Sharpshooter: Do you prefer men who have huge muscles?

Kentuckygirl: Where’s that coming from?

Sharpshooter: Just curious.

Kentuckygirl: I’ve never really thought about it. I think a man’s personality is what makes them attractive to me.

Sharpshooter: Bullshit. Tell me the truth.

Kentuckygirl: I am.

Sharpshooter: If you could pick between the Rock and Tom Hardy, who would you choose?

Kentuckygirl: Both.

Kentuckygirl: I was joking.

Sharpshooter: I’m being serious.

Kentuckygirl: Sorry. Do you still want me to pick?

Sharpshooter: Yes.

Kentuckygirl: Do you want me to pick which I think most women would find more attractive in general, or the one I would personally be attracted to?

Sharpshooter: You.

Kentuckygirl: Then I would pick you. I’ve seen the picture you sent me. There’s no comparison.

Sharpshooter: Right answer.

* * *

“I want to ride the roller coaster!”

“You’re not tall enough yet to ride it.” Holly stared up at Logan, who was sitting on his father’s shoulders. Seeing the two of them together always gave her a feeling of belonging.

She had grown up alone with just her mother. What relatives she did have lived states away, and her mother had lost track of them before she had been born. When she had passed away, she had been left with no one. However, Dustin and Logan made up for it, and so did the rest of the Porters.

She compared the men to their mother’s tea kettle that still sat on the stove as if she was going to come back. She would make a cup of tea after getting the eggs just to hear the sound, knowing their mother had probably done the same every day before she had died.

Tate was the tea kettle when she put it on—calm and waiting for something to happen, playing mediator between Greer and the others in the family. Dustin was the water boiling, never knowing what was going on inside the bubbles. And Greer lived life as if he was capable of exploding at any second.

Dustin and Tate, she had grown to love as the brothers she never had, and she had grown close to Rachel, thinking of her as a sister. However, what she felt for Greer was anything but brotherly. She had always liked her tea strong and hot. “Let’s go ride the tilt-a-whirl. You’re tall enough for that.” Greer reached up, lifting Logan to his shoulders as they made their way through the crowded carnival.

Holly followed behind them, walking next to Rachel and Cash as he carried Ema in his arms. As crowded as the carnival was, the people moved out of his way.

“If that were me, I would be trampled.” Rachel moved to the side to keep from being knocked over by a heavyset man texting instead of watching where he was going.

“I know. I wish I had worn boots instead of sandals.” Holly winced when she didn’t get out of the way of a group of teenage boys who were catcalling two pretty girls.

The tilt-a-whirl had a long line. As they got in line, she stepped off to the side.

“I can hold Ema if you and Cash want to ride?”

“You don’t want to ride?”

“No.”

“I want you to ride with me, Holly!” Logan yelled down at her from Greer’s shoulders.

“I’ll ride with you on the next ride.”

“There’s room for all three of us.” Greer bounced Logan on his shoulders, making the little boy laugh. He didn’t even complain when Logan used Greer’s hair to hold his balance.

“I can’t ride it, anyway,” Rachel told her with a mischievous smile.

“Why not?” Holly’s eyes widened when she saw Cash couldn’t hide his gloating smile.

“You’re pregnant?”

Rachel nodded.

All her brothers turned to give Cash hostile glares, which he ignored.

“Don’t blame me. She seduced me.”

“If you weren’t holding my baby, I’d punch you,” Rachel threatened.

“You’d hurt your baby’s daddy?”

“No, but the next time you try to talk me into a late-night swim, you’ll go alone.”

Holly hugged Rachel, congratulating her and wondering about the sad expression on Greer’s face. When he saw her looking at him, he started talking to Dustin. Was he that unhappy that Rachel was going to have another baby so close to Ema? Rachel was close to her brothers, but Holly didn’t think that was what brought melancholy into his eyes.

It was a side of him she wasn’t familiar with, just as when he had offered to go with her to the funeral home to see Mitch before his friend had taken Mitch’s body back to Frankfort where he lived.

Mitch’s friend had remained in the funeral director’s office while she had paid her respects to the man she had tried to love and couldn’t. When she had tried to offer him money to cover the costs, Brett had refused, saying he had already taken care of it. His sympathetic condolences had her rushing outside of the funeral home, unable to stand the burden of her guilt.

