Jesse: A Beckett Brothers Novel Book 3 (The Beckett Brothers) Read online

  “How are the others compared to this one?”

  “They’re all about the same but I think this is the only one with a bad roof.”

  Jesse’s mouth twisted. “Since it’s nice out, the roof won’t be a problem. But I’ll have to repair that roof first or sleep in one of the other ones.”

  “If you’d like.”

  “Have you hired any other men to work on the cabins?”

  “I can’t afford to,” she muttered and hoped like hell it didn’t scare him off.

  Jesse nodded his head. “Okay. I’d love to take the job. I do have a lot of experience. The inside here isn’t too bad really. The floors are in great shape, just a few planks need replacing.” He looked up. “But the roof definitely needs to be repaired.”

  “Will it take a lot to fix the roof?”

  “Not really. I’ll just have to replace the metal. How’s the plumbing?”

  “It’s fine. There are two wells and five septic tanks. One for every two cabins. Each cabin has two bedrooms, a fireplace, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. Rusty seems to think I should have a cafeteria or a place for everyone to eat at.”

  “You could but you could also just have people make their own meals. Most of the hunters or anglers would be up before daylight to get out there. Instead of building a place for them to eat, I’d use that money to hire guides for them.”

  Anna nodded. “That sounds good actually. But what about in the summer?”

  Jesse shrugged. “Let them cook their own meals unless you have barbeques for them. Either supply them with food or have them bring their own. If I were you, I’d buy some cheap grills for each cabin so they can cook out if they want. In the winter, I’d supply wood for the fireplaces because I don’t see any other heat source.”

  Glancing around, she frowned. “I know. That may keep them away.”

  Jesse laughed and her heart hit her stomach. His teeth were white, straight, and perfect.

  “It won’t bother real hunters or anglers. Trust me on that.”

  “All right, I will.” She smiled when he looked at her. Once again, their eyes met and held until she looked away.

  Quit looking at him! I can’t!

  Jesse walked into the bathroom and she let out a breath. There was no way she could be attracted to a younger man. Pffft! Why in the hell not? Men looked at younger women all the time, so why couldn’t she appreciate a younger man? Especially one who looked like Jesse Dalton. He might only be twenty-nine, but he seemed so much more mature. She couldn’t remember Jamie being that mature at twenty-nine. Shaking her head, she knew it was wrong to compare the two men. She bit her lip when Jesse entered the room again, and leaned against the wall next to a sunlit window. His black cowboy hat sat down low on his forehead, but his amazing eyes looked at her as if they were staring into her soul.

  “I’ll start work tomorrow morning. I’d rather get started on the roof before it gets too hot.”

  “That’s fine. Do you want to look at the other cabins or head back?”

  “We can head back. I’ll check them over tomorrow. Do you already have the materials for the repairs?”

  “Most of it. There are a few metal panels in the hayloft.”

  “Let me repair the old roof first then I can let you know if you need more material.”

  Anna nodded and moved to walk out of the cabin with Jesse following her. He strode past her as she stood on the porch and she inhaled his aftershave again. The man smelled so good. She watched him walk down the steps and her eyes instinctively went to his ass in his tight Wranglers then traveled down his long legs. She bit back a smile when she saw the straight legs of his jeans bunched up around the ankles of his boots. She loved seeing a man in denim. Something just so sexy about it. His distressed boots were so sexy to her too. Biting her lip to hold back a groan, she followed him then climbed into her truck. The sooner she got back to the house, the sooner she could take a cold shower.

  ****

  Jesse drove his truck back up to the cabin and blew out a breath. He really hated lying to her, but he didn’t have a choice right now. How was she still living here? Once he reached the cabin, he’d call his dad.

  Shaking his head, he knew this was one time he wasn’t going to agree with Chester Beckett. Jesse stopped the truck in front of the cabin and climbed out then reached into the bed for his duffle bag and sleeping bag. It was a good thing he was quick on his feet and said he was looking for work when Rusty came from the barn. Entering the cabin, he tossed his stuff onto the floor then pulled out his cell phone. His dad answered on the first ring.

  “Well? How goes it, JD?”

  “Dad, I’m at the Tipton ranch and someone is still living here. I thought you said it was already foreclosed on?”

  “It seems Mrs. Tipton raised money from selling off most of her cattle. From what Cam told me she actually paid the past due amount on the ranch but unless her little project of turning it into a dude ranch takes off, she’ll quickly be in arrears again.”

  “I wish you would have told me. I had to make up a lie as to why I was here. She actually hired me to work on some cabins on the property. She’s going to rent them out to guests. It’s a gorgeous place. It may take off for her,” Jesse said and in his heart, he hoped it did.

  “Do you think she’ll have it up and going in three months’ time, son? Because she can only go three months without a payment before Cam starts foreclosure proceedings again.”

  Jesse blew out a breath. “No, sir, I don’t. There’s a lot of work to be done. The cabins need a lot of repair and maintenance. I’m supposed to start on them tomorrow.”

