Page 6 of Country Contract

Cassidy looks at me with a strange look on her face. “Why?” she asks.

“I want a bigger place. A house like the one we grew up in, but I don’t want to leave the property. If I tear her down, I can build new.”

Hunter grumbles at the idea of having a bunch of construction and people he doesn’t know on our land. When I redid the bunkhouse, he was patient but pissed. I could tell he was relieved when it was over.

“I was thinking next year, not this year.”

“Why not just pick a different spot? You could keep the trailer, add it to your listings on your rental site, or even make it an in-law suite,” Cassidy offers. It’s not a bad idea. There is a spot beyond the pastures that’s mostly wooded, and I could build back there.

“You could take the land southwest,” Hunter suggests, reading my mind. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t beenspoiled by him and my parents growing up. If there has ever been something I wanted, my parents or Hunter made it happen. If I was ever down, Hunter was by my side before I even knew I needed someone there, from Little League to heartbreak. Although, we’ve shifted from splitting Ma’s cobbler and pie to splitting beers.

“Thanks, brother. I’ve got plenty of time to think about it and plan. It was just an idea; I don’t need a bigger space anytime soon.”

We finish our meal, and I take Blake off her parents’ hands as they sit on the front porch for a moment alone. They sit on the porch swing, and Hunter reads to Cassidy. That girl lives for literature, which works for this family.

We all love to read. Mom was the queen of books before Cassidy moved here. Now the library is packed to the gills, and they’re adding new shelves in Blake’s playroom for a children’s section. I like my fair share of lit, but Hunter and I have unusual tastes.

It may not seem masculine, but we like the classics and poetry, and I prefer a good romance. There is a lot to be said about big, wild love. I want that for myself so badly just like my parents, and just like my brother.

After some time, Blake grows tired of playing and wants to wind down; she rubs her face and signals for me to pick her up.

“Ha-Ha,” she calls for me.

I happily pick her up and make my way up to her room. I change her diaper, grab a set of pajamas from her dresser, and move with her to the bathroom. I give her a quick wipe down and brush her little teeth before dressing her and brushing her hair. She sits patiently on the counter through it all.

When we make our way to her room, I walk along the book-filled shelves. “Pick your poison, B.”

She just points in the general direction, so I grab a random book and sit with her in the rocker to read.

Her room is light, clean, and feminine. When they first did this room, they didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl. After she came into this world, Hunter and Cassidy stopped at nothing to personalize the space. Blank walls became filled with blush, mauve, and cream tones. Framed watercolor peonies and her name in a hand-carved wood sign hang on opposing walls. The other wall hosts a window, and the last has the door and the shelves for her books. It’s a sweet space.

Seeing Hunter with Blake has opened my eyes to the idea of having a girl in the family. A girl cousin would be great for my little B.

I read as she sucks her thumb, happily holding a stuffed rabbit with long, fluffy ears. She takes one of the rabbit’s ears in her free hand and rubs it along her cheeks. She does this whenever she’s tired. It’s adorable, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t tried it to see the appeal. She’s onto something; it’s soothing.

Her blinks become longer before her full lashes close for a final time. I finish the book so she can dream of the happy ending.

“You’re made for this,” Cassidy whispers into the room. She scoops her little girl up into her arms and kisses her head before laying her down.

“I can’t wait,” I say, standing next to her.

“Gotta find the girl first.” She’s thoughtful. “You know, there is this one app I heard about. It’s called Compatible. It matches you up based on compatibilities instead of justmindlessly swiping through profiles. That might be right up your alley.”

That does sound better than half of the apps I’ve heard of.

“I’ll look into it.”

Looking into it isn’t all I do that night. I build a whole profile, hoping my happy ending is coming up next.

Chapter 3

Harlow

The date has been set; it might only seem like a dinner, but it won’t end there. The idea of my parents being satisfied with just one dinner is ridiculous. If they have the notion that this match is a good one, then they will do everything they can to make sure Heath and I spend enough time together to make the damn thing happen.

I’m waiting outside a wine and art pop-up that my best friend, Meg, invited me to. She always finds the best things for us to do. I like these intimate, artsy events. It’s where I find little pieces for my home. Supporting local artists is one of my favorite things to do.

A few years back, Meg found this undergroundAlcohol and Odditiesshow. That’s where I started my moth taxidermy collection. Such unusual, beautiful creatures. Ethically harvested, they say.

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