AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He did,” Janey said. “He lost it when we moved.”
“Ah,” Quinn said. “Lucky I thought of it, then.” Honestly, she could go back to sleep right here. She’d had three cups of coffee at breakfast, and still …
Beckett said, “I was gone sixty seconds, and she’s already fallen asleep.”
She opened her eyes. “No, I haven’t. I’m awake.” She eyed the box in his hand. It was small. “OK, I’ve stopped worrying that it won’t be appropriate. You had me going there.”
“Nah,” he said. “Saving that for later.” He sat down beside her again. “Open it.”
It wasn’t wrapped. It was a gold box, that was all. Rectangular, and the size of a small paperback. She opened the lid. There was another box inside. A blue velvet one this time.
Her eyes flew to his face. He said, “I bought it in Brissy before we went to the airport.”
“When you said you were going to talk to thepolice?”
“Well, yeah. I had to think ofsomethingto say.”
She opened it. A gold chain with something suspended from it, encased in folds of more gold and shining deep and bright. An irregular trapezoid about an inch long, full of complicated swirls and flecks of blue and green, rich and mysterious as the sea. She said, “It’s an opal. Isn’t it? A beautiful one.”
“Oh,” Bam said, coming to look. “That’s spectacular.”
“I wanted you to have something Australian,” Beckett said. “Something from my heart.”
Her eyes had filled with tears. Stupid pain pills. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I know you can’t wear it now,” he said. “Wait until your neck heals. I thought, something that looks like you. Something unique. Also, something you’d actually wear.”
“You could say I … stuck my neck out for you.” It was getting hard to talk, and not just because of her scratchy voice.
He laughed, bent down, and kissed her. Softly, on the forehead. “Yeah. You did. And I won’t forget it.”
Troy said, “Oh. It’s a necklace.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed, mate,” Beckett said. “She likes it.”
“I thought you were going to ask her to get married,” Troy said. “That’s what I wanted to happen.”
“Troy,”Janey said. “You can’tsay.Besides, he has to do it on a special occasion, not at Christmas. He has to kneel down and everything. He’s not going to do it in front ofus.We don’t even know if he’s going to!”
“Oh,” Troy said. “But I want Quinn to marry us.”
“Shecan’tmarry—” Janey said.
“No,” Beckett said. “That’s OK.” He was laughing, but looking a little nervous, too. No wonder.
“Don’t worry,” Quinn told him. “I can tell you without reservation that I’m absolutely thrilled with my necklace. Never mind about the kneeling down.” She had to laugh too, though. Janey looked soshocked.
“Nah,” he said. “That’s not what I’m worried about. I’m just worried you’d say no. In front of your parents and all, too. Not sure my ego can stand it.”
“Wait. What?” Now she was staring at him.
Bam stood up. “Well, I think it’s about time to get those breakfast dishes done and put that turkey in the oven. You want to come help me, kids? Cash, you probably need to—”
“You don’t have to draw me a map,” he said, getting to his feet. “Or think up something for me to do. Go chop wood in the snow? No, thanks. Gas up the snowblower? Already did it. I’ll go read the newLongmirein my den, how’s that?”
“That’ll do,” Bam said. “Let’s go, kids. Turkey’s waiting.”
58
