Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Faith cupped her hands to her mouth and screamed right along with the crowd in the stands. The eight seconds the cowboys were required to stay in the saddle felt like an eternity. Her eyes kept flicking to the seconds ticking down and when the buzzer went off, she shot to her feet and screamed.
Brent stumbled from the horse and hustled toward the edge of the arena.
He’d gotten his full eight seconds, but the judges had noticed that his foot positioning needed work.
Brent was getting better, but he wasn’t where he needed to be.
Still, she couldn’t be prouder of how far he’d come since his last competition.
She hurried toward the stairs and darted for the exit where she knew her brothers would be waiting for Brent. This was a smaller rodeo and the restrictions for those who could visit behind the scenes were practically nonexistent.
Her heart thundered behind her ribs, dancing to a tune she couldn’t keep up with. Brent had stayed on. He hadn’t lost his balance or been thrown haphazardly around like a rag doll. It had been incredible to see him compete.
Even though she knew the risks involved, she was confident that Brent would handle himself and she’d been right.
She made it to Tate’s side just as Brent rounded a corner.
Without thinking things through, she flung herself at Brent.
Her arms went around his neck, and she squealed out her congratulations.
“You scored higher than last time! Can you believe it?” Faith pulled back when she realized he wasn’t even touching her.
His arms didn’t come around her waist. He didn’t even pat her back.
Faith blushed and stepped backward, sidling up beside Tate.
“She’s right, man. You did great.” Tate pulled Brent in for one of those bro-hugs. And he got a clap on the back.
Faith tried not to be miffed about the reaction her brother got from Brent.
They were all friends. But Tate was closer to Brent than she was.
Heck, he was closer to him than Jason. Out of the twins, Tate was the friendlier, more open brother.
Jason was more like her. Quiet and observant.
He gave Brent a nod of congratulations but that was it.
“I recorded you. There are areas we can work on. I think seeing how you are in the saddle is key to improvement.” Jason’s firm voice was far too serious for a moment that should be celebrated and yet he continued.
“You’ve been watching our videos, right?
Jacob’s too? You can learn a lot from the best.”
Faith elbowed him. “I’d hardly say you’re the best.”
That got a twitch of a smile from her brother but no other reaction.
Brent nodded, and his eyes only briefly flickered to her. Heat enveloped her with that mere look and it was all she could do not to get lost in her thoughts of how he’d reacted in the barn that day she asked about Jacob.
Part of her wanted to believe that he’d been jealous that she was asking about another guy. But she knew better. Based on the distance he was currently putting between them, he was making it clear there was nothing between them and it was staying that way.
She sighed as she listened with half an ear to the conversation between her brothers and the guy she couldn’t help but be attracted to.
“How about we go out to celebrate,” Brent said.
Faith straightened, hope flaring to life in her chest. Any time she could spend with him was totally worth it even if nothing came of it.
“Can’t,” Tate murmured. “We’re competing at the end of the night, and we have to be here to cheer on the kids.”
Jason nodded his agreement. “But don’t let that stop you. I’m sure Faith isn’t busy.”
She turned to her brother with flared eyes. Jason would never. At least he wouldn’t if he knew how big her crush on Brent had become. He’d be the first to stand in her way.
But Jason didn’t react or he didn’t notice the way she was staring at him.
When she shot a look at Brent and nodded, feeling more than a little off balance, he offered her a smile that would have done her in if it weren’t for her brothers being present.
“Great. I’m thinking cookies.”
Her smile grew. “I don’t have any made—”
“But you just got the ingredients, sis.” Tate nudged her. “And I wouldn’t say no to some cookies when I get home.”
Faith shrugged, her eyes still locked with Brent’s. “Cookies it is, I guess. But you can’t have cookies for dinner.”
All three men laughed and her focus bounced from one to the other before landing on Brent again.
“Fine, I’ll pick up something from that taco place down the street. They’re open late. And then we can make those cookies you’re famous for.”
Why did she feel so special when Brent looked at her like that? It was as if he saw something in her that no one else was capable of seeing. It did things to her heart that she just knew would end badly if she couldn’t get a handle on it.
“Cookies and tacos it is,” She agreed quietly.
They all parted ways with Brent promising to be at her place as soon as he had the food.
She was jittery as she waited for him to show up at the house.
It would have been fine if her sisters and brothers were home, but the former were out somewhere and the latter weren’t expected to be home until late.
Alone.
She was going to be alone with Brent. At her house. Making cookies.
It would have been romantic if she wasn’t so frazzled.
Nope.
No, she wouldn’t allow herself to think of it that way.
To think of him that way.
That would only invite heartbreak.
To keep her hands busy and her mind off him, she gathered the ingredients for the cookies. She’d have to soften the butter in the microwave which wasn’t ideal, but if she started now, she might be able to soften it partially and then complete the process via the mixer.
Faith didn’t hear him enter the house. She didn’t hear his footsteps wander down the hallway toward the kitchen. It wasn’t until the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention that she realized she wasn’t alone.
Her eyes lifted and she found him watching her—just standing there in the doorway with a paper bag from her favorite taco place in his hand.
For a moment nothing else in the world mattered. She could pretend things were different. That he wasn’t against starting a relationship. That he wasn’t her brothers’ best friend. That she was more to him than just… Faith.
