The Rancher's Fake Girlfriend - Leslie North Page 0,6

hovering around them.

“What do you think of Kingsley?” he asked, hoping to get her to open up a bit.

She jumped a little. “What?”

“I asked what you think of our beautiful town. I like getting an outsider’s perspective of Kingsley since I’ve spent almost my whole life here.”

Her face clouded for an instant before she managed to smile. “Oh, I love it here. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming to us.” She paused. “Some people too much so.”

Chad nodded. She didn’t even have to say Tripp’s name. “Yep, he’s definitely got some issues.”

They rocked in silence.

“Where did you move from again? What’s your background?”

“Oh, we’re nomads,” Hannah answered quickly. “And like I said, we’re really excited to be in Kingsley now.”

He noted that she seemed to want to move on from the topic, so he obliged her. “My favorite part of Kingsley is how vast it is.” He used his hand to trace along the skyline. “A beautiful patchwork of ranches bound together by the strength of our community.”

Hannah stopped rocking and stared at him with an intensity that surprised him. “That’s a really beautiful sentiment. Quotable, even.”

“Well, thank you, ma’am,” Chad replied with a grin, tipping his hat at her. His cheeks reddened, half from the compliment and half from the fact that he’d let his fun guy façade slip for a moment. “No one realizes that I’m Kingsley’s unofficial poet. But don’t tell anyone!”

She laughed and her face transformed. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

There was something about Hannah that made him want to keep talking and rocking forever. Every time she looked at him it was like she was actually seeing him. Sure, he was used to women watching and admiring him, but it felt different with Hannah. And that smile of hers! Noelle was right, Hannah seemed to be carrying some baggage, but Chad could tell that there was sunshine in her soul.

Suddenly, all he wanted to do was make her laugh again.

The dinner was joyful chaos, as usual. Noelle seated Chad and Hannah at the far end of the table across from one another. While she definitely made for pretty scenery, it meant that conversation between them was limited. Even though he wanted to keep talking with her, Hannah’s attention was divided by Matilda on one side and Aria on the other. But it gave him plenty of time to study her and decide that he needed to know more about her.

“Since when do you leave food on your plate?” Chad asked Matilda, pointing at the mountain of barbeque, greens, and biscuits in front of her. “Your appetite usually puts mine to shame!”

“Maybe because I work harder than you,” she teased back.

“Seriously, you gonna eat that?” he asked, eyeing her plate.

Matilda shot a quick glance at Shane and smiled, then shook her head and handed the plate to Chad. “I’m not really hungry tonight.”

“Everything was delicious,” Hannah said as the conversation lulled. “Aria and I really appreciate the invitation to eat with you.”

“Thank you, Hannah,” Noelle said in an overloud voice, drawing all eyes to her. “And we’re so happy to have you here.” She paused to make sure everyone was paying attention to her. “Because I had an idea that concerns you that I wanted to pitch to the grown-ups. Drew, please go find Willie and give him his dinner. Aria, would you like to help feed our dog?”

“Yes, please!” Aria didn’t even glance at her mother as she hopped off her chair.

“Chad …” Noelle continued once the kids were happily tending to the farm dog.

He stopped with the fork halfway to his mouth as he felt the room’s gaze land on him.

“Yes?”

“I have a proposition for you. Or should I say, we have a proposition for you.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” he asked, setting the fork down carefully.

Jett chuckled from his spot at the head of the table, wearing a smile that seemed to be matched by Noelle, Matilda, and Shane. It seemed like everyone was in on the big secret but him.

Noelle took back over explaining. “Today you saw for yourself how bad Tripp has gotten with Hannah. Now, she’s not only my employee, she’s also new to our community, and we have to step up to help keep her safe. You agree, right?”

Everyone shifted to stare at Chad.

He fought the urge to fidget or fiddle with his collar, feeling like he’d been called into the principal’s office. “Well, yes, of course. I stepped in today, and I’ll continue to do it every chance I get.