Page 152 of Square Deal

I shrugged. “Someone who loves Beaufort like I do. Someone who wants to get married and have a family.”

“You want someone safe,” he remarked.

I immediately protested. “It’s not like I don’t know how to have a good time?—”

Austin chuckled. “Hannah, it’s not a bad thing to want to stay in your comfort zone.”

“But?”

“You’re bored as hell right now, aren’t you?”

My head bobbed back and forth. “I’m having a great time, really.”

“Do you like haunted houses?”

I raised my eyebrows. “What?” It was summer. Halloween wasn’t exactly around the corner.

“Haunted houses? Horror movies? Do you like them?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Do you know why you like them?” he asked.

I thought for a moment. “They’re fun, I guess. You get a thrill.”

“You get a thrill, but you know you’re safe. It’s fright versus fear. Fear is paralyzing. Fright makes your heart pound and your blood pump, but you can enjoy it because you know you’re safe.”

I nudged his big bicep with my shoulder. “I see where you’re going with this.”

Austin chuckled and draped his arm around my shoulder like we were buddies. I hoped that we would stay friends after this. He was a good guy.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe the person you think you want bores you to tears because you’re just looking for safety? Find someone who scares the shit outta you too.”

Well, hell. That was Isaac. Being with him was a rollercoaster of epic proportions.

Austin pitched his head to the side, resting his temple on top of my hair. “And I think under all those fancy dresses is a woman who’s a hell of a lot of fun. Or so I hear. Not that I intentionally hit up Jokers when I hear a rumor that you ladies are having girls’ night.”

I giggled. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

The night air was still warm when I finally made it home.Austin, like a perfect gentleman, drove me back to my car, gave me a peck on the cheek, and told me to drive safely.

Steve and Chase would raise hell about Maddie setting the two of us up, but I wouldn’t pay them any mind.

“You’re up late,” I said when I spotted Chase sitting on my porch swing. “Heading to the station?”

Moths flitted around the porch light. He shook his head and patted the spot beside him. “Nah. I was working on the cottage and ran out of paint. The hardware store was already closed. Figured I’d wait up for you. See how your big date went.”

The cottage in Chase’s backyard was looking surprisingly homey. He had replaced the siding, shored up the little porch, re-shingled the roof, and was currently working on painting and landscaping.

I helped him pick out the perfect shade of white for the shiplap and a warm cedar stain for the shutters. It took a little convincing, but he finally agreed to paint the porch ceiling the traditional light blue.

It would be ready for a renter once he let me get my hands on the inside. T.J. Maxx and I were going to make the cottage so fucking chic.

“Maddie told you, huh?” I said as I dropped my shoes on the doormat and sat down beside him.

Chase laid his arm across the back of the swing. “Mhmm. How you doing?”

I shrugged. “I’m alright, I guess. I mean, it’s not like Isaac ever moved in or anything…”

---