2. Harrison
Chapter 2
Harrison
“ E eeeeee!” High-pitched squeals bounce off the walls and echo through the house, followed by my stomping feet.
“Fe Fi Fo Fum!” I chant as I walk with a wide stance.
A small, blonde head bounds ahead of me, arms spread out wide as she takes off down the hall. I make a quick sound with my feet as though I am walking faster but keep my pace.
Blake turns and looks at me, almost falling over. Before she can hit the ground, Hunter scoops her up.
“Stop tormenting my daughter, Harrison.” He hitches her up on one arm.
“We’re playing,” I pout. Blake looks at my face, tries to mimic it, and looks at her dad. I see him instantly soften.
“Well, be careful. The last thing we need is her first set of stitches.” He blows a raspberry on her cheek, and sweet giggles fill the air.
“Dinner!” Cassidy calls from the kitchen. I look over to Hunter, the worry likely showing on my face .
He takes his free hand and uses his fingers to draw a smile over his lips before he smiles himself. My sister-in-law does many amazing things. She has a strong, smart, and stubborn head. She’s a wiz with numbers, a helluva rider, and a damn fine mom. But, and I say this with love: the woman can’t cook. I pray for one of the dozen decent meals she has mastered in the last few years.
For me, cooking is not that hard; you follow the recipe, plain as that. Cassidy never likes to be told what to do and always tries to add a little spice.
We walk into the kitchen where I smell something cheesy.
Please be her mac and cheese and fried chicken.
“What’s on the menu?” I inquire, lifting a brow.
“Chicken and cheese bake!” she says in a singsong voice, rubbing her hands together.
“I know you guys like my chicken and mac and cheese, so I tried to make up my own special recipe!” She beams with honest excitement.
Hunter and I stand a little straighter, knowing this experiment could possibly tear up our guts. Even if it does, we will only offer gentle criticism.
When Cassidy was pregnant with Blake, our ma came during her last trimester. She knew that extra hands would be helpful, especially retired ones. Cassidy has practically no experience with mothers, and ours took her in and loved her something fierce.
All that love and care had Cassidy wanting to be an amazing mother to her own little spawn, as they call her. She’s patient, sweet when she can be, stern when she needs to be, silly and fun. She reads to Blake daily and encourages her to try new things, even at age one. She doesn’t hover over her daughter’s every move, but she definitely keeps a watchful eye on her.
“Smells great, darlin’.” Hunter walks over and plants a quick kiss on her lips before looking at the casserole dish sitting on the stovetop. “Is the middle of that thing cooked all the way?” He tilts his head. Cassidy quickly takes a fork out of the drawer and pokes around the middle.
“Fucking hell,” she states, putting her hands on her hips.
Blake giggles at her mother, and I can’t help but chuckle at her, too. I love seeing my brother’s family. They’re everything I could have ever hoped for him. They have a love that’s similar to my parents’ but also so different. Cassidy is all piss and vinegar, and Hunter used to be before he got whipped. Now he’s only piss and vinegar with me.
Cassidy tosses on her oven mitts and pops the dish back in the oven. She looks up at Hunter, and he rubs her back affectionately.
“How long do you think?” she asks him genuinely.
“Let’s give it twenty.” He kisses the top of her head.
“Beers!” she chants, making her way to the fridge.
“Beeeees!” yells Blake.
We all get a cold one and head to the living room to relax and let Blake play while we wait for the meal.
“How’s things?” Cassidy asks me as she settles in next to Hunter.
“Which things?”
“Any things—the girls, the bunkhouse, a woman?” she pries.
“Things are overall going well. I’m in a bit of a lull when it comes to the bunkhouse. The spring and summer were great for guests, but I don’t have a lot coming up. The girls are great as always; I’m so glad the summer is done with, and the temps are finally cooling off. As far as a woman, there’s nothing. I’ve been too busy with things here to get out of town and try to meet someone.”
“When was your last guest?”
I renovated our old bunkhouse on the property over a year ago. Sometimes, people like secluded getaways when traveling. We have that here; there’s land, horses, a quaint, small town nearby, and a large pond on the property. It’s great for a quiet trip away from any kind of busy, bustling life.
The bunkhouse is small and simple with two stories. I knocked down some walls, making the previous four rooms into two, and added a half bath on the first floor by the kitchen. It’s updated with dark hardwood floors, one full bath with basic shiplap and white tile upstairs, and a small eat-in kitchen and half bath on the first floor next to the front room.
Thank the Lord for Cassidy because, although I fixed the place up, she had Mary in our corner the whole time, who is a professional designer.
“Oh, about two weeks ago, but aside from a short booking next weekend, I’ve got nothing coming up.”
“I was thinking of having Georgie down soon; she’s needing a getaway. Could I book for her?” Cassidy and her friends are thick as thieves. They’re all so unique and independent while remaining deeply connected to one another. Georgie is a great time; she’s all sarcasm and wit. Mary is serious but hates being bored. Lynn is my favorite. Blake’s middle name is Lynn since she set up her parents. If Lynn wasn’t married, she’s the kind of girl I’d go for. Sweet, charming, ready to settle down. She’s also quirky, cute, and funny. Her husband sees all that and worships the ground she walks on.
“You don’t have to book it; just tell me the dates, and I’ll block it.”
“Thanks, kiddo.” She beams, and I roll my eyes.
