by Kadie Scott
“Got it!” Beth let him go and flicked the splinter into the water. “I think you’ll live.”
Not at the rate he was going. The remaining months of the bet were starting to look like an eternity of hell if he kept this up.
“Thanks,” he muttered. Then got busy rowing them to the middle of the pond.
Once there, they settled in, getting their poles ready. Autry handed out snacks from the cooler which included Cokes. Beth stared at the baggie of trail mix he gave her. Her baggie had her name printed on it in black Sharpie.
Only he couldn’t get a bead on what she was thinking. It had to be obvious to her that this hadn’t been only Dylan asking—though he had been the one to suggest she come while they were planning the outing yesterday—or a last-minute addition to the trip. She hadn’t been a foregone conclusion either. He’d just… hoped.
Something he didn’t remember doing with any other woman he’d spent any significant amount of time with before. The thing was though… on top of all the thinking about her, and taking lots of cold showers, he’d missed her this week.
Missed the hell out of her. Her funny verbal jabs to shoot down his ego. The way she wrinkled her nose. Those dimples. How she tugged at her skirt when she was antsy or nervous. The way nothing seemed to go quite right around her, and how she laughed and rolled with the punches. Particularly, how she expected him to be a good guy, despite his reputation and history.
“Did your mother make this?” she finally asked.
Autry gave her a fake glare. “Never insult a man’s trail mix. I’ll have you know that’s my own special recipe.”
“Oh?” Her lips twitched. “What’s your secret ingredient?”
He speared a wriggling worm with the hook, noting how Beth’s lips pinched at the action, and shook his head. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.”
“It’s the caramel M&Ms,” Dylan said beside her. “That and golden raisins instead of regular ones.”
Autry gave the kid a playful kick, setting the boat to rocking, water lapping softly at the sides. “Traitor. I see where your loyalties lie, now.”
Dylan gave a big, toothy grin which only grew when Beth mouthed, “Thank you.”
Autry handed Dylan the pole and snatched up another one. This time, he turned his back to block Beth’s view of putting the worm on it. Then turned back and held it out to her.
Beth shook her head, digging into her bag to bring out a stack of papers.
“You’re not going to fish, Ms. Coop?” Dylan asked.
“No. I’ll grade papers while you big strong men do all the hunting and gathering.” She winked.
“She doesn’t like hurting the fish,” Autry stage whispered.
Only to get a glare from the teacher. “Who’s the traitor, now?”
“We can throw them all back,” Dylan offered.
Beth put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “You have a good heart, buddy. If you want to keep the fish, you go right on and do that. I won’t watch.”
Dylan nodded agreement but exchanged a look with Autry that he had no trouble interpreting. He gave the kid a small nod that Beth didn’t catch, indicating he was on the same page. They’d make sure to throw all their catches back. At this time of day, Autry didn’t plan on catching many anyway.
That decided, they settled in—he and Dylan with their poles sticking out over each side of the boat, lines in the water, Beth with her papers on her lap. Companionable silence took over, with only the quiet rustle of her papers to disturb it, and with each passing moment, the tension from the last week oozed from Autry’s neck and shoulders, leaving him looser than he’d been since last Friday night.
They let the boat just drift along, slipping through the water. Every so often, the breeze stirred the trees and lifted Beth’s hair off her face, which she’d immediately reach up to tuck behind her ear.
He didn’t have anywhere else to look, so he watched his line and the two people sitting opposite him in the boat. For his part, Dylan watched his own line with studious concentration, as if he could will a fish to bite. He’d glance up from time to time to smile, and damn if that didn’t hit Autry right in the heart. He’d already decided that when the official community service time was up, he’d ask Mrs. Wright if he could continue doing the big brother thing with the kid.
With Dylan hyper focused elsewhere, Autry turned his gaze to Beth.
Head down and hand moving to check off each math problem or periodically write a note, she didn’t seem in the least aware of his regard. Part of him wanted to reach out and tip her chin up, see her eyes, and figure out if she was that immune to his presence, because he damn well wasn’t immune to hers. The other part sat back and just enjoyed the view, taking the opportunity to drink in the sight of her.
Contentment was a fickle emotion, but right this second, Autry could sit like this, with Dylan and Beth across from him, forever.
Except he didn’t do forever. Not in relationships. The ranch and his immediate family were the only forevers he’d ever really thought about.
Beth glanced up to find his gaze on her and raised her eyebrows in question.
If they were alone right now, he’d answer with a long, deep kiss and watch her blue eyes turn slumberous as he tried to lead them to something more. Not with Dylan here though, and the funny thing was, Autry didn’t mind. The kid was having way too good a time to remotely wish him away.
So he shook his head, giving her a smile. Then nodded toward Dylan. Beth glanced over to see the boy staring at the water like a fish might miraculously leap into the boat at any second. She grinned, turning her head to share the moment with Autry.
After a second, she dropped her gaze back to her papers, and Autry hid a deep breath. No relationships and no sex for six months—that was the deal.
Except he hadn’t counted on Beth Cooper storming into his life and burrowing under his skin. Maybe into his heart too, not that he was ready to go there.
