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“Thank you.” His smile brightened. “We should formalize this new agreement somehow. How about I finger you under the table?”
When he winked again, I felt it in the pit of my belly. After that, we somehow returned to normal. We ate seven bite-sized courses without a lull in our conversation. I told Beck all about my upcoming trip to Utah with Louise, lunch with his happy-go-lucky brother, and how I’d approved the final edits to my latest coffee table book that afternoon. He told me stories about some deals he was working on. After he paid the check, he stood and held his hand out to help me up. Once I was on my feet, he yanked me close, right at the table.
“Was tonight so bad? Did it kill you to share a meal with me?”
“No.” I smiled. “I actually had a really good time.”
“Good.” He crushed his lips to mine in the same possessive manner he did when we were in private. It made my knees a little weak.
Outside, Beck lifted his arm to call a cab. “How about we go back to your place so you aren’t traveling home late, since your flight is so early.”
“Umm… It’s a mess.”
He cupped my cheek. “When you’re underneath me, the place could burn down and I probably wouldn’t notice.”
“Another time, maybe?”
Beck gave me a look. “When I try to pick you up, you don’t let me do that either. I’m starting to think you’re hiding something. Are you sure you’re not married?”
Crap. I forced a smile and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Definitely not married. I just…not my place tonight, okay?”
He looked skeptical, yet nodded. “How about when you get back?”
Not wanting to ruin the evening by saying no now, I decided to deal with that hurdle when we came to it. “Sure. Sounds like a plan.”
CHAPTER 23
Beck
FIVE DAYS LATER,I’d watched the same Bryce Canyon video on Nora’s blog for the fourth time and checked my phone for the tenth time today.
Still no response from her. We’d texted every day since she left, but she’d gone radio silent yesterday morning. At first my messages showed as delivered, although not read, but now they weren’t even showing as delivered anymore. Maybe her phone broke. I figured I was due to check in with Gram directly anyway, so after I tucked Maddie into bed, I poured myself a glass of whiskey and settled into the couch.
Gram answered on the third ring.
“Hey. How’s my favorite girl?”
“Oh, just busy, busy, busy.” I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something in her voice sounded off.
“Busy, huh? What have you been up to the last two days?”
“Just a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”
My grandmother was not shy. She also didn’t talk on the phone for more than five seconds without sarcasm or a zinger being tossed across the line. “You feeling okay?”
“Oh yeah. Great. Never better.”
Silence again.
“How about Nora? All okay with her? I sent her a few messages, but she hasn’t responded.”
“She’s just…feeling a little under the weather.”
I sprang upright. “She’s sick?”
“Probably just too much wine last night.”
My shoulders slumped.Great. Now I’m picturing her at the bar waiting for some Tinder douche.
