Gunshy #2
She laughed and grabbed the two other mugs for her and Walker before settling on the opposite side of the counter. “I’ve gotten everyone’s presents, but I am completely stumped on what to get Hux.” Her light brows pinched together in frustration as she took a sip of her hot cocoa.
I didn’t envy her. How the hell was she supposed to top the ultimate gift she got Hux for his birthday/engagement/wedding present? The very bull who initially ended his bullriding career, and the final one he ever would ride on. That was pretty fucking epic.
“Should’ve waited to get Lights Out, then you wouldn’t have to get him another present,” I said, swiping a finger into the bowl when she paused to take a sip from her own mug of cocoa.
Walker growled and smacked my hand away, a stern look on her face.
I flipped her the bird and stuck my tongue out at her, which earned a laugh from the three of us.
Quinn sobered first. “I couldn’t pass up on Lights Out. He’d have probably been sold to someone else had Reid not helped me get him,” she replied, reaching across the island to make a swipe for some cookie dough as well.
“You guys! Stop it! This is for the kids tonight!” Walker pouted, grabbing the bowl and holding it protectively.
“What? I’m just making sure they taste good enough for the kids.” Quinn flashed me a guilty grin and winked. “We wouldn’t want you to give them something sub par.”
Walker rolled her eyes, but we all knew this was just a show. I think she secretly enjoyed how much we loved her baking. Girl put Mav and Violet’s reputations on the line when it came to her skills.
I hopped up onto the counter and clutched my cup between my hands. At least they weren’t solid chunks of ice anymore. “Why can’t you just make a second batch? You know I need my daily sweets fix.”
Walker’s lips pulled upward into a smirk, her honey brown eyes dancing with mischief. “I thought Cash was your literal sugar daddy? He’s brought you chocolate croissants every time he’s seen you this past week.”
I stiffened at the mention of Cash, thinking of the last text I still hadn’t replied to.
My gaze flicked to the counter and landed on the little brown bag tucked up against the backsplash.
Something in my chest tightened. I didn’t need to look in to know what it was.
Chocolate croissants. My fucking favorite.
Since that day he brought me breakfast after the fire, he more often than not brought me my favorite pastries.
I’d never asked, but he brought them anyway.
He must be the town bakery’s favorite customer.
God, he was so fucking perfect, and I hated it. Hated it so much because, honestly, truly, I didn’t hate it at all. Which was the whole damn problem.
I scoffed. “I’ve only seen him twice this week.”
“Yeah, and it’s only Tuesday,” she replied, her words and stance dripping with challenge as she pegged me with one of her wise-beyond-her-years stares. Sometimes I forgot she was the baby of the bunch at just barely twenty-one. She presented herself as so much older.
I hoped they left it at that, fuck, I prayed they did, but as Quinn grabbed some flour and spread it out on the counter top to help roll cookie dough, she asked not so casually, “You seem to be seeing Big Daddy quite a lot, Ol. What’s going on there?”
Walker waggled her brows. “Yeah, Ol, what is goin’ on?”
“Fuck off, you two,” I growled, “We’re just friends.”
A lie. They knew it. We all knew it. And still I found myself saying it over and over and over again. Maybe if I could convince myself that it was true, I could finally leave.
Walker plopped a hunk of cookie dough onto the place Quinn just prepped. “Fuckin’ friends,” she crooned.
She and Quinn burst out laughing, even as I cast them a withering glare. “Ha Ha.” I sneered. “Two can play that game, Walker. How’s a certain blonde-haired bull rider?”
Cash and I weren’t the only duo everyone was sharing hushed conversations about. Walker apparently had a long time crush on Hux’s best friend, Reid, who was here at the ranch more often than not. After the charity event back in August, he and Hux rekindled their strained friendship.
Walker’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Ollie, sh!”
Check and…mate.
My grin was positively feral. “Does Hux know yet that you’re into his best friend?”
I think just about everyone knew about her not-so-secret crush, Hux included, but just in case, I wasn’t going to be the one who said anything. I knew what it was like to be on the opposing end. And frankly it was no one’s business, I just liked giving her shit when she gave it right back to me.
The door to the bunkhouse swung inward just then, a gruff, deep voice followed shortly after. “What are y’all gossipin’ about?”
We all glanced at the front door as Hux walked in, his dog Rusty at his side.
And as if Hux were the sun, Quinn blossomed like a sweet, spring flower the moment she saw him.
She pushed off from the counter and moved toward him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
“Oh not much. Ollie and I were just taste testing some cookies for the Christmas dinner tonight at your parents’ church. ”
“Oh shit,” Hux grumbled. “That’s tonight, ain’t it?”
Ugh, that was what stemmed my entire little runaway scheme this morning.
Cash had mentioned something about a Christmas recital today at the church.
Apparently it was this whole ordeal for the community or something like that.
He wanted me to go with him. Which was definitely not my scene—for like a million different reasons.
Violet may not hate me anymore, but I tried to steer clear of her if I could at all avoid it.
Not to mention, I don’t remember the last time I stepped into a church, if I ever did at all.
I could just imagine Violet mentioning something about the whole place going up in flames if I set foot in there.
“I reminded you this morning,” Quinn said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I was a little distracted,” he murmured, grabbing her and pulling her close.
They were so fucking beautiful it was hard to look at them. You know the love they glorified in books or the sickly sweet romances every Christmas movie showcased? Yep, that was them. If I didn’t like them both so much I might actually hate them.
“Ugh. Get a room,” I shouted.
Walker was equally as dramatic as she threw up her hands as if shielding her vision. “Gross. My eyes!”
The two of them kissed and Quinn raised a slender hand into the air and flipped us off. “Y’all are children!”