Her heart shrived to the size of a pea. “I’m sorry.” Her heart slammed out an erratic beat against her ribcage.
“What is it?”
“I just need time,” she croaked, feeling as though the walls were closing in on her. First, Houston and now Beckett. It was too much to deal with this early in the morning.
“Time for what?” he pressed.
Her mouth grew drier than a fistful of cotton balls as she swallowed, clutching her throat. “I promise, if you’ll just be patient—”
“Are you married?”
The question ripped her breath away as she gurgled. “What?” She pushed out a hard laugh. “No, of course not.” It irritated her that Beckett would think so little of her.
Beckett let out a long breath. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend you.” Long pause. “Everything’s just going so great between us, that I don’t want anything to mess it up.”
“Amen,” she piped in. Silence stretched between them. “Beckett, I care about you.”
“I care about you too, Ava.”
The tenderness in his words sent a glow of relief through her. Surely, it would be okay in the end. Beckett would see that she and her grandfather only had his best interest in mind. “I promise, soon, you’ll understand why I’m hedging.”
“Huh?”
She shook her head. “I wish I could explain it, but I can’t right now.” Her voice shook with intensity, eyes going moist. “All I can say is that I’m crazy about you.” She balled her fist. I’ve adored you for longer than you can imagine, and now, I’m falling hard!
He chuckled. “That’s good.” He paused. “Does it scare you that things are happening so fast?”
She leaned back against the headboard, drawing her knees to her chest. “A little,” she admitted. “Does it scare you?”
“Yes,” he admitted quietly. “But, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Neither would I.”
“All right,” he relented. “I’ll give you time.”
“Thank you,” she breathed.
“See you tonight, beautiful.”
“Yes, see you tonight.”
Chapter 7
Beckett was no chef by any stretch of the imagination. When he first joined the PCFD, he couldn’t boil water. However, after being forced to take his turn cooking meals, he’d learned how to make a couple decent recipes that he used over and over—tacos being at the top of the list. The zesty sauce of the bubbling taco meat tingled his nose as he stirred it. He wiped his hands on a dishtowel and began chopping lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.
His mind went back to the phone conversation he’d had this morning with Ava. He’d pressed her as much as he could about her reticence to share her address. At this point, he was left with only two choices—cut bait and move on, or be patient and let their relationship progress. He exhaled a long breath, knowing for him there was only one choice, the obvious one—see it through. He was invested, his feelings for Ava growing stronger every day. She felt the same way about him. A woman like Ava didn’t come along every day. Heck, once in a lifetime. He wielded the knife through the lettuce with hard chops. Ava was amazing. He smiled, thinking of their ice skating experience. He’d felt like a champion, his hands on her waist as he supported her around the rink. He raked the lettuce into a bowl and reached for a tomato.
His phone buzzed. He reached for it, answering. “Hey, Jazzie.”
His heart lurched at the muffled sob. “What’s going on?”
Silence.
His body tensed as he put down the knife and braced his hand on the counter. “Jazzie?” he said louder. “What’s going on?”
“Dave grounded me.” Her voice caught as she hiccuped. “He’s forcing me to spend the rest of the night in my room …. without dinner.”
Anger flared through Beckett like a blow torch. “What?”
The only sound on the line was a string of muffled sobs.
Beckett pushed a hand through his hair. “What happened?”
“I was out shopping with Macy. Her mom was late picking us up.” Her voice broke as she drew in a hoarse breath. “I got home late and missed the first part of dinner.” Her voice rose. “Dave ordered me to my room and told me I could forget about dinner.”
Beckett wanted to punch a hole through the wall. No other man had the right to keep his daughter from eating dinner. It took all the effort he could summon to keep his voice even. “What did your mother say about it?”
“She agreed with Dave.” Jazzie’s voice sounded small and wounded.
Beckett’s skin crawled as he clenched his teeth, shaking his head. He glanced at the clock. Ava was due to arrive any minute. “All right, honey. Hang tight. I’ll call your mother and find out what’s going on.”
