The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,121
six hours with me.”
“Aren’t you cocky?” I glare at him.
“No, I’m leaving in six hours. It’ll break my heart if I miss the chance to hang out with you,” he explains.
“I have a lot to do: like receiving a few new pieces at the gallery, opening up for the cleaning crew, organizing the deliveries from last night’s sales. I have an appointment in Evergreen. Honestly, you’ll just be taking up my precious time.”
Instead of listening to his comeback, I walk toward the door, but Oakley is blocking the stairs.
“Hey, sweetheart, can you move, please?”
“Stay,” Wes orders. “Sorry, she only obeys me.”
I glare at him then at her. She stares at me but doesn’t move. She should teach a thing or two to Chester who can only follow three commands: eat, walk, and stop.
“Did she train with the Queen’s guards?” I joke, walking around her.
“Oak, get the door,” Wes commands.
She moves right in front of the door.
“She’s not going to move until you acknowledge her and give her a good belly rub. Oak, down,” Wes orders.
Oakley does as he says and gives me a puppy pout that shatters my heart. She’s just like her owner, trying to steal my heart.
“You’re not going to leave her hanging, are you?”
“This is beneath you, Ahern, using a puppy.” I bend over and scratch her ears and rub her belly. Then look back over at Wes whose midnight blue eyes stare at me intensely.
It annoys me that I can’t read his mind. I used to be able to know what he was thinking and feeling and now … I sigh as nostalgia fills the air around us. He said there was a pull, but there’s just a big wall between us.
“How often do you use this trick?”
“She’s pretty obedient if that’s what you’re asking.”
“No, use her to help you score.”
“Ah, this is a first. I doubt she’d do it with anyone but you. Oakley knows you pretty well. We talk about you all the time.”
Chester glares at me because I’m petting Oakley, but since Wes is giving him treats, he chooses not to act jealous.
“Breakfast,” Wes suggests, well aware that he’s cracked my armor and now he’s trying to climb into my heart.
“Then you’ll be gone?” I weigh my options. Having him here seems like a good idea and yet, also the worst idea ever.
“Because you have things to do and I have to head back home.”
“What is it that you do in Tahoe?”
“I run a Bed and Breakfast,” he says casually.
“What?” I frown.
He laughs shaking his head. “Kidding. You should’ve seen your face. It’s a long story, but to shorten it—there was good acreage on sale—and I decided to buy it. I’m building a resort.”
“What happened to you that was so bad Sterling had to step in?” I’m dying to know what happened to him. Is it this resort?
Wes narrows his gaze, smirking at me. I hold my breath, trying to fight my reaction to that charming, handsome face of his.
“I was in a bad place, so Sterling fired me, and he hired people to take care of Ahern Inc. Once I was back on my feet, I started my own software company and started doing what I like. I travel around, checking in on each site to make sure the companies work properly.”
It all makes sense except for the resort. I can’t imagine him managing one, but it sounds like fun. “That’s a lot of spoons to handle. Are you following your dreams?”
“Mostly,” he answers a little lost in thought.
“Well, if you ever need an activities coordinator, I have some experience,” I offer remembering the summer I worked in Tahoe.
It was special. He’d come every weekend to be with me. If only we could go back to that summer. Not that I regret my current life. I prefer to be myself and not hide from everyone, including Wes.
“You’ll be at the top of my list when we start hiring. Sterling might not like it since you have the gallery and all that.”
The mention of his brother reminds me of last night’s text.
“Why did Sterling say I’m like scotch or whiskey to you?”
“He said that?” he snorts. “That’s a conversation for later.”
“This might be the only one we have, Weston,” I say heading toward the stairs.
As an afterthought, I turn to check on Chester who’s in the mudroom, drinking water. Right next to him is Oakley. I guess taking him to the dog park for some social classes paid off.