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Glancing at Brock, Ty narrowed his eyes. “Did you know about Heather?”
Tanner asked again, “Who is Heather?”
Timberlynn patted his leg, “Don’t worry, honey, I’m sure we’re about to find out.”
“Of course, I knew. Beck told me everything.”
Ty let out a laugh. “Apparently not everything. And yes, he told me about Heather.”
Tanner sighed in frustration.
While Brock and Ty bickered back and forth, Avery leaned in and said, “I cannot say this enough—avoid game nights if at all possible while you’re here.”
I smiled at her, and when she smiled back, I had the crazy urge to grab her hand and hold it.
“Okay, that’s enough!” Kaylee shouted. “Can we stop now and please let Beck tell us about himself and his mother, whom I’m guessing is Heather?”
Nodding, I replied, “Yes, ma’am…I mean, Kaylee.”
When all eyes were on me, I drew in a deep breath and, once again, started from the beginning.
The room was quiet as everyone processed the story I’d just shared. It was Lincoln who broke the silence first.
“What are the odds that Avery’s flight would have been rerouted and she ended up sitting next to you on that flight?”
I looked at Avery. She shrugged. “Crazy, isn’t it? But it was clearly meant to be.”
“I’ll say,” Kaylee said with a wide smile. “How long are you planning on being here, Beck?”
“I’m not sure, but I did take two weeks off.”
“You said you worked for your grandfather? You’re on vacation then?” Timberlynn asked.
It seemed like the wives were asking all the questions, as Brock, Ty Junior, and Tanner all just stared at me.
Smiling, I nodded. “I do work for him, and yes, I’m on vacation; although, he seems to think that means I can still work.”
“I hope you told him no.”
That came from Stella. Before I had a chance to respond, she went on.
“If we get you for two weeks, then I want you for the entire full two weeks. Have you thought any more about staying here instead of your hotel?”
Again, before I had a chance to reply, someone else spoke.
“You can’t stay at a hotel,” Brock said. “You have to stay here with Mom and Dad. That way you won’t have to drive back and forth to town, and you’ll be here so we can show you the ranch.”
“That’s what I said!” Stella added with a smile. “Please say you’ll stay.”
Avery leaned closer and said, “You’re not going to win this battle, so you might as well just agree.”
Vanilla and roses filled my senses, and I almost forgot where I was for a moment. I nodded and smiled at her before looking around at all the waiting faces.
“If you’re sure you don’t mind me staying…”
Stella clapped, then hugged Ty Senior.
Tanner laughed. “They wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Um, Beck, do you have plans for this evening?” Ty Junior asked.
“I’m probably just going to head to the hotel to pack my things. Or I can do that tomorrow and stay at the hotel tonight.”
“Oh no! I want you to stay this evening. Ty, you and the boys can have him tomorrow. He’s bound to be exhausted by all of us and having to repeat his story so much. Avery, you go with Beck to the hotel and help him get his things.”
“That’s not necessary,” I quickly said, glancing between Avery and Stella.
“I don’t mind. I just need to let my parents know. You can drop me off on the way back to the ranch.”
All I could do was nod. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to spend time with Avery. I did. But I also needed some alone time to process this instant family. It was all a bit overwhelming—and I hadn’t even met everyone yet.
I was feeling overly emotional. Normally when I felt this way, I got lost in a woman…which wasn’t often, but it had happened a time or two. Meaningless sex wasn’t a healthy coping mechanism. I knew that. And Avery wasn’t the type of girl I would ever do that to anyway. For one, she was too young. Two, she was a part of the Shaw family, even if it wasn’t by blood. And…
Okay, I didn’t really have any other reasons, beyond the fact I was becoming dependent on her, wanting her by my side—and that wasn’t a good thing, either.
Avery had left the room to go find her parents and tell them she was going with me to the hotel. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see how her father reacted to that plan. Despite Stella being the one to suggest it, I wasn’t sure how that would go over with Dirk.
Brock stood, so I did as well. Tanner and Ty Junior followed suit.
“The weather is supposed to be clear tomorrow after some late-night snow tonight. You up for trying your hand at horseback riding in the snow?” Brock asked.
