“I know that, and you know that. It won’t be long before Hunter knows it too. If he believes the worst, then he’s not the man you’re looking for anyway.”
Bekah heard the front door open, and there was the sound of a child yelling, “Gramma Roberts! I’m here!”
Christina dropped the spoon she was using to stir the meat sauce and hurried into the living room, her arms spread wide. “It’s my Ethan!” She scooped him up in her arms and spun him in a little circle.
Ethan squealed. “Hi! I came to see you!”
“I see that you did!” Christina smiled at Amy. “Thanks for bringing my boy.”
“Oh, absolutely. I know it wouldn’t be a real family dinner without Ethan.” Amy and Spike had been a thing for quite a while, but there was no ring in sight. The whole family was hoping it would happen soon.
Spike smiled at Bekah who was hovering in the doorway, watching to see how things played out. “There’s my favorite youngest sister.”
“You saw me yesterday, Spike. Don’t start trying to get on my good side. I didn’t bring muffins.”
“You’re dead to me.” Spike turned away to their dad. “Where are Ally and Rex?”
“Should be here any minute. Ally called to ask if they should bring something half an hour ago, and said they’d be leaving in a minute.”
“Mike’s the only sister you won’t get to meet,” Bekah told Hunter. “She’s a professional skier, and she’s out of town—as usual. She’s still recuperating from a knee injury.”
“She should be recuperating at home!” Christina complained.
Hunter looked at her with confusion. “Mike’s a girl?”
Christina sighed. “Michaela is her full name. She and Michael are twins, and they started calling each other Spike and Mike when they were tiny. I’m tired of fighting it.”
Hunter smiled. “I think it’s nice. We don’t have nicknames in our family. My brother is Ryder, and that’s what everyone calls him. Nicknames are fun.”
“All right, Puddin’ Pop.” Bekah grinned at him as she came up with a nickname for him out of the blue. One she knew he wouldn’t appreciate, but he seemed to like the big family teasing atmosphere of her parents’ house, so he could be part of it.
Spike grinned, his evil side clearly showing. “Puddin’ Pop is perfect!” He took Ethan away from Christina. “Ethan, this is your future uncle Puddin’ Pop.”
“Hi, Uncle Puddin’ Pop,” Ethan said obediently, making everyone in the room laugh.
Hunter shook his head at Bekah. “Now I fit in. Not quite sure how I feel about that silly name, but I fit.”
“You need to get used to the fact that things just don’t usually go how you plan them in a family this size.” Bekah winked at Spike, knowing they would have fun with the whole Puddin’ Pop thing as the night wore on. Spike wasn’t one to ever let something like that go.
Ally and Rex were the last to arrive, and as soon as they’d been introduced to Hunter, Mom said, “Now that everyone’s here, we’ll get supper on the table so we can eat.”
Bekah hurried off to help her mom, Ally and Amy right behind her. “You know, next time I think we should let the men serve us,” Bekah suggested as they carried everything to the table.
Amy laughed. “Yeah right.”
“It’s a thought!” Bekah said with a grin.
“So tell me about Hunter. How serious are you guys?” Amy asked. “Spike said there seemed to be a lot of tension between you yesterday.”
Bekah sighed. “We haven’t even gone out on a date yet!”
“So what’s this all about?” Amy asked.
“Well, I’m madly in love with him. There’s that.”
Ally laughed. “You finally found a man who was up to your standards, did you?”
“I didn’t think it would ever happen,” Bekah said. “I just wish he felt the same.”
Mom gave Bekah a one-armed hug. “He does. You can see it in his eyes when he looks at you.”
“You think?” Bekah asked, looking toward the living room. “I hope so.”
Five minutes later, everyone was seated around the table, and that’s when the real fun began. “Someone pass the garlic bread,” Spike said.
“What’s the magic word?” Bekah asked, her eyes full of mischief.
“Abracadabra!” Ethan shouted, obviously loving the chaos the big family brought into his life.
“Please,” Spike said, groaning as he was forced to say it.
Bekah tossed a piece of the bread at her brother, grinning as he caught it. “You’re welcome.”
“Me next!” Ethan shouted. “Pass me the bread!”
Bekah laughed and tossed a piece right onto the boy’s plate. “There you go!”
Amy groaned. “He doesn’t need to learn bad manners from you people!”
Spike nodded to support Amy. “He really doesn’t. I teach him enough bad stuff when we’re alone together.”
Amy elbowed Spike in the ribs. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”
Hunter watched everyone as they ate, keeping his notebook open beside him, and jotting things down every once in a while. “You guys are great. You don’t mind if I base a family in a book on you, do you?” He was already envisioning his hero going to Bekah’s house for dinner, and this kind of a chaotic meal happening. He loved the idea, and he knew his readers would eat it up.
“Just so no one can trace it back to us. I don’t want people to know that my grown children throw things at each other at the dinner table,” Christina replied, her gaze settling on Bekah.
Bekah smiled sweetly. “Sorry, Mom.”
“No, you’re not!” Mom shook her head. “You’re a mess, Rebekah Ann, and you know it.”
