AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Beckett looks the same as the last time I saw him. He’s clean-shaven, and he’s neat as a pin, with not a hair out of place in his polo shirt and slacks. He greets me with a hug.
Rachel looks sophisticated even in her dark pants and white sweater, and she hugs me next as I realize how quiet the house is.
Beckett nods upstairs. “We put the girls to bed a little while ago. I hope that’s okay. It’s past their bedtime on the east coast.”
I nod. “Of course.” I head toward the kitchen. “What can I get you two?”
“Got any scotch?” Beckett asks.
“I do,” I say, and I fumble around on the top shelf of my pantry for the bottle. “Rach?”
“I’m fine with my water,” she says.
Water. Water? Rachel always has a glass of wine. It’s practically glued to her hand. I step back from the pantry and glance over at my guests, and Rachel gives Beckett a look.
One of those looks. Even I notice it, which means it must be glaringly obvious.
“Water?” I repeat, staring at the two of them. Eventually, Beckett’s eyes shift to me.
“Water,” he says quietly.
“Okay,” I say, and I pour two fingers of the scotch and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I hand the drinks to my guests and grab my gin before I sit in the recliner across from where they sit on the couch. “So, what’s new?”
“Just tell him,” Rachel mutters.
Beckett’s face lights up. “We’re having another baby.”
“Holy shit, man,” I say, rising to my feet to shake his hand. Rachel stands, and I hug her. “Congratulations. You feeling good, Rach?”
“No. I feel like shit. I’m always nauseous and cranky, and I very nearly canceled this trip because I didn’t want to travel, but Beck insisted we come. And it’s early, early days, so please don’t say anything to anyone yet. We’re only eight weeks in.”
Don’t say anything to anyone. So…they want me to keep this a secret from Ava, Beckett’s sister. And we’re keeping our own secret from Beckett, and I get a really, really bad feeling about all the secrets bouncing around this house.
“You finally getting your boy?” I ask Beckett.
He chuckles. “Praying for healthy, and we’ll take whatever we get.” It’s the standard answer parents must be trained to give when they’re pregnant, but I also know that Rachel has had two miscarriages, and I’m sure that’s a lot of where his answer stems from.
They tell me the girls don’t even know yet, so I promise to be careful about not spilling the secret.
And it pulses something else in me. I don’t want to overshadow their news with our news. I don’t want to admit to what we’re doing when Beckett is already worried about his wife and the baby she’s growing. I don’t want him worrying about his sister, or me, or our friendship on top of what he’s already dealing with.
The doorbell rings a short while later, and when I open it, I find Ava standing there.
A huge bag is slung over her shoulder, and it takes everything inside me not to grab her into my arms. But I’m determined to be the friend Beckett needs me to be, and the time just isn’t right for a confession.
I take the bag from her as her eyes meet mine, and I think there might be a question there. But then Beckett walks up behind me to greet his sister, and the moment is gone.
I see in her eyes how much she hates keeping this secret, and now that Beckett has asked me to keep one from her, I’m a little nervous about how the next few days are going to play out.
Chapter 46: Ava Maxwell
God Bless Gray Sweatpants and Their Inventor
After I greet my brother and sister-in-law with hugs, I send Grayson out to my car for the huge box I packed to bring over.
“Grayson’s brother asked me to bake for the charity ball, and Grayson said I could use his kitchen since it’s so much bigger than mine. And now that you’re here, I’m definitely putting you to work.”
Beckett laughs. “As fun as it sounds to be put to work while we’re on vacation, we’re taking the girls to the children’s museum tomorrow, and then we have tickets to the Heat game.”
