Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

15. HAYLEY

Chapter fifteen

HAYLEY

I can feel my arms trembling, my clothes messy with rain and blood. After the intense experience of helping deliver the calf, my heart is still racing.

That night, long after, as I lay in bed, I continue replaying the moment over and over in my head.

“It seems I keep replaying a lot of things these days,” I mumble to myself, thinking back to how saving the calf wouldn’t have been possible if Austin had not been calm all along. Because for sure I may have looked and seemed in control, but inside I was a terrified mess.

After that night, I realize that on days I don’t go out of my way to avoid him, our paths seem to cross more frequently now. But what do I think now, when before I had been looking for revenge all along? It’s different.

One sunny afternoon, I'm walking along the fence line, lost in thought, when I hear excited barking. I see the two golden retrievers bounding towards me, tongues lolling and tails wagging furiously.

"Whoa there!" I laugh as they reach me, nearly knocking me over in their enthusiasm. I kneel down to pet them, their fur soft under my hands.

"Come on boys, get back here!" Austin's voice causes me to look up, and I can see him standing across the field. Before I can stand up and possibly retreat, I look up to see him jogging towards us, a sheepish grin on his face.

"I see you've met the welcoming committee," he says as he reaches us, slightly out of breath.

I can't help but smile. "They're certainly friendly."

"Got them about five years ago," he explains, reaching down to ruffle one of the dog’s ears. "They're a great company, but they have a bad habit of escaping to greet people they like. This is Duke and that is Rusty."

“I don’t think I have met them one on …” I pause, remembering that night when I did meet them one-on-one, so to speak.

The embarrassing night, I shall not mention.

“Do you mind them being close to you?” Austin asked.

"No, of course I don't mind," I assure him, standing up and petting their heads. "They're adorable."

There's a moment of awkward silence, and I realize it's the first time we've been alone since the night in the barn. The memory brings a flush to my cheeks.

Austin clears his throat. "So, uh, how are you settling in?"

"Pretty well," I reply, surprised to find I mean it. "It's... nice being back here."

He nods, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's a beautiful place to grow up.”

I looked at his face, expecting to feel some sort of sarcasm from his words but the sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, and I find myself studying his face. Has he always had those little crinkles around his eyes when he smiles?

One of the dogs chooses that moment to flop onto his back, demanding belly rubs. I laugh, grateful for the distraction.

"Your dogs are so adorable unlike their owner," I joke before I can stop myself.

Austin's eyebrows shoot up, and I immediately want to crawl into a hole.

WHAT.

THE.

HECK

But then he laughs, a deep, genuine sound that makes my stomach do a little flip.

"I don't know," he says, his eyes twinkling. "I’m known to be very charming at times."

I roll my eyes, but I can feel a smile tugging at my lips. "That’s what everyone says. If only they knew the true Austin."

"Ah yes, nothing like a home stealer and a distasteful man," he quips.

We both laugh, and I'm struck by how easy this feels. The hostility that marked our earlier interactions has faded, replaced by something warmer, more familiar.

Over the next few days, I find myself running into Austin more often. Sometimes it's just a wave as we pass each other on the property, other times it's longer conversations that leave me smiling long after we've parted ways.

I mean, it’s nice having a friend on the property. I don’t have to fight all the time. That’s probably why I feel so relieved.

Then what about yesterday? I’m recalling when I had decided to take a swim in the lake. I'm floating on my back, enjoying the cool water, when I hear splashing nearby. I turn to see Austin’s dogs paddling towards me, along with a shirtless Austin not far behind.

"Sorry!" he calls out. "They saw you and decided to join in."

I was about to reply when one of the dogs, swims right up to me and starts licking my face. I spluttered and laughed, trying to fend him off.

"Bad boy, no Rusty!" Austin scolds, but he's laughing too. He reaches us and gently pulls him away. "I swear, they have no manners."

I wipe my face, still giggling. "It's fine. I probably taste like lake water anyway."

Austin's eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe. He's so close I can see droplets of water clinging to his eyelashes.

"I don't know," he says softly. "You look pretty sweet to me."

My heart does a somersault, and I'm grateful for the cool water hiding my burning cheeks. Before I can think of a response, Duke decides it's his turn for attention and swims between us, breaking the moment.

So, tell me, how can I explain this feeling I’m having?

"Arf! Arf!"

The dog barks, causing me to look away.

At that moment, a mix of emotions hits me. Part of me feels grateful for the interruption, and the other part, well…

I pause.

What exactly am I expecting?

Shaking off the confusing thoughts, I swim towards the lake's edge, leaving Austin and the dogs splashing in the water.

"Are you leaving?" Austin calls out, causing me to look back briefly. He's still in the water, and… there is just something about a cowboy, water drops and the sunlight all at once.

