No One Like You (7 page)

Atlas looked up at Beth as if he understood Shaye’s question.

Beth scratched his ear. “We’re slow to reach an understanding. I’m trying to fit in.”

Shaye stared at her then, a curious, yet evaluating look in her eyes. “You’ll be fine. Rylan wouldn’t have hired you if he didn’t believe you could do the job.”

“I hope you’re right,” Beth said softly.

“I am.” Shaye turned to her sister-in-law. “Sophie, do you need anything before we head outside?”

Sophie’s lips twitched. “I’m capable of getting a glass of water on my own.”

“Yes, you are,” Shaye agreed. “However, take advantage of family. We want to pamper you.”

Shaye motioned Beth onto the porch. Atlas went, too. He gently latched his mouth onto Beth’s wrist and tugged her forward.

“What?” Beth asked. The dog’s teeth grazed her skin, but he didn’t bite down.

“Follow him.” Shaye recognized the dog’s request. “He won’t let go until you do.”

Down the steps they went.

Atlas led her to where Dune was digging holes for the metal volleyball posts. The Dane stopped and eyed the small pile of dirt. He released Beth’s hand and began to dig his own hole. He was an earth-mover.

“A little wide and way too deep,” Dune said when the dog’s shoulders could barely be seen. “We’re not tunneling to China.”

“Atlas, over here.” Beth encouraged him across the court to the X that Dune had marked with mulch. To where the second pole would be set. “Let’s try a smaller hole here.”

Everything Atlas did, he did in big way. There was nothing small about the next hole either. He dug faster than a backhoe. Dirt flew, and Beth watched as Rylan’s lawn took a beating. She was about to call Atlas off, when he suddenly retreated from the hole on his own.

He looked around as if he sensed someone or something that Beth didn’t.

That someone was Rylan Cates. He stood at the corner of the cottage, partially obscured by an overgrown gardenia bush. His stance was wide; his hands jammed into the pockets of his khakis. Atlas ran toward him. Rue and the dachshunds dashed down the porch steps and barked their greetings. Ry petted and spoke to each one of them as if they were his kids.

Once again, Beth wondered how long he’d been there. Watching what was going on. Taking it all in. He had a way of showing up without her hearing him. His profile was sharp, serious. His stance, tense.

He nodded to his brother and sister. They waved back.

He then narrowed his gaze on Halo and Landon.

Beth hesitantly walked toward him. Her heart skipped, missing beats. “You’re home early.” It was three o’clock.

“Apparently not soon enough.” He paused. “What’s the deal with Halo and Landon?”

“Picnic prep. They stopped by, looking for you.”

“I wasn’t home.”

“They—”
stayed
.

Rylan sensed her reluctance to rat them out. “Made themselves at home.” He knew them well.

“They’ve been working hard. Mowing and trimming.”

“Not so hard now.” His blue eyes darkened. “Landon’s juggling volleyballs and Halo’s playing croquet.”

R
ylan noticed his teammates’ T-shirts when they crossed the yard to speak with him. Landon tossed a volleyball in the air as he walked, and Halo swung a croquet mallet by his side. Ry wasn’t surprised by their shirts. They ran with a thought without ever expecting repercussions. What they saw as funny, he found mental.

“Hello,
brothers
.”

“We got a shirt made for you, too,” said Landon.

“I’ll pass. I already know who I am.”

“We like being Cateses,” Halo said.

“I bet you do. You’re making yourselves at home, I see.”

Halo side-eyed Beth. “We came to see you, and she begged us to stay. We’re planning your picnic.”

Beth scrunched her nose, but didn’t out Halo. She appeared calm, yet her eyes gave her away. The color was more gray than blue. Frustration? Possibly.

“You’re damn lucky we stopped in,” Landon said. “Otherwise there’d be a wading pool, slip and slide, and bounce house in your backyard on Saturday. Beth can be such a kid. We talked her into volleyball and croquet.”

Rylan shook his head. The men were all tongue-in-cheek, teasing her. She had yet to say a word—which only pushed them further.

“She fed me peanut butter dog treats,” came from Halo.

“She forced us into that creepy shed to get the yard equipment,” Landon added.

Beth rolled her eyes at that.

“You could’ve called Lawn Rangers,” Rylan said to her. “It would’ve made your life easier.”

“And mine, too.” Halo rested the mallet against his leg, slipped off his work gloves, and held up his right hand. The skin was red between his thumb and forefinger. The leather hadn’t prevented a blister on his palm from using the hedge clippers. He glared down his nose at Beth. “There was no mention of a lawn service,” he growled.

“You took over before I could tell you about it.” Her eyes were blue—the color of satisfaction.

Halo slapped his gloves across his palm. His face was hard, then hinted at a smile. “Touché, babe. Game on.”

She shook her head. “Game over.”

Landon lobbed the volleyball to her, and she tossed it back. “We like her,” he said matter-of-factly.

The approval was unexpected. Beth would be dealing with them on occasion. They could be difficult. Pushy came naturally to them. They were used to getting their own way. Which she had witnessed today. Somehow she’d withstood their company. A good sign as far as Rylan was concerned.

