Chapter Twenty-Six – Avery
Chapter Twenty-Six
AVERY
“Beck? Are you still there?”
The sound of light snoring caused me to smile. Poor guy was so tired he fell asleep while on the phone. I hung up and sent him a text.
Me: You fell asleep. If you wake up and see this, I hope your alarm is set.
When I didn’t get a reply, I sighed. So much for FaceTime tonight. I lifted my cell and took a selfie, being sure the phone was out far enough to get the lingerie I was wearing, then sent it to Beck.
Me: Rain check?
I plugged my phone in and slipped under the covers, falling asleep and wishing I was with Beck, or better yet, he was here with me.
Just as I was falling asleep, my phone went off with a text.
Beck: Baby, I’m so sorry. I’m exhausted. You look insanely beautiful, and I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again. Sleep tight. XoXo
Grinning like a fool, yet feeling like my heart was tearing in two, I sent him a text back that said goodnight. It took everything I had not to type those three words.
“Avery? Avery?”
Jumping at the sound of my name, I glanced over to Emily.
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if Beck had a chance to add that one page to the website?”
Rubbing my eyes, I stretched, then yawned. “Yeah, he said he was going to add it today. I think he might actually get a tiny break. His grandfather has been running him ragged.”
Emily gave me a knowing smile. “I know what’s it’s like to have your guy working all the time. When Doug was doing his internship, I swore he slept more at the hospital than he did at home. Do you know when he’ll be coming back up for a visit?”
I shook my head. “No. It’s been three weeks now, and Beck said his grandfather’s doctor hasn’t released him to work full time yet, even though he’s at the office now. Beck’s still trying to pick up the slack.”
“What about the ex?” Emily asked.
One night, during dinner out with Emily, Mackenzie, and Lily, I’d shared details about Rachel. Her answering his phone that first night, and the fact that she kept asking Beck out, even after he’d said he was seeing someone, and also rejected her during a surprise visit to his office. He’d told me about all of that, and reassured me he wasn’t interested. Still, I hated that she was there with him, and I wasn’t.
“I’m hoping she’s leaving him alone.”
The door to the greenhouse opened, and my father walked in. “Mackenzie said I’d find you both in here.”
“What’s up?” I asked as I pulled off my gloves.
He quickly looked at the rows of flowers that were already growing, and smiled. “This is just after a month? Wow!”
Emily and I both grinned. It even looked like Emily puffed her chest out some.
“The soil will be warmed up enough by late May to start planting out in the field. Since we’re in April now, I wanted to make sure you girls have created your supply list, so you’ll have everything you’re going to need to start planting when the time comes.”
“Beck was going to email me a spreadsheet he’s been working on. I sent him all the information, and he made a rotation schedule for planting.”
Dad smiled. “Does the boy ever find time to sleep?”
I felt a pain in my chest. Beck was constantly falling asleep while we were talking on the phone.
“He’s always falling asleep when we talk at night,” I admitted, and my father shook his head.
“Any clue when he’ll be back?” Dad asked.
I shrugged. “I’m not sure and I don’t think Beck is sure either. I guess when the doctor releases his grandfather to go back to work full time.”
My father’s eyes narrowed, and he gave me a sly smile. “Well, I have an idea about that.”
“What’s that?” I asked, as I pulled the hose down from the roller and started to water one of the rows of cosmos and snapdragons. Emily was watering the rows of strawflower, peonies, and salvia.
“I think you should fly to Texas and surprise him.”
I laughed. “Dad, every penny I’m making at the boutique is being poured into this business. I can’t afford to fly to Texas.”
He raised his brows. “Did you forget Brock has a private plane?”
Turning the water off, I frowned. “What?”
“I spoke with Brock about using his plane for a short weekend getaway. He doesn’t plan on using it anytime soon, and said you’re more than welcome to it.”
Chewing on my lip, I said, “Dad, Beck’s so busy. I’m not sure he’ll have the time for a break.”
“He’ll find the time, trust me. What do you say? Want to do something crazy?”
The inner turmoil was unreal as I weighed the pros and cons. The only real con I could think of was Beck might not be able to get away from work. “I don’t know.”
My father walked up to me and took my hands in his. “Princess…I was talking to your uncles, and we all agree that something doesn’t smell right with Beck’s current situation. I researched his grandfather’s business when he first came to Montana—”
“Dad!”
He held up his hands. “I told Beck all about it. Anyway, it’s a multibillion-dollar company, and there is no way his grandfather is relying on Beck to run the entire show. I think he’s playing him.”
“What do you mean?” Emily asked.
My father looked to her, then back to me. “I mean he’s actively trying to keep Beck from coming back to Montana.”
“Do you have proof of this?”
He raised a brow. “Do you think I’m wrong?”
I chewed on my thumbnail. “Can I ask Beck first about going down there for a visit? I don’t want to just show up.”
He leaned in and kissed me on the forehead. “Of course. Just let me know as soon as you can, so Brock can get his pilot lined up and the flight plan filed.”
Nodding, I said, “I will. Thank you, Daddy. For everything. And I’ll send you that file so you can look over the supply list.”
He winked, then smiled at Emily. “Good seeing you, Em.”
I watched as my friend and business partner blushed. Lifting her hand, she said, “You too, Mr. Littlewood.”
