6. Harrison
Chapter 6
Harrison
I ’m almost positive there are building codes being broken right now. I look around the bathroom for an escape, and all I find is a small, three-by-five, elongated window close to the ceiling. What if there was a fire in this bar? I would die, and my family would deserve a settlement. The bathroom is only a single stall, a single urinal, and two sinks.
I fish out my phone and type a message to my group text with Hunter and Cassidy.
Me: Call me in 10 minutes saying there is a family emergency.
Cassidy: What is going on?
Hunter: Nope, not happening. I’m not lying for you.
Cassidy: I’ll lie for you. I’ll get Hunter to hit me so I’m crying.
I chuckle at her outlandish response. My brother worships the ground his wife walks on. He would never lay a hand on her.
Me: I don’t care who calls me, but I’ve already been gone too long. I’m heading back out. No more texts. Call in 10.
There isn’t a response from either of them. I put my phone away and wash my hands so they’re damp; that way it seems like I actually went to the bathroom. I dry them off, and then wipe the remaining water on my jeans, hoping they leave a wet mark.
The completely insane idea comes over me to maybe put a little water by my crotch to make myself look like a mess, but I can’t get myself to do it. I just hope Cassidy pulls through.
Walking out of the bathroom, I collide with a small but firm body. A small gasp escapes their lips, and I take hold of their shoulders quickly to make sure they’re stable. Looking down, I’m met with bright blue eyes that gleam with curious energy. Red-painted lips spread into a wide smile. Jenna runs her tongue along her top teeth and quirks a brow.
“Hey, stranger, I was just heading to the bathroom real quick.” She quickly looks over my shoulder, noting the empty room. She splays a hand on my chest and gives a little shove to try and push me backward. I don’t budge, and she looks a little sheepish.
I gently grasp her wrist and remove her hand. Trying my hardest to come off kind, I play it all off as an innocent accident. “This is the men’s; the women’s is one more door over. I’ll see you back at the table.”
“I’ll only be a minute.”
I speed walk to the table and think about flagging the server over.
That would look suspicious.
I take a deep breath and pray that Jenna comes out before Cassidy calls. It might take more than ten minutes because I know Hunter is giving her a hard time. Wait till I get to their place and remind him I’m the reason they’re together. He almost gave up on that girl, and I gave him the push he needed. I also watch their daughter for free. I have so many favors in my pocket.
Jenna all but skips toward me. She is dressed in short cutoffs, a maroon spaghetti strap tank with a lace-trimmed neckline, and her bra is a black lace strapless number. I didn’t fail to notice it when she leaned forward and pressed her breasts together with her arms. I stand to pull her chair out for her when my phone goes off.
CASSIDY HILL
“It’s my sister-in-law, sorry.” I give her a fake remorseful smile.
“No worries. Does she call you often?” Her smile is tight and forced—it makes me uncomfortable.
“Uhhh, yeah we’re pretty close,” I answer honestly. Cassidy has become a real sister to me.
Jenna’s smile falters for just a moment before she slides it back into place.
“Hello?” I answer, keeping my eyes on my date. She watches me carefully.
“Oh my God! Harrison, Blake fell from the loft in the barn! We think her arm is broken. We’re going to the ER now!” she wails. The hairs on my neck stand at attention. I have to remember I asked her to fake an emergency, but Blake is our angel. She could have said anything else.
“Which ER?!” I ask directly. The fear in my voice is real; I hate to even imagine anything happening to that girl .
“Uh, Regional?” she says, faltering.
“Okay, it’ll take me about thirty minutes. Do you need me to get anything from the house?”
“Yeah, we didn’t grab her bunny!” she states, which would be a real emergency.
“I’m on it!” I end the call. Turning to face Jenna, I see her eyes wide, and brows raised.
“Everything okay?” she asks.
“My niece fell, and they think her arm is broken. I need to grab some stuff for them at the house and head to the ER.” I pull my wallet out and fish out enough cash to cover our tab and tip. When I move to leave, Jenna does as well.
“Well, we better head out then,” she says definitively.