In that moment she could see a future for the both of them. She could fantasize about every little detail.
But that moment flickered and died when he dropped his eyes and grabbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I got the tacos,” he said softly, lifting the bag.
She bit back a grin and nodded. “I can see that.”
“Extra sour cream, too.”
That detail had her sobering. She’d never told him that she liked extra sour cream. It wasn’t something her siblings liked much. In fact, she was the only one who requested it, so she rarely indulged.
Faith didn’t dare ask him how he knew. Instead, she jerked her chin toward the stools at the counter then turned to gather some plates.
After Brent had dished them up, they ate for the first few minutes in uncomfortable silence. Or maybe that was just her. Why did this always happen? This tension was getting ridiculous and she refused to let it become the norm.
Clearing her throat, she lifted a napkin to the corner of her mouth. “I got the stuff ready for cookies. You sure you want to help?”
He perked up. “You’d let me?”
Faith laughed. “I figured that was what this was all about. You bribing me with tacos so you can get my super-secret recipe all to yourself.”
The wicked grin that spread across his face had her stomach doing summersaults. “You found me out.”
She couldn’t help another laugh from spilling free.
Brent was like that. When he chose to, he could be silly or flirtatious.
He wasn’t always serious and she loved that he didn’t hide that part of him from her.
Faith pushed a tub of sugar in his direction.
“We’re going to need a cup of that measured out and mixed with the butter. ”
His brows rose. “That’s a lot of sugar.”
Faith winked. “I never claimed these cookies were healthy.”
“No, I don’t suppose you did.”
They set to work adding the ingredients and once the dough got too thick for the beaters, she had Brent use a wooden spoon.
He flinched as he worked in the chocolate chips, and she placed a hand on his forearm.
“Are you hurt?” The alarm in her voice couldn’t be helped.
He hadn’t been complaining of being in pain and here she was, asking him to work his muscles before they’d been treated.
He shook his head. “Just a little sore. It’s nothing.”
She frowned at him. “It’s not nothing. If you strained anything and you don’t ice it correctly, it can get worse. With the number of competitions you plan on working, you have to stay in top shape.”
Brent’s eyes drifted to where her hand rested on his bare forearm.
He stared at their connection long enough that she attempted to pull away.
Before she could, he placed a hand over the top of hers.
She sucked in a surprised breath and slid her gaze to his but found him still staring at where they remained connected.
Her throat went dry. These were the moments that fueled the tension mounting between them—when she couldn’t decipher Brent’s intentions.
It was utterly maddening. The silence was deafening, and she couldn’t take it.
Her skin practically crawled, making her need to do something to break the weight she could feel closing in around her.
She’d made up her mind, for heaven’s sake.
She wasn’t going to take action when it came to the feelings she had for Brent.
Faith tugged her hand free in the brief moment of clarity she’d managed to find. Then stepped toward the freezer. “I’ll get you some ice. We have a rice bag we can heat up too. Cold and heat will do a lot of good.”
She could feel his eyes following her as she went through the motions. When she finally allowed herself to look at him, she wasn’t surprised to find him still watching her. She gave him a nervous smile and reminded herself of one solitary truth.
Friends.
They were friends and nothing more.
Faith handed him the ice pack she’d retrieved. “Press it to the sore muscles until the timer goes off. I’ll start scooping up the dough and by the time you’re done, we should have a batch fresh out of the oven.”
His hand shot out and his long fingers wrapped around her wrist. She frowned at the contact and he immediately released her. “Thank you, Faith,” he whispered.
She didn’t look at him then, she simply nodded and returned to the cookie tray and the dough. After a couple minutes, she asked, “Did you place?”
He grunted as he shifted in his seat. “No. But like you said, I did better than last time. Jason’s right.
I need to watch the videos and pinpoint where I need to improve.
I think I’m starting off in the right place.
My feet are above the shoulders and I’m staying in the saddle for the full eight seconds.
My spurring technique definitely needs work.
I keep getting out of my head and the motions aren’t consistent.
And my position in the saddle is hit or miss. ”
“I thought your positioning today was great,” she murmured allowing herself to peek at him.
Beneath his stare, she stilled. He was studying her. Or maybe he was trying to figure her out. Well, there was nothing to figure out. He was the confusing one. She was just about to point that out and probably embarrass herself when he nodded curtly. “I appreciate that. You have a good eye.”
She gave him a small smile and nodded back.
Their conversation drifted to safer subjects.
Not the rodeo. Definitely not Jacob Hines.
She asked about the preparations for Tripp’s upcoming wedding, but Brent didn’t seem to be in the know.
He might have been the best man, but it appeared Tripp hadn’t assigned him anything.
For a moment Faith thought she saw a flicker of something dark when she’d brought up the wedding.
She’d thought Brent was happy for his brother.
There was no reason for him to be upset about the upcoming nuptials.
But when she looked closer, she didn’t see anything amiss.
Brent asked her more about the program she was thinking of enrolling in. Timing, cost and other details. He seemed happier to talk about her than himself, which was fine. Talking about what she loved helped to keep her own mind clear.
By the end of the night, he was more relaxed and his shoulder wasn’t bothering him as much. She sent him off with a plate of cookies and made him promise to share with his family.
Somehow, she doubted he’d follow through with her request so she made a mental note to herself to stop by with another plate tomorrow.