Page 35 of Wild Rivals

So why the hell can’t I stop thinking about her?

That’s a question I don’t have the answer to. One I’m not sure I ever will.

We fall quiet as I stroke the muzzle of her horse again, more for something to do than anything.

“I’ll let you get on with fixing this,” Maddie says, readjusting her hat and giving me my first proper glimpse of her face. She looks tired but her usual determined self.

Taking a step back, I nod, watching as she moves her horse around and kicks her heels into her side. They ride off at speed, Maddie’s hair blowing in the breeze beneath her Stetson. I watch her go for longer than I should, something heavy sitting on my chest.

She looks like she belongs out here. Like this land fits her just as much as it does me. But that can’t be right.

Have I read Maddie Hart all wrong?

Fuck. I don’t know.

22

MADDIE

Hunter Kingsley, my dinner companion for this evening, holds the door open for me as we walk into Big Sky diner. We’ve spent the early afternoon walking around the stores in town as I gave him and his fiancée, Abigail, a guided tour around Coldwater.

Hunter runs a marketing agency in New York City and wants to bring his team out to Montana for a wellness retreat. If all goes well, this could be our step into corporate events. When Hunter and I first talked, I did my research. It’s safe to say, he knows a lot of influential people and that could open doors for us.

I’ve been on edge all afternoon, praying we don’t run into Wyatt. It would be just like him to show up and make this hard for me. Ever since running into him when I was rounding up our wayward herd, I’ve been racking my brain, wondering why he was being so nice. Nothing is ever that simple with Wyatt; I know from experience.

Doris, the eighty-something-year-old head waitress at Big Sky diner, waves at me, raising her brows in question at Hunter. Thank God, he’s typing something on his phone and not actually looking up. She’s not normally one for getting into people’s business, but I guess it’s unusual for me to be seen with a man. At least one that’s as attractive as Hunter, anyway.

“Abi said thank you for the massage and sorry that she couldn’t make it to dinner,” Hunter says, pocketing his phone. “I promised I’d eat a stack of pancakes for her.”

I chuckle, leading the way to a booth in the far corner, scanning the room. Abigail dipped out of the tour a couple of hours ago after her migraine worsened. Which means Hunter was left to listen to me gush about the town’s history as we walked down Main Street with its cobblestone roads and two-story white and red-brick buildings lining either side.

We slide onto the worn leather benches of the only empty booth. It’s busy in the diner tonight, which I guess is a given since we’ve turned up in the middle of the dinner rush. We’re barely situated before Doris appears with the menus.

“Who’s your handsome friend?” Doris asks.

I flash Hunter an apologetic smile before scowling at Doris. “This is a client. He’s in town with his fiancée.”

Doris raises her brows before smirking at me. Why is she being so annoying? I want to tell her to mind her own business, but I’d also like to eat here again, and she has a lot of pull in this town.

“Don’t you have people to serve?” I say, when she continues to stand beside the table.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going, but I have questions for you later, ma’am.” She waves her arm in my direction before walking away.

Maybe this was a mistake. I know nothing is happening with Hunter, but this is a small town, and people are keen to gossip. Hell, I heard the murmurs and felt the watchful stares of the regulars as we crossed the room. They’re no doubt wondering who Hunter is and what I’m doing with him. It’s been months since I was last romantically involved with a man, not including the blip that happened with Wyatt. Which I’ll take to my grave. I guess it doesn’t help that Hunter’s a good-looking man. He’s not him.

God, what is wrong with me?

“She seems… involved,” Hunter teases, forcing me to focus on him.

I study the menu and murmur, “Sorry. She’s not normally.”

We fall into an easy quiet until Doris returns to take our orders. I get the cheeseburger, and Hunter, true to his word, orders a stack of pancakes with a side of extra-crispy bacon.

When Doris is gone, Hunter leans back in his seat and says, “I’m excited to make the announcement to the team when I get back to New York. I think they’ll really love it here. There’s a calmness to the town that I think will help relax them after the year we’ve had.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll make sure they’re well taken care of,” I reassure him.

Hunter laughs. “I’m sure Abi can fill them in on everything. She said she felt like she was walking on cloud nine after being pampered. In fact, she’ll probably be sound asleep by the time I get back to our cabin.”