Page 67 of Country Contract

Heath: A friend? Do you make friends easily?

Me: Do I not look like I make friends easily?

Heath: It was an honest question. I don’t. I’m often known for sticking to business. It can take me time to warm up to people.

Me: I guess I’m like that, too.

Heath: Then I guess I just have to be patient and earn your friendship.

Me: I guess.

Heath: Imageattached.

He’s sitting next to his PA, a warm smile on his face. His definitive brows are lifted from their usual furrow.

I look over to Cassidy and Meg as they chat happily with each other, all smiles. I can tell that Cassidy enjoys the company of other women. She’s told me about her group of friends, and they sound as close as Meg and me—practically sisters.

Holding my phone away from us, I call their attention over and snap a quick photo of us. The lighting isn’t the best due to the festive decorations, but you can make out our faces and the drinks in front of us, a dark glow and mostly darkness behind us. Adjusting the exposure, I blur the background.

Me: Image attached.

Heath responds immediately.

Heath: You look beautiful. Stay safe.

Me: Thanks. Will do.

The girls and I finish the round and decide to call it a night. They can tell that after my rendezvous with Harrison, I’ve been on edge and trying to settle myself.

Thinking back on it, I have a mixture of emotions. Guilt, humor, and a simmering need for him. We’ve only brushed the surface of experiencing each other’s bodies, and every time I’m left with a buzzing feeling under my skin and my mind spinning.

Since I started this contract with him, I’ve made a ton of progress in my writing. My passion for reading and editinghas been rekindled, making my work both easier and enjoyable again.

After my last break up I settled into this sad feeling. I wouldn’t have said I was depressed, more like just not living.

I feel like I am alive again. This trip is what I needed to help me feel more like myself than I have in a long time. Going back home, I think I’ll be refreshed and ready to face whatever lies ahead of me, feeling more confident and able than before.

My disinterest in Heath isn’t hateful, just practical. His constant reminder of his presence isn’t annoying like I thought it would be. It’s just there. This could be exactly what I was telling Harrison about. A relationship with mutual understanding and respect, but without the big Hollywood feelings.

Closing out our tab, I link my arm with Meg, and she does the same with Cassidy. We walk over to Cassidy’s SUV and make our way back to the bunkhouse.

“Have you ever seen the moviePractical Magic?” I ask Cassidy as we start to head back to the property.

“I think maybe once. I’m not a big TV girl. My dad and I didn’t have a TV until later and by then I was already a library regular.”

I take a moment to think about Cassidy’s strength and how she’s had to learn how to depend on and trust others. Being alone with her dad created a type of independence that I can’t even begin to understand. I have always had family to rely on, same with Meg. Harrison seems that way, too, like he could count on his brother or parents for anything. I bet he hasn’t seen that movie either. I’ll have to add it to our movie list; it’s one I never get sick of.

“Let’s do some midnight margaritas at the bunkhouse!”I yell while Meg and Cassidy give loud whoops over the music.

Spending time with Cassidy has helped me in so many ways, just like my time with Harrison. I came to this small, secluded getaway to give myself a reset before possibly turning my life upside down.

In my mind, it was going to be a quiet place for me to turn into myself, work, and maybe get some riding in.

Instead, I found a new friend who helps me learn more about myself without even trying, a quiet place to work, a new favorite bar, and a hot-as-fuck fall fling to sow my wild oats with on my terms before committing to a relationship I hadn’t planned on.

Cassidy is so confident and unapologetic; it helps me lean into those characteristics, myself. She doesn’t mind talking about her wins and losses. In my family, talking about the wins is what matters.

Maybe all this time I’ve had some fake confidence and didn’t even realize it. Being in this small town where no one knows me and I don’t fit in has given me the chance to be whoever I want. I can just be myself and know I’m leaving in a few weeks, and whatever happened while I was here will just be a blip.

---