Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
She was right.
Of course she was right.
Mack couldn’t take his eyes off Lacey. No one in his family had ever taken him seriously when he’d told them he wanted to compete. Each and every one of his brothers, his parents, even his cousins had brushed him off and told him to aim lower.
But that wasn’t what life was all about.
What happened to aiming for the stars and all that?
Lacey was the first person to tell him he should chase his dream. Twenty-four years old, and only one person had thought his dream had merit.
Mack stared at her until she started to squirm in her seat. She’d brushed him off at every turn, and yet something inside him had been more persistent in chasing her than he’d been in learning the ins and outs of the rodeo. Maybe that was the reason.
Perhaps his heart had known that she was the key to gaining that courage—the courage to step into something truly scary.
Now he had two things to fight for.
“What?” she said with a quiet laugh. Lacey ducked her head and moved some of the potatoes around her plate with her fork.
“Nothing,” he murmured, a smile filling his face.
She looked up and her smile mirrored his own.
“I should thank you,” he said quietly.
“For what?” She released another nervous laugh. “I didn’t do anything.”
He pointed to his mouth. “Your gift. See? I’m wearing the smile you gave me.” Mack laughed when she rolled her eyes and released the most exaggerated groan he’d ever heard.
“Will you stop with the stupid lines? They’re so cheesy.”
Mack leaned forward. “If they get you to smile, then they’re totally worth it.”
She blinked at him, sobering, though her eyes still retained that sparkle. “You’re something else, you know that?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”
He was going to do it. There were some last-minute entries allowed at the rodeo today, and Mack was going to try his hand at the community bronc riding contest.
His palms had long ago gone clammy. His heart beat in a rhythm that definitely wasn’t healthy. There were moments that he thought he might not be able to catch his breath.
But the adrenaline made it all worth it.
A message came in on his cell phone as he wandered the fairgrounds, and he looked down.
Angela : We’re at the rodeo today, maybe we could meet up?
He grimaced. Still, Angela was trying to get him to go on a date. He’d managed to dodge her attempts so far, but this message seemed to indicate that she wasn’t alone. Was Lacey with her? If so, they’d probably brought Bridger.
Mack would have responded to the message if he hadn’t been distracted by the sound of his name being called. His head snapped up just as a small boy barreled toward him. He flung his small body into Mack’s legs.
Together, they nearly toppled over from the force, and Mack let out a laugh when he realized the boy was Bridger. He glanced up and searched the crowd. “Where’s your mother, kid?”
At that very moment, Lacey and Angela emerged from a group of teenagers. Lacey’s concern melted into relief when she saw her son clinging to Mack. Angela merely beamed as the two of them approached.
Lacey immediately dropped down beside her son and pulled him close. “You can’t run off like that, Bridger. I told you to stay close.” She peered up at Mack, and their eyes locked during a moment when the earth practically stood still.
Then all at once, time sped up as Angela looped her arm through his. She laughed as she pulled his hat from his head and placed it on her own. “I just messaged you. We didn’t know you’d be here today.”
It was like she walked around in a cloud of perfume.
It was strong even out in the open air. Not inherently bad—but if he had to stay within it, his nose might start to burn.
Mack held up his phone and offered her a smile.
“I was about to message you back.” Then he glanced down at Lacey, but she wasn’t looking at him anymore.
She tugged at Bridger’s shirt, smoothing it out and avoiding Mack’s gaze altogether.
Angela leaned into him. “Well, I, for one, am glad that we bumped into you.” She glanced down at Lacey. “Aren’t you glad, Lace?”
“Hmm? What? Sure. Yeah, really glad.” She got to her feet, her fingers grasping for hair to pull behind her ear when there was none.
“You here with anyone else? Your brothers?” Angela pried. She still clung to his side, and it was making him feel nearly claustrophobic.
Mack shook his head. “Just came to compete.” He watched Lacey closely. After their conversation about a week ago, he was curious how she’d react, and she didn’t disappoint.
Her eyes snapped to meet his. “You are?”
He nodded. “Someone told me I should go after my dreams.”
Angela sighed. “That’s so sweet.” She flicked him with her fingertips. “I didn’t know you wanted to compete in the rodeo.”
Mack shrugged out of her touch and grasped his hat from her head. “Didn’t I?”
She shook her head.
They all stood there, and he couldn’t help but feel the expectancy among them. Bridger saved them all when he pointed to the games across the way. “Mom! Can I play the duck game?”
All eyes turned toward a canopied area with a large trough filled with water.
Hundreds of rubber ducks floated within it, just waiting to be lassoed by plastic rings.
Lacey nodded. “Sure. Let’s go play.” She turned to him, but before she could tell him goodbye, he placed his hand on the small of her back.
“Let’s all go have some fun. I’m not competing yet.”
Lacey stepped out of his reach, taking a few quick steps, while Angela looped her arm through his again. Her voice was close to his ear when she murmured, “What will you be competing in?”
“Bronc riding,” he answered without a second thought, his eyes locked onto the back of Lacey’s head.
She whistled. “That’s dangerous, right?”
“It can be. You just need to know how to relax. Being tense when you’re thrown can cause more damage than you realize.”
“I can’t wait to see you,” she purred.
When they reached the ducks, Angela moved away from him to pay for some rings. Lacey got some for Bridger, and Mack did as well.
He hovered, watching as the girls did their best and won some candy with their attempts. Bridger didn’t win anything, but he’d happily played. When Mack tried his hand, he got four out of five ducks he’d aimed for.
