Page 69 of Ropers Can't Tie Knots
Jackson and Hunter stomp back into the house, laughing, and it’s a sound I’ve grown to love. Hunter’s deep laugh, paired with Jackson’s rumbling one, always makes me smile. We rise from the living room to greet them as Hunter hangs his jacket on the hook.
“Jackson just reminded me how busy it gets on Valentine’s Day at the restaurants, and I have an idea.” He removes his gear while Jackson holds Riley’s coat for him. “Do you want to have an early Valentine’s Day?”
“What did you have in mind?”
Hunter grins as he reaches for me. “Dancing at the Happy Badger. We never got to go back there for our missed date.”
We tried to get there for a New Year’s Eve Party, but it never happened. Margie invited us over for Scrabble and pie, and Hunter never said yes so fast to an invitation in his life.
“A double date, if you don’t mind,” Jackson adds, and I look over to find Riley absolutely beaming at this spontaneous invitation.
“I’d love to. Dinner first?”
“I thought we could give that new place in town a try. That steak place, Eat More Meat.” Hunter supplies, and we all agree to meet there in a few hours.
Once Riley and Jackson have left, Hunter grabs a blanket off the couch and peeks out the porch door.
“It’s a gorgeous sunny day, and the snow is melting. False spring.” He chuckles. “Want to sit on the swing for a while?”
“Are you and the blanket keeping me warm?”
“Of course.” He pushes his feet into a pair of slippers nearby and pulls on my hand. “Come on, counsellor. Come with me.”
He bats his brown eyes with his best puppy-dog face, and I’d never say no, but that pout will always work.
“Yes, I’m coming with you.”
Stepping on the back porch, he sets the blanket on the bench for me first so I can sit on a part and wrap more around myself before snuggling up to him. The sun shines warmly today for early February, and the snow drips off the porch roof. Hunter pushes a foot off so we rock slowly, the chains squeaking a rusty tune.
“Did you and Riley make progress?”
“I think so. There isn’t much for us to do. He has the details. We need to get the invitations out asap. That won’t take us long since it’s a small wedding. I just need to buy some stamps.”
Hunter hums. A contented sound, and he drops a kiss to the top of my head. “How about we get the invitations done tomorrowand send them off? We’ll take a horse ride inside the ring and get you ready for the summer after that.”
He promised to teach me how to ride better so I could run with Mack, and I’m excited about that almost as much as the warm weather on the horizon.
“That sounds like a perfect day.”
“I agree.”
We sit for a while longer and swing, the gentle motion rocking me to sleep like a baby, and I drift off to that place that’s not quite sleep, but not quite awake, and my heart feels so full it might burst.
“You know, the first time I saw you, I never wanted a man as much as I wanted you then. Did I ever tell you that?” I mumble. With my eyes closed and sleepy, it’s like a short movie that plays on repeat in my brain. Hunter on the back of Dixie with faded jeans, a cowboy hat, and a don’t-fuck-with-me attitude.
“You mentioned something about it, I think.” His arm squeezes me tighter. “You didn’t say anything to me that night, though, but I saw you watching.”
“I didn’t approach you because I knew I couldn’t just have you once and be done. Something about you…”
Hunter clears his throat. “That’s why I said no that night at the bar.” My eyes blink open, and I twist my head to peer up at his face. “I followed you to the parking lot.”
“I saw you. It took me so long to decide to hit on you. I thought I won when I saw you under the lamppost.”
We both huff a laugh, remembering the almost time we hooked up without being married first. It feels like a lifetime ago. I couldn’t wait anymore and took a risk. It failed then, but perhaps it was the best thing to happen.
“Intuition? Gut feeling? Maybe the way Griff reads a bull…I just knew you would be different, and it scared the ever-loving hell out of me.” Hunter’s voice grows rough, and I reach up to run my fingers down his cheek. “Sometimes I’m still scared, counsellor.”
Hunter bites his lip, and I sit up, pulling the blanket with me.
