Chapter Five
Mia
I stand outside of the arena with Chance, waiting for the scores to come up. My heart is beating faster than ever, the excitement of the crowd and the sensation of him so close to me sweeping through every fiber of my being.
A tense silence waves through everyone when the scoreboard lights up and the names start to roll. Starting at forty. By tenth, Chance’s name isn’t there yet. By fourth, I’m holding my breath, clutching on to his hand, my eyes locked on that board as if it would be the end of the world if I didn’t.
When the lights highlight Chance’s name in first position, with a score of 74, I shriek, let go of his hand, and turn to wrap him in a massive hug.
“You won!” I don’t even acknowledge how close I am to kissing him. The excitement overwhelms me as Chance picks me up by the waist and twirls me, the people around us chanting his name.
“Go, go get your prize!” I remind him when he puts me down, clapping my hands together as I watch him rush across the arena, taking off his hat to bow to the cheering masses. The feeling is indescribable, my heart in my throat, my mind swept away by it all.
I haven’t known freedom and happiness like this in years. A part of me wishes that I’d brought Ellie so that she could see it all too. Next time, I will. The fact that I believe there is a next time lifts my soul up even higher. Maybe it’s time to let go of everything, to stop letting the past get in my way.
Chance struts back toward me eventually, trophy in hand, his shoulders broad and his stance powerful. When he reaches me, a new chant starts.
“Kiss! Kiss!”
But Chance ignores them all, simply leading Constantine and me away, back to the stables where the noise is somewhat muffled. We’re both laughing, the stallion even letting out a huff or two as if he’s joining us in the merriment.
“Can you believe it?” Chance says, holding out the trophy for me to take. “And to think, this morning I was sure I’d be dead last today.”
I want to ask him why, but by his face, I can tell that he thinks he’s already said too much. Instead, I take the trophy, letting my hand run over the engraving of his name.
“Lucky charm, you say?” I smile at my reflection in the metal, still giddy from the atmosphere outside. “Maybe not. Maybe you’re just that good.”
“Ah, no way,” Chance says, winking at me as he puts Constantine in the stall, beginning to brush him out. “All you, I’m sure of it. So, uh, Mia…”
His tone is awkward, but I can’t see his face behind the massive horse. I’m curious, so I wait for him to continue speaking.
“Are you doing anything special after this, or can I take you out somewhere?” Chance’s question is adorably uncertain and almost aggressively polite. “I mean, it doesn’t have to count as a date if you don’t want it to, but I’m sure it’d be real nice.”
“Yes, sure, of course, we have something to celebrate, right?” My answer comes out as a babble, definitely not thought through and spur of the moment. But I don’t care. It feels more right than anything in the world. I don’t want to be anywhere but with Chance right now. Besides, Ellie is safe with Maggie. No one’s going to hurt her there.
Maggie wouldn’t let Brian on the ranch, nevermind close enough to see Ellie. I’m sure of that. It’s a strange feeling, having people that I can trust with any of this. A small part of me still wants to hurry back, to find her and wrap her up and hide in our room.
But the part of me that wants to trust Chance’s family and celebrate his victory with him wins today.
“You the kind who likes a lot of noise or would you prefer something quieter?” Chance asks from where he’s vigorously brushing Constantine’s tail. “Either way, I know a few places a town or so over. Won’t take long to get there.”
“Sounds great,” I answer nervously, quickly realizing that I haven’t given him much to go on at all. “I mean, you can surprise me. I’m not sure what I’d like.”
“S’pose I could do that.” Chance’s head pops up over Constantine’s flank, and he gives me a wink. “I know just the place. We’ll need to take Constantine back first, if you don’t mind.”
I stay out of the way as Chance and Bobby-Ray get busy packing up, mostly admiring the trophy I’m holding and growing ever more nervous about going out. I didn’t say that it wouldn’t be a date, and now I’m fairly sure that’s exactly what Chance is planning.
Having been dropped off by Maggie, I ask to join them in the truck on the way back. Bobby-Ray isn’t happy about being shoved into the back but complies with folded arms anyway. The road back to the ranch is bumpy, but I barely notice. I spend most of the time staring at Chance, taking in the shape of his jaw and every detail of his skin.
Surely it couldn’t be that dangerous to allow myself to fall, to stop holding it all back for his sake. I haven’t been this happy in years, perhaps ever, after all. It could be time to allow myself to open up again, to give things a shot and hope for the best.
We drop off Bobby-Ray and Constantine, letting Maggie know we’re going out before leaving the ranch again. Chance switches off the crackling radio and glances at me from the corner of his eye, making the butterflies start up in my stomach.
“I’m glad you came today, you know,” he says with a quick grin as we get onto the main road.
“Me too,” I find myself admitting, both to Chance and to myself. It’s a new feeling, one that I hope won’t disappear soon. I wonder if it’s actually possible for me to find real happiness, even as broken as I am, even with Brian breathing down my neck.
“So tell me, can you hold a note?” The question is so mischievously asked that it throws me off. I turn to Chance suspiciously, but he only laughs.
“Why? You going to make me do a concert or something?”
“Nah, just taking you to a quiet little karaoke bar. One of my favorite places in town. Won’t be many people there, so you don’t have to be shy.”
“Really? I don’t think I’ve ever done that.” I tap at my chin with one finger to hide the nerves.
“Sing? What, not even in the shower?” Chance teases, making me chuckle. “Don’t worry, desert flower, I’ll make a fool of myself first if that makes you feel better.”
The entire ride is filled with Chance’s jokes, sometimes splashed across with a nickname or two. I can’t say that I don’t like it. In fact, it makes me feel special in a way that I’ve never experienced before.
