Falling for the Hometown Girl

by Shelli Stevens

  Had there ever been a man who looked so good in jeans and cowboy boots? And shouldn’t it have been some kind of a crime that the man wearing them spent most of his time inside a building behind a computer, instead of working the land?

  A thought slammed into her, pulling her straight out of her internal simpering.

  Jim.

  For goodness sake, why was she drooling over Hunter, when she was already dating someone? Although casually, but even still. What on earth was going on with her for the last couple of days?

  Hunter was not her type, and the more she told herself that, the more she might start to believe it.

  “You should take more time off. Actual vacation days.” She glanced back toward the kitchen.

  “You wouldn’t be the first one to tell me that.” He narrowed his eyes. “You need to rush off somewhere?”

  “No. I mean, I should start prepping dinner soon...”

  “Thought we just finished lunch.”

  She glanced at her watch. “That was like an hour ago. I’ve got potatoes to peel, steaks to pull out and season, veggies to cut.”

  He gestured to the spot on the couch next to him. “Sounds like you’ve got a few minutes. Have a seat, Katie. Tell me what you’ve been up the past few years.”

  Her heart skipped. She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t. Yet, after just a moment’s hesitation, she moved to sit next to him, twisting just enough so she could look at him.

  The proximity to him, having their thighs almost touch, sent a shiver through her. She drew in another steadying breath, which was probably a mistake. The scent of his soap, faint, but woodsy, teased her senses.

  She blinked, trying to banish the disorientation that seemed to take over when he was near.

  “What do you want to know?” Why did her voice have to sound so unsteady?

  He shifted, so he faced her more completely now. “What made you decide to leave the UW early?”

  Yikes. She hadn’t been expecting that. A wave of memories, mostly unpleasant, rushed her. She shook her head to banish them and swallowed the lump in her throat.

  “It just wasn’t for me. The city life. It was too fast. I was claustrophobic with the crowds and buildings.” They weren’t lies. “I missed home too much.”

  “So much you couldn’t make it the four years?”

  Tension raced through her and she blinked, surprised by the hurtful comment.

  “I don’t appreciate being judged.” Even if she’d come home only because of the things she’d said aloud, so what? It was enough.

  He frowned. “I’m not—damn. I’m sorry, Katie. I don’t phrase things well sometimes. That came out wrong.”

  Regardless, it was different for him being a man. He wouldn’t understand, and would probably laugh even if she told him the whole awkward truth.

  “I can see how you might have missed home. But what about the trade off? Theaters? Opera? Sports? Concerts?”

  “I went to a show once. Wicked was in town. It was fun and all, but not worth the traffic to and from. And it was so expensive.” She shrugged. “Honestly, I prefer watching rodeo instead. It’s cheaper and there’s something about knowing most of the people around you—competitors and those just there to watch.”

  He stroked his beard and gave her a considering look. “Do you still compete?”

  “Just started back up after an arm injury. I don’t do it as much as I used to, but it’s still fun now when I get the chance.”

  “So I’ve heard. Clearly, I never tried.”

  “I’m sure if you hang out here enough we could get you calf roping in no time. Wyatt won the NFR for it. I’m not sure if you’d heard that.”

  “I didn’t know. I don’t follow the rodeo circuit, really, but I remember that’s a pretty impressive accomplishment. That’s great.” He laughed softly and leaned back against the arm of the couch.

  “You should come back in September, we’ll make sure you get to the rodeo. You’ve been away too long.” She reached over and patted his shoulder. It had meant to be a friendly gesture, but the moment her fingers brushed bicep her stomach dipped and her cheeks filled with heat.

  She jerked her hand back and cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m going to help you relax this week, Hunter. Show you how to disconnect from that job of yours and discover the land around you. The countryside you were born in.”

  “Is that a promise?”

  “Yeah. I think it is.” Because she was already fantasizing about just the two of them alone on horseback, she rushed to add, “You and your friends, of course.”

  “Right. I figured. I’ll hold you to that, Katie.”

  There was something about the way he said that last sentence that had her breath catching. It was almost a promise.

  “I should probably get to peeling those potatoes.” She scrambled off the couch and averted her gaze. “So what do you guys have planned for the rest of the day?”

  “Not much until dinner, then we’ll probably head into town after that. Can’t really put it off any longer.

  Why did he want to so badly? She bit her tongue and didn’t ask. It was none of her business.

  “I’m sure you’ll have fun.” She gave a small nod and turned to walk away.

  “What about you?”

  She stumbled and glanced back at him. “What about me?”

  “What are you doing tonight?”

  The tension melted and she smiled. “Oh, I’ve got amazing plans.”

  She didn’t elaborate, preferring to keep that little bit of information to herself. Those girls’ night out she’d mentioned yesterday? Yeah. That was happening tonight.

  “Hey, thanks for letting me use your phone.”

  “Anytime.” She narrowed her eyes. “Actually, I take that back. You really do need to disconnect for the week.”

  His amused laughter followed her even as she disappeared into the kitchen.

