Chapter 23

Watching the smile on Nova's face on the little stage made Beckett's heart leap in his chest. The look of peace on her face was undeniable. She was star and he knew it from the moment they met.

Adjusting in her seat Nova strummed a few cords on the guitar before saying, "I'm honored to sing a couple of my son

Watching the smile on Nova's face on the little stage made Beckett's heart leap in his chest. The look of peace on her face was undeniable. She was a star and he knew it from the moment they met.

Adjusting in her seat Nova strummed a few chords on the guitar before saying, "I'm honored to sing a couple of my songs for you tonight. I want to dedicate this first song to Becket and my grandmother. This is a song I used to sing with my granny and was one of her favorites. She was an old hippie who loved music and always had a smile on her face. I hope this brings one to yours. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? By Creedence Clearwater Revival."

As Nova sang the retro song, she was tapping her foot and swaying back and forth as people started singing along. She looked so happy in her element that brought overwhelming pride to Becket as he saw the joy radiating from her.

As she sang one of her own songs, Becket's breathing hitched as he realized it was about him. He couldn't fathom how had he not realized it before. Small hints in the song were about when they were younger and first met. Little conversations only they would have known about. Fight for Me was about him and it wasn't until now that he realized it.

The song was about a fighter whom a girl had fallen in love with. The pain the girl felt because he didn't know her true feelings and how she had to hide it. The song explained how Becket only saw Nova as a child then, but her heart knew she was his from the start. Even as a teenager she knew she was bound to him. She was pleading for him to fight for her that way he fought in the ring. Her words conveyed how desperate she was for him to notice her, and see the woman she had grown to be. Most importantly, how she longed for him to give her the love she craved.

As the song carried on, it told about a night he had found her crying in an abandoned arena. How he held her close trying to comfort her, even though he had no idea he was the reason she cried. He had called her kid in a kind way that night. A simple word made her feel so insignificant.

Becket lowered her head knowing those words were about him. In all these years he had never really taken into consideration that he never gave her the respect she deserved. Yes, she was a few years younger, and he in his early twenties, but her feelings were not any less significant.

Now, here before him singing those words was a grown woman. One he had fought so many years to convince himself that he didn't have feelings for. Sure, years ago it was necessary to keep her at a distance. But now, he had nothing holding him back but himself.

As Nova made her way back to the table, Becket stood and quickly grabbed her into a deep desperate chaste kiss.

"Becket... I…"

"Shhh. Just let me hold you."

Nova felt her heart pounding as he held her close. She snuggled into his arms letting the warmth of his affection surround her. Taking in the feel of his strong arms surrounding her, the smell of his woodsy cologne enveloped her senses. She then realized it was the first time she had felt safe in a man's arms in years.

Becket backed away, wiping a tear from his eye. "Sorry. I guess I was just really connected to your song. I never really heard it sang like that. It... really touched me."

As Nova took a step back, questioning why he would be so emotional until it occurred to her that he must have realized it was about him. She looked around to make sure no one was watching them. Luckily, everyone was paying attention to the next artist on stage.

As she turned her head back to Becket, she saw someone familiar out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly an overwhelming panic hit her like a brick. Becket was looking at the stage and didn't notice the man creeping in the darkness of the small venue.

Liam smirked while raising a glass to her with a smug look of satisfaction. Nova felt her skin crawl as the man slipped away from his table and out the door. He had been watching her the whole time.

"We should go. I'm getting a little tired."

"Yeah. I'm sure Claire is probably wondering where you are."

"Thank you for tonight. I had a really great time. This was perfect."

"You really had a good time?"

Nova nodded with a shy smile but deep down she was just afraid of what could be lurking around the corner. She didn't want Becket to fall victim to Liam's deviant ways. "I had the best time. Really, I need to get back."

"Everything okay?"

"Sure. Just... tired."

Becket leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'm glad you came out with me. I had a nice time too. Let's get you back to the hotel."

***

Once they made their way back they stood outside the hotel suite, Nova seemingly disheveled. She wasn't making eye contact and Becket could tell she was acting odd again. Thoughts of Liam following them were rushing through her mind to the point she couldn't think clearly. There was no way she would allow the evil man to hurt Becket or ruin his reputation. She knew what she needed to do and she was hating herself for it.

"Sweetheart, I wish you would talk to me. I can't fix what's wrong if you don't talk to me. Did I do something wrong tonight?"

"Oh, Beck. No. Of course not. I just… I don't think it's a good idea for us to be seeing each other right now."

"What? Why? I thought you were starting to be more comfortable with me, and thought you had a good time tonight. Was it the kiss at the club? Did I push you too far?"

"No. It's not that. I love being with you. I just really think I need some time to think. I have my first match coming up, and starting a new chapter of my career has been taking a toll. I just don't think I should be seeing anyone right now. Tonight was fun but… I can't."

"I thought we were doing good?"

"We are. I mean… we were. I… I really can't do this right now. I'm sorry."

Nova opened the door and rushed in before Becket could stop her. He stood dumbfounded at what just happened as the door slammed shut. He thought the date went well. Was he that so far off his game that he failed at a simple first date? He stood looking at the door in shock.

Kevin was walking down the hall whistling to himself while opening a candy bar. He saw Becket standing in the hall with his mouth gaped open and a distraught look on his face. "Beck? What's up, man? How was your date?"

Becket turned his head toward his friend, his eyes red from the blow to his ego, while struggling to catch his breath. He was not sure what to think or say. "She doesn't want me. I was wrong."

