Chapter 44 Forty-Three
Forty-Three
Quinn
“Round one,” Cash mused as he scratched Hook behind his ears.
“Round one,” I repeated, slipping my phone into the small saddlebag.
“You ready?” He raised a brow, craning his neck to see me.
“Yes,” I said positively, giving him a sure nod.
I had this in the bag.
Probably.
I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a small flutter of nerves in my stomach.
I was top in the nation for earnings. I was predicted to come out if not first, then second or third, and I had a lot of eyes on me.
I had been to the NFR as an attendee before, watching from the stands, so I knew exactly how many people were out there.
I knew how big the arena floor was, and I knew they were all watching me.
I think if I weren’t nervous, that would be more of a problem.
I had already seen the rodeo queens, which meant I had already caught a glimpse of my mom.
Even though I tried to brush it off and ignore the fact that she was here, the small wave and smile she gave me told me one thing—she was starting to try.
So, I smiled back and gave her a wave. It was the sweet little kiss she blew me with her fingers that threw me for a loop.
So much so that I blew her a little one right back.
“Just remember—” Cash started with his routine trainer points. Not too loose, not too stiff. Don’t cut the corners too close…blah…blah…blah.
I let him ramble, pretty much knowing his entire speech by heart.
I was just happy he was here. I listened as best I could, giving Hook more focus than Cash.
I tightened his saddle by a millimeter, turned the stirrup, ran my hand along his coat as I walked behind him, and once I reached his nose, I dug in my pocket for the peppermint that I had begun to carry with me.
I offered it to him, loving the way his furry lips felt against my palm, and I kissed his snout.
That’s when I heard it.
That familiar laugh that never left my mind.
I glanced up, my vision catching Wyatt like a bee to honey.
The noise of the entire arena faded, and all I heard was his laugh as he joked with announcers, his hands moving as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with pure joy, handsome as ever in his Wrangler jeans and T-shirt. I held on to Hook’s reins a little tighter.
When he showed up at my house, the last thing I expected was for him to hand me my dream on a piece of paper.
I expected a ‘please take me back’ move—not ‘here’s two hundred and fifty acres, you’re my everything’.
Those three words stuck with me more than the numerous I love you’s he’s given me before.
I had never been someone’s everything, and I was his.
When he left, I stood frozen, studying the blueprints, wishing he had stayed a little longer—and when Abi showed up five minutes later, she had that knowing look on her face.
The first thing I told her was “I love him.” She simply smiled and said, “Yeah, you do.”
What I wouldn’t give to have him next to me.
All it would take was one shout of his name, and I knew he would come running.
But no—there was time. There was more time.
I had a ride to get to, and he was obviously caught up in something that made him happy.
It could wait. It really…really could wait.
Right? It could. What did he always say…we had more than—
“Quinn?”
My attention flew back to Cash. “Hmm?” I hummed.
“You listening to me?”
“Yes,” I lied.
“Then tell me exactly what I said.” He folded his arms and waited.
I heaved a sigh. “Not too loose, not too tight. Make sure you round the barrels and keep your toe in. Make sure you’re not cutting those corners.
Use your spurs. Hook’s fast, but he’s only as fast as you make him.
Don’t pay attention to the clock…just focus on your horse and the dirt in the air.
” I mimicked his light Southern accent, something I knew drove him crazy.
“Oh, and I’m living vicariously through you, so make sure you make me proud. ”
If he raised his brow any higher, it would disappear under his hat.
I gave him a cheeky smile. “You are living vicariously through me? Right?”
“That’s not what I said at all.”
“At least part of it was.”
“I stopped talking when I saw you looking at Wyatt. I got to ‘don’t cut the corners too tight’ before I noticed you weren’t even paying attention.”
My eyes widened. “Oh. Well, it’s not like I haven’t heard your speech before.”
Cash huffed. “You good?”
I nodded. “I’m great.”
I couldn’t even try to hide it. I was semi-gawking, and he caught me. As if on instinct, my eyes darted to Wyatt, then quickly back to Cash.
“Do I need to get him over here?”
Yes.
“Nope.” I popped the P, turning to fiddle with something on Hook’s saddle, lowering my gaze. “My focus is here.” I patted his coat.
“I know; you’re always focused. Saddle up, get him warmed up, and then put on a show. I’ll be in the crowd with Abi and Stet. We’ll scream so loud, you’ll be able to hear us.”
I gave a soft chuckle, slipping my boot into the stirrup and hoisting myself up into the saddle. “I’ll make sure to listen for it.” I looked down at my trainer, the person who first showed me support in this crazy ass journey of mine. “Round one.”
He cocked a grin. “Round one. See you after.”
I nodded and lifted my gaze one last time to Wyatt.
Except that time he was looking right at me.
Our eyes locked.
Even from a distance, I saw his lips twitch before he broke the contact, returning to whatever conversation he was having, that bright smile filling the darkness of the arena.
Without a second thought, I kicked Hook into a trot. I closed my eyes tight, willing my brain to focus on anything other than Wyatt Hartwell.
I saw the dirt in the Hartwell arena, Stetson helping me with the barrels—Wyatt sitting on the gate with his boots locked in the bars.
You belong on the dirt, don’t you? Watching you ride…you fit right in with the Hartwells. It’s about time we make it official.
I envisioned the rodeo in Flagstaff, a huge win for me, beating out a girl whom I had no qualms with until—Wyatt.
Oh, right—it’s your love I have to earn.
Dammit. I stopped Hook and breathed, Wyatt’s voice now filling my head.
Come on, Quinn. There’s only one girl I want to chase right now…
Tell me I’m not making this up—tell me this means more for you…
The only reason why I’m spectacular, Quinn, is because I’m wanted and loved by you…
We have more than tonight…
We had all the time in the world.
