Chapter 5
Chapter Five
BECKETT
“J esus, people are filthy.” Grimly, I turn to Abbi Wild, who I hired to clean my vacation rentals. Well, I hired her company. She usually sends other teams out to do the actual cleaning, but she came today, and she’s as unhappy about the state of cabin number three as I am.
“This one only sleeps two, right?” she asks.
“That’s right. So how did two people make this kind of a mess during a two-night stay?” I shake my head as I take in the amount of trash, the linens strewn all over the cabin, and the broken glass on the floor.
“At least the windows aren’t broken,” Abbi says, then shrugs when I stare at her. “I’ve seen it.”
“Jesus, why did I think this was a good idea?”
“It is a good idea,” Abbi assures me. “How much is your security and cleaning deposit on these rentals?”
“I just do a cleaning fee.”
Abbi shakes her head. “You need to add a considerable security deposit, and I suspect you need to increase the cleaning fee. If people have a bunch of money to lose, they’re less likely to act like this. You need a manager.”
“I know, and I have my eye on one, but she’s not available for a few months. She’s finishing a contract in Aspen, so I’ll have to figure it out in the meantime.”
“You can do that. And don’t worry, this isn’t as bad as I’ve seen in some other rentals. I’m going to call in another team to help me out here, though. Also, you need to add to your rental agreement that you will press charges if they destroy property. Even if you really won’t , the threat of it is there.”
“Hey, I like that. I’ll add it. Thanks, Abbi.”
“You bet.”
As she pulls her phone out of her pocket to call in some help, I make my way through the other two cabins vacated this morning. Thankfully, nothing is out of the ordinary in either of those.
Admittedly, I see trashed cabins like that one about once a month, which could be worse, but it still pisses me off and shreds all hope I have for humanity.
With that handled, I head back for the main house and the barns. I need to look in on the ice cream we’re producing and check the spring calves.
There’s never a dull moment at the Double B Ranch.
Just as I walk into the processing building, my phone rings, and I see it’s Abbi.
“What did we miss?” I ask by greeting.
“Uh, Beckett, there’s a cat in the bathroom.”
I scowl and stare blindly ahead. “A what ?”
“A cat. Are you missing a barn cat?”
“How the hell should I know? Jesus, just let it outside. Sorry, Abbi.”
I hang up and stomp into the barn, where Brad’s seeing to one of our cows that’s had an infection.
“Are we missing one of the barn cats?” I ask him.
“I haven’t seen Morris in a few days,” Brad says. “Figured he was off hunting somewhere.”
“The assholes in cabin three had him. In the fucking cabin. ”
Brad blinks and then laughs. “Poor Morris. He’s never been inside anything other than a barn in his whole life. Probably scared the shit out of him.”
“Let’s hope not because that’ll be one more fucking thing I have to pay to have cleaned up.”
Brad’s practically doubled over in hilarity, and I glare at the man.
“It’s not funny.”
“It’s hilarious.” He’s holding his side, trying to catch his breath. “I’m just picturing the look on that poor cat’s face. Let me out! Let me out! ”
Okay, so it’s slightly funny.
I kick Brad out to feed the calves and see to Bessy myself. I can tell she’s hurting.
“I’m sorry, girl. We’ll get you fixed up.”
“Your brother’s here, boss,” Brad says from the doorway of the milking barn, pointing over his shoulder.
“Which one?”
“Me.” Blake walks into the barn and frowns at me. “You’re not ready to go.”
“Ready to go where ?”
“To Birdie’s dance recital, dumbass.” Blake shakes his head at me. “Go get changed. We have to go.”
“Blake, I have too much shit to do?—”
“Nope,” Brad says with a grin. “We’ve got this. Go see that baby’s show. She’ll be sad if you don’t, and then we all will kick your ass for disappointing the peanut.”
Literally everyone connected with our family has a soft spot for Bridger’s daughter, Birdie. And who can blame them? She’s the best kid there is.
“Hurry up,” Blake adds, walking beside me to the house.
“I don’t need help changing my clothes,” I remind him.
He smirks. “And I’m grateful for that. I’ll wait on the porch.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re driving into town. “Did you come all the way out to the farm just to pick me up?”
“Yep. Because I knew that otherwise, you’d make an excuse not to go. Like your man said, that would crush our niece. So you’re going.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I rub my hand over my face.
“I saw you followed Skyla out of the bar the other night.”
I sigh, roll my eyes, and stare at my brother. “Seriously? You want to gossip?”
I’d rather not discuss the details of getting turned down by the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.
“Are you going to call her or what?”
“No. She didn’t give me her number.” Even I hear the growl in my voice, but my brother doesn’t think twice about pressing my buttons.
“Seriously? Interesting.”
“If you want to date her, you call her.” My hands ball into fists at the idea.
“I don’t want to date anyone ,” he reminds me. “Doctors aren’t a good bet. I’m never home.”
“Ah yes, ever the consummate bachelor.”
“Jesus, you’re a fucking prick tonight.” Blake laughs and shakes his head. “Such a joy to have in my car.”
“I could have driven myself and saved my sanity from the interrogation.”
“Hey, I was just asking. Skyla’s a nice girl. She’s pretty.”
“I didn’t notice.”
Blake tosses his head back and laughs, then the fucker smirks at me. “Right, you didn’t notice the hot little redhead who sounds like music when she talks? Jesus, you followed her out of that bar like a puppy.”
“Fuck you. I did not.”
Okay, I did. Who the fuck cares?
