Beckett Brothers: The Complete Series Read online

  “I think so. Whatcha’ got there?” he asked as he shut the small refrigerator. “Something I need to sign?”

  “No.” She held out the piece of paper. “It’s something you need to read.”

  Always a patient man who was ready to give his patients and his staff whatever time they needed, her dad leaned back against the break room counter and began to read.

  His brow furrowed deeper as he read on. His lips formed a thin, tense line, and Kit felt her heart begin to race. She hadn’t made her father angry in a very long time, and she wasn’t looking forward to it now.

  “Kit?” he finally said, looking up at her in confusion. “What is this?”

  “You know what it is, Dad,” she answered quietly as the party noises continued right outside the doorway.

  “You’re seriously going to leave the practice?” he asked.

  She nodded before moving to him and placing her hand on his forearm.

  “I’m so sorry, Dad. I should have been honest about all of this sooner. I should have…I didn’t realize myself until I was going into my residency, and then it seemed too late. Like I’d made this promise years ago, and there was no way I could renege. You and Mom have been counting on me, and I want to make things work for you, but…” She gazed at him, pleading with her eyes that he would understand.

  “I’m not sure what to say, Kit.”

  Her heart sank.

  “All these years, this was our plan—I thought it was our plan…”

  “You knew I loved large animals, Dad.”

  He nodded. “I guess I didn’t think it was a make-or-break thing to you, though.”

  “And that’s partly my fault. I didn’t say it was. I didn’t tell you that while I love all animals, the smaller ones bore me if that’s all I get to do. My blood races when I get outside with those big guys. Their weird digestive systems and hoof ailments. I love that stuff. I love that they’re useful animals and that their health relates to someone’s livelihood. It makes me feel like I’m contributing to something more than just the animal’s health.”

  Her father blinked at her. “When did you realize all that?” he asked.

  She paused, thinking. And like a flash, she knew. “While I was standing at the back end of a dairy cow, trying to figure out why she didn’t like her new milking equipment.”

  What she didn’t tell him was that it was the same moment she knew she’d fallen in love with Hunter Beckett. Because Hunter hadn’t scoffed at her suggestion, he hadn’t treated her like she was a stupid resident. He’d listened to her, encouraged her, and given her the opportunity to know more than he did, to make a real difference with an animal for the first time in her career.

  For that, she would always love him, even if they couldn’t be together anymore.

  “Kit,” her dad said softly. “I had no idea.”

  “I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t either…but I should have, and I should have said something sooner.”

  He smiled then, one of his slow, patient smiles. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

  Tears came to her eyes, and she fell into his open arms. He stroked her hair as she buried her face in the familiar scent of his scrubs, fresh from the laundry service. “That’s my girl,” he consoled. “It’s all going to be fine. I promise.”

  “Thank you, Daddy,” she said, sniffing as she pulled away. “What will you do now?” she asked.

  “Well, I think I’ll—”

  “Doctors?” Ramona stood at the doorway, a funny look on her face.

  “Yes, Ramona, are they asking for us out there?” Kit’s dad said.

  “Asking for Kit, actually,” Ramona answered. “A young man is, I mean—asking for Kit.”

  Kit’s heart began to race. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and it was a Friday after five p.m., too late for a drug rep or office supply salesman.

  Kit’s dad looked amused. “Well, sounds like she’d better get out there, then,” he said. “Go on, Kit Kat. You never know when it might be your future waiting. Don’t want to miss it.”

  18

  Hunter nervously watched the staff and longtime clients of Kit’s dad’s clinic as they celebrated the older doctor’s retirement. Dr. Cowie had obviously built a loyal and successful practice. The bits and pieces of conversations Hunter was overhearing told him that the older vet was popular and the practice was respected.

  In other words, Kit would be a fool to leave it behind.

  The entire drive down from Gopher Springs, he’d been practicing what he’d say to her, and like an idiot, he’d imagined she’d be happy to see him, maybe even excited to come back home with him.

