Built and Bearded: Bearded Bros Series Read online

  Harley was a people person, so I was sure he was fine. Still though, I was annoyed that I wasn’t the one up at the lodge with Oakley.

  My mom, intuitive as ever, read my expression easily. “What’s got you in a ruffle, son?”

  “He’s in love,” Brad told my mom.

  My draw dropped to the floor.

  “I’m not in love,” I said defensively.

  My mom just looked from Brad to me and went back to doing her chopping. A small smile formed on her lips.

  I was sure my face was bright red. I was completely embarrassed. I glared at Brad.

  “I thought you had my back, man,” I whispered to him.

  “Don’t worry about it so much, Dax. It happens to all of us.” Brad said still chuckling.

  I just shook my head and hoped that the conversation would be dropped ASAP. My mom got the hint and didn’t say another word about Oakley, for now.

  “Seriously though, man. I need to be busy right now, so give me something to do please,” I said to Brad.

  “Help me carry these boxes out to the lounge here in the dining room. I got the bar at the lodge stocked up well last night and wanted to do the same down here. If it gets busy, the bartender won’t have to leave the guests to go and grab stock or supplies,” Brad told me.

  “Okay,” I agreed and followed him to the pantry which had a second door leading to behind the bar. We worked on re-stocking for the next hour and Oakley still hadn’t called me.

  Brad caught me checking my phone and he smiled. “I’m sure she’s fine,” he told me.

  “I know. I didn’t imagine the meeting would take this long, though,” I confessed.

  “You know these kinds of people like everything to be perfect. It’s going to be on TV and stuff,” Brad reminded me. “Especially since they had that stupid reality show. They want to make sure they appease their fans and shit like that.”

  I nodded in agreement. I guessed he was right. What did I know about rich, city people? Especially ones with TV shows. They were probably driving Oakley nuts.

  But more time went by and I didn’t hear from her. It was almost lunchtime. Now, I was getting worried. Maybe she’d walked back to her cabin from the meeting and gotten lost on a trail or had fallen and hurt herself. I considered giving her a call. Or, maybe I should give Harley a call and see if he could tell me what was going on.

  I was weighing my options when Hailey walked into the dining room. She had a big pile of papers in her hand. She didn’t look upset, just tired, so I figured that everything was alright.

  Hailey came over to Brad and me and set the papers on the bar. “I’ll take a strong Bourbon please.”

  Brad’s head turned so fast that I thought that he would have whiplash. I’m sure my eyes were just as wide.

  Hailey giggled. “Just kidding. Well, I’m not. But I’ll have to wait until later.”

  “What’s going on up there?” we asked her in unison. We glanced at each other and smiled. We sounded like Brad’s twin sons when they talked.

  “Oh, my. Well, the Stones wanted this and that changed. Nothing major with what we already have set up. Mostly the after-party decorations. But it’s a good thing we didn’t start outside decorations yet either, or here in the dining room. They had a completely different idea from what Oakley and I had planned. Even though Oakley got the original ideas from the Congresswoman herself!” Hailey spurted out.

  Then she stopped and took a deep breath. Brad and I smiled at her and waited for her to continue. She sifted through the papers and handed Brad a few.

  “These are yours. There are some special drinks that they want to be served on there and a few other things for you to consider. Maybe you can make sure the bartenders know how to make them?” she asked Brad.

  “No problem,” Brad told her.

  Then she sifted through the papers again. “These ones are for the chef. Just some ‘ideas’ for him from the Stones. Oakley told them that they had already approved the main menu and it couldn’t be changed so late. But maybe the chef can add these items,” she held out the papers.

  “I’ll take those ones too,” Brad said, accepting the papers. “What else?” he asked glancing at the rest of her stack.

  “Dax, these are the plans for outside. Congresswoman Stone wants the entire place decorated. Do you have white lights? Like for Christmas or something?” Hailey inquired.

  “Yeah. I think we do. That’s really Cole’s department. But I’ll go and get him and we can get started on it,” I promised her.

