51. Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Doug
B eth, Chase, and I came home to change after helping set up Grannie’s for the Wyatt Foundation fundraiser. I had to wear a cowboy costume this year, just like everyone else. Except John. His job was to mingle and help raise funds, alongside Mary.
Everyone else from SSI would be sharing bartending duties, while Grannie’s Girl’s, as Mary liked to call her baristas, would man the raffle tables. Because everything was donated by the generous people of Weatherford, all proceeds from the night went to the foundation, for the first responder families in need of help.
I lucked out last year because John wanted to introduce me to everyone and hadn’t thought the costume would be appropriate. It was the perfect opportunity for me to network; The Wyatt Foundation fundraiser was a big deal in Weatherford. Politicians, local and county cops, business owners, friends, and family all attended.
Phil Wyatt had been a respected member of the Parker County Sheriff’s Department, and a beloved member of the Weatherford community— everyone wanted to contribute to the foundation started in his honor. John and Mary had helped a lot of families in the last couple years because of the generosity of everyone involved.
The sound of Chase’s plastic spurs on the stairs as he ran down them brought me back to the present.
“Hey, Little Man, you look great.” I scooped him up and swung him around, knowing how much he loved it. When he started to squirm, I put him down. “Where’s your mom?”
“Upstairs. Where’s your hat?”
My straw cowboy hat was on the table, along with the black pleather chaps that came with the costume. I flat out refused to wear them. I wasn’t the kind of guy who dressed up in costumes. Give me a uniform and I’m good to go, but silly costumes, no thank you.
“I’ll put it on when we get to Grannie’s.”
His pout made me consider putting it on, but Beth came downstairs.
My breath caught in my throat. The cowgirl mini skirt was shorter than anything I’d seen her wear, and it was sexy as hell as it swung with the sway of her hips. The cowgirl hat hung down her back and she'd tied the ends of the blue gingham button-up at her waist.
“You look-”
“Mommy, Mr. Doug doesn’t have his hat on.”
I was getting used to not finishing sentences when Chase was around. It could be frustrating, but it was the price of admission to be a part of Beth’s life. It turned out I was willing to dish out cash left and right for the ticket.
“Chase, what do we say when we interrupt someone?”
He looked at me, shoulders slumped forward. “I’m sorry.”
Beth waited for me to make eye contact before asking, “You were saying?”
“You look amazing.” I closed the distance and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before whispering in her ear, “absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at the table and the aforementioned hat. “Now put on your hat, so we can go.”
“Not going to make me wear the chaps?” I asked, only half joking. I didn’t want to wear them, but I wouldn’t hesitate to put them on if she asked me to.
“Maybe another time.” The mischievous glint in her eye gave me an instant hard on.
Damn it . I used the table as a shield and adjusted myself while trying to ignore her giggling. I had half a mind to drop Chase off with Mary or Meg then drag Beth back here so I could rip her costume off with my teeth and kiss every inch of her bare skin.
Instead, I picked up my hat and placed it on my head. When I turned back around to face her I pulled it low over my eyes, hoping to God I looked sexy not silly. In the huskiest voice I could muster, I said, “Yes, Ma’am, you can count on it.”
That put an end to her giggles. Watching the blush spread up her neck and cover her cheeks felt like sweet victory. And made me hard again.
Worth it .
She coughed to cover her reaction.
“Come on, let’s go,” she said.
The only other people at Grannie’s when we arrived were John and Mary, Jack and Meg, AJ, and the mayor, a woman I hadn’t met but had seen on the news.
Jamie and Emily had been suspiciously absent all day. We’d joked about Jamie trying to get out of pack mule duties, since it was our job to lug all the boxes of decorations, beverages, and raffle prizes into the shop.
It was Jack who started calling us pack mules last year, and it’d stuck. Mary thought it was hilarious and started threatening to crack a whip whenever we lollygagged. Her word, not mine.
“The place looks great, Mary.” I said as I looked around. The lights seemed brighter, the ghost and skeleton decorations seemed more cheerful, and the music more festive. I didn’t know if it was because I was new and hadn’t known anyone last year, or if it was because I was hopelessly in love this year.
Probably a little of both.
Unwilling to sound like I’d lost my mind, I didn’t say any of that to Mary. Instead, I asked her if there was anything I could do to help out.
She looked around. “I think we’re good. Have you met the mayor?” Mary asked.
“No, not yet.”
“Beth, you’ve met her, right?”
Beth nodded. Her eyes never leaving Chase as he walked over to Meg, who was talking to Amber at the raffle table. Beth didn’t want to admit how nervous she was about letting Chase out of her sight tonight, despite the place being filled with cops, but I could see it in her eyes and the tension in her shoulders.
I pulled her close and kissed her forehead before leaning close to her ear and whispering, “Would it help if I asked the guys to keep an eye on him?”
“Maybe a little.” She hugged me and said, “thank you,” into my chest.
I didn’t tell her we’d already talked about it, or that I was paying Eric and Dean to take turns watching the front door for the night. Their only job—make sure Chase doesn’t leave unless he’s with his mom, me, or a Sheppard.