Chapter 30 Twenty-Nine
Twenty-Nine
Quinn
Wyatt greeted me with a kiss at breakfast the next morning.
He greeted me with a kiss after my ride.
He greeted me with a kiss when I got behind the wheel of my car.
Basically, whenever Wyatt could greet me, he did so with a kiss.
And each time I fell a little harder for him.
But even with the shift in us—nothing changed.
We went through our normal ready routines, he cheered for me at every ride, and he was there lifting me off the ground, even if I didn’t land a top spot.
He was still my best friend. The only difference was that we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.
We were always touching in some way. Holding hands, his arm draped over my shoulders, mine on his biceps, his lips on mine.
But he still wouldn’t come into my room—not even to watch Once Upon a Time.
I practically begged him, telling him he could sleep above the covers again—all I wanted was to be curled up with him and maybe a make-out session where I just happened to lose my top.
But he channeled his inner gentleman, telling me we had time, and he didn’t want to rush anything.
I got where he was coming from, but damn, it was hard.
With each kiss, each touch, each glance, he wiggled his way into my heart deeper than he already was.
So, yes, maybe he was right—we had time.
I wasn’t going anywhere, that was for sure.
And by the way he was acting, I didn’t think he was either.
Wyatt Hartwell currently had all of me, whether he knew he did or not. I was so gone for him.
I made it to the Reno Rodeo Championships, still having the fastest time in the entire event, and they were predicting me to win.
Both Wyatt and I agreed I should ride Charming—he had brought in the fastest ride, and if I had any hope of beating that, he was my best bet.
I wasn’t expecting to beat it by any means, but if I could think about the prize at the end again, I could get damn close.
The only thing managing to weasel its way into my brain space was that my mother was still around.
Kelly had carried the flag each night, and her attendants kept close by her like they belonged in a small high school clique.
I’m sure they were all amazing, friendly girls—I just wanted absolutely nothing to do with them.
Nerves began buzzing through my body as Wyatt and I saddled Charming, his hand trailing against my shoulders each time he was behind me, and we walked to the back dirt together.
As soon as I was mounted in the saddle, he kicked my boot from the stirrup and used it to lift himself into the air, kissing me deeply before he fell back to the ground.
“See you on the other side.” He grinned, waggling his eyebrows at me.
“Compton!” I heard the attendant call my name, and I kicked Charming to move after blowing Wyatt a kiss.
Charming began to walk to the side, his head bobbing as we waited for our moment, and when that moment finally came, I kicked him into full speed, and we flew.
The roars from the crowd faded and turned into a blur of colors as my focus rounded on that first barrel.
We went left, and Charming rounded it perfectly.
I squeezed his body, feeling him gain speed as we raced to the right barrel.
My toe flared out, touching the barrel every so lightly—but I could feel it moving. The barrel was going to fall.
Shit, shit, shit…
Letting go of the reins, I leaned over, touching the top of the barrel, feeling it steady beneath my hand right before Charming ramped up again to aim his nose at the third barrel. I looked behind me for a second, and the barrel was still standing.
Yes!
We rounded the third, and the breath I had been harboring ever since my foot touched that barrel let loose—and I laughed.
The colors came back into the crowd, the cheers reverberated through my ears, and the announcer’s voice hit as soon as I saw that time on the clock. Twelve point seven.
I beat it by one fucking millisecond.
“With a time like that,” Hawkins’s voice roared through the speaker above my head. “That’s going to be hard to beat. I can guarantee you, barrel racing’s princess took it home with that time! Quinn Compton just flew through the dirt, breaking the arena record twice this summer—unbelievable!”
Charming slowed as we moved through the gates.
The one person I wanted to see right there, sitting on the gate with his feet locked behind the metal, his cowboy hat skewed on his head, and the cocky grin I loved brighter than the lighting in the arena.
While Charming was still in motion, I swung my leg over and jumped, landing with a bounce right in front of Wyatt.
