Page 12 of Off-Limits Love
The market was as crowded as Sam said it would be, and people meandered along at a slow pace that definitely qualified as being on “island time.”
“Mommy, look!”
Emi’s hold on Mak’s hand tightened as her daughter pulled Mak toward whatever it was she had been able to see through the throng of people.
Emi’s little legs practically spun in place as she tried to tug Mak along, but they had to slowly wade through the crowd.
Finally the group of people parted a bit, and Mak saw the source of Emi’s excitement—a small cow wearing a flower garland draped over its nubby horns.
People filtered through a spot in front of the animal for photos, and Mak smiled back after Hudson Blackwell caught sight of her and flashed her a cocky grin and a bodacious wave.
They stood in line and waited their turn, and she noted Sam fished a few bills out of his pocket for the tip bucket that was there in lieu of a photo charge.
Once it was their turn, Hudson held out his hand so she could hand over her phone and join Emi in the photo.
“I’m fine right here,” she said with a shake of her head.
“One with you both and one of her alone,” Hudson countered in a cajoling tone. “Come on, Mama, go make some memories.”
Shaking her head at Hudson in exasperation, Mak relented because the highland was that adorable and handed over her phone.
She walked Emi over to stand beside the beautiful animal and couldn’t stop her grin. Freshly bathed and brushed from the look of it, the highland turned her head and waited expectantly for scratches Mak was only too happy to provide.
A cute sign at the side of the area read Harriet the Highland Cow above a QR code that undoubtedly took whomever was curious to a website for Blackwell Farm. “So you’re Max’s girlfriend, eh?”
The cow released a low huff as though in agreement, and Mak laughed. Emi giggled and slowly lifted her hand to scratch as well.
“She’s so soft,” Emi breathed. “And fluffy!”
“She is, isn’t she?” Mak agreed.
“Okay, ladies, look at me and smile.”
Hudson held up her phone, and Mak urged a cow-enchanted Emi to look at the camera.
After giving them a minute or two with Harriet, Hudson walked toward them to return Mak’s phone with yet another flirtatious grin.
“You two are very photogenic. Those are some great pictures. You should send Finn a few to use on the website. I put his number in your contacts. And mine. Just in case,” he said with a grin.
Oh, that boy. The audacity.“Come on, Emi. It’s time for someone else to get a turn.”
“But I wanna stay and pet her.”
“You can pet her any time,” Hudson said. “Just have your mom bring you over to the farm for a visit. You can meet Dash, too. He’s a miniature donkey just about your size.”
“Like me?” Emi blinked up at Hudson with a scrunched-up expression. “Really?”
The doubt and suspicion in Emi’s tone left Mak laughing as she gently tugged her daughter out of photo range so the next in line could get situated. “We’ll go see them sometime soon,” she said to Emi.
“The boy’s right. Those were some pretty pictures,” Sam said.
Mak lifted her head and suddenly realized Sam stood next to Finn. The handsome man dominated Sam’s shorter, too-thin frame.
Finn watched her from beneath his cowboy hat, his dark, gorgeous eyes locking on hers and holding with an intensity that left her struggling for her next breath and wondering if he was the type to catch a woman if she swooned like they did in the old movies.
For a man of so few words, Finn had a presence about him. And she felt it all the way down to her flip-flops and Emi-painted toes.
Finn wore faded jeans that molded to his long legs and lean but muscular frame to perfection, as well as a light sage T-shirt that made his eyes look even greener.
