'Tis the Season for Love: A Charity Box Set

by Maggie Dallen

“Check this out.” He shoved her in front of him, steering her through the entourage that went wherever Beckett Anderson went.

  “Um. No.” Wylder shook her head. “Are you nuts? I’m not walking across that thing.”

  “Come on, this will be so epic. The team’s going to do some Insta shots of us out there.”

  “Then double nope.” Wylder took a big step back from the mountain gorge with the sweeping vistas. The view was breathtaking with miles and miles of thick forests and lush green mountains, but the ancient looking rope bridge spanning the rocky creek—gurgling way too far below—looked like a death trap. It was no secret that Becks wasn’t always the most coordinated of individuals. She wasn’t getting on that bridge with him.

  “I’ll go first, and then you meet me in the middle for a photo op.” Becks took a step onto the aged wooden plank of the narrow bridge.

  “I swear Beckett Anderson, if you fall off this thing, I am going to kill you.” Wylder’s heart lodged somewhere in her throat as he took several more bouncing steps out across the expanse.

  “See, it’s perfectly safe. This thing has been here for years.”

  “Sure, it just hasn’t met you yet.” Wylder gripped the entrance to the bridge, and she didn’t miss the looks from the crew that said she might have a point.

  “I’ll be good.” Becks held out his hand. “Promise.”

  Wylder was a reckless kind of girl, but she wasn’t stupid, and that bridge looked like it was older than her and Becks combined… times ten. “Lord, save me from my brother.” She took a tentative step out, grasping for Becks’ hand.

  “That’s my girl. No fear!”

  “You’re such an idiot.” But Wylder couldn’t keep a straight face.

  “See? It’s easy.” Becks started walking out over the gorge.

  “Don’t let go of my hand.” She lunged for him, trying to ignore the cameras clicking, and recording every bit of this cute but fabricated brother-sister moment.

  “Look, you can see the falls from here.” Becks pointed in the distance, wrapping an arm around Wylder for the perfect unscripted pose. Her brother was a natural.

  “Cool, is that where we’re going for your show off shoot?”

  “Hey, what’s with the tude? I bring you along for this once in a lifetime experience and you got nothing but eye rolls for me? You know those eyes of yours are going to get stuck in your head if you keep doing that.”

  “You brought me along as a prop for your Insta. Not cool.” Wylder tried to prod him along. She wanted to get off the death trap ASAP.

  “What?” His voice went up an octave. “Did not. Don’t make me call Dad.”

  “You’re such a baby. Now move it.”

  “I’m wounded here.” Becks crossed his arms and attempted to lean against the railing—the one made of rope and air.

  “Becks!” everyone shouted before he could fall over the side.

  “Seriously?” Wylder grabbed a handful of his shirt and forced his hands back on the railing. “Give me a heart attack!”

  “I brought you along for some solo Becks time.” His perfect pout wasn’t an act. He was actually upset. It was a fine line between joking and being hurt for him, but she could always tell the difference. “I thought you’d enjoy the hike with me before I have to work all afternoon. This is some beautiful scenery here, Wylds.” He gestured at the landscape. “It’s not a gimmick. I’m just… so freaking busy. I’m making an effort here, you know? I thought this would be way better than leaving you at home with Nick Nick again. You’ve spent most of the last month with him. My little sister came to hang out with me, and I want her to have a blast.” He scratched his head in confusion. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen her anywhere, have you?”

  He just had to go and be all adorable and genuine.

  “Ugh, just get me off this thing before you lean on the railing again and send us both to our deaths.”

  Becks flashed his huge grin. “Did you bring your suit?”

  “I suppose you mean for swimming?” Wylder kept a death-grip on his shirt as they inched their way over the gorge. “Man this is high up.”

  “Buck up, Wylds, my sister isn’t a wuss. Just don’t look down.”

  “Just don’t look down? How am I supposed to make sure my feet land on this board and not thin air?”

  Becks ignored her. “So after we finish the shoot, we’re going swimming at the falls. You should see how gorgeous this place is. It reminds me of home.”