By the time we park out in front of the karaoke bar, I’m giggling like a schoolgirl ten years younger. I wait for Chance to get out and open the door for me, another one of those strange moments that I thought was reserved for romantic comedies and people much luckier than me. I let Chance take my hand as I get out of the truck, hopping down from my seat with a smile.
“After you,” I say, even adding a little curtsey to my movement. Chance leads me inside, and as promised, it’s quiet. There are two older gentlemen seated at the bar and a middle-aged couple in one corner. Aside from that, there’s only the bartender and a lonely tune from an old jukebox to keep us company.
The place is brightly lit and clean, though, with a karaoke machine set up against the far wall as if it’s there especially for us. Chance leads me to the bar, brightly ordering us each a beer. Despite being more of a wine drinker, I don’t complain.
“You have a song you’ve been thinking of?” Chance asks, pointing at the machine with one finger. “Maybe… ‘Don’t Stop Believing’?”
I shake my head. “I was thinking maybe a duet could work better.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. How about ‘Uptown Girl’? Or is that not quite tough enough for your taste?”
“I think it’s perfect.” Chance winks at me as the bartender hands our beers to us. “You want to choose us a seat while I procure some foodstuffs?”
He puts on a pretend overdone city accent that has me in stitches again. I take a seat close to the karaoke machine, doing a bit of people-watching while Chance talks to a waiter. So a bar and a restaurant, then. A really good choice for a date, all things considered.
The beer is bitter and goes down more difficultly than I expected, but I tough it out. I watch as Chance saunters back toward me, clicking his fingers to the beat of the song that’s playing. It’s goofy and funnier than I would have thought.
“How’s it feel, being out on the town with a champion?” Chance jokes as he sits down with me. “With all of my legions of fans unable to keep their hands off me?”
“You know, I didn’t think it would be this difficult to be with someone so famous,” I say sassily in return, clinking my beer against his.
Chance pauses and gives me a good long stare before he talks again. “So you think you can be with me, then?”
I look away for a moment, taking the time to think, but I quickly realize that I don’t need to anymore. I have my answer, and I know what I want to do.
“Only if you replace this beer with something more drinkable.” I shrug, handing it to him. “I’m sorry, I tried, but this is awful. Seriously.”
“Oh, of course, madam. Anything you want. The night is yours, after all.” Chance grins from ear to ear as he takes the bottle to his side of the table before getting up and scurrying over to the bar again. When he comes back, he’s wielding what looks like some sort of vodka and soda drink. Not wine, but much better than beer.
“Will this do?” Chance asks with a bow as he offers it to me. I pretend to sniff-test it before I give him a nod. We finish our first drinks, the whole round deep with conversation and laughter, the kind I’ve never known before.
As soon as we’re done, Chance gets up and holds out a hand for me.
“Is it time to sing?” I ask, already flushed from that one glass. “Glad I have some liquid courage in me.”
The few other patrons in the bar don’t look too impressed with us when Chance starts up the karaoke machine, but I ignore them. All of my attention is easily diverted to him and the confidence with which he moves. It’s electric, addictive, probably even dangerous, and I don’t care.
I pick up the microphone and take my place on the stage beside him. The words start rolling across the screen in front of me, and it’s as if we’ve been doing this together for the longest time. Neither of us can hold the notes very well, but it’s so much fun that I barely even think about that.
Chance eventually even grabs my arm to pull me into a dance as we sing, messing up the song some more but wriggling his way right into my heart. It’s as if the world has disappeared and it’s just the two of us left, wrapped up in this silly old pop song that has me weak at the knees.
With one final twirl, the song comes to an end, and I find myself crashing into Chance’s chest. I can feel his heart beating quickly against mine as he has my hands in his, and when I look up at him, I know instinctively what is coming.
This time, I don’t pull away, nor do I want to. I let my body sink into it, let my hands squeeze Chance’s fingers, let him lean down toward me. When his lips meet mine, I get that distinct taste of beer, but this time, I revel in it. The sensation of the kiss travels throughout my body, a tingle that dances through every vein right through to my fingers and my toes.
I wish that this moment could last forever, enveloped in Chance’s arms where I am safe. Where I have come to realize that I might belong.
“Excuse me, can you two not do that?” the bartender shouts over the background melody that the machine is playing after the end of the song. “We’re a decent establishment.”
Chance and I immediately jump apart, both red as tomatoes.
“Whoops, sorry, must be the beer,” Chance says sheepishly, putting the microphones back where they came from before he leads me back to our table. “I promise we’ll behave. Can we at least have another round?”
The bartender is still eyeing us with suspicion but returns to what she was doing fairly quickly. I can’t help but giggle as my nerves bubble up from my chest.
“That was… amazing,” I breathe, sitting back in my chair, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I don’t think I’ve ever done anything so crazy.”
“Really? You should’ve met me a few years ago.” Chance winks at me before he turns serious. “Listen, Mia... This thing… between us. I don’t want it to just be a fling. I really like you, and I want to be with you. Are you okay with that?”
I have to stifle the laugh that threatens to overwhelm me. “No, yes, I mean… I really feel safe with you. I don’t think I’ve felt this way about anyone in my life. I want us to be together. It’s just, you know, my past isn’t going to leave me alone. If you can deal with that, then… let’s do this.”
“I accept your terms.” Chance gets up for a second to bow again, as if he’s a knight from the Middle Ages. “I promise, I only want the best for you. I won’t let Brian take Ellie or hurt you again.”
From the look in his eyes, I know that I can believe him. This is a new chapter in my life, the first one not fraught with struggling. I can finally take a moment to breathe and believe in a future where Ellie and I can be happy. When our drinks come again, I lift mine in a toast.
“To new beginnings,” I say.