Jill Lynn - Her Texas Cowboy

“You are correct.” She twisted her light brown hair over one shoulder. “Age doesn’t matter, but I am wiser.”

He didn’t bother answering that sassy comment.

“You do remember what happened the last time? I mean, I think Rachel’s great and all, but you were a mess when she left.”

He didn’t need the reminder. “I wasn’t a mess.” He might have been a small version of that word. “But that’s not going to happen again. This is about being a friend. What I should have been to her in the first place before I let stupidity cloud my judgment. She needed someone to be there for her, and back then I made it about me and what I wanted. She deserves to be treated well, and while I didn’t accomplish that the last time, I am going to this time.”

“So, you’re just going to help her with this house whether she wants it or not?”

“Pretty much.”

“And you’re trying to prove...”

“That I’m not Dad.” The words slipped out, and Hunter almost rolled his eyes. How did Autumn always pull information out of him he didn’t plan to give?

Her eyebrows stitched together. “Hunter, you’re nothing like Dad. You work hard, so I guess you have that in common, but that’s about it.”

Except for the part where he’d asked Rachel to stay and he shouldn’t have. And the next part, where he’d been a jerk and reacted badly when she’d said no. Autumn didn’t understand because she and her husband Calvin had met when they were older. Dating...marriage...it had all just fallen into place for them without any stupid decisions to atone for.

“Think about it this way. If you knew you couldn’t have Calvin as anything more than a friend, wouldn’t you want that? And if you’d hurt him, wouldn’t you want to rectify that?”

Autumn studied him. Finally, she nodded, but her brow remained pinched. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

He tapped a fist on his chest. “I’m practically a superhero with all of these muscles.”

She groaned in response, then stood and rubbed a hand over her growing belly. His nephew was coming in about three months, and Hunter was more than ready. It had been a rough pregnancy, and Autumn had been sick for much of it.

She might be his older sister, but he still felt protective of her. Which meant he understood her concern about him. But she was just going to have to trust him. Hunter had prayed over this decision, and he felt peace about it. Moving on and regaining a friendship with Rachel was the right thing to do.

Autumn stretched her arms over her head, accompanying that with a huge yawn. “I’m hungry.”

“What’s new? It’s been an hour since you last ate.”

“Jerk.” Humor puckered the skin around her eyes. “I’ll see you later.”

She let herself out through the office door, and a few seconds later he heard her car start. Hunter grabbed the extralarge gray tote filled with float-building supplies and strode toward the open end of the barn where the flatbed trailer waited.

Rachel stood just inside the large sliding doors. She looked fighting mad. Gorgeous—no surprise there—but not happy. He changed course, walking in her direction.

Was she just here early for the first night with the youth? Or had she found out he’d been at the house? Based on her expression, he’d say the latter. Hunter had hoped helping make the place livable for her would work in his favor, but he was starting to doubt his plan.

Rachel wore a green sleeveless shirt with pressed flowered shorts. Coupled with sandals that daintily looped around her ankles, she looked perfectly put together, yet she still had that edge. The one that said, I don’t belong in this Podunk town. I’m meant for more and don’t you forget it.

Though he read her message loud and clear, it didn’t stop him from appreciating the sight. He’d thought jeans, a T-shirt and boots might do him in the other day, but as it turned out, it didn’t matter what she wore.

Caused a bit of trouble, that. He wasn’t supposed to be noticing how she looked—though, really, it would be impossible for him not to. He was supposed to be renewing their friendship. And he wasn’t off to a great start by the look of it.

He set the large tote on the ground by their feet. “Hey, you’re here early.”

“I need to talk to you before the kids arrive.”

“About the float?” He could only hope.

“No.”

Ah. So she’d found the stuff.

“I assume it was you who started working on the house?”

He didn’t have anything to hide. “I did.”

“I wasn’t even serious about it. It was just a passing thought. Why would you do something like that?” Her breath hissed out. “It doesn’t even make sense. I’m only going to be here for a month or two.”

“What’s Cash planning to do with the house?”

“I don’t know. I asked Olivia what happened with it. She said the last renter trashed it, and Cash hasn’t had time to deal with it since.”

“So after you live there for the summer, he can rent it out again. If none of his ranch hands want to lease it, one of ours might. We’re not talking about remodeling the place. Just cleaning it up and making it livable so you can stay there while you’re home.”

Silence reigned. Rachel opened her mouth, then closed it. Finally, she lifted one freckled shoulder. “I guess that makes sense.” Just that movement made his mouth go dry. Pesky attraction. At least he’d had a lot of practice shoving it down and ignoring it over the years.

“But why are you helping me?” Her forehead crinkled. “Why would you do that? I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but you and I aren’t on the best of terms. It makes no sense. Unless...” She might as well spit it out since he didn’t have any idea what she was trying to say. “Hunter...” Her voice lowered as though someone was hiding around the corner and might overhear them. “You’re not trying to restart anything between us, are you?”

What? She thought he was...oh, man. He hadn’t even considered that working on the house would make it look like he wanted something more with Rachel. Partly because the idea hadn’t even crossed his mind. But, of course, she couldn’t read his thoughts.

“We can’t.” Her lips pressed together. “I can’t.”

He agreed with her. He couldn’t, either. “I’m not trying to start anything between us. I was just sick of—” he raised his hands “—fighting. Not being able to be around each other. Figured it was time to move on. I knew you could use a hand, and this is what friends do.”

“So you’re not...”

“Nope.”

“Oh, good.” Distress dropped from her frame, her sigh audible. And a little bit offensive. Did she have to be so relieved about it?

Whatever. It didn’t matter. Hunter wasn’t on the hunt for a wife, anyway. What had happened with his mom and then Rachel had tainted that idea for him. He just wanted a quiet life on the ranch. No drama. No women who didn’t want to be there. If he found someone, that would be great, but he wasn’t going to do backflips to make it happen. He could be content on his own.

“I’m not trying to pursue anything more than friendship with you, so you can relax. I wouldn’t do that to you.” Or to himself. “I would never ask you to stay again, Rach. I know you don’t belong here.” Silence swirled between them, the past rearing up with ugly memories. “Promise. You can trust me.”

Her pained glance told him she wasn’t so sure about that.

“Will it put you at ease if I’m not the only one working on the house? Because Brennon called and said he and Val want to pitch in. They’re planning to come out Saturday.”

“What?” Exasperation laced the word. “When did you talk to them?”