He looks like he wants to say more, but we’re already at the dance studio just one street down from Main Street. I jump out of Blake’s fancy car, ready to take my mind off the fact that the gorgeous redhead with the voice that makes my body sit up and listen wants nothing to do with me.
I’ve thought about her all goddamn week. I can’t get her out of my head, and that pretty much irritates the hell out of me. I don’t have time to think about a woman who already told me no. I don’t have time for any woman, but one who clearly isn’t interested? Absolutely not.
“Come on, grumpy ass.” Blake holds the door open, clapping me on the shoulder as I pass. “Let’s go see Birdie. That’ll cheer you up.”
He’s right, it will make me smile. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to our family.
White folding chairs have been set up for families and friends to sit in for the show, and I scowl. These chairs will be damn uncomfortable for men our size for any length of time. But before I can say I’ll duck out, I hear my favorite voice.
“Uncle Beck!”
“Hey, peanut.” I squat next to her and kiss her cheek. “Aren’t you beautiful in your pink tutu?”
She does a quick spin, her cheeks rosy with happiness. With her dark hair up in a bun and her brown eyes shining with excitement, she’s the most beautiful thing in my world. She never fails to brighten my day.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” she says, and just like that, I’d gladly sit in this fucking chair for the rest of my life if it means keeping this girl happy.
“Me, too. Where are your mom and dad?”
“Right here,” Dani says with her sweet smile, and I stand to kiss her on the cheek. “Bridger’s on his way from the fire station.”
“He had to work,” Birdie informs me. “But he’s still coming.”
“Of course, he is,” Dani assures her. “In fact, I just saw him parking his truck.”
“You’re going to be awesome,” I tell her.
“I know. I know the routine perfectly, and we’ve practiced a lot.” She moves on to Blake, who’s already grinning at her.
“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, cupcake.”
“She’s adorable,” Bee says as she steps up next to me, but something across the room catches my eye, and my heart stutters. Skyla is talking with Erin Wild, laughing at something the other woman says, and my world tilts sideways. “There’s Skyla. I was just looking for her. She looks so calm and collected.”
“Does she have kids?” I ask my sister, not daring to take my eyes off the woman for fear that she’ll disappear. I wish I could hear what she’s saying. Shit, she could recite her grocery list, and I’d hang on every word.
“No, why?”
“Why would she be here if she doesn’t have kids?” I can’t fucking look away from her. She’s laughing, her stunning face lighting up, and I’m jealous.
I’m fucking jealous because I want that laugh.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Bee props her hands on her hips. “Really? For fuck’s sake, do you ever listen to me? I told you that Skyla runs this dance school. She owns it. She was a ballerina in New York City for a really long time, Beckett. I don’t even want to know what you don’t hear me say. It’s like talking to a damn wall.”
Did my sister tell me that, and I didn’t hear her? Very possibly. Bee talks about a lot of things often. I’ve grown accustomed to drowning her out half the time.
Not that I’d ever tell her that. I value my life.
“You tell me a lot of things,” I reply, and I can feel Bee roll her eyes next to me.
Now, I’m damn glad that Blake made sure I came today.
Skyla’s red hair falls in soft, sleek curls around her shoulders. She’s wearing a green dress almost the same color as her eyes, and I feel pulled to her in ways I’ve never experienced with anyone else before.
Sure, I want to get my hands on her, feel her beneath me, soak myself in her, but I want to talk to her. Listen to that amazing lilt in her voice. Ask questions and find out what makes this incredible woman tick. But also, how in the hell did a New York City Ballet dancer end up in our small town?
“She’s pretty,” Bee says softly. I can feel her eyes on me.
“Understatement.” I cross my arms and watch Skyla laugh again, and I feel it in my gut. Now I can see that she has a dancer’s lithe body. She’s stunning. “But she said no, so the answer is no.”
“She told me.”
I glare down at my sister, who hums, still watching her friend. “She needed advice. She has reasons, Beck, but I can tell she likes you, so maybe don’t give up, okay? You’ll have to be patient with her.”
I can be fucking patient if she’s the reward at the end of it.
We take our seats, and as we quiet down, Skyla takes her place on the small stage and smiles at all of us. She’s rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet in that way I’ve noticed that she does as if she’s moving to music in her head.
She’s adorable.
“Hello, friends,” she begins. She has an incredible smile. Her eyes skim the crowd and find me, and that smile doesn’t falter, but I see the surprise in those green orbs before she moves her gaze away.
She has reasons, Beck, but I can tell she likes you, so maybe don’t give up, okay? You’ll have to be patient with her.
She’s not immune to me. I can work with that.
“It’s pleased I am that you’ve come for our first recital of the year. Your wee ones have done such a good job this spring of learning new routines, new steps, and how to feel the music.”
She tucks her hair behind her ear and glances backstage, nodding.
“For our first number, we have our three-year-olds performing, and I think it’s going to fill your hearts with joy to see the sweetness we have in store for you.”
She chuckles before moving to the side of the makeshift stage. Eight little girls walk out, eyes wide, terrified.
But they are sweet, I’ll give her that.
I can’t take my eyes off the woman who coaches the little ones from the side. Finally, it’s Birdie’s turn, so I shift my attention to my niece, grinning from ear to ear at her excited smile and pure self-confidence as she moves across that stage. Birdie loves being the center of attention, so this is right up her alley.
We sit for an hour, and except for the five minutes when Birdie dances, I haven’t taken my eyes off Skyla. I’ve caught her eyes seeking mine as she’s sneaked peeks at the crowd, and each time, she’s blushed before returning her attention to the kids.
Bee’s right. She likes me.
So yeah, I can be patient.