“I live with my brothers. Our parents both died so we all pitch in and cook for the crowd.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Crowd? Should I be worried?”
I laugh. “Our house is big enough for all the Wilde boys and their girls. No need to worry.”
She grins. “Do all the Wilde boys have girls?”
“My brother Cooper is engaged to Riley, but they’re only in town on the weekends. Tucker lives in the house with his girlfriend, Gracie. And Jake has a revolving door of women in and out of the house. The closest thing he has to a girlfriend is Harley and she lives with her parents next door.”
“And what about Hunter Wilde? Does he have a revolving door of women in and out of the house?”
I rub my chin. “No revolving door for me. And no girlfriend…yet.”
“Good.”
When our eyes meet I feel like she’s grabbed my heart again. She’s really good at doing that. Capturing my heart. I know one day she’ll keep it and never give it back.
Or maybe I’ll give it to her and hope she never returns it.
“So how do I get to this mansion of yours?”
I laugh. “It’s hardly a mansion. And I doubt it’s like any of the houses you’re used to seeing in LA. But it’s been in the family for generations.”
“Sounds nice.”
I nod. “Now that I have your phone number, I can text you directions. It’s easy to find. You could almost walk there from the resort. Not that I’m advocating that. Maybe I should pick you up instead so you don’t have to worry about driving.”
“If you pick me up will it be like a real date?” Her eyes are actually gleaming. I can’t image why she’d be excited about going on a date with someone like me.
“You can call it a date if you want to.”
“I do.”
“Okay, then. It’s a date.”
“What time will you pick me up?”
“How about around noon?”
“Noon it is.”
Before I can say anything else she rolls up her window and pulls away. I can’t believe I’ll be going on a date with Katie Lawrence.
Six
Katie
I can’t believe I’m going on a date with Hunter Wilde.
I’ve already changed my outfit five times and I still don’t feel like I’m wearing the right thing. I guess I’ve gotten so used to other people telling me what to wear that I’ve forgotten how to make the decision for myself.
I’ve also forgotten what it was like to dress as Kat instead of Katie Lawrence.
I finally decide on a pair of comfortable jeans and a light V-neck sweater. I debate going completely casual and just putting on a pair of sneakers, but I opt for some loafers instead.
As I take a quick look at myself in the mirror I feel like I’ve gone back in time. I’m Kat again. For the first time in a long time I feel like myself.
There’s a security guard seated in the living area of my hotel room and Elsie is seated with him. I have no idea how I’m going to get away from the guard. The guy is big and scary looking.
It’s about five minutes before noon when there’s a knock on the door. I take in a deep breath before I open it.
Hunter looks even better than he did earlier. Not that he didn’t look sexy in his police officer’s uniform, or his security guard’s uniform, but now he looks hot.
He’s wearing tight-fitting black jeans and a fitted, black button-down shirt that shows off his muscular chest. And he’s wearing cowboy boots. Is there anything sexier than a man in well-worn cowboy boots?
My entire body warms at the sight of sexy Hunter.
When he pushes his hands into his pockets I just want to fling myself at him, but I play things as cool as I possibly can.
“What are you doing here?” The scary security guard they assigned to me after Hunter is now standing right behind me.
“Teko?” Hunter exclaims. “How did you end up with personal guard duty?”
Teko laughs. “Maybe because your sorry ass has the day off.”
I look back and forth between the two men. “I take it you two know each other?”
Teko pats Hunter’s shoulder. “This is my main man. But you still haven’t told me what you’re doing here. I thought your band was playing tonight. You’re definitely not working dressed like that.”
“I’m not working,” Hunter replies. “I’m taking Katie out.”
Teko’s eyes go wide. “I’m sorry. But I thought you said you’re taking Ms. Lawrence out.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Hunter repeats.
“Like on a date?” Teko sounds incredulous.
“Yes, on a date.”
Teko lets out a hardy laugh. “No, Man. That’s not possible. That girl,” he points to me. “Would not go out with you.”
“Excuse me.” I glance up at Teko. He’s not any less scary even when he’s smiling. “Hunter is taking me out. We’re going to brunch.”
Teko shakes his head. “I’m supposed to be watching you. I was given strict orders not to let you out of my sight.”
“Well, you’re not coming with me on my date so I guess that’s not going to happen.”
Teko looks back and forth between me and Hunter. Then Hunter says, “You know I’ll take care of her, Man. I’ve got this.”
Teko rubs his temple. “I don’t know.”
“Come on.” I grab Hunter’s arm. Then I look back at Teko. “You can watch my assistant, Elsie. Make sure nothing happens to her.”
When I glance over at Elsie she’s glaring at me. I mouth “sorry” and she shakes her head at me.
Then Elsie says, “Don’t forget about the wedding. The ceremony starts at five this evening. Everyone will be expecting you to be there.”
“I’m not sure I’ll make it. Depends how the date goes.”
Hunter is biting back a grin.
Elsie hurries over to me. “If you’re not there, all hell is going to break lose in the Twitter-sphere and on all those online entertainment websites. Your manager, agent and publicist will all go nuts. It will be utter chaos.”
