“Too late for that,” she laughed. “Everyone can see you have it bad for her. Everyone but you and her, apparently.”
Wait a gosh, darn minute! If she could see that he liked her, would she also be able to tell if the feeling was mutual? He took another step toward her. “Do you think she likes me back?”
Hallie snorted. “Seriously?”
When he didn’t answer, she threw both hands into the air and headed for the door. He darted in her path. “You have to tell me.” Desperation had never suited him, but that was where he was at. Wendy had infiltrated his soul. Even though he was terrified to allow himself to have more, he still wanted it.
Maybe that was what it meant to love someone.
Love.
It was such a disorienting word and yet it seemed to fit the way he felt for Wendy perfectly.
Hallie studied him, her eyes sweeping over his form before returning to his face. Clearly, she was on team Wendy. Even if she refused to give him an answer to his question, surely she wouldn’t be able to deny the party if he offered her something she couldn’t refuse.
“I’ll bring Jacob.”
Hallie’s hard exterior shuddered. It was for a brief moment, but he noticed. Yep. Brent had been right. He was darn good at studying people and noticing the little things. Hallie had a crush on Jacob and lately he’d been hanging around a lot more.
Maybe that was where Brent’s interest in the rodeo was coming from.
Tripp would have to have a talk with Jacob if he wanted any chance of getting Brent off this crazy train.
“So?” Tripp pressed. “You plan the party and the food. I’ll bring the wood and the guys.”
Hallie hesitated. She worried her lip and glanced away.
“What do you think is going to happen? It’s not a trick.”
“I know that,” she shot back. Then she put her hand on her hip. “I see the way you are with Wendy, and I see the way she is with you. It might have started out bad and honestly, I thought you two might have had a real shot at killing each other when you were first thrown into that wedding party, but…”
“But…” Tripp coaxed, his excitement reaching new levels. This was it. This was his chance to be on a date while not be on a date with the girl who was quickly becoming his obsession.
Okay, he’d already shot right past that and he was in a completely different realm at this point.
“But now it looks like something might happen between you guys and I don’t want her hurt.”
There it was.
Of course, Hallie would look out for her friend before her cousin. They were close. Tripp couldn’t even blame her. He’d want Wendy protected, too.
He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
Hallie didn’t believe him based on the look she shot his way.
“I mean it. I’m not going to do anything like?—”
“Sometimes it can’t be helped.”
Well, shoot. She was right about that. Just look at what had happened between him and Olivia. She’d been in love with someone else and Tripp had to accept it for what it was. The only people he’d told about that relationship had been his brother and his cousins. Not even Jacob knew the extent of how that failed relationship did some damage to him.
“You’re right,” he said finally. “But I’ll do everything in my power not to let that happen with us. Right now, we’re… taking it slow.”
“Taking it slow…” she said slowly. “Doessheknow that’s what you’re doing?”
He chuckled wryly at her skepticism. “We’re not putting labels on anything, but let’s just say we’re getting closer.”
Hallie huffed. Even though she didn’t seem convinced, her resolve was cracking.
