Page 24 of Forbidden Cowboy
Reluctance dances across their faces.
“Pick up your pace,” Wheeler bumps into Dean’s shoulder as he bounds past. He’s my wingman today. He will ensure every last Wilde is pro-Fox by the time night falls.
“Yeah, Dean.” Beck, my youngest brother, slams Dean’s other side with a chuckle. They are always the playful and rowdy bunch.
“Where’s Hart?” Hope whispers to me.
“I didn’t invite Hart, and I noticed your sisters didn’t invite Jade.”
“Jade won’t be easy to convince.”
“Neither will Hart.”
“The kids didn’t take long.” Hope points to Wheeler’s daughter and her niece and nephew chasing each other around the town statue.
“That’s got to be a good sign, right?” I lace my fingers in hers, feeling her immediate hesitation. I nudge her to face me. “First, we distract them all. Keep them busy setting up tents and food. We’ll assign each of them tasks. One Fox and one Wilde pertask. Once they’re relaxed, we’ll break for food and beer and pray we’ve begun to chip away the walls between us.”
Hope’s nodding, her smile lifting. “Okay, I like this idea. This can work.”
I want to kiss her. If today goes right, there will be a day when kissing the woman I love, wherever the hell I want, won’t be a second thought.
“I want to kiss you, too,” she says as if she can read my mind. Her teasing smile is a mixture of sweetness and allure.
My manhood tightens against my denim. Damn, no woman has ever had this effect on me.
She squeezes my hand before turning to her sisters. “We’ll set up the food under one tent and dine under the other.”
After the tents are pitched, and the coolers of cold drinks and trays of food are set up on the tables, the crew gathers around me and Hope.
Doubt and mistrust penetrate the space between us. Wildes won’t stand beside Foxes. Foxes won’t make eye contact with Wildes.
Hope addresses our siblings. There’s a spark in her eyes I haven’t seen before. “We’re so thankful for y’all coming out and helping us with this.”
No cheer.
No applause.
No words whatsoever.
“We will separate everyone into groups to work on specific stations. There’s measuring and cutting the lumber, kissing booth assembly, staining, and painting. Who wants what?”
Hands are reluctant to rise, so I bark orders, including assigning Beck and Josie to set up ring toss and lawn darts for the kids.
The bright sun's cool breeze and close working quarters force conversation and interaction. I’d go even as far as to say friendly conversation.
A couple of hours pass, and it’s no longer only the Foxes and the Wildes building the kissing booth. Passing townspeople, whether on foot or driving by, stop to see all the commotion in front of the town hall. Wary at first, realizing the feuding families are working together, some stay and lend a helping hand while others bring back the booze, food, and chairs to watch. The kids’ games turn into full-blown adult games filled with laughter you can hear for miles down the road.
Thomas is fuming by the time he gets back with the signs. “What is this? Put those tents down. Move those lawn chairs.” He runs about, trying to rid the crowd, but everyone is having such a blast they brush him off, as usual.
“Thomas, relax. Have a beer.” Deputy Mayor Rita offers him a cold one.
“You can’t drink on town hall property!” He tosses the entire bottle in the garbage as he berates the townspeople.
“Here ya go, boss.” Wheeler drops another load of lumber beside the saw. “All measured and ready for you.”
“Thanks.” I slide the safety glasses over my eyes.
My team includes Wheeler, Hannah, and Wyatt, who popped back around twenty minutes after unloading. I’m sure to check on Hope. But finding the Wilde and Foxes together—which undoubtedly appeared to be a disaster in the making—he decided to stick around.