I shrug. “I don’t care.”
Elsie’s eyes go wide as I pull Hunter out the door with me.
***
“Are you sure about this?” Hunter says as we climb into his beat-up Toyota pickup truck. It’s exactly the kind of vehicle I imagined he’d be driving. It’s the kind of vehicle that reminds me of Phillipsburg.
“Sure about what?” I buckle my seat belt.
“This…us…everything. You don’t have to miss the wedding. I can get you back in time.”
“Maybe I don’t want to go to the wedding. Maybe I don’t want to pretend that everything is just peachy with me and Devon when I know he’s just screwed half of the wedding party.”
Hunter starts the truck. “I know it’s no sports car or anything but it’s paid for.”
“I like it.”
The drive is peaceful and I’m surprised to see that most of the fields aren’t planted with corn like you’d expect. They’re covered with sunflowers.
Hunter was right. His place is only a few miles from the resort. I don’t think I could have walked it, but it would make a great bike ride.
“Nice house,” I comment as we pull up to the 1800s Colonial. It takes me a minute to remember I’m back in New Jersey and not in LA. You definitely don’t see houses like this in LA. There’s no history like this on the West Coast. At least none that I’ve ever seen. Anything that seems even remotely old or has a bit of character is called a tear-down by the real estate agents and that’s usually what happens when the next nouveau riche celebrity buys it just for the property.
“You’re probably used to seeing a lot nicer where you live.”
I shake my head. “This house has character.”
When Hunter parks I notice there aren’t any other cars the in driveway. “Your brothers aren’t home?”
He shakes his head. “Doesn’t look that way. Everyone i
s probably already at Haymakers. We do a fair bit of business at lunchtime, especially on the weekends. Plus they’ve got to get everything ready for the gig tonight. Our band, Wilde Riders, is playing. It doesn’t happen that much anymore, now that we’re all getting older and doing other things. So it’s kind of a big deal.”
We hop out of the truck and I’m surprised when Hunter takes my hand. I like the way he feels. He has strong hands, but they’re still warm. It’s a perfect metaphor for Hunter. He’s got a sweet face, but he’s also got a quiet strength about him. I know he’s a good guy, but I have a feeling he’d also be very protective of someone he cared about.
Hunter leads me inside his house. It’s even more beautiful on the inside. The place could easily be featured in one of those glossy home magazines. But unlike most places in Hollywood that do appear in those magazines on a regular basis this place actually feels like a home.
“I’m impressed,” I comment as I take it all in.
“Do you want a quick tour?”
“I’d love one.”
Hunter gives me a big smile that lights up the room. He seems to be very proud of the place.
He grabs my hand again. I’m not sure why I like it so much. Maybe because Devon never bothered to hold my hand.
The living room is beautifully decorated with antiques and wonderful artwork. Even though there are a lot of pieces which look expensive the room still feels lived in and cozy.
I’m even more impressed when we enter the gourmet kitchen. “Wow!” Everything is new and state-of-the-art.
“Do you like to cook?” Hunter asks.
I shrug. “I don’t get the chance to cook very much. I don’t have time. And who would I cook for anyway?”
“The Wilde boys can all find their way around a kitchen pretty well. But let me show you the rest of the house before I demonstrate my cooking skills.”
I laugh. “Lead the way.”
“What’s your place in LA like?” Hunter asks as we walk up a lovely wooden staircase lined with old family photos.
“I don’t spend a lot of time there,” I admit.
“That didn’t really answer my question.”
“It’s not like this.”
Hunter stops at the top of the stairs and looks at me. “What do you mean?”
“I know it probably sounds cheesy, but I can tell this place is filled with a lot of love. My place in LA isn’t.”
“Why not?”
Good question. I shrug because I’m not sure how much of my sad life I want to divulge. I don’t want to sound ungrateful because I have so much for be grateful for, but there are still some ways in which my life feels empty. “Everyone thinks my life is easy. And in some ways it is. I don’t have to worry about money like my parents always did when I was growing up. I’ve got enough to last me the rest of my life. But I work a lot. There’s a lot of pressure for me to maintain a certain image and to perform at the box office. Studios have a lot invested in Katie Lawrence right now. I know there are a lot of people who adore Katie Lawrence, or at least adore the image. But that’s not love. Not real love.” I shake my head. “How could anyone fall in love with me when they don’t even know me? I mean the real me. Kat from Phillipsburg.”
“I’d like to get to know Kat from Phillipsburg. She’s sounds like the kind of girl I’d date.”
I give him a small smile. “She does?”
“Maybe,” he teases.
“Maybe?”
“Maybe. I’d have to get to know her a little better first.”
Hunter may be the only guy on the planet who wouldn’t jump at the chance to date Katie Lawrence. He doesn’t seem to care about celebrities at all.
“So what about Devon? How did he feel about Kat from P-Burg.”
I cringe at the mention of his name. I thought I was in love with Devon when we first started dating. But now I wonder if I just wanted to have someone in my life and Devon just happened to be there.
