Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“It’s fine. We’re good,” Julian replied in a curt voice, more than likely mortified Hunter had brought it up and wanting to direct the focus away from himself. Except what he said next took me by surprise. “Besides, Kerry was there, and he’s the best kind of person, so I was in good hands.”
“Yeah, okay,” Hunter replied, and I nearly laughed out loud because Julian had thrown him for a loop. I’d be sure to call Julian a shit-stirrer later. Instead, I pressed my shoulder against his without making eye contact. If Hunter noticed, fuck him. When he pressed back, I wanted to shut my eyes and revel in the contact.
“You said you were blowing off steam?” Julian asked. “Were you pretending to aim at your worst enemy or something?”
Hunter laughed. “Nah, I’m not so good at it anyway. You’d definitely be a better shot.”
“Probably,” Julian admitted, and I loved that he owned it, especially in front of Hunter. “But I don’t partake, unless I’m called to duty.”
There was a moment of awkward silence, and I was dying to steal a look at Hunter to gauge his reaction. I hoped he felt like an idiot.
“Heard you used to be part of the rodeo,” Julian said, and my stomach tightened. “Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes, yeah. Being on the road and discovering new things.” I noticed how Hunter’s gaze swung toward my parents, but they seemed focused on the ring. “Bet you’ve gotten to see a bit of the world.”
Well, damn. That’d never occurred to me about Hunter. Did he feel trapped at the ranch? Was that why he goaded me mercilessly about venturing out on my own?
“Yeah, some,” Julian replied. “But hey, if you’re itching to get on the road, you’re welcome to visit me in the city. Just give me a heads-up.”
“Appreciate that,” Hunter replied just as he was approached by a couple of friends. He got up and went to sit with them in the back row.
I nudged Julian’s shoulder. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Why not?” He smiled. “I doubt he’d take me up on it, anyway.”
“After that conversation, I’m not so sure,” I replied. Hunter had sounded almost forlorn, and that made me feel some sort of sympathy for him. Not that he deserved it.
“How about you?” Julian murmured close to my ear. “You gonna take me up on it?”
Our eyes met and held. “That what you want?”
He shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes blazed with longing. “I want a lot of things.”
Fucking hell.
“Me too.” I exhaled a heavy breath. “But that thing called life and all its complications sure gets in the way.”
“Sure does.” He sighed, and I wasn’t sure if it was in disappointment or melancholy, but it made me feel unsettled.
More pressing of shoulders followed as we fell silent and watched the end of the competition. When the Carmichael Ranch won second place, Ainsley cheered right along with my parents, and there were grins and high fives all around.
We walked back to the booth with Ainsley and her grandmother to help Sienna break down the booth. To my surprise, or maybe not entirely, Brad was already there helping.
“Let me grab that,” I said, reaching for one of the boxes he was balancing on his hip.
“No worries. We got most of it done,” Brad replied, and something about the way he said it felt different. More…possessive, or maybe intimate? It made a certain kind of awareness prickle my brain.
Julian helped stack the last of the boxes on the grass as he and Sienna discussed which of her products had sold the most.
“Looks like the goat cheese samples and the hand lotion were most popular,” she said in an excited voice.
“Sienna is really impressed with what you did to the silo,” Brad said. “I’d love to see it for myself.”
Julian smiled. “Stop by anytime.”
“Aren’t you just everyone’s favorite?” I teased as we loaded the last of the boxes onto my truck.
He bumped my shoulder. “Shut it.”
As we wandered back to the area where the booths were set up to see if anything was left over, Ainsley was skipping toward me, holding Maggie’s hand. “Daddy, can I sleep at Grandma’s house tonight?”
“Yeah?” I replied, taken by surprise. She normally was too apprehensive to stay overnight on her own, even if it was her grandmother’s house. This was a step in the right direction.
“Sounds fun.” I glanced at Sienna, and she seemed as taken aback by the request as me.
“Then it’s settled,” Maggie said, waving her goodbyes before anyone could change their minds. We had been known to be overly cautious parents where our daughter was concerned these last couple of years.
Hushed words passed between Sienna and Brad before he began walking toward the parking lot as well, and Sienna turned to me with a pinched look on her face, like she was dreading what she was about to say.