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Hindsight is twenty-twenty. Isn’t that the saying?

He carefully takes the towel from me and pats at his pecs and abdomen. The wet cloth clings to his muscles, outlining hard ridges that I ache to explore, despite knowing I missed my chance.

“How have you been, Hailey?”

Oh, god, he remembers me.

Connor Madsen remembers me!

“Um… Good… You?” I ask dumbly, staring at his efficient movements of towel across clothing, completely ignoring my catering duties. Thank god my sous chef is capable because I’m melting into a hot mess of hormones.

“Same. Good. Happy to see you’re back in town. Have you been avoiding me?” he teases with a sly grin, and my face heats under his scrutiny.

“Ah, no! Of course not, I⁠—”

“Relax.” He gently chucks me beneath my chin with his knuckles. “I’m just messing with you. I know you’ve been busy with Davie. I’ve seen the expense reports.”

Right, because he’s the ranch’s financial guy.

From brawn on the football field to brains behind a desk.

Connor is the complete, er, package—there’s no way my gaze can resist the temptation of peeking at a thick outline under his damp trousers.

“I assure you that everything was fairly priced,” I say absentmindedly. “I wouldn’t take advantage of your family, or anyone, really.”

A bark of laughter rumbles from his chest. “No need to defend yourself. I trust you.”

“Oh. Um, thanks.” I’m not sure how I’ve earned his trust. We may have been classmates, but we haven’t stayed in touch. Plus, I iced him out as best I could for absolutely no reason almost two decades ago.

I wouldn’t have expected so much goodwill on his part.

“Look, I should get changed before getting back to my best man responsibilities, but before I go, why don’t you give me your number? I’d love to catch up.” He offers his phone with the screen unlocked and an empty contact page waiting for me to fill in my information.

I study the device with wide eyes until he waves it in the air. “Come on, Hailey, it’s just a few numbers. No big deal.”

Right, of course, he doesn’t consider this a monumental moment. It’s an everyday thing to share phone numbers with acquaintances that could potentially be friends.

A resigned sigh eases through my lips as I punch in the ten digits. I suppose the real test will be if I ever hear from him again.

Maybe he’s just being polite.

Or maybe he still wants more… I squash the sprout of hope before it can stretch any further into my thoughts.

You’re not a kid anymore, Hailey. Stop acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. Those days are long gone.

CHAPTER FOUR

CONNOR

Give me your number.

Four words, and I magically have a direct line to Hailey. No more social media stalking that got me nowhere because she kept all of her profiles private.

We’re leaving the pining stalker behind, remember?

“Hey, Cormac! Can I run something by you real quick?”

After a two week renewal-moon—Davie’s silly honeymoon moniker—my brother is finally back from his tropical vacation tan and loose-limbed.