Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Faith didn’t know what had gotten into her.
The argument she’d had with Brent had come out of nowhere. Yes, she was aware of the rumors circulating around Grant. And honestly, even if there hadn’t been, she still wouldn’t have been interested.
Grant simply wasn’t her type.
What had irked her to no end was the fact that Brent thought he had the right to come barging into the bookstore and demand that she stay away from him.
Brent didn’t get a say. They were friends. And friends could offer advice but not… that.
Their last interaction had been almost a week ago.
Avoiding Brent had become harder than she’d expected.
It wasn’t just her fury over his audacity.
It was the ache in her chest over wishing things were different.
He didn’t want her to date but he also wasn’t offering her anything more.
He was starting to be as bad as her brothers were and that was saying something.
Faith peered out her window in search of Brent’s familiar truck. He was supposed to come practice with her brothers since there was another rodeo event coming up. So far his truck hadn’t appeared.
She’d invited Hallie and the girls to a party this evening. It was a precursor to the rodeo tomorrow. Technically, her brothers were throwing the party, but they’d asked for help in organizing it since they were busy today.
Faith had finished her application for the community college and had offered her assistance when Lydia and Wren had insisted they were too busy.
It wasn’t like the party was going to be some big thing. Definitely nothing like the events the triplets hosted up at Twisted River Ranch. As far as Faith was concerned, Tate and Jason could invite some of their rodeo buddies and they’d all have a nice evening together.
It was not just a nice evening.
Faith ducked out of the way of a couple who were headed straight for her—or rather the refreshment table. She’d spent the better part of the day making cookies with the plan of freezing any excess. But it didn’t appear that there would be any.
She’d also made sure to have plenty of lemonade and ice water on hand but with the crowd of people milling about, she wasn’t sure they wouldn’t run out of the former before the night was up.
Had the whole town turned out for this?
No, there had to be more people than there were in all of Rocky Ridge. The fact that everyone could fit on their property was crazy to her.
She offered the couple an apologetic smile as she let them get past her. Then she scanned the area for her brothers. This had to be her sisters’ doing. They were the social butterflies. While Tate and Jason might have invited a few friends, Lydia and Wren made sure everyone knew.
Which meant there was zero chance a certain someone wouldn’t be in attendance.
“Faith! There you are.” Wendy’s cute southern accent drawled, tearing Faith’s attention in her direction.
She turned to the others who were with her.
“See? I told you she’d be in the thick of it.
Faith can’t help it.” She beamed and gestured toward a man at her side.
“This is my fiancé, Tripp. He makes the most delicious, sweet iced tea. Can we bother you for some ice in the kitchen? Then he can put the dispenser out for everyone.”
Faith stared blankly at Tripp. They’d met. Seeing him in person wasn’t what had taken her off guard. It was the fact that he’d brought something to the party. Her brothers certainly wouldn’t have asked him to.
At her expression, Tripp chuckled. “Wendy is a sucker for the stuff. I brought it so she’d have her favorite.”
That was… sorta sweet.
Faith smiled and nodded with a gesture toward the house. “Kitchen entrance is around that way. Help yourself.” Her eyes drifted to the large dispenser at his feet as he ducked down to pick it up. When he did, the man behind him came into view.
Tripp’s brother.
Brent’s eyes locked with her own, pinning her in place as Wendy and Tripp wandered off. Without a word, Faith turned on her heel. She didn’t need to track down her brothers after all.
“Faith,” Brent’s voice cut through the chatter and the music that played through the speakers, but she ignored him. “Faith,” he tried again.
She shook her head. Now was not the time.
She didn’t want to face him. The person she’d become when they’d argued at that bookstore wasn’t the person she liked.
Her normal meek behavior was something she wasn’t ashamed of.
In fact, she liked it. She liked being quiet.
The person everyone could count on. It also meant she wasn’t noticed when she had the desire to observe.
And yet, for some strange reason Brent had lit a fire beneath her.
She’d wanted nothing more than to put him in his place.
There were several reasons for that. She’d been tired of keeping her thoughts in check. She’d grown exhausted from the effort it took to avoid looking at him or saying the wrong thing. And he’d crossed the line with his infuriating behavior. Friends didn’t behave the way he had.
But brothers did.
She’d reminded herself of that fact when she’d returned home and gone to her room to stew. Brent had always been up front and honest about what he could offer. And he had been a friend to her brothers first.
A hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged her to a stop. Her breath caught in her throat as she was spun around and pressed against the side of the house. She hadn’t realized she’d turned the corner and was now out of sight of anyone who might tattle to her family.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
So much for avoiding him.
Maybe someone had seen the way he’d chased after her. Would they say something to her brothers?
Part of her needed that to happen.
But the chaotic part of her heart that skipped excitedly in her chest as she came face to face with an irritated Brent wanted nothing more than to banter with him.
She wanted to push him, tease him, see if there was anything to the spark she felt between them.
It wasn’t smart, but it was there in the recesses of her mind like some swirling mist that threatened to infiltrate her entire being.
