Chapter 3
Dean
The mess hallis buzzing with excitement when I step in from the heat. The auction winners arrive today. It’s all the guys have talked about all week. I have felt that excitement all week too. I’ve been planning for this day since I found out who won a day with me. Her name is Charlie Baker. The part I found the cutest about her profile is that she is an actual baker. She owns a bakery in Chicago. Miss Charlie Baker better be ready for one hell of a good time this weekend.
Jacob looks white as a ghost when I come up to the table. Cody and Wylder are trying and failing to ease his mind about this whole thing. Out of all of us, Jacob was the least excited about participating in the auction. With so many of the guys finding love during the last auction, there’s a lingering thought that it could happen this time around. And the poor bastard is freaking out. I keep telling him not to stress out about it. It’s our job to make sure they get the full ranch experience and not fall in love. It eased his mind in the beginning, but now he looks like he is about to run for the hills.
I pull up to the table in time to hear Cody teasing Jacob about the women’s expectations for tomorrow, and I can see the terror growing in his eyes.
“Cody, go easy on the poor bastard,” I say, before taking a bite of my food.
“What? I’m just trying to lighten the mood.” I shake my head with a laugh.
“Jacob, don’t overthink it. All you have to do is show her around the ranch and make sure she has a good time. You don’t have to do anything you are not comfortable with.” I give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Unlike Jacob, I’m trying to go into this with an open mind and an open heart. It’s time to move on from Charlotte. Six years is too long to keep harboring this crush. It’s clear she didn’t share my feelings. I’m ready for the next phase of my life. Closing the door to that part of my past is what I have to do. Spending a couple of days of one-on-one time with Charlie will be a great first step to a new beginning.
We are finishing up our meal when we hear a commotion coming from outside. “They’re here,” I hoot, springing up from my seat. I collect my dishes and dump them into the bins before following the guys back outside.
As I make my way through the crowd of people, I stop in my tracks when I see the sunflower sundress in the distance. I don’t have to see her face to know that is my Charlotte. The landscape of her curves is forever burned into my brain. Her chestnut brown hair is flowing down her back in soft waves. That dress is hugging her sexy curves in all the right places. Making my dick come to life in my jeans. Sensing my presence, she turns around and almost drops me to my knees. She is even more beautiful than I remember. The sun is shining behind her. Making her tan skin glow. She looks like a damn goddess.
What is she doing here? My feet move on their own accord. Taking me to my sunflower. She’s scanning the crowd, searching for me. I’m right here, baby girl. I clear the last of the crown and our eyes meet. For the first time in six years my heart begins to beat again. Her pretty brown eyes trail up and down my body. I watch as the realization hits her. Yes, sunflower it’s me. I have changed a bit since college. I’m a bulkier and I have a beard. The way her eyes linger on my beard, she likes it.
“Dean, is that really you?” the way she says it, makes it sound like she conjured me up in her mind.
“It’s me, sunflower.” I see a tiny grin tug at her lips at the sound of her nickname. We stand in silence for a moment. Taking each other in. I can’t believe she is here.
“Yay, you found each other.” Heather breaks the spell.
“Heather, what is going on?” I ask, keeping my eyes locked on Charlotte. I’m too scared to take my eyes off her. For fear, she will vanish or I will wake up from this dream.
“Surprise,” Heather cheers awkwardly. “Okay, so, I may have given you both fake profiles.” That gets my head snapping in her direction. What the hell is going on?
“What do you mean, you gave us fake profiles?” Charlotte asks.
“After your friends won the auction, they called me and told me how you two were friends in college. And how you lost touch over the years. They wanted this to be a surprise. So surprise!” Heather is beaming with excitement. “I hope this is a good surprise.”
“Heather, this is the best surprise of my life,” I say, looking over at Charlotte. Who is smiling from ear to ear.
“Yay!” she squeals. “I’m going to leave you two to reconnect. Dean, will you show Charlotte to bunkhouse three, please?”
“It would be my pleasure.” I take the bags from Heather in one hand and hold out my other hand to Charlotte. “You, coming Sunflower?” she nods then slides her hand into mine. Lacing our fingers together. I don’t know why this all happened, but I will not let this opportunity slip through my fingers. By the end of this weekend, charlotte will finally be mine.