Rocky Mountain Nights (Roberts of Silver Springs #6) Read online

  Bekah groaned. “I’m not awake enough for you, Jennifer. Don’t try my patience!”

  Jennifer looked at Bekah with a pout. “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here. Can’t we just get to it?”

  Bekah groaned, walked to her bookshelf, and pulled a Jolene Gold novel from it. “Here. Read my favorite writer. Don’t touch anything!”

  Jennifer took the book. “A romance? Tough Bekah Roberts reads romance? I can’t wait to tell everyone.”

  “No skin off my nose. Smart women read romance.” Bekah gathered up clothes to put on before slipping into the bathroom. Jennifer wasn’t going to make it through the day before she had Bekah’s fist in her mouth.

  She took her time showering and dressing, fussing with her hair longer than usual, but not to impress Hunter. As much as she liked him, she wanted him to get to know the real her, not the dolled-up version everyone seemed to expect from her. No, she was taking her time to annoy Jennifer. The more she could annoy her, the happier she’d be.

  When she finally stepped out, Jennifer was obviously engrossed in the book. Bekah slipped her shoes on and took the book away. “Time to get to work!”

  “Hey, I was just getting to the good part! And why does she keep using bobilicious in her book like it’s a real word?”

  “She’s trying to get it into the dictionary.” Bekah opened the door that led to the hallway. “Are you ready? We keep the cleaning supplies in a closet on the second floor.” After descending the stairs, she opened the closet and pulled out the cleaning cart, pushing it at Jennifer. “We only have one here, because we take turns doing the rooms. They’re all yours for the time you work for me. I’ll get the vacuum, but all I’m doing is supervising. I’m not going to do the work for you. Get that through your head right now.”

  Jennifer sighed heavily. “It depends on what you have me using. I’m allergic to a lot of cleaning supplies.”

  “This is going to be a rough job for you then, isn’t it?” Bekah led the way to the end of the hall. She saw that Hunter’s door had a “Do not Disturb” sign up, so she went to the other end. She knew he’d been up later than she had. “We’ll start at this end. We try to avoid bothering any guests who are sleeping.”

  “Whatever.”

  Bekah knocked on the door. “Housekeeping!” When there was no response, she opened the door and went in. “Mr. and Mrs. Frank checked out this morning.” She smiled when she saw the chocolate they’d left on the dresser, along with a nice note. “Thank you, Bri and Bekah. You made our stay wonderful. We had a great babymoon, and we know it was all because of you. If you ever make it to Laramie, we’ll give you a huge discount on Frank’s Fudge. Al and Erin Frank.” She tucked the two boxes of chocolate into the apron she wore, before turning back to Jennifer.

  “Start with the bathroom first. All towels need to be switched out. Take the glasses that are on the counter and replace them with the clean ones in the cart. Make sure you put the glasses in the bin for them, so Bri can wash them.”

  Jennifer nodded dejectedly. “Do you have any idea how much I hate this job?”

  “You’ll survive.” Bekah almost felt sorry for her, but she knew why the girl had been forced to get a job, and she knew it was necessary for the whole town’s well-being for Jennifer to keep her job. If she was allowed to run free, she would be in everyone’s business causing problems once again.

  Jennifer looked at the toilet cleaner in the cart. “This is the kind I’m allergic to. I can’t do the toilets. Sorry.”

  “You’re not allergic to any of it. Your mother already told me.”

  “But I don’t know how!”

  “It’s not that hard.” Bekah briefly explained how to use the brush to clean the toilet. “I’m sure a smart girl like you can do it.” She went through the room, making sure the guests hadn’t left anything behind while Jennifer cleaned.

  When Jennifer came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, her nose wrinkled in disgust, Bekah couldn’t help but grin. “Is it done?”

  “Yes!”

  Bekah went into the bathroom to check behind her, lifting the seat and showing her more of what needed to be cleaned away. “You also need to wash off the back of the tank. It’s not fun, but it is necessary. We’re known for being very clean here, and that reputation isn’t going to change just because you’re a pain in my behind.”

  “You can’t say that to me!” Jennifer said, her eyes flashing.

