Gia relayed the gist of the fight.
“He wouldn’t even let me explain what Paul was doing here in the first place, though being my attorney he should have figured it out.” Gia took a sip of her tea and her eyes widened.
“I hope you don’t mind a little whiskey in your tea,” Phoebe smiled. “It seemed appropriate.”
“Bless you,” Gia sighed and took another sip.
“What is Paul doing here?” Franklin asked.
“He starts a new gig in the city next week and swung through to sign the guardianship papers for Evan. I thought he could spend some time with the kids, you know, present a united front to Evan when we explain what the paperwork means. I don’t want him thinking his father just abandoned him.”
“Did you give Beckett a heads up that Paul was coming?”
Gia shook her head. “That would have required Paul telling me he was coming and not just showing up fifteen minutes before Beckett knocked on the door. I’d left Paul a voicemail yesterday asking if he’d be up for a visit soon.”
Phoebe closed her eyes and shook her head, her stubby ponytail twitching. “And Beckett decided that Paul was here because he wants a second chance.”
“And he feels very strongly that I should give him one.” That stung as much as anything. Not only had Beckett accused her of selfishly splitting up her family, but he walked away from her without a look back. Just like Paul.
“Dad, did I give up too quickly with Paul?” She shoved the words out before she could bury them again. “Would the kids be better off if I had stayed?”
Her father took her hand, squeezed it reassuringly. “I know you kept quiet about many of the details about why you and Paul ended things, but your sisters have big mouths. What does your gut tell you? Do you think you should have stayed?”
Gia closed her eyes, went back to that night again in her mind. She was already shaking her head. “No. If anything I should have done it sooner.” She opened her eyes, blew her nose again. “So what do I do? Evan and Aurora love Beckett. But he just walked away. He didn’t even try.”
Phoebe picked up her mug and Gia could have sworn she heard her mutter “asshole.”
Franklin squeezed her hand again. “It sounds to me like he’s hurting. The Beckett Pierce that I know is a rational, loyal, kind man. Usually the only thing that can turn men like that into raving lunatics is love. You must really matter to him to have him act like such an idiot.”
Gia gave her father half a smile. “Thanks, Dad.”
“He’s a good man, honey. Give him a little time to realize how stupid he was and I promise everything will work out.”
She heaved a mighty sigh. “Thanks for letting me barge into your quiet evening like this. Both of you,” she said.
“I’m glad that we’re close enough for barging in. I’ve missed you and your sisters. Missed being needed.”
Gia crawled over and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’ll never not be needed, Daddy.”
Franklin and Phoebe waved a stronger, steadier Gia off from the porch. Phoebe was already dialing her phone as Gia eased away from the curb.
“Now, who are you calling at this hour?” Franklin asked, sliding an arm around her waist.
“I’m calling in the reserves,” Phoebe said. “My sons have a diabolical stubborn streak that doesn’t usually right itself. Beckett’s going to need a pretty good push.”
31
Beckett refused to look at his phone when he got out of bed the next morning. He had no desire to see any apology texts or voicemails from Gianna. And then — when he finally broke down at lunch and checked — he was even more pissed to find there were none.
It was only a matter of time before the whole town knew they were through. Ellery had certainly gotten the message loud and clear that morning when he’d told her not to worry about finishing Evan’s guardianship papers before slamming his office door.
She’d communicated with him via email for the rest of the morning.
He felt bad about being a dick to the one woman he could always count on and offered to buy her lunch. He gave her extra cash and ordered a smoothie from OJ’s just to keep her out of the office a little longer so he could fester in peace.
He couldn’t believe Gianna would do this to him. Just as he’d been thinking about the future …
Thinking about their future got him knocked on the ass by her past. Her present, he corrected himself. Paul was back. And no matter what Gianna’s argument was, Beckett wasn’t going to step between a man and his family. Not one that had the opportunity to be reunited.