Chapter Fourteen
W hen Ellie entered her house Thursday afternoon after work, the sounds from the second story indicated Becket was still painting. He’d stopped by her shop earlier to get the key, but she’d had customers and couldn’t really talk to him.
Her heart tripped and, catching her breath, she put the pizzas and beer she’d bought on her way here on the kitchen counter, before she fetched her bag from the car.
What a lovely feeling to get home to the sound of Becket somewhere in the house.
Sighing, she jogged to her car again. There she was, dreaming the impossible again.
Only a few of her things were still left at the B I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”
“I have a few ideas,” he grinned, nuzzling her neck.
“You must be hungry. I’ve brought pizza and beer. Shall we eat before it gets cold? I promise you as soon as I’ve moved in properly, I’ll cook a meal for you and your family to thank you for all your help.” She held out her hand toward him.
Becket took her hand but instead of leaving the room, he pulled her closer. “Oh, I’m hungry, but not for food.” Bending down, he caught her lips with his.
Sinking into the kiss, her heart sighed. How was she ever going to say goodbye to this guy?
The ringing of his phone finally brought her back to earth.
Pulling out of his arms, she turned away. “You answer your call, I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
As she left the room, she heard him on the phone.
“Hello, June.”
She stopped. Who was June?
“Okay, it could work. Java Café at one tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be there.”
Ellie quickly jogged down the stairs and hurried toward the kitchen. As she opened the pizza boxes, her heart was beating so fast, she was worried it might jump right out of her body.
June? June who? Was this the first sign Becket was moving on? She couldn’t remember hearing the name before, but she hadn’t been in Marietta that long. Maybe she was a flame from a few years back? Maybe it was someone he’d met recently or…
“That smells great,” Becket said behind her as he slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Thank you, I hadn’t realized how hungry I am.”
Any moment now, he was going to give her an excuse for not taking her home with him. But they finished eating and while she unpacked her bag in her newly painted bedroom, he cleaned the kitchen.
He was also the one who made sure everything was locked as they left the house “What time on Friday are you expecting the movers?” he asked as he helped her into his truck.
“Janice has agreed to help out in the shop on Friday afternoon, so I’ve asked them to be here at around one.”
As they left town, he picked up her hand as he always did. “I’ll come and help you as soon as I’m finished. Ellie, we… we must talk.”
Ellie’s heart sank.
“I’m still trying to figure out a few things, so give me a couple of days?”
“It’s okay. If you’d rather I stay at the guesthouse tonight, it’s…”
He kissed her fingers before he put them down on his thigh again. “What gave you that idea? I don’t ever want to be without you if I can help it. There are things I need to explain to you, but I haven’t… just give me time, okay?”
Her mind racing, she stared out of the window. Two weeks. That was usually how long Becket Weston dated a woman. This coming Monday it would be exactly two weeks since the two of them had gone to Bozeman and she’d ended up in his bed.
Well, she’d known all along this would happen, she shouldn’t be upset, should she? Inhaling deeply, she willed away the tears threatening to clog up her throat. Crying wasn’t going to fix anything.
It was time she embraced her single status as spinster and made sure she got her cat.
*
By the time they’d reached his house, Ellie had become very quiet. As Becket lifted her out of his truck, he held her close. He probably shouldn’t have said anything before he was ready, but he’d been worried she’d pick up he was distracted and jump to her own wild conclusions again.
His head hadn’t stopped whirling all day. Since he and Hayden had talked this morning, he’d been going over his brother’s words. Hayden didn’t have a problem should Becket decide to focus on his art.
Making his art a priority had always seemed impossible; he’d never even allowed himself to go there.
Making serious decisions about anything, really, had never been something he’d thought about.
He’d happily drifted along, doing what was expected of him.
Well, not always, but mostly. So, before he could speak to Ellie or Hayden, he had to figure out a few things.
The dogs were all over Ellie the moment he put her down inside the house. Crouching down, she laughed as they slobbered kisses all over her face.
For so long he’d held on to the belief he couldn’t ever think of a wife or kids while his brother was lying six feet under the ground. He could date, have sex, but could never be serious about a woman. And then he’d met Ellie.
What he felt when he was with her was a first. What exactly it meant, though, he didn’t know. His brain had been wired to not think about the future for so long, how did he rewire it?
Ellie didn’t believe she was worthy of love, because the people who should’ve shown her what love was were the people who had hurt her.
Ellie grabbed his hand. “I’m ready for a shower, what about you?” As she danced down the corridor in front of him, his body was way too small to accommodate what he was feeling. He was probably not the right man for Ellie, but damn, he loved being with her.
It was only much later, when he woke up sometime in the middle of the night, that he remembered his thoughts. He loved being with Ellie. Love.
Turning his head, he looked at her.
She snuggled closer. “Becket.”
“Mmm?” he asked as his hand stroked lazily over her back.
“Just… Becket.”
Hugging her close, he drifted off. He had to finish some sketches…
*
Ellie packed the last of her stuff before she left the room she’d occupied in Annie’s B he has been very clear about that!”
“If I remember correctly, you’ve said the very same thing since your arrival in Marietta, but you’ve changed your mind, haven’t you?”
“Because I’ve fallen in love with him! He doesn’t feel the same way, though.”
“My suggestion is that you talk to him. Communication is very important in any relationship. Don’t draw conclusions when you don’t have all the facts.”
“Thanks, Annie, but I’ve known from the start what I was letting myself in for.” She got up. “I have to go. There’s such a lot to be done before the movers arrive this afternoon.”
“Which is why,” Annie said, “we’re all coming to help you this afternoon.”
“I can’t expect you to do that!”
Annie grinned. “We’re offering. It’s going to be so much fun. And don’t worry about food, I’ve made something that I’ll bring with me.”
This time, Ellie couldn’t stop the tears. “Thank you,” she sniffed as she hugged Annie. “I am so glad I found all of you. Thanks again for everything you’ve done for me while I’ve stayed with you. I’ll leave a rave review for Annie’s!”
“Of course you will!”
As Ellie drove to her shop, Becket was again front and center in her mind. She’d hoped he would tell her about the date he had with June. Hadn’t she asked him very nicely to let her know when he was moving on?
Instead, he’d hardly spoken a word on the way into town this morning. When he’d dropped her off at her house so that she could get her car, he’d kissed her goodbye, but it was clear his mind had been elsewhere. With June? Or had he been thinking how he could let her down easily without a fuss.
She had no idea what to think or do. What was clear, though, was that she couldn’t continue to see Becket and not tell him how she felt.
Maybe she should just blurt it out. The worst thing that could happen was that he would leave, but she’d been expecting it anyway, so would it be so bad? Rather sooner than later.
Becket was meeting June at one in Java Café. She didn’t know what to do about that either. Would she have the guts to go and look for herself whether they were there?
Shaking her head, she stepped on the gas. That would be just way too pathetic, seriously.