Page 52 of Blue Jean Summer

“How about these?” Savannah asked as she came back with a pair in Hayes’s size. “They’re no-nonsense. You can dress ’em up or work in ’em. Wide toe box so they’re comfortable as hell. The shaft is flexible so it doesn’t take long to break ’em in.”

Hayes studied the boots, then looked at me. “What do you think?”

Suddenly, all I could imagine was Hayes in blue jeans and boots. No shirt.

It was like a wet dream on demand.

“You should get them,” I said. Because whether or not it was a good idea, I wanted that fantasy.

Chapter 14

Hayes

“Look at you,” Hallie teased with a grin as I cut through the kitchen.

“What?” I said, cocking my head to the side.

She sat at the kitchen island, typing away on her computer. Years ago, Granddad had offered Hallie one of the rooms in the house as an office, but she insisted that she liked the kitchen island best.

I braced my hands on the cool stone. “Look at me why?”

Hallie pulled a pen out of her copper bun and pointed at my chest. “You’re in a T-shirt.”

“I’m going outside.”

“In a T-shirt.”

I huffed. “What’s your point?”

Her smile was knowing. “You’re settling in.” She craned to the side and peered at my feet. “And new boots?”

“I was already at Scott Saddles with Cath. It’s not what you think it is.”

“It’s a good look on you,” Hallie said.

“What’s a good look?” Catherine said as she bounced down the steps that opened into the kitchen, carting a massive three-ring binder in her arms.

Hallie pointed the pen at me again. “Your future husband is wearing a T-shirt today.”

Catherine stopped dead in her tracks and stared at me with startled eyes. I couldn’t quite get a read on her expression—the parted lips and raised eyebrows. The slow way she looked me up and down, giving my new wardrobe an exacting assessment.

Hallie coughed, breaking Catherine out of the stupor, making her cheeks flush bright red.

Now that look I could read.

“You look nice,” Catherine said as she slid onto the barstool beside Hallie and opened the binder. “Heading outside?”

“That was the plan,” I answered, still not taking my eyes off her no matter how much she avoided my gaze.

“Enjoy,” Catherine said as she perused spreadsheets of wedding plans. For a wedding that was happening in just over a week that was supposed to be small and simple, there sure were a lot of spreadsheets.

Things weren’t tense, per se, but they weren’t comfortable either. They were just…undefined.

I hated things that were undefined.

Catherine and I had landed somewhere around neutral companionship, which was the best we could hope for as we went under the microscope to save the estate.

Still, I couldn’t miss the little ways we were drawn to each other. The lingering glances over dinner. The way her cheeks flushed when Hallie made comments like the one she had about my T-shirt. The kisses…