“Anything for my two girls.” David had loved saying “two girls.”

“You’re a nice girl, Livia. Love is sacred. Hold onto it. I know a lot at my age. Everything else fails you—money, possessions, sex. But love never fails.”

“I hope you know how rare a girl like Livia is.”Blake nodded, but said nothing.“I’ve only met a few souls as crystal clear as hers,” Bea continued. “One of them was my Aaron; we were married for sixty-two years. Souls like that, my boy, are a gift. Cherish her.”“I will.” Blake stood and gave Bea a formal bow only he could get away with.”

“Remember two eighty-six. Livia now counted on the same sort of feverish, rain-soaked determination that had driven Blake to the train station for smile number two hundred eighty-six. Please be there. He has to be there.”

“So David and my baby were ‘collateral damage’?” Eve took small, sharp breaths.”

“Number 134 was one of the best. Livia had dropped her cell phone and cursed quietly, but creatively: “Hairy-ass bitch.” She’d felt Blake’s watchful eyes on her and given him an embarrassed smile. Number 134 made Blake realize she was a real, live girl.On that day he’d had hope. Maybe a girl flawed enough to curse would someday say hello out loud. To him.”

“Where’s the bride-to-be?” Beckett held his arms open for Kyle and gave her a gentle hug. “Good on you, Fairy Princess, making an honest man out of my boy here. Jesus was treating him like shit; he was never getting laid. I hope you two have a million damn kids and name them all Beckett, boys or girls.”Kyle returned the hug and smirked. “We might name our dog Beckett, if you’re lucky.”Beckett laughed a bit too loudly. He seemed desperate to make up for lost time.”