“At least I haven’t stabbed Spike with my fork yet!”
Spike groaned. “Not since last month!”
“You were going for the last piece of cake, and it was my birthday cake. You deserved it and you know it.” Bekah shrugged, not at all contrite.
“Every day I ask God what I did to deserve such heathens. I raised them right. I swear to you, I did!” Christina’s eyes were on Hunter as she said it.
“I’m sure you did, ma’am. It’s not your fault they all have a tendency to misbehave any more than it’s your fault that they all have a crooked smile.” Hunter’s eyes were on Bekah’s grin, lopsided as always.
Christina laughed. “I fell in love with that crooked smile a whole lot of years ago. I can’t regret that all of my children inherited it.”
After dessert, Hunter found himself in the kitchen, helping clean up. “Why are only the men clearing the table and doing dishes?” he asked Spike.
“Because the women cook or some such nonsense. Mom made the rule a long time ago, and we’re all afraid to contradict it.” Spike rinsed a plate before putting it in the dishwasher.
Hunter grinned. He liked the family more with every new thing he learned. “Works for me.”
An hour later, he and Bekah were on their way back to the B&B. “I’m not sure what you were afraid of.”
Bekah smiled. “They were on their best behavior.”
“Are you sure about that?”
She shrugged. “In front of me they were.”
“Your brother told me that it’s my duty to make sure that you never stab him again, and I should duct tape your hands and feet together and leave you in the gazebo the next time I come over to ensure you can’t hurt him.”
She grinned. “Sounds like Spike. He’s a mess and a half.”
“And you love him with everything inside you.” Hunter loved knowing that she felt so much for the man who had obviously tormented her throughout her childhood.
“Of course I do. He’s my brother. He’d kill anyone who hurt me, so I can’t complain even one little bit.”
Hunter grinned as he parked the car in the small parking lot of the B&B. “It’s dark. Do you want to go for a walk?”
She nodded. “I’d love to.”
For th
is walk, she left the grounds of the B&B and took him to walk down by the river. “It feels so much more romantic here at night, don’t you think?”
“Here in town? Or down by the river?”
She shrugged. “Does it matter? It feels romantic, because I’m with you.”
He frowned. “You sound like you really believe we might have a future after my time here is up.”
She stopped walking, sitting down on a park bench to listen to the ripples from the river. “I hope we have a future. I couldn’t stand it if you decided that I wasn’t good enough to be in your life.”
“Good enough?” He turned to her, taking her hands in his. “My worry is that you’re too good to be in my life. I’ve been almost a recluse for years. I mean I get together with friends and we play role-playing games on occasion, but for the most part, I’ve been alone for a very long time.”
“Role-playing games? I can’t wait to tell Spike about that. You’ll never hear the end of it, Puddin’ Pop.”
“I can’t believe you have everyone calling me that. Your mother’s right. You are a mess, Bekah Ann.”
“I don’t care if you’re a recluse. You let me into your life.” She looked down at their joined hands. “I’ve never felt the way I feel about you for anyone. It’s strange. I know I’ve dated more than you, because we’ve talked about it, but I feel like I’m totally out of my league here.”
“You’re not. I promise.”
“We’ve had the same number of serious relationships, and I think that’s what really matters,” she said.
“There had to be someone you were at least a little bit serious about.”
She laughed. “Never. I always knew in the back of my mind that when I saw the man who I was meant to spend my whole life with, I’d know it. And I did.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, not sure how else to respond. How did you tell a girl that you thought you were falling in love with her as well, but you were afraid? Not of commitment, but afraid that she was making a mistake that she’d later regret.
Chapter Eight
Tuesday morning Bekah and Hunter met in the dining room of the B&B. They’d both slept until right before breakfast ended and had a leisurely breakfast together. Jennifer was Bri’s responsibility for the day, and she seemed to be doing well. She had already cleaned half of the rooms, and Bekah had checked up on her, thrilled with the work she’d done.
“Looks like you’re only going to have to work for me for a week, Jennifer. I’m almost sad that I’m going to have to do my own work again.”
Jennifer smiled. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing it right. I was starting to think there was no way for me to ever learn to do it.”
“You have a real skill when it comes to cleaning potties.”
Jennifer frowned. “Are you insulting me?”
“Not at all. I’m really proud of how well you’ve stepped up and learned to do the job.” If she’d been told a week before that Jennifer would actually scrub a toilet correctly, without complaint, she’d never have believed it.
“And you’ll tell my parents that?”
“Of course I will.” Bekah looked at Bri. “Are you two going to be okay together all day?”
Bri nodded. “As long as she doesn’t do something evil, we’ll be fine. If that happens, I’m calling you to come back, though.”
Bekah leveled her gaze at Jennifer. “Are you going to behave all day and do what Bri tells you to do?”
“I’ll try.” Jennifer still hated to work with Bri, and it was obvious, but she was at least trying. It was more than Bekah ever thought would happen.
Bri gave Bekah two of her boxed lunches, packed in bags for the four-wheelers. “You two have fun. Any idea where you’re going?”
“I want to take him out to the lake. I think he’ll find it as beautiful as I do.”
