Chapter 17

Eli rode back to the Murphy property with Beth and Midnight beside him and the wind at their back. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this happy. He couldn’t remember a more perfect day, even after being lied to and lured into a sort of knitting-therapy-ambush kind of thing. It hadn’t been on his to-do list, but it also hadn’t been the worst, not that he’d admit that to Boone.

But Beth had made him take a leap he’d never intended on taking again…with riding…with her. He didn’t want the day to end, but he was running out of options as to how to make that happen.

This thing between them, this whatever, it was only between them. So what did it matter that he wanted his tiny little world to know that he had come back to the land of the living, and it was all because of her?

They slowed to a stop at the arena, and they both hopped down off their horses to walk them through the gate.

A strange silence rang out between them as they untacked the stallion and mare and got them situated in their respective stalls. Finally, they stood outside the barn. Eli shoved his hands in his front pockets, and Beth tugged at a hair tie on her wrist.

They were naked under the maple less than an hour before, but it wasn’t as if either of them knew what came next.

Beth broke the silence first. “You probably want to get inside and shower. I’m sure you have big plans tonight. It is Saturday after all.”

He bit back a smile at the way her neck and cheeks flushed pink.

“The biggest plans,” he lied. “Huge, really. See, I have this stool at the tavern where I sit by myself and make sure I give off that Leave me the hell alone vibe. Then I make my brother serve me pint after pint and ignore everything he says about wanting me to be happy again.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair. “Bet I sound like a great hang.”

She pursed her lips, and her brow furrowed. “Hmm. Now that you mention the tavern, my sister said something about taking me out for one of Boone’s famous virgin daiquiris tonight. Maybe…I don’t know…since we’re leaving from the same place…you could give me a ride?”

Eli crossed his arms, hat still in hand. Then he uncrossed them and crossed them again.

Beth covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

“Do you want a ride, Beth? Or do you want to go Midtown Tavern—the one and only nightspot in Meadow Valley—with me…together?”

He didn’t realize how much he wanted it to be the latter until the words left his mouth.

She stopped fidgeting with the hair tie and instead hooked a finger into the belt loop of his jeans. “Eli…I don’t know how to hide this. And I don’t know if I want to anymore.”

That was all he needed to hear.

He dropped his hat and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her onto his hips.

She yelped with laughter, then wrapped her arms around his neck.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he lowered his hands to the backs of her thighs.

“I’m giving you a ride back to the guesthouse. This is how we travel now, from here on out.” Because how the hell was he supposed to hide the way he lit up when she walked into the room? How was he supposed to look away when all he wanted to see was her? And how could he be within arm’s reach and not touch her when after three years of sleepwalking, just the nearness of her had finally woke him up?

Beth threw her head back and laughed again. “I was thinking something more like your truck for heading into town tonight.”

He shrugged. “Trucks are overrated.”

“You’ll hurt your back…or pull a muscle…or something,” she argued.

He might. This wasn’t the most practical mode of transportation, but it was all he could imagine right now.

Beth. Next to him. Always. Even if always didn’t mean forever.

“I guess we’ll deal with that when the time comes,” he replied, then buried the fact that the time would, in fact, come. “Remind me,” he continued. “Does that guesthouse of yours have a shower I might be able to borrow?”

She buried her fingers in his hair and squeezed her legs over his hips.

“It does,” she whispered. “And it’s big enough for two.”

“Wait there,” Eli said, then hopped out of the truck and came around to the passenger door. He opened it for her, and she offered him her hand, letting him help her down.

Despite her oversize green sweater and the long skirt covering her boots, she still shivered.

“I’m glad you decided on the truck,” she teased. “Is it always this cold at night?” she asked, but her eyes were bright in the moonlight, and she smiled as she looked up at him.

He laughed. It was just above forty degrees. “Pretty sure it gets a hell of a lot colder in New York come wintertime.”

Her smile fell.

Shit. This wasn’t how they were supposed to start the night.

“Hey…” He hooked a finger under her chin. “Forget I said that. It was just small talk, right? Stupid weather small talk. It doesn’t mean anything.”

He grabbed her cold hand, threading her fingers with his, and squeezed.

She squeezed back.

“Are we still doing this?” he asked, his pulse quickening not only at her touch but at what it meant for both of them to walk through those doors together.

She nodded. “We’re still doing this.”

He closed her door, filled his lungs with the cool, crisp air, and then side by side they strode through the entrance to Meadow Valley’s one and only night spot. Together.

Boone saw them first. The guy was already smiling because when was he not smiling these days, but Eli swore the second his brother glanced their way, it was the happiest he’d seen him yet.