The carnival operator flipped them over one-by-one. On the last one, he called out. “Grand prize!”
Bridger jumped up and down. “Mack! You won. You get to have a stuffy.” He pointed his small finger at a gorilla that was about as big as Bridger himself was.
“Here you go, kid.” Mack chuckled and handed the gorilla to Bridger. His laughter deepened when Bridger’s eyes grew three sizes, and he nearly toppled over.
“You’re giving it to me?” Bridger gasped.
“Mack, you don’t have to—” Lacey started.
Angela elbowed her in the ribs. “What’s a cowboy gonna do with a stuffed animal that big?
Let him give it to Bridger. It’s so sweet!
” She grinned at Mack. “You’re so good with kids.
” She leaned closer to Lacey and whispered something, her eyes remaining on Mack.
Lacey glanced toward him then quickly away.
He did his best to ignore their attention and ruffled the child’s hair. “How about we get a corndog. You like corndogs?”
Bridger nodded emphatically. “They’re my favorite.”
Without waiting for the women to agree, he guided Bridger toward the rows of food trucks.
Eventually, they were all seated at a wooden picnic table eating corndogs and French fries. Mack nodded to the gorilla. “What are you gonna name him?”
Bridger frowned, his concentration amusing. “I don’t know.”
“How about Gilbert? Gilbert Gorilla?”
Bridger grinned, nodding. “That’s a good one.”
“He’s gonna make such a good dad,” Angela murmured to Lacey, then she blushed when she noticed him paying attention. “Seriously, you’re so good with him,” she said, nodding to Bridger.
Mack stole a glance in Lacey’s direction, catching her staring at him. Her cheeks flushed almost immediately, and she looked away.
“You know,” Mack murmured. “I never saw myself as being a dad.”
“Why not?” Bridger asked.
Mack slid his focus to the kid. “I guess I never thought that far.” Then he smiled and whispered conspiratorially. “Or maybe I never met a kid who was cool enough to make me want to be a dad.”
Light filled the child’s eyes, and he straightened as tall as he could in his seat.
Angela swooned.
Lacey met his eyes, and this time, she didn’t look away. Something passed between them. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he liked to think that she was cracking a window in those defenses.
Hope.
The way she looked at him was all he needed to keep trying to win her over. He could be patient.
The world around him thrashed and blurred. Mack’s hand tightened on the rope before him while he held his free hand in the air for balance. The roar of the crowd fell away. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity.
This was not like riding a horse that refused to be broken.
The beast beneath him was angry and didn’t appreciate anyone weighing down his saddle. Just as quickly as the ride had begun, it ended.
Mack landed on the ground with a thud. Dust burst into the air around him, and the wind left his lungs in a woosh.
Stars burst behind his eyes, and Mack gasped as rough hands yanked him to his feet, so he narrowly avoided being trampled by a still irate animal.
And yet Mack couldn’t wipe the grin from his face.
The first thing he sought out wasn’t the time. It wasn’t what standing he’d placed on the board.
No, all he could think about was finding her eyes in the crowd.
Lacey looked sick to her stomach where she stood beside Angela. Her sister whooped and jumped as she cheered. Lacey’s small smile spread as if she realized he’d be fine. Their eyes locked for mere seconds before more rough hands clapped him on the back.
“Congrats, Reese. You’ve placed second so far.”
Mack grunted under the hit and turned to find a man he’d only met moments before climbing into the saddle.
Jacob Hines grinned broadly. “I’ve never seen a rookie do so well. Granted, there are half a dozen more riders, but I’d guess that you still place.” He grabbed Mack by both shoulders and gave him a little shake. “You keep showing up, and you’re gonna make something of yourself.”
Mack chuckled, unable to speak. The high he was on wouldn’t soon dissipate. He stepped back to let the next cowboy get in line. He moved back, and a squeal erupted in the air. He turned to find Angela rushing at him.
She threw her arms around his neck. “That was amazing! I can’t believe you did so well!”
Out of instinct, he let his arms come around her for a hug, his eyes searching for the blue ones that had held him captive since the barbeque several weeks ago. Where was Lacey? Would she be congratulating him, too?
Angela pulled back, her face flushed with excitement. She moved her hands to either side of his face, and her intentions became clear. Before she could capture his mouth with her own, he wrapped his hands around her wrists and pried her hands from his face.
Confusion and embarrassment clouded her eyes as she took a step back. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know?—”
“It’s fine,” Mack murmured. “Really. You’re a great girl.”
She frowned, and her cheeks flushed deeper. “You don’t have to tell me that?—”
“Yes, I do. It’s not you. Honestly, I’ve…” He rubbed the back of his neck, and his voice cracked. “I have feelings for someone else. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh, my gosh. You’re dating someone, aren’t you?”
“ No ,” he said a little too sharp. “No.” Gentler this time.
“But I want to. I’ve been trying to convince her to go out with me.
” He didn’t know how much he should say—or could say without giving everything away.
He should be embarrassed to admit that he’d been pining after someone who didn’t want him, but Angela didn’t seem to notice.
She smiled and patted the side of his face.
“Whoever she is, she’d be lucky to have a guy like you.
Just… tell her how you feel. Girls are suckers for that sort of thing.
” Disappointment dripped from her words.
It said a lot about the woman that she wasn’t throwing a drink in his face for leading her on.
“I’ll take that under advisement,” Mack chuckled.
“You do that.”