Page 21 of Unbearable

“Not too bad, actually. It could be a lot worse. No foundation issues. Your roof needs replaced, along with an outdated electrical system. The plumbing could use some updates, but nothing major. Cosmetically, it could use some updates, but that’s beside the point. An updated HVAC system wouldn’t be a bad idea, but overall, you’re looking pretty good, all things considered. I’ll send you a full report in the next couple of days.” He shrugged. Austin’s dark wavy hair was neatly trimmed, and his brown eyes were sharp and attentive, giving him an air of quiet confidence. A hint of stubble lined his strong jaw, and he wore a fitted flannel shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders. His easy smile and relaxed demeanor put me at ease despite the laundry list of repairs.

“Great, thanks. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but that doesn’t sound too bad.” Although, it did sound like a lot of money I hadn’t planned on spending before coming to Woodstone. Luckily, I had saved a considerable amountover the past few years and had the disposable funds for a project of this magnitude. It was going to be an investment, but I knew it would pay off in the long run, even if not financially.

“It has really good bones. With some TLC, it will be a great home,” he said with a small smile.

Austin was a few years older than Trent, Dorian, and me, but I didn’t know him very well growing up until we ended up attending the same university in Seattle. It was nice to have a friend from Woodstone in the city, even though he was a few years ahead of me in school. He had earned his MBA before deciding to return to Woodstone to help his dad take over the family business.

After he returned, we’d lost touch, but he was always a happy, familiar face.

“Yeah, I think so too. How’s your business going? Colt mentioned you took it over from your dad recently. It seems to be working out well for you,” I said, wiping sweat from my forehead and walking over to the kitchen sink to wash the dust from my hands.

Austin swayed on his feet. “It’s been great. My dad has been able to step back, and my brother and I handle most of the day-to-day operations. How have you been? I haven’t seen you in years.”

“I’m good. Just visiting and trying to fix this place up before heading back to Seattle.”

“I didn’t realized you had stayed there after college,” he said.

“Yeah, it’s great. I love it there, but it’s nice to be back in Woodstone for a bit too.”

“For sure.” He smiled, as if wanting to say more but holding back.

There was no denying that Austin was attractive.When I think back to knowing him in school, he was always friendly and kind. If Noah were here, she would kick me for not asking him out. She was always trying to push me to date again, but it simply wasn’t my priority. My life was comfortable as it was, and I wasn’t interested in adding in another component of unpredictability into my life.

“Thanks, Austin. For everything. I’ll walk you out.”

“No problem at all. It’s great to see you. Good luck fixing this place up.” He slid his business card across the kitchen counter with a smile.

“Thanks, Austin. Take care.”

As I walked him out, I spotted Trent’s truck in the distance, pulling up the driveway. They acknowledged each other with a wave before Austin drove away. Trent jumped out of his truck, looking annoyingly attractive in his hat and boots. His whole image screamed rugged cowboy, which did things to my insides that I really didn’t want to analyze too deeply.

“You checking me out, Dot?” He winked at me as he walked up.

“Keep dreaming,” I replied, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks from being caught.

“Yeah, sure.” He raised his brow at me.

“What do you want me to say?” My voice went up an octave. “Oh, Trent. I just can’t help it. These small-town boys are built different.”

“That’s more like it,” he said, right as I continued.

“You know the small-town type—cocky, arrogant, annoying as hell.” My voice was laced with sarcasm. I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, right. I know you missed me,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes. “You’re delusional.”

“Ouch,” he said, placing a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Dotty.”

“You’ll survive.” I patted his shoulder, resisting the urge to linger.

He smiled, his dimple showing, and, damn, it really stirred something inside me. I tried to push the feeling down.

Trent chuckled and narrowed his eyes at me. He walked up the front porch steps and sighed.

“It’s been a few days since I’ve been here. Busy with the ranch lately, but I thought I’d see what progress you’ve made. Maybe we can go into town and look at any supplies you need?”

I crossed my arms and glanced at the cabin. “There’s some work that needs to be done before I paint, but I’ve been wanting to grab a couple of sample cans to test out what works best in the space. I need to pick up stuff to replace the roof too.”

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