“Uh, yeah. Sorry for the abrupt end to our date.” I am speed walking out the door, but I hear the drops of little footfalls behind me. Jenna is keeping my pace, which in a way makes sense because she has no reason to stay at the bar by herself. Once we’re outside, I head toward my truck but think better of it.
“Where did you park?” I ask tersely.
“Over there, want me to follow you?” she asks seriously while pointing to a red Chevy sedan.
“Follow me?” Genuine confusion and an uncertain discomfort fill me.
“Yeah, you can’t possibly want to do this alone. Jenna will help.” And there it is—one of the many unusual things to happen this evening.
“Listen, I have to go. Please get home safe.” I usher her to her car, and she stares at me with an unamused look before sliding into her driver’s seat.
I all but run over to my truck, hop in, start her up, and peel out of the lot without buckling in. I don’t want to give her the opportunity to follow me, which after tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised by. I drive irresponsibly the whole way home. Over the speed limit and making extra turns. Not once do I see the sedan, but I can’t shake the discomfort from earlier.
It would take about thirty minutes on an average day to get home from that bar. With the extra turns and a detour at a gas station to fuel up, I make it there in about forty-five.
I pull in front of the main house, park my truck, and head up the steps. Before Cassidy, I would just walk into the house without a second thought. Not long after she and Hunter reunited, I learned the hard way that knocking is a must now. Catching your brother on the stairs with his girlfriend is just as mortifying as it sounds. It’s not finding-your-parents mortification, but it’s no good.
I knock a few times, and Cassidy opens the door quickly, B on her hip. Blake smiles big with recognition and splays her arms out for me.
“Ha-Ha!” She beams.
“Sweet B!” I scoop her up and step through the threshold. The house smells like coffee, likely a decaf brew. Hunter sits on the couch with a steaming mug in hand, feet kicked up on the coffee table, looking relaxed. Cassidy closes the door behind me and glides into her spot next to him, grabbing her own mug before settling in.
“Do you want a cup?” she asks, sitting up as if she may stand.
I hold one hand out and shake my head. “Honestly, I’d prefer a beer. I won’t stay long, I know y’all have market tomorrow.”
“It’s just Jake and me tomorrow,” my brother says. “Get yourself a bottle.”
“Spill,” Cassidy says over her mug .
I walk with Blake in my arms to the kitchen, pull open the fridge, and grab a beer. She tries to grab the bottle in my hand, but I pull it away. Once we’re back, I set her down on the floor by some of her toys and twist the cap off. Blake wants nothing to do with the toys, and she walks right over to where I am. Scooping her back up, I settle us both on the loveseat.
“I honestly don’t even know where to start,” I sigh. Jenna was not a good match at all. I had felt desperate multiple times when it came to my desire to find someone and settle down. Jenna’s desperation seemed greater, and her approach showed it.
“So, I matched with this girl, and it was something like 97 percent.”
“That’s damn near perfect,” Hunter states. I shoot him a look for interrupting, and Cassidy elbows him.
“Well, we only talked for two days before she insisted we get together. Which was fine, but once we met up, things got weird.” I take a sip from my beer and bounce Blake on my lap. Recalling the whole date makes me feel uneasy. Partly because of Jenna and partly because I feel rude for leaving the way I had.
“Weirder than the girl who was married and asked you to pretend to be her shrink when her husband caught her cheating?” Cassidy quips.
“Yes. She was just strange, talking about a future already, asking me very detailed questions about marriage, children, schools, views on vaccines for kids, color schemes that are acceptable in the home.”
“Okay, so she’s direct.” Cassidy winces.
“Where is the, what’s your favorite color, tell me a funny story part?” I argue .
“You wanted someone serious,” my brother cuts in.
“Yes, but I also wanted someone to have fun with. I feel like she was ready to be together tonight and forever. She even wanted to come to the ER with me.” Cassidy’s brows shoot up. If I was going to the ER for myself, I could see someone being kind and going with me. But going to see my family on our first date? Weird.
“Okay, that’s a bit much. Maybe she just wanted to see if you guys were truly compatible,” Cassidy tries. They don’t get it. This woman was off her rocker.