  I looked at Brad. “If we don’t have enough white lights I can run to town and grab some.,” I suggested.

  Brad raised furrowed his brow. This was catching him off guard and I knew he didn’t like that.

  “Okay. Just do whatever you need to, Dax. Go see Cole. Let me know,” he sputtered.

  “Sorry, Brad,” Hailey apologized. “If they told us in advance, we would have ordered the lights.”

  “It’s not your fault. I just hate not being prepared last minute. We might have the lights in storage. Is there anything else we need to get?” Brad asked Hailey.

  “They want signs made up telling the guests where to go. Like fancy ones that match the name tags with arrows pointing here and there.” Hailey looked at me.

  Then so did Brad. “I can do that, too. If I have to go to Walmart, it will have to be later,” I said.

  “What’s Harley doing?” Brad asked Hailey.

  “He was in the meeting for a while. He went over the activity schedule. The Stones seemed okay with it. Then he disappeared. So I’m not sure where he is now. I did see a few people on the lifts on my way down here.”

  “And Oakley is still with them?” I asked Hailey.

  “Yeah, I think they are coming down here for lunch if you want to wait for her. She sent me down here with these lists so you guys can get started,” she said.

  “No, I’ll go and find Cole. No time to waste now. I’ll catch up with her later. Thanks, Hailey,” I said and told Brad that I’d be in touch.

  “Hey, Dax,” Brad called after me. “If someone needs to go into town, have Harley do it. We have extra help coming in after lunch so someone else can watch the lifts. I told him not to schedule any lessons today or tomorrow in case the Stones need him,” Brad said.

  “Got it,” I called back.

  I went out to my truck and dialed Cole’s cell phone.

  “Hey,” he answered right away.

  “I need you,” I told him.

  He chuckled. “The Stones?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Let’s meet at the maintenance garage and I’ll fill you in there,” I suggested.

  “Okay,’ Cole agreed.

  We met in the garage and I told him what was up.

  “I do think we have a bunch of white lights,” Cole said. “We will need to check them, though. We had them for that winter wonderland thing we set up that one year when all those school kids came for a winter trip,” he informed me.

  “Oh, yeah. That was like seven years ago,” I chuckled. “Think the lights will still work?”

  “They might. I stored them carefully,” he replied, leading me to the back of the garage where he kept all the Christmas decorations. We dug through bin after bin before we found the few bins that stored them.

  “Help me check these. We’re already behind schedule. I got these extra bulbs in the drawer over there if we need to change out bulbs, too,” Cole informed me.

  “Great,” I sighed. “This is going to take all day.”

  “I know. But do you have a better suggestion?” he asked me.

  I didn’t. So, we went ahead and checked string of lights after string of lights. And we replaced about a thousand bulbs.

  When that task was finally over, I had realized that I’d forgotten to call Brad. And, I left those papers with the decorating details on the bar. Shit.

  I jumped into Cole’s truck and we drove over to the resort. Neither of us had eaten since breakfast and it was w
ell past lunch. I needed to pick up the plans for the outdoor decorations and to fill Brad in on what was going on. I saw that the Stones’ car and Cooper’s truck was parked in the lot as well. They must’ve all still been inside.

  I was happy at the thought of seeing Oakley, even if it was just for a second. Cole and I went inside and took a peek into the dining room. They were all there, sitting at a round table eating and talking. Brad was with them.

  I slowly walked into the room and toward their table as not to disturb them. Oakley caught my eye right away and I gasped when I saw her. She was wearing a bright purple blouse with ruffles and a tight black pencil skirt. Her copper hair was up in a silky bun with curls bounding out of the sides. Diamond teardrop earrings glittered alongside her creamy skin, as did the necklace she was wearing around her neck.

  Stunning. Absolutely stunning. And here I was walking in wearing dirty jeans and a brown flannel.

  I gave her a small smile and her face lit up when she saw me. My heart melted at the sight of her beautiful smile.

