Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
When a fat tear rolled down her cheek, Beck reached up and caught it. “Don’t cry. You’ll mess up your makeup, and Giorgio will beat us both with a tube of mascara.”
Gloria choked out a watery laugh as she cupped his cheek. “I’m trying not to, but you don’t understand.”
“What, the power of mascara?”
“Stop. I’m being serious. You’re the one who saved me.”
“From nasty-assed johns. Yeah, I know. That was our deal.”
“No. You saved my life.” She swallowed tightly and glanced at Buddy, who looked impatiently at his watch. “I lied to you all those years ago.”
“About?”
“My parents didn’t kick me out at thirteen because I was running with the wrong crowd.” A pained expression marched across her face. “I left because my dad got me pregnant. He’d been sexually abusing me as far back as I could remember.”
With shock slamming his system, Beck did his best to keep his expression even. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Gloria gaped incredulously.
Beck understood then. “Ah, Messiah City.”
“You’d just escaped a whole clan of child molesters. I didn’t want you thinking me a victim like the women and girls you’d left behind.”
“What happened to your baby?”
“I miscarried ten days after I hitchhiked here.”
“I’m sorry.” He frowned.
“It was for the best. Truly. I could barely take care of myself.”
Beck nodded in understanding, then quirked a brow. “I still don’t get how I saved your life.”
“The night you ran into me, nearly knocking me off my stilettos?” She weakly smiled. “It was going to be my last.”
“Your last night turning tricks?”
“No, my last on earth,” she whispered. “I was tired of selling my body. Tired of aching for someone to love me for me, not my pussy or my mouth. When you came barreling around that corner and chased that horrible john away, I knew it was a sign from God or whoever’s out there pulling the strings. I had a more important job to do.”
“To save me?”
She nodded, a melancholy smile softening her face. “And let you save me right back.”
Beck leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he swallowed back emotion. Then he eased away and smiled. “And now that we’ve served our purpose and saved one another, I get the honor of placing your big, beautiful heart in the hands of a man who, no doubt, loves your pussy and your mouth, but loves you—the real you—even more. Thank you for asking me to walk you down the aisle and give you away.”
“Don’t make it sound like you’re walking out of my life, Kenn—”
“Never,” he assured, cutting her off. “I’m simply letting you go to live the happily ever after you’ve always deserved.”
Gloria dabbed another tear from her cheek, then glanced at Heavenly and Seth. “Seriously, it’s time for you to start living yours.”
“I’m working on that.”
As if hearing his heart, Heavenly glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a loving smile.
“Love Me Tender” began blaring from the surround-sound speakers, filling the room. Beck squeezed Gloria’s hand one final time, then walked beside her as she floated down the aisle. A finality he hadn’t felt when their divorce had become legal wended through his system. This part of his life was over. The only thing ahead of him now was the future. The question was, how did he get it started?
At the altar, Beck kissed her cheek and held her gaze with a warm smile, then placed her hand in Buddy’s before melting back to the nearby pew with Heavenly and Seth.
He was already making plans.
First week of August
“Dinner by the patio?” Heavenly asked as Seth walked in the door after a long day. She was preparing skewers of chicken-and-veggie kabobs. “Beck is on his way. I thought we might cheer him up. He sounded like he had a lot on his mind.”
Seth didn’t have to guess what. A handful of days had passed since Gloria and Buddy’s wedding, and he was still sorting everything that had happened that weekend.
Things between the three of them were changing. Seth wasn’t ready.
Since the Vegas nuptials, Beck’s impatience to get on with their future had become almost palpable. It wasn’t what the surgeon said. In fact, he’d been surprisingly mute since Seth had confessed the relevant parts of his past a few months back. And Heavenly, bless her, was always sweet and understanding. But he wasn’t stupid. He’d seen her wistful tears as Gloria and Buddy exchanged vows. He’d noticed her melancholy after co-hosting Raine’s baby shower with Liam’s mom and sisters, Rosaleen and Shauna. Though his angel wasn’t pushing or complaining, he sensed she was ready to start making their future permanent and expanding their family.
The notion broke him out in a cold, terrified sweat. Well, not actually committing to Heavenly and Beck. No question he wanted to spend the rest of his life with them, despite the fact it might kill his very Catholic mother. He loved his angel, and the life he and Beck had forged with her made him happier than he’d ever been.