Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

21. HAYLEY

Chapter twenty-one

HAYLEY

After the thank-you dinner at the cottage, my life remains the same. I'm still busy with work, of course. But I find myself going out of my way to run into Austin most days before I leave for the office. It's not planned, I tell myself.

Just a happy coincidence.

One of those mornings, I spot Austin near the stables. My heart does a little flip as I approach.

"Morning, Austin," I call out, trying to sound casual. "Busy day ahead?"

He turns, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Hayley, what a pleasant surprise. Yeah, got a few fences to mend. You headed to the office?"

I nod, holding up my briefcase. "Big case today. Wish me luck?"

"You don't need luck," he says, his eyes twinkling. "But I'll wish you some anyway."

As I drive away, I can't help but smile. It's just a simple exchange, but it sets my day off right.

***

The next week, I'm leaving the office late when I run into Austin. He's carrying a box from the local bakery.

"Hayley!" he calls out. "You're working late."

I shrug, feeling a bit sheepish. "Big cases. You know how it is."

He nods, then holds out the box. "Here, take this. It's a leftover cake from lunch. No way I can finish it all. You can share it with your paralegal if you want."

"There's no way I can take that," I say, eyeing the box. Not only does it look brand new, it looks so good.

"Come on. I insist," he assures.

I finally accept the box, our fingers brushing for a moment. "Thanks, Austin. That's really sweet of you – really thanks."

As I drive home that night, the scent of chocolate cake filling my car, I realize I'm looking forward to these little moments more than I'd like to admit.

Days pass, and our exchanges become more frequent. One day, I bring him a bowl of my (successfully made) beef stew. Another day, he surprises me with a block of fresh cheese from the farmer's market.

"Thought you might like this," he says, handing me the cheese. "It goes great with that red wine you like."

I feel a warmth spreading through my chest. He remembers my favorite wine.

"Thanks, Austin," I say, my voice softer than I intend. "I'm sure it'll be delicious."

As I walk away, I catch sight of a few ranch hands grinning at us. I pretend not to notice, but I can feel a blush creeping up my neck.

Over time, I start to learn the names of the ranch hands. There's Sebastian, the foreman who is always around, and Charles, Antonio, and so many more.

One morning, I find myself at the ranch earlier than usual. I spot Sebastian near the main house.

"Is Austin around?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

Sebastian's eyes twinkle with amusement. "Yes, the boss is at the back of the barn."

I nod my thanks and head that way, my heart beating a little faster with each step. I round the corner of the barn and there he is, his back to me as he works on fixing a piece of equipment.

"Good morning," I call out, startling him slightly.

Austin turns, a wrench in his hand and a smudge of grease on his cheek. "Hayley! You're here early."

I shrug, suddenly feeling a bit foolish. "Just thought I'd say good morning before I leave for work."

He sets down the wrench and walks over to me, wiping his hands on a rag. "Well, I'm glad you did. It's uh… always good to see you."

My heart leaps.

The drawl, the raw appeal.

There's a moment of silence, filled with unspoken words and growing tension. I find myself staring at the smudge on his cheek, fighting the urge to wipe it away.

"I, uh, I should get going," I stammer, breaking the moment. "Big day at the office."

Austin nods, his eyes never leaving mine. "Of course. Good luck today, lawyer."

As I walk back to my car, I can feel his gaze on me. And for the first time, I allow myself to admit that maybe, just maybe, I want something more.

Before I reach my car, I hear Austin's voice calling out. "Hey, Hayley! Wait up!"

I turn, my heart skipping a beat as he jogs towards me. "What's up?"

"I need to head into town too," he says, a bit breathless. "How about I drive you?"

I hesitate, gesturing towards my car. "But how would I get back after work?"

Austin's smile is smooth and confident. "I could easily drive you back if you want. It's no trouble at all."

I bite my lip, considering. "I don't know..."

"Come on," he coaxes. "It'll save gas. Think of the environment."

I can't help but laugh. "Playing the environmental card, huh?"

