Page 56 of Promise Me a Forever Texas Love

His gaze lifted, his eyes intense and molten. Her breath caught and she couldn’t control the slight tremble of her body or the desire that settled hot and heavy inside her as she waited for him to speak.

“A date.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I’ll take a date with you instead of a cake.”

“I’m not a prize to win, Huck.”

He stared into her eyes. “Then you don’t truly see yourself the way I do. Because you are a prize. You’re not only stunningly beautiful, you’re also smart and kind and hardworking. You ride a horse better than anyone I’ve ever seen. You even can peaches! I mean how amazing is that? And talk about amazing, you’re the best mama Camden could ask for. So yes, Catydid, you are a prize. I’m going to do everything in my power to win you.” He tipped his head. “So what do you say? A date, or I tell everyone I was cheated at the church’s Harvest Festival.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Huck spent the next week trying to figure out where to take Cadee on Saturday night. He wanted to take her to a fancy restaurant in Dallas, but she’d made it clear when she accepted that she was only giving him a couple of hours.

Sloppy Joe’s was the only dinner option in town, unless he wanted to take her to Honky Tonk Heaven. He didn’t want to take her to a wild bar . . . or to a noisy restaurant where half the town would be ogling them.

Which left him with only one choice.

“So where are we going?” Cadee asked as they walked to his truck.

“It’s a surprise.” He opened the door for her, allowing his gaze to run over her. He took it as a good sign that she’d worn the sexy red halter dress.

Her family stood on the front porch watching. Cooper and Callum with threatening scowls and Camden with a sullen look because he hadn’t been invited. Huck waved at them as he walked around to the driver’s side. Only Cadee’s mama waved back.

“No rush to get home!” she called.

As soon as he got into the truck, Cadee scowled at him like her son and brothers. “A couple of hours is all you get.”

“Then I guess we can’t waste any time.”

Cadee continued to scowl the entire drive into town. She stopped scowling and looked completely confused when they passed both Sloppy Joe’s and Honky Tonk Heaven.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.” He turned on the road that led to the Hennessy house.

“Oh, no, Huck. I’m not going to your house.”

“We’re not going to my house.” He drove past the house and headed down the bumpy road that led to the river. Once there, he parked and hopped out. Before he could get around to her side, she was out and slamming the door.

“You brought me to the river?”

“Would you just relax and go with the flow?” He took her hand and tugged her along the riverbank, then up a steep embankment. As soon as they reached the top, she jerked him to a stop. When he turned to her, she was staring at the tree not more than fifty feet away as if it was a monster straight out of her worst nightmares.

She shook her head. “Absolutely not, Huck.”

Huck had worried about this exact thing happening. But Poppy was convinced that this plan would work. That bringing Cadee back to the “scene of the crime” was exactly what she needed to remember how much they loved each other. Huck was now doubting it. But it was too late for doubts. This was the only plan he had.

“Sorry,” he said. “I won and this was the agreed-upon prize. A two-hour dinner date. Your only stipulation was that the dinner be in town.”

“I didn’t know it was at the treeboat.”

“That’s your problem, not mine.” He pulled her toward the huge oak and turned to her when they reached the ladder. “Now am I going to have to carry you up fireman-style or do you have enough courage to go it alone?”

The spark of anger in her eyes told him his words had hit their mark. She grabbed onto the ladder and started climbing. Since she wore a short skirt, he got treated to a view of toned thighs and a peek of beige lacy panties before she disappeared over the top. He heard a soft intake of breath, and he figured he’d either done a really good job . . . or a really shitty one.

He climbed the ladder and found Cadee standing rigidly at the top like a stunned statue. He understood why. The main deck of the treeboat looked like a fairy-dusted dream.