It was so hard to choose. Beckett was more than patient, giving her time to peruse, second-guess, and try to see every little thing. In the end, she chose the bowl because its bright colors would always remind her of this day. Gwen wrapped it in several layers of paper. She also chose a small pewter statue. It had a squat, square base to hold the little sign that readSMILE.
Outside the store, Beckett carefully packed Presley’s purchases in his backpack.
“You showed great restraint,” he told her, his lips twitching.
“You have no idea. I could have spent a month’s paycheck there.”
Settling his backpack on his shoulders, he pulled a small paper bag out of his pocket.
“What’s that?”
His smile was soft and sweet, intimate in a way she’d never felt. The kind she hadn’t seen him give anyone else since she’d arrived. “Something you missed.”
She took the bag, opened it. Inside, wrapped carefully in tissue paper, was a tiny silver charm of a hashtag. Tears filled her gaze when she looked up at him.
“I love it.”
He shifted his stance, ran a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing. Just something that reminded me of you. I don’t know if you have a bracelet or anything.”
Presley wrapped her arms around his waist, settling her head on his chest, breathing through her nose so she didn’t cry. She clutched the hashtag charm in her palm, listening to the gentle thud of Beckett’s heartbeat under her ear.
“It’s perfect.”
His hands rubbed up and down her back like he was soothing them both. After pressing a kiss to her head, he cleared his throat, stepped back. “How about a late lunch?”
She nodded, sniffled just a little. “Sounds great.”
After a delicious meal of fish and chips, they walked back to the bike where they’d left it at the entrance of the strip.
He grabbed her helmet first, tucked it onto her head.
“You okay?” He grabbed his own helmet.
Fastening the chin strap, she nodded—not a smart idea. She nearly pinched her chin. “I’m good. I think Rylee would love it here.”
“She means a lot to you,” he said, pulling the bike from the rack. “Any other best friends back in the city?”
She shook her head.
“Any close cousins?”
“No cousins at all, actually. Both of my parents were only children.”
Beckett pursed his lips, stared out at the water. “My siblings both drive me nuts. Less so now that we’re older, but growing up, man, they drove me crazy.” He grinned at her. “Don’t tell them, but I like them both quite a bit now.”
Laughter replaced the almost-gloomy feeling in her chest. “I won’t tell. Where to now?”
“Thought we’d head back to my place?” His phone rang before they could get on the bike.
He slid his thumb across the screen. “Hey, Jilly. What’s up?”
Presley could hear murmurs through the phone and knew immediately from Beckett’s expression and words that something was up and he’d once again change his plans for his family. Why did that make him sexier? He paced away from the bike, staring out at the water.
“We’re at Tourist Lane. What happened? Is he okay? We have to grab our stuff from my place, but we’ll be back within the hour.”
He hung up and sighed, still looking out at the water. She gave him a minute, wringing her hands together with the need to help however she could.
“Beckett?”
