Page 19 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

“Oh my God, you haven’t shown him yet?” I squeal. “I need to be there!”

Eli raises his hand. “I also would like to be there.”

“Send me a video.” Rosie snorts. “I have to get back to the bar.”

“I knew I heard a moo earlier,” Monty mutters from behind me. He’s staring at the cow with a look of confusion. I’d imagine our small town has thrown him for quite the loop today.

If he only knew this is just a regular day in Hope Harbor.

Chapter 7

Monty

“You bought a cow?” Walker—the man I’ve just been introduced to—stares at the animal in the back of his pickup truck, hands firmly on his hips before shaking his head. “She bought a fucking cow.”

Despite his cursing, Walker seems less upset and more resigned about the new addition to the farm. I’m not even sure how I ended up at the Darlings’ farm tonight, except I wasn’t letting Penny drive off somewhere with Eli Davis, the former hockey player who looks like he walked out of the pages of some fashion magazine.

When we arrived, Walker was sitting on the big house’s front porch. At the sight of our cars, he ambled down the steps.

Now, Penny taps her fingers against one another in giddy anticipation. “Ask Tally the cow’s name.”

Walker looks toward us, then back to his girlfriend, who is wearing a doe-eyed smile. “Ah, hell, Wildflower. What did you name him?”

Tally beams at her new pet. “First of all, she’s a she. And her name is Daisy Darling.”

“And where’s Daisy going to stay?” Walker asks with a sigh. “We don’t have fences, or any sort of pen.”

“She can’t sleep outside!” Tally exclaims. “She’s a baby!”

Walker glances toward Eli and me, then back at Tally. “You don’t really think that heifer is sleeping in the cottage with us, do you?”

“Don’t call her a heifer,” Tally hisses. “You’ll give her a complex.”

Penny snorts and then angles herself into my chest as she full-on belly laughs against me, trying to stop anyone else from hearing her.

I’m taken aback by the easy affection between us. So much so that I don’t immediately react, and only stare down at Penny in wonder. But when she looks up at me, a big smile on her face, I wrap my arm around her and shake my head. “Your sister’s fucking with him, right?”

Penny shrugs and practically chokes on another laugh. “Maybe only half.” Then she pulls herself together, and out of my arms. I flex my hands to stop from reaching for her again.

“I’ll help you build a fence tomorrow,” Eli offers.

Walker shakes his head as he leans down to gingerly pick up Daisy. “Fine, she can stay with us for the night,” he says to Tally before tipping his chin toward me. “It was nice to meet you properly. Hopefully we can grab a beer when I don’t have a cow to tend to.”

I chuckle. “Sounds good.”

“Need a ride home?” Eli asks Penny.

“I can drive you,” I cut in.

Penny’s copper eyes find mine in the moonlight. “That’d be great, if you don’t mind,” she says softly.

“I don’t mind,” I murmur.

She gives me a soft smile and a little nod before turning back to Eli. “Thanks for the offer.”

Eli wraps Penny in a hug and I hear him whisper in her ear, “My other offer still stands.”

“Yeah, I think I’m all set,” she mumbles into him, glancing at me quickly before pulling back. “But thanks.”