Page 54 of Finding New Dreams

“He’s excellent! Perfect voice for announcing,” Gina immediately confirmed.

I nodded. “I honestly think people like him better, Chloe. You have nothing to worry about.”

“See?” Hunter turned to Chloe and took her by the shoulders. “Everything’s fine. People are having fun. Now let me go get you some food and lemonade.”

“Okay,” she said. “Wait! You’re doing the log-rolling first!”

Flynn raised his hand. “I’ll go first, Chloe. Just push Hunter to last.”

Chloe frowned. “I guess that works. Just make sure you tell Pierce for announcing.”

“No worries, little sis. I got this.” He turned to me, smiling, but with something extra in his gaze just for me. Or so I wanted to think. “Want to watch?”

“Of course. Wouldn’t want to miss seeing you get rolled.”

He laughed, tossed his trash in a bin, and strode over to the tanks and Pierce. Carter and Sarah were already there with Owen and Wyatt and a few others. All of them were shucking off their shoes in preparation.

I chatted with Gina and Chloe for a few minutes before Pierce came back on the microphone, calling everybody over to the tanks. The three of us hurried to the front so we could watch.

Grinning, I waved to Flynn, who stood barefoot on the platform with his pants rolled up his muscular calves. He waved back, his face lit up with excitement. Then Wyatt elbowed him good-naturedly, and Flynn laughed at something he said.

My heart twisted seeing him so happy. But it was more than that. For the briefest moment possible, I imagined how it would feel to be here with him as more than just friends. That when he won, he’d lean over and give me a victory kiss like Carter had given Sarah.

But this wasn’t a romance. Our flirting was just for fun.

The crowd cheered as Flynn and Wyatt mounted the logs, which were really carpet-covered tubes borrowed from a nearby YMCA.

After a few nail-biting minutes, Wyatt lost his footing and went down with a splash. People groaned for Wyatt, then cheered when Pierce declared Flynn the victor.

The two men shook hands, grinning, and Wyatt stepped off the stage wrapped in a towel. He joined us with a sheepish grin. Gina started forward as if she meant to hug him, then just gave him a quick pat on the back.

“A fine show,” she said a little too heartily.

I hid a smile. “Brilliant,” I told Wyatt.

He shrugged. “Honestly, it was kind of nice to do something at a town event that didn’t involve me wearing my sheriff’s uniform,” he added with a chuckle.

“You should do more stuff like that,” Gina said. “Let loose. Enjoy the town you do so much for.”

Wyatt’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Yeah…sure. I suppose I could.”

Sharing a look with Chloe, we edged away from whatever tense undercurrent flowed between them and faced the tanks again. Owen won the next round while Flynn talked with Sarah on the platform.

Hunter returned with sustenance for Chloe, who set on it like it was her first and last meal. Sarah got up on the log next, and Flynn picked up his phone from the bucket keeping contestants’ personal items dry.

I bit my lip, hoping…hoping…

My phone buzzed.

Smiling, I pulled it out.

ArtsyHotGuy3234: I wish you were up here with me.

RoseWithLove: I don’t think I’d do very well in this skirt.

ArtsyHotGuy3234: What if I got you out of it first? ;)

RoseWithLove: Lol I don’t think the town needs to see my plaid thong.

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