When he raised his brows, she giggled and corrected herself. “Dirk.”
When my dad left, I looked at her with an appalled expression.
“What? I can’t help it if your dad makes me blush! He’s hot as hell.”
I laughed. “He is a good-looking man.”
Later that night, I sent Beck a text to see if he was home. He instantly called.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi! How was your day?”
“It was okay. I got home a little bit ago and just made some dinner. I got your website updated with the Q there’s a table and two chairs on the balcony. It’s still pretty decent weather, so you can sit out there and not sweat.”
We walked farther into a good-size living room. Floor-to-ceiling windows showed a view of downtown Dallas.
“That is one heck of a view.”
Kelsey gazed out and nodded. “It is.”
I glanced around the room and noticed there wasn’t a TV in the living room. There was a sliding barn door on the one wall that led to another area of the apartment, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was the only country thing in the very contemporary home.
“In here, behind the barn doors, is where all the bedrooms are.”
My mouth gaped when she pulled back the barn door to reveal a spiral staircase in the middle of the room. Kelsey totally ignored it, pointing to a door to the left. “That room is a guest space. This room is Beck’s office,” she said, as she opened a door to reveal a stunning office with rich browns and creams.
“And here’s Beck’s room.”
We walked in, and I slowly spun in a circle. Tall ceilings with exposed beams made the space look bigger than it really was. More floor-to-ceiling windows let in so much light, I wondered if there were room-darkening blinds so he could sleep.
The bed was a stunning antique sleigh bed that had crisp white bedding and a red and white quilt at the bottom. I put my suitcase down and followed Kelsey into the bathroom.
“Holy shit,” I said, as Kelsey laughed.
“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”
“It’s nicer than the spa I used to go to in France.”
She grinned.
The walls were covered in brown and cream travertine tile. The floors had a lighter shade of travertine. Double sinks with white bowls that looked like they were floating on top of the concrete counters.
I turned to see a giant walk-in shower that would easily fit ten people. I was already picturing what was going to happen in that shower. My cheeks heated, and Kelsey cleared her throat.
“Okay, well, I have to get back to the office. Do you need anything? The fridge should be stocked, Beck said.”
“No, I’m good. Thank you so much, Kelsey.”
As she made her way toward the living area, I asked, “Oh wait. Where does the spiral staircase take you?”
She grinned, then winked. “I’ll let you discover that one.”
I glanced at it, then quickly followed her to the door. “Remember, I have a food delivery for you coming soon. Don’t forget to text Beck, also.”
“Okay, can you just come back to Montana with me? I could really use someone like you to be my assistant.”
She laughed. “Trust me, if I thought I had a chance to work in Montana, my husband and I would jump at it.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s a writer. He writes mystery novels, so he can work from anywhere. We also have two young kids, and they’re not in school yet, so he also has his hands full there.”
I nodded as I held the door open. “Thank you again, Kelsey. It was so nice meeting you.”
She waved at me and called out, “Toodles!”
The moment the door shut, I raced back to the spiral staircase and ran up. I opened the door at the top and gasped.
“Oh. My. Gosh!”
It was a rooftop terrace—and it was beautiful. The door opened immediately to a covered area that had outdoor furniture. A bar was across the terrace, also covered. Beautiful pots of plants were sprinkled all over, giving it the perfect amount of color. I approached the nearest one and saw there were small micro sprinklers in the pots.
“Smart idea,” I mused as I walked up to the edge. Across from me was the large building that Kelsey said Beck worked in. I wondered what floor he worked on, and if he looked out his office window, would he see me right now?
I smiled and turned to head back into the apartment. I decided not to unpack just yet. Beck hadn’t told me if we were staying at his place this evening and going to the ranch tomorrow, or if we were leaving straight after he got off work.
Not knowing what else to do, I reached into my backpack and pulled out the book I was reading and headed into the living room. The doorbell rang, and I quickly grabbed my purse and headed to open it.
“Hi!” I said to the delivery guy, who was holding a big bag. “How much do I owe you?”
He grinned. “It’s been taken care of.”
“Oh,” I said with a smile. “Let me tip you then.”
He handed me the bag. “Already taken care of too.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Have a good evening,” he called out, as he made his way down the hall.
Kicking the door shut with my foot, I walked into the kitchen and set the bag down. Opening it, I saw it was a huge charcuterie board. My stomach growled.
Turning around, I spied a wine fridge. Opening it, I pulled out a few bottles and settled on a nice Texas merlot. Pouring myself a glass, I brought the board into the living room and placed it on the large coffee table. I sat on the sofa, set my wine down, and crossed my legs.
“Wine. Cheese. Crackers. Meat. And a good book. I’m in heaven.”
I got so lost in the book and snacking on the board, I hadn’t noticed the sun was starting to set in the sky. I looked up and admired the beautiful oranges and pinks streaking across the horizon. Then I jumped when the blinds automatically started to shut.
“Fancy,” I whispered, as I looked at the nearly empty board. “Crap.”
Picking up my phone, I sent Beck another text. I’d sent him one earlier, letting him know that I was at his place, and he’d said he would be leaving in thirty minutes. That was about an hour ago.
Me: Hey! Just checking in. Is everything okay?
When I didn’t hear back from him right away, I figured he was in a meeting. I picked up my wine and took another drink. Then got lost in my romance book.