I pulled Hook into the corral and kicked him into a gallop, starting to run in circles to keep up with my mind.
No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on the ride, all I could remember were bits and pieces of the last year with him.
Wyatt showing up at my door with food and drinks.
Wyatt sitting next to me, enduring episode after episode of my silly favorite show.
Wyatt lifting me into his arms after every ride.
Wyatt listening to me when I needed someone to talk to about my life, and then not dwelling on the negative aspects of it, making sure I knew I was important.
Wyatt’s lips on mine for the very first time.
Wyatt’s warm comfort as I fell asleep. Wyatt—always chasing…
I was his everything…and he…
He was mine.
“Racers!” The shout pulled me from my spiral.
A man wearing a headset and holding a clipboard began shouting off the order of riders.
“As soon as the rider in front of you is done, you get your horse up to the gate—waste no time, that clock starts ticking the second your horse's hooves hit the dirt.”
Third. I was third.
Meaning…I was out of time.
And I really didn’t want to wait until later.
I twisted, reaching for the saddlebag, slipping my phone free.
A text may not be the best way to get his attention, but for now, it was my only option.
The thought of me screaming his name on top of a barrel flashed through for a second before the more reasonable thought hit.
The first rider broke through the gate, the announcers sending the crowd wild.
I pulled up our text thread, one I’d been ignoring for months now. I saw his last message I love you, and a gasp of hope left my lungs.
My thumbs shaking, I typed…
Me
You’re mine, too. Maybe it’s time I start chasing you?
The blue line above the text began to creep across the screen. Hook bounced his feet, jolting my body from side to side.
“Okay, okay—it’s us.” I locked the screen, praying the message was delivered, and slipped my phone back into the bag.
The second rider flew past me, her time being shouted at a sixteen point eight.
Okay… I took a deep breath. He’ll see it. I’ll get to him. I got this in the bag.
“Quinn Compton from Bozeman, Montana, has been one to watch this year, and tonight she’s riding Hook—”
I blocked out the announcer’s voice and kicked Hook into full speed heading left, watching as that first barrel got closer and closer. Hook knew what to do, and without my guidance, he turned.
“That’s it,” I muttered, rounding it and gaining more speed for that second barrel. Clean turn, not too loose, not too tight. “One more.” I breathed.
Hook took over, his speed matching that of a jet plane as he galloped, rounding the barrel and flying back to the gate.
My sense of hearing came flooding back once I heard the crowd scream, and I could swear I heard Cash louder than anyone, just like he promised.
I loosened my shoulders and let out a loud laugh, not even caring what my time was.
I just rode in the NFR. I couldn’t care less if I rode the next nine rounds—I did this.
Me. And then, all I wanted was to be in his arms. All I had to do was get Hook in the corral—he’d be fine there to cool down—then find him. I’d chase him.
My time came flying over the speakers, followed by another cheer, but Hook was already in the corral, and I was already dismounting, my boots moving on their own towards the man I so desperately wanted to see.
But they didn’t have to move me far because, of course, there he was—shoulders moving up and down as he caught his breath, his hat skewed to the side, his phone in his hand while his other was curled into a fist at his side, those perfect baby blues hyper-focused on me.
“You heard your time, right?” he asked, still catching his breath, his hand holding his phone pointing towards the ceiling.
I shook my head. “My mind is a bit preoccupied at the moment.”
“Eleven point two.”
“I really don’t care about that.” I walked to him, my heart beginning to race.
“I’m pretty sure you just broke an all-time record, and they’re still screaming about it—the girl after you hasn’t even gone yet. You just blew everything out of the water with that time.”
I shrugged a single shoulder. “I had somewhere I needed to be.” I was inches away from him. I could see the tint to his cheeks from running, the specks of blue that floated in his eyes.
“Where’s that?”
I grinned. “You know where. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
He inhaled, closing the last inch between us. “I’m so sorry, Quinn—”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I cut him off. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t listen to you, and I should have told you days ago, weeks ago…months ago…that I’m sorry. That I miss you. You said I’m your everything…”
“Everything,” he parroted in a soft flutter.
“I never fell out of love. I never got over you. I want you to always chase me. I want you every minute of every day. I love you. I love you…” My hands found the nape of his neck, pulling him to me, and our lips finally—finally—met.
How I didn’t kiss this man for the past couple of months was beyond me; everything was in this kiss. Every word, every thought, every emotion we could possibly hold was right here between us.
He broke the kiss at the same time as he raised his hand to remove my hat, then removed his own, dropping them with a thump on the ground. I pressed my forehead to his, humming and breathing him in.
“You have no idea how much I love you,” he said, so only I could hear. “I never want to make you feel that way again. I want you to know just how perfect you are; please, let me try to be everything for you.”
“Wyatt,” I breathed as I pulled away from him. “You already are.”
His shoulders dropped as relief flooded through him, his eyes swelling with tears that were beginning to form.
I pinched my brow, my lips twisting into a tiny grin. “Don’t go all soft on me now, Hartwell.” Lifting my thumb, I swiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
He laughed, dropping his chin for a beat, and when he looked at me with that quirky, sexy grin on his face, I fell as hard as I possibly could, “Come on, Compton. You’re the one who turned me soft.”
“Mmm.” I scrunched my nose. “As long as it doesn’t stop you from chasing.”
His eyes darkened, and his gaze fell to my lips. He kissed me, a sweet butterfly kiss that sent shivers through my entire soul. “I’ll never…ever stop chasing you.”
“Good.” I played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’ll never stop chasing you, either, because Wyatt”—I traced his chin with my finger, bringing his lips to mine—“we have all the time in the world.”