Page 54 of Love You Already
“Lachlan!” Beckett crows from the back porch as I approach the main house for my morning briefing. “Hurry it up. We gotta go to the store.”
I break into a jog at the news. Whatever it is we're doing today must require some kind of supply we don't have on hand. It's rare, but thus far, he's had two other instances since I arrived that he had to go get something and left the ranch.
“What's up?” I ask as soon as my feet hit the bottom step.
“Need a few things here and there. I also need to place a few big feed orders to prepare for winter. You might be too busy working come fall to see all this up close. It's good to know for the future.”
“For the future?” We climb into his truck cab and take off for town.
“Yeah, man. For when you decide to eventually give up the game. For when you and my sister settle here officially and want more than to be bored out of your minds. I don't know how much money you have and all that, it was never part of why I was a fan, but I'm sure you don't have to work once you eventually retire. Am I right?”
I chuckle as I run the numbers in my head. “You're right. It's not something Rose and I have discussed yet. I do plan to finish my contract with Houston, then I'm going to be evaluating things awful closely.”
He drums his hands on the steering wheel after that. It's like he's thinking ahead and seeing the future. Or maybe I'm just projecting my own thoughts because that's all I can focus on now that he's mentioned it.
“You're not going anywhere, are you? You'll be around to help run the ranch even after I retire?”
“I was born on that ranch, and I'll die there, Lachlan. It's my home. The only one I've ever known, though I'm about to take a page out of Rose's life and build me a separate house.”
He doesn't expand on his reasoning. Instead, he shifts the topic to the team and how I've been keeping active. With miles and miles of land to run, along with plenty of physical activities, I've had my pick of ways to keep fit. I'm in better shape than ever, though I'm sure the first few practices on the ice will still wear me down.
“You think we're Stanley cup bound?” he asks right as he parks in front of the Feed & Seed, Firefly Cove's supply store for all things farming and ranching.
I shrug as I climb out and meet him around the hood. “I think every team believes they'll make it. Kind of hard to find the motivation to do all the workouts and have all the games if you don't. I would be happy either way. My fulfillment doesn't rely on the game anymore.”
Beckett's smile is teasing. “I bet I know why you're happier than ever now. A certain sister of mine making you feel that way?”
Ignoring him, I open the door and head inside. I'm not sure what all we need, but I'm sure I'll figure it out once Beckett decides to give us the joking.
Sure enough, he only lasts another minute before he's pushing me out of the way to take the lead. We go up and down the aisles, grabbing various small parts he needs to restock. When that's done, we move to the front counter where a big bell sits. He slaps the top, making the damn thing ring out obnoxiously loud.
“Good grief,” I mutter.
He grins at me. “Old man is hard of hearing. Means he's got to have something loud enough to hear half across the county.”
I'm about to reply when a much older gentleman pops out from the back door. “Beckett Wright? That you boy?”
“It's me, Mr. Grisham. I'm here to buy some stuff and place a big order,” Beckett replies in a near scream. I wince at the volume, yet the other man seems unaffected. He merely smiles and nods.
“That's great! Give me your list. I'll get it all in the system.”
Beckett pulls out a piece of paper and then sets the collection of items we picked up along the way. Once that's all on the counter, Beckett turns to me with his hip leaning against the half wall.
“It will take him a while to do this part. I usually play on my phone or something while I wait,” he admits.
“This doesn't seem like it would have been too hard for me to figure out down the road. You made it seem like an entire ordeal.”
He laughs. “We're not done yet. There's more to do along the way. For now, we just have to let him do his thing and hope no one calls to distract him.”
“Why would anyone calling —” The phone rings before I can finish my sentence.
Beckett groans and rolls his eyes. “This is why I brought you. Once he's done, we'll have to steer him back to focusing on the order. It's like herding a pack of cats.”
“Verle? What was that? Say it again, I'm going to put you on speaker so I can hear,” Mr. Grisham proclaims.
The call is scratchy for a moment before Verle's familiar tone comes over the line. “I swear you get more and more deaf each day, Ritchie. I was calling because I need some paint, and I wanted to know if you had it or if I needed to grab it while I was in Houston. I prefer to shop locally you know.”
“I know, I know. Which house is it for?” He pulls out a binder and flips through it.