Chapter Eighteen

“What do you call these again?” Beck lifted the deep-fried bite to his nose and sniffed.

“It’s a jalapeno popper.” Charlie tossed one into her mouth and chewed. “Just a cheese-stuffed jalapeno. Try one.”

“No, thanks.” He dropped it back into the red-and-white-checked wrapper, leaving it for her to enjoy.

If he’d been at home, he would most likely be joining his dad and Marion for dinner at his father’s club. A low-key Father’s Day where he’d give his dad another Hermès tie, or maybe a case of his favorite wine, imported directly from France. They might even take his dad’s yacht out for a spin in the harbor and dine al fresco with uniformed staff waiting on them hand and foot.

Whatever he’d have been doing in New York, he could pretty much guarantee it wouldn’t be anything like the Father’s Day Fiesta that was going down on Main Street. Tables and tents lined the thoroughfare. The smell of sizzling onions permeated the entire downtown area. He’d seen everything from the standard chicken and steak fajitas to more exotic options like alligator and rattlesnake. So far he hadn’t indulged in anything he didn’t recognize, which meant his stomach had been grumbling and gurgling since he and Charlie had arrived.

Charlie bebopped down the street from stand to stand, hugging friends, introducing him to the few residents in Holiday he hadn’t had a chance to meet yet, and sampling a little bit of everything. Since Father’s Day always fell on a Sunday, they both had the night off. Stepping out with Charlie at his side felt like they were making a statement. They weren’t spending time together as coworkers tonight or sneaking off to his or her place to be alone for an hour or two. It was the first time they’d officially gone out in public since they’d officially decided to start dating.

The funny thing about it was that no one seemed surprised. For the first time in a very long time, Beck didn’t feel a nagging sense of urgency to be anywhere else. He planned to enjoy putting in his time in Texas.

“Hey, Charlie, you seen Dad yet?” Cash came up behind them, his daughter by his side.

“Hey, Kenzie.” Charlie bent down and gave the pigtailed girl a big hug. “You having fun?”

Kenzie held out a goldfish in a bag. “Daddy won this for me at the BB gun game.”

Charlie’s eyebrows lifted. “Wow. Just what y’all need, another pet, huh?”

“I was going for the giant stuffed cow, okay? They jack with the sights on those guns.”

“Don’t you shoot a gun on a regular basis?” Charlie bit down on her lip like she was trying to stifle a smile.

“Forget it. Have you seen Dad or what? Kenzie made him a card at the craft tent and wanted to give it to him before it gets messed up.”

“Saw him a little while ago over by the beer tent.” She nodded down the road toward the giant red-and-white tent at the end of the street, by far the busiest vendor at the festival. “Mom wants us to meet over in front of Whitey’s at seven. We can give Dad his gift then and get the annual family picture.”

Beck rocked back on his heels, enjoying the exchange. He’d never had a relationship like the one Charlie shared with her brothers. They’d tease back and forth, but the warm undercurrent was always there. Almost made him wish he’d had a brother or sister growing up.

“Wanna see my picture?” Kenzie poked him in the thigh.

“Sure.” Beck leaned down toward the girl.

“Will you hold my fish?” She thrust the puffy, clear bag at him. He took it, holding it up to get a good look at the orange fish swimming round and round.

She held out the card and pointed to the stick figures. “It’s our whole family. Daddy, Auntie Charlie, Grampa, Gramma, Uncle Waylon, Auntie Darby…” She rattled off the names of her uncles and cousins until she reached the end. Then she stood there, an adorable crease between her little eyebrows.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Charlie bent down. “Your drawing is perfect. Grampa’s going to love it.”

“What about him?” Her lower lip stuck out in a pout. “I didn’t put Uncle Beck in my picture.”

Uncle Beck? Whoa. Beck took two steps backward before he even realized he’d moved. “Um, I, uh—”

“Oh, honey. Beck isn’t an uncle. He’s a—” Charlie shot a silent cry for help toward her brother.

Cash hooked his thumbs through his belt loop and began to whistle. Didn’t look like Charlie would be getting any help from that direction.

“I’m just a friend.” Beck held the fish out to Kenzie and met Charlie’s gaze. Her eyes held a hint of amusement with a little bit of… Oh hell, was that disappointment mixed in? “A very good friend.” Still no smile. “Like the best kind of friend she could have.”

“I thought Aunt Darby was Aunt Charlie’s best friend?” Kenzie’s lips puckered.

He couldn’t explain his relationship with Charlie to another grown-up, much less a kid who barely reached his waist.

“I think what Beck is trying to say is that he wishes he was your uncle, but for now, he’s a very good friend of your aunt Charlie’s.” Cash finally stepped in.

“Do they have sleepovers? Like I get to have with Allie sometimes?” Kenzie still hadn’t taken the fish. She clamped her tiny fists to her waist, reminding him of Charlie when she was pissed off and confused.

“I think I see Grampa over there.” Charlie pointed toward the striped tent. “Why don’t you go give him your card, honey?”

Distracted, Kenzie skipped off toward her grandpa.

Cash snagged the baggie from Beck’s hand. “Nice, Charlie. Real nice.”

“What did you want me to say? You sure weren’t any help.” Charlie took the same stance as Kenzie from a few minutes ago. Fists on her hips, lips pursed. The family resemblance couldn’t have been more obvious.

