Farmer Wants a Wife: Love and Friendship, Book 3 (21 page)

“They’re not even touching each other.”

“Tyler, we don’t touch each other when we’re together in a public place. It’s what they’re not doing that gives the game away.” And the way Nolan looked at the blonde woman when he didn’t think anyone was watching. She recognized the quick glance for what it was because that was how she studied Tyler.

“Maybe.” He stood. “Dance with me.” He leaned closer under the pretext of not having to shout against the music. “Give me a reason to touch you.”

“You’re always touching me.”

“Not enough for my liking,” he whispered and drew her to the crowded dance floor.

At first she struggled to keep a respectable distance from Tyler. Impossible with the force of the bodies, all seeking to squeeze into the limited space. Finally, she gave up, plastered a friendly grin on her lips and rested against him. Like most people around them, they swayed on the spot.

“Stop copping a feel.”

His hands whisked over her butt again, drawing their lower bodies together. “But it’s so much fun.” His warm breath tickled her ear, transmitting hot, lustful messages where they had no business traveling—especially in a public place.

When the song ended, she pulled away and fought fluster. “Thank you for the dance.” If all else failed, she’d resort to the polite niceties drummed into her by her mother.

“My pleasure.” A wicked light shone in his eyes, the curve of his mouth lifting in an uptick of amusement. “Any time.”

“Susan, it’s time to head to the function room.” Nolan stood with Yvonne at his side, both studiously ignoring the other.

“It was lovely to meet you, Yvonne,” Susan said.

“Drop by the bookstore. I’ll buy you a coffee,” Yvonne said.

Susan didn’t think she’d still be here to visit Yvonne. Despite her doubt, she smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.”

Nolan trailed Susan as she wove through the crowd to the function room.

“Good luck, Susan,” one of the guys from the Clare rugby team shouted.

“Yeah!” another man called.

Nolan caught his mother’s glare and grinned inwardly. She’d rung him earlier. He’d taken great pleasure in hanging up on her. Then he’d left the phone off the hook and switched off his cell.

Ignoring his mother had felt really good.

He spotted his father standing with his friends and stopped to say hello. “Hey, Dad.”

“Son.” His father leaned close. “You should choose the girl with the vibrator.”

“Mum told you about that, did she?”

“Oh yeah. I got an earful during the ride here.” His father grinned. “I like a girl with a spine. Makes me want to be a better man.”

Nolan nodded because he understood what his father meant. “See you in the morning.”

“Son?”

“Yeah, Dad?”

“I’m going to move out of the house. Your mother refuses to give me a divorce, but I don’t have to live with her in misery.”

Nolan blinked. His father had gone and got some balls. “Is there someone else?”

“No. There was a long time ago, when you were ten. I wasn’t brave enough to walk away from my marriage. I need to talk to Tyler. Do you know where he is?”

“Over there with Yvonne.” Nolan’s stomach sank at the admission.

“We’ll talk tomorrow. Good luck with the filming, son.”

Nolan gave his father a curt nod and sauntered to the function room. He smiled at everyone who thought he needed advice, but he knew exactly what he had to do.

Chapter Eleven

“Are you going home?” Tyler paced the confines of his bedroom, his phone glued to his ear. The idea of Suzy leaving had him dragging his hand through his hair. Damn, his bloody hand was shaking.

“I’m not meant to tell you.”

“Please, put me out of my misery.” Tyler strode from his bed to the door and back, his nerves not allowing him to stand in one spot.

“Jasmine is going home.”

Elation soared then plummeted to the bottom of his gut. “Nolan picked you.”

“Yeah, I’m still in shock. So is Jasmine. She accused me of trading sex for my place on the show.”

“You’re having sex with me.” The possessive nature of the words flooded him with satisfaction. Huh, he was doing a caveman act—doing everything except beating his chest.

“Last night I thought Nolan suspected something.” Suzy paused. “I guess I was wrong.”

“You think Nolan is serious about you?”
Over his dead body
.

“I don’t know what to think.”

“Can you meet me tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry. If it’s fine tomorrow, we’re filming outside. The cameraman wants some farm scenes.”

“We haven’t had our date yet,” Tyler said. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

“The drive-thru isn’t on until the weekend.”

“No, wait. The show is tomorrow. I want to watch it. Friday night,” he said. “I’ll ring Nolan and ask him myself.”

The next day

“Do you know who Nolan picked?” Josie settled on the couch beside Tyler.

“Yes.” Tyler drummed his fingers on his thigh and waited for the reality show to start.

“Is it the same girl you’re meeting most days down by the dam?” Eric said.

Tyler’s fingers stilled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“
Ooh
, he’s good,” Josie said to her husband. “Just the right edge of innocence and surprise. If I didn’t know him well, I’d think we were way off beam with our assumptions.”

“Katey likes her. So do we,” Eric said.

“Nolan likes her too,” Tyler snapped.

“But you’re the one she visits in secret,” Josie said.

“I don’t want to sneak around. I don’t like it.”

“So you are serious about the girl,” Eric said with a healthy slice of satisfaction.

“The show is starting,” Tyler said. “From what Suzy says, we don’t want to miss a thing.” Eric and Josie exchanged a knowing glance, and even the fact they knew the truth didn’t settle the angst riding his gut. He needed to see, to hear what Nolan said on the show, how he worded his picks.

“Welcome to the knockout show,” Hailee cooed. “It’s been a very tense week down on the farm for our contestants and farmers. First, we’ll go to Graham in the far south and see which girls he’s picked to stay at the farm.”

Tyler’s fingers started into motion again, impatience fueling his need for movement.

“We like Susan,” Josie said.

