Crazy for the Competition (Hope Springs)

by Cindi Madsen

  Oh, I’m so going to get him back for this. Her mind spun for a good payback, and as if fate had decided to step in and help, an image popped into her head. “I’m going to go grab a coffee at the diner,” she said to Patsy Higgins. “You want anything?”

  “A coffee with cream and sugar would be divine right about now.”

  “Coming right up.” Not bothering to try to hide her marked backside, Quinn marched into the diner and ordered two to-go coffees with cream and sugar. Then she walked over to the announcement wall. The flyer for the Hope Springs Beard-Shaving Rendezvous sat between the hot rod show and the mud run sign-ups.

  As usual, the event was Saturday after the parade, and it was a fund-raising event for Hope Springs search and rescue. Basically, people sponsored guys to shave their beards. The guy who earned the most money was going to win a coyote hat, too.

  Well, she’d pay good money to watch Heath have to shave, and she’d bet a lot of women would, too. Other men had written down their names and phone numbers. Good thing she happened to have Heath’s number.

  She borrowed a pen from the cup by the cash register and wrote Heath’s name and number, nice and large, then smiled to herself.

  Ah, revenge. All the sweetness of an ice cream sundae with none of those pesky calories.

  Chapter Fifteen

  By the time Heath arrived at the garage to help Quinn, the float had completely transformed. It might not be the ugliest thing in the parade, after all. She’d wrapped the remaining butterflies in colorful paper and festoon and lined the sides with it as well—the fact he even knew the pink fluffy stuff was called festoon made him feel like he should turn in his man card.

  When Quinn bent over to staple the metallic pink, purple, and yellow fringe to the bottom, he noticed his handiwork on her back pockets—he wondered if anyone had mentioned it. She straightened as he approached, her hands going to her hips, and that answered that. He grinned at her mock anger.

  “You think you’re pretty funny, don’t you?” she asked.

  Happiness swirled through his chest, and he nodded.

  “Well, I’m not telling you how I got you back, but one day you’ll see, and I’ll be there to give you a smug grin like you’re giving me now.” The overtly innocent way she batted her eyes combined with the evil smile sent a ping of worry through him—but the mischievous glint in her eyes gave him other ideas that outshone it. Mostly ideas about putting his hands right on his handprints and picking up where they’d left off earlier that day.

  “I figured you’d change if you knew,” he said, leaning in for a quick hello kiss.

  “Why bother? Everyone already saw them. So much for keeping things under the radar.”

  That stopped him cold. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that.”

  She shook her head. “Honestly, how I ever thought we could hide it, I don’t know. Nothing stays hidden here.”

  The disappointment in the way she said that hit him in the gut like a sucker punch. When had he ever cared if he was someone’s dirty little secret? He started to pull away, and she wrapped her hands around his biceps and held him in place.

  “It’s just my family,” she said. “You know how you didn’t want me to meet your dad?”

  He exhaled. “Yeah, and I’m sorry I didn’t warn you—I had no idea he’d be up so early. Usually I’m the first one to the shop.”

  “No worries. But he probably doesn’t care who you date, whereas my parents are control freaks about it.”

  Truthfully, Dad didn’t care, although he had to make a snide comment about Heath “really stepping in it” when he put two and two together and realized exactly who Quinn was, and that she was the other bid for the property.

  “But you know what? I’m over it,” Quinn continued. “Let them find out through the grapevine—I’ve been settling for boring for far too long.” She leaned in and brushed her lips across his. “Oh, but remember this moment and how super cool I was when my revenge comes to light, ’kay?” She tapped him on the chest and then turned and resumed her work with the float.

  Heath picked up a staple gun and started in on the glitter-coated letters that went along the side.

  “You’re putting those too far apart,” Quinn said. “It looks like an acronym, not a word.”

  He stepped back. “Looks fine to me.”

  “The E and the A in ‘spread’ have uneven spaces, especially compared to the S and the R. You’ve got to measure them.”

