Becket opened and closed his mouth a few times.“People should mind their own damn business.”
Her eyes widened.“You like Ellie, don’t you?”
Becket swore under his breath.“Don’t be ridiculous, I don’t even know her.She was on a ladder that wasn’t very stable.It was lucky I was there to catch her.She would’ve hurt herself otherwise.”
Hayden chuckled.“Of course you had to catch her.Chivalrous as always.”
“She’s very pretty,” Cooper said.
“How do you know?”slipped out before Becket could stop himself.
“I’ve got eyes,” Cooper grinned.“She attended Hayden and Laura’s wedding.”
“Yes, I know, I just didn’t know…” Damn, he’d said way too much.
Willow’s eyes were twinkling.“As I’ve said, you like her.So did you make a date with her to take her to the outdoor music festival Friday night?”
“No, I’m taking Roxy,” Becket said.
“Who’s Roxy?”Hayden asked.
“A new nurse.I met her in Grey’s Saloon last Friday.”
Cooper shook his head.“Do you even know what Roxy’s surname is?”
“Come on, Brandy, let’s go,” Becket said to his horse instead of answering his brother.Brandy was happy to oblige and galloped away.
No, he didn’t know what Roxy’s surname was and quite frankly he didn’t care.The moment she’d laid eyes on him Friday night, she’d made it clear she was available.When she’d asked him to pick her up for the festival, he’d agreed, thinking it was probably time to go on a date again.He’d been behaving himself for a while now.
But that was before Ellie Campbell had fallen into his arms.Now all he could think about was her.
“So,” Willow said, coming up behind him.“When are you going to tell Hayden you’d rather spend time doing your illustrations than working on the ranch?”
Stunned, Becket shook his head.“This still freaks me out.You knowing every damn thing.”
Willow sobered.“I know, I’m sorry.But I hate seeing you like this.You only come alive when you’re sketching; you know that?And you’ve been doing so well.”
“How do you know?”Of course she’d know.
“I follow you on social media.”
“I use a pseudonym; how could you possibly have known it’s me?”
“I recognized your style.And of course, your dogs.And the name, ET Beck—not a very original anagram, is it?”
He shrugged.Nobody was supposed to know it was him.“You’re the well-known artist in the family.Me?I just doodle.”
“You know that’s not true!Becket, I wasn’t going to say anything because I know how you hate it when I know what’s going on in your life, but lately your followers are going crazy over your illustrations of the dogs in your life with your witty words.You should spend more time doing that.How are sales going?”
“Surprisingly good.”
“It’s just a pity you don’t put your own name to it.”
“It’s complicated, you know that as well as I do.I’m needed on the ranch and it’s fine.Besides, sketching is just a hobby, something I do on weekends or in the evenings.”
“It could be so much more and you know it,” Willow said.“Life is short, bro.Don’t waste it on doing things that don’t make your soul happy.Also,” she said as she turned her horse around, “don’t waste time with women you don’t even like.Ellie is different, I like her.She’s got spunk and brains.She’s also going to be at the outdoor festival on Friday.”
As Willow’s horse trotted away, Becket shook his head.His sister’s uncanny way of just knowing what went on in their lives didn’t freak him out quite the way it used to when they were little, but he was still wary around her.