After driving her home, Greer had solicitously made her a cup of tea and had given her the space she needed to come to terms with the fallout of how not responding to Mitch’s letters had ended his life.

Greer lifted Logan down, taking his hand to go up the stairs to the ride, drawing her out of her own melancholy thoughts.

Logan’s other hand came out toward her. Taking his hand, she followed Greer up to the waiting red cars.

Greer raised the bar. “You go first. Logan can ride between us. That way, he won’t get knocked around.”

She slid in, giving them room, and then the attendant came over to make sure the bar was locked.

“Can I ride the roller coaster next?”

“What did Holly tell you?”

Greer never tried to back her up where Logan was concerned.

“How about we get some hot dogs when we get off?” Holly suggested.

That had his frown disappearing.

She gripped the handle as the car started moving in a slow circle, while Greer waved as they passed Dustin, who was recording them on his phone. She had never seen Greer so carefree as their car twirled around the platform.

She kept sliding across the slick seat into Logan, despite how hard she held on to the handle. Greer put his arm across the back of the seat, using his hand to hold her in place. Holly could count on one hand the number of times Greer had ever voluntarily touched her. That it all had happened in the span of the same month gave lift to her spirit that they could start to get along better.

Logan wasn’t the only one disappointed when the ride ended too soon. She almost gave in when he wanted to ride it again.

“Wait until we eat and let your stomach settle. I don’t want you to get another bellyache like you got last week.” Greer lifted the handle for them to get out, placing a hand on the car to keep it from spinning.

Everyone agreed to the hot dogs, and Tate found them a picnic table to sit at as he and Dustin went to get the food.

“I saw Jo at the diner when I met Tate for lunch today. She actually smiled at me when I said hi. Whatever you’re saying to her, keep doing it. I’m going to ask her out Sunday after church,” Greer said to Rachel.

A shard of jealousy pierced Holly’s heart at his words. She hadn’t really believed he would ask her out. Jo wasn’t the type Greer usually dated. In fact, she hadn’t dated anyone in town that she knew about. Jo kept to herself when she was at church, usually saying only a word or two to Rachel before leaving in that huge tow truck Greer always ogled.

“I don’t know if she’ll accept. When I try to talk about it, she changes the conversation,” Rachel warned.

Greer’s face brightened. “That’s not a bad thing. Hell, you mention my name to most of the women in town, and they’ll tell you everyone I’ve”—he shot Holly a cautious look. Holly had no doubt that if she weren’t sitting there, he would have used a different word than what came out of his mouth next—“seen in the last five years. Her changing the subject may mean she likes me.”

“How in the hell do you think that?” Cash buttoned up Ema’s jacket as the night grew cooler. “In my experience, women will talk their heads off about who they’re interested in.”

Greer snorted. “You don’t know shit about women.”

Rachel stared at her brother as if he had grown another head. “You think you know more about women than Cash does?” she asked, disbelieving.

“Course I do. About good, God-fearing women. The only experience Cash has with women, other than you, is with sluts. There was no more God-fearing than Ma, and she raised me, didn’t she?”

“Mag raised Cash, and she’s God-fearing.”

“No, she ain’t. God fears her. There’s a difference.”

Rachel smacked her own forehead before turning toward her husband. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

Cash raised a brow at her irate gaze. “No. It’s the truth. We’re all afraid of Mag.”

Trying to forestall the budding argument, Holly tried to soothe Rachel’s temper. “Just because someone goes to church doesn’t mean they live a good life. There are several people who go to our church I wouldn’t give my trust to.”

“I can name a couple,” Rachel agreed. “You want Jo because she’s God-fearing? When was the last time Diane went to church?”

“I didn’t say that was one of my requirements. That’s not the only thing I like about Jo.”

“You don’t know anything about Jo,” Rachel retorted.

“I know she drives that big-ass tow truck. It’s sexy as …” Greer saw Holly’s fingers curl around her soda can as she stared at him while he tried to find the acceptable words that wouldn’t get her drink thrown at him. “I find it very attractive.”

“Me, too.” Dustin grinned. “If I thought Jo would date a younger man, I’d go for her myself.”

Tate and Cash didn’t take their attention away from their hot dogs, remaining uncharacteristically quiet. Their wives gave them narrow-eyed glances at their silence.

“Do you find Jo attractive?” Sutton pointblank asked her husband.