Before I could climb the gate like I planned, he jumped, and his hands were cradling my face, his mouth covering mine.
“I am so…” he said against my lips. “In awe of you. I can’t believe I saw that, I can’t believe—”
“Believe.” I cut him off, kissing him again, draping my arms over his shoulders.
“I’ll take Charming, and you know they are going to want to talk to you. I hear you beat an arena record tonight.” He leaned back, and his smile grew, his lips lush from our kisses.
Mine widened as I looked into his baby blues. An arena record. I beat the arena record.
“Barrel racing’s princess, Quinn?” I froze at that shrill voice.
I met Wyatt’s gaze, biting my bottom lip. I felt his fingers drum against my waist, and his quick nod gave me the courage to turn around and come face to face with my mom.
“Mom,” I said flatly.
“What’s with the new title?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest. Her hair was winged, perfectly stiff, and her jewelry that hung from her ears, neck, and wrist glittered even in the low lighting of the black dirt.
She was royalty, not someone who would be here around the livestock animals, but here she was, her eyebrow perched up a little too high and her lips twisted—not even a hint of praise for her only daughter.
“Wyatt gave it to me,” I replied.
“I think it’s a bit childish, don’t you?”
“Mom—”
“And now the entire Reno Rodeo is going to be blasting it on social media, the Cowboy Channel will pick it up—”
“I hope they do,” I heard Wyatt mutter as he stepped closer to me.
“What will everyone think that you gave yourself this title, one you most likely didn’t earn?
I’ve followed your times. I know what you’ve done this year.
Your father has been keeping me up on it since you won’t, and Quinn—this is just the last straw I can take.
” Her voice rose, and her arms dropped to her side.
I could see the moment that anger seeped into her eyes, and something happened to me at the same time.
I found myself not giving a shit.
“This is all you can take?” I pointed at her, making sure my feet were solid in front of Wyatt.
“I’m sorry, but what exactly have you been taking?
I moved out of your house. I found my own place.
I hired my own trainer. I bought my own horses.
I got myself here with no support from you, Mom,” I shouted, gesturing towards the arena.
“I just broke the fucking record! Or did you miss that because the only thing you got was the nickname my boyfriend gave me? You said you’ve been following my times?
Did you happen to miss the one I just ran?
Twelve point seven, Mom. Twelve. Point. Seven.
I’d like to see your precious Kelly get that score.
I have worked so hard. I have done everything and have gotten nothing from you in return but disappointment.
So if anyone has taken anything, it’s me. ”
“Now, Quinn—”
“No…Mom, you don’t get to interrupt me. I have been dying for your praise. I have been praying for you to say something the least bit supportive…but all I get is that the nickname is childish? Mom…” I dropped my arms to my side, my shoulders slumping as the fire left my body. “Do you even care?”
She blinked, heaved a sigh, and folded her arms.
“I expected better from you, Quinn.”
I shook my head. “No.” I raised and dropped my shoulders all in one breath.
“You don’t.” I looked at my mother, trying to find a tiny bit of love there—but felt nothing.
The only thing that was there…was void and empty.
“I can’t worry about this anymore. I can’t see you and let it ruin my entire career.
If you see me, please don’t talk to me. I’ll do the same if I see you. ”
I turned back to Wyatt and touched his chest gently for some feeling of warmth before I reached to grab Charming’s reins. I held my breath and waited. I listened to her exasperated sigh, and the footsteps that took her, the slight jingle of her jewelry fading as she got further away.
“Hey, wait,” Wyatt said softly, laying his hand on mine that was resting on his chest. “You just broke the record—and won the championship—so…” He nodded towards the arena. “You need to get back out there.”
And just like that, with the look in his eyes, the confidence and excitement came flooding back into me.
I raised myself on my toes to give him a fast kiss, because I could never kiss him enough, before I bolted and ran to the arena entrance, where, yes—they were waiting for me.
And as soon as that mic was handed over to me, as soon as the crowd cheered, the last five minutes ceased to exist.