  “We’re back to this? I should’ve hurried up and done it all while you were gone.”

  “I would’ve just redone them when I got in.”

  He sighed. Then he got out a stupid ruler and measured, moving them closer together. A self-satisfied smile curved her lips before she went back to stapling the fringe, and he rolled his eyes. She drove him crazy in every possible way. How could they disagree on everything and still have so much chemistry?

  Then again, there were things—like parent issues and always feeling like you constantly fell short, and pouring your heart and soul into achieving a dream—where she understood him better than anyone. Plus she made him laugh, he could talk to her about the things he usually kept to himself, and she made him text so she’d know he’d made it home safely. And while she was a perfectionist about the float, she was easygoing when it came to their hangouts, something he never would’ve guessed after their first town committee meeting.

  “Oh, Heath, I’m so proud!” Patsy came over and patted him on the back, and every hair on his neck and arms pricked up. This much excitement was usually reserved for people who volunteered for something, and he hadn’t volunteered for…

  He glanced at Quinn, who gave him an exaggerated grin.

  “Ye-ah,” he said, “the butterflies turned out really well.”

  She swiped a hand through the air. “Not the butterflies. The beard-shaving rendezvous. I was hoping for an even ten, and I’m so glad you stepped up. I was surprised, but you’ve really dedicated yourself to this celebration, and I promise that it won’t go unnoticed.”

  He automatically lifted a hand to the beard he trimmed now and then but hadn’t been without since he was eighteen.

  “I’m going to sponsor him,” Quinn announced proudly. “I want to help him win that hat. Plus, anything for the town, you know.”

  When Patsy turned to her, he widened his eyes and dragged a finger across his neck. Quinn’s grin only grew.

  Patsy put one hand on each of their shoulders. “I’m so proud of both of you. I had a feeling you’d hit it off, too, and I was sure working on the float together would give you that push you both clearly needed. Although, young man”—she turned to Heath—“maybe we should keep our hands where they belong.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he spit out through his plastered-on smile.

  After Patsy walked off, Quinn erupted into laughter. “Oh my gosh, your face was so priceless. I’m kicking myself for not getting a picture.”

  “Laugh it up, squirt. Because you basically declared war.”

  She leaned in so close he could feel the warmth coming off her. “Bring it on.”

  …

  Heath had hoped they’d get a chance to be alone after hours of working on the float, but Quinn said that Royce and Sadie had invited them over for dinner, so they parted for showers and a quick change, and then he picked her up at her place.

  When she got into the truck, the scent of her exotic perfume hit him, just as intoxicating as she was. Tonight she had on skintight jeans and a black top that slipped off one shoulder, displaying a red bra strap. Her spike heels matched, and he barely suppressed a groan. The woman was starting to give him one-track thoughts.

  “What are you doing way over there?” he asked.

  She scooted across the bench seat until she was right next to him—much better, although it didn’t help the one-track thoughts. Later tonight, he was definitely going to have to drive her back to his place so they could be alone.

  After reaching
a steady enough speed that he didn’t have to constantly shift gears, he wrapped his hand around her thigh. He wanted to mark it, too. Just put handprints all over her body so everyone knew she was with him.

  As they drove past Mountain Ridge, she glanced out the window at the crumbling bed and breakfast. Only for a few seconds, but the longing in her eyes and the way she lifted her fingertips to the glass made a twinge go through his chest. During their flirty texts, riding his bike, playing baseball, working on the float—he always managed to forget the thing that constantly stood between them. Sure, it buzzed in the background now and then, but right now, with the actual land in view, the details of the mountain range he loved taking shape, it wasn’t in the background anymore.

  A ticking clock, a high-stakes, all-in poker game, it now took every inch of space.

  If it weren’t for the looming barrier, he probably would’ve hesitated to jump in as much as he had, because it already felt like a more serious relationship than he’d ever experienced. Like they’d been dating for months instead of only knowing each other for a couple weeks.