“Can you come and get me?”
“Let me talk to your mother first.”
Jazzie sniffled. “All right.”
“I’ll call you back soon, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she squeaked as he ended the call.
He called Melinda and cursed under his breath when it went to voicemail. Rather than leaving a message, he called her again. Same thing, voicemail. He called a third and fourth time. She answered on the fifth.
“Hello?” she huffed.
“Why did Dave send Jazzie to her room with no dinner?” he demanded.
A stunned silence came over the line. “Did Jazzie call you?” Melinda sounded outraged.
He charged in, his words beating out an accusing cadence. “Yes, she did. I’ve tried to be as patient as I can with Dave, but he has no right to keep Jazzie from eating dinner.”
“Dave is doing the best he can to maintain order in our home.”
“Not at the expense of my daughter,” Beckett roared.
The doorbell rang. Great! Perfect timing. Earlier today, Beckett sent Ava a text telling her he’d leave the door unlocked downstairs, so she could come on up to his loft.
Melinda’s voice escalated. “What did Jazzie tell you?”
“Hang on.”
“No, I will not hang on,” Melinda responded indignantly. “You have no right to call up, accusing Dave of things when you don’t have all the facts.”
“There’s someone at the door. Hang on!” he said, talking over her.
This is not how Beckett pictured this evening going. He went to the door with the phone cradled on his shoulder. He opened it, forcing a smile. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Ava said breezily, a large smile on her face. The smile faded when she saw his expression. “Is everything okay?”
He waved her in. “Sorry, I’m in the middle of a call. Have a seat.”
Ava nodded, removing her coat as went over to the sofa and sat down.
“Oh, so you’ve got company.” Melinda chortled out a bitter laugh. “Jazzie said you had a new woman in your life. Well, I hope for your sake and hers that you don’t have any undue pressures in your life. Otherwise, the fairy tale will go up in a puff of putrid smoke.”
The comment hit him like a punch in the gut, nearly stealing his breath away. For a second, he was at a loss for words. He glanced at Ava who was sitting sideways on the couch, her hand resting on the back as she watched him, a look of deep concern on her face. “How could you say something like that?” Beckett asked. “You know how hard I’ve worked to get where I am.” His words lost air as he swallowed. “I’ve done my best to respect you and Dave.” His voice shook with restrained fury. “I would hope that you would do the same for me.”
Melinda let out a long breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just get so sick of Jazzie playing us against each other.”
His brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“Did Jazzie tell you why Dave sent her to her room without dinner?”
“Yes, she and Macy went shopping and Macy’s mom was late picking them up. I don’t think that is cause to punish Jazzie.” His voice rose. He glanced at Ava, could tell this conversation was making her uncomfor
table. Well, that’s just how it was. Jazzie would always have to come first.
Melinda punched out the words like she was driving home a point. “Yes, Kathy was late picking up Jazzie and Macy because they weren’t at the designated meeting spot when she arrived.”
“Huh?”
“Neither Jazzie nor Macy answered her repeated calls. Kathy drove around the perimeter of the mall, looking for them. She was about to call the police when she spotted them outside an arcade talking to a couple of boys.”
Beckett’s chest squeezed. “What?”
“Oh, it gets worse,” Melinda retorted. “The boys were older and vaping.”
Beckett choked out a strangled cough. “What?”
“Now, you know why Dave sent Jazzie to bed without dinner.” Her voice grew brittle. “He was probably trying to avert disaster, keep me from killing the little punk.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I was planning to, tomorrow.”
“Wow.” Beckett still found it hard to believe that Jazzie would do such a thing and then twist it around to make Melinda and Dave look like the bad guys. “What should we do about this?”
She blew out a heavy breath. “I’m not sure. Luckily, all Jazzie and Macy were doing was talking. They claim to have just met the guys. Beckett, we can’t let this continue—Jazzie using us against each other.”
He rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry I overreacted. I should’ve gotten all of the facts first.”
Long pause. “I’m sorry for what I said. That was low. If you’ve found someone … well, that’s a good thing.”
He heard the regret in Melinda’s voice, knew she wished things could’ve turned out different between them.
“I’m happy for you, Beckett, truly,” Melinda said.
“Thanks.” Beckett was happy for himself too. Notwithstanding whatever Ava was holding back, she was the find of a lifetime. He looked at Ava, so stunningly beautiful in a royal blue sweater, her blonde hair gleaming like gold. Her features were pulled with concern over him. No, not just him. She pointed behind him. At the same instant, he smelled something burning. “Crapola! The taco meat!” He looked at the stove, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Black smoke billowed from the skillet. He turned off the stovetop and removed the skillet, waving a hand to clear the smoke.
“What’s wrong?” Melinda asked.
“Nothing,” he said sarcastically. “Except for the fact that my dinner is now burnt to a crisp.” He gave Ava an apologetic look.
Ava shook her head, her eyes going wider than quarters.
Melinda laughed darkly. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t sound sorry though. She sounded kind of glad. Melinda was fine with her having a new husband if Beckett remained single and alone. She was selfish that way. A small woman in many ways. Still, she was the mother of his daughter. In this instance, she was right. Beckett would’ve sent Jazzie to bed without dinner too. There was no excuse for Jazzie’s actions. “I’ve gotta let you go,” he said to Melinda. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow.” He ended the call at the same instant the smoke detector went off. He coughed to clear his lungs as he reached for a cookie sheet to fan the smoke. Ava jumped up, coming into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”
The loud squeal of the smoke detector pierced Beckett’s ears. He winced, ducking slightly. “Quick! Open the front door.” He strode into the attached living room and opened a window to create a cross wind. A second later, he grabbed a chair and disconnected the alarm.
Several minutes later, most of the smoke had cleared. He reached for the skillet of charred meat and placed it in the sink, running cold water over it.
Ava stepped beside him and placed a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He laughed an apology. “Well, there went our dinner.”
“It smelled amazing.” The corners of her lips quivered like she was trying not to laugh. “Before it became a charred brick.” She motioned with her eyes at the skillet.
He leaned back against the counter, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips. “So, much for impressing you, huh?”
“Oh, I’m already sufficiently impressed.”
Her comment surprised him, pleased him. “Really?”
“Really.” Her blue eyes shimmered with laughter. “I mean, it’s not every day I get to watch a fireman set his own kitchen ablaze.”
He chuckled dryly. “Yeah, that’s one for the books.” He rubbed his jaw. “My fire crew would have a heyday with this.”
Ava made a zipping motion across her lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
He turned to face her, gathering her in his arms. “Did I tell you how incredible you look tonight?”
She flashed a pleased smile, her dimples showing. “No, you didn’t.”
“Well, you do. When I saw you, my world stopped turning.”
“That’s putting it on a little thick.”
“It’s true. Everything changed the moment I saw you at the bowling alley.”
Something indiscernible flashed in her eyes. Ava was intriguing, perplexing, the kind of woman Beckett could spend a lifetime getting to know.
“For me too,” she said seriously.
“Is that a good thing?”
Her smile was automatic. “Yes.” She gave him a tender look. “I feel so blessed that you’re in my life.”
“I feel the same,” he said emphatically. “At the risk of scaring you away, do I dare admit that I can’t stop thinking about you? You’re magnificent.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, her lashes brushing against her high cheekbones. The movement was subtle, yet so feminine. “I might’ve been thinking about you too,” she said shyly.
He laughed, contentment wrapping euphoric threads around him. “That’s a good thing. I’d hate to think this was a one-way street.”
She squared her chin. “Definitely not.”
Somehow Beckett knew in that moment that Ava was in his life to stay. For her, he really could be the stand-up man she deserved. He could stay the course, keep his demons at bay. He wanted that, more than he wanted air.