Brent searched her eyes, his brows pinched together. He opened his mouth a couple times only to shut them and look away. There was a subtle shake of his head as if he was convincing himself of something. Then he released her and dragged both hands through his hair.
He wasn’t using his usual cowboy hat, and his hair was already beautifully mussed, but the movement only made it more so. She swallowed hard, watching him, waiting for the inspiration to either run or light the fire from the embers that glowed between them.
It was fascinating watching Brent in this state. His usually calm demeanor was cracking. He was going through something, and he clearly didn’t know how to handle it. Was it bad that she liked the idea she was part of the reason for it? That she could be the cause for someone like Brent to unravel?
Little Faith Dennison, capable of bringing a man to his knees.
A lump formed in her throat and her face grew hot. Too hot. So hot that she had to place her cool hands to her face. She turned to leave if only to find some water to splash on her heated skin when his low voice had her pausing in her tracks.
“Don’t go anywhere, Faith.”
Slowly, she faced him again, her eyes narrowing. It was getting late but it was still light enough to see every detail of his handsome face. She could see the way his left eye twitched. Once. Twice. Then he brought up his hands and rubbed his temples.
“I beg your pardon?” she asked. Then she chastised herself because there was less venom in her voice than there should have been.
He probably didn’t even know that he’d struck a chord with his demands.
So she tried again, this time putting a little more into her attempt as she lowered her voice and drew closer to him.
With a poke to his chest, she whispered, “What is wrong with you?”
He appeared taken aback by her brashness because he stepped backward and his eyes flared. But that reaction was too short-lived. His jaw tightened and he crossed his arms. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Darn straight, I’ve been avoiding you.” Her voice rose even though she knew she needed to be careful. “You embarrassed me, Brent. In a place where I go often. So many people witnessed your little show—”
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice died in her throat. He was sorry? For what exactly?
Brent rolled his lower lip between his teeth and blew out a heavy breath. “I’m not sorry about making Garth leave you alone.”
Faith wanted to laugh. “So you’re sorry for what, then?”
“Embarrassing you.”
Those words were all it took for the fight to go out of her.
Why was it so easy to forgive him for something she’d been fretting over for the last couple of days?
She was upset over more than just him making a scene.
Deep down, she knew it was more. She didn’t like that he thought he could tell her who she could or couldn’t spend time with.
Because she wanted him to care about who she spent time with for different reasons.
Faith pushed down that reality and shoved it into a dark spot beneath her ribcage where she didn’t have to acknowledge it. She dropped her eyes to the ground, unable to look at Brent for fear that he’d see the truths that were bobbing to the surface.
“Faith.” This time, she could hear the pleading in his voice and it was almost too much. She nearly looked up at him just so she could search for hints that he was fighting the attraction she felt so strongly between them. His feet shuffled forward but she stepped back.
Her eyes darted up to meet his for the briefest of seconds and she flashed him a wan smile. “Thanks for apologizing.”
She caught a glimpse of his confused frown but refused to analyze it.
“It’s fine.”
“Faith?”
Shaking her head, she took another step away from him so the distance continued to grow.
“I promise. It’s nothing that my brothers wouldn’t do, right?
” Why did saying that out loud hurt so much?
“You know you don’t owe me anything, right?
” She peeked at him once more. “We’re friends.
You were just looking out for me. That’s all.
” Faith didn’t give him a chance to utter another syllable before she slipped past him toward the front entrance of the house.
There was no way she’d be able to go back to the party immediately after her confrontation with Brent. She needed a break. To take a breath. Heck, that cool water she’d wanted to splash on her face was starting to sound really good right about now.
And that was exactly what she did.
Faith hurried up to her bathroom, praying the distance between herself and Brent would be enough to make her appear at least a little bit normal. Heaven knew she’d have to go back to the party, otherwise her brothers would notice.
Maybe not right away, but they were good at paying attention like that. Besides, she’d wanted to hang out with Hallie. Things had gotten strained after she’d blurted Brent’s secret and she needed some normalcy back. She liked the friendships she’d developed with the girls.
Lifting her eyes to her reflection, Faith sighed. She looked like she was going to be sick. Paler than usual. Brent had a knack for making her feel off-centered so she shouldn’t even be surprised.
And she couldn’t even be mad at him anymore.
Logically speaking, he’d done the right thing.
He’d helped her then he’d apologized for making her uncomfortable.
He’d told her from the beginning that they could only be friends.
He hadn’t led her on at all. She was the one letting her feelings get in the way.
Well, no more.
She’d go down to that party and she’d find a nice guy who her brothers could tolerate—if only to prove to herself that Brent was nothing more than a passing fancy.
After she fixed her minimal makeup, she gave herself an encouraging nod and headed down the stairs.
The closer she got to the back door that would open up to where everyone was mingling, the harder her heart started to pound.
Maybe she should enlist Hallie’s help. She knew a lot of the guys in her brothers’ social circles. She’d be able to pick one for her.
With that final fleeting thought, Faith pushed through the back door and out into the open.
Faith found Hallie immediately. She was talking with a group of guys and she wore a broad smile on her face.
Perfect.