Battling Beckett

by T Christensen

  There was a long pause, which was making Greer really uncomfortable. Finally, Beckett laughed ruefully. “You must think I am a real asshole. We need to talk about what you heard last night.”

  Surprised with his bluntness Greer looked up to see him run a hand down his face. His hand came down and they studied each other. Greer wasn’t sure how to answer and decided the moment deserved honesty.

  “I don’t want to talk about last night.” She looked at Beckett fiercely. She meant what she said. Beckett tightened his lips. When it looked like he was about to argue, Greer continued talking, hoping to distract him.

  Her voice softened. “I did think you were an asshole, at first.”

  With her softly said confession Beckett stilled and his features smoothed out, concentrating on her.

  “I get it. Now.”

  This caused Beckett’s eyebrows to rise. She took a moment to let the realization filter through her brain that she had never seen him so expressive. In the past, his cold stare or expressionless face was what she saw.

  “I was feeling sorry for myself. I was the one who had to move away from my home and friends. I was the one who had to attend a new school my senior year. From my viewpoint, your life wasn’t changing at all and I couldn’t understand why you hated me.”

  “Greer,” his soft rumble ran across her skin. Hopefully, the shiver that ran through her wasn’t apparent.

  She held up her hand. “No. Let me finish,” Greer said, determinately, and watched him take a breath.

  “Fine. But then it’s my turn and you will listen.”

  Greer wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he had to say after what was clearly a warning, but she was done taking the coward’s way out. She gave a quick nod.

  “It has been you and David for a long time and all of a sudden my mom and I are here. Not only are we here, but suddenly you are expected to look out for me and take care of me.”

  Beckett’s non-answer gave her all of the confirmation she needed. He had done it because it was expected of him, not because he had wanted to.

  Greer broke the eye contact, looked down, and finished what she needed to say.

  “That was unfair and I’m sorry. I am not your responsibility. I’ll still be living here, but I don’t think we will see very much of each other.”

  She snuck a peek up and saw Beckett’s jaw clenched. “I asked about living with Lexi—but it hurt my mom, Beckett. Regardless of what you think of me, my mom loves your dad and I don’t want her feeling guilty about me. She has given up so much for me and now it is her time.”

  Greer’s heart was thumping in her throat and she looked at Beckett, watching him study her. He raised a questioning eyebrow. Greer shakily nodded.

  “I was an asshole, Greer, plain and simple. You don’t need to sugar coat it for me.”

  Greer watched in a daze as Beckett advanced, raising his hand to her cheek and stroked her cheekbone. She fought the urge to close her eyes and simply enjoy his touch.

  “I don’t hate you.”

  The simple words caused tears of relief to burn in her eyes.

  “Thank you.”

  Two hands came up to cradle her head. “I want you to go to Oak High. You don’t need to spend your money on a car. Go to Oak High and I can take you.”

  Everything in her was screaming to say yes. Go to Oak High, let Beckett keep touching you. Slowly she brought her hands up to lock around his wrists.

  Gently, she tugged his hands down. “I will never forget how you saved me. Now I need to not interfere in your world. It’s enough that you don’t hate me.”

  Before she flung herself in his arms Greer walked around him, down the stairs, and out the door. She walked and walked to regain her will and composure.

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  Chapter 31

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  The first week back at Public High was done. Greer closed the door of her faded red, ten-year-old Toyota Corolla. She turned it on, cranked up the air conditioner, and leaned against the headrest. Everything at Public was how she remembered it, and she loved it.

  A couple of people had welcomed her back, but there were no snide remarks, no lingering gazes or whispers as she passed. Best of all, she had gone to the bathroom. She kept putting it off, until it had become a necessity, and it had still taken everything in her to enter.

  Lexi opened the passenger door and bounced into the seat. “I love that you got a car!”

  “Me too!” It was so freeing to be able to come and go as she needed. If she had agreed to this the first time David had brought it up, life would have turned out differently. Her heart gave a familiar tug thinking of Oak High and Beckett.

  “Home or Oak High?” Lexi’s car was in the shop for new tires today. Lexi often went to Oak High after school to see Jason after his practice. Greer was happy they were still dating, but also jealous. Her stupid heart still wanted Beckett.

  She had done her best to be gone or unavailable when Beckett was around. He had sent her texts, which she had answered as briefly as possible. She had a stack of pre-packaged breakfast items in her room. When she wasn’t at Lexi’s she was in her room. She had a feeling Beckett’s guilt was getting the best of him and she didn’t want his guilt to be the reason he wanted to talk to her.

  “Home. I’m going to get ready for the game and then Pepper and I are going to watch our guys!”

  With hesitancy, Lexi continued, “Are you sure you don’t want to go? People always ask about you. They miss you.”

  Greer snorted, “They miss the gossip I bring.” She missed being with Lexi and Pepper, but she did not want to be the center of attention. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself, she missed watching Beckett on the field. His intensity and focus were just as hot as his body.