How did
he
feel about her? Ry asked himself. He self-consciously flexed his hand. The feel of her breast still lingered on his palm. Soft, warm, full. Long after he’d caught her.

He wasn’t a man to capture moments. That wasn’t like him.

“Give us five minutes?” he requested of her, shifting his attention to his teammates.. What he had to say to Halo and Lander, he preferred to do privately. Word of their night out had reached him. The guys had screwed up. He wanted to hear their side of the story before he passed judgment.

Beth nodded and took off with the dogs. She chased Atlas across the yard toward Dune. Rue, Oscar, and Nathan returned to the porch. His brother had worked fast, Ry noted. The poles and net were set and Dune was measuring the sidelines.

Atlas tore open a bag of mulch before Beth could stop him. Mulch flew in all directions.
“Sit!”
she commanded.

Atlas looked at her with a mouthful of twigs. He sputtered, spat, and tried to wipe his mouth on her cutoffs. She jumped back, and he dropped down on his haunches. The big boy had behaved.

Rylan smiled to himself. There was a first time for everything. He felt inordinately pleased.

He turned to Halo and Landon, only to find them staring after Beth. She held their interest.

“Is she yours?” Halo asked Ry.

“She works for me.”

“Then she’s available,” Landon assumed.

Rylan wasn’t sure he wanted Beth dating his teammates. “Clear it with Atlas.”

The men glanced at the Great Dane.

Seriously?
Rylan thought.
They’d better not try to bribe Atlas with a Pup-peroni stick.
He moved on. “Tell me about your altercation last night at the Lusty Oyster. You promised my cousin Ron Nash that you’d reimburse him for damages. He just texted me. You’ve yet to pay up.”

“The afternoon’s young,” Halo said. “We’ll get to Ron soon enough. I plan to compensate him, even though the damages weren’t my fault.”

“It’s never your fault, Halo.”

“This time it really wasn’t.” Landon came to his buddy’s defense. “Some guy’s date came on to Halo. She straddled his lap. Tried to slip him her tongue. Her date was drunk. He got mad and took a swing at Halo. Halo warned him off. The guy didn’t listen. He gave Halo a shove. Halo’s chair rocked back, and he and the woman knocked into a table. The table tipped, taking out a second chair. Halo’s chair broke when they hit the floor. The table was chipped.

“There were only six people in the bar. Few witnessed the incident. Ron escorted the dude and his date to the door. I cleaned up, and Halo offered to pay for the table and chair.”

A muscle ticked along Rylan’s jaw. Ron’s accounting differed from Landon’s. His teammates were creative. They formulated excuses to counter whatever trouble they might face. According to his cousin, the bar had been packed. He’d turned away customers. Halo had pursued the brunette from the moment he walked through the door, while her date played darts. They’d slow danced to music from the juke box. Pressing bodies and making out like lovers. They’d drawn a lot of stares.

Once the dart game ended, the man came looking for his date. He found her with Halo, who had his hands up her shirt. The man back-tackled Halo. The brunette was taken down along with the men. She rolled to the side. Saved herself. The crowd stepped back. Punches were thrown, knocking the men into tables, chairs, and bar stools. Beer was spilled, shot glasses broken, and baskets of pretzels upended. The man left the bar with a black eye and split lip. Halo walked away without a scratch. He was damn lucky the man hadn’t darted his ass.

Rylan hoped to avert another bar fight. He eyed Halo’s T-shirt. “Wear the shirt, walk the walk. There are a lot of available women in town. Avoid one with a date.”

“What if she’s really, really hot?”

“Take a cold shower.”

“We came by your cottage to make amends,” said Landon.

Ry had figured as much. They’d tried to get back in his good graces. “Yard work doesn’t make up for a busted bar.”

Landon presumed, “We thought it might.”

“Think again.”

“It sucks to be the black sheep of the family,” Halo said.

“At least we got to meet Beth,” said Landon.

All three men looked in her direction. Rylan ran one hand down his face, concerned by what he saw. Atlas had sunk his teeth into a volleyball. His jaws were clamped tight. Beth was bent over, her bottom in the air, trying to retrieve it. Her ass wiggled with her attempts. Her cutoffs barely covered her butt cheeks.

“Blessed Mary,” Halo muttered under his breath.

Landon whistled low. “I like, a lot.”

Rylan was about to call to her when Dune announced, “You owe me a volleyball, Ry.”

“Atlas!” Rylan got the Dane’s attention. The dog trotted over to him.

Beth came, too. She held out her hand for the ball. Atlas dropped it at her feet. She picked it up, squished, deflated, and damp with drool. “Your bite is worse than your bark,” she said on a sigh.

Sophie Cates appeared on the back porch just as Dune finished outlining the perimeter of the volleyball court with mulch. He collected the pole hole digger, the empty plastic bags, and crossed to her. “Ready to leave?”

Sophie’s smile came softly. “I’m ready for my nap.”

“Me, too.” Dune’s whisper carried. “We’ll rest together.” He slipped an arm around his wife, bent low, and kissed her—without regard for those looking on.

Rylan liked the fact his brother was so affectionate with her. She was so taken by her husband’s kiss, she clung to his arm.

