“It’s nice to meet you, Hunter.”
“The pleasure is all mine, sir.”
Gilbert waved his hand. “Please, no need to be so formal. Just call me Gilbert.”
“Gilbert, it is. May I take your coat?”
Bradly appeared again, introduced himself, and took Gilbert’s coat.
“You have a beautiful ranch,” Gilbert stated.
I nodded. “Thank you. My father and uncles work hard to make it the success it is. My older brother, Blayze, as well. He’s been slowly stepping into my father’s shoes.”
The sound of laughter coming from my right made my insides feel weird just as a warm sensation rushed over me. I could hear my parents talking to Kipton, and I didn’t want to gawk at her, so instead, I focused my eyes straight ahead on her mother and father.
“Are you excited to do the show?” Laura asked.
I let out a humorless laugh. “I’m not sure excited is the word I’d use. A bit scared might be a better choice.”
They both laughed before Gilbert looked to his left.
“Aw, there she is. Hunter, this is our daughter, Kipton.”
When I turned to look at her, I had to force my legs not to give out on me. Then I had to concentrate on not letting my mouth drop open. Last, I had to keep my eyes on her stunningly beautiful face, even though they were begging to do a sweep of her entire body.
“Kipton…it’s great to finally meet you in person,” I said as I shook her hand.
I just barely ignored the little jolt of energy that raced up my arm when our hands touched. Then she smiled—and I was pretty damn sure my knees felt a little weak.
The pictures of Kipton hadn’t done her justice, neither had the Zoom meetings. She was about five-three or four. Most of her light brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with two long strands left down to frame her face. She wore little makeup, nothing more was needed, and her eyes… Her eyes were the softest blue I’d ever seen. If I had to describe the color, I’d say they were baby blue.
When she glanced over my shoulder, and her eyes went wide—most likely from seeing the large group of people in the other room—they almost seemed to change to gray.
Someone suddenly pushed their way next to me and reached for Kipton’s hand. “Ms. Howse, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Bradly Littlewood’s my name.”
He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it with another wink—at her this time. Now, I did roll my eyes. With a hard pull on his shoulder, I directed him behind me as my father handed him Kipton’s coat.
“Since you’ve appointed yourself the person to hang up jackets, here you go, Bradly.”
Bradly flashed a smile back toward Kipton, then quickly made his way to the closet with her coat.
“I’m sorry about that. Usually he’s on the shy side, but clearly not tonight,” my mother said with a laugh. “Shall we all head into the living room? We’ve got the whole family here tonight.”
Kipton’s brows rose as her mother grinned from ear to ear and said, “I can’t wait to meet them.”
My mother led Laura, while Father walked next to Gilbert and quickly fell into a conversation. I started to follow when I felt Kipton grab my arm.
“Hunter?”
I stopped and faced her. “Yeah?”
She looked nervous as she chewed on her lower lip. “Is there anywhere we can go to talk in private?”
Blinking at her rapidly, I replied, “Um, yeah. Sure.”
I motioned for her to follow me farther down the hall toward my mother’s office. Kipton took in the house as we walked.
“Your parents’ house is beautiful,” she said softly as she slowed to peek into a room. “A library! Oh my gosh, I’d get lost in here.”
I chuckled and said, “Let’s talk in there, then.”
Kipton walked in and stopped in the middle of the room, spinning around slowly as she looked at the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. She wore dress pants and a sweater with black high heels. She had an athletic build, but she wasn’t stick thin. I’d heard Rose and Lily talking about how they loved that Kipton had curves, instead of the typical super-thin body that many beauty pageant contestants seemed to prefer.
From the bikini photos I’d seen of her on the Internet, I agreed. She had one hell of a body.
“Would you like me to keep the door open?”
She stopped and looked at me, her head tilted slightly. “What?” she asked with a light chuckle.
I shrugged. “I just want you to feel comfortable, that’s all.”
Her tongue darted out and she licked her lips…I had to jerk my gaze away.
“Um…thank you for being so considerate, but I don’t think it would be improper to close it.”
Nodding, I shut the door and let out an exhale. “You wanted to talk?”
Her hands started to wring together as she turned away from me and walked over to a bookshelf. She appeared to be reading the spines—until she suddenly spun around and said, “I’m scared to death to do this.”
“To do what?”
“The show. Host it. I’m terrified.”
I was positive I looked shocked as hell. “But you were Miss Montana. You stood on national TV and spoke during the Miss America pageant to millions of people around the world.”
She swallowed hard. “That was different.”
“How?”
Her nose scrunched up in the most adorable way, and I had to fight the urge to smile.
“I don’t really know. Maybe because pageant stuff is all rehearsed. And this feeling didn’t even hit me until we pulled up to your house. Why did they pick me? What makes them think I’ll even be a good host?”
“Why did they pick me?” I countered.
She let out a humorless laugh and waved her hand in my direction. “Look at you! Why wouldn’t they pick you.”
I leaned against the desk and crossed my ankles. “Okay, if we’re going there—look at you. You’re gorgeous, Kipton. I don’t know you yet, but from what I’ve seen on Zoom, you have a great personality as well. My cousins, Lily and Rose, go to the same college as you, and Lily said you’re always volunteering and doing things for others, so that tells me you have a kind heart.”
Her cheeks blushed. She looked away and cleared her throat before she began strolling around the library slowly, running a finger along the books. “I read that you do a lot of charity work as well. And that your father has a foundation here in Hamilton.”
“That’s the only reason I agreed to do this. The money is going to the foundation.”
She stopped and looked at me—then smiled. Jesus, her smile could light up a room.
“The money was the only reason I agreed as well. My parents could really use it to get them out of…”
She blushed and I figured she had been about to say out of debt. I wasn’t about to push her for the reasons she signed up to do this gig.
I folded my arms over my chest. “We both have good reasons for doing it. We’re both going in a bit unsure if we can pull it off. I don’t mind admitting I’m probably just as scared as you. And I think it’s safe to say we’re both worried we’re going to look like idiots.”