“He never had any interest in getting to know Kat from Phillipsburg, that’s for sure. He’s always been about advancing his career and his brand. Dating Katie Lawrence was great for his image.”
“Why did you stay with him?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
He raises an eyebrow. “You don’t know?”
“I guess it was just too difficult to break up. I didn’t want to deal with all of the publicity. You know how some couples date in secret because of publicity? Well, we kind of broke up in secret because of publicity.”
Hunter actually laughs. “That could be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Now I’m the one who’s laughing. “Not even close. It’s obvious you don’t live in LA. There are much stupider things happening on an hourly basis.”
“I still need to show you the rest of the house.”
This time when Hunter takes my hand, he laces his fingers with mine. It sends a wave of chills right through me.
He shows me a beautifully decorated bedroom. “This is Tucker and Gracie’s room.”
“It’s nice.”
“The girls all got together and decorated it while Tucker was in the hospital.”
“Why was he in the hospital?”
He shuts their bedroom door. “It’s kind of a long story. I’ll let him tell you sometime.”
We both look at each other. Did he just hint at some kind of future? I’m not sure how something like that would even work. And I’m not sure I even want to think about it. I just want to enjoy the moments I have right now. Just being here in the middle of nowhere New Jersey. Just a guy and a girl. No paparazzi. No celebrity. No pressure. No expectations.
“This is the room that Cooper and Riley use when they come to town on the weekends. They have an apartment in New York. They both work on Wall Street.”
The room is well decorated, but a little more generic than the one that Gracie and Tucker share.
He shows me another room. It smells like cologne. And it’s dark, everything is burgundy. It’s a lot different than the other two rooms. It’s much more masculine. “Jake’s room. You probably want to steer clear. He’s a player.”
“There are enough of those in LA. Thanks.”
“That’s what I figured.” He closes the door.
There’s another room left at the end of the hallway. I assume that one is Hunter’s. He slowly opens the door and we both enter.
It’s not exactly what I expected. There’s a desk piled high with stacks of books. And you can barely see the paint color of the walls because they’re filled with posters of all kinds of country musicians and bands. It’s kind of like it was decorated by a sixteen-year-old and never touched again.
What little space there is in the room outside of the enormous bed is packed with all kinds of drums. Congas, bongos, even a steel drum.
“You’re a drummer?”
“Yeah.”
“I guess you like country music.”
He smiles again. I’m beginning to really like that smile. “You could say that.”
I glance over at the books on his desk. It doesn’t look like pleasure reading. They’re all enormous textbooks. “College?”
He nods. “I got my Associate’s degree before I applied for the police academy. I’m not sure if I’m going to keep them. I just haven’t had a lot of time to deal with them.”
I point to a poster of Jake Owen. “One of my favorites.”
“Mine too.”
“Tell me more about the band.”
“We get together when we can. It’s harder now with my work schedule. But we’ll be playing tonight if you’d like to hear us. It’s just me and my brothers. It’s not a big deal. We really just hang out at the family bar and play for the locals.”
“Haymakers.”
“I can’t believe you remembered that.”
“I may not always be able to remember all of my lines, but I remember when something’s important.”
He closes the distance
between us. He’s now so close to me I can feel heat radiating from his body. Or maybe it’s coming from my body. It’s hard to tell. But there’s definitely heat between us. A lot of it.
I try to swallow but I feel like my throat is closing up. And my chest is tightening.
When our eyes meet it’s almost more than my body can take. I can feel my knees start to weaken right under me.
Hunter’s gaze is so intense I feel like he can see right through me.
I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone to kiss me as much as I want Hunter to kiss me right at this moment.
He cups my face in his hands and gently caresses my cheeks with his thumbs. I feel like I’m in one of my own movies only this is happening to me in real life.
When he leans down and places a soft kiss on my lips, it’s like someone let a flight of butterflies loose in my stomach.
“Was that okay?” he asks. He looks concerned like he’s not sure the kiss was the right decision.
“Can I have some more?”
He smiles again. I hope it’s becoming a habit, at least around me. “You don’t have to ask twice.”
This time when he kisses me, it’s deeper and more passionate. I can feel a wave of electricity run right down to my toes. I feel like I’m no longer standing. More like I’m floating.
When Hunter pulls away it takes me a few seconds to ground myself again.
“What do you think about seeing the band play?”
“I’d love nothing more than to see you play with your brothers, but I know there’s probably too much risk involved. People could take photos. Ask questions. I’m supposed to be with Devon at his brother’s wedding not hanging out at a country bar, even if it’s where I’d much rather be.”
When I look up at Hunter I can already see the disappointment in his eye. “It’s okay. I don’t expect Katie Lawrence to see the Wilde Riders play. And what would a big star like you be doing in a small down bar like Haymakers? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sometimes I wish I could be Kat from Phillipsburg again. Even just for a day.”
Hunter’s eyes narrow like he’s thinking about something. “Why can’t you?”
“Why can’t I what?”
“Be Kat again. Just for a day.”
A Wilde Night (Old Town Country Romance Book 3) Page 5