  “Does this waterfall have a pool like the one at your fancy new house?”

  “What? No, it’s a pond, Wylder.” Becks shot an exasperated look over his shoulder.

  “Like with snakes? I don’t swim where there’s a chance there are snakes.”

  “You’re going to love it.” He made a choking noise.

  “I’m going to love the nice dry ground, when do we get to that part?” Wylder stared down at her feet, the rocky creek trickling far below them.

  “Lighten up, Wylds. We’re having fun today.” He pulled at the neck of his t-shirt. “You could loosen your grip on my shirt anytime, sis. I can’t breathe.”

  “You know, I was having a great time before you went all big brother on me at the festival.” They’d already had this conversation too many times, and it never changed.

  “I couldn’t find you anywhere.” To Becks, that made it okay.

  “I know, that was the part where I was having fun.”

  “But it was my concert.”

  “I’ve seen you sing more times than anyone alive. I wasn’t missing anything. I just wanted to be Wylder for the evening. Not Beckett Anderson’s little sister. And then you lost your mind and paged me like I was a kidnapped child, and you were calling in an Amber Alert.”

  “Are you saying I’m over protective?”

  “You think?”

  “You’re my baby sister. You’re my responsibility when you’re away from home.”

  “Newsflash, Becks, I may be a senior in high school, but I’m almost nineteen. That makes me an adult and sometimes, I want to go adulting on my own and do adulty things without my big brother breathing down my neck.”

  “Adulty things? I do not want to hear my little sister talking about doing adulty things.”

  “You have no idea how cute he was… and you ruined it.” She gave him a shove and stumbled behind him onto solid ground.

  “What? Who was cute?”

  “The guy I met at the festival.” She searched her bag for her water bottle.

  “What guy, there was a guy?” He glanced back at his entourage like they’d done him a disservice for not giving him a full report on his sister’s activities.

  “I’m allowed to flirt with boys, you know.” She stalked across the clearing to the trail leading up the mountain.

  “Um, no you’re not.” He followed. “What if this “guy” person was a psycho predator? You’re not allowed to talk to guys you don’t know, Wylds.”

  “Ugh.” She stomped her foot, trying to resist the urge to kick him. “Then how am I ever supposed to meet anyone?”

  “You ever thought about becoming a nun?”

  “Not that this isn’t crazy-entertaining for the rest of us, but can we move this family feud up to the falls?” Their cousin Skye asked, brushing sweaty hair out of her face. “Preferably far far away from this bridge?” Skye draped an arm around Wylder’s shoulder. “I will be your Becks buffer, kid. At least for the afternoon, and then he’s yours again.”

  “Can’t you take custody for like a long weekend?”

  “Come on everyone, we have a shoot to do,” Skye called to the crew. She was their cousin on their birth mother’s side. They didn’t know about her when they were growing up, but she’d become like another sister to Becks since he’d moved to Nashville. She was his manager now, and the label was grateful for her. She was the Becks Whisperer. Skye could always get him focused and back on track.

  Once at the falls, Wylder saw why they came all this way
. It was the perfect backdrop for the cover of his newest album. This album was all about hometowns and old friends and all the places and people that were never too far from Becks’ thoughts. The waterfall here wasn’t as intense as the one in Twin Rivers, but this place was a good representation. For the album at least. But it wasn’t home.

  Not that Wylder was homesick or anything crazy.

  She found a sunny spot out of the way to sit and pretend to watch. Most people would think hanging out on set with Beckett Anderson, shooting the cover for his new album would be an exciting event. Not so much. It was really boring—and she’d never admit it to her brother, but it also looked like hard work.

  Wylder spread out a blanket, stuffed her AirPods in and let the bluesy voice of Luke Cook drown out Becks’ and Skye’s bickering. Laying back on her blanket in the sunlight, Wylder’s mind wandered to the kiss she’d shared with a total stranger. She didn’t have much to compare it with, but in her estimation, it was a really good kiss. One she would remember for the rest of her life. That was exactly how first kisses should be. Fun and not too serious.