  Dinner was incredible. Even though nearly two hours had passed since they’d finished eating, Hunter hadn’t stopped thinking about that steak. Tucked into the small backseat of Dan’s sports car, Hunter closed his eyes and remembered every bit of the meal.

  The steaks had been grilled to perfection. Juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful. What was in that marinade? He’d ask, but then most of it probably came the quality of the beef. He’d be sure to find out how someone could order some when he returned to Seattle.

  Overall, dinner had been a little more relaxed tonight. After Hunter had spoken with Lance earlier in the day, the other man had scaled back on being such a dick. Unfortunately, he could never be certain how long it would last with the guy.

  “So, where are we heading?” Dan’s uncertain question barely registered over the ACDC song playing. “Same place as last night? Grey’s Saloon?”

  “Nah. Too slow.” Lance shook his head. “Let’s go to Livingston and find a bigger bar.”

  Hunter grunted silently and shook his head. He could very well imagine where this evening was going to end up. Lance drunk of his ass and hitting on some poor waitress.

  He couldn’t deny there was a sense of relief, too, at not having to be in the middle of Marietta tonight and facing the people from his past. But he couldn’t put it off—they’d be here until a week from tomorrow. Just like he couldn’t put off seeing his parents either.

  Right now, it didn’t seem like they were aware he was back in town. Because if they even suspected he was nearby, they’d be loading his voicemail with messages.

  Guilt clenched his gut and he sighed. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’d call them and tell them he was back. Find time to drop by. How that scene would unfold played out in his mind, and it put his stomach in knots.

  “This place looks promising.” Dan swung the sports car into the gravel parking lot of a bar.

  “It’s Saturday night,” Lance muttered. “I damn well hope so.”

  There were only a couple of parking spots left, and the music from inside could be heard through an open door.
A handful of people stood outside smoking, their gazes drifting toward Hunter and the guys.

  Hunter clenched his jaw and looked the other way. God, he hated this shit. Bars. Nightlife. But it was right up Lance’s alley.

  “Let’s do this.” Lance grinned and climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind him.

  Dan looked back at Hunter and gave an apologetic smile. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think.”

  “One can hope.” Hunter gave a slight nod, before following him out of the car. He had to appreciate that the other man had picked up on his dislike for big social scenes over the years.

  They made their way into the bar, where a country band was playing near the back. The twang of the music mingled with laughter. There was the smell of leather, sweat, and alcohol in the midst of a sea of cowboy hats. Hunter couldn’t decide if he was relieved or uncomfortable to have taken his off.

  “It looks like there’s a table back there.” Lance nodded with his chin toward the far end of the bar.

  The three made their way to the small table and took a seat in the solid wood chairs. A waitress was at their side almost immediately.

  “Hello, boys. What’s your pleasure?”

  “Now there’s a loaded question.” Lance flashed a smile at the pretty waitress.

  Her compressed lips didn’t even twitch.

  Feeling sympathy for the woman, Hunter quickly said, “I’ll take whatever amber ale you have on tap.”

  Dan and Lance both requested IPAs a moment later, and the waitress—Kim she’d said her name was—disappeared to get their drinks.

  “Think we should’ve gotten food?” Lance asked.

  Hunter shot him a disbelieving look. “You can’t be hungry after that steak dinner.”

  “I’ve got a hollow leg, man. I’m always hungry. Whatever. We can have a few beers first.”

  Once their beers arrived, Lance knocked his back in under five minutes. He leaned back in his chair, scanning the dance floor. Not a minute later a couple women approached the table, pink cheeks and glassy eyes. They were clearly on their way to drunk.

  “You guys wanna join us on the dance floor?” The blonde invited.

  “So much more fun than being a seat warmer,” The brunette agreed with a smile at Dan.

  Lance and Dan exchanged a glance and were on their feet in an instant.

  “You coming, Hunter?” Dan called over his shoulder.

  “Maybe in a few.” Though more than likely, maybe not.

  His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he was reminded that he again had cell service. The joy was almost like Christmas morning. A quick check showed it was just a weekly laundry reminder. The temptation to check his email hit hard and he stroked his beard, debating whether he should give into the craving.

  Get off the grid.

  He locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket, then leaned back in his seat to just relax. Hang out. That was what one did at these places, right? So much easier said than done.

  Discomfort eased through. All around him, people laughed, drank, and danced. It was definitely a packed, crowded Saturday night.

  If he couldn’t be on electronics due to “getting off the grid”, he would’ve preferred to be outside. Walking along the river or sitting on the porch swing watching the stars come out.

  But, sure, this was cool too. His lips twisted sardonically. As long as Lance was enjoying the bachelor week, that was all that mattered really.

  Hoping he didn’t look as uncomfortable as he felt, Hunter finished off his beer and glanced around the bar for Kim, their waitress, to order another one.

  Instead of finding the waitress, he found something else. A group of women taking over an empty table at the back of the bar. Normally, it wouldn’t have even registered on his radar, but there was one women in particular that made everything inside him stand still.

  Chapter Four

  At first, he hadn’t recognized her in the short mint green and lace dress, bare legs and cowboy boots. Her hair was down in rich waves around her bare shoulders, and it seemed like she even had on some makeup. But most of all, it was Katie’s smile that lit up the room as she spoke to one of the other girls with obvious vivacity.