  He’d never realized the competition was so tough.

  But before he could lose his nerve entirely and walk back out the way he’d come in, there she was.

  Her dark blonde hair was up in the messy bun she always wore to bed, and she had on the scrubs that were the uniform at her dad’s clinic—royal blue with a yellow Cowie Animal Clinic insignia. She wasn’t wearing a scrap of makeup, and she had a pencil, of all things, stuck behind her left ear, but she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  She stopped in front of him, her eyes wide with surprise.

  “Hi,” he said, like the idiot he was.

  “Uh, hi. What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I was hoping to talk to you for a few minutes.”

  “You came all this way to talk to me? You could have texted or something, couldn’t you?”

  He laughed softly as he reached out and touched her cheek, a butterfly brush that made her cheeks turn pink and her breath audible.

  “This isn’t something I can say over text, or the phone, or an email. This is an in-person kind of thing.”

  She nodded, then took him by the hand and led him through the crowd and into an exam room down the hall.

  After she closed the door, she went to drop his hand, but he held on as he gazed down at her.

  “Kit,” he said, his voice husky and soft. “Three weeks ago, when you walked out of my office for the last time, I thought things couldn’t get much worse. But I was so wrong.”

  She blinked at him, but since she wasn’t yelling or slamming doors, he kept going.

  “For seven years, ever since my parents died, I’ve been telling myself I didn’t have time for love. That I had to take care of all those animals and both my brothers.” He shook his head and gave her a wry smile. “I was an idiot.”

  Kit laughed, even as tears began to well up in her eyes.

  “When you left—” He stepped closer, close enough he could see the pupils in her eyes dilate. “I realized how empty everything was without you. I wasn’t taking care of other people, I was protecting myself. Making sure no one who could hurt me got close enough to do it. But you did. You snuck in, under every wall I had up, and you proved that the reward is worth the risk.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers, his voice barely a whisper. “You were my reward. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but there you were. And since you left, nothing’s right. I miss you so much, hon.” He pulled back and looked her in her beautiful, teary eyes. “Please come back. Come back to my office, come back to my life.”

  Hunter held his breath, waiting, his heart pounding, the familiar scent of antiseptic, and Kit, making the ache inside him grow even stronger.

  “Well,” she said with a small sniffle. “It turns out that I just handed my dad a resignation letter.”

  He began to smile, and so did she.

  “I wasn’t sure where I was headed. I figured I’d need to start a job hunt—”

  “No,” he snapped, louder than he’d intended. Then he modulated his voice. “No job hunt. Promise me you’ll come work for me. Hell, you can buy out half the practice over time so you don’t have to worry about relying on me for your livelihood. We’ll get a lawyer, do it all up however you want.” He stopped to kiss her, because he simply couldn’t wait another moment, and as their tong
ues tangled and their breathing came in gasps of pleasure, Hunter’s world finally fell into place. This—this partnership, of professions, of bodies, of hearts and minds—this is what he wanted, what he needed for the rest of his life.

  “You haven’t said yes,” he finally gasped as her hand found the erection straining behind his zipper.

  She giggled while his eyes nearly rolled back in his head.

  “Jesus, woman,” he groaned.

  She went up on her tiptoes and nibbled his earlobe before whispering, “Yes.”

  And as Kit reached behind them and locked the exam room door, Hunter knew he’d be hearing a lot more “yes” from Kit in the future.

  Fifteen minutes later, clothes rearranged and hair smoothed, Kit led Hunter back out to the reception area.

  “Are you sure he’s not going to try to have my license pulled?” Hunter whispered as Kit tugged him down the hallway and into the lobby.

  She laughed, tossing him a sexy look over her shoulder and almost making him forget what he was about to do.

  “I promise. Kent Cowie is a good guy, and he loves his one and only daughter. He’s not going to get your license pulled.”

