Page 55 of Promise Me a Forever Texas Love

The Harvest Festival turned out to be more chaotic than usual . . . especially with the addition of a certain Hennessy Hooligan.

Cadee had made a point of staying away from the gymnasium when the booths were going up. Since Huck had always thought church activities were too tame when they were growing up, she figured he wouldn’t stick around after putting the booths together.

It turned out she was wrong.

Huck stuck around the entire night. He helped at booths when volunteers needed bathroom breaks, fixed the dunk tank when it stopped working, helped Mama sell pumpkin loaves, and kept buying more tickets for Raptor Camden and his friends.

Cadee knew all of this because, regardless of running around making sure the festival was running smoothly, she couldn’t seem to keep from picking him out in the crowd.

He’d gotten a haircut and grown a soul patch beneath his bottom lip, giving him even more of a Riley Green look. The western shirt he wore had a gold stripe in the plaid that brought out the color in his eyes. Eyes that twinkled as he went about charming every person he spoke to.

It looked like the townsfolk weren’t holding a grudge over all the ornery things he’d done in the past.

Cadee was the only one still doing that.

The festival was almost over when she got a call from Ada, who was working the cakewalk.

“We’re out of cakes!”

“Just close down,” she said. “Most folks are leaving anyway.”

“Well, that’s all fine and good, but I didn’t realize we were out of cakes until I picked the last winner. I tried to give him an IOU for a dozen donuts from the coffeeshop, but he flat refuses to accept anything but a cake.”

Cadee rolled her eyes. “That’s ridiculous. I’m sure we can figure something out. I’ll be there in a second.”

She headed for the cakewalk and then stopped short when she saw the man standing with Ada in the center of the taped-off numbers on the floor. He glanced over and saw her and his golden eyes twinkled.

“Hey, Catydid. Did you bring my cake?”

She needed to take a deep, fortifying breath before she continued walking toward him and Ada. “I’m sorry, Huck, but we’re out of cakes. Ada will give you an IOU for mini donuts.”

He pointed to the sign hanging above them, the one that read Cakewalk with a three-tiered white cake painted beside it—a sign he’d no doubt put up. “So this is false advertising?”

Figuring this was about to get ugly, she smiled at Ada. “I’ll handle it from here. Thanks for helping, Ada.”

“No worries.” She glanced at Huck. “If you change your mind, just let me know. Everyone knows my mini donuts are better than any ol’ cake.”

When she was gone, Cadee turned to Huck. “Okay. What’s this about?”

He gave her a wide-eyed innocent look. “I was promised a cake if I won and I want a cake.”

“Well, you’re not getting one. At least, not tonight. I can bake one for you tomorrow morning before church. You can get it when you pick up Camden . . . that’s if you’re willing to get out of your truck.”

Huck cocked an eyebrow. “You sound a little ticked off, Catydid. Are you mad at me for not getting out of my truck? I got the feeling that you didn’t want me around. Was I mistaken?”

“You were not mistaken. I don’t want you around. And yet, you always seem to be around.”

He shrugged. “What can I say? Promise Springs is a little town. Since this is now my home, we’re going to run into each other.”

“Home? Since when? You never once referred to Promise Springs as your home when we were growing up.”

“That was before I pulled my head out and realized home is where the heart is . . . and you and Cam are my heart, Catydid.” All her anger fizzled out and her own heart tightened. It tightened even more when he stepped closer. “Like I told you before, Cadee, I’m not going anywhere. So you’ll have to get used to running into me.” He smoothed back a piece of hair that had come loose from her ponytail, his warm fingertips brushing around her ear and turning her knees to pudding. “Now where’s my cake?”

She tried to keep her voice steady and firm, but it still came out soft and needy. “There is no cake, Huck.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Then I guess you’ll have to come up with a different prize. And I’m not talking about donuts.”

“What do you want?”