Read Online Boyfriend for Rent by Jamie Lake - Free Book Online Page A

just taken the food and gone into the living room to eat in front of the television, ignoring Casey when he joined him. Casey had also tried talking to Hunter at different times while they were working together. While they were eating. When Hunter was rubbing down the horses. All attempts were met either with a cold look and silence or by Hunter simply walking away.
    Then there was something worse that kept popping up in Casey’s mind.
    Casey couldn’t help but wonder if he’d made Hunter angry enough to be kicked out of the house - or worse - to lose him as a friend. He suddenly felt badly about the whole thing and wanted to rewind time to how things were before, but he couldn’t. He’d made that wish thousands of times in his life, listing all of the things he’d have changed. His brother enlisting. Letting McDermott talk him out of going to culinary school. Staying with McDermott as long as he had, while knowing, deep down, that things were never going to go any further. Now he just had one more thing to add to it.
    He sat on his bed, looking down at the notebook he’d bought to use to make lists to keep himself organized. There was one other thing he could try, but the thought terrified him. He’d been a decent student in school, but there had been one class in which he’d always excelled: English. His teachers had always told him that he had an excellent grasp of the English language, and how to put words together in a way that flowed naturally and beautifully. Unfortunately, that hadn’t always carried over to when he spoke, as his recent predicament proved. He knew, though, if he tried writing down his apology, he could make it all clear. He also knew that if Hunter refused to read it, they were done. He’d be out of options. He also knew that while he’d be able to hide his romantic feelings for Hunter, he would have to expose just how much the other man meant to him, even if only platonically.
    “Man up,” he muttered to himself. This was his time to make a choice. He could risk being hurt or he could lose his only friend, and possibly his home.
    Taking a deep breath, he put pen to paper and began.
     
    Hunter,
    This silence is killing me. You’ve been so good to me, letting me live here and having my back. No one’s done that for me since my brother died. I hate that I hurt you. I never meant to. For as much as I talk, sometimes I can’t get the words to come out right. So, here, I’m going to tell you what I should have said before.
    You are smart. You are one of the smartest, kindest, most sincere people I’ve ever known. I’ve seen how you fix things just by looking at them and figuring out how they work. I’ve watched you figure out how many bales of hay you can fit into the back of your truck without needing to measure either one, and I know it’s not just practice because I’ve seen you do it with other things.
    I don’t want to change you so you’re ‘worthy’ of me or some shit like that. I want to bring out the intelligence that I know you have , because I want us both to walk into that reunion and show those sons of bitches what amazing people we both are. I know it’s not your school and those aren't the same bastards who were cruel to you, but they’re cut from the same cloth. Trust me.
    I want them to see what I see every day when I look at you :  a strong, handsome man with a sharp, brilliant mind and a kind heart. If you want to go in your work jeans and flannel shirt, with hay in your beard and dirt on your hands, I’ll stand proudly by your side. The fact that you’re willing to do this for me means more than I can ever say, and I swear that I will never put you in a position where you feel like you’re not good enough. You are. You’re more than good enough. You’re the best.
     
     
     
     
     
    _________ o _________
     
    CHAPTER 22
     
    C asey lost himself in the rhythm of brushing Dollie’s coat, automatically stepping back as she did her usual side shuffle. It