“She’s not the only one who wants to know.” Cash narrowed his eyes and nodded. “You know how it is around here. People are talkin’, baby girl.”

“Talking about what? I’m not pregnant; we admitted we’re dating. What else can they possibly be talking about?”

“Give ’em an inch, and they want a mile. Everyone’s saying the next logical move is for him to put a ring on it.”

“Would you stop it already?”

“Hey”—Cash put his hands out in surrender—“you asked.” Then he spun on his heel to follow his daughter.

Charlie turned to face Beck. “Well, that was fun. You okay? You seem a little, uh, shell-shocked.”

Shell-shocked didn’t begin to describe it. He and Charlie had barely started exploring the undeniable attraction that pulled them together. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the kids to start calling him Uncle Beck and inserting him into family pictures.

“You weren’t kidding when you said everyone’s in your business around here, were you?”

“Nope.” She gave him a friendly jab in the stomach. “And it’s only going to get worse.”

“Worse, huh?” The initial panic edged away. This was Charlie he was talking about. He already couldn’t get enough of the woman. And it wasn’t like they were making plans to settle down and start a herd of their own. They’d decided to enjoy the summer, keep things casual, and have a bit of fun. No way could things get worse. They could only get better.

* * *

Charlie slipped her arm around Beck’s waist and tucked her hand into his back pocket. He’d handled the exchange with Cash and Kenzie all right. At least he hadn’t run off as fast as his broken-in boots could carry him.

Things had been good between them. Sure, they still bickered over how to handle things at the Rose a bit. Especially when he botched the paint job and had the Rambling Rose covered in a coat of matte white instead of the trademark pink. The locals had nearly torn the clapboard siding off when they saw it. He swore to her he’d ordered pink but they must have gotten the order wrong. He’d looked so terrified when she’d confronted him, she had to believe him. And now, for the first time since Jackson died, she’d started looking forward to the future instead of slogging through the days, each of them the same as the one before. She’d found something—no, make that someone—who gave her hope. She’d found her smile again.

Beck leaned down, his breath tickling her ear. “Can I ask you something?”

“Is it about the family picture? I promise, I won’t make you stand in for that. Mom has a rule that you have to be engaged before you get to be in the family photo.”

He shook his head, his mouth flirting with the sensitive spot behind her ear. “No. It’s about the sleepovers. I think Kenzie’s right. Good friends have sleepovers, right?”

Her lungs squeezed, and whatever air they’d held became trapped. She nodded.

“So how does this work? Do I have to wait for an invitation, or can I invite myself over?” His nose nudged against her neck. Tiny sparks danced along her skin.

Beck at her place. Overnight. Sharing a bed. The thought sent a warm rush through her limbs. “Either way.”

“Okay then.” He pulled away, tightened his grip around her shoulder, and continued to lead her down the street.

“So…” she prodded. That couldn’t be it.

“Just curious.” He grinned, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes teasing her, making it into a game.

“Huh.” If he thought she would ask him, he’d have a long wait coming. It would serve him right for being so sure of himself.

They meandered down the street toward Whitey’s. Might as well get the big family picture over with. Her mother insisted on it every year. As much as everyone complained, sometimes it was the only time everyone stood still long enough to catch them in the same photo. Charlie enjoyed seeing how the family had grown and changed over the years. Once, she couldn’t wait to have Jackson stand beside her. After he died, she’d been convinced she’d always stand alone. A single in the sea of mini-families that made up the tight-knit Walker clan.

But now, since Kenzie’d brought it up, she thought about what it would feel like to have someone stand next to her. Their commitment captured by Dixie’s expensive camera, displayed on the walls of her mom and dad’s place for everyone to see.

She fought not to let herself imagine what it would be like if that person were Beck.

They reached Whitey’s. Her mom loved to line the family up on the wood steps. The built-in risers made sure everyone could be seen. She sat on the top step, pulling Beck down next to her.

“Everyone ought to be here in a few. You don’t have to wait for us. If you want to wander while we do the picture thing, I can catch up to you after.”

“And miss out on more kids calling me Uncle Beck? No chance.”

She could tell he was teasing from the half smile that played over his lips. “I promise not to let anyone call you Uncle Beck.”

“Really? It was starting to grow on me.” He squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

“You’re joking, right?” He had to be joking. It was too soon. Way too much too soon.

“Yeah. Sounds too much like Uncle Buck. You ever see that movie?”

“Of course. John Candy. A classic.” One of her favorites. She loved all the John Hughes movies from the ’80s. She and Darby used to watch them all the time when they were in high school.

“Not sure I want to be that kind of uncle.”

No. Beck wouldn’t be anything like John Candy’s character. Although she could picture him teasing and embarrassing her nieces and nephews if she tried.

He cleared his throat, pulling her out of the movie playing through her head. “But I do want to know one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“What do you want for breakfast?”

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Tingles raced along her spine. An overnight would be a big step. So far they’d only managed an hour here and there.

“You do like breakfast, don’t you?”

She nestled into his side. “I love breakfast. It’s my favorite meal of the day.”

“Then you’re in luck. It’s the only thing I know how to cook.”

Beck was right about one thing—she was in luck. Lucky they’d found each other, even if whatever fun they were having would only last for the summer.

As her family made their way toward them, down the main street of town, Charlie tilted her head up and kissed his cheek. “I’m kind of hungry for breakfast already.”