch.”
“Sure,” Leah said. “Nice to see you, Beckett.”
She left, and Beckett closed the gap between them again. “Talk to me,” he said.
Anna flashed a smile he could tell was forced. “Nothing to talk about really.”
She used a spatula to smooth one side of the cake before adding more flowers.
“Anna,” he said, touching her arm.
“The Shanes will be here in thirty minutes for their cake. Just a few more flowers,” she said, keeping her gaze focused on her task.
He folded his arms, losing his patience. “I need to know you’re okay.”
This time she did look up. She reached out, giving his arm a squeeze. “I’m fine, Beckett, really. I—it was just harder than I expected.”
“I wish you’d talk to me,” he said. “I was already worried about you going to talk to Tom. Now I’m even more worried because of the way I saw you back in your car.”
“I shouldn’t have let him rattle me like that.” They heard the door at the front of the store and Anna gestured. “I need to get that. Maybe they’re here early for their cake.”
Beckett nodded and let her go, keeping his place by the back door. He rubbed his hands over his face and told himself to give her time. She was at work, it’s not like she could stop what she was doing so they could talk.
When Anna breezed back in, she nodded. “They’re here for the cake. Beckett?”
He nodded. “I can go.”
“No. Please. I’ll get this out there, and then yes, we can talk. I need to.”
She gave the cake another once over and adjusted one of the flowers before boxing it up and carrying it to the front. He listened to her chat with the customer, voice light and easy like she was perfectly fine.
When she returned to the kitchen, she didn’t hesitate. Just walked straight around the counter and wrapped her arms around his waist. “This is hard for me.”
“What is?”
“Opening up.”
He rested his cheek on her hair. “I know. You always like to handle things yourself.”
“But I understand where you’re coming from, too. If you were going to talk to your ex-fiancé, I’d be worried.”
He smiled. “I don’t have an ex-fiancé.”
“You know what I mean.”
He tipped her chin to give her a kiss. “Yes, I do.”
“And you were right about Tom.”
The words jolted him. He kept his voice even when he said, “Which part?”
“He, uh…” She dropped her chin to stare at her shoes a moment before looking back up. “He wants a second chance.”
Beckett’s hands slowly clenched into fists and he had to force himself to relax them, to rub her back and remind himself she was here. With him. She’d made her choice. “I thought that might be the case.”
“Even worse, he acted like what had happened wasn’t his fault. He—” She broke off, squeezing her arms tight around him.
“I want to break his legs,” Beckett growled.
“Beckett,” Anna said, her voice coming out choked. She tipped her chin to look up at him. “He’s not a part of my life anymore.”
“He hurt you. And now he won’t leave you alone, even though you’ve made it clear that’s what you want. Someone needs to teach him a lesson. Asshole.”
“Not you.” She touched his cheek, her eyes earnest. “He’s already having to deal with the consequences of his actions. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
Beckett didn’t answer. No, it wasn’t enough. Not for him. And it made him wonder what else he’d said to Anna.
“I talked to him, and now I’m done,” Anna continued.
“Good. What about Catrina?”
Anna sighed, her gaze dropping. “I don’t know. I have no idea if she even knew about me and Tom when we were together. If not, I don’t want him to do the same thing to her. But I also don’t want to be in the middle of it. I—I don’t want to see Tom again.”
“You don’t have to.”
“But with the wedding—”
“No.” He shook his head. “If you don’t want to see him, we’ll find a way around it. You have to do what’s best for you.”
He lifted her chin back up so he could meet her eyes. “I’m serious, Anna. Take care of yourself. Don’t let Tom get to you.”
He kissed her, hoping to get her mind off Tom and Catrina and anything else that was bothering her.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “For being here.”
“I always will be.”