“She tried to get me to go to the bathroom with her, and I don’t just mean walk her there. She physically tried to push me in there.” Remembering her gentle shove on my chest is unnerving. Who has public sex other than teenagers? I’m a grown man.
“Maybe she—” Cassidy starts, but then I remember the most unnerving aspect of it all.
“She speaks in the third person!” I startle Blake in my lap, and she shoots a worried look up to me. I run my hand up and down her back and then look over at Hunter and Cassidy, who are sitting straighter. They turn and look at each other for only a moment before they start to laugh.
“Give me an example,” Cassidy wheezes.
“Jenna likes that, Jenna will help, Jenna likes beer, too,” I ramble.
“Only you,” my brother laughs, and Cassidy can’t help the tears that fall from laughter.
I feel bad for this girl, like I’m cutting her up to my family. How did we have such a strong match? I need to just go back to going out and trying to meet someone organically. These dates just keep getting weirder and weirder.
“Maybe you two just lucked out on the whole app thing,” I sigh .
Cassidy’s look turns softer as her laughter dies. She slides a hand up and down my brother’s thigh mindlessly.
Blake climbs to stand in my lap and starts to play with my hair, mussing it up.
“What are you looking for? Tell me about your dream girl,” Cassidy asks.
I try to picture her, but it’s fuzzy. I close my eyes and think of the house I had drawn. The tree out front with the tire swing in full motion. A little girl swings, her giggles loud and carrying over the field. A woman pushes her, and her skirt dances as the wind blows. She stands straighter when she hears the crunch of my tires and waves me home. Long blonde hair, gentle eyes, a wide smile. Her body is sturdy, maybe even taller than average. She carries herself with grace but a wildness I know will bring a fun factor to my life. She’s barefoot in the grass and laughing with our little girl.
When I park my car, the two of them greet me. She’s gentle and caring but driven and strong. She’s funny and carefree but can be serious if needed. She’s lighthearted and loving. She’s my own princess to spoil and love.
I try to form the right words and give Cassidy an abridged version.
“That’s a hard profile to fit,” she states.
“Sounds like Lynn to me,” Hunter jokes and I shoot him a look.
“It actually kind of does,” Cassidy says thoughtfully. “So, someone like Lynn?” she asks genuinely.
“I guess.” I shrug. The vibration of my phone goes off and I imagine it’s Jenna on the app messaging me to check in. Part of me doesn’t have the energy to respond, but the other part of me wants to be able to show my family how unsuitable we are .
Pulling my phone out, I see the notification, except it’s not the Compatible app, it’s my rental app.
New Reservation Request!
Starting next week for . . . an undetermined time. That could really make up for this slow season. I read over the request quickly.
“Hi there! I know it’s short notice, but I’m looking to get away from the hustle and bustle that is my life. I work as an editor and need to buckle down on my manuscripts, but I am also needing a quiet space to relax in between work. Your place and land look lovely. I see that you even let people ride the horses on your property? That would be great. Do you have English tack? If you need a determined time, just let me know and I can try to guesstimate how long I’ll be there. I look forward to hearing from you. – Harlow”
My brows furrow as I read the message twice. I nod and hit the green accept to allow her to complete her booking and put a down payment on her stay.
“What’s that?” Hunter asks.
“A guest for the bunkhouse, wants to stay for a while. She asked for English tack.”
“City slicker,” Cassidy says with an extra country drawl, and we all laugh.
I’m glad to see the dating app is quiet. Maybe Jenna could tell I wasn’t interested.
I look at the profile of the guest for the reservation, but she doesn’t have a picture of herself. In its place is a butterfly? A black-winged bug with green iridescent highlights. It could just be an option in the stock photos .
“Looks like we’re about to have ourselves a long-term guest!” I say excitedly, tickling Blake. She squeals as if she’s as excited as I am to have a distraction.
Hopefully, this guest isn’t too much trouble. I’ll have to ask a neighboring farm for an English saddle and bridle. I hope for the best and cross my fingers, willing a nice blonde princess to show up on our farm.