The Chase

“You really want to help?” Beck asked Gloria. “Stop giving us shit and let us see her.”

“I haven’t even started giving you shit. I’ll give you a pass for not telling Heavenly about our marriage, but that would have saved her a lot of heartache. Bless her.” The vixen’s face filled with empathy. “When she got here, that poor girl was as confused as we were when we went to Italy without knowing a lick of Italian.”

Beck chuckled softly. “I remember.”

“Meeting Buddy helped.” Gloria paused. “She’s in love with you both.”

Seth’s heart lurched. “She said that?”

Gloria nodded. “But if your testosterone fest when you walked in was any indication, I’m not surprised she feels overwhelmed. I know you want to protect her, but the girl has to breathe. And you know the old saying, if you love something—”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Beck warned, pointing a thumb in his direction. “Seth already threatened to break my jaw if I did.”

“It’s a dangerous world.” And he refused to apologize for wanting to keep Heavenly safe. “You and I both know that.”

Gloria cocked her head. “Have you two tried compromising?”

“She didn’t really give us a chance,” Beck argued.

“So we’re here to fix that,” Seth added. “But she’s too damn young and innocent to drive to Wisconsin alone.”

Beck’s wife shook her head. “She might be naive, but I’ve seen plenty of girls her age with less grit. She’s stronger than you’re giving her credit for. She’ll be fine.” When he opened his mouth to argue, she glared. “Save it. You’re not going to stop her from spreading her father’s ashes.”

“We know.” Beck sounded as thrilled as Seth felt.

Buddy returned and handed out brimming glasses of whiskey. “I’m a damn good mechanic, boys. That pretty little Audi out there won’t run come morning if I pluck out a couple of fuses. Just saying…”

That suggestion was music to Seth’s ears. “I like the way you think.”

“You must be sly, like my Buddy.” Gloria laughed.

Seth sipped his whiskey. “I prefer creative.”

Beck turned his way. “Well, if compromise doesn’t work, now we’ve got a Plan B.”

The redhead’s chuckle turned throaty. “I hope you’ve learned to lie with more finesse than you had at seventeen when you ‘found’ the flat-screen that fell off the back of a truck.”

Beck rolled his eyes. “You heaved that perfectly good TV out the front door and busted it to shit.”

“Damn right, I did. I didn’t take you in off the streets, put a roof over your head, clothe and feed you, hire the best fucking tutors in the city, and send your straight-A ass to school so you could wind up in jail.”

“You know I’m forever grateful, sweetheart.”

She smiled, the snark in her expression replaced with love. “I do, and you never need to thank me.”

Seth tipped back his glass and emptied it, studying the pair. He could see a hundred reasons Beck and Gloria were incompatible as lovers—not the least of which was figuring out who was on top. But Beck clearly loved her for her big heart. Since the woman wasn’t the type to candy coat anything, he’d also bet every dollar in his pocket that Gloria had been equally blunt with Heavenly.

After the doctor drained his whiskey, he stood. “We’re going up to see Heavenly now. Don’t stop us.”

Gloria planted her dainty hands on her hips. “If you wake her up, I’ll rip both your balls off.”

“We won’t,” Seth assured, though it wouldn’t be easy to keep his word.

“I promise,” Beck grumbled. “Then we need some goddamn sleep.”

Gloria nodded. “You two look whipped. But…you might want to get a hotel.”

“Why? You have plenty of spare rooms in this big-ass house.”