Page 49 of Wild As Her

“I’ve always wanted a brother-in-law,” Ollie grins.

I groan, already regretting every single decision that led to this moment. "Someone just shoot me now."

"What time are the contestants showing up today?" Walker asks, changing the subject as we wait in the long line for coffee.

"Sometime this morning," I say as I gaze out over the pasture, already dreading their arrival. I really don't want to do this, but they're all right. I need to do it for the ranch. And just like Cami said last night. I don't need to find a wife. I really don't.

I give up in the line and go around back and lean in the trailer doorway. "What do you have here? This smells good," Imurmur as I take note of the containers of baked goods stacked on the counter that Mack carries in for her.

"All of the baked goods that I baked last night before I drank way too much," she glares and starts unpacking them as coffee brews.

"I'll take some if one of them has my name on it." I close my eyes and inhale the scent of fresh blueberry muffins. I bet she put the crumbly things on top, too. They’re so good, that’s my favorite part.

"Sure, the one that fell in the dirt," she says as she carries a stack and leaves me to follow her inside the trailer.

I roll my eyes and grin at her jabs.

"Mack, what are you doing here?" Cami calls as she starts making coffee.

"Well, someone had to run this operation. You were too busy doing god knows what, and my Dad brought me down here to get coffee and you were nowhere to be found." She shrugs as she pours foam onto a cold brew.

"Wow, you're doing a good job," Cami says with an approving smile. “Where did you learn to make coffee?”

Mack grins proudly. “YouTube.”

"Where do you want these?" I ask as I hold up the containers.

Cami looks like she wants to say something smart ass but takes them from me, sets them down and opens the container. She grabs a napkin, pulls out a muffin with it, and hands it to me. As she steps close, the smell of her body wash, vanilla and coconut, mix with the scent of the baked goods, and I’m not sure which I want to taste more: her or the muffin.

Our fingers brush as I take the muffin, and a jolt of awareness fires through me from our small touch. Cami’s gaze flies to mine, a look of confusion as if she feels it too.

I grin at her, and she turns away, not meeting my eyes.

Mack watches us for a beat, then casually says to Cami, “Also, you should totally hire me.”

Cami pauses mid-step, turning back to her. “You really want a job?”

Mack shrugs. “I’m already running things. Might as well make it official.”

This kid is hilarious.

Cami stares at her for a long second, debating whether or not she has the energy to argue.

Then she sighs, waving a hand. “Fine. You’re hired.”

Mack grins. “Knew you’d see how good I am.”

I break off a piece of the muffin she gave me. It's fluffy, buttery, damn near perfect. She might be a menace, but she can bake pastries like nothing I've ever had before.

I take another sip of my coffee, amused as hell. Cami might think she’s in control of her morning, but between Mack’s schemes and the fact that she’s still wearing my flannel, she’s fighting a losing battle. I just want to know why she won't look me in the eye.

I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life. But, letting Jenna talk me into this reality show? The worst mistake of them all. Because right now, there are three massive black SUVs rolling up the ranch road, a full film crew unloading cameras, and an actual lineup of women stepping out like they just wandered off the set of a Hallmark movie.

And me? I’m hiding in the barn like a damn fugitive.

I press my back against the stall, watching from the shadows, wondering if there’s a way to tunnel underground and escape into the mountains.

But before I can even entertain that thought, I hearfootsteps that are light and purposeful and way too smug for my liking.

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