Page 65 of Back in the Saddle

‘Why would that get my attention?’

‘Mama also told me you’ve been riding with her several times now. I put two and two together, plus your totally goofy expression just now. She’s the woman you’ve been seeing, isn’t she?’

‘I guess you could say that.’ He sighed, defeated. He forgot about the auction for a moment and swore in his head when he noticed that it had finished and he’d got outbid. Annoyed, he slapped the laptop closed.

Meg shot him a watery smile. ‘I’m sorry, didn’t mean to distract you from work.’

‘Don’t worry, there are other bulls out there.’ He pulled out a stool from under the desk and patted it, inviting her to sit down.

She dropped the pretence of being apologetic and eagerly pulled it up. Resting her elbows on her knees, she grinned at him. ‘So, when are you going to introduce me?’

‘What? Introduce you to who, Caroline?’

‘Yes, Caroline! Who else?’

‘I thought you said you’d met her?’

She waved her hand impatiently. ‘Being in two labs led by her doesn’t count. Did she tell you she does some teaching and laboratory work at the university? Anyway, it was very cool. She’s so beautiful and, like, I don’t know … I want to say elegant, but that makes it sound like I’m talking aboutsome snobby sixty-year-old lady. But you know what I mean. And she’ssosmart. Like, goals. I want to be her when I grow up.’ She kept talking excitedly, and Hunter found himself smiling because Caroline was all those things and more. ‘So, when can I properly meet her? I didn’t introduce myself or anything, that’d have been creepy.’

‘Meg, I can’t just let you tag along on our date—’

‘So, youaredating?’ She leaned forwards, almost knocking the half-full glass of water off the desk.

He considered her for a moment and shot her an exasperated look. ‘For our meeting. Rendezvous. Whatever you want to call it. Doesn’t matter as you aren’t going anyway.’

His rule of not calling it dating or a relationship due to possible lack of any future for them was in a very grey area. Besides, he refused to think about her going back to Scotland. Maybe if he didn’t think about it, it wouldn’t happen. Or he was just becoming more naive.

‘We could go somewhere together, the three of us. Or you could ask Mitch to come as well.’ Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Give me strength, Hunter thought as he looked at the ceiling.

Meg seemed to harbour some teenage infatuation with Mitch, who was way too old for her and treated her like he should – his best friend’s little sister. That didn’t deter her; she never missed an opportunity to bat her eyelashes at him. He was glad that Mitch saw it as more humorous than anything else and didn’t mind too much. She’d met Eve, too. That also didn’t deter her. Hunter was just about to say they should also invite her but then remembered Mitch told him she was away in Nashville, dealing with some publicity drama involving Lionel Webster. Again.Hunter had listened to some of his music, and the guy had talent, but sounded like trouble.

He remembered that Caroline had already agreed to meet Meg at some point when he had asked her about it at their pizza date. She did say she’d be fine with it.

Feeling a bit more relaxed about the idea, he sighed. ‘Fine, whatever. We can go somewhere. Me, you, Mitch, and Caroline. If they both agree. Now, will you please stop bugging me and let me get on with some work?’

‘Can we go to Friday night karaoke in The Crocked Boot? It’s cancelled this week but back on next. I love it there,’ she asked hopefully, pulling the oldest trick in the book: the puppy eyes.

‘Sure, whatever. Now, will you please go?’

She jumped up and briskly walked out. He could swear she was humming to herself.

‘Only if Mitch and Caroline are up for it!’

But she continued walking, pretending she didn’t hear him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Caroline

Despite the weather turning colder and windier as September gave way to October, Caroline felt a comforting warmth inside that radiated all over. Because she was still so used to shift work, she didn’t exactly dislike Sundays per se. But this felt just like perfect Sundays looked in her imagination. She turned on her side and was just about to close her eyes and reminisce about yesterday and the long, lazy make-out session on Hunter’s sofa after they had been out riding again, when there was a knock on the door.

She sighed and sat up. ‘Come in!’

Gian pushed the door open, trying to balance the contents of a laden breakfast tray. She was fully dressed in a pair of smart navy trousers and a grey cashmere jumper.

Caroline jumped out of bed and rushed to help her. ‘I’ll get it.’ She took the tray from Gian, who smiled at her gratefully.

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