  Bekah took a step closer to Jennifer. They’d gotten into a fight once when they were in junior high, and Jennifer had Bri in tears for the third time in a week. Bekah hadn’t been able to control her temper, and Jennifer had ended up on the floor with blood flooding down her face. “Don’t make me bloody your nose again, Jennifer. I’m not afraid to do it.”

  “I’m your employee! You can’t talk to me that way! I’ll sue you for harassment.”

  Bekah laughed. “My Uncle Steve would love to get his hands on that case. Besides, you’re not my employee. Your mother is paying me to train you. Do you have any idea how much she felt the need to pay me because no one else wanted to have to be around you?”

  Jennifer glared at her. “You never were nice to me, Bekah Roberts.”

  “And you never were nice to anyone, Jennifer Olson. Grow up and clean that toilet!”

  Jennifer stomped into the bathroom, and Bekah put some music on her phone. It would be a lot easier to deal with Jennifer if she could enjoy some music while she did it. The first song that came on was a favorite of hers, “Whiskey and Women” by Quinn Dawson. She smiled and danced along to the beat.

  “Are you kidding me?” Jennifer asked, coming out of the bathroom to find Bekah dancing to the music. “My mother is paying you so I can do your job, and you’re dancing around instead of helping?”

  “Sounds about right,” Bekah said, her lopsided grin taking over her face. “Sometimes it just pays to be nice to people.”

  “I’m nice to people!”

  “People other than men you’re trying to steal from other women, I mean.”

  “There are days when I think you’re the least obnoxious of all your family, and then there are days when I hate you so much I want to push you out a window.”

  “I never think you’re less obnoxious than anyone. Does that make you feel any better?” Bri asked sweetly. “Now, I want you to fold the point of the toilet paper into a little triangle so it looks nice for the next guests.”

  An hour later, they were just finishing up their second room. Bekah still wanted to slap the other woman, but she hadn’t…so far. It was taking four times as long as it would have taken to do the job herself, but she was being paid well for the training time, so she wouldn’t stop. “After this room, I need a snack break.” She usually ate as soon as she woke up, but it was lunch she ate. She’d gotten up earlier than usual to train Jennifer, and she needed to eat before the hangries set in. Besides, she wanted to give Bri her box of chocolate from the Franks.

  “Fine. How many hours am I expected to work today, anyway?”

  “Until all the rooms are clean. There are eight, and it’s taken you an hour to do two. So we’re probably looking at four hours for the rooms. But then you need to learn how to clean the parlor and help with the dishes.”

  “You’re not going to make me work with Bri, are you? You know I can’t control my tongue around Bri.”

  “You can’t control your tongue around anyone. You’re just mean, Jennifer.” Bekah closed up the door and locked it behind her. The guests in that room would be back that evening. “Come on. Let’s see what Bri has left from breakfast.”

  Jennifer followed along behind Bekah sullenly. Bekah realized she probably should have left her upstairs, but she was afraid of the damage the woman could do if left to her own devices. Breakfast was just ending when Bekah walked into the dining room, her eyes immediately going to Hunter.

  He gave her half a smile, and she returned his smile with a wink. “Is our breakfast every
thing you’d heard it would be?” Bekah asked, lingering beside him.

  Bri came in and looked back and forth between the two, seeming to read Bekah’s mind. The cousins were only a week apart and had been through everything together, from learning to walk to graduating from high school. “Bekah, go ahead and eat with Hunter, and I’ll teach Jennifer to help me with the dishes.”

  Bekah looked at her cousin and grinned. “Thanks, Bri. What do you have left?”

  Bri frowned. “Lots of stuff. I’ll bring it.”

  Bekah took her seat beside Hunter and nodded for Jennifer to follow Bri. Jennifer, being Jennifer, locked onto Hunter. “Hi, I’m Jennifer.”

  “Hi,” Hunter said, concentrating on his meal. There was something about the woman that made him uncomfortable.

  “Jennifer, go learn to do dishes. Now.” Bekah pulled the pitcher of orange juice from the middle of the table toward her, pouring herself a glass. She knew Bri would be there in a minute with her coffee.