  Their gazes met, and he could see as plain as day that she’d been thinking about the impossible situation they were in, too.

  He wrapped his hand tighter around her thigh, trying to tell her it’d be okay, even though he knew that for one of them, it wouldn’t. Which meant they wouldn’t be okay, either.

  When he pulled up to Royce’s and turned off the engine, the silence between them stuck out even more. If he knew what words to say, he’d use them. Since he didn’t, he simply got out and extended a hand to help her out of the truck.

  As soon as they stepped inside the house, Sadie pulled Quinn into a hug. “I love that you’re coming to Hope Springs so much lately. I think I’ll tie you up like a calf, the way Royce taught me, and just keep you here.”

  “She’d kick out of your weak knots in a couple of seconds,” Royce teased, and Sadie smacked his arm.

  “I’m voting for not being tied up at all,” Quinn said, stepping back to stand next to Heath.

  He leaned in and whispered, “I don’t know. I think it sounds like a good idea.”

  She turned to him, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. But then nervousness broke through, and she looked away, suddenly fascinated by the bracelet on her wrist. He’d thought a flirty line would ease the weirdness that’d crowded the space between them since passing Mountain Ridge, but it only seemed to make it worse.

  “The burgers and hot dogs are already done,” Sadie said. “It’s such a nice night, we thought we’d eat out on the back deck.”

  The four of them headed outside and sat around the patio table. The mouthwatering scent of food made it hard for Heath not to devour his burger in two bites. The potato salad was the best he’d ever had, too—he even teased Sadie that she’d been hiding her culinary skills so he and Will didn’t make them invest in one of those big tour buses with a kitchen.

  “I keep meaning to tell you that I got a couple of new mares at the sale last week,” Royce said, glancing at Heath. “They should be good packhorses for the hunting tours.”

  Quinn dropped her fork, and it clattered against her plate. “You make it sound like the lodge is a done deal. If I’m not mistaken, I’m still in the running. Or do you know something I don’t?”

  Royce opened his mouth and closed it. Then he looked to Sadie.

  “Oh, no,” she said. “I already told Quinn that I’m Switzerland about this. Although you’ll recall I did say something about it at the sale.”

  Heath had been around Royce and Sadie enough to know there was some tension between them over his and Quinn’s dispute as well. Great. This situation was tearing up everyone. Like he needed to feel worse about it.

  “I just don’t see how the town committee could possibly think that a”—Quinn’s lip curled—“hunting lodge could bring in more business than a cute, cozy place where families will come for an extended stay. A place that facilitates visits to town to spend money in local shops, at that.”

  Irritation rose up, leaving a stinging trail through every internal organ it passed. “That’s because you’ve always been in your nice big house, not paying attention, or perhaps just sitting back and judging the people who come from all over during hunting season. The sporting goods store would benefit from the lodge, people could experience more of the beautiful mountain range with our tours, and there are already two nice hotels for families to stay in if they want to visit Hope Springs.”

  “The Mountain Ridge Bed and Breakfast is not a hotel, though! It’s a family vacation experience that’ll give people happy memories for years.”

  “So will bringing home a prize buck,” Heath said.

  Sadie reached over and slid both of their knives and forks away. “I’m thinking a subject change is in order.”

  Quinn continued to glare at him, the muscles in her jaw twitching.

  “How’s the float coming?” Sadie asked, her voice crammed full of over-the-top cheer.

  Heath almost said that Quinn was as close minded there as about Mountain Ridge, but that wouldn’t help turn the conversation around, and as crazy as she made him, he hated the valley that’d opened between them. He forced himself to look at Sadie and put on an air of affability. “It’s coming along nicely. This afternoon Quinn turned my metal monstrosities into butterflies.”

  The hard lines of her features softened. She ran a hand through her hair and blinked, her glistening eyes opening a hollow hole in the center of his chest. “I’m sorry, guys. I’m so stressed out trying to balance everything and…” She swallowed and her hand fisted on her thigh.

