Page 23 of Protective Cowboy

“About that,” she said. “We’re just friends, that’s all.”

Both of her sisters turned to stare at her.

“You seriously expect us to believe that?” asked Summer.

“After everything I heard about you two at the festival last weekend?” Winnie added.

“Yup. Just friends,” Matt confirmed. He winked conspiratorially. “We may have accidentally-on-purpose given her ex the wrong impression because he was acting like a jerk.”

Summer and Winnie both exploded into laughter.

“Oh my God, Phillip must’ve blown a gasket!” Winnie exclaimed. “Good for you, Autumn!”

“Especially since Matt is known as Deputy McHunky around these parts,” Summer added, grinning at Matt.

Back when Autumn was dating him, her sister had always enjoyed giving Matt a hard time.

“Deputy Mc-what?” he sputtered. His face turned an interesting shade of red under his tan.

“Sorry if I’m embarrassing you, but it’s true.” Summer didn’t look the least bit sorry as she teased him. “That’s how all the girls in town refer to you.”

“I—uh—”

His embarrassment made Autumn cringe. “Hey, stop it, you two. Matt was just trying to help me out last weekend.”

“Serves Phillip right if you put him in his place. I never did like that guy,” Dad said to them with a satisfied expression. “I always thought he was arrogant and way too old for Autumn.” Then his smile turned wicked. “But are you sure you don’t want to give Matt here a second chance? Your mom and I always liked him.”

“Dad!” Autumn protested, just like she had whenever he teased her during her teenage years. Her face heated until she was sure it was as red as Matt’s. “Uh, I’d better get back to the kitchen to help Mom. Dinner should be ready in about forty-five minutes.”

∞∞∞

“So, Matt,” Autumn said, passing him the platter of fried chicken. “Captured any runaway livestock recently?”

Somewhat to Matt’s surprise, he was enjoying himself. He’d expected things to be awkward, but it felt just like old times.

Back in high school, he used to come over all the time for dinner. Tonight, Autumn’s mom Priscilla had even made all of Matt’s favorite dishes: fried chicken, oven fries, baked macaroni and cheese, and a large tossed salad.

And Summer had informed everyone that she and her husband Brock had brought dessert—strawberry shortcakes made with fresh berries grown on Parker Farms.

Even the Snowberry’s house looked the same. The furnishings were comfortable but dated. Framed family photographs still covered the dining room walls, though new wedding and baby photos had been added in the years since Matt had last been here.

He didn’t see Autumn’s wedding photo—and thank goodness for that—but a holiday photo showed her smiling tenderly down at baby Jayden asleep in her arms.

He spotted a group photo of the Reviving Snowberry Springs production crew with a smiling Winnie, clad in her trademark bright pink tool belt and hard hat, standing next to her husband, Nick Evans.

Tonight, the entire Snowberry family, adults and kids alike, crowded around the large oval dining room table. Autumn sat sandwiched between Matt and Jayden, sitting so close to Matt that they bumped elbows if they weren’t careful.

He didn’t mind.

As he took the platter from her, he couldn’t take his eyes off the glossy auburn waves cascading down over her bareshoulders. He recognized the light perfume of her shampoo as the same scent she’d used when they were still dating.

Matt felt his cock stiffening under the onslaught of memories the perfume triggered. He was suddenly glad about the napkin resting on his lap.

Time to think about something else. And fast.

“I booked the Miller’s Angus bull for petty theft and vandalism after he broke out of his paddock again,” he joked. “I’ve never seen an animal so determined to go for a swim. You should’ve seen him trying to fit all 1800 pounds of himself into the kiddie wading pool over at the Schoening’s place.”

Everyone laughed.

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