God had a funny sense of humor. That was for sure.
Chapter Ten
The sun headed for the hills and Autry rowed them back to shore as the skies turned pink and orange in a Texas sunset reflecting off the water in a wonderous array of colors. Together they loaded the truck, took care of the boat, and headed back in to town.
They’d managed to catch—and threw back—three small brown trout. Two had been on Dylan’s line and the kid had almost toppled them all into the water in his excitement the first time.
“What did you think of fishing?” he asked Dylan. They were still rattling their way down the rough track leading off the Hughes’s property, and his voice came out all shaky.
“I… thought… it… was… cooollll…” Dylan said, drawing out the words so each one was extra shaky.
“Me… too…” Autry answered.
Both of them broke down in chuckles, and Autry only laughed harder at the sound of Dylan’s sincere amusement.
Beth rolled her eyes heavenward but couldn’t contain her own secret grin.
“Can we go again?” Dylan asked.
“Absolutely, dude.”
They discussed the best times and places to go on their next fishing trip, maybe on their camping trip so they could go in the early morning and get a good haul. The second they hit the road, they must’ve hit the range of the nearest cell tower, because Autry’s phone started pinging like crazy.
“What on earth?” Except he was driving, and particularly aware that he had a child in the back seat to keep safe. “Beth, can you check that?”
She fished his cell phone out of the cup holder where he’d dropped it. “What’s your password.”
“Don’t have one.”
Beth tsked. “You should have one.”
“Because of all the people who want to steal my identity in La Colina?”
“Don’t you ever go into Austin?”
Okay, she had a point there.
“You’ve missed a bunch of calls from your f
amily. Want me to check the messages?”
“Yeah.”
Beth pushed buttons then held the phone up to her ear. After about two seconds she sat ramrod straight in her seat so fast he heard the click of the seat belt locking. “Holly’s in labor!”
“What? She’s not scheduled for the C-section until Monday?”
“I guess those babies had other ideas.” She smacked him in the arm. “Drive faster.”
“Cash has to be going out of his mind. When did they call?”
She checked the screen. “Two hours ago.”
Two hours. Crap. Autry pressed on the gas, carefully not going too much over the limit. He’d never live down a speeding ticket on the way to the hospital if he got pulled over.
“I didn’t tell my family where I was going.” And they still had another thirty minutes before they got back to town. He’d have to drop Beth and Dylan off, too.
“How about you drive straight to the hospital. I’ll take the truck and drop Dylan off and then come back to the hospital whenever you’re ready to go. Just call me.”
Autry flicked a glance her way. “Are you sure. I don’t want to incon—”
“Holly’s having twins. I think I can handle it.”
He nodded his thanks. Truth be told, he couldn’t imagine this happening without Beth being a part of it. Only he couldn’t let himself think about what that meant right now.
She started pushing buttons on his phone.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
She ignored him, holding the phone up to her ear. The faint trill of it ringing was audible in the quiet car. “Evaline? Hi, it’s Beth Cooper. Dylan and I were out fishing with Autry when y’all were calling, so we didn’t have a signal. We’re about thirty minutes out.”
The murmur of his mother’s voice sounded, and Beth listened.
“What’s she saying?” he whispered.
Beth waved at him to be quiet.
“That’s fantastic news! I’ll let Autry know.”
She hung up. “Holly had the babies! Momma and baby boy and baby girl are all doing fine.”
Autry gripped the wheel tighter as disappointment at not being there swirled with relief that everything was fine. “I missed it.”
“Not really,” Beth assured him. “They did a C-section. Holly is still being sewn back up and they’re running all the tests on the babies and cleaning them up and doing first-time mommy and daddy things before they take them back to a room. You won’t be able to go in and see her or the babies for another twenty minutes or so.”
“What about names? And all that other stuff they tell you about babies.”
“They don’t know yet. Cash only came out for a minute to tell them all was well.”
Autry blew out a breath. “Okay.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t have gone fishing,” Dylan said from the back seat.
Dang. He’d never meant for his disappointment to darken what had been a great day. “No way, man. These things happen, and the important part is that Holly and the babies are okay.”
He glanced in the rearview mirror and caught Dylan’s nod.
“Should we guess at names until we get there?” Beth suggested. “Christmas names and country singer names?”
Dylan’s face brightened. The woman was the best, because all Autry could think of was getting where he was going. “How about we make a little bet?”
“Oh? I’m game.”
Autry grinned. If it had been just them, he would’ve laid out terms that were a win-win for him getting more of those kisses he’d been craving. With Dylan here though, they needed something he could do.
“Losers both have to do a chore for the winner?” he suggested.
Dylan bounced in his seat. “I have to do dishes every night.” By the disgusted tone of his voice, dishes were not his favorite. “I’m totally going to win this so I don’t have to do it two nights in a row.”
“All right. What are your guesses?” Beth said.
They spent the rest of the time thinking and throwing out options, getting more and more ridiculous as they went.
“I don’t think Holly and Cash would pick Milsap as a name,” Autry said through chortles as he pulled up outside the hospital. At the last minute, he swung into a parking spot.
“What are you doing?” Beth asked.
