He pointed back at the control booth and the house lights dimmed a little as the heavy velvet curtains parted to reveal the screen.
The first picture showed Beckett, Evan, and Aurora mugging for a selfie in Beckett’s kitchen. The next was Aurora carefully swiping bronzer over Beckett’s made up face as he sucked in his cheeks. The crowd laughed loud and long for that one.
Next up was a grinning Evan raking in the poker chips during a card game while Beckett sat back next to him looking proud. Jax was pointing a threatening finger in Evan’s face while Franklin laughed.
“I want my money back,” Jax yelled at the stage.
Summer’s friend Niko had taken the last picture. Gia and Aurora were in Beckett’s arms on the dance floor at the wedding. Niko had captured a very raw, intimate moment and the feelings translated clearly through the lens. A chorus of “awhs” rose up.
“I respectfully withdraw my question,” Julia said, winking at Evan.
Bruce returned to the podium. “I think we’ve got just enough time for one more statement before we put it to a vote. Who’s it going to be?”
“Do you love her?”
The question came from the back of the theater. Gia, along with the rest of the crowd craned her neck to see who it was.
Ellery grinned from the front row of the balcony.
“That’s a valid question,” Bruce announced. “Mr. Mayor?”
Beckett returned to the microphone and looked directly at Gia. “More than anything in this world. My heart is yours. I love you so very much, Gianna. Please forgive me.”
The women in the crowd sighed as one.
Bruce elbowed his way back to the microphone. Beckett sat back down and Gia watched as Evan gave him a hearty thump on the shoulder. And her decision was made.
“Okay folks, let’s put this issue to a vote. Those in favor of Gianna Decker giving Beckett Pierce a second chance, raise your hands and hold them up so we can tally them.”
She could hear the arms going up like a flock of birds taking flight. Evan and Beckett raised their hands on stage.
Bruce and the rest of the council members appeared to be attempting to actually count the votes.
“Well, it would appear that the vote is almost completely unanimous,” he said, looking pointedly at Gia.
“Oh, what the hell?” Gia muttered and raised her hand.
37
He came home with her, after a second unanimous vote to have council members wear powdered wigs. Beckett helped Evan with his homework and told Aurora a bedtime story about dragons and kittens. Gia watched as he gently kissed the forehead of her sleeping little girl and felt the tightness in her chest that had been there for perhaps years finally loosen.
They tiptoed back downstairs. Evan took one look at them and announced he was going to go watch a movie in his room.
“You’re sure I’m not grounded?” he asked Gia from the steps.
“I’m sure. But let’s not make this a habit,” she warned him.
Evan looked to Beckett. “Will you be here in the morning?”
Beckett looked at Gia. “Yeah, he’ll be here,” she told her son.
“Cool,” Evan nodded. “See you in the morning.”
“Night, Evan.”
Unsure of what to do now that they were alone, Gia wandered over to the couch. Beckett busied himself locking the front door and pouring two glasses of wine. He carried them over and settled himself on the couch next to her.
“Where would you like me to start explaining?” he asked.
She threw her head back and laughed. “Let’s start with how did you get these bruises?” She trailed a finger over his jaw, still sharp with stubble.
“Carter and Jax and I beat the shit out of each other in the ring to cheer me up.”
“Did it work?” Gia asked.
Beckett nodded. “I had some sense knocked into me.”
“I can’t believe Summer let you three do that.”
“She was not very happy,” he grinned.
“Okay, so that explains the bruises. Now how did you get the entire town in on this?”
Beckett chuckled. “I was late to the game. They were already in on it, by the time I wised up.” He quickly recounted what Ellery had told him.
“So the reason I couldn’t get into the Facebook group that day — not that I tried to see if there were any posts about you suffering horribly from our breakup,” she added. “Was because the Beautification Committee kicked us out to post a town-wide message about how to handle the situation?”
“Yep. They decided they were going to make sure I was convinced that Paul was the coolest thing since Bob Dylan so I’d feel jealous and insecure.”
“And they wanted to remind me of how great you were — are,” she corrected herself when Beckett pinched her.
“Once everyone had seen the message, they deleted it and let us back into the group. Business as usual.”