Page 44 of Will Bark for Pizza (Bluebell Springs #1)

THIRTY-THREE

BECKETT

Flashing red and blue lights bounced off the glass of the new living room window I installed earlier this week, drawing my attention to the police cruiser rolling to a stop out front of the Kniffen Street house.

My chest tightened with dread at the sight of Luke’s SUV.

Was he here to harass me about spending too much time at the bookstore?

Or did he somehow find out about that kiss?

Sure, it was last weekend, but it felt like yesterday.

Like moments ago. It also would be like him to hold on to the knowledge long enough to make someone squirm.

I tensed.

Until Nana hopped out of the passenger seat, a giant smile spread across her face.

Luke waved at me, waiting for Nana to reach the front porch before climbing back behind the wheel and killing the lights.

“I see you conned him into a ride-along after all,” I said, shaking my head in amusement.

Nana had a way of getting what she wanted from almost anyone.

I think she enjoyed figuring out what made someone tick.

What it took to not only convince someone to give in to her wishes, but to also have fun while doing it.

Even if Luke was scowling now as he drove off, I’d bet my bank account that grumpy ass had fun with Nana riding shotgun during his patrol.

“Did you doubt it?” Nana had been wearing Luke down one family dinner at a time. He insisted he didn’t offer ride-alongs. Nana took his challenge to heart.

“I’m smarter than that.”

Nana raised an eyebrow, as if to ask, are you ?

“Did you have a good time?”

“It was a boring fucking day. Typical small town. Not even a speeder to pull over. But he let me turn on the siren to scare a couple of elk off the road, away from traffic.”

Mischief sparkled in Nana’s eyes. She could be a hardass, and often was. But she also knew how to let loose and have a little fun—something she had proven with this family since she arrived.

Two days ago, she convinced Connor and Opal to take her out on the boat they rarely used.

Joe invited her on a property sale tour yesterday, which resulted in at least one offer made.

He wasn’t even looking for property himself.

Quite possibly it was the house on Blue Spruce Lane I mentioned, and no longer had the funds to acquire.

And last night, she convinced Connie to tag along with her to bingo, where she proceeded to win the big jackpot.

Nana didn’t have any use for a hundred and fifty dollars when she had millions in the bank, so she donated it back to the Legion.

I didn’t have to feel guilty about the hours I worked. Nana didn’t have much time to spend with me .

“You want to see the place?” I offered, waving my hand to the open front door.

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

I gave her a quick tour, explaining my vision, since there wasn’t much to show for it right now.

“This is the first property that’s needed a total gut job, but the location can’t be beat. Whether I rent it short- or long-term, I think it’ll pay for itself pretty quickly.”

“I thought you’d be a little further on this house by now,” Nana said as we headed back downstairs. Because I’d been spending extra time at the bookstore for the past couple of days, I was behind schedule, and Nana knew it.

“I know it’s just a shell right now, but?—”

“I’m leaving,” she said abruptly.

“What?”

“I didn’t stutter.”

“You just got here.”

“It’s time for me to go.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Do you need a ride?—”

“Connie’s going to take me to the airport,” she said, waving a hand to dismiss my offer. “You clearly need to stay put and keep working.”

“Is this about the bookstore?”

“This is about the redhead.”

“She has a name, you know. ”

“I’m worried you’re getting too attached, and you haven’t even signed the purchase agreement.

” Nana waved off my next concern. “Joe’s good for it.

The deal will go through. But bear in fucking mind that you’re not even technically the owner yet.

Your wallet’s the other thing you should be keeping in your damn pants, at least until it’s official. ”

Good thing I didn’t tell Nana about my plans to completely renovate the bookstore apartment.

I spent most of last night crunching numbers and finding room in my budget to give Kira the writing loft of her dreams. But on top of the bookstore, Karl Hayes was also expecting an offer on the Ghost Lake cabin this week.

As soon as I talked to Kira and was one hundred and ten percent certain she was okay with me buying it, I’d make one.

All number crunching last night proved was that I was in over my head. I went from making careful, pragmatic decisions with my investments to rushing into too many things at once. Nana was right to be concerned. I only got this impulsive when the redheaded curse was enacted.

