Page 39 of Back in the Saddle

Hunter shrugged. Mitch was probably right, but once he let his mind wander into dark places, it was hard to pull it out of them. Logic was the last thing that spoke to him in that moment.

‘Hold on, his oncologist drove all the way from Oklahoma City to the ranch just to give him his results? Isn’t that what the appointments are for? Also, isn’t it, like, I don’t know, a bit unprofessional?’

‘She was there for something else. He asked her about them, and she didn’t want to brush him off. Dad’s been her patient for a long time now. He trusts her. I know it sounds a bit unconventional, but I really don’t think I’d have done differently if I were her.’ Hunter shrugged again.

‘Why did she come then?’

Shit. He hadn’t mentioned Caroline to Mitch.

‘She wanted to take her niece out riding. Apparently, she rode when she was younger.’ Hunter had to stop himself from pulling a face.

‘Is that the reason you look like someone whacked your head with something heavy? The niece’s hot?’

Hunter bristled. ‘What? Why would you say that?’

Mitch grinned. ‘Oh, come on. We’ve been friends for what, six years now? Give me some credit.’

Hunter rubbed his eyes, considering how much he should tell Mitch. ‘Today wasn’t the first day I met her niece. Remember when I asked you to go to The Rouge Scot with me?’

Mitch nodded once.

‘Well, she was the reason I wanted to go there. We met there just over two weeks ago, shared some drinks, chatted, then we kissed. I met her at the Rouken Cancer Center, too. She works there as a research assistant.’ He sighed. ‘We were meant to go to Robbers Cave tomorrow, but I don’t think that’s going to happen now.’

Mitch’s eyes grew wide with surprise, and he looked like he might burst into laughter. ‘Wait, go back. You kissed?’

Hunter groaned. ‘Is this the only thing you picked up on?’

‘No! But you’ve got to admit that’s the most important one.’

‘Well, we did more than kissing earlier at the ranch …’

‘Excuse me?’

Hunter groaned, thinking for a second this was a terrible idea. But even if he didn’t share more details now, Mitch would still know something was afoot. So, he told him the bare bones: about the bar, the run in at the Centre, and then their meeting at the ranch today.

When he finished, Mitch laughed out loud. He fell back on the couch, clutching his stomach. ‘Dude. You’re just unbelievable.’ His laughter abruptly stopped, and he sat up straight, suddenly looking very serious. ‘How was it?’

‘How was what? The kissing?’

‘No, learning to tap dance!’

Hunter laughed. He knew what Mitch meant, but he had such a short fuse and irritating him was one of Hunter’s favourite parts of their friendship. Most men didn’t talk about their feelings. Or that’s what society liked to believe. However, it was always different between Hunter and Mitch.

Mitch had been there for him five years ago when his world crumbled down, then again, when his father got sick. He knew him. And Hunter trusted him.

Hunter took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to put his thoughts into as few words as possible to describe the way kissing Caroline made him feel. ‘Like it brought me back to life.’

He didn’t look at Mitch when he said it, and now that he did, he reached over and lifted a glass of whisky from the coffee table. He took a long sip and shivered.

Mitch gulped and downed his whisky too. ‘Wow. Man, that’s … huge,’ he finally choked out.

Hunter nodded once.

‘What happened after?’

‘She pulled away, said she couldn’t do it, apologised, and ran away.’

Mitch let out a loud whistle, but he didn’t laugh. ‘That’s it? Maybe it wasn’t so great for her.’

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