  And she wanted Mountain Ridge more than she’d ever wanted anything. He knew. Man, how he knew.

  Cautiously he reached under the table, covered her fist, and slowly worked it free so that he could turn her hand palm up and slide his fingers between hers.

  When she lifted her thumb and stroked it over the top of his hand, he knew they’d be okay. For tonight, at least.

  “Can I have my utensils back?” she asked, turning her attention to Sadie. “I’m over feeling stabby, I swear.”

  Sadie pushed them back toward her and then did the same with Heath’s. A slightly awkward tension remained in the air, but Sadie steered the conversation toward music and the next batch of kids coming to Second Chance Ranch, and before long, things were easy again.

  But the ghost of the argument remained, promising to haunt them for as long as they continued trying to make whatever this was work.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “What are you doing?” Sadie asked when she and Quinn were alone in the kitchen.

  “Getting the corkscrew,” she replied, earning her a raised eyebrow. She sighed. “I don’t know. I thought we could pretend we weren’t opponents and just enjoy our sorta relationship while it lasts, you know? But I’m trying to balance work and building the float, and suddenly on top of everything else, I’m worrying what will happen to Heath and me after the festival’s over—or if we’ll even make it that far—which is only making my stress and mood swings that much bigger.”

  Sadie came over and squeezed her shoulder. “You must really like him.”

  “I do. Only you saw how it is between us. Earlier today we were in the garage and he was showing me how to fix cars and everything was so perfect. But then we drove past Mountain Ridge, and it stirred up all these emotions. I started thinking what if I don’t get it? What if I can never leave my job? Then Royce is so clearly on his side, and that means you—”

  “I’m on your side, Quinn. I’m always on your side. It’s hard because it’d be good for the ranch to work with Heath, and being in Dixie Rush with him is the most fun I’ve ever had with my music. I know better than anyone how hard it is to hold onto band members, so I need him to be happy and stay in Hope Springs, but you’re my best friend, and I want you happy, too.”

  Stupid tears sprang to her eyes, and Quinn hugged Sadie—she’d needed to hear that someone was on her s
ide, because she knew her family wouldn’t be.

  “I know your relationship with your dad is complicated,” Sadie said, “and I know how much you want that B and B. But if it doesn’t work out, we’ll brainstorm and find something that does. Even if it takes us a while.” She pulled back and looked her in the eye. “Okay?”

  Quinn nodded. “Okay. And thank you.” She leaned back enough to sneak a peek through the archway, catching a glimpse of Heath and Royce on the couch. She and Sadie had always dreamed of being with guys who were friends so they could hang out all the time and do fun group couple things. They’d even lamented the fact that she and Cory didn’t have any romantic chemistry.

  “I like him more than I should,” Quinn said, and her heart tugged to drive the point home. Sadie came to stand next to her and watched the guys for a moment, smiling when they did. “Maya so nicely reminded me that I fall fast and always end up hurt, but I think I outdid myself this time. I can’t even let myself be alone with him for too long for fear the make-out sessions will get out of control. Maybe I should hold on to the frustration from our earlier argument, so he won’t be surprised that all he gets when he drops me off is a brief kiss good-bye.”

  Sadie draped her arm over Quinn’s shoulders. “Babe, you need to stop being such a wimp and just tell him about your stance on sex.”

  “But then it’ll be over, and I’m not ready. It’s like a roller coaster—there’s ups and downs, but I’m experiencing the biggest thrill of my life, and I know it’s going to end eventually, but while I’m on it, I just wanna hold on tight and enjoy the ride. Even if there will be no riding.” With panic digging sharp claws into her chest, the joke didn’t quite land the way she wanted it to. Probably because she knew she’d want to stand in line to experience it all again, only that wouldn’t be an option after the point of no return.

  “If he’s dumb enough to end it over that, I’ll be, like, triple on your side. But pushing him away while trying to keep him close isn’t going to work, either.”