Page 52 of Country Contract

“Not at all. It’s actually refreshing. I’m able to get a ton of work done, and I feel like I have the option to do things if I want to.”

“Yeah, but not like California. I bet you’re dying for some good food,” she says with a dreamy sigh.

“Are you having a craving?” I joke with her.

“Hunter is basically a five-star chef. I only crave a good meal on the nights I cook.”

“We all do,” Harrison butts in, and Hunter punches him in the shoulder.

“Ow,” he complains, rubbing the contact spot.

“Your chicken and mac and cheese were great,” I offer, and Cassidy smiles at Harrison with a sheen of pride.

“That’s her best meal.” Harrison starts walking over to me. He drops his head close to my ear and whispers, “It’s all downhill from there.” I giggle and catch the hard stare of Hunter looking at us.

“Do you cook?” Hunter asks, his tone firm. I think he is expecting me to say no since I obviously seem like the kind of girl who can’t cook. Too bad for him I had Maria.

“I do. My best dishes are Italian, but I have a decent range.” I try to offer a gentle tone to ease some of Hunter’s tension. He will defend his wife to his deathbed, and I love that for them. Cassidy has told me herself that she is a poor cook, so I know that she doesn’t take any offense to Harrison poking fun.

“Italian?” Harrison asks.

“Yes, my um . . .” I pause, trying to think of the best wayto describe Maria. “My caretaker growing up was Italian. She would cook for us, and I was attached to her hip.” Cassidy blinks a few times.

“Where was your mom?” Harrison presses.

“She was taking care of my sisters. They were all younger and needier than me. I was quiet and . . . different. I wanted to help take care of them. So, I learned to cook at a young age. That way, I could offer more than just keeping my sisters busy and diaper changes.”

Harrison sits on the arm of my chair, and I wonder how that looks to his brother and sister-in-law. When we laid down our “guidelines,” we didn’t talk about how we would handle the people around us. Cassidy and Hunter’s eyes both widen at the sight of Harrison close to me. I let out a sigh and look down at my mug. I don’t know how much they know, but if Harrison were honest, I don’t think they would be as kind to me as they have continued to be.

“That’s a lot for a little girl,” Hunter states. “I can’t imagine B having to feel like she has to take care of anyone. That shit would break my heart.” Cassidy glares at him, and I appreciate her defensiveness over me.

In a situation where Cassidy has a lot on her plate, such as a house full of children, I can tell Hunter would work himself to the bone to help her. He wouldn’t leave them on their own. His empire is his family, not his business.

“Right? If I have kids, I want them to be kids. They can help me whenever they want, but I don’t want them to feel responsible for me or their siblings,” I say.

“You want kids?” Cassidy asks.

“I think so. I’ve been thinking about it more lately since there are risks as I get older.”

“That’s bullshit,” she says fiercely. “Youhave plenty of time! Fuck all that noise. Just because you’re in your thirties doesn’t mean you have a time stamp on your uterus.”

Hunter and I both laugh. Cassidy looks at us and sits up straighter.

“I’m serious. If you don’t want kids, don’t let the pressure of others get to you. You can do whatever you want. Be a mom if you want. Be by yourself if you want. Have a farm full of dogs. Fuck what anyone thinks.” This is the kind of energy I need in my life.

Meg and Cassidy would get along so well. Meg is a lot like her in the support department. Their biggest difference is Meg is as sweet as it gets, so even if she is supporting me following my dream, she would secretly hope that includes a happily ever after.

“Yeah, fuck what anyone thinks,” I say lightly. The only thing is, I have to care what others think. That’s how it works out for us eldest daughters. When I leave here, I’m probably going to do what my parents want and settle things with Heath.

Harrison’s body heat is welcomed as the night continues. We all just sit around and talk about anything. I talk about my favorite things to cook and my favorite things to have cooked for me. Cassidy tells me about her cooking adventures. We all talk books and favorite reads. Everyone just fits together so easily. I know I’ll want to come back here for another vacation. Being around this family is so easy. I have a feeling we’ll all be friends even after I go back to California.

I wish I could have known them sooner.

“I wish Hunter would get us a hot tub,” Cassidy whines. The cider has been generously shared throughout the night. All of us are drinking to stay warm as the temperature continues to drop.

“I told you, y’all can use mine if you promise not to do anything weird,” Harrison offers, but that only causes Cassidy to heave out a loud huff and cross her arms.

“I can keep my end of the bargain,” Hunter states, giving her a hard stare.

---