  Hunter tried to think positively and followed the only woman he’d ever loved. She stopped in front of a mild-looking man dressed in the same style of scrubs, holding a plastic cup of punch and chatting with a middle-aged woman with cornrows and horn-rimmed glasses.

  “Daddy. Ramona,” Kit said. “I want to introduce you to someone.”

  They both smiled politely, and Hunter’s gut swirled with anxiety.

  “This is Dr. Hunter Beckett who supervised my residency. Hunter, this is my father Dr. Cowie, and Ramona, our front desk manager.”

  Ramona looked pointedly at Kit’s and Hunter’s linked hands, a smirk on her face. “Well, I must say, it is a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Beckett.”

  “Good to meet you, Beckett,” Dr. Cowie said, holding out his hand.

  Hunter shook it as Kit added, “Ramona, if you don’t mind, we need to steal Daddy for just a minute.”

  “Of course, darlin’,” Ramona answered, melting away into the party crowd.

  “What’s up?” Dr. Cowie asked, his gaze flitting between Kit and Hunter. Kit reached down and took Hunter’s hand again. It helped anchor him, reminded him of everything he’d almost lost and what he had to protect from now on.

  Before Kit could speak, Hunter put his fear aside and did what he knew to be the right thing.

  “Dr. Cowie, I came here today to offer Kit a place—in my office, and in my life. She’s a wonderful vet and a wonderful person. I know it wasn’t the responsible thing to do, and that it was in violation of state board rules, but while she was my resident, I fell in love with your daughter, and I think she might feel the same way—” he looked at her and smiled. Kit’s eyes were wide, but so was her smile. “I, uh, I just wanted you to know that I have a great deal of respect for your daughter and I would never take advantage of her position as my resident. I hope you can forgive me for violating the code, and that you’ll support her in what she chooses to do next.”

  Dr. Cowie looked at Hunter thoughtfully, and Hunter tried not to squirm. He hadn’t felt like this since he’d taken his first date to prom when he was seventeen.

  Finally, Dr. Cowie looked at Kit. “And is this what you want, Kit Kat? To go back to Gopher Springs?”

  “Yes, Daddy. It really is.”

  Dr. Cowie smiled and shook his head. “Well, you really pulled this one out of nowhere. Your mom and I had no idea.”

  “I know,” Kit answered. “It was sort of a surprise to me, too.”

  “And me,” Hunter murmured.

  Dr. Cowie laughed then. “Did Kit ever tell you how her mother and I met?” he asked.

  “No, sir.”

  “She was my front desk receptionist,” he said.

  And that’s when Hunter knew everything was going to be okay.

  “It really is a pleasure to meet you, son,” Dr. Cowie said, slapping Hunter on the shoulder. “Why don’t you come have some of my retirement cake, and you two can tell me about your practice in Gopher Springs. Then you can help me figure out how I’m going to find a new vet to take over this practice.”

  Kit stood on her tiptoes and kissed Hunter on the cheek, and then, hand in hand, heads held high, they walked into the future—together.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Dinner at Bran’s ranch on Sunday evenings had become a family tradition. Bran, Hunter, and Scout still ate breakfast at the diner every Thursday, but the dinners were for everyone—Bran and Ava, Cam and his new baby sister Janelle, Hunter and Kit, and Scout, who sometimes brought one of his guys from the dairy farm, but mostly brought his shepherd, Deke, to play with the ranch dogs.

  “Who’s your favorite Aunty? Who’s your favorite, princess?” Kit cooed as she held Janelle in Ava’s kitchen.

  “Don’t you go trying to confuse that child,” Mary Beth said as she helped Ava plate the barbecue ribs for dinner. “She knows full well I’m her favorite. Don’t you, little miss?” Mary Beth reached over and chucked the smiling baby on the chin.

  “Sorry, ladies,” Ava interjected. “But as long as these babies—” she pointed to her chest, “are providing the yummy, I’m the baby’s favorite, hands down.”