“Do I have to sleep on the couch tonight if I do?”

“If I were a guy, I would find her attractive, too.” Holly took the heat away from the two men who were in danger of spending uncomfortable nights away from their wives. “Jo’s really nice. She tries to help anyone who needs it and never asks for anything in return. Last week, when I got off work, I came out to see her changing my tire. At first I thought you”—Holly nodded toward Dustin—“had her take care of it, but she told me that she had been driving past and saw I had a flat tire. She had gone back to her tow yard and brought back one to put on my car. When I tried to pay for it, she wouldn’t take it, telling me she has dozens of tires and not to worry about it. She kind of made my day doing something nice for me.”

“Is that the same tire I told you to take care of, Dustin?” Tate grated out harshly.

Dustin’s remorseful eyes met hers. “I’m sorry, Holly. It slipped my mind.”

Holly realized what she had done too late. “I didn’t want you to get angry at Dustin. I was just saying—”

“I know what you were doing. You were trying not make Greer come across as a jackass. Don’t waste your efforts. It’s a lost cause. You’re always trying to protect those you care about, and we don’t deserve it. I saw that tire was bald. I should have changed it myself instead of telling Dustin to do it.”

“He asked me to pick one up for her, and I forgot.” Greer took his own share of the blame.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s fixed. Now, can we go have some fun? Logan, you want to go ride the Ferris wheel?”

“Can we ride the bumper cars first?” he pleaded.

“That works. It’s next to the Ferris wheel. We can ride the cars first then ride the Ferris wheel.”

Holly was relieved when the atmosphere lightened as they threw out their trash then braved the even larger crowd. Cash and Tate both wrapped their arms around their wives’ waists, leading them through the crowd. Holly fell in step beside Dustin as he swung Logan back onto his shoulders. Greer followed behind them, so close it made her self-conscious.

She was a short woman who carried most of her weight in two areas that, despite her best efforts of dieting, didn’t respond by shrinking. She hated her boobs and her butt. Both made her feel like they were the only things men stared at when they saw her, coming and going. When she had enough money saved, she was going to take care of both her problems.

There was a long line at the bumper cars, and the Ferris wheel line wasn’t any better. A thin metal gate separated the two lines.

“Why in the hell would Justin and Curt want to ride the Ferris wheel?” Dustin asked Greer from over his shoulder.

“They look like they’re f …”—Greer moved to the side farther away from her—“roaring drunk. I wouldn’t want to be the one riding under them.”

“I appreciate you watching your language around Logan,” Dustin said.

“No problem.”

Holly saw Greer look away from her knowing smile. The arrogant man wasn’t about to admit to his younger brother that he was afraid of her. Not that he would admit it for a million dollars.

“For a million dollars, he might,” she mumbled to herself after giving it more thought. Hell, for a million, he would sell his own soul. He would steal it back, but he would sell it.

“What’s so funny?” he asked testily.

“Nothing you would find funny.”

“Try me.”

Nothing made Greer more short-tempered than thinking she was laughing at him, and he was itching for a fight. She could see it in his face. He was castigating himself about her tire, not because he hadn’t taken her safety seriously, but because Tate was going to give both him and Dustin hell for not taking care of it.

“Can we please just have one night we don’t fight?”

Her plea went unanswered when yelling from the line next to them had the men turning.

“Justin and Curt are hanging over the side and spitting down on the people waiting,” Tate explained.

“Damn fools. They’re going to break their necks the way they’re leaning over.”

“We’re not that lucky.” Cash moved Rachel farther away from the metal rail.

Holly was too short to see over the crowd, but the anger-filled voices seemed to become louder and angrier.

Tate and Cash were starting to look worried as the rail started shaking as the people on the other side pushed back toward it.

“I’m getting Rachel out of here.” Cash motioned for Rachel to go around Dustin to get out of the line.

“Let’s go play some of the games, Logan. We can ride the bumper cars later.” Dustin tried to turn to follow Cash as the rail started to tilt toward them.

Holly had already started to get nervous at the escalating yells. Then, before she could take a step in his direction, the rail gave away from the surging crowd that was running toward them.

“Son of a bitch!” Greer shouted.

“Holly!” Logan screamed as he nearly fell from Dustin’s shoulders when he was hit from behind from the throng fleeing.

