Page 6 of Ropers Can’t Tie Knots (Kissing Ridge Cowboys #3)

five

Gabe

T oday was a day that could have gone better.

Arriving home to find Hunter cooking and another invitation for dinner definitely turned things around.

This morning began with two major pending land transactions pulling me as their counsel of choice because I wasn’t ‘ country ’ enough.

Whatever that was supposed to mean, but it quickly deflated my good mood.

After changing out of my suit into a pair of khakis and a short-sleeved button-down, I return to the kitchen and find Hunter clutching the counter while inhaling deeply.

I’m positive he’s not just inhaling the aroma of garlic.

“Hunter?”

He bolts and stands ramrod straight. “Was just, ah, doing one of those breathing exercise things.” He nods and puffs a breath. “Yeah, just getting in the zone.”

He needs to be in a zone to cook?

“Um, okay. What can I do to help?”

“Do you like to drink? I could use one.” He runs a hand through his hair and brushes past me towards the living room. When he doesn’t return for several minutes, I turn the elements off on the stove and go search for him .

He’s standing in front of the liquor cabinet, this time with a hand clutching a glass of whiskey, and I’m not sure I should interrupt. His lips move silently, like he’s having a conversation or singing a song. I’m not sure which, but he’s focused, so I wait.

Hunter downs the rest of his drink and blows out a breath. When he turns to see me watching him, his eyes widen.

“If there was anyone else, I’d ask them, but will you marry me?” He pauses, like he forgot something, and digs in his pocket. “I got a ring.” Hunter steps towards me and thrusts the small box at me like it’s a relief for someone else to hold it. “Okay, that wasn’t so bad,” he breathes.

I suppose that depends on what end is judging if it was bad or not.

“I’m sorry, but…did you just ask me to marry you?”

He gestures to the box in my hand like that’s the magic answer, and when I flip it open, a thin gold band sits inside. It’s plain and not at all fancy, sort of like the man who apparently just proposed to me.

“Please don’t make me say the words again. I thought I was going to pass out.”

I’m not overly romantic like my friend Riley, but when I imagined a proposal, it certainly wasn’t like this.

“Let’s back up. Is this because of the will thing?”

Hunter nods. “Yeah, I…oh shit. Dinner!” He rushes by me, so I follow him back to the kitchen.

“I turned it all off since it looked like you were having a…crisis of sorts.” Looking at the box in my hand, I huff a laugh. “Guess I wasn’t far off. ”

Hunter busies himself at the stove while I consider getting a drink myself. “It’s okay. We can still eat it. I’ll just finish up the chicken and reheat the veg. It’s good.”

While he does that, I shove the ring box in my pocket and pull out the plates and cutlery, working alongside him in the large country kitchen like I’ve been here for more than a day.

We settle at the dining room table again, but this time with Hunter at the end and me next to him. After a few bites of dinner in silence, and it’s clear he’s not about to start the conversation, I do.

“Hunter, you need to explain what this is about.”

With a sigh, he leans back and sets his fork down. “I talked to Jackson this morning. I told him what you said about the trust, and he suggested I ask you to marry me.”

“And what were his reasons for why it was a good idea?”

Hunter motions around him, and I make a note that we should never play charades because I’m clueless. When I remain silent, he continues.

“Gabe…you already live here. We can sell it as an actual relationship. I want the money, I’ll admit that, but I also don’t want the money to go to an organization that funds hate against people like us.

” Hunter pauses and swallows, his tough bravado mask slipping for a moment.

“He didn’t approve of me being gay and I refuse to be ashamed of that or let him attack us even after he’s died. That’s too far, Gabe.”

Pain drips from his words before he resumes eating, and my mind spins with so many questions.

I don’t know how much money we’re talking about, but to leave it in the trust with checkpoints to distribute it must be significant.

But aside from that, if it’s only a dollar, I don’t want it going to that organization either.

“I don’t want money sent to them either, Hunter. But, and I hate sounding like a dick about this…what’s in this for me? Marriage for a year is a big deal. My life is on hold.”

He drums his fingers on the table.

“What would you like? I can’t pay you, obviously, until I get the money.” His nose wrinkles. “That sounds…awful. But if you want compensation, it could be done.”

“Actually, there is something you could help me with. I had a problem with some farmers today.”

Hunter furrows his brow. “What kind of problem? They’re usually decent people around here.”

“Oh, they were very polite when they took their real estate business elsewhere because, and I quote, ‘a city man like you won’t understand.’ I won’t lie to you. I’m concerned if it’s happening now, it will keep happening, and I can’t keep losing business.”

“So, how can I help with that?”