We make small talk about our lives. Hunter wants another baby something fierce, but he lets Cassidy take the lead on that. He never pushes her into anything, just supports her in almost any decision she makes. I can’t imagine having that kind of trust in someone’s choices. What if she doesn’t want more kids? Does Hunter just give that up?
I know I couldn’t be with a woman who didn’t want kids. My dream is a family. I think about my ideals when a voice cuts through.
“What do you think?” Cassidy asks.
“About what?”
Hunter scowls deeply at me. “Cassidy was suggesting you try a dating app. That way, you can try to meet someone while here on the farm. Increase your odds.”
“I hate those stupid apps.” They both recoil at my words, knowing an app is what brought them together. My brother downloaded some stupid country dating app, Cassidy had a fake profile set up by her friend Lynn, and the rest is history. Once they met, they were done for.
I’m making it sound a lot easier and sweeter than it was. Cassidy had Hunter by the balls—changed my brother within a night. I’ve never seen him so wrapped up in something. It was worth all the trouble; they’re as happy as I hope to be one day.
“But I could give one a try.” I try a cute grin. It only wins over Blake .
“Do what you want. Good luck at every local watering hole trying to find the next Mrs. Hill,” Cassidy says coolly.
When dinner is ready and served up, I’m surprised to find it’s pretty good. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, even Cassidy, who adds some salt and pepper to her plate.
“Okay, so I avoided extra spice, and now it’s too bland,” she complains.
“Just add a little more next time. It’s damn good.” Hunter takes a hefty bite.
“I’m not dead, so it’s fine,” I add.
We all look over at Blake, who eats happily with her hands. She’s the toughest critic at this table.
We make conversation, and I remember something I wanted to bring to their attention.
“I was thinking of tearing the trailer down next year during the bunkhouse’s offseason.”
Cassidy looks at me with a strange look on her face. “Why?” she asks.
“I want a bigger place. A house like the one we grew up in, but I don’t want to leave the property. If I tear her down, I can build new.”
Hunter grumbles at the idea of having a bunch of construction and people he doesn’t know on our land. When I redid the bunkhouse, he was patient but pissed. I could tell he was relieved when it was over.
“I was thinking next year, not this year.”
“Why not just pick a different spot? You could keep the trailer, add it to your listings on your rental site, or even make it an in-law suite,” Cassidy offers. It’s not a bad idea. There is a spot beyond the pastures that’s mostly wooded, and I could build back there.
“You could take the land southwest,” Hunter suggests, reading my mind. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t been spoiled by him and my parents growing up. If there has ever been something I wanted, my parents or Hunter made it happen. If I was ever down, Hunter was by my side before I even knew I needed someone there, from Little League to heartbreak. Although, we’ve shifted from splitting Ma’s cobbler and pie to splitting beers.
“Thanks, brother. I’ve got plenty of time to think about it and plan. It was just an idea; I don’t need a bigger space anytime soon.”
We finish our meal, and I take Blake off her parents’ hands as they sit on the front porch for a moment alone. They sit on the porch swing, and Hunter reads to Cassidy. That girl lives for literature, which works for this family.
We all love to read. Mom was the queen of books before Cassidy moved here. Now the library is packed to the gills, and they’re adding new shelves in Blake’s playroom for a children’s section. I like my fair share of lit, but Hunter and I have unusual tastes.
It may not seem masculine, but we like the classics and poetry, and I prefer a good romance. There is a lot to be said about big, wild love. I want that for myself so badly just like my parents, and just like my brother.
After some time, Blake grows tired of playing and wants to wind down; she rubs her face and signals for me to pick her up.
“Ha-Ha,” she calls for me.
I happily pick her up and make my way up to her room. I change her diaper, grab a set of pajamas from her dresser, and move with her to the bathroom. I give her a quick wipe down and brush her little teeth before dressing her and brushing her hair. She sits patiently on the counter through it all .
When we make our way to her room, I walk along the book-filled shelves. “Pick your poison, B.”
She just points in the general direction, so I grab a random book and sit with her in the rocker to read.
Her room is light, clean, and feminine. When they first did this room, they didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl. After she came into this world, Hunter and Cassidy stopped at nothing to personalize the space. Blank walls became filled with blush, mauve, and cream tones. Framed watercolor peonies and her name in a hand-carved wood sign hang on opposing walls. The other wall hosts a window, and the last has the door and the shelves for her books. It’s a sweet space.
Seeing Hunter with Blake has opened my eyes to the idea of having a girl in the family. A girl cousin would be great for my little B.
I read as she sucks her thumb, happily holding a stuffed rabbit with long, fluffy ears. She takes one of the rabbit’s ears in her free hand and rubs it along her cheeks. She does this whenever she’s tired. It’s adorable, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t tried it to see the appeal. She’s onto something; it’s soothing.
Her blinks become longer before her full lashes close for a final time. I finish the book so she can dream of the happy ending.
“You’re made for this,” Cassidy whispers into the room. She scoops her little girl up into her arms and kisses her head before laying her down.
“I can’t wait,” I say, standing next to her.
“Gotta find the girl first.” She’s thoughtful. “You know, there is this one app I heard about. It’s called Compatible. It matches you up based on compatibilities instead of just mindlessly swiping through profiles. That might be right up your alley.”
That does sound better than half of the apps I’ve heard of.
“I’ll look into it.”
Looking into it isn’t all I do that night. I build a whole profile, hoping my happy ending is coming up next.