Chapter Seven
Beck, Eve, and Paisley ate lunch and dinner together every day over the next three weeks. Eve insisting on cooking at least half the nights. Beck loved the way she cooked healthy yet substantial, flavorful meals. He complimented her over and over again on any dish she made.
On Sundays, they went to church together and barbecued in his backyard. Saturdays they spent most of the day together at the lake on a boat Beck had rented, in his backyard pool, or at the ice skating rink respectively. Beck loved their time together and prayed he was making Eve feel secure enough to welcome him fully into their lives. Though he’d spent time in her house she still hadn’t invited him to share in the bedtime routine, or been alone with him so he could finally kiss those inviting lips.
He had three weeks left until his birthday deadline mid-August. He pushed that from his mind often. As he was getting dressed in Eve’s gym locker room on Tuesday mid-morning his phone rang. The screen read Papa Tanner. He smiled but also felt a shot of apprehension. Papa would love Eve and Paisley but he would not understand why Beck hadn’t proposed yet. Three weeks to go. The mere thought made him sweat. He hadn’t even kissed Eve yet and he wasn’t certain he had her complete trust. There was no way he was going to rush their relationship and risk losing the most amazing woman he’d ever met.
“Papa,” he greeted him, buttoning his shirt as he rested the phone in the crook of his neck.
“I’ve been waiting impatiently for a call. Have you found your wife?”
Beck pulled out his hair gel and brush from his locker. “I’ve met someone, Papa. I think you’ll love her.”
“I knew it! I’ve been praying hard to the saints above, mostly your mom and dad, and my sweet Grace. I figured the good Lord was too busy for an ornery, old coot like me but those three had to help out, especially since they inspired the idea in the first place. When’s the wedding? I hope before August sixteenth.”
Beck pushed out a heavy breath, grateful the locker room was quiet late morning on a weekday. It touched him that his grandpa would pray for him but he didn’t think his parents or grandma would want him to rush into marriage, no matter what Papa thought his angels had told him. Even with a woman as amazing as Eve. “About that… I need more time.”
“Don’t you give me excuses,” Papa huffed. “I told you my parameters and I told you I wasn’t budging. August sixteenth or you lose the inheritance.”
“Papa.” Beck set his things on the counter and stared at himself in the mirror. He knew women thought he was handsome and with his success and financial situation he could probably have his pick of women who were only interested in those things. He could probably also look and find dozens of kind-hearted women who would marry him to help the children. He wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t settle for anyone but Eve. It wasn’t an option. “Eve is amazing but she’s got some… trust issues. I can’t rush her into marriage. You have to give me more time.”
“Time is something neither of us has the luxury of at this point. If she’s the right one she’ll understand the need to rush.”
Beck’s temper flared. “I won’t do it. I’m not pushing Eve into marriage for your money.” And no way did he want Eve to think that was why he was dating her. “Those ugly hyenas can have your billions of dollars.”
Beck thought he heard movement from another section of lockers, but he was too focused on his grandfather’s stubbornness to pay much attention to anything but the phone call.
“I’m giving it to them then,” Papa said.
“Fine. Do it.” Beck’s gut churned. How could the old man be so stubborn? So many children Beck could’ve helped. It hurt him deep down, but he wasn’t going to marry Eve for money. He hadn’t even kissed her. He loved her and he was going to take things slow because that was what she needed.He loved her. The thought took him by surprise even though he knew it was true.
Papa pushed out a disgusted sigh. “I’ll keep praying you can step up and be a man before August sixteenth. If not, the will is changed.”
Beck held on to his self-control, but just barely. “Papa, being a man means doing what’s best for those I love, and taking things slow with Eve is what’s best for her.”
“I’ve always done what’s best for you,” Papa contended with him.
“Really? Special ordering me the car of my dreams, but only giving it to me after Mom and Dad were killed? As if the Bugatti could replace them?” Beck sucked in a breath. He’d never even gone there in his mind let alone flung that at Papa.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You think I was trying to replace them? I was just trying to show you how much I love you, not replace them with an inanimate object, no matter how badly I always knew you wanted that exact car. I’d ordered the car a year before they died. It was the only one of its kind and took them almost a year to build it to perfection. I was trying to plan how to give it to you, and then they died. I didn’t know how else to show you how much I love you.”
Beck heaved out a tired breath. He knew his papa didn’t lie or beat around the bush. He appreciated the words but they didn’t bring his parents back and they didn’t make this marriage push any easier. “Papa. I know you love me.”
Silence hung between them for a few seconds and Beck wished he wasn’t having this conversation in the locker room of the gym.
“And because I love you I know the time is right,” Papa continued. “I feel it. This girl is right. Marry her. Save your fortune from the hyenas. Be happy, my boy.”
“Papa, please. She needs more time. You don’t understand what she’s been through. She needs privacy and to take things slow.”
“Time is the one thing you don’t have, Beckett. Show her you love her and propose. She’ll be ecstatic.”
“No.” He wouldn’t do that to Eve. She wasn’t ready and he might lose her forever if he tried to rush her into marriage.
“Then my money goes to the hideous hyenas.” Papa hung up then.
Beck grunted in frustration and shoved his phone in his pocket. Papa was a good man, but it’d always been his way or the highway. Not this time. Beck was going to put Eve first and pray his grandfather would at least be reasonable enough to give his money to a worthy cause. It was out of Beck’s hands now. Eve and Paisley were his focus now, even more important to him than hockey. He smiled in the mirror despite the frustrating conversation. He was heading to lunch with them soon and then he and Abbie from the daycare had schemed for him to get a dinner date alone with Eve tonight while Paisley played at Abbie’s house. He might finally get that kiss he was craving.
He was happy and in love. He loved his grandfather—the man had been there for Beck throughout every event in his life. Yet if his grandfather couldn’t respect his decision to put Eve first, it wasn’t Beck’s problem.