And yet, the knowledge of that did little to give me pause.

Would it matter if I told you I’m not a natural redhead? Kira’s words whispered in my mind.

I couldn’t shake this feeling that every decision I made involving Kira Mason was right .

It didn’t feel like the reckless excitement of my past poor decisions.

It felt like home . But I didn’t dare try to explain that feeling to Nana.

She’d ask if I fell and hit my head when no one was around, and insist I go to the hospital in case I had a concussion.

“Where are you off to next?” I asked instead.

“I know you’re deflecting,” she said, heaving out a sigh. “But if you must know, I’m headed to Richmond.”

“Richmond?”

“Someone needs to straighten out that sister of yours.”

I hadn’t heard from Madeline in a few days. I took that as a good sign, but judging by the grim expression on Nana’s face, I should have detected the warning in my sister’s silence.

“What did she do now?”

“She bought your parents a house.”

“Shit.”

“Shit is right.”

“Kyle’s okay with that?”

“Kyle didn’t know.” Nana shook her head. “If I can give you any piece of advice, Beck, it’s that you don’t keep secrets like this from the one you love. They can do a lot of damage.”

A sinking feeling hit me in the gut. All this time I was caught up in Kira and the bookstore, Madeline had been crying out for help. I thought Kyle would keep her grounded. Keep her from doing anything reckless. But if she went behind his back?—

“He hasn’t left her,” Nana said. “ Yet .”

“I should go.”

“No,” Nana said quickly. “I know you mean well, but you’ll just make it worse. You can’t keep coming to her rescue. You’ve been doing that all your life. Madeline created this mess. It’s not yours to clean up.”

“But it’s yours?”

“I’m just going to hand her the broom,” Nana said.

Frustration welled inside me. What if I had given in and allowed my parents to move into the vacant property? Worst case, they trashed the place, and I eventually had to evict them to renovate the house again. But at least Madeline’s fucking marriage and finances wouldn’t be on the line.

“Anything I can do?”

“Yeah,” Nana said, folding her arms across her chest. “Stop making impulsive decisions. I raised you better than that.”

“Nana—”

“I mean it, Beck. Look, I like the girl.”

“Woman,” I corrected.

“I like her. She’s accomplished a lot for herself. She’s got grit. Maybe even reminds me a little of myself sometimes. But getting mixed up with her is a bad fucking idea.”

She didn’t have to spell it out. There were Luke and Connor to consider.

They might not take too kindly to me dating their sister.

Not to mention the rest of her family, who basically accepted me into their clan without question.

I was about to be Kira’s landlord—a clear conflict of interest. If I pursued her and it didn’t work out, several bridges I built since moving to town would turn to ash.

I might not be welcome in Bluebell Springs at all if things went south. Then what?

I was tired of picking up my life every two to three years and starting over, something the redheaded curse was famous for enacting. Being in Bluebell Springs made me realize more than ever that I was ready to settle.

I was ready to settle here .

Here, where I could wake up to the sun rising over the mountains each morning. Where I could count on a friendly smile when I needed one. Where I had deep bonds with friends who were like brothers to me.

Bluebell Springs was the closest place I’d ever known to a real home, and I didn’t want to fuck that up.

“She’s also a wounded animal,” Nana added softly, patting my arm. “And wounded animals are unpredictable. The last thing I want is for you to get your heart broken again. There’s a lot more collateral damage to consider this time.”

This time.

She didn’t have to say it out loud. She was referring to my most recent redheaded nightmare.

The one where the boss’s daughter went a little crazy when I turned down her advances.

All because I was friendly and helpful to her, not realizing until it was too late that she read into my kindness.

Took it for something it wasn’t and accused me of leading her on.

The dramatics were . . . extensive. Thankfully, her father didn’t fire me on the spot, but we both agreed it was better if we went our separate ways.

But what was growing between Kira and me, it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.

“What if this time is different?”

Nana looked me dead in the eye, her tone serious as she said, “Then keeping it in your fucking pants for a good long while won’t change that.”