Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Beau gave a huff and reached for his seatbelt. “If you’re really the son of the owner of Richmond Resorts, turning your headlights on is the least of your problems.”
The reply held warmth and humor.
“I figured my problem might be more the plaid walking shorts I’m wearing in a sea of Wranglers and cowboy boots. I know it sounds crazy, but I do blend in well in many parts of the world.” As I said the last few words, I turned to waggle my brows.
The stare we did so well held again. My glance shifted between him and the field as I navigated the car onto the frontage road. It sure appeared that he blushed. I’d never known anyone to be shy about anything.
“So you live around here now?” I asked.
“I guess so.”
I waited but nothing more was said. He now stared out the passenger side window, seemingly ignoring me.
“What does I guess mean?” I finally asked.
It took a few seconds more before Beau answered. “I’m from Mobile, Alabama, but my mom’s from here. My grandparents have a B&B in Sea Springs where my mom grew up. My great grandparents bought the house. But times aren’t good. I don’t know if we’ll stick around here for longer than a couple of years.”
“I think I heard you played football?” I asked as I came to a four-way stop close to the entrance of Highway 146. I let the car idle, unsure which way to go, and took the opportunity to openly ogle Beau. He continued to stare out the passenger window. That didn’t stop me from the slow perusal of his body. He was hot. Lean and muscular. A trim waist and strong thighs. The tingles were back with a vengeance.
“Football,” he said dryly. My gaze shifted up. He’d caught me staring. I wasn’t even embarrassed in the least. He pointed a finger out the front windshield. “Take the highway.”
Got it. I was to drive, so I did, taking the ramp to merge onto the highway.
“Sorry.” But I wasn’t at all. “So you play football?”
“Not anymore.”
Clearly, this Beau wasn’t a man of many words. “You’re from Alabama but you live here now. How did that happen?”
“My parents split up a few months back. Me and my mom moved here after the divorce. She’s gonna be the new vice principal at the high school I’m supposed to attend. And no, I’m not playin’ football anymore. It’s pretty much the reason we had to move.”
I scowled at the explanation as I tried to understand. “Does that mean your father wants you to play and you don’t want to?”
Beau gave a quiet huff. This time I felt his eyes on me as he answered, “My father’s the most winnin’ coach in Mobile County’s history. He’s a varsity coach. I’ve been playin’ football since I was three years old. I’ve done rec teams, select teams, and school teams. It’s been a year-round deal for me.”
The puzzle pieces slipped into place. “I bet your father wasn’t happy that you decided not to play.”
He laughed a dark sound that I interpreted to mean I was dead-on. We fell into silence again as the questions bounced around my head.
“So you’re completely done with football? Chae said the guys want you to play for the local high school.”
“No offense,” he said. “It’s all anyone asks me about and I don’t wanna talk about it. It’s personal.”
“Sure, no problem.” The invisible walls surrounding Beau were firmly back in place. I understood better where the pain I sensed in Beau came from. I managed to stay silent for maybe as long as thirty seconds. I had a problem; I liked to talk and needed him to tell me everything. “Am I headed in the right direction?”
It took a second, but he finally let go of his direct stare outside the passenger window and looked around. “No, sorry. I live the other way. Do you know where Sea Springs Bed & Breakfast is?”
“I’ve barely left the resort.”
“Right. The resort. It’s why I ended up at the party tonight. The local group fightin’ your dad had a meetin’ tonight. I can’t listen to another second of how badly they don’t want your father’s company here.” He glanced at me. His arms crossed over his chest. Sincere frustration laced his tone.
Finally, a breakthrough. I loved my family’s influence in this town even more now.
“Yeah, my dad’s out for blood. I don’t think he’s ever had this much resistance in business before.” He grinned as he considered his father’s exasperation. “The twenty-four-hour picket line was genius. They never stop coming.”
“From what my grandmother says, it sounds like your dad’s only goal is to put them all out of business,” he said and turned away again. “My grandparents can’t stay operational if it continues like it has.”