Her cheeks take on a light pink hue as she exhales dramatically. “Fine. Tomorrow.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at ten in the morning.”
“Ten? In the morning?” she repeats, her nose wrinkling. “That seems a little early, don’t ya think?”
“This may be my only chance to get you on a date,” I say, leaning in close enough to see her swallow. “Which means I plan to take advantage of every second by making it last as long as I possibly can.”
She rolls her eyes, but even I can tell it’s forced.
“Fine. I’ll see you at ten,” she gives in, just as the crowd cheers loudly. We both glance toward the field (where my attention should be) as Jaxon slides safely onto second.
“Guess you’re not the only one showing off tonight,” she says sweetly, in what I can only assume is her way of attempting to make me jealous.
“Eh, he’s not the one who just landed a date with you, so he’s free to do whatever the hell he wants,” I shrug, not the least bit bothered.
As my teammate, anything he accomplishes on the field will always be a win for me. Plus, he knows just as well as everyone else on the team that Hollis is mine.
Dibs is practically a binding contract ‘round these parts.
“Alright, well,” she says, taking a step back. “Ten it is. Don’t be late.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I assure her, shooting her one last smile before heading back toward the dugout.
It’s obvious she’s nervous about tomorrow, and hell, so am I. But one way or another, I’m going to make sure it's is the best first date she’s ever had.
So I suppose the only question left is: how exactly do I do that?
21
Hollis
“Wait! No way!” I gasp, my face practically pressed against the window as Fletcher turns his truck onto the long dirt road that welcomes us to the Wright Way Ranch. “You can’t be serious!”
This place has been a Texas staple for travelers for years, but it really blew up after the family became overnight reality tv star sensations. People instantly fell in love with their cowboy-meets-luxury aesthetic and all the family drama that came along with it.
People were already willing to shell out good money to stay at the upscale dude ranch, but after the show took off, it’s been pretty much impossible to get a reservation without booking more than a year in advance.
“So I take it you’re a fan of the surprise?” he asks, sneaking a glance from the driver’s seat.
I’m too distracted to respond, utterly transfixed as we drive under the iconic Wright Way Ranch steel entry sign—the very one I’ve seen flash across my tv screen multiple times per episode.
If only to make things even more surreal, we follow the winding road, passing the white picket fences until we’re pulling up in front of the incredibly iconic three-story ranch house.
It’s somehow even bigger in person, with its wraparound porch, and huge balconies that overflow with fresh flower boxes. It’s almost too much to comprehend, especially with this place feeling so familiar despite never having actually set foot on the property before.
“Wait, what did you say?” I finally ask, placing my hand on the window.
“Nothing,” he says with a low chuckle. “Just happy that you’re happy.”
I’d planned to show up today with a bad attitude. Arms crossed, walls up, and ready to roll my eyes at whatever grand idea he managed to scheme up, but how was I ever supposed to prepare for this?
Not that my plan probably would’ve succeeded. With my constantly evolving feelings, I’m pretty sure any attempt at avoiding fun with him around would be downright impossible. There’s just something about him I can’t resist—hence, us being on this date in the first place.
“How did you even make this happen?”
My eyes remain glued out the window as I drink in the sprawling stretch of open land. There are the wide-open pastures rolling out into the distance, but I’m more taken in by the giant red barn that’s surrounded by well-kept riding arenas. Then, of course there’s the small pond glittering in the sunlight that I know to be stocked with fish for the less adventurous types who wish to cast a line without having to truly work for it.
He shrugs with a casual confidence. “I might have a few connections.”