Shrugging, I push my plate to the side and steeple my fingers in front of me. “Teach me about this area and what makes a land deal with farmers or ranchers so different that a city guy can’t handle it. Make me a country boy, I guess.”

Hunter’s laughter booms in the small room, and I can’t help but smile. He’s a striking man when he smiles and laughs. Beautiful, even. He probably doesn’t even know it.

“Make you a country boy? If I do that, will you promise to listen to my suggestions?”

“Of course.”

“You won’t like most of them. ”

Hunter’s eyes twinkle with a playfulness that makes me wonder what the fuck I’m doing in this town.

Moving to a small town from the city. Buying a sleepy law practice and leaving the high-paced prosecution office behind.

Living with a man who just asked me to marry him, and I’m actually considering it.

I wanted to slow down and make a change, but all of this sounds like the product of a fever dream

“Like what?”

He leans forward. “Lose the suit and tie. You’re in farm country. They want to know that you’re not a stuffy suit and you’re not afraid to get dirty. They work with their hands and bodies, Gabe. Suits don’t make them comfortable.”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely.”

“Okay, so, if I marry you, you’ll get the money, and I’ll get to use you as I see fit to help the business. I can ask you to attend events or explain things when I need?”

“Sure. That’s pretty easy.”

“What about when the year is up?”

Hunter shrugs again. “We get a divorce and go on our way again.”

He says it so matter-of-factly. Like it means nothing to just do this and end it in a year, but I suppose this kind of thing happens more often than either of us knows.

“You should protect yourself, though. I’ll ask a friend to draw up a prenup before we do it.”

“So, is that a yes?”

“Yeah. We both get what we need. Why not?”

Hunter’s smile is blinding .

“Nice. Thank you.”

Hunter rises and takes his plate to the kitchen. We just negotiated a marriage over baked chicken and carrots. Removing the ring box from my pocket, I pull it out and slide the ring on.

Riley is going to have a fit when he learns how this went down.

“OMG…Gabe! Tell me everything!”

After hugging Riley, we settle at our table in Avocadabra, a trendy bistro he loves, for a quick lunch.

“It’s not real, Rye,” I whisper. “You know that, so there’s no big romantic moment to tell you about. I put the ring on myself and everything.”

He frowns and reaches for my left hand, running his thumb over the gold band.

“You’re married before me. I never thought I’d see the day. I’m not sure what I should say. Congrats doesn’t feel right.”

I know Hunter had already been over to talk to Jackson, so Riley has the details behind the why I’m getting married to someone I don’t even know. His conflict about it is understandable.

“Yeah, I know. I never thought I’d get married, but if I did, it wasn’t over a plate of chicken and putting the ring on myself, you know? I hate to say it, but…some romance would be nice. ”

“Oh, Gabe.” Riley squeezes my hand. “When you find the real one, I’ll make sure it’s done right.” He sits back and reaches for his tablet. “So we won’t go too overboard with this wedding. Have you picked a date? Thought about what to wear? Anything?”

“Uh…we’re getting the licence tomorrow and just planning to cross over to the courthouse after.”

Riley’s tablet almost hits the floor. “What?” He hisses. “You can’t just get married at a courthouse without any personal details. I know it’s not real, but like…don’t you want to have a nice corsage or something?”

“Well, if Hunter was doing it for reasons other than money, sure. But it’s just to make it legal. My friend Erik sent me a draft of a prenup already. Hunter wants to get this started, and I can’t blame him. His life is in limbo. So we’ll just do this for now.”

The server stops at our table, and after taking our orders, Riley leans in again. “Can I at least come?”

Riley’s eyes shine with unshed tears, and I feel like an idiot. “Fuck, Rye. I’m sorry. Yes, you can come. We need witnesses, too, and I’d love for you to be there. I imagine Hunter will ask Jackson, too.”

“Sorry for being emotional, but you’re my best friend, Gabe. This might mean nothing to you, but it’s still a huge moment. You’re getting married, and there’s a chance it could last forever. I don’t want to miss it.”

Riley was always the more sensitive of the two of us. He has a giant heart, and the more I think of it, the more I think he’s right. I don’t think it will last forever, but what if it’s the only time in my life I get married? I should make some sort of effort .

“You know what? You’re right. It’s a life-altering moment. Reasons aside, let’s pretend it’s a real wedding. What can you pull off for tomorrow afternoon?”

His grin is real as he checks his schedule. “With Jackson’s help, lots. Let’s do this.”

Somehow, over a plate of vegetarian pasta, Riley and I pull a few details together for my real wedding to a fake husband. It’s ridiculous, but Riley’s statement that it could last forever still echoes with me.

Stranger things have happened.

Just in case, I tell Riley to find a photographer.