  Jennifer looked back and forth between Bekah and Hunter, walking off with a huff. Bekah rolled her eyes as she left.

  “Learn to do dishes? Who doesn’t know how to do dishes? Didn’t she have a mother?”

  Bekah sighed. “Jennifer is the problem child of the owners of the hotel next door. They’re paying me a ridiculous amount of money to teach her to clean.”

  Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Couldn’t they just ask the head of their housekeeping staff to teach her? Or any of the maids there?”

  “They all threatened to quit after working with Jennifer for a couple of days. You have to understand just how snotty and rotten Jennifer is.” Bekah rubbed the back of her neck. “Truly, if not for the money and the need to maintain a good relationship with the hotel, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

  “She sounds like a joy to work with,” he said sarcastically.

  “Oh yeah. I can’t wait to finish breakfast so I can go and watch her clean more bathrooms!” She shook her head. “How’d you sleep?”

  “After I went back to my room, I wrote another two thousand words!” Hunter grinned at her. “I have never written that much in a day before. This place is good for me.” She was good for him, but he didn’t add that. All of the new words he’d added had been about the beautiful brunette helping his hero.

  “That’s great. I’m so happy for you!” Bekah smiled at her cousin when she came in with a small bowl of eggs, a plate of bacon, and a basket of muffins.

  “That’s all we’ve got left, so I hope it’ll be enough. I’ll be right back with your coffee. Would you like more coffee, Hunter?”

  He nodded. “I would please.” He watched as Bekah filled her plate. “I’m hoping to do as well today as I did yesterday. That would more than make up for the fact that I won’t be working on Tuesday.”

  “I’m excited to show you the area,” Bekah said, taking a sip of her juice.

  “I can’t wait to see it. I’ve only been here a day, and I already feel like I belong.”

  Bekah looked up when her cousin and his fiancé walked into the dining room. Jack reached for a muffin while Erin smiled. “Where’s Bri?” the girl asked. “We need to talk about when we’re going to get bridesmaid dresses.”

  “She’s in the kitchen with Jennifer. She’ll be back any second with more coffee, so you don’t have to face the evil one.”

  Erin laughed, sitting down at the table. “I want a muffin so bad! But I also want to fit into my wedding dress!”

  Jack collapsed into a chair beside his fiancé. “Take a muffin. We’ll walk it off later. And really, who cares if they have to take your wedding dress out a little? You will always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”

  Hunter looked at the couple across from them, noting the lopsided smile on the man’s face. “You must be related to Bekah and Bri.”

  “I’m Jack Roberts. Bri’s brother. Bekah’s cousin. And future husband to the beautiful Erin.”

  Erin made a face. “I don’t know how you can call me beautiful with this scar on my face, but I’m glad you don’t see it.”

  “I see what I’ve always seen,” Jack said softly. “The girl who makes my heart melt.”

  Bri walked into the room then with a coffee cup and a pot of coffee. “I figured I’d just leave this for the two of you.” She frowned at Jack. “Do you guys need coffee?”

  Jack shook his head, holding up a to-go cup from Books ‘N Beans. “Nope, we got some from Emma on our way here.”

  Erin smiled at her future sister-in-law, and Hunter felt a little relieved he wasn’t the only person in the room without a lopsided smile. “We need to set a date for bridesmaid dress shopping. Emma said she can do tomorrow if you can.”

  Bri frowned. “What time? I need to be able to at least cook breakfast. I can leave the cleaning to Bekah and Jennifer, but I can’t leave them to cook.”

  Jack wrinkled his nose. “Of course you can’t. I’ve eaten Bekah’s cooking. And what is Jennifer doing working here?”

  Bri looked over her shoulder. “I need to get back to her. Bekah will explain.” She started to walk away, but turned back. “Text me with a time, Erin. I can go as long as it’s after noon.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll make sure it is!” Erin said as Bri hurried away.

  Erin turned wide eyes to Bekah. “What’s going on? Why is that...” She took a deep breath. “Sometimes that girl makes me forget I’m a lady and don’t use that kind of language. Why is Jennifer here?”