Becket swallowed hard as Kevin reached him saying, "Oh, man. I'm sorry. Come on, buddy. Let's head to my room and talk. I'm sure that's not true."

"What did I do wrong, Kev? What'd I do wrong?"

"I don't know?" Kevin looked at the door thinking about all that had been going on. "Whatever the reason, I'm sure there is more to it than we realize."

gs for you tonight. I want to dedicate this first song to Becket and my grandmother. This is a song I used to sing with my granny and was one of her favorites. She was an old hippie who loved music and always had a smile on her face. I hope this brings one to yours. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? By Creedence Clearwater Revival."

As Nova sang the retro song, she was tapping her foot and swaying back and forth as people started singing along. She looked so happy in her element that brought overwhelming pride to Becket as he say the joy radiating from her.

As she sang one of her own songs, Becket's breathing hitched as he realized it was about him. He couldn't fathom how had he not realized it before. Small hints in the song were about when they were younger and first met. Little conversations only they would have known about. Fight for Me was about him and it wasn't until now that he realized it.

The song was about a fighter who a girl had fallen in love with. The pain the girl felt because he didn't know her true feelings and how she had to hide it. The song explained how Becket only saw Nova as a child then, but her heart knew she was his from the start. Even as a teenager she knew she was bound to him. She was pleading for him to fight for her that way he fought in the ring. Her words conveyed how desperate she was for him to notice her, and see the woman she had grown to be. Most importantly, how she longed for him to give her the love she craved.

As the song carried on, it told about a night he had found her crying in an abandoned arena. How he held her close trying to comfort her, even though he had no idea he was the reason she cried. He had called her kid in a kind way that night. A simple word made her feel so insignificant.

Becket lowered her head knowing those words were about him. In all these years he had never really taken into consideration that he never gave her the respect she deserved. Yes, she was a few years younger, and he in his early twenties, but her feelings were not any less significant.

Now, here before him singing those words was a grown woman. One he had fought so many years to convince himself that he didn't have feelings for. Sure, years ago it was necessary to keep her at a distance. But now, he had nothing holding him back but himself.

As Nova made her way back the table, Becket stood and quickly grabbed her into a deep desperate chaste kiss.

"Becket... I…"

"Shhh. Just let me hold you."

Nova felt her heart pounding as he held her close. She snuggled into his arms letting the warmth of his affection surround her. Taking in the feel of his strong arms surrounding her, the smell of his woodsy cologne enveloped her senses. She then realized it was the first time she had felt safe in a man’s arms in years.

Becket backed away, wiping a tear from his eye. "Sorry. I guess I was just really connected to your song. I never really heard it sang like that. It... really touched me."

As Nova took a step back, questioning why he would be so emotional, until it occurred to her that he must have realized it was about him. She looked around to make sure no one was watching them. Luckily, everyone was paying attention to the next artist on stage.

As she turned her head back to Becket, she saw someone familiar out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly an overwhelming panic hit her like brick. Becket was looking at the stage and didn't notice the man creeping in a darkness of the small venue.

Liam smirked while raising a glass to her with a smug look of satisfaction. Nova felt her skin crawl as the man slipped away from his table and out the door. He had been watching her the whole time.

"We should go. I'm getting a little tired."

"Yeah. I'm sure Claire is probably wondering where you are."

"Thank you for tonight. I had a really great time. This was perfect."

"You really had a good time?"

Nova nodded with a shy smile but deep down she was just afraid of what could be lurking around the corner. She didn't want Becket to fall victim to Liam's deviant ways. "I had the best time. Really, I need to get back."

"Everything okay?"

"Sure. Just... tired."

Becket leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'm glad you came out with me. I had a nice time too. Let's get you back to the hotel."

***

Once they made their way back they stood outside the hotel suite, Nova seemingly disheveled. She wasn't making eye contact and Becket could tell she was acting odd again. Thoughts of Liam following them were rushing through her mind to the point she couldn't think clearly. There was no way she would allow the evil man to hurt Becket or ruin his reputation. She knew what she needed to do and she was hating herself for it.

"Sweetheart, I wish you would talk to me. I can't fix what's wrong if you don't talk to me. Did I do something wrong tonight?"

"Oh, Beck. No. Of course not. I just… I don't think it's a good idea for us to be seeing each other right now."

"What? Why? I thought you were starting to be more comfortable with me, and thought you had a good time tonight. Was it the kiss at the club? Did I push you too far?"

"No. It's not that. I love being with you. I just really think I need some time to think. I have my first match coming up, and starting a new chapter of my career has been taking a toll. I just don't think I should be seeing anyone right now. Tonight was fun but… I can't."

"I thought we were doing good?"

"We are. I mean… we were. I… I really can't do this right now. I'm sorry."

Nova opened the door and rushed in before Becket could stop her. He stood dumbfounded at what just happened as the door slammed shut. He thought the date went well. Was he that so far off his game that he failed at a simple first date? He stood looking at the door in shock.

Kevin was walking down the hall whistling to himself while opening a candy bar. He saw Becket standing in the hall with his mouth gaped open and a distraught look on his face. "Beck? What's up, man? How was your date?"

Becket turned his head toward his friend, his eyes red from the blow to his ego, while struggling to catch his breath. He was not sure what to think or say. "She doesn't want me. I was wrong."

Becket swallowed hard as Kevin reached him saying, "Oh, man. I'm sorry. Come on, buddy. Let's head to my room and talk. I'm sure that's not true."

"What did I do wrong, Kev? What'd I do wrong?"

"I don't know?" Kevin looked at the door thinking about all that had been going on. "Whatever the reason, I'm sure there is more to it than we realize."