As we banter, I notice the ranch hands starting to gather, poorly concealing their interest in our conversation. Charles gives me a not-so-subtle thumbs up.

"Alright," I finally concede, my cheeks warm. "Let's go."

The drive into town is filled with easy conversation and shared laughter. As we pull up in front of my office, I find myself reluctant to leave.

"Thanks for the ride," I say, unbuckling my seatbelt.

Austin's eyes meet mine. "I'll be back as soon as you're done with work."

"I'll call you," I promise, stepping out of the truck.

As I walk towards my office, Mrs. Jenkins from the flower shop next door waves me over.

"Good morning, Hayley!" she chirps. "Was that Austin who dropped you off?"

I nod, bracing myself for the inevitable small-town gossip. "Yes, we carpooled today."

Mrs. Jenkins' eyes sparkle with interest. "Are you two... dating?"

I deflect as best I can. "We're just friends, Mrs. Jenkins."

She smirks, a clear indicator that she doesn't believe it one bit. "Well, you better act fast. There are multiple women in town looking for a chance with him. You're lucky to be so close."

"It's not like that," I insist, but she waves off my protest.

"Take it from me, dear. Snag a good one while you can."

I force a smile and excuse myself, my mind whirling as I enter my office.

The days pass in a blur of activity. I meet with Mr. Thompson about his property dispute, poring over land surveys and property lines. Later, I help Mrs. Rodriguez finish drafting her will, ensuring her wishes for her estate are clear and legally binding.

As I prepare for a court appearance, reviewing my notes for a civil case involving a contract breach, I find my thoughts drifting to Austin. His smile, his kind eyes, the way he always seems to know just what to say... and how he acts towards me.

Sighing, I am about to drive home when Mrs. Jenkins' words echo in my mind. “Multiple women are looking for a chance with him. You're lucky.”

I lean back in my seat, memories of my last relationship surfacing. It had ended badly, leaving scars that, even three years later, haven't fully healed. For the first time, I admit to myself that I'm scared to get into another relationship, to risk my heart again.

As if sensing my thoughts, my phone buzzes with a message from Austin:

Hey, Miss Lawyer. Have you had dinner? Interested in some good old-fashioned pumpkin pie?

I can't help but laugh, staring at his text. The warmth spreading through my chest makes my cheeks feel hot despite the windows being rolled down.

Changing routes, I decide to go to the main residence to collect the pie.

Not because I want to see him, but because of the pie.

As I pull into the driveway of the house, my headlights illuminate an unfamiliar car. My curiosity is piqued, and I wonder if he has a guest over… Perhaps one of the ranch hands?

After all, who could be visiting at this hour?

I step out of my car, keys clutched tightly in my hand and approach the front door. Before I can knock, it swings open, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman.

“He- llo?”

"Oh! You must be Hayley," she says, her voice warm and friendly. "I'm Sarah. Are you here to see Austin?"

"Yeah…" I mumble.

"He’s in town. He asked me to drop off some documents for him."

Relief floods through me, followed by a twinge of... something else. Disappointment? No, that can't be right.

I shake off the feeling as Sarah continues to talk.

I didn't know a close friend… I mean, close friends are the only ones you allow into your house that's not family, especially when you're not there? Right…?

"Austin is seeing some guests in town, do you want me to send a message to him?"

"No, no… I just. I wanted to say hi," I respond, swallowing back what I want to say.

It seems so silly telling her I came here for a pie.

As we chat, I can't help but notice how effortlessly graceful she is, and how her laugh seems to light up the room. A knot forms in my stomach, and I'm disturbed by my reaction. Am I jealous? Of a woman I’ve never met? I push the thought away.

"I uhm, I need to get back. I just wanted to say hi," I say.

"Oh OK," she responds.

I expect her to leave as I slowly walk away, but for some reason, she remains at the door.

Wasn't she about to leave earlier?

As I get to my car, I can still feel her gaze on my back.

Friends, hmm? Is that really all?

My mouth feels bitter.

Later that night, I get a text from Austin.

Hey, sorry I'm texting late, I just came back from town. Are you still interested in the pumpkin pie? I can bring it for you tomorrow?