  “Her mother is paying me a king’s ransom to teach her how to clean rooms. Remember at Bri’s reception when her parents told her she had to get a job? Well, no one would hire her. No one. Her parents tried to call in favors, but still, no one. So they finally hired her to clean the rooms at the hotel, but she was so ugly to the other maids and the head of housekeeping that they all threatened to quit. So Mrs. Olson is paying me to teach her.”

  Jack threw his head back and laughed. “That woman is a mess. I hope they’re really making it worth your while.”

  “Trust me, they are.” Bekah ate a bite of her bacon. “How does Bri make bacon taste this good, I ask you? It’s always so crisp, but not burnt, and it tastes just perfect.”

  Hunter looked at Bekah. “I take it from this conversation that you can’t cook.”

  “Not at all. I hope you didn’t think I’d provide the picnic for our date, because I won’t. Bri will, so you won’t starve or end up with food poisoning. Trust me, it’s for the best.”

  He shook his head, grinning. Pulling out his notebook, he quickly wrote down what she’d said to him.

  Bekah shook her head. “Forgive Hunter. He’s a big wig writer here to finish his next book. He takes notes on everything around him, but I think it’s cute, so don’t start laughing at him about it or anything.”

  Jack smiled. “I wouldn’t dare.”

  “We all have silly things we do! Like driving past trees…” Erin said, her eyes on Jack.

  “Just make sure you tell me when you’re going there, so I can be sure Tank is there to rescue you.” He caught her fingers and kissed them.

  Bekah looked at the two of them longingly. She didn’t want her cousin, of course, but having a love of her own…that would be a dream come true.

  Chapter Four

  Bekah took her time over breakfast, not really thinking as she laughed with Jack, Erin, and Hunter. She glanced at the clock as she reached for another cup of coffee and realized she’d left Jennifer alone with Bri for a full half hour. “I only meant to take ten minutes to eat. Bri has got to be losing her mind! I’m sorry! I need to run.” Without thinking, she leaned down and brushed her lips against Hunter’s cheek before running off.

  Hunter sat and stared at the empty doorway for a moment after she was gone. “She’s something else,” he muttered.

  Jack laughed. “She sure is. She and Bri have lived in one another’s pockets since they were infants. She’s more like a sister than a cousin to me. Trust me, you’ve got your work cut ou
t for you if you’re after that one.”

  Hunter frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “Bekah’s never been serious about a man. Oh, she dates. She’s always out with someone, but her heart never ever gets involved. She’s got it locked up tighter than Fort Knox.” He stopped when Erin elbowed him in the side. “Of course, she’s worth more than all the gold in the world.”

  Erin stood up. “I think we need to go before Jack let’s his tongue run away from him.” She grabbed her fiancé’s hand and tugged him toward the door. “It was nice meeting you, Hunter. I hope you’ll be at the wedding.”

  “When is it?” he asked.

  “Three weeks from Saturday.”

  “I should still be here then. I’ll think about it. It probably depends on whether my book is done or not.”

  Jack nodded, smiling. “We’d be happy to have you. On your own or as Bekah’s date.”

  After they were gone, Hunter made another note in his notebook. He wasn’t sure what to make of Jack’s comment.

  *****

  Bekah rushed into the kitchen to find Jennifer sitting at the table flipping through a cookbook, while Bri did the dishes herself. “I told you to help Bri!”

  Jennifer shrugged. “She didn’t feel like teaching me.”

  Bekah looked at Bri, knowing there was a real explanation somewhere. “I told her that she could scrape the dishes while I put them in the dishwasher, and she said she’s allergic to touching other people’s food, and then she sat down and refused to work. She’s your responsibility, so I just ignored her.”

  Bekah sighed. “Have you finished scraping everything?”

  “Yup. Only a couple of pans left to wash, and I’m done for the day.”

  “Jennifer will do all the dishes in the morning then. While you serve, we’ll be in here, learning how to do it right. Won’t we, Jennifer?”

  Jennifer made a face. “I don’t know why you think you can boss me around.”

  “Because your mother’s paying me to do so, and I have no problem getting violent with you…again.” Bekah felt like a child with the constant threats, but she knew of no other way to get through to her. Her parents obviously hadn’t ruled with an iron hand the way the Roberts family had.