“So you’ve said.” Tyler’s tart reply echoed in the lounge. He sucked in a deep breath. “I’m sorry. That was rude.” He plucked his small notebook and pencil from his pocket and started drawing. Instantly, his nerves flowed out of him and a picture of Susan appeared on the page. “I like her too. Very much.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Josie demanded. “You can’t sit back and let Nolan steal her from under your nose.”

“I’m taking her out on Friday night. I called in the date I won.”

“Good plan.” Eric nodded with approval. “Where are you taking her?”

“I haven’t got that far yet. I rang Nolan and asked him if I could take Susan out,” Tyler said.

Josie and Eric gaped at him.

“You look like a pair of fish,” Tyler said.

“What did Nolan say?” Eric asked.

“Nothing. What could he say? I won the date fair and square.”

“Take the entire day,” Josie suggested. “Pick her up in the morning and go to Napier. Show her the art deco buildings and go to a vineyard for lunch. Go for a walk on the beach after your meal.”

“Stay the night somewhere in Napier,” Eric said. “Make it a real event.”

Tyler felt his mouth drop open.

“What?” Eric said. “You like the girl. You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you?”

Josie let out a girlish giggle and winked at her husband. “Good plan. We’ll babysit.”

Tyler let their teasing wash over him this time. They weren’t going to leave it alone. “I’m not sure Suzy will agree to staying out for the entire night.”

“Ask her,” Eric said. “She can only say no.”

“Shush, Nolan’s segment has started,” Josie said.

“Life is never boring with Nolan’s women,” Hailee said. “We never know what to expect and this week was no exception. At the end of the show, we’re going to place a special poll on the website to learn about popular opinion on a certain subject, so make sure you visit and have your say.”

“That sounds intriguing,” Josie said.

The show cut to an interview with Nolan. His big brother appeared at ease in front of the camera, his mouth quirked into a tiny smile.

“What is your ideal woman like?” the cameraman asked.

“I want someone who loves the land and the countryside as much as I do,” Nolan said. “I can’t imagine not living here in Clare.”

“And what about physical characteristics?”

“Someone who looks after themselves. They don’t have to be ultra skinny, but someone who is fit. A woman who is adaptable and possesses a sense of humor.”

“You’re determined to give a PC answer,” the cameraman said. “All right. What color hair do you prefer?”

“Dark,” Nolan said.

“Height?”

“A few inches shorter than me. I don’t like to get a sore neck.”

Tyler’s pencil skidded to a halt on the page.

“He’s describing Susan,” Josie whispered.

“He didn’t hesitate saying yes when I asked if I could take Suzy out on our date.” Tyler stared at the screen. What the fuck game was his brother playing? “Susan likes Clare, but I think she’s missing Auckland and her friends.” Which was a problem for him. He couldn’t leave Clare, not after Eric and Josie had done so much for him. Eric needed his help on the farm and Katey would start school in a few months.

No, his roots were here in Clare.

Somehow, he’d have to persuade Suzy that life in Clare was an attractive proposition.

The scene changed on the television screen. Eric let out a guffaw.

Tyler found himself grinning. So that was Mr. Blue.

“Oh my,” Josie said, her voice emerging in a weird squeak.

On screen, Suzy lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “Doctors invented vibrators to cure hysteria. Maybe you should have a treatment. It might help your viperous tongue.” In the startled silence that followed, she snatched up Mr. Blue and stomped from the room.

“Oh my.” Josie flapped her hand in front of her face. “I do like that girl.”

The next segment was an interview with Suzy. Tyler stared at her familiar face, his heart aching. Damn, this was one battle he had no intention of losing. His parents might have deserted him, Rebecca hadn’t believed enough in him to fight for their marriage, but he didn’t intend to fail a third time.

“What happened after you stomped out of the kitchen?” the cameraman asked.

“I had a tantrum and threw Mr. Blue at the wall. He made a dent.”

“Damn, I wish I could have filmed that.”

“I broke Mr. Blue. If you’d been present, I might have aimed my wrath elsewhere.” Suzy stared right into the camera, and Tyler found himself smirking when she didn’t blink. “Now I’ll have to find a replacement.”

“Nolan seems to prefer women with dark hair,” the cameraman said, his slyness coming through in his tone as he shifted topic. “You might have the real thing soon.”

“Mr. Blue didn’t try to boss me around,” Suzy snapped, her cheeks full of color and her eyes flashing. “He did exactly what I wanted.”

Tyler couldn’t help but stare because she was beautiful in her anger. He made a mental note to go shopping online for more sex toys. He’d had a couple of things delivered already. A vibrator would make a great addition. His lips curled as he fought a smirk. He was man enough to cope with a faux penis.

“You go, Suzy,” Josie said in approval.

“Hey,” Eric said, but he was grinning.

The camera flashed back to Nolan, who was now with Suzy and the other two women.

“I had a big problem narrowing my choice down to two women,” Nolan said. “Jasmine, Lucy and Susan are wonderful and they all possess qualities I admire in a woman. Jasmine has a sense of humor and loves family. She enjoys the country and likes animals. Lucy also has a great sense of humor. She gets on well with my family and friends and enjoys living in the countryside. Susan is funny and makes me laugh. She’s also a great cook and is always helping others.” Nolan patted his tummy. “She’s a really good cook.”

“We’ll have Nolan’s results after a word from our sponsors,” Hailee said in her bubbly voice-over from the studio.

“I can’t stand the suspense,” Josie said. “Does he pick Suzy?”

Tyler gave a curt nod, heartsick at the acknowledgement.

“Damn.” Eric sent Tyler a sympathetic look, his brow furrowed. “If that’s the case, then why did Nolan agree to let you go on a date with her?”

“I didn’t give him an option,” Tyler said. “I told him if he didn’t permit our date I’d create a ruckus like he hadn’t seen since our mother kicked me out of home.”