Chapter Eight #2
Disappointment licked at his insides. He thought he saw why Belle was being so nice. Burning Scrub needed something from him. He spotted an upside, however. That meant Adam and Jayce couldn’t kill him. Which gave him ideas.
Payback’s a bitch, guys.
“If the client is a fan of the show, not necessarily me, then he won’t mind what kind of music I sing.”
Belle frowned. “I don’t think heavy rock fits the theme.”
Beau was counting on it. “Do I get a role to play while I’m here? I mean, other than cowboy?” he asked.
“How about country musician?”
She sounded so hopeful that he couldn’t help it. “Forget it. I’m done. How about research assistant to the beautiful town doctor?”
Color crept upward from the neck of her dress, like the first rays of sun rising above the horizon, and the day brightened. He didn’t know women still blushed. In his world, it was normal for a thirteen-year-old fan to ask him to sign one of her breasts.
He deserved a break from country music, however, and dammit, he planned to take it.
“How about a mountain man who struck gold and is in town blowing all of his money?” she countered.
“Gunslinger. Final offer.”
That was as Western as he planned to get. It sounded fun, too, with the added advantage of making Adam think twice before taking potshots at him again.
“Can you shoot?”
“I have two months to learn.”
“I could teach you,” she offered, then got defensive when he laughed. “Mavis taught me. Women in the Old West had to look after themselves,” she added. “There were some famous women gunfighters. Belle Starr, Pearl Hart, and Annie Oakley, for starters.”
“Doesn’t shooting people conflict with your role as a doctor?”
“There isn’t a big demand for a doctor, so I have to make my own work.
” An impish smile hit him straight in the feels.
“My backstory is that I was kidnapped by the Sioux in Dakota Territory, then rescued by the army and brought to Fort Benton where their doctor trained me, adding to what I’d learned about natural medicine from Sitting Bull himself. ”
He wanted a cool backstory, too. “I was wanted in New York for murdering a man,” he said, figuring Leon would do, because it helped the narrative if he put faces to it.
“Then I fled west after changing my name. I earned my gunfighter reputation and became a local hero by killing two outlaws in a failed stagecoach robbery.” Those would be Adam and Jayce.
“Not very original, but plausible.” Belle tapped her chin and looked thoughtful. “We can run it past Mavis.”
“Who is this mysterious Mavis? I thought the old guy was in charge.”
“Benny founded Burning Scrub decades ago as a religious retreat. Mavis is his daughter. She’s the one who came up with the theme park idea to raise extra money.”
They could call this a theme park if they liked.
He’d been right about it being a cult. “Hard to bring in new members when people can’t find the place. You know what they say—location, location, location.”
They sat quietly together for a few minutes more.
Beau was beginning to adjust to the lack of noise pollution—in fact, pollution in general.
He’d already noticed a distinct change in his lung capacity thanks to the clean air.
And he had to give Montana full credit. The wide, endless sky lived up to the hype.
“You and Jayce really a couple?” he asked. “Or is it part of the show?” He’d gotten tired of tormenting her about it and was now genuinely curious.
But he hadn’t planned on asking her outright.
Belle sighed. She laced her fingers together and they carried on a conversation of their own while she took her time answering. The way she played with her fingers told him a lot—that possibly there’d been something developing between them, but she hadn’t made up her mind.
Until now, it seemed.
“No,” she said, and the sun shone a bit brighter. “It wouldn’t be fair to him. He’s looking for someone permanent and that isn’t me.”
“Would things be different if he lived somewhere other than Burning Scrub?” What if he lived in the real world and not Crazy Town?
“He doesn’t live here. He and his father own a ranch at the foot of the mountain. But no, that’s not the reason.” She shrugged slender shoulders. “We aren’t right for each other.”
“But you’re both so beautiful,” Beau deadpanned, which earned him a smile.
“We’d bore each other to death. There’s no chemistry.”
Men had a whole different take on sexual attraction, and he didn’t believe Jayce had come to the same conclusion. But Jayce’s tender feelings regarding chemistry were not his concern.
“I have an ex-wife,” he said, because he couldn’t leave things alone and she was easy to talk to.
“We’d been together off and on since we were seventeen, then got married when we were twenty.
Chemistry was the only thing we had going for us, and it wasn’t enough.
Unfortunately, she figured it out first and moved on before I did.
” He and Jayce had that much in common, so he couldn’t help it.
He had to pity the guy.
Belle might not be worldly, but her brain sure picked up any slack. “Your wife had an affair.”
“Ex-wife. With a used car salesman. Can you believe it?” Beau heard the bitterness he’d thought was behind him.
He cleared his throat, wishing he could get the taste of the words out of his mouth.
“I was hell-bent on making it in music, and she felt neglected. Rightly so.” Because fair was fair, and he owned part of the blame.
Her blue eyes turned thoughtful. “You haven’t had your rebound relationship yet.”
“My what?”
“After any long-term relationship ends, the person more deeply committed often engages in a series of brief sexual encounters, or short-term monogamous relationships, before reassessing their emotional needs and evaluating their lessons learned.”
“Do tell, Doctor Belle. Do you speak from experience?”
She blushed again. “According to research, men are more likely to engage in rebound relationships.”
She liked to hide behind science.
Which didn’t answer his question. “Was the research for or against?” he inquired, just to watch the blush deepen.