  I composed myself and nodded to Brad who stood up to greet me. “Congresswoman Stone, Peter, this is my brother, Dax. He’s been working with Miss Padin and Miss Voortman to get everything set up,” Brad informed the Stones.

  “Oh, it’s so nice to meet another Hunter brother,” replied Congresswoman Stone.

  Her husband Peter nodded in agreement. I could tell that Mrs. Stone was the one who was in charge here.

  “We got all of the white lights,” I informed Brad. “Sorry, I got busy and forgot to call you.”

  “It’s okay. So, you and Cole can take care of that? And then you’ll do the signs tonight?” Brad asked me.

  “Yep,” I answered him. All I wanted to do was to stare at Oakley. “Cole and I are going to grab a quick snack and then we’ll be heading out.”

  I gave Oakley one last smile and nod and went back over to the bar to retrieve my papers. Then, I went into the pantry door to find Cole.

  “Dax,” a small voice called from behind me.

  It was Oakley. I stopped in my tracks and whirled around and pulled her into the pantry so we’d be out of view. I wanted to kiss her so badly.

  Before I could say anything, she flung her arms around my neck and pushed her lips onto mine. I was shocked for only a second before I pulled her to me and kissed her back.

  She smelled wonderful and her body was warm against mine. But I remembered how dirty I was and how pretty she looked today so I carefully moved her from me.

  “I’m dirty,” I told her when she gave me a puzzled look.

  “I don’t care. Kiss me, Dax. We only have a minute,” she said seductively.

  I didn’t waste a moment. I pulled her back to me and moved my hands to her small, tight ass. Her groin pushed against my cock and I felt it ripen with life. It was ridiculous how much I wanted this woman.

  “You look beautiful today,” I whispered in her ear.

  “Thank you,” she whispered back. She laid her head on my shoulder and we stood embracing for a long moment.

  “I need to get back,” she said unhappily.

  “How’s it going in there?” I asked her.

  “Okay. They’re a tough sell. It will be alright, though,” Oakley replied smiling up at me.

  Her gorgeous blue eyes shined as she looked into my own.

  “At least you get to work outside,” she said.

  “Yeah,” I agreed. Though most of my work was done indoors, I typically preferred to be outside.

  “I’m sure we’ll be out to check on your progress,” she joked. “The Stones have already mentioned it.”

  “I’ll look forward to it,” I told her. “Any chance to see you is fine with me.”

  Oakley grinned. Her red lips parted slightly, and I bent to kiss her once again.

  “Okay, get going before I can’t stop myself,” I said, stepping away.

  She looked back at me once before disappearing out the door.

  I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. That woman had me going nuts. I was thrilled at her change in attitude over the past twenty-four hours.

  I just hope it lasted.

  The rest of the day went accordingly. We got the lights up to the Stones’ satisfaction. I got the matching signs made and printed that evening. I asked Oakley if she wanted to come with me to hang them up.

  “It would be nice to have the company. If you’re not too tired,” I told her. “I know you had a long day.”

  “No, I’d like to come and help you. Come pick me up,” she said.

  I threw the signs in my truck along with the staple gun and I drove down to pick her up. We drove from spot to spot to hang up the signs. Oakley had lightened up considerably over the past day and I was happy for it. We were having a great time and I was getting to know her better.

  The twinkling white lights against the deep black of the mountain sky was breathtaking. As we drove through the resort, it looked as if thousands of tiny fireflies were lighting our way. It was romantic as hell.

  The bride and groom were due the next day as well as many of the guests. Others would come early Saturday before the ceremony began.

  “It’s so beautiful,” Oakley observed. “Let’s take a walk,” she suggested.

  I parked my truck at the resort and we walked around for a bit. I reached over and took her hand in my own. That was a first for me; I hadn’t ever been much of a hand holder.

  With Oakley, I was loving every second of it. We stopped under one of the trees strung with white lights and Oakley stopped to admire it.