The longer I stare at the words, the harder it feels to reply.

In the end, I send only six words. Thank you, but maybe next time.

As I slowly drift to sleep, Mrs. Jenkins's words keep coming back. "There are multiple women in town looking for a chance with him."

There are multiple women – indeed.

***

A few days later, late evening with barely anyone around, I run into Austin at the flower shop.

The first thing that comes to my mind is to run towards him and talk to him – since it has been a few days.

But as I get closer, I realize he's examining a bunch of daisies, his brow furrowed in concentration.

They are my favorite flowers.

At that moment, I feel my mouth turn bitter once more.

It's probably for her isn't it!

The sentence flashes through my head, startling me.

Flustered, I'm about to walk away when Mrs. Jenkins calls out to me. "Hayley, are you here to see Austin?"

I wince, knowing there's no way to escape.

Immediately, Austin looks up, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Hayley! I was just about to come to your office."

"Yeah?" I reply, sounding a bit defensive as I fold my arms against my chest.

I know Austin hasn't done anything wrong, but for some reason, I find it hard to soften my tone.

"How are you?"

"Good…"

"You must have been busy, uh…" he says.

"Yeah."

"I thought as much since I didn't get a reply." He shrugs, a smile on his lips.

As I stare at his face, I feel a bit guilty since the truth is I had intentionally left his message unread. "I just… a lot of cases these days," I mutter, unfolding my arms.

"I get it…" He nods. "I’ve also been busy these days. Business meetings and whatnot."

"Yeah, I know," I mumble beneath my breath. I can't shake the memory of Sarah's visit, especially the fact that she has stayed back like she owned the house or something. Before I can stop myself, the words tumble out. "Your girlfriend is really lovely, by the way."

I freeze.

What did I just say? Why did I say that? Why!!!

I wish the ground would open and swallow me.

Austin's eyebrows shoot up. "My girlfriend?" he asks, confused.

I feel my cheeks heat up. "Sarah? She came by the other night..."

Understanding dawns on his face, followed by amusement. "Sarah's my cousin, Hayley. Definitely not my girlfriend."

"Oh," I say, feeling foolish. "I just assumed..."

He steps closer, his eyes locked on mine. "There's no girlfriend, Hayley. There hasn't been for a long time."

The air between us seems to crackle with electricity. I'm acutely aware of how close we are, of the warmth radiating from his body. Time seems to slow as he leans in, his hand gently cupping my cheek.

At that moment, I forget the fact that the flower shop is just a few feet away and that Mrs. Jenkins is probably staring at us through the window.

Heck, I forget everything… and it feels like we are the only ones in the world at that moment.

Our lips meet, and the world fades away. The kiss is soft, sweet, and over far too soon. As we part, I feel dizzy, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," Austin murmurs, his forehead resting against mine.

I struggle to form words, my mind reeling. Did that really just happen? I can still feel the warmth of his lips on mine, the ghost of his touch on my skin.

"Hayley," he says softly, "would you like to go out with me? On a real date?"

My heart soars at his words, but fear creeps in, tempering my joy. I want to say yes, more than anything, but something holds me back.

Austin must sense my hesitation. He caresses my cheek gently, his eyes full of understanding. "There's no pressure," he assures me. "Take some time to think about it. I'll be here when you're ready."

I nod, grateful for his patience. We part ways, and how I manage to drive home in a daze – I would never know. Because my emotions are a swirling mess.

I kissed him.

We kissed.

He kissed me.

I-

Kissed!?

Back at the cottage, I don't bother turning on the lights. I make my way to the bedroom and curl up on the bed, hugging a pillow to my chest.

On one side, I'm happier than I've been in years. The kiss replays in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. But on the other hand there's still something holding me back, a nagging fear I can't quite shake.

As I lie there in the darkness, I realize I'm at a crossroads. Do I take a chance on love again, on Austin? Or do I let my fears control me?

I close my eyes, the warmth of Austin's kiss still lingering on my lips, and know that whatever I decide, nothing will ever be the same again.