  “Your brother will be the death of me.” Skye dropped down beside Wylder.

  “Is it time to go yet?” She blinked up at the sunny sky to find her brother still perched at the top of the falls where they’d spent the afternoon shooting.

  “Almost. We’re currently trying to talk Becks out of turning this into a camping trip.”

  “I’ll kill him.” Wylder sat up, slapping at the mosquitos on her legs. “Why are you down here and not up there supervising?” She stared at her brother above the falls. “You know he’s going to—yeah, there he goes.” Wylder leapt to her feet. “Somebody stop him!” But Beckett Anderson had already taken the leap, tucking his knees to his chest, he shouted, “Cannon Ball!” as he splashed into the deep waters below.

  Skye jumped up to join her. “Did he just—"

  “Leap off a cliff like a weirdo with a death wish? Yep, that’s my brother.”

  Chapter 4

  Becks was not normal. But then, Wylder had known that her entire life. He wasn’t dumb necessarily, he just liked people to think he was. In reality, there was a musical genius lurking behind those pleading eyes.

  “Come on, Wylder.” He held his hands in front of his chest like he was praying. “It’ll be so much fun.”

  Wylder twisted a dread around one finger. “Do you realize how often you say that? But most of the time it turns out to not be fun at all.” She poked him in the chest. “I don’t need to tag along with you all summer. I’m not part of your entourage.”

  His shoulders dropped, and Wylder would have felt bad for him if she didn’t know it was all an act to get what he wanted.

  Becks fell onto the couch with a melodramatic huff.

  Wylder looked to Nicky who’d been hovering in the doorway that separated the living room from Becks’ extravagant kitchen. “How do you deal with him all the time?”

  Nicky shrugged. “I ignore him.”

  Becks lifted his head. “Hey! I don’t think I like it when you two are together.”

  He might not, but Wylder certainly did. Nicky was her best friend, at times, her only friend. Well, before he had to go and fall for her brother. But even after so much separation and life changes, Nicky was still her person.

  And it was way too easy for them to gang up on Becks.

  Becks groaned. “I’m just asking you to come to the studio, Wylder. To listen to my new stuff.”

  She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Eh… country isn’t my thing.”

  It was totally her thing, but messing with Becks was way too much fun to stop.

  Becks sighed, the kind of “Everyone is against me” sigh he’d perfected.

  “Are you going, Nicky?” If he’d be there, she’d at least have someone to hang out with.

  Becks was the one who answered. “He has class.”

  “Oh, right.” Nicky was taking summer classes to make up for being on tour with Becks all spring.

  Becks sat up. “It seems no one loves me.”

  Wylder suppressed a laugh and caught Nicky doing the same thing. The front door opened, revealing Nari Won Song and Avery. Nari smiled brightly like she always did. Then her eyes found a dejected Becks. “Have you two broken my superstar?”

  “No.” Wylder shrugged. “We don’t know what’s wrong with him. Really.”

  Becks frowned. “They’re being mean.”

  “Aw.” Nari crossed her arms and shared a look with Avery. “Wylder, you should know by now not to tease him until after we go in to the studio. I need Becks’ head firmly on his shoulders.”

  Becks pouted. “Wylder won’t come to the studio.”

  “Did you really expect her to say yes.” Nari laughed before turning to Wylder. “Avery will be there for you to hang with. And… I called in to the studio a few minutes ago to double check our time. The receptionist told me something very interesting.”

  They all waited, and Nari seemed to enjoy their anticipation.

  She grinned. “There are some other artists there today too. One of them named Luke Cook.”

  Wylder couldn’t breathe. It was like Nari’s words reached in and ripped out her lungs. Luke Cook. Was it hot in there? It was definitely hot. It took her a moment to realize every eye in the room was on her.

  “That’s it.” Becks jumped from the couch. “We’re canceling today’s session.” He pulled out his phone.

  Wylder lunged toward him, tackling him back on the couch. “Don’t you dare.”

  He pushed her away, and she landed on her butt on the ground. “What do you care? You’re not coming to the studio, right?”

