Page 33 of Country Charm

“Yup.” I’m surprised at my lack of hesitation. She’s piecing something together.

“You should ask Franny out. I’m sure she’d die for a chance.”

“I don’t feel like arguing such a moot point, but I don’t want Franny.”

“Arguing is such a waste of energy, Hunter. I’ll give you that.”

“Let’s walk around and maybe play a game. I’ll win you something.”

“I’ll win you something!” she challenges, her energy quickly shifting into something more playful. I just smile and shake my head.

What do you do with a girl who doesn’t want to get close to anyone? I could wrack my brain about it all night, but it seems like tonight is all I might get out of Cassidy. There has to be more to it.She wouldn’t text me all week if there wasn’t something there, right?

Chapter Seventeen

Cassidy

“I’ll take the cow with the big eyes!” I say, jumping up and down. Once the man hands it over to me, I shine my toothy smile at Hunter. He has one hand over his face while the other still holds the BB gun.

My dad loved going to the shooting range, so if there’s something I’m good at, it’s shooting. I can’t really shoot hoops, and my beer pong skills are on par. Some of the other games are chance, but this game was all skill and a skill I have.

I hit all six of my targets before Hunter hit three of his, so then I shot two more of his. Like I said, I may be a sore loser, so I don’t often play games I know I can’t win.

I hand the cow over to Hunter and rub his back. “I told you I’d win you somethin’.” I add a dramatic southern drawl to my voice.

“Isn’t it cute?” I say, sweetly flipping its ear.

Hunter looks down at the cow’s face and starts to laugh. I can’t help but join him. His laughter is contagious. The sound brings a smile to my lips immediately, and the next thing I know, I’m laughing too.

“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” He tucks the cow under his arm and picks my flowers up from the counter. I reach over and grab the flowers and give a small shrug.

“My dad and I would go to the range. I even did a little skeet shooting when I was younger. So, when I want to get out of the house by myself and clear my mind, I go shooting.”

“It’s impressive,” he notes.

“Thank you.” I scrunch my nose in his direction.

We have spent the night walking around and talking. After the heavy confession of my one failed relationship, Hunter made a point to make me smile and laugh. We played games with other people and listened to music while we just talked the night away. I can tell it’s coming to a close. The problem is, I don’t know what direction it’s heading.

The better part of me knows it needs to end right here, on a funny note. He can take the cow home and laugh off this whole thing. I can go back to my room, shower, and indulge in some self-loving, and then drive back to the city and get back to my regular life.

The city.Everywhere we went tonight, people were so sweet to me. Asking me how I knew Hunter, and laughing when I told them we were both tricked into a blind date. They asked about my city life and never made me feel out of place or unwelcome. Whereas you could walk into the wrong store in the city and people were shooting daggers at you.

A man who looked an awful lot like Hunter was wandering around by himself. I caught his gaze a few times, but he would look away and keep walking. If I had to guess, I would say it was his little brother, Harrison. Handsomeruns in the family. I don’t have any single girlfriends for him, but I know the man probably has women throwing themselves at him. Probably as much as Hunter.

Hunter says he’s the domestic type, which means the polar opposite of me. I’m sure he would think I’m a terrible match for his brother. Not that being a match to Hunter really matters since nothing is happening between us. I know that even one night with Hunter would be bad for me. There is something about him, it’s like my body or a deeper part of me is pulling me toward him, but my mind is telling me firmly to stay the hell away.

He reminds me a lot of my last boyfriend, checking all those perfect partner boxes. Except with Hunter, I don’t feel the need to run away. If anything, I kind of want to curl up. The thought has my mind spiraling out of control. I am not the curl-up-and-get-cozy girl. Hunter kind of makes me wish I was, in another life.

“You tired?” he asks me. My eyes travel over every feature of his face. I can’t get over how beautiful this man is. I didn’t even know men could be beautiful. Sure, supermodel men were beautiful, but they were that magazine, airbrushed beautiful. Hunter is real, in every sense. His physical appearance is devastating, his energy is excitable, his nature is calming. It’s a cocktail of trouble.

“Yeah, Mary picked me up early. I should probably call it a night, while I’m ahead.”

He steps close and pierces me with those ocean eyes.

“I’m glad this is the town Mary chose for the weddin’. I got real lucky today.”

“It’s a really great place, Hunter.”

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