  The friend replied and Katie nodded, before throwing back her head and laughing.

  Beautiful. She’d always been pretty, but tonight she was a knockout. A fun, gorgeous, social butterfly every man in the room was noticing.

  Hunter only realized he’d been staring like a fool when her gaze swung to his side of the room and landed on him. Her laughter died as their gazes connected. Surprise registered in her eyes, and she hesitated a moment before saying something to her friends, and then making her way through the crowds to him.

  “Hey there.” She pulled out one of the empty chairs and sat down. “Thought you guys were going into Marietta? Grey’s or something?”

  “Yeah, I figured we were. Turns out Lance wanted something a little more exciting.”

  She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose. “Not sure Livingston is as exciting as Seattle, but it shakes things up a bit if you’re comparing it to Marietta.”

  He cleared his throat and nodded toward her group of friends. “So, this was your plan for the night? Girls’ night or something?”

  “Sure is. We do it just about once a month. Gets me off the ranch and connected with my friends.”

  Usually the only connection he had with most of his friends was social media. Which he was pretty crappy at too. Katie had nailed it when she’d pegged him for an introvert. More often than not, he preferred his own company to others. He needed that alone time to recharge.

  “Claire, is here too. You know, Wyatt’s fiancée?” She frowned and glanced back at the women. “Think she must’ve run to the bathroom.”

  He hadn’t noticed her. Hell, he’d really only noticed Katie. It’d be hard not to have. His blood pumped a little faster and his chest tightened.

  “Where’d your friends go?” Katie looked toward the dance floor. “Never mind, I found them. Nice to see them loosening up a little. This looks a little more like their thing, rather than the ranch stuff. Maybe you should dance too, Hunter.”

  “Yeah, I’m not so good at dancing.”

  “No?” Her attention returned to him. “Maybe you just haven’t had the right partner.”

  There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, mixed with a dose of pensiveness. Her cheeks were flushed and her shimmering mouth curved into a smile.

  Was she flirting? God, he really wished he were better at picking up on these things. He hesitated, trying to figure out how to respond to that.

  “I should get back to my girls, before they start to gossip.” She stood and smoothed her dress down over thighs. “Oh, and stay off that phone, Hunter. Listen to the band and enjoy the music. It’s amazing.”

  A soft laugh bounced from his chest as she walked away from him and back to her table. She already seemed to have him pegged.

  “Can I get you another beer?” Kim returned to the table, a serving tray tucked against her side.

  “That’d be great. Thanks.”

  To avoid staring at Katie all night with his tongue on the floor, or taking out his phone to play, Hunter took her advice. He turned his attention to the band on the stage and tried to just enjoy the music like she’d told him to. It was easier than he’d figured it would be.

  “I think we need another round of shots,” Claire offered. “This one’s on me.”

  The table erupted in agreement, Katie hollering enthusiastically.

  Between the seven girls, there were two designated drivers. And tonight Claire was one of them. She might not have been drinking, but she seemed determined to make sure those who were got to have fun.

  Though never too much fun for Katie, early mornings and hangovers never mingled well.

  As they waited for another round of whisky shots, Katie snuck another glance across the room at Hunter. Though she half suspected him to be playing on his
phone by now, he seemed to be paying attention to the band. Maybe he’d taken her advice after all.

  “Do you know him?”

  “Hmm?” Katie dragged her gaze to her friend Amanda.

  “That guy over there.” Amanda nodded toward Hunter.

  “Oh, yeah. He’s one of our guests this week.” Hopefully she sounded nonchalant, because her pulse was doing irrational little skips.

  “He’s cute.”

  “He really is,” Claire agreed from across the table. She watched Katie pensively. “Don’t you think, Katie?”

  “I mean, I guess? I hadn’t really noticed.” A blush stole up her cheeks, betraying her words. “If you think that type of look. He’s so... Seattle.”

  Their whiskey shots arrived.

  “Can I get an amen for girls’ night!” Janice yelled from at the end of the table.

  There was a resounding amen from the girls, before they tossed back the shots.

  “Seattle? What do you mean?” Amanda pushed on a second later. “Is it the beard? It’s kind of a nice change. Manly and stuff.”

  With the whiskey warming up her blood, Katie gave a small laugh, but wasn’t really all that amused. Why did it bother her that Amanda was checking out Hunter too?

  Really, half the women in the bar were. She clearly wasn’t the only one looking tonight. There was something ridiculously sexy about a quiet, unassuming, man that didn’t seem in any hurry to join the hype and partying atmosphere that surrounded him.

  He stood out, but not in a bad way.

  Just as she suspected, the women in the bar started to approach him. Whatever they said, he shook his head and gave a faint smile.

  He was a challenge now, and these women clearly loved a good challenge.

  Maybe it was the liquid confidence from that second shot, but Katie was struck with the urge to try her own luck. To be the one to get him onto that dance floor and loosen up a little. It didn’t have to mean anything, it was just a dance.

  Most of her friends were already out on the floor getting their party on anyway.