22. Isabelle
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
isabelle
I jumped as Reid appeared behind me, dropping over my shoulder to ask what I was reading, and it brought me back to the Houston Rodeo earlier that year.
“What are you reading?” Reid came up behind me, peeking over my shoulder to look at the book I had.
I had been sitting here in Colter’s trailer for the past forty-five minutes or so.
“It’s one of those romances where the guy would do anything to protect the girl.” I never got into the specifics when I told people about the books I was reading, just the general ideas. I wasn’t afraid they would judge me for what I was reading—frankly, I didn’t care about that—but I figured most people didn’t want the nitty-gritty details.
“Ah, so one of those, ‘I’d burn down the world for you’ books? Is that the kind of man you want, Isa?” He winked, and heat rose to my cheeks, spreading like wildfire across them.
“Sure, something like that,” I muttered while I tried to keep my composure and ignore the heat creeping up in my chest.
The thing was, I didn’t want a man like that. I didn’t want someone who would burn down the world for me. I wanted a man who would burn down the world with me .
“You don’t seem like the kind of woman to want that kind of man.” He sat down next to me, and I quickly closed my book.
“What kind of woman do I seem like, then?” I narrowed my eyes, testing him.
“I’m still trying to figure that out.” He shrugged.
“Why would you do that?” I huffed out, trying to slow my racing heart.
“You disappeared. I wanted to make sure you didn’t get hurt or something.” His tone had genuine concern, and for a moment, I felt bad for leaving.
“I’m not sure if roping is my thing,” I admitted. “I think I’d rather read about it than be in the action.”
“Ah, so you’re reading one of those cowboy stories?” he teased. “I’m telling you, the real-life ones are probably way better than those ones.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t believe you.” I’d met some of the “cowboys” down in Houston.
“Well, that’s just because you’d never met a real cowboy before. We may be hard to come by, but the real ones are the real deal. I can promise you that.” He added on a wink, to which I rolled my eyes. “Besides, no offense, but those ones you read about aren’t real,” he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
“That’s the point,” I chirped back, still skimming the pages.
“Tell me more about it? The book you’re reading?”
“It’s about a guy who’s had feelings for this girl for years, but she’s completely oblivious to it.” I closed the book and looked over my shoulder at him. “It’s quite frustrating, actually.”
“Sounds like it.”
“Yeah, well, romance books, right? Gotta put us through the pain before getting to the happy stuff. At least the characters in this book stay friends, though. They don’t completely stop talking.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. If I can’t have her romantically, then platonically is fine , kind of vibes.” I sucked on the inside of my cheek, raising my eyebrows as we held eye contact. After a few moments passed, I opened my book again, holding it in front of my face. “Well, this was fun, but I’m going to get back to it.”
Instead of leaving, he moved in front of me, gently pushing the book down. “Come on, Is. At least come hang out with us. We’ll make a cowgirl out of you one of these days, but I— we all like having you around.”
I looked up at him through my lashes as he extended a hand to help me up off the ground. I took it—albeit reluctantly—leaving the book on the ground for me to grab before we left.
“You don’t even have to get on a horse. Although, last time we went riding you looked good.”
“You’re lying.” I shook my head in disbelief.
“I’m not. You always look good, Honeybee.” His eyes averted from me after he said it, and a warm flush crept into my cheeks. Reid ruffled his hair as he pointed back to the arena. “I, uh, should get back.”
“I’ll be right behind you.” I let him walk a few paces before I started following. The interaction was already awkward enough, so I decided to save us both from getting more flustered.
“There she is!” Ellison cheered as we got closer to the arena.
“Yeah, yeah. You know this type of stuff isn’t my thing.” I shrugged, standing by the idea that I’d rather read than open a cow chute .
“It’s not your thing…yet,” Jake pointed out. “I mean, shit, look at Ellison here. She’s stubborn as a mule.”
“Hey! Leave me out of this!” Ellison snapped back. “But he’s not wrong. You rode a horse once this summer, you’re already on your way, Is. Once you find yourself a cowboy, you never go back.” She winked at Colter, who looked at her completely starstruck.
“I told her the real thing is better than the fictional ones,” Reid repeated his claim.
“Damn right, we are,” Colter agreed. “You should listen to him, Isa. He may not look the brightest, but he’s quick as a whip.”
Reid flipped him off as he mounted his horse and started to head over to the roping chutes again. “Let’s go, boys!”
I watched him ride away, sitting tall in the saddle, looking like every girl’s dream.
The real deal is right.
I wouldn’t admit it out loud, especially not to this group, but I was starting to think, in this case, reality was better than fiction.