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I laughed as I watched her make her way over to the other side of the room. Looking back at Lily, I asked, “Will you be here for winter break?”
She nodded. “I will. My mother and father have a house here on the ranch, on the portion that they own. My mom trains horses and runs a sanctuary for wild mustangs. You’ll have to come visit the barn.”
My heart felt full, knowing I would be surrounded by horses with the opportunity to ride at any time. “I will. Thank you so much for the invite.”
Lily wrapped her arm around mine and beamed at me. There was a hint of mischief in her eyes as she said, “I have a feeling we’re going to be the best of friends by the time this is over.”
“I do too,” I agreed, as I turned to look over the room. When my gaze caught on Hunter’s, a strange feeling raced through my body. “It’s going to be an interesting two months,” I added, as I returned the smile Hunter was giving me.
Lily looked between us and agreed. “A very interesting two months, indeed.”
I stepped out of the stall and nearly screamed when I saw Hunter standing there. We had both left school a few weeks early to be here for preproduction. Hunter was staying at his parents’ house along with me, and I had to admit, I couldn’t wait to see him every morning at breakfast. At least on the mornings he was there. Since he was home, his father and brother had put him to work on the ranch. Some mornings it was just me and Lincoln while Brock and Hunter got an early start.
“You scared me,” I said with a smile.
“Did you enjoy the ride?” he asked as he graced me with a smile that showcased his dimple.
I nodded. “I did. Elly is a sweet horse.”
“I wish I had known, I would have gone with you and showed you around the ranch. Hank said you just stayed in the front pasture.”
Shrugging, I replied, “I don’t mind, plus the pasture is huge, so Elly and I got a good ride in. Hank told me anytime I want to exercise the horses to just let him know.”
Hunter laughed.
There was no denying there was something between the two of us. Friendship for sure, and a part of me was afraid to even think about it being anything else. But the way he looked at me made my entire body warm.
“There’s a storm moving in, so my dad wanted me to make sure you didn’t stay out too long.”
“Hank told me a system was headed our way when he and Decker were bringing in a few horses to stall them for the night.”
Hunter nodded.
“Are you helping them stall the horses, or are you heading back up to the house?”
Another devastating smile appeared on his face, and I ignored the way my heart felt like it tripped over itself. “I’m heading back up. Need a ride?”
I had driven down to the barn with Brock earlier, and Blayze had said he would bring me back up to his parents’ house.
“I do, if you don’t mind.”
“Don’t mind at all.”
After giving Elly some hay and water, then letting Blayze know I was leaving with his brother, Hunter placed his hand on my lower back and guided me out of the barn. Once we got back to his parents’ house, we found a note from his mother and father. They had gone to Stella and Ty Sr.’s house to make sure they had plenty of wood for the fireplace in case the power went out.
“Okay,” Hunter said as he stared into the fridge. “Mom left a note to heat the lasagna, but I caught site of some Fritos, and I’m thinking Frito Pie. You in?”
I nodded. “I haven’t had that in years! I’ll cut the onion!”
We worked alongside each other as I cut up the onion and poured the chips into two bowls, while Hunter heated the canned chili and shredded cheese. I hadn’t laughed so much in I wasn’t sure how long. There was such an easiness with Hunter that I hadn’t ever experienced with any other guy. The attraction was there for me, and I thought for Hunter as well, but we had both said we would be friends, and I would be stupid to fall for a guy who was about to date twenty different women. Even though he was dreading it, according to him.
“How about a game of dominos,” Hunter said as I dried the last of the dishes and handed it to him to put away.
Before I had a chance to answer, Brock walked in. “I smell onions.”
Hunter and I both laughed.
“You had Frito Pie, didn’t you?” Lincoln asked as she rubbed her hands together to warm them. “You’ve been talking about it for days now.”