  “That’s such an unfair advantage,” Kit complained, handing Janelle to her mama.

  “Well, then maybe you need to go have one of your own,” Ava teased with a wink.

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Hunter said from across the room where he leaned in the doorway, watching them.

  All three women turned at his voice.

  Kit felt a flush come to her cheeks. Leave it to Ava to say something embarrassing right as Hunter snuck in.

  “Well, there you are!” Kit bustled over to plant a kiss on his cheek. “I was starting to worry Mr. Crenshaw’s pig was going to keep you out all evening.”

  Hunter put a palm along her cheek and pulled her back in for a proper kiss on the lips. “No,” he said, his voice deep and sexy, the way it got when they were alone in bed. “Nothing could keep me away from you.”

  Kit flushed more as she saw Mary Beth and Ava grinning at her.

  “But I want to talk about what Ava was saying,” Hunter continued, leading Kit to a kitchen chair and pressing her into it.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, and then as he dropped to one knee in front of her, she gasped. Footsteps sounded around the kitchen, but she couldn’t look away, her gaze locked on Hunter’s, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest.

  “So, I think Ava had the right idea,” Hunter told her, his love so big it shone right through his eyes. “I’m thinking a baby—you’ll be her favorite—maybe a bigger house, and a resident to fill in while you and I take turns on parental leave.” He opened the jewelry box, revealing a beautiful square cut diamond solitaire. “But first, I thought we’d have a wedding.”

  Kit let out a tiny gasp. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “Not half as beautiful as you are.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger, then she took his face between her hands.

  “I love you, Hunter Beckett. And I would be honored to be your wife, and to have babies with you. But I have one question.”

  He looked surprised but nodded. “Anything you want, hon.”

  “Do I still have to pay for the rest of the partnership?”

  The entire room burst into laughter, and Hunter kissed her hard on the lips before he answered. “Babe, I’ve been keeping all that money in a fund for our kid’s college. You get half the practice, you get half the house…and you get all of my heart.”

  And she loved and protected all of it, forever more.

  End of Wrangling His Sexy Assistant

  Beckett Brothers Book Two

  Blurb

  Scout Beckett has always wanted to run a ranch, not just work it under the purview of his olde
r sibling. He wants to do something different from his family’s horses and beef cattle: he wants to own a dairy farm. To this end, Scout has been working on one as a foreman, and his mentor had always promised it would be Scout’s after he passed. But when the owner dies, he wills it to his city-slicker granddaughter instead; leaving Scout in charge of a farm that will never be his.

  Stella has worked for a nonprofit for years, helping to feed starving children in third-world countries. When she comes home for the funeral to say goodbye to her grandfather, the only stability she’s ever known, she finds herself falling into the arms of sexy cowboy Scout when shared loss and simple comfort turns to a night of passion before they each go their separate ways.

  But three months later, Stella returns to the ranch, faced with the stipulations of her grandfather’s will: she must stay for the better part of the year, or lose the ranch to charity. Not only that, but she has to tell her one-night stand that he’s going to be a daddy. When the shock of her pregnancy wears off, Stella vows to ride out the will’s rule and get back to her old life as soon as possible.

  But as Stella slowly remembers why she’s always loved the place she’s come back to, Scout has to decide if he’s okay with never owning the land he works. Is having a family enough? Or will he pass on love and passion for a farm of his own?

  1

  “Are you sure you shouldn’t wait longer?”

  “I’ve already waited over half an hour,” Scout hissed to his oldest brother, Bran. “Everyone’s here. We can’t stand out here forever.”

  Bran eyed Hunter, Scout’s other older brother, and it took all of Scout’s patience not to tell them both to go to hell. He’d been managing everything on George’s farm for a very long time. It made sense that he’d end up having to manage George’s funeral as well. And if the old man’s only living relative couldn’t manage to show up on time? Well, he couldn’t fix that.