The Rancher's Fake Girlfriend - Leslie North Page 0,3

just because I was dumb enough to go out with him in the first place. I met him at the grocery store right after Aria and I moved here. He was really sweet to her, and I was feeling lonely. When he asked me out … well, of course I said yes.” She shrugged and looked sheepish. “He’s a good-looking guy. I wanted to keep it casual. I’m not looking for a relationship at this point. But after three dates it went from us just hanging out to him calling and texting me nonstop, driving by my house late at night to make sure I was there, and leaving presents on the porch for Aria—totally ignoring the fact that she’d never really warmed up to him. It was weird.” She shuddered. “It made me feel even better about my decision not to get serious about anyone. Not anytime soon, at least.”

“Not exactly dream date material,” Noelle said.

“Not even close,” Hannah replied.

But Chad, on the other hand … Chad Radford was another story entirely. He’d been so smooth with the Tripp situation. He’d used his brain to get Tripp to back down instead of puffing up like a tough guy and turning it into the kind of confrontation that would have made Tripp dig in his heels. And the way he looked while he did it! Everyone said his older brother Shane was the heartthrob thanks to his rodeo career, but when you got down to it, Hannah thought that Chad was the one who looked like a model. Sandy hair that managed to look styled but not fussy, and a profile that belonged on a statue. And his eyes … as bright blue as a Texas sky.

Hannah had been watching him since the first time he came into Magpie for his coffee and morning roll. When she found out he was Noelle’s brother-in-law, she hopped onto Noelle’s Facebook page to see if she could learn more about him, and she was rewarded with a series of photos of him with a variety of pretty women. He wore the same devilish grin in every photo, with his arm draped casually around the women. Chad Radford was undeniably hot, but the evidence said that he was also a ladies’ man through and through. Not like it mattered what he was like because she wasn’t even close to being ready for a relationship—and Tripp had taught her the dangers of trying for anything casual.

“I don’t like that he’s going to be sniffing around here on Friday night,” Noelle said as she grabbed a paper towel and cleaned some smudges off the front of the display case. “Is he getting worse, or am I imagining it?”

“I feel like it’s escalating,” Hannah said glumly, leaning against the door.

“You got lucky today, but it’s not like Chad will always be around to step in,” Tania added. “Though wouldn’t it be nice if he could?” She waggled her eyebrows. Tania didn’t make a secret of the fact that she thought Chad was hot.

“Yeah …” Noelle said, polishing the glass in rhythmic circles. She stopped abruptly. “But wait a second!”

Hannah and Tania perked up at the excitement in Noelle’s voice.

“What if he was always around?” Noelle asked.

Hannah laughed. “I can’t imagine Chad frosting cupcakes with me!”

Tania snorted.

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. Hear me out. Obviously, you need someone to help you deal with the Tripp situation, and Chad needs an image makeover. He wants to run for chairman of the Cattlemen’s Association, but people don’t think he has the right background for the job. He could use some new optics, as they say, and you might be just the person to provide them!”

Hannah froze. Had Noelle figured out who she was? Did she use the word optics on purpose? It was the go-to buzzword of her old life, the life she’d moved to Kingsley to escape.

But she couldn’t get away from the shame she felt.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Hannah said haltingly, her heart racing.

Noelle beamed at her. “You’re a marketing wiz! The funny sayings you put on the chalkboard sign get people to walk in the door, and your suggestions for Instagram posts always get the most attention. I think you’d be the perfect person to help rehab Chad’s image.” She paused. “Subtly, of course. We can’t make it look like he’s a product.”

Hannah inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Her secret was still safe.

“How would that work? I’d be his campaign manager?”

“No, even