Ava looked up at Beckett, placing a hand on his jaw. “What’s going on with Jazzie?”
The tenderness in her voice struck a chord in Beckett. He was so grateful Ava had come into his life. If he could’ve found the Fruitcake Lady, he would’ve given her a kiss on the cheek, proclaiming that her prophecy was right. He had found love by Christmas—before Christmas, actually.
“What’re you thinking about? You have an amused look on your face.”
Someday, he’d tell Ava about the Fruitcake Lady, but not tonight. Better wait on that one. He didn’t want Ava to think he was a nut job. He laughed easily. “Oh, nothing important. Just how crazy this night has been.” He drew in a breath. “Back to Jazzie,” he said, telling Ava everything.
“I’m sorry,” she began, “it must be hard to be in your situation, having to depend on your ex-wife and her husband to make the right decisions for Jazzie.”
“Yes, it is. Jazzie’s always been such a good girl. She’s been through so much.” Guilt stabbed at him as Melinda’s harsh words came rushing back. Could he do this? Could he hold it together in a new relationship? Life was bound to have pressures. Sometimes he felt like a ticking bomb, set to go off when everything was going well in his life. He pushed aside the fears. He could do this. With Ava by his side, he could do anything.
“Jazzie’s a good girl,” Ava said firmly. “She’s just testing the water.”
“Yes, that she is. Speaking of which, I guess I need to call her back.” He gave Ava a pained look. “I’m sorry. This evening isn’t turning out how I’d hoped.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. We’re here together. That’s what counts, right?”
“Right.” His shoulders released some of their tension, his eyes moving over her beautiful face. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“Me too.”
“I guess w
e’ll have to order pizza,” he said dejectedly.
She laughed. “There are worse things we could eat. Pizza’s one of my favorites,” she assured him. “Why don’t I order it while you call Jazzie back?”
He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Let me give you my credit card.”
“I don’t mind getting it,” Ava said casually.
“No, you will absolutely not,” he countered. “What kind of man would I be if I invited you to my house for dinner and made you pay for it?”
She rolled her eyes. “All right.” She took his card, stepping away from him. “By the way, your place looks great. I love the open space and large windows.” She pointed at the stacked canvases against the wall. “Are those yours?”
“Yes.” It felt so personal, to have his work inspected. Normally, he preferred to keep his art to himself. However, he realized that he wanted Ava to see them, wanted her to know who he was.
“I’ll have to check them out.”
“I’ve been meaning to hang them, but haven’t gotten around to it.” There were so many other unfinished projects commanding his attention. Beckett had purchased a commercial building off the main street of Park City and converted the upper section into a loft apartment. He’d toyed with renting out the bottom section to a business, but right now, it was empty. “It’s definitely a work in progress.” He gave her a teasing look. “I’m sure it could use the services of an interior designer.”
An amused smile curled her lips. “I’ll see if I can find one for you.”
She had a wonderful voice, soft and silky with just the right amount of moxie. “Uh, huh,” he drawled. He let her get a couple of steps away before tugging on her hand. She raised an eyebrow, glancing back over her shoulder. “Come here,” he implored, turning her around to face him. “The pizza and art can wait,” he uttered, reaching for the card and placing it on the counter. He slid his arms around her waist, drawing her close. Tenderly, he pushed back a lock of her hair, cupping her cheek. His gaze traced the outline of her full, sultry lips. With deliberate slowness, he brushed his lips against her forehead. Her breath caught as she closed her eyes. Lightly, he kissed her nose before his mouth covered hers. Passion burned a hot flame through him as he ran his hands over her back and up through her glorious hair. She tilted her head back, fully accepting the demands of his lips. Beckett had the sensation of rocketing into space in a blaze of brilliance as their lips moved together. With that brilliance came a feeling of completeness, like coming home to a place he hadn’t realized existed.
Yours By Christmas: Park City Firefighter Romance Page 9
