Chapter 6
Richard paced back and forth along the lobby, wishing the quick movement would help shake the guilt that settled over him every time he considered the trip to town he’d planned with Ava.
Maverick was going to kill him. It wasn’t enough that Richard was lucky enough to work on the taxes with her, now he’d get to drive into town with her tomorrow, watch her pick out the printing calculator of her dreams, and help her look for an apartment. She’d definitely need a bite to eat while they were out and about, which had him wondering what places were in the area. He’d found a nice pub a while back. In fact, he’d met Trenton at the place on the day he’d helped the cowboy see reason where his sister was concerned. See, he wasn’t such a bad brother after all, was he?
Except from Maverick’s point of view, Richard was probably the worst. His younger brother’s accusations yesterday were spot on—Richarddidlike Ava, and he was certain that he was better for her than his rowdy younger brother.
He checked his watch. Almost three. Perhaps he should have told Ava he’d meet her at the stable rather than offer to take her to them. Seeing the two of them pull up in the same cart would probably set Maverick through the roof.
But how else was she supposed to get there? Not everyone knew how to drive those little carts. He’d dated a few women who refused to get behind the wheel on the greens.
A creak sounded, and a group of guests stepped inside, already oohing and ahhing about the charm of the B&B. Betty was quick to greet them with her cheerful drawl while Richard darted out of view and paced at the foot of the central staircase instead.
He should tell Maverick to be the one to take her tomorrow. It’d be the right thing to do. A knot of something sharp and irritating bounced around his insides at the mere thought. He hated the idea of giving up that time. But what kind of a brother was he? And the truth was, Maverick had brought up a good point yesterday. Ava already knew their story, which meant that was one less person they’d bring into their madness if she ended up with one of the brothers.
Wow, Richard, do you hear yourself?
He was really going off the rails, wasn’t he? Who was he to assume she’d want any of them? It was just that, he knew how careless Maverick could be. If the family could somehow bypass his whole dating, revealing who-he-is-and-where-he’s-from thing, they’d stand a much better chance at keeping their cover.
“Getting in some extra steps?” a soft voice came from the stairs.
Richard froze in place, his body coming alive at the close proximity. He spun a look over his shoulder and gave her a sheepish grin. “I have a hard time staying still sometimes,” he admitted.
“Hmm.” She caught the banister and stepped down the final two steps.
She’d changed her clothes, he couldn’t help noting. Gone were the khaki shorts and white tee shirt she’d worn that morning. Replaced with a light cotton sundress. Nothing too revealing or flashy. Just a casual little number, white with tiny pale yellow flowers.
“My…friend has one of those watches that counts his steps. He’s obsessive about hitting ten thousand a day.”
She’d paused before saying friend; was she referring to an ex-boyfriend? And what kind of men had she fallen for in the past? She’d mentioned dreams of being rescued by some cowboy riding in on his black horse, but he hadn’t pictured her going for that type. Of course, he hadn’t pictured his sister Andie falling for a cowboy either, but look who she ended up with.
He ran a palm along the scruff on his jaw, hoping no one would comment on it in front of Ava. Would Maverick call him out for what it was? A lame attempt to look more like the rugged cowboy type she dreamed of rescuing her?
They were headed through the dining area now, where Richard hurried to open the door for her to step onto the back patio.
Ava paused at the gesture, ran a quick gaze down the length of him, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you.” So reserved. So timid at times. But not always.
“You look beautiful, by the way.” He maybe shouldn’t have said that aloud, but Richard sensed that Ava didn’t realized how beautiful she was, which bothered him more than it should.
“Thank you,” she said, a soft smile at her lips. A pink blush filled her cheeks. “I was looking at this in the gift shop yesterday, and suddenly it wound up in a gift box outside my door just now.” She shrugged. “Thought I may as well wear it.”
A hot clash of jealousy and guilt rushed through him. What, was Maverick stalking her every move? Watching from afar so he could secretly fulfill her every whim?
“I was thinking,” he said as they stepped down the patio steps and toward the small parking area. “I should probably give Maverick the chance to take you into town tomorrow.”
A furrow pulled at her brow. “Why?”
Did she really not know? Richard sank a hand into his pocket as they neared golf cart number four, the one he’d picked out for himself shortly after arriving.
“Is four your favorite number?” Ava guessed as he walked her to the passenger side of the cart.
“Sixteen is, actually.” He offered his hand, wondering if she’d take it or pretend she didn’t notice the gesture. “I should add that it’s only my favorite because it’s the sum of four fours,” he admitted with a chuckle. “So maybe that makes four my favorite number after all.”
Shedidset her hand in his as she climbed into the golf cart. Her skin was like warm, fragrant silk.
“I’d say that fourisyour favorite,” she agreed. “Alex Bellos—he’s a British mathematics writer—did a survey and found that the number four came in fourth in the world’s most favorite numbers. You should like that—fourthplace.”
He did like that. Even more, he liked that she knew stuff like this. She was a fellow nerd in disguise. He walked around the back of the cart shaking his head. Ava just kept surprising him, didn’t she?
