“Well, I brought my dinner up as well since we said we’d eat together. Would you like it in the room or…”
“Why don’t we sit out here on the couches?”
He sets the tray down on the modern-looking glass and metal coffee table, taking the seat across from me. Princess lurks beneath, watching us with those pretty green eyes. Dinner is salmon with béarnaise sauce and steamed vegetables. Two slices of pecan pie with whipped cream sit on the side. My stomach grumbles at the scent of food. So I’ve been surviving on drama and caffeine. As you do.
“Heard you had some visitors today,” he says.
“It was a day, all right. Almost your whole family dropped by. It’s nice that they care. Though I’m a little worried about Henry.”
“Try not to be. Ethan promised to take him snowboarding on the next school break. I might go along with them.”
“That’s a good idea. I think he’d like that.” I spear some potato with my fork. “How did it go talking to the therapist?”
“It was enlightening.” He frowns. “I’m still figuring things through, thinking over what he said. We’ll meet again tomorrow.” I guess my face registers surprise, because Beck nods. “Told you I was serious about fixing things.”
“I know…I just…I don’t know.” Then I make the huge mistake of picking up the khaki-colored drink and taking a sip. “Oh good God, that’s revolting.”
One side of his mouth edges upward into a smile. “Looks it.”
“It’s even worse than the one she made me drink at lunch. Tell me, am I beaming yet? Is my skin translucent and radiant?” I joke.
“Absolutely.”
“Beck…” My timid smile fades as soon as it appears. “You’re not meant to tell lies.”
He pauses. “If you’re imagining you ever look anything other than beautiful to me, you’re wrong.”
I finish chewing my potato, taking my time. Too many feelings, dammit. “You’re beautiful to me too.”
“Thank you.” Which is when my cell starts going off in my back jeans pocket. Like seriously. My whole butt cheek is vibrating.
Beck raises a brow. “Sounds like you should get that.”
“Yeah.”
Mom: You okay?
Me: Yes.
Me: Mostly.
Me: Beck and I are just going through some stuff.
Mom: Sorry to hear that. But it is interesting. Your brother’s mortgage got paid off today and $500k was put in the college fund for your niece.
Me: Huh.
Mom: I also just heard from your old neighbor re your plant she’s looking after. Mrs. Flores won a luxury apartment near the beach in Santa Monica and will be moving. Said she won a sweepstakes.
Me: Wow.
Mom: There’s more. An anonymous donor also funded a new library for my school.
Me: Okay.
Mom: Sounds like someone’s trying to buy his way back into your good graces.
Me: Guess so.
Mom: What do you want to do? Should they accept it?
Me: He can definitely afford it and is doing it willingly, so yes.
Mom: Do you want me to call? Do you want to talk about this?
Me: No. Let me think it over for a while. Thanks.
Mom: xx
It’s a lot to take in. Mrs. Flores will be happy. No more shitty view of the building next door, the stink of the bins, and the city fog. The security it will give my brother and his family is not to be underestimated. Then there’s just the joy that is a new library coming into the world.
“You’ve been busy,” I say, setting aside my phone.
He just keeps on eating.
“College funds and libraries and apartments and all sorts of things.”
He looks up at me from beneath dark brows, but still says nothing.
“Thank you.”
He uses the side of his fork to break apart the fish. “Can I make just one highly apt literary quote without pissing you off?”
“Sure. Why not.”
“‘I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to,’” he says, voice subdued. “‘I can only hope that your good opinion, once lost, is not lost forever.’”
“That’s two literary quotes. Don’t push it.”
“They’re sincerely meant.” His smile is fleeting. “Your friends Natasha and Hanae have also had some unexpected windfalls. They both won hundred-thousand-dollar payouts today.”
“That’ll make a big difference in their lives. By the way, I also did some more research into local and national charities today. I have plans to give away some more of your money.”
“Good. Do it. Hoarding money has yet to actually make anyone in my family happy.” He thinks for a moment. “You wanted to know about the therapist. We talked about my family and you and life in