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My phone started to ping as messages and texts came through. I glanced down to see I had a missed call from Morgan, and I saw Beck’s name as well.
“Did Beck make it okay?” Dad asked.
When I looked at my mother, she winked. She hadn’t told him about our late-night chat session.
“Yes, he did. He didn’t give me an update on his grandfather though.”
“I hope he’s okay,” Bradly stated.
My mother handed me a cup of coffee. “Thanks, Mom. Me too, Bradly. Where’s Mackenzie?”
“Already at the greenhouse. There’s a shipment coming in this morning, and she wanted to be there when it arrived.”
Glancing down at the designer clothes I had on, I decided to change and go to the greenhouse and plant some seeds. Maybe Mackenzie would have something else for me to do if I finished quickly.
“I think I’ll change and see if Mackenzie or Lou need any help. I’ll also plant more seeds and water the seedlings, since I’ve got the time now.”
“That sounds like a wonderful plan,” my mother said before she sipped her coffee.
My phone alerted me to a text, and I looked down to see it was Beck. A sudden rush of guilt hit me as I realized I was probably causing him more stress, and that was the last thing he needed. I took my coffee and headed out of the kitchen and through the house to the sun porch where I plugged the charger quickly back in. It was snowing, and it looked beautiful outside. I sat down and opened the text thread. He’d texted me four times. Three last night and once this morning.
Beck: Avery, please call me back.
Beck: I don’t know if you’re asleep, but please call me when you get this text.
Beck: I can’t sleep…are you up?
My heart broke with the last one.
Beck: I’m heading to the hospital. My phone will be off, so…
Hitting his number, I waited for it to go to voicemail, but Beck answered on the second ring.
“Avery.”
“Hey, sorry about missing your texts. I forgot to plug my phone in last night.”
“It’s okay. It’s just good to hear your voice.”
I smiled, then remembered how I’d acted last night. “I’m also sorry about last night. I was tired and had been worried about you and… I’m not going to lie…I was thrown when another woman, your ex, answered your phone at nearly midnight.”
He sighed. “I know. I’m sorry. That had to look terrible, and I swear to you, nothing happened. I don’t look at her that way, nor do I want to.”
“Beck,” I said quickly. “You didn’t promise me anything.”
He said nothing for the longest time, before he finally spoke. “I don’t want to be with anyone but you, Avery. It killed me, having to leave you yesterday, and I’m feeling… Fuck. I’m feeling so torn right now. I miss you already. The guilt I feel because I want to get on a plane and come back to you, even with my grandfather sick… Yet, I can’t just leave him because he was like a father to me growing up, and I know my mother would want me to be here for him.”
“I know,” I whispered into the phone. “I don’t want to add to your stress. So please don’t worry about me. If you don’t text, I’ll understand. I just…well, I just want you to be happy, Beck.”
“Why does it feel like you’re trying to tell me something, Avery? Are you trying to call things off between us?”
“No! I just don’t want to add to your stress and guilt. I don’t want you to feel like you have to tear yourself in two.”
I thought I heard a sniffle. “Avery, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, you can ask me anything you want.”
“Will you wait for me?”
My heart felt like it flipped in my chest. “Wait for you?”
“Yes. Don’t go on any dates with anyone. I know that’s selfish of me, especially after last night. But…I’m falling in love with you, and I really want to see where this takes us.”
Tears pooled in my eyes, and I fought to keep my composure. My breathing was labored, and I felt like I’d just run a race. Beck’s tender words completely washed away the anxiety from last night.
“Yes. I’ll wait. But only because I’m falling in love with you as well.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
BECK
Avery’s words filled a hole inside of me that I hadn’t even realized was gaping open. I couldn’t help the smile that spread over my face, and I dropped my head back against the vehicle seat. The relief that flooded my body nearly brought me to tears.
It was such a stupid fucking idea to let Rachel come up to my place last night. I was just so exhausted that I hadn’t been thinking straight. After Avery hung up, I’d lain into Rachel big time for answering my damn phone the way she had. I don’t know what the hell had even possessed her to do such a thing.