  “You can take off anytime you’d like, Jesse. You’re not that far from your ranch. She may have paid the past due, but she only prolonged the inevitable.”

  Mentally shaking his head, he knew his dad was serious when he called him Jesse. It was usually JD or son, but only Jesse when he was in trouble or his dad was making a point.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll stay a few days to check out the land. I have to run, Dad. I’ll talk to you soon. Love you, and Mom.”

  “We love you too, son,” his dad said then disconnected the call.

  Jesse put the phone in his pocket, picked up the sleeping bag, untied the strings around it then snapped it out, placed it on the floor and looked around. The cabin really wasn’t in that bad of shape. This one just needed a few minor repairs. He’d check out the others tomorrow. Taking a deep breath, he walked outside and looked at the porch, not bad either. Walking down the steps, he strode around the cabin. Spotting a ladder, he leaned it against the building and climbed it to get a better look at the roof. Metal panels were missing, and the wood beams didn’t look real sturdy.

  “Shit. You are certifiable to get into this. You should have just said you were lost or something,” he muttered and could have kicked himself for not thinking of that.

  His father did this for a living. Bought homes when they went into foreclosure, fixed them up before reselling, and he made a killing at it. However, this time, Jesse hated to see that happen to this place.

  According to his father, Anna Tipton had lived on this ranch for ten years and it had thrived until her husband got sick with cancer. Not having enough insurance to pay his medical bills, they’d sold off tracts of land and now his dad told him she also sold off most of her cattle. Even though she’d sold off some land, almost a thousand acres remained. Jesse should have called his dad on his way home from Idaho to make sure he still wanted him to look at the land. His dad would have informed him it wasn’t in foreclosure yet and Jesse could have continued home to his own ranch. But then, he never would have met Anna Tipton, and she could indeed have a goldmine here if the dude ranch took off. The only problem with having a dude ranch was she’d have some stiff competition with Bur Oak Guest ranch in the next town. Devin and Jaxon Callahan owned it and it was full every summer. It would be very stiff competition for Anna.

  It never bothered Jesse before to scope out propertie
s for his father because the bank had already foreclosed and the owners had moved on but after seeing Anna Tipton, he wanted to tell his dad to forget about this one.

  Climbing back down the ladder, he entered the cabin and pulled out his laptop and took a seat on the sleeping bag. Glancing around, he wondered about furniture. Looking back to his computer, he hoped he could get a signal here. Smiling when he saw full bars, he entered the Circle T ranch in the search engine. Clicking on a link, he saw a page come up but there wasn’t much on it. If she was going to make this work, she’d need a really good website.

  Jesse was sure she could do well if she offered guides for hunting and fishing. Big game in Montana was something many hunters were interested in. He’d never been into hunting and he really didn’t approve of trophy hunting unless the meat was donated to people who needed it. There were hunters who only wanted the trophy but left the meat while they took the head or fur. Jesse thought it a cruel way to kill an animal. There were people who could use the meat so why not give it to them. If a hunter wants the trophy head that bad, then they should have to donate the meat. He’d talk to Anna about that. It was entirely up to her, but he hoped she would make it a stipulation. A friend of his, Noah Conway, was a guide in Kalispell during hunting season, and he refused to take anyone if they were only hunting for trophy.

  Shaking his head, he clicked on Anna’s page again and continued to read but there wasn’t much to see. As he scrolled down the page, he saw a post from two years ago from Anna stating that her husband, Jamie, had passed away due to lung cancer at the age of forty-three. Far too young in Jesse’s mind. It made him wonder how Anna was coping without her husband of many years. She was too young to be a widow and far too beautiful for his peace of mind. He’d seen some very pretty older women and he’d even been with a few, but he’d never been as attracted to any as he was to Anna.

  He scanned through the page again and was surprised when the cabin began to darken due to the setting sun. As he sat there staring at the computer screen, he heard a truck pull up. Closing the computer, he set it on the sleeping bag, stood, and walked to the door. He opened it to see Anna climbing out of her truck. She stopped when he stepped out onto the porch and his heart hit his stomach when she smiled shyly at him. She really is beautiful.

  “Hi. I was wondering if you were hungry. I made beef stew but when I started to eat, I thought about you up here without any food.”

  “Actually, I’m starving. I was going to drive into town, but your idea sounds better.” He entered the cabin, grabbed his hat then returned outside closing the door behind him and walked down the steps.

  She smiled at him as she moved back to the driver’s side while he climbed into her truck.

  After waiting while he buckled up, she drove down the road toward the house without speaking. She stopped the truck by the back door then stepped out. Jesse did the same and followed her into the house. Removing his hat, he hung it on a peg then turned to watch her move around the kitchen. She smiled at him over her shoulder.

  “I hope you like beef stew,” she said.

  “I would have declined your invitation if I didn’t.”

  Anna laughed. “Of course. That was silly of me. Please have a seat, Jesse.”

  “I will, after you do.”

  “What would you like to drink? Water? Lemonade? Beer?”

  “Lemonade. I thought what I had earlier was really good.”