Maybe Eli should have gone easier on Boone when he’d first brought Cirrus home and talked about getting the ranch up and running again. But all he could see back then was the danger in rehabbing a practically feral horse, the supposed selfishness of Boone doing it behind his back. But that same “selfish” brother now stood behind a bar with a grin Eli knew was solely for Eli.

Boone nodded at his older brother’s usual seat at the bar and raised his brows.

Eli shook his head.

“Bar or table?” he asked Beth as she scanned the room.

Delaney popped up from a large booth opposite the bar and waved.

“Shit,” Beth said. “I forgot to tell her I wasn’t exactly meeting up with the girls tonight.”

Shit. The girls?

Eli’s palms grew damp, and the air seemed to thin.

“I’ll be right back.” Beth dropped his hand and smiled nervously. “I’ll just tell them we’re going to sit somewhere else…and then answer all their questions. I should be back sometime before…um…midnight?” She winced.

“No.” Eli squared his shoulders. It was time to rip off the bandage. “I’m going with you. But first…” If there were going to be questions, they might as well answer some right here.

He slid his finger into her loose blond waves, dipped his head, and kissed her good.

Like…really good.

His head spun. He felt her body start to go limp and caught her by the small of her back.

She melted into him, and the fact that they had an audience completely escaped his mind…until a voice sounded in his ear.

“So, Eli…what are your intentions with my sister?”

A month ago, the whole situation would have spooked the hell out of him. Then again, a month ago, Eli never would have been in this situation.

He smiled against Beth’s lips, and Beth laughed.

They broke apart to find Delaney standing to their right, hands clasped under her chin and the biggest, broadest smile spread across her face.

“And, Bethy,” she added, “what are your intentions with my friend? With your life? Tell me you’re moving to Meadow Valley permanently, and make me the happiest person on earth.”

Beth narrowed her eyes at her sister. “I thought your husband and daughter were responsible for that.”

Delaney shrugged. “You moving here would make me an even happier happiest person. That’s a level of happy most people never achieve. Think of the good you’d be doing, Bethy!”

“I’m here now,” Beth told her. “Can that be enough for tonight?”

Delaney feigned thinking hard about the request, then finally relented. “Fine. We’ve got one of the big booths, so there’s plenty of room. Come sit down.” She hooked one elbow with Beth’s and the other with Eli’s.

“Wait.” Eli held up his hands. “Don’t we need drinks? What are you and the rest of the table drinking?” he asked Delaney. Then he turned his attention back to Beth. “And one virgin daiquiri?”

Delaney gave him a playful shove. “Such a gentleman, but we’re all good. Casey’s at the table right now for her first night ‘out’ since Kara was born.” She made finger quotes around out since Casey’s parents owned the tavern and Casey’s childhood apartment was right upstairs. “Her parents are upstairs with Kara for a couple of hours. She’s not drinking, but she’s keeping our glasses full!”

Eli nodded. “Okay then. Back in a few.” He spun toward the bar but felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Hey, cowboy?”

He heard the hint of mischief in Beth’s voice before he saw the same in her gleaming green eyes.

“Yeah?” God, he loved to see her smile, especially if that smile was for him.

“Skip the daiquiri, and get me whatever you’re drinking.”

His eyes widened. Delaney’s did too. “But everything on tap has alcohol in it,” he told her.

She gave him a nervous smile. “I know. But the reality is that I don’t have to be up early for a rehearsal or audition or training session or anything, really. For one night, I want to see what all the fuss is about.”

Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” rang out from the bar’s music system, and Delaney suddenly twirled her sister while simultaneously calling out, “Woo-hoo! I love this song!” And just like that, the two sisters danced their way to the table as Eli stared after them, not wanting to turn away until Beth was out of sight.

When they finally disappeared into the booth, he turned back toward the bar and strode toward his brother, who looked as if he’d been watching the entire situation unfold.

Eli hopped onto a stool and slapped his palms on the bar. “I need your help, little brother.” Then he pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes.

“Looks to me like you’ve got this under control,” Boone replied. “If she’s got you back on the horse and off your sad little barstool in the corner—not to mention putting on a pretty graphic display of affection for all my paying customers—then I don’t think you’re in need of any assistance at all, my friend.” He tossed a dish towel over his shoulder like a veteran bartender, despite him only filling in when Casey’s parents were short-staffed.

“Really?” Eli said. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m in love with her, and she’s eventually going to leave and move to the other side of the country, so now I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Boone’s face grew serious, and he produced two shot glasses from below the bar top, dropping one in front of Eli and one in front of himself.

“Tequila?” Boone asked, as if there was even a question.

“Tequila,” Eli replied.