Page 26 of Quid Pro Beau

Finally, Beau turns to face me. “You alright?” he asks.

I nod.

“I could’ve kicked his ass, but I figured you’d prefer I not be violent.”

“Probably best that way. Though if anyone ever deserved an ass kicking...”

“I’d wager he got a few growing up,” Beau says with a smirk.

That makes me smile.

He steps closer to me. “So I need you to know,” he starts.

I brace myself for him to admit that he was just saying things that sounded good in the moment.

“I realize that just because I’m choosing you doesn’t mean you’re choosing me in return,” he says. “I’ve never done anything like this before, and I fully admit I have no idea what I’m doing. But I do know, with a certainty in my bones, that I will never not want you. I will never stop hoping that someday maybe you’ll feel a fraction for me of what I feel for you.”

I look up at his beautiful face and smile. “What are you saying, Beau?”

“I’m saying that I know it’s fast and I can’t make any sense of it, but I know what I feel. I’m in love with you, Daisy Harrington. I don’t ever want to be away from you from this day forward.”

He closes the distance between us, but instead of kissing me, his hands go to my bump.

“I’m saying that I have no idea how to be a father since the only one I ever knew did nothing but mark my body. But I’m a fast learner, and once I’m dedicated, I’m all in. No looking back. No regrets. I love both of you, and I’d be so fucking honored if you’d let me be a part of y’all’s lives.”

I cup his face. “Of course I choose you, you beautiful, sweet man.”

“Well, fuck,” Flynn’s voice comes from behind Beau.

I was so lost in Beau’s admission that I didn’t even hear my brother and Temple arrive.

Beau spins to see his friend.

“I can’t very well beat on you after an admission like that.” He steps forward, using those extra few inches he has on Beau’s height. “Just promise me you meant it.”

“Every fucking word,” Beau says.

“Babe, I think you’re ruining their special moment,” Temple whispers not so quietly from behind Flynn. She looks around my brother’s stupid body and gives me a wink.

“I thought I was going to have to kick his ass,” Flynn says.

“You still can,” Beau says. “I mean I did pursue her. I convinced her to foster Mouse and ended up getting her evicted from your cabin.”

“What do you mean she fostered Mouse?” Flynn asks. “That’s your dog.”

I look up at Beau, brows raised. “That explains so much about Mouse’s behavior.”

“Sorry I lied, Little Mama. But you stood on that sidewalk and told me you were afraid of being by yourself and weren’t sleeping. It was the only thing I could think of. I knew you wouldn’t just take my dog.”

I throw my arms around his neck and pepper his face with kisses. “That’s the sweetest thing ever. I love you too, you know.”

“Yay, happy endings all around,” Temple says.

“Wait, does this mean I’m evicted from my cabin?” Flynn asks.

“We’ll figure it out,” Temple says, grabbing his hand. “Life is an amazing adventure.”

“A very unexpected and wonderful adventure,” I say, looking up into the eyes of the man I love.