"Oh no…" I mumble to myself. I need to get out of here as fast as I can. For the sake of my sanity, most importantly.

I climb out, wrapping my towel around myself and holding it close to my chest like a shield. "Yeah, I... I forgot I needed to do something," I reply, my voice sounding strained even to my ears.

Austin nods, his brow furrowing slightly. "Are you going to town? Do you need a ride?"

"No!" I snap, my voice louder than I meant. "No, no," I repeat in a softer tone, clearing my throat. I rush to assure him, the words tumbling out faster than I can control them. I let out a nervous laugh that sounded painfully fake.

Austin doesn't seem convinced, but he doesn't push it. Instead, he calls out to his dogs, "Duke! Rusty! Come on, guys, time to get out!"

They respond immediately, paddling towards the shore. As they climb out, shaking water everywhere, I find my gaze drawn to Austin once more as he follows them. Despite my best efforts, my eyes trail over his well-toned muscles, glistening with water droplets in the afternoon sun.

"Oh lordy," I mutter under my breath. I can feel Austin's gaze, and I swallow hard, looking up to meet his eyes. I hope the flush I can feel spreading across my cheeks can be attributed to the swim.

"I guess I might as well head out too," Austin says, running a hand through his wet hair. "Got some work to do back at the ranch."

There's a pause between us, the silence stretching out until it's on the verge of becoming awkward.

I can just go, right?

So… why am I still standing in place, my legs not moving?

In a desperate attempt to fill the awkward silence, I blurt out, "What type of work?" Then, realizing how odd that sounds, I quickly add, "I mean, I know there's always something to do on a farm."

Austin chuckles, the sound sending an unexpected shiver down my spine. "Yeah... and other stuff," he replies vaguely.

For what feels like the hundredth time today, I'm struck by the realization that something is changing between us. Or maybe it's all in my head, and the Texas sun is finally getting to me. One of the dogs – Rusty, I think – licks my hand, jolting me back to the present.

I wet my lips nervously. "I should really get going," I say, bending down to shove everything into my beach bag.

I straighten up, ready to escape, but Austin's voice stops me. "I'll see you around the ranch, yeah?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak without creating another awkward moment. But before I can take a step, Austin speaks up again, his voice softer this time.

"Hey, Hayley? I was wondering... would you be interested in going to dinner with me?"

I stammer, not sure if I've heard him correctly. "D-dinner?"

Austin's expression is a mix of hope and uncertainty. "Yeah, dinner. No pressure or anything. It's a – a thank you for helping out the other day. I didn't get to thank you after the vet came by."

The word 'no' is right there on the tip of my tongue. It would be the sensible thing to say, the safe option. But for some inexplicable reason, what comes out instead is, "Yes."

My eyes widen as soon as the word leaves my mouth, my brain catching up a second too late. Austin looks just as shocked as I feel, though there's a hint of pleasure in his surprise.

A slow smile spreads across his face, his accent thickening as he drawls, "Well, I'm mighty glad you accepted, Miss Hayley." His voice, combined with that smile, makes my breath catch in my throat. I'm suddenly aware of the breeze on my skin, and how close we're standing.

"When are you free?" Austin asks, still smiling.

"I'm always free," I say without thinking, then stumble over my words as I try to backtrack. "I mean, I'm free on Saturday. That works. I'm okay with Saturday."

Austin nods, looking amused at my flustered state. "Saturday it is. Do you like fish? Any allergies I should know about?"

I shake my head. "No allergies. Fish is fine."

"Alright, I've got it all planned out then," he says, tipping an imaginary hat.

Feeling overwhelmed, I make some silly excuse about needing to water my non-existent plants, then turn to leave before I can say anything else embarrassing.

As I walk away, I can feel Austin's gaze on my back, making my cheeks burn even hotter. It takes every ounce of willpower not to look back over my shoulder.

When I finally reach the cottage, I close the door and immediately slide down to the floor, my back against the cool wood. My face feels like it's on fire, and I'm sure I must be bright red.

"I just agreed to a date… no, a thank you dinner," I whisper to myself, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. "With Austin. What could possibly be crazier than this?"

As I sit there, my mind races with a thousand thoughts. Part of me feels excited, anticipating Saturday with a giddy sort of nervousness. Another part feels terrified, remembering why getting involved with Austin might be a bad idea.

But then I remember how he looked at me by the lake, the warmth in his eyes and the gentleness in his voice. Maybe, just maybe…

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Okay, Hayley , I say to myself. It's just dinner. You can handle this. It's not like you're agreeing to marry the guy.

With that thought, I push myself off the floor and head to the bathroom. As I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror – hair wild from the lake, cheeks still flushed – I can't help but laugh at myself.

"Well," I say to my reflection, "I didn't embarrass myself even more."