Page 9 of Playing it Country

“Jake took her on a long weekend getaway.” A collective group of awws goes up around me and I can’t help but smile. I don’t know Cheyenne, but if she’s anything like the people in front of me, I’m bound to like her.

Shaking my head—and the thought away—I look up to see Case walking toward our group with another good-looking guy. The state of Tennessee is definitely doing something right.

“Case!” Marlee hugs him and then turns back to me. “Have you met Hannah?”

“Yeah.” He smiles at me and I swear the tips of his ears turn pink. “We’ve met.”

“Couple of times now.” I smile as everyone’s eyes ping-pong between us. Case and I grin at each other as the other guy practically bounces in place before throwing his hand in my direction.

“Hi there, I’m Montana.”

“Hannah. It’s nice to meet you.”

“How are you likin’ our little slice of heaven?” He asks the question and Ibelievehe believes we’re in heaven here. Montana is tall, well over six feet, with his baseball hat pulled down far enough to shield his eyes from the fading sun but not enough to hide them all together.

Dark brown orbs glint with mischief, and I know in an instant this man is equal parts adorable and trouble.

In any other circumstance he’d be the perfect distraction, but alas, my gaze is drawn back to Case like a moth to a flame. It’s annoying if I’m being honest.

“Where’s Sorren?” Otto asks. Rhea shakes her head as I’m pulled from my runaway thoughts about the sexysingleThayer brother.

“You know he hates crowds.”

“So do I but that doesn’t mean I get out of bein’ here,” Hank says, and Isla wraps her arm around the back of his head and pulls him down for an almost indecent kiss. I resist the urge to fan myself and can say with absolute certainty that whatever they have planned for later will make up for him being here now.

“Hey y’all!” A voice calls over the noise as two men walk over holding hands. They share a secret smile filled with obvious affection and I can’t help but swoon a little. My emotional threshold is getting whiplash, but I can’t help feeling happy when I’m surrounded by it.

“Oh my Lord, look at you!” He comes over and hugs me like he’s known me my whole life before pulling away and smiling. “I’m Hayden.”

“He’s a little confused about personal space,” the man behind him says, and Hayden sticks his tongue out at him.

“I am not. I’m just excitable.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I’m Hannah. It’s really nice to meet you.”

“I’ve heard the rumblings about Holly’s niece up at the Tap and Table. We’ve been so busy we haven’t had a chance to get up there and meet you.”

“I’m Everett, his less dramatic half,” the man behind Hayden says with a smirk. Hayden gasps and clutches at his nonexistent pearls before turning back to me.

“I can’t even deny that.” He pouts and I barely stop a chuckle from escaping.

“We all have our strengths,” I say seriously, and he squeezes me in a side hug.

“You’re not kiddin’.”

The band on the stage off in the distance starts to play, and the crowd already gathered goes wild. Despite all the forced socializing, I feel at home here. Music and food trucks are my jam.

A cover of “Two Step” by Laura Bell Bundy starts playing, and Montana offers me his hand and a smile.

“Miss Hannah, would you care to dance?” The song has a beat and intensity that reverberates in my soul, so I nod and take his hand. I catch the slightest downturn of Case’s lips, but I don’t have time to think about it before Montana is spinning me out and then moving us around with a practiced ease like he’s been doing this since birth.

The guy is something else, and he laughs when his gaze snags mine.

“Y’all are cuter than an apple pie at a barbeque.”

“I’m sorry, what?” I ask as I try and process that statement. He laughs again and it’s this pleasantly deep sound that I’m sure earns him lots of attention.

“You and my buddy Case. It’s cute watchin’ y’all stare at each other.”

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