Page 101 of Slow Hands Cowboy

That made Addison feel a little bit weird. Because Walker didn’t feel like a rebound. That made it sound like she was using him, and she really didn’t feel like she was. She felt like... well, it was hard to say what she felt like. She felt like she was just exploring this really wonderful thing with this person that she actually liked a lot.

He was a good guy. And she felt like she actually understood him, and even more importantly, she felt like he understood her. And that understanding brought her closer to having an idea of who she was.

“Anyway, I’m only human,” Addison said. “I wouldn’t say that I’m rebounding, but I do want him. I have wanted him.”

“Well, don’t go building fantasies about him. You usually date guys that are more marriage and family oriented, because that’s what you always wanted.”

“I’m a grown woman. I’m capable of having a no-strings affair without romanticizing it.”

She was pretty sure she was, anyway.

“Well, I’m happy for you. Because you definitely deserve to exorcise the demon of Alan in a fun way.”

“Thank you. As my friend and campaign manager, that means a lot coming from you. Particularly because I was sort of afraid that you would be a buzz kill and say that I didn’t have time to get my back cracked while I’m running a campaign.”

“I never thought I would hear you say get my back cracked, but no, I think a woman has time to orgasm and run for mayor. We can have it all.”

Donna came over a few moments later and set their meal down, and they both smiled up at her.

“So, why exactly did you want to meet?”

“I am thinking that we need to do an event for the campaign. A fundraiser, a chance for you to put your face out there, restate the goals of your campaign. We’re three months away from the election. And we need to start ramping up. I think we can use the ramp that we built off of the cancelled wedding, and we can get a lot of people in-house for an event.”

“We should do it at Painted Ridge Resort.”

“Totally agree. Having it at the site of your wedding that got called off, I think that’s a genius move. Actually, let’s have it at the exact same place that you were going to have the wedding. We’ll set up chairs, we’ll put dinner out, you can walk down the aisle by yourself and make a speech. I love it.”

“Just don’t ask me to wear a wedding dress.”

“No. A white power suit.”

“Again, you’re aware that I’m not running for president, right?”

“Yet.”

“Won’t be happening.”

“We’ll see. But anyway, I like this idea. I think we can bring in a lot of people who can really amplify it on social media.”

“Again,” Addison said. “I think we’re making this bigger than it even needs to be.”

“There’s no such thing as bigger than it needs to be. We are making hay while the sun shines. How is it working for the resort?”

“They said that business has increased a lot.”

“Exactly. And it’s brought business into the town. And we love that. We need it. All of this helps accomplish your campaign goals.”

“I have some things I need to add,” Addison said, feeling nudged by the memories of her conversations with everyone at dinner yesterday.

She told Anna about the Mustangs, about Walker’s idea for a food pantry that was laid out more like a store.

“I love all this,” Anna said. She paused for a moment and smiled. “Whatever this is with Walker, it’s really good for you.”

“I think so, too,” Addison said, her heart fluttering. “He just makes me think about things that I haven’t before. I know that I didn’t try to be the best version of myself in high school. I thought I was, though. I thought that by keeping all these guard rails around myself, keeping people at a distance, that I was being the best version of myself, but I understand now that I wasn’t. That my perspective was really limited. I’ve tried since then. To be a better person. To be a good person, but one of the things that I’ve lacked is perspective. He’s given me a lot of perspective.”

“That’s good. I think it’s really good.”

“So do I.”