  Wylder picked herself up off the floor, not taking her eyes from Becks’ smirk. He was playing her, and he knew exactly how.

  She was definitely right before about the benefits to the whole brother is a country star thing.

  That benefit? Luke Cook.

  Thinking of him brought her back to dancing in the rain and the man at her side. She pinched her arm to bring her back to the present. “Fine! Let me change.”

  “No time.” Nari slid an arm over Wylder’s shoulders. “You look good.”

  Wylder glanced down at her fraying jean shorts and the oversized Boston college hockey t-shirt she’d stolen from a friend who now went there. It didn’t get much fancier than this for her.

  With a sigh, she pulled on her Converse sneakers and followed Nari, Avery, and Becks out the door. Becks was normally pretty lazy and called a car whenever he needed to go somewhere, but lucky for them, Nari was an actual adult who didn’t need people to do even the smallest things for her.

  By the time they reached the recording studio, Wylder’s leg bounced uncontrollably.

  Becks gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “Why don’t you ever fangirl over me?”

  It was such a Becks question Wylder laughed. “Because you’re my brother.”

  His brow creased as he thought over her answer.

  “Don’t hurt yourself thinking, brother. You need your few brain cells for the studio.”

  Becks lips tipped up into a half smile. “I am glad you’re here for the summer, Wylds. Even if you’d rather do anything other than hang with me.”

  Was that really what he thought? Wylder was full of sarcasm and jokes. She didn’t really know how to be any other way. “I do want to spend time with you, Becks. It’s why I begged Dad to let me come here. I just… your job is so boring.”

  A laugh burst out of him as he opened the door. “You are probably the only person who’d ever say that to me. I’m a rock star. My life is anything but boring.”

  Wylder shrugged and stepped out of the car. He wouldn’t change her mind. Photoshoots, studio time… the only thing that sounded appealing was seeing the world on a tour.

  Besides, if Wylder ever became famous, she’d probably ruin it all with some scandal. Playing it safe was boring. She preferred trouble.

  Becks smiled at the
lady behind the front desk, and she fell over herself to stand and greet him. “Mr. Anderson. Studio three is ready for you.”

  Becks shot her a wink, and Wylder rolled her eyes as the woman sighed.

  “I’m invisible, apparently,” Nari whispered. It couldn’t be easy standing in the shadow of Becks’ ego, but Wylder always thought it was what Nari preferred.

  They entered the studio, and Wylder’s eyes went to the booth—she assumed they called it that—and the mother of all gorgeousness. She walked to the plexiglass separating the two rooms. Becks and Nari’s other bandmates were already preparing. Wylder didn’t really know them, but she immediately envied the man sitting behind the most beautiful drum set she’d ever seen.

  She’d been good once upon a time, but she hadn’t played in nearly a year. Her fingers tapped against her leg, itching to hold a drum stick.

  Becks gave her a knowing look but didn’t pry. He knew drumming was a sore subject for her. After he and Nari left for bigger things, Wylder had been desperate to find a band to play with, settling on an all girls band.

  She only wanted to play, and they’d wanted to be friends. She’d learned too late that by choosing not to befriend them, she’d become an enemy instead. Eventually they pushed her out.

  Wylder didn’t get it, why people liked her. She wasn’t like Becks with the looks and the charm oozing out of every pore.

  She was just Wylder.

  There was a giant leather couch calling her name. Would Becks mind if she fell asleep? Probably. And she’d do anything for her brother. It would have been a lie to say Luke Cook was the only reason she’d come. She’d have given in to Becks just like she always did.

  Plopping down on the couch, she leaned back. Avery joined her as the band started talking music.

  “So,” Avery started. “I’ve been trying to find somewhere to get a live Christmas tree this time of year. It’s impossible.”

  “Nothing is truly impossible, Avery.” Wylder was sure if he kept looking, he’d find something that worked. “You’re really going to indulge him in this Christmas in July thing?”

  Avery shrugged. “He and Nari are going to be on tour over Christmas this year. I just thought it would be nice.”