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Ignoring the way that made my chest squeeze, I nodded.
“I guess I should head on to the hotel so I don’t get back here too late,” Beck said, glancing at Grams and Grandpa.
“Avery, you’re still driving with Beck, right?” Stella asked.
“Yes, I’ll make sure he gets there okay.”
“Does his phone not have GPS?” Dad asked. I wasn’t sure if Beck heard him. If he did, he chose to ignore the comment. He was walking away with Uncle Ty.
Glancing back at my father, I stuck out my tongue at him, and he laughed.
Stella joined us. “The reason I suggested Avery go with him is because it seems like they’ve become friends. I’m sure Beck is feeling overwhelmed, and it will be nice for him to have someone to talk to.”
I forced myself to smile. I wasn’t sure why her words hurt like they did.
Mom took my hand and pulled me to her. “If it starts to snow, maybe you should drive.”
I smiled and hugged her. “I promise if it snows, I will. I’ll text you when we get to his hotel and when we leave.”
The drive to Beck’s hotel was mostly a silent one. I knew his mind had to be churning, so I left him to his thoughts. When he was ready to talk, he would.
We pulled up to the Bitterroot Inn, and he put the SUV in Park and sat there for a moment, simply staring out the front window.
“Beck? Is everything okay?” I asked.
He didn’t respond until I said his name again.
“Beck?”
Looking at me, he almost started, as if he’d forgotten I was even in the car. He smiled. “Yeah, everything’s okay. It’s just…a lot.”
I nodded. “You don’t have to stay at Grams and Grandpa’s house, you know. You can stay here. I can call an Uber and—”
“No, it’s not that. I want to stay there. I’d like to get to know them better, and try to find out more about my father.”
“Okay.”
His eyes met mine, and for a moment we just sat there, neither of us speaking or moving. Finally, he shook his head slightly and said, “Hold on, I’ll get your door.”
I dug my teeth into my lower lip. Growing up, I’d always seen my father and uncles open car doors for my mother and aunts, and had always considered it such a sweet thing to do. Guys my age didn’t do that.
My age. I sighed. Was a nine-year difference really that big of a deal? I didn’t think so. Would Beck think it was?
The door opened, and Beck reached his hand out for me to take it. I did, and tried not to react to the way a bolt of electricity raced from his touch through the rest of my body. He hadn’t even flinched, so clearly the touch hadn’t affected him any.
Smiling politely, I murmured, “Thank you.”
We headed into the hotel and straight to the elevator. Beck hit his floor number and motioned for me to go in first when the doors opened. I followed him out of the elevator and down the hall to his room. He unlocked the door, and we walked in. I glanced into the bathroom to see he only had a few things on the counter. His suitcase was sitting on a chair, and the bed was made up, the room cleaned by housekeeping.
“Wasn’t here long enough to really mess anything up,” Beck said with a slight laugh.
“What can I do to help?” I asked, looking around the room.
Beck shrugged as he put his computer in a backpack. “Would you mind getting the stuff out of the bathroom for me? It’s just a few things.”
“Not at all,” I replied, turning and making my way into the bathroom. Upon closer inspection, I couldn’t help but smile. Beck was very organized.
His toothbrush was already stored in the travel case. I reached for the bottle of cologne, removed the cap, and sniffed. Fruity, spicy, and just a touch woodsy, it had hints of bergamot and citrus. Frowning, I sniffed again. Rosemary, nutmeg…and was that apple—
“Like the smell?”
I let out a small scream and jumped. “Jesus, Beck! You scared me.”
When I turned around, he was leaning against the door frame, and goodness, was he handsome. His dimple was on full display. It was almost sinful how good-looking this guy was.
“So?”
Confused, I shook my head and asked, “So what?”
He smiled, and I tried to ignore the way it sent a warm feeling through my lower belly. “Do you like the smell of my cologne?”
Clearing my throat, I put the cap back on. “I do. It has a woodsy smell, but at the same time, it’s spicy and fruity. I can smell apples, nutmeg, some bergamot, and…”
My voice trailed off as I looked up and saw his brows raised.
I laughed lightly. “I learned a lot about fragrances when I was in France.” I looked away, a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I was just curious what it smelled like. I haven’t really smelled cologne on you, so… Anyway, just put everything in this bag?” I asked, pointing to a small black bag sitting on the counter.