“Inconclusive. It’s dependent on the individual.”
Despite the fact they were on her front steps and receiving curious looks from the occasional passerby … Despite rebound relationships and the pitfalls of mismatched chemistry … Despite his two-month sentence and her five years…
He was putting her theory to the test.
He cupped her chin in his palm and brushed his lips against hers. Just a touch, to see what would happen. Her lashes drifted closed for an instant, then fluttered open—butterfly wings against a backdrop of blue.
He didn’t know what her definition of chemistry involved, but for him, it turned out to be a mindless rush of pure want, a visceral reminder that this was the closest he’d come to a beautiful woman in months. Selfies and autographs with fans didn’t count.
He kissed her again—a little deeper and longer, just to be sure he wasn’t the only one being affected—and caught the slight quiver that wobbled her lips.
That quiver brought him back to his senses.
He reclaimed his own space on the step and reviewed his conclusions.
The chemistry she spoke of was there, and a rebound relationship showed merit, but only for him.
Jen was still inside his head, and he didn’t want to do to another man what he’d had done to him. Jayce had five years to up his game.
“I don’t think I’m a rebound kind of guy.” He gave her his best female-fan-friendly smile to cover the lie. “But it would be nice to have one friend while I’m here. What do you say?” He thrust out his hand. “Friends?”
“Friends.” She accepted his hand.
Her grip was smooth, slender, and firm.
Her eyes held no hint of her thoughts. “It’s almost lunchtime.” The hem of her skirt brushed the tops of her buttoned-up boots as she stood. “Let’s go meet the Lovetts. After that, I’ll show you around.”
*
Belle
The Lovetts, Beau, and Belle were the only ones gracing the boarding house’s lunch table. Grady had whipped up cold ham and potato salad, with fresh rolls and a spring salad. Warm apple pie was brought in with the coffee.
Belle, however, had things other than food on her mind.
That kiss had dispelled any concerns about chemistry and if it was something lacking in her. And from a scientific perspective, sex between consenting adults who were physically attracted to each other was harmless enough—as long as sexual histories were disclosed, of course.
The two-month time frame had been an added attraction.
She had no interest in a permanent relationship, especially one with a celebrity.
If she were to start a new medical practice once her five years were up, then a good reputation was crucial.
She didn’t need paparazzi poking around in her past because it wouldn’t end well.
But it didn’t take a trained psychologist to see that Beau had unresolved issues with his ex-wife—a woman he’d been committed to since he was seventeen. I don’t think I’m a rebound kind of guy.
Friendship was best for them both.
And right now, he really needed a friend.
“Is it true you can’t ride a horse?” Linda asked Beau.
The six-year-old had stayed quiet throughout much of the meal.
Belle thought she might be shy around Beau because he was a stranger, but as the pie was being cut into slices and eased onto plates, she proved she’d only been biding her time.
Now disdain shone from her eyes, as if she’d been silently sizing him up and found him a lot less than perfect. Linda was a tough nut to crack.
Beau returned her look with a friendly one of his own. “Didn’t you see me ride one through town?” he replied, which wasn’t a straightforward answer, and the little girl’s face pinched into nothing short of contempt.
“Jayce is a better rider than you,” she said.
“Sure.” Beau nodded sagely. “He’s had more practice. But can he sing?”
Linda had no comeback for that, so she tried a different attack. “Jayce loves Belle.”
Belle choked on a mouthful of coffee. Where did kids come up with these things?
“That’s enough,” Grady said to his daughter, his gentle eyes stern. “It’s not nice to talk about Jayce when he isn’t here. How he and Belle feel about each other is between them and none of your business.” He pushed her pie toward her. “Eat your dessert.”
Linda slouched in her chair and folded her arms. Rebellion swirled around her like a hot wind through a gulch. “But I only said nice things about him. It’s okay to say nice things. You said so.”
“You said nice things about Jayce to make Beau feel bad. That’s not okay.”
Adam strolled into the dining room through the door from the kitchen, an empty mug in his hand. “What’s not okay?”
“Jayce loves Belle and that makes Beau feel bad,” Linda informed him.
“Is that so?” Adam took the chair next to Linda and helped himself to the coffee. “You feel bad about that, Beau?”
Beau’s friendly charm never slipped. “People’s feelings are no one’s business but theirs. Right, Linda? Isn’t that what your daddy just said?”
Belle’s insides felt hot enough to explode. A change of subject was in order.
She began picking up emptied plates. “I’ll do the dishes. You’re to stay off your feet,” she said to Pearl, who was attempting to pry her large belly from under the table with little success. “Doctor’s orders.” Which were the only orders of hers anyone listened to, and sometimes, not even then.
“I’ll help.” Beau gathered cutlery onto his plate. “I used to bus tables. It wasn’t as long ago as I’d like, and I haven’t forgotten.” He caught a fork that slipped from the plate and held it up as if pleased with himself. “See? I’ve still got the skills.”
Adam picked up his coffee mug. “Stay put and rest up that ankle, tenderfoot. You’ve got a hard week of cowboying ahead. I’ll give Belle a hand with the dishes since she’s the one I came here to talk to.”
Belle didn’t need much imagination to figure out why. He’d probably been speaking with Mavis.
“Remember our safe word,” Beau called after her as she followed Adam into the kitchen.