  Greer shook her head regretfully. “I’ll be watching through the school’s YouTube channel though.”

  Lexi studied her thoughtfully and Greer let out a relieved breath when all Lexi said, was, “Okay.”

  Greer watched Lexi hop out of the car and stride up to her apartment complex. Right before she entered, Lexi turned and waved exuberantly. Greer smiled at her craziness and then pulled away to head to work.

  She had just pulled onto the main road and was waiting at a stop light when her body was thrown forward. Her seatbelt caught her momentum, and she was jerked back into her seat, but not before her head hit the steering wheel. Just as she was starting to make sense of what happened, another car hit the front corner of her car, sending her sideways. This time her head hit the driver’s side window.

  After that Greer existed in a bubble. She responded to the knocks on her window with a weak smile she was okay, got out and looked at the crumbled back end of her car, and the smashed in front passenger corner. She waited with detached calm for the police and assured the person who had run into the back of her car that she was fine.

  When she was done sitting in the cop car, to give her version of the what happened, she sat on the curb. As she sat there staring at her car, she knew there was too much damage to be repaired. A gentle hand on her arm pulled her attention from the latest nightmare in her life. She looked over and saw Officer Bills sitting on the curb next to her.

  “Have you called your mom or dad, Greer?”

  “Oh, no.” She reflexively pulled her phone out of her pocket and went to her favorites. Beckett’s name drew her gaze and she smiled wondering how he had made it to her favorites. Her shaking finger hovered over his name. It was like she was conditioned to call him in times of crisis. He made her feel safe and protected and right now she really wanted to feel that way.

  She dragged her finger over ‘Mom’ and pushed the work number. When she got voicemail, she disconnected. If she left a message explaining what happened, Greer knew her bubble would disappear and she would break down. She could only explain once, so her finger found David’s name.

  “Hello, Greer?”

/>   Greer registered David’s surprise and realized she was interrupting his work. “David, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’ve been in a car accident and I need a ride.”

  She heard his sharp inhale, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Can you come get me?”

  She closed her eyes and silently prayed he could. There wasn’t anyone else to call and she just wanted to go home.

  “Greer,” David’s voice was soft but demanding.

  She smiled. That was where Beckett got it. “Greer, is there a police officer nearby that I can talk to?”

  She silently held her phone out to Officer Bills, who had been hovering close to her. She let the conversation drift over her and stared at everything except her car.

  The next thing she was aware of was the tingling awareness in her body. When she raised her head to find the source, she encountered the worry and the deep bronze eyes she had been thinking about.

  “Greer, are you okay?”

  She nodded her head at the same time she felt the wetness on her cheeks. He had come.

  Her hands were gripped and pulled. She stood up and threw her arms around Beckett’s waist and buried her face in his hard chest.

  Beckett stiffened and then his arms wrapped his arms around her, surrounding her with his distinctive smell. “Come on, Greer, let’s get you home.”

  She nodded and didn’t move. Beckett moved to her side, keeping one arm around her and led her to his truck. He lifted her up, wiped the tears off of her cheeks, and strode around to the driver’s side.

  When the truck was started Beckett reached over the console and linked their hands together. Greer took a deep breath and drew on his strength the entire ride home.

  As they got closer and closer to home, Greer’s bubble shrank, and her brain clicked back on. “I thought David was coming. What happened?”

  “He was in a meeting.”

  “Oh.” Greer’s brows crinkled. She wondered why he had answered his phone.

  Beckett’s fingers tightened, trying to regain her attention. “When you called, he knew it was important.”

  “How would he know that?”

  Beckett barked a laugh, “Greer, you and your mom are the most independent people I know. If you were calling my dad, in the middle of the day, it was important.”

  “I tried calling my mom but she didn’t answer.”

  “David was excited.”

  At Greer’s skeptical look, Beckett threw her a devastating grin.

  “It’s true, Greer. You Smith women seem to have that effect on us. He wasn’t excited that you were in an accident, he was worried. He was excited because you called him. He would have left the meeting if I wasn’t available.”

  “Oh. Thanks for coming. You must have missed football, I’m sorry.”

  They were slowing down at a stoplight and Beckett didn’t respond until he had come to a full stop. He turned his head and held her attention. “I’m not. I’m glad Dad called. I wish you would have called me.”

  She searched his eyes and face. He was serious and Greer didn’t know what to make of that. The weight of their joined hands on the console became the focus of her attention. She slowly pulled away and felt the loss.

  Why would he wish she had called him? How did she reconcile the fact that she had been pushed on him, but now he seemed genuine in his desire to be with her? It didn’t make sense. But for now, she didn’t want to think about it. She was just going to accept this peace between them.

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  Chapter 32

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  She should have known the peace between them wouldn’t last. It started on Saturday evening at the supper table when Beckett asked, “How are you going to get to school on Monday?”

  With a jolt, she realized she hadn’t thought about it. It was back to the bus or maybe calling Lexi. She didn’t like that option. It would mean Lexi would have to go the opposite way from school to come and get her.