“We’re gone.” Dune waved to them.

“Thanks for the volleyball equipment,” Beth said gratefully.

Dune gave her a thumb’s up. “I’ll bring an extra ball on Saturday. Atlas can keep the one he crushed.”

Shaye was also ready to leave. The wooden storage box in hand, she stopped by the group on her way out. “Croquet is all set,” she told Beth. She took the mallet from Halo and put it away. “I’ll put the box in the garage on my way out. Let me know if there’s anything else you might need.” She gave Rylan a sisterly hug, bumped fists with Halo and Landon, then took off, too.

“Dune and Shaye were very helpful,” Beth told Ry.

“So were we,” Halo reminded her.

“The yard looks decent.” Ry shaded his eyes against the late afternoon sun. “What’s with the hedge?”

Halo looked at his handiwork. “Can’t you tell? It’s a topiary. A train.”

“Can’t see it,” said Ry.

But Beth could. She tilted her head and said, “The engine and caboose are recognizable.”

“It’s what’s in-between that falls short,” said Landon. “The cars look like camel humps.”

“You could do better?” Halo challenged him.

“Look at the yard,” Landon pointed out. “Lawn striping. A ballpark grass pattern.”

It did look good, Rylan had to admit. He also liked the way the volleyball court was set up in the far corner. And how the game of croquet would be played beneath the banyan tree. There’d be lots of shade. The picnic was taking shape. Far better than he’d expected.

Halo shifted beside him, growing restless. The man seldom stood still. He had energy to burn. He worked out three times a day. He made his teammates nuts in the dugout during a ball game. He never sat down. Instead he paced. Sport-driven.

He glanced at his watch. “It’s after three. We’re done here. We need to go by the Lusty Oyster.” He grinned. “Just in time for Happy Hour.” He nudged Beth with his elbow. “Join us, babe?”

She shook her head. “Thanks, but no. I’m still working.”

“Another time, then,” said Landon.

There was a glint in Halo’s eyes when he said, “Ry can be a slave driver. Come work for me. I could use a personal assistant.”

“Yeah, so could I.” Landon clearly liked the idea. His grin came slowly. Deviously. “Any chance we could steal you from Rylan?”

“We’d pay you more than you’re making now and offer better benefits,” Halo enticed. “I could be part of your benefit package.”

“We’re better looking than the old man,” said Landon. “And a whole lot more fun. What do you say? Join us?”

Rylan was about to say something, but decided against it. How would Beth react to their offer? He was about to find out.

She had their number. “Neither of you needs an assistant,” she said flatly. “You’re impulsive and competitive. You want what Ry has. At the moment that’s me, working for him. Am I right?”

Halo put his hand over his heart. “You wound me.”

“She saw right through us,” said Landon.

“My job is for eight weeks,” Beth told them. “The length of time I’m in town. It fits me perfectly.”

Rylan listened when Halo asked, “Then what? Where will you go after spring training?”

She shrugged a slender shoulder. “Here and there. Anywhere and everywhere.”

“The lady is elusive,” said Landon.

“We have two months to learn her wicked ways,” Halo teased.

Beth rolled her eyes. “I have no wicked ways.”

“Hang around us and you soon will,” said Landon.

“Your play date is over, guys,” Rylan said, moving them along. “I met with our community liaison, Jillian Cates, this morning. Tomorrow we’re putting our footprints in cement at the stadium plaza. Jill’s set up media coverage. Photos, followed by interviews.”

He paused, continued with, “It’s tourist season. The snowbirds have arrived. There’s a lot going on in town. The Gallery Walk opens to the public late Tuesday afternoon. International and local artists display their photography and paintings along the boardwalk near the pier entrance. Shaye organized the event. Try and make an appearance. Be supportive. Buy something.”

“Anyone paint nudes?” asked Halo. The man had
naked
on his brain.

Rylan shrugged. “Doubtful, the event is family oriented. But see for yourself.”

“We’re gone.” Halo handed Beth his work gloves.

Landon gave her his gloves, too. “Later, sweet Beth.”

“What about the lawn equipment?” Rylan called after them. “It needs to be put away.” The men had left the mower and tools where they’d last used them.

“Not it,” Halo cast over his shoulder.

“Not it,” Landon quickly seconded.

“I’m it,” Beth muttered.

“It’s your turn to go into the shed,” Halo said from the corner of the cottage. “Watch out for bats.” Both men disappeared down the driveway.

Rylan shook his head. “Idiots.”

“
Your
idiots,” Beth said. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but your voices carried. I heard them apologize for the bar fight. They respect you.”

The respect was not always evident.

“We all have our own way of righting a wrong,” she added.

“The guys are wrong a lot,” he stated. “They’re like kids. Sorry about something at least once a day. I don’t want them making amends at the cottage whenever they get disruptive in town.”

“You’re all family, or so their T-shirts say.”

“They’ll take advantage of being Cateses while they’re here, and they’ll be obnoxious about it. I don’t need any more brothers. I grew up with three.”

“Dune seems like a nice guy,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind that I contacted him and Shaye. Picnics need games. I’d rather borrow than rent equipment. They were quick to respond.”