  “Thank you. I rarely make it from scratch but when I was at the grocery store, they were having a sale on lemons so…” She trailed off and he was sure she was nervous.

  “Do I make you nervous, Anna?”

  She dropped a fork onto the floor and bent to pick it up then washed it off.

  “I just haven’t had dinner with a man, alone, for quite some time.”

  “I won’t bite.”

  Anna blew out a breath. “I know. I’m just so used to being alone now.” She looked at him. “I’d really feel better if you’d sit.”

  “My mama would tan my hide.”

  “Surely not,” she said in a shocked voice.

  Jesse chuckled. “No, but she’d make me feel really bad.”

  “I won’t tell her. Please, sit.”

  “Will it make you less nervous?”

  “Probably not.”

  He pulled a chair out and took a seat then raised an eyebrow at her. “Happy now?”

  “Yes. Yes, I am.” She scooped stew out into two bowls then carried them and spoons to the table. After setting his bowl in front of him, she pulled out a chair and took a seat. Then immediately began to rise. “I forgot the bread.”

  Jesse touched her hand. “I’ll get it.”

  He stood and walked to the counter where the bread and butter sat then carried them to the table. She flashed him a smile when he sat back down. That smile was worth getting it for her. Lifting his spoon, he took a bite of the stew and moaned.

  “Damn, this is good.” He reached for a slice of bread then buttered it.

  “Thank you. There’s plenty if you want to take some back with you to the cabin.”

  “If you’re sure, I’d love to have some. I suppose I should go into town tomorrow and get some food. You didn’t tell me if the appliances work in the cabins.”

  When she nibbled on her lower lip, he almost groaned.

  “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know.” She put her hands on her cheeks. “I never even thought of checking them.”

  Reaching over, he pulled her hands from her face. “I’ll check them all tomorrow. If they don’t work, I’ll see what I can do to fix them. If I can’t then you may have to provide me with meals. Wouldn’t mind though…you’re a really good cook.”

  “I can’t cook worth a lick. This stew is all I can cook and all I added was the beef.”

  Jesse tried his best not to laugh but he couldn’t help it. “Well, make a bunch of it and freeze it.”

  “Very funny. I suppose I could find other crockpot recipes,” she murmured.

  “Let me check the stoves first. They might work.”

  “They’ve sat there for years, Jesse.”

  His heart hit his stomach anytime she used his name. Damn. This woman was turning him inside out and he’d been with women fifteen years younger than she was who’d never made him feel this way. He cleared his throat.

  “Doesn’t mean they won’t work. I’ll check them when I get back. Which reminds me, do you have a lamp I could use? Camping lantern or wired.”

  “I’ll give you both, but you should have electricity. Something else I didn’t check. How am I supposed to make this work when I can’t remember to check the simple things?”

  “You’ve probably had a lot on your mind. Working the ranch with just Rusty to help, I mean.”

  “And Wes. Those two are the only ones who stuck around after Jamie died. I’m surprised they stayed when I had to sell some of the cattle for beef in order to keep the ranch.” She frowned at him. “How did you know I needed some help?”

  Jesse took a drink of lemonade then set the glass down. “I was in town at the diner and heard someone talking about the Circle T needing some workers. I didn’t know they meant working on cabins.” He was surprised he didn’t hear thunder overhead!

  “I see. I don’t know how they’d know that but I’m glad someone mentioned it. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Rusty and Wes are too old to be climbing ladders.”

  “I don’t know Wes, but I know Rusty is too old to be doing it.”

  “Wes is the same age as Rusty. They’re best buds. They worked this ranch before Jamie and I bought it. We asked them to stay.” She shrugged. “I’m so glad they did.”

  “What do they do?”

  “Harvest the fields and take care of the horses. I sell hay to other ranchers and farmers who don’t have enough. It’s not much, but it’s something and I board horses. I still have ten head of cattle yet. I tried to go back to teaching but there are no openings.” She spooned some beef stew i
nto her mouth.

  “You were a teacher? What grade?”

  “Third. I loved the kids and I miss it but I had to quit when Jamie got sick. It was a difficult situation. The insurance I had helped with his bills, but not enough to pay for home care. Then when I quit, we only had the insurance we’d purchased and it about drained us. He had a life insurance policy but the amount of his bills was staggering so I had to sell tracts of land to pay those. Then the mortgage got behind and I was almost foreclosed on when I knew I had no choice but to sell some of the cattle.” She looked at him with a surprised look on her face. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be burdening you with this.”

  “Sometimes it helps to talk to strangers. I sure as hell won’t be telling anyone.”

  He meant that too. Of course, his father knew all of it already. He’d gone to school with Cam Ford and Cam was president of the bank where Anna made her payments. Cam knew that Chester Beckett was always looking for foreclosed homes. Although the family was rich from Jesse’s great-grandparents, his dad made money by buying and flipping property. Jesse had his own money from bull riding. He was a millionaire a few times over from competing and partnership with his brother, Gage, in the boot factory they owned. Their boots were sold worldwide and made them a lot of money.