Page 39 of Wild As Her

Chapter 11

Jack

Ode To Bourbon by Treaty Oak Revival

There are good mornings, and then there’s "your sister just handed you legally binding documents to sign for a reality TV show you never wanted to be on" kind of mornings.

Guess which one I’m having?

I scowl at the stack of papers in my hands, flipping through them like there might be an escape clause hidden somewhere between "Rancher agrees to participate in all scheduled romantic activities" and "Rancher will not abandon the show under any circumstances."

“Jenna,” I say slowly, like I’m explaining something to a very stubborn horse, “there’s a clause in here that says I have to participate in group bonding with the contestants.”

Jenna, completely unbothered, sips her coffee. “Yep. There’s going to be a lot of that. Weston already looked everything over and signed his, too.”

“There’s also a clause that says I cannot be verbally aggressive toward contestants.” I groan.

“Correct.”

I narrow my eyes. “Define aggressive.”

She tilts her head. “Calling someone a raging pain in your ass would probably count.”

I let out a low groan, dropping my head back. “Then we have a problem, because I call Tucker that at least four times a day.”

“Yeah, well, try flirting with the contestants instead.”

I choke on air. “Try what?”

Jenna grins, too pleased with herself. “Flirting, Jack. You know, being nice? Smiling? Engaging in lighthearted banter instead of looking like you’re planning the fastest way to escape?”

Tucker chooses this moment to wander into the barn, grinning like an idiot. “Is Jack getting a lesson on how to seduce a woman? Hold on, let me give him notes.”

I glare. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

Tucker shrugs. “Weston told me to help get the meat delivery ready, but he started doing it himself with his ‘determined older brother’ energy, and it was stressing me out. So, I came to watch your suffering instead.”

Jenna flips through another page in the contract, ignoring both of us. “Oh, and before I forget, I ran into Cami this morning.”

That gets my attention real quick. I try to keep my face neutral as I toss the contract on the table. “Oh, yeah?”

Jenna smirks. Like she knows something I don’t. “I was picking up a coffee. Funny, she mentioned you’ve been staying at her place. She also doesn’t seem to like the idea of you findinga wife.”

Something tugs at my chest, something stupid and hopeful that I have no business feeling.

I fold my arms, trying to keep my voice casual. “Oh, yeah?”

Jenna leans against a stall door, watching me too closely. “Very interesting, the dynamic between you two. Don’t let it get in the way of the show. We have a job to do here.”

Tucker lets out a low whistle. “Ohhh, does someone have a little Cami problem?”

I shoot him a warning look. “Shut up.”

Jenna laughs. “Oh, please. You think I don’t notice the way you two look at each other? It’s like watching two feral barn cats fight daily.”

Tucker leans against the wall. “So, are we just gonna ignore the fact that Jack’s been in love with Cami since we were kids?”

I grab a nearby rope and toss it at his head.

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