“Why don’t both of you come in and we’ll find out who won the bet together. Then you can take Dylan home.”
“Would I get to see the babies?” Dylan asked.
Autry shared a surprised look with Beth. Who knew a ten-year-old would care. “I don’t know. Let’s find out.”
He reached across Beth and grabbed an envelope from the glove compartment, then they piled out of the truck and into the hospital where, after being properly checked in, they were directed to a room. A babbling of happy voices sounded down the stretch of hallway long before they got there.
Outside the door, Brian, Carter’s fiancé, paced, the phone to his ear. “Your brother and his wife just had twins, and you can’t come out for two more days?” he snapped. “It’s the weekend. What do you think that looks like to people?”
Brian lifted his head and caught sight of Autry. “Hold on.” He put the phone to his chest.
“Is that Carter?”
Despite obvious effort to disguise his irritation, the tense set of Brian’s shoulders belied the casual smile he tossed off. “Yeah. Figuring out logistics now. Go on in.”
He waved at the door. Autry hesitated for only a second. Whatever was going on between Brian and Carter was between the two of them. Autry opened the door to find the rest of his family taking up all the space in the room and blocking his view of Holly, whom he assumed was lying on the bed.
“Room for a couple more in here?” he asked.
“Hey!” Cash called over the sounds of the rest of the family’s greetings. “Come meet the latest additions to the Hill family.”
Rusty, Will, and Jennings scooted to the side so they could come through. Cash stood to one side of the bed with Sophia whose grin was so big anyone would have thought she’d delivered those babies herself. In Cash’s arms, he held a tiny bundle wrapped up in pink. Holly, managing to both glow and appear exhausted at the same time, sat propped up slightly in bed, her long hair in a thick braid over one shoulder, hooked up to all sorts of things, and crooning at her son.
“Beth!” she exclaimed. “And Dylan.”
“I hope we’re not intruding,” Beth said quietly.
Autry had to beat back the urge to pull her against his side and give her a squeeze.
“Of course not,” Holly smiled. “I’d like to introduce you to… Jackson Nickolas. Who is almost six pounds and was born five minutes before his sister.”
“After Alan Jackson?” Autry asked.
She nodded then tilted her head to look up at Cash, radiant in her happiness.
Cash shared a smile with his wife. “And this is Brooks Faith. After Garth Brooks. She is five pounds on the nose. I guess her brother took up most of the space.”
“Ha!” Beth crowed making everyone jump. She gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry. We had a bet going in the car, and I totally won. Faith was one of my picks.”
“Awwww, man,” Dylan grumbled. “I knew I should’ve picked Brooks.”
Holly and Cash both laughed. “What did you pick?”
Dylan sort of drew in on himself as he realized he’d become the center of attention.
“It’s okay,” Sophia piped up in a small voice that still rang with authority. At almost eight, she was a tiny thing, but never had a problem speaking up in a crowd. “I wanted Tucker for the girl’s name, but Mama said that wasn’t very girly.” She scrunched up her nose. “Like Brooks is all that girly. What did you pick?”
Dylan gave a twitch of a shrug. “I picked Swift and Bryan.”
“What was your pick, Autry?” his mother asked.
“I thought maybe Bentley or Lynn, and for Christmas names Joy or Gabriel.” S
pying several vases full of flowers, he perked up. “Is it time for gifts?”
Holly’s eyebrows shot up and she exchanged a glance with Cash. “Uh…”
“Here.” Autry pulled out the envelope he’d stuffed in his back pocket.
Cash leaned down and put Brooks in her mama’s arms so he could take it. “What’s this?” he asked.
Autry grinned. “Open it.”
Cash did, his eyebrows climbing higher with each word he read on the handwritten note. Then he glanced up. “Really?”
Autry gave a smug nod. No one was going to top this gift.
“What is it?” Holly prodded.
Cash showed her the note. “He’s offered three nights of our choosing when he would come stay with us and take care of the babies all night long, letting us sleep in.”
“What?” Jennings hooted. “You?”
“But you’ve never taken care of a baby in your life,” his mother murmured. “I mean, it’s a sweet thought, but…” She waved at Holly who had her hands full with both babies.
Tension seeped into the muscles at his neck. As usual, his family underestimated him. Before he could snap off a retort, Beth snuck her hand into his, giving it a squeeze.
He glanced down at her to collide with absolute faith in those deep blue eyes. “I think it’s pretty awesome.”
All that creeping tension eased out of him on a long breath. “Thanks.”
Keeping Beth’s hand in his, and calmer now, he faced his family. “For the last couple months, I’ve been practicing on Michelle Miller’s baby. With her help of course.”
“Seriously?” Jennings wasn’t joking now, a spark of respect in his eyes.
“Was that why Larson Miller punched you at Harry’s?” Beth wondered.
He swiveled his head. “You saw that?”
She nodded.
He huffed a laugh. “Yeah. He’s been a deadbeat dad ever since that baby was born, which is why Michelle is leaving him. I figured she wouldn’t mind the help and I could learn how to do it. Win-win.”
“You did that for us?” Holly asked softly. Immediately tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. Then she giggled. “Dang hormones.”