  “You guys did such a great job. I haven't thanked you for all the hard work you’ve done. So, thank you. I couldn’t have pulled all of this off without you,” Oakley said sincerely.

  I grinned at her. “How could anyone say no to you?” I joked. “But really, you’re welcome. It’s a pleasure to work with you, Oakley Padin,” I told her.

  She grinned. “The pleasure is all mine, Dax Hunter.”

  I pulled her to me and hugged her. Her small, curvy body fit perfectly inside of my own burly frame. I wrapped my arms around her and just enjoyed her closeness and the smell of her perfume.

  After a while, I asked what she wanted to do.

  “It’s getting late. We’ve got another long day tomorrow. Not like I need to remind you, though,” I chuckled.

  “I know it’s late. I wish we had more time to spend together. This wedding is so time-consuming,” she said.

  “Well, just think. If it wasn’t for this wedding, we wouldn’t have met.”

  “Yeah, that’s true,” she said. Then she paused like she wanted to say something else, but she didn’t.

  I had a feeling I knew what she was thinking. I didn’t want to bring it up either. It had crept into my mind once or twice, however.

  We both knew that when the wedding was over, Oakley had to go home. In fact, she was scheduled to check out on Monday morning. I sighed. There would be time to discuss that later. I didn’t want to ruin the magic of the moment we were sharing right then.

  I looked down to see her watching me. Her blue eyes shined in the white lights. I felt nothing but admiration and affection for her.

  “Come on,” I said. “Let’s get you home.”

  We slowly walked back to my truck and I helped her inside. I drove her back to her cabin and told her to call me when she was up in the morning. Tomorrow we would do final arrangements and set up the dining room.

  “Thanks for helping me with the signs. I had a good time,” I told her on the cabin porch.

  I leaned in to kiss her goodnight.

  “Why don’t you stay here with me?” she asked suddenly. “We can chill on the couch; watch a movie. I don’t think I’ll fall asleep yet anyway.”

  “What about Hailey?” I asked. “She won’t mind?”

  “No, she went to bed an hour before I came out. The Stones exhausted her,” Oakley informed me chuckling. “We’ll be good,” she added. “We can just cuddle
and watch a movie.”

  There was absolutely no way I was going to ever say no to spending time with this lady. “Alright,” I agreed, and we went inside.

  And, just like she said, we popped in a silly movie and cuddled on the couch. At some point, we both passed out. I’d never slept better in my life than I had the last two nights with Oakley in my arms.

  Oakley

  The morning of the wedding, the horse and buggy rental company showed up bright and early as promised. There were three buggies and six horses, each with a driver who was all decked out in a tux.

  Dax and I decided to get the buggies decorated before getting dressed ourselves. That way, we wouldn’t get our formal attire messed up or dirty.

  After decorating the buggies, we had the drivers park down at the main resort building. They would be escorting the guests up and down the mountainside all day. Plus, they would also bring the wedding party and bride up to the lodge.

  After we finished up, we took one last tour of the lodge, dining room, and all other areas that were of concern. Everything looked perfect.

  I was extremely happy that everything was turning out so well. Last evening at a dinner party for the bride and groom, Congresswoman Stone had told me that she was pleased and that I was doing a great job.

  A compliment coming from her meant everything to me and I had felt as if I was on top of the world. Plus, I had a handsome man by my side which made it all even better.

  “We’d better go and get dressed before the media starts to show up,” I told Dax.

  “Yeah, you’re right. I expect them to be trickling in any minute. I’m going to get them all in position. The broadcasters want every angle of the wedding covered. I think the reality people might be coming as well,” Dax told me.

  “Geeze,” I said, shaking my head. “Imagine your entire life being documented on television?”

  “I know. It’s crazy. No privacy whatsoever.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed.

  “Do you want me to pick you up?” Dax asked me. “Where do you need to be first?”

  “I guess at the lodge to get everyone seated and get the show started. And, I’ll have Hailey down at the lodge making sure everyone knows to ride up in the buggies. And to help the bride and bridal party.”