“Have a great day.”
Hunter came into the kitchen then. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Did you finish your book? I forgot to ask.” Bekah knew he’d been close, but he hadn’t been sure if he’d be able to get it finished before bed the night before.
“I was up until four, but I got it done. Now I can spend the next three weeks on edits. So excited…”
“I take it you don’t like edits?”
“I hate them, as does any writer worth his salt!” Bekah took his hand, pulling him outside and toward the shed where the four-wheelers were stored when not in use. There were a couple of snowmobiles there as well. “If it was February, would you have asked me to go snowmobiling instead?”
“Of course! Would have been just as fun, but I wouldn’t have been able to see your shoulders quite as well under your snow gear…”
“And why do you need to see my shoulders?”
“Well, I don’t need to I guess, but they are some mighty fine looking shoulders…”
“Don’t tell me you have a thing for men’s shoulders?” He shook his head.
“You know…men are allowed to be all about breasts, or legs, or butts…but if a woman admits she’s into butts or shoulders, people act like she’s done something wrong.” She sighed as she climbed onto her four-wheeler and put her helmet on, fastening it under her chin. “Do you know how to ride a four-wheeler?”
He shook his head. “It’s not something I’ve ever done, but it can’t be that complicated, can it?”
She gave him a quick lesson on the controls before she drove out of the shed. “We’ll stick to the easy paths, since this is your first time.”
“There are hard paths?”
She laughed. “There are very hard paths, and some of them lead to the lake. We don’t need you flipping on your first time out, though.”
“I’ll do my best.”
It didn’t take him long to understand the appeal of the small vehicles. She took them along a path through some woods, and over some log bridges. These were definitely places that he wouldn’t have been able to go in a car, and wouldn’t have cared to go on foot.
Finally, they reached a couple of large rocks, and she pulled over and got off the four-wheeler. “So what do you think?”
“I love it! The view is amazing.” His eyes were on her, and she looked at him with a smile.
“I’m glad you like my place. I come out here whenever I get a chance to get away. Sometimes I come by snowmobile, but I really prefer to drive the four-wheelers. I like to come out here and watch the water. It’s so peaceful.”
“Do you mind if I take some quick notes? I know I’m supposed to be taking the day off, but as a writer, every person I meet and every new experience is future book fodder. I’m never truly off.”
“I don’t mind at all.” She spread out a small blanket over one of the rocks and set their picnic out. Bri had included two sandwiches, some chips, some of her raspberry lemonade, and brownies for dessert. She had already taken a couple of bites of her sandwich when he joined her.
“Thanks for waiting for me,” he said, his voice full of sarcasm.
“Any time! I’m here for you, Puddin’ Pop.”
After they ate, he sighed, looking out over the water. “Do we have to head back right away?”
She shook her head. “No, not at all. It’s a little chilly up this high, but there’s no reason to leave this early.”
He picked up their picnic and deposited it in a trash can near them, coming back to her and wrapping the red plaid blanket they’d used for the picnic around their shoulders. “How’s that?”
“Cozy,” she said with a grin. “I’m glad you took my advice and wore a sweater. I was afraid you’d ignore me and freeze.”
“I try to listen to people who know more about things than I do.”
“You’re a very smart man.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for agreeing to come out here today. I’m glad we didn’t just do something boring in town. You can’t really get to know someone at a movie theater or over dinner in a restaurant. You need real time toge
ther.”
His arm came around her and he pulled her closer. “You make me believe that we can really make a go of this sometimes, and then someone like Jordan comes along, and I hear about all the broken hearts you leave in your wake.”
She sighed. “I promise you, if I ever broke a heart, it was the guy’s fault and not mine. I’m always clear and upfront that all I’m looking for is a fun time, that I want nothing serious. Do you really think that I would be as honest and upfront with what I want from you as I have been and lead other guys on? It’s just not in me to mince words.”
He frowned. “I have noticed that about you.” He shook his head. “Your own cousin Jack warned me to be careful about you though.”
“He was kidding. You know my family teases. You’ve seen us at it.”
“This is true…”
She couldn’t bear the subject any longer. If he wasn’t going to take her at her word, she’d talk about something else. “Tell me about your book.”
“I’m not sure what there is to tell. I have the same hero in every book. This is my third.” He wasn’t sure if he should mention that his hero was finding love with a beautiful woman named Bekah in this book. Would she even believe him?
“And did you kill off a beautiful woman named Jennifer?”
He laughed. “No, but I almost went back and changed the name of one of the victims to Jennifer.”
“One of the victims?” she asked. “Do you always have more than one?”
He nodded. “Oh yeah. My hero is an FBI profiler. He always finds mass murderers.”
“Ew. It’s hard to believe something that dark lives in your brain. You seem like such a good guy…”
He grinned. “I have a fun story about that. At my last job before I quit to be a full-time writer, I was sitting there one day, and the FBI showed up at my work. They went to my boss and said that someone who worked there had searched for how to make bombs on the internet.”
Her eyes grew wide and she looked up at him with a grin. “And?”
Rocky Mountain Nights (Roberts of Silver Springs #6) Page 7