Page 28 of Sexy Summer Flings (Bear Mountain Rescue 2)

“Good,” Cal said. “Hunter, you wanna stay for dinner?”

“Only if it’s okay with your sister.”

“There’s plenty,” she said, dispassionately.

Hunter got up from the couch and watched her pull containers from the bag. “Can I help?”

She didn’t meet his eye as she said, “Sure. Grab the plates out of that cupboard.”

“What is it?” Wes asked.

“Chinese. How about you get some forks and spoons?”

Hunter, Wes, and Cal followed Penny’s directions, and by the time they sat down at the table, Hunter was a little thrown. He’d always assumed that the three Davis siblings were a wild bunch, but watching the way the two young men treated their older sister, he saw the genuine respect and love they had for her. And vice versa.

Penny seemed softer around her brothers, and although Hunter liked Cal and Wes, he’d never really seen the family like this. She was still a snarky smart-ass, but she laughed more. She was relaxed and happy.

It was a side of her he wanted to see more of.

After dinner, Hunter loaded the dishwasher while the boys conveniently took off for the night, leaving him alone with Penny. When he hit the Start button, he turned around and found her standing in front of him.

“Have you decided what you’re doing yet?” he asked.

Her expression shuttered. “About?”

“Are you taking the job in San Diego?”

“Probably. It’s an amazing opportunity. Hard to pass up.”

“What about Bear Mountain? Wes and Cal? Allie?” Me. “This is your home.”

“People move away from their home all the time. The boys only come back a few times a year anyway and I can always visit Allie, or FaceTime with her. Selling the house would probably take care of the last bit of debt that I owe.” When she met his gaze finally, those blue eyes were completely blank. “After all, there’s nothing else keeping me here, is there?”

Trent had noticed Hunter’s new SUV outside Penny’s house when he’d dropped her off. He could have come inside and made a big deal about it, but what would be the point? Getting into another pissing match with Hunter wasn’t going to win Penny’s favor.

Plus, the very real possibility of her leaving weighed on him. Although he’d made friends at the station, Penny was the first real connection he’d shared with anyone in Bear Mountain. When he’d told her he’d hoped that he’d be on her list of reasons to stay, he wasn’t just feeding her a line. He didn’t want her to go, but didn’t feel like he had the right to ask her to stay.

Especially when he knew that Hunter was still in the running for Penny’s heart.

Trent had been surprised when Hunter had shown up at the Grizzly a half an hour ago. He’d figured he’d have manned up and told Penny how he felt already, but clearly he was in need of a little guidance. It wouldn’t be fair if Penny chose Trent because Hunter didn’t give it his all. Sure, Trent could take the easy win, but if she did stay and decided to be with him, he didn’t want to always wonder if she was thinking about Hunter.

The doc should thank his lucky stars Trent was such a saint.

He knocked back the last of his glass of whiskey and stood up. Hunter was sitting at the bar with his friend, Dex Belmont, but Trent wasn’t worried about having an audience. He had a few things to say to the good doctor that couldn’t wait.

“Where are you going, Trent?” his friend Mike Feldman asked.

“Got some business to attend to.”

“Hey, man, don’t start any shit with Doc Gracin. The chief won’t be happy about it.”

“I won’t. Cross my heart.”

Trent walked over and sat next to Hunter. When Hunter looked over at him, he tensed, but Trent waved his right hand in the air like a white flag.

>

“Relax, I’m not here to fight.”

---