  “I have three cars sitting in the garage that would love to be used,” David reminded the table quietly.

  Those ‘cars’ included a vintage Mustang and a $60,000 Cadillac. She was upset over crashing a $7,500 car, and it hadn’t been her fault. There was no way she was driving one of David’s.

  “David, thank you, but I’m still not comfortable driving them.”

  She held her breath, waiting for his objection. He was studying her, and Greer knew his lawyer brain was at work trying to figure out how to convince her.

  “She can take my truck,” Beckett announced into the tension.

  Greer didn’t even have to think about it, she turned her head and made her own declaration, “No.”

  In a heartbeat, the familiar tension raised its head and Greer and Beckett were having a stare off. Beckett’s eye’s narrowed and his jaw clenched.

  “Yes. You are not riding the bus.”

  Her own jaw clenched. She hated that he seemed to be reading her mind with increased ability. “I didn’t say I was.”

  “Are you going to ask Lexi to drive the opposite way of school to come get you?”

  Damn him. Tightly, she responded, “I didn’t say that either, Beckett.”

  Beckett narrowed his eyes and said, “Stay there.” He reinforced his demand with a hard look, and abruptly pushed his chair back, and left the table.

  She inhaled sharply and bit her lip to keep from screaming at him. Did he seriously just order her to stay in her chair? The urge to go after him and give him a piece of her mind was strong, but she resisted.

  Greer glanced at her mom and David to see what their thoughts were and the anger sizzling through her ended and caution reared its head. Her mom was biting her lip like she was trying not to smile, but her eyes could not hide her amusement.

  She looked at David. He was studying the door Beckett had disappeared through and then those thoughtful eyes turned to her. She squirmed under his contemplative gaze.

  Before she could figure out their reactions, Beckett returned and slammed something down in front of her. When his hand uncovered keys she promptly forgot about Vivian and David and jumped up to meet Beckett’s battle stance.

  She craned her neck up and pointed at the keys. Making sure she made contact with his determined eyes she slowly enunciated, “I am NOT taking those keys.”

  Beckett didn’t look fazed by her pronouncement. “Yes. You are.”

  Her temper was finally lost and just as she opened her mouth to let him have it, her mom interjected, “Greer, I think it is the best solution until your car is fixed.”

  Three sets of incredulous eyes turned Vivian’s way. Greer couldn’t believe her mom, of all people in the room, was suggesting she take Beckett’s truck.

  With a slack jaw, she asked the question uppermost on her mind, “Then how is Beckett going to get to school, Mom?”

  All her mom did is look at David and he answered. She usually found it enduring that David seemed to anticipate all of her mom’s needs, but in this instance, she wasn’t pleased. “Beckett and I will talk.”

  She wanted to argue but knew her stubborn mom wouldn’t change her mind. Greer made the mistake of looking at Beckett to see his smug face beaming down at her. With a growl, that she hoped didn’t make its way past Beckett’s ears, she grabbed his keys and stomped off to her room.

  “I better go talk to her,” Vivian said, unfazed by her daughter’s temper. As she was walking out of the room she turned back. “Thank you, Beckett.”

  Beckett got the feeling Vivian was thanking him for more than the use of his truck, and it made him uncomfortable. He didn’t deserve her thanks.

  “Sit down, Beckett.”

  He didn’t fool his dad. Beckett sat down and prepared himself to answer the questions he knew were coming. David didn’t hold back. He started with the difficult one.

  “What is going on between you and Greer?”

  He steeled himself and loo
ked his dad in the eye. “Very little, right now. I want more.”

  “She can’t be just another girl. I love her mother—and by extension, Greer. I would do anything for Vivian and that includes watching you to protect Greer. Do you understand that, Beckett?”

  “Strangely enough, I do, Dad. I was wary of both of them coming to live with us, you know this.”

  His dad nodded his head acknowledging their conversation. Beckett sat back and thought about how to put his feelings into words. “I don’t know what happened. Greer just worked her way under my skin.”

  Beckett remembered with a small smile Greer walking through the halls of Oak High trying to look invisible. Never once did it work. His body tensed just remembering the guys’ lustful gazes.

  “Even though she fights me every step of the way, she makes me want to slay all of her dragons. It’s like she has a quiet dignity that no one can take away from her.”

  When she broke down in my arms after the crash it made me feel like a warrior. She finally trusted me enough to be vulnerable. It was the greatest victory he’d ever known. He looked up from the table and noticed his dad’s small smile.

  “She drives me crazy when she won’t let me help.”

  His dad’s smile grew as his irritation continued to grow.

  “I’m loaning her my truck. It’s not like I’m making her take it as a gift. Most people wouldn’t think twice about it. What is the big deal?”

  David outright laughed, “Now I know you got it bad. That sounds just like a conversation I had with both Greer and Vivian when Greer started at Oak High about borrowing one of my cars. They both sat there, without getting angry, but as stubborn as can be, saying, ‘No, thank you.’”