“Hold on, Logan!” Holly screamed, trying to weave her way around them and find an opening. Instead, she was swallowed in their midst. Then she felt herself going down, terror-stricken at the mass that was bearing down on her.

A hard jerk brought her upright, levering her to the side of the crowd and throwing her against the side of the small ticket booth. She could only gasp as she lifted frightened eyes to Greer while he pressed himself flat against her, bracing his forearms on the booth beside her head to keep her from the fight that had broken out amongst some of the men who had sent those around them fleeing to keep from getting involved in the massive brawl.

She tried not to breathe, angling herself to keep her breasts from poking into his chest. It was a lost cause as he pressed harder against her, bearing the flying fists and elbows of the men who were fighting.

She desperately tried to ignore the sensation of his firm chest that had her nipples tightening. She was afraid to move, not because of what was going on around them, but because of the desire that was invading her pussy, aware his dick was pressed against her belly.

She silently prayed the fight would end before she forgot that he hated her and wiggled back against the rigid length that she felt behind his jeans.

“If Knox doesn’t get here to get this under control, I’m going to my truck for my shotgun,” Greer muttered.

Holly ran her hand soothingly across his chest. “He’s here.” She peeked out from under his arm to see Knox pulling the men apart and tossing them at his deputies one at a time.

“Break it up! Break it up, or I’m going to arrest every damn one of you!” Knox bellowed, sending the participants running.

Her eyes widened in sympathy at the man floundering on the ground.

“I’ve never seen anyone Tazed before.”

“Who got Tazed?”

“Justin.” Holly looked up at him, surprised he hadn’t turned to look for himself.

“He deserves it. I hope Knox gives him an extra jolt for spitting on those poor suckers.”

Holly stared at the man in pity. “I think he gave Justin more than one. He peed on himself.”

Greer still hadn’t looked back to watch what was happening at his back.

“You can let me go now,” she stated the obvious.

Greer moved away from her so fast he stumbled against one of the deputies, sending him into men Knox was still trying to break apart.

“Goddammit, who sucker-punched me?” Holt Hayes swung at the first person closest to him.

Greer ducked, his own fist coming out to nail Holt in his stomach.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Holt panted, trying to catch his breath.

“Motherfucker …” Greer started toward the man who was trying to straighten out of his bent-over position.

“Greer, don’t.” Holly wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to hold him back. “Please don’t. Logan’s watching.”

His hands went to hers where they were clasped around his waist. She held on tighter, her body tight around him from behind.

“Look. Knox is putting his handcuffs on him now.”

He tried to break away from her again.

“Do you want everyone in town saying that you couldn’t beat Holt in a fair fight?” Holly tried again to calm him down.

Knox pushed Holt down to the ground beside Justin, who was trying to angrily explain that Curt and Justin hadn’t been the ones to start the fight.

“Woman, let me go.” When Greer turned to look over his shoulder at her, she saw he had calmed down enough to release him.

Dustin and Tate came to stand next to them.

“I’m surprised you’re not sitting there with the others, getting arrested.” Tate slapped him on his back. “You must be getting old.”

“He didn’t fight. He made sure I didn’t get grounded into the dust from those jerks.”

“Damn, Greer, you’re not getting old; you’re getting soft,” Tate teased, putting Greer into a headlock when Greer swung a fist at his laughing face.

“Tate, quit bugging Greer.” She placed herself between the two brothers who loved to fight as much as they loved each other. “You can take all your aggression out on the bumper cars.”

“You still want to let Logan ride them?” Dustin asked, setting Logan down on the ground.

“Of course.” She took Logan’s hand so he couldn’t run ahead of them. “There doesn’t seem to be a line anymore. Where’re Sutton and Rachel?”

“Cash took them and the baby on home.” Tate left it unsaid that neither he nor Dustin would leave without making sure Greer didn’t need their help.

Holly released Logan’s hand at the entrance of the bumper cars.

“You’re not coming?” Greer asked when she moved to the side so that Dustin and Tate could enter.

“Hel—Uh, no thanks. I’ve had enough excitement for the night.”

Holly stared after Greer as he went to find his own car, stupefied by the ironic smile he had given her for the near miss at cursing. He never smiled at her, always giving her a cold shoulder. That smile had lightened his expression, buoying the flickering flame in her heart that one day there might be a chance of something growing between them. A slim chance, but it was better than what she had been living with for the past six years.