Frowning, he stared at her.“I don’t think that will happen any time soon, but okay, I promise.”
Lifting her arms she smiled.“Kiss me, cowboy, I have to go to work.”
With a groan, he bent down and brought her closer to him.“And you’ll let me help you next weekend?”
But she didn’t answer him.Instead, she pulled down his head and kissed him.Next weekend was very far ahead.Anything could still happen.
*
Wednesday, a weeklater, Becket was late for breakfast again.He’d invited Ellie to join him, but apparently she had cleaners and a painter coming today for her new house.
He’d offered his help, but it seemed she had everything under control.If his sister, Willow, had taught him anything, it was never to interfere with an independent woman.And if ever there was an independent woman, it was his Ellie, always insisting she could do it herself.
“Everything okay?”Hayden asked.“You look tired.”
“I’m fine.”Sitting down, he poured himself a big mug of coffee.Yes, he was tired, but it wasn’t anything he cared to discuss.Especially not with Hayden.Apart from the fact that he and Ellie got very little sleep at night, once she finally fell asleep, he usually slipped out to finish orders.As it was, he’d been falling behind.
People seem to love the curly, curvy blonde who had by now become a part of his daily sketches, the orders had just about doubled over the last week.
He’d have to make some sort of decision soon.Either he deleted his page and concentrated on helping his brothers, or he told Hayden he wanted to play a lesser role on the ranch and focused on his art.Even as the thought entered his mind, he deleted it immediately.He could never leave his family in the lurch.
“I see Ellie has become a feature in your daily posts on Instagram,” Cooper said.
Willow inhaled sharply, everyone else stopped eating and looked at him.
“What daily posts?”asked Hayden.
Becket took the last sip of his coffee and shoved back his chair.“Just doodles.See you guys out there.”Grabbing a piece of toast, he quickly left the kitchen.
Cooper was on his heels.
“What the hell, man?”Becket growled.
“Damn it, Becket, you’re trying to live Walker’s life, make up for the fact that he’s not here.You’re dying inside.It’s time you tell Hayden.”
“Tell me what?”Hayden asked as he approached them.
“Nothing.”Becket stormed off in the direction of the stables.Damn it to hell.Why couldn’t everyone just mind their own freaking business?
*
With a slightlyuneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Ellie drove to her new home after work.She had two suitcases of clothes with her that she wanted to unpack before Becket picked her up.
Early this morning, she’d met the cleaners at the house and they’d promised to do a good job.They’d insisted on being paid immediately in cash.Slightly taken aback, she’d nevertheless driven to the bank and got the money.Maybe she should’ve asked Janice or Arlene for recommendations, but she’d seen the ad on the pharmacy window.That should be an indication they were trustworthy, right?
The painter looked fine, though.He’d assured her he got the paint she wanted.Painting one room was an easy job, he’d smiled.He’d be finished by the end of the day.
She stopped in front of the house and got out.Hugging herself, she stared at the house.Her house.The same strange feeling of déjà vu she got every time she saw it, was back.Maybe she’d lived here in an earlier lifetime, who knew?
Chuckling, she quickly took out the suitcases and walked toward the front door.
As she unlocked the door, she closed her eyes for a moment.“Thanks, Grandma.Without you I couldn’t have done this.”She unlocked the door and took the first step into her new home.
That was how long the euphoria lasted.The place hadn’t been cleaned.It was clear the cleaners had left right after she’d paid them.Quickly she closed her eyes.Maybe she was dreaming.But when she opened her eyes, nothing had changed.
“My room…” With trepidation, Ellie raced up the steps to the main bedroom.
The door was closed.Taking a deep breath, she opened it.“Oh, no!”Dismayed, she stared at the bright pink and dark blue walls.The floor was a mess, with marks of paint everywhere.
