Guilt tugged at her chest. He was being so kind and she’d made him the focus of attention. She didn’t have to be his best friend to know it wasn’t a spot he’d enjoy, any more than she enjoyed hiking.
“What was your name again?” Presley asked the gentleman as she stood.
“Bernard Dayton. Call me Bernie. And you are?”
Presley remembered Beckett mentioning him. “Presley Ayers. I’m a novice hiker. Would you mind if I walked down with you?”
He gallantly held out his bent arm. “It would be my pleasure, lovely lady.”
The others closed up their packs and got ready for what she hoped would be a much easier walk. Beckett caught her gaze. He was smiling. He mouthed, “Thank you.” At least now he could walk down without this man’s constant ramblings.
She laughed to herself when she realized she hadn’t completely altered her stance from yesterday. All relationships were a bit of give-and-take. He’d given her a place to land. She’d give him some peace and quiet.
Nine
Beckett was man enough, and honest enough with himself, to admit that, in no time at all, Presley Ayers was imprinting on him like a permanent tattoo. Definitely not one of those fake ones Ollie loved to put on, the ones that wash away in a few showers. It was rare that he found a connection with someone so easily. Usually, he engaged enough to be polite until he could find a way out of a conversation. End of story.
He did his best to keep from turning around to check on her. She hadn’t broken in her damn shoes, so she was definitely going to be sore. She didnotlike hiking. Chuckling to himself, Beckett made sure to point out the other trails so people could head out on their own. Six of the eight guests had joined in. The other two guys staying here had come for the fishing only.
He’d talked to Grayson this morning, and they were meeting at cabin four before dinner to take a look at how to best fix it up. Two of the cabins needed only minor repairs and probably could have housed visitors, but they’d all worried about being able to see to their guests’ needs if they spread them too far apart. Plus, he and Gray needed somewhere to sleep. Beckett had woken to a detailed email regarding costs for bikes should he choose to go that route. His savings would help, but he’d applied for a small business loan. Next time he was in Smile, he needed to swing by the bank and chat with the manager. But it was hard to get information without people sharing his business. Smile was big enough that you didn’t know everyone but small enough that word traveled fast. He also needed to think about location.
He needed to chat with Gramps about one of the lots the mayorowned just up from the water. Or he could consider a brick-and-mortar establishment rather than a kiosk/open-air type deal. A few of the shops along Smile’s water’s edge had been empty since he was a kid. But he needed to do a walk-through, see what needed updating, think about accessibility. He needed to figure out what he actually wanted so he could talk to his siblings. Because the idea of running his own sporting goods store also held its own appeal. Especially since Brian had offered him a buy-in option. It was just the distance. Did he want to uproot his life?
One of the guys, Bo, came up beside him, carrying a big-ass stick. He’d arrived yesterday with a friend for a three-night stay.
“You the one taking us fishing tomorrow?”
“I am. Gray, my brother who picked us up yesterday, prefers being on land.”
Bo laughed. “He owns the place, right?”
Beckett nodded.
“The guy who owns a fishing lodge prefers not to fish?”
Smiling at his walking partner, he clarified. “He loves fishing. Just prefers to do it from the shore.” Which was fine with Beckett because he loved taking people out on the water, though he’d prefer doing it at dusk rather than dawn. He also loved hiking and didn’t mind leading the hikes. He’d briefly thought of mentioning to Gray that they could do some overnight tent trips to the summit, but he didn’t want to put more on his brother’s plate.
The walk down didn’t take as long as the trip up. He stopped in front of the lodge, waving at Ollie, who was sitting between Grayson’s legs on the mower, pretending to drive. They really needed to hire some help, but they were trying to do as much as they could on their own for now. He hoped that once their dad showed up, he’d have some ideas. After all, his parents had raised three kids on minimum-wage jobs and given them a good life. There had to be a life hack in this somewhere. A licensed mechanic, his father would be able to help with the boats and upkeep on the mower and the quads. Their mom promised to help withcheck-ins and the front desk, which would free Jill up to learn more of the marketing and publicity side.If you get the small business loan, you could give Gray part as an investment and ask him to join with you on the bike rental shop.His stomach tightened. Shit. He really needed to figure out what he wanted so he could set it in motion. Standing still was only going to make him lose out.
“Okay, head on in. Enjoy the rest of your day, and those of you who are fishing with me tomorrow, I’ll see you at sixA.M.” Even saying it aloud hurt. That time of day was only okay if he was still up from the night before. That hadn’t happened in a long time. He was too old for that shit now. He liked a firm mattress, a good night’s sleep, and quality coffee.
“You, my dear, are a gift,” Dayton said to Presley as they walked arm in arm.
Beckett noted that she was limping a bit and wondered if she already had blisters. He didn’t second-guess his worries over her physical welfare. She was a guest. That’s it. Their whole objective was happy guests. Though he’d never felt like picking Dayton up to save his sore feet.
The older man stopped them in front of Beckett, turned to Presley, and kissed the top of her hand. “Great chatting with you, Presley.”
“You, too, Bernie. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“It’s a date.”
She laughed as her eyes came to Beckett’s. “I guess it is.”
He looked at Beckett, his grin cheekier than usual. “Life is short. You snooze, you lose.”
Holding back his own laughter and hiding how close to home that comment hit, Beckett nodded. “That’s fine. I have one of my own. She’s quite a bit shorter than Presley, here, but she’s quite the conversationalist.”
Mr. Dayton belly-laughed and looked out at Ollie and Grayson on the mower. He turned back to Beckett. “I think I’ve met your companion as well. Very enjoyable. I look forward to tonight.”
