Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It’s nothing that my brothers wouldn’t do, right?
Those words.
That ridiculous statement.
Brent wanted to throw a punch at something, and the foreign instinct had him questioning his own sanity. He hadn’t scared Garth away because he wanted to be Faith’s brotherly figure.
There was a strange burning sensation in his chest that stole his breath the second Faith disappeared on him. He lost track of how long he stood there by the side of the house. It wasn’t until he heard footsteps that he was torn from his post-Faith stupor.
He looked up to see a couple late arrivals to the party. Brent didn’t recognize them but smiled all the same. They nodded toward him as they passed and he turned to follow them back to the party.
The second he rounded the side of the house he froze.
Black, oozing, dangerous feelings slithered among his insides when he caught sight of Faith. It wasn’t her specifically that had his body reacting in such a violent way. It was the man who was speaking to her.
Tate and Jason weren’t the types to let someone like Garth attend a party like this one so thankfully, Brent didn’t have to jump in to rescue her.
But maybe that was the problem.
The guy who currently leaned closer to Faith as she had her back pressed against a large maple tree was… perfect for her.
Brent had seen the guy around. They hadn’t gone to the same school, but Dominic ran in the same circles as Faith’s brothers.
There was just one difference. The man wasn’t into the whole rodeo bit.
He had a modest ranch with a couple dozen head of cattle to his name.
He’d taken over the ranch from his grandfather who had been an upstanding member of society.
Everyone in Rocky Ridge was familiar with the Ashcrofts.
They might not be a big family, but they were beloved.
At least from what he’d heard.
Brent’s hands tightened into fists at his sides. The scene before him reminded him of a romantic comedy. The young woman looking up at her love interest with shining eyes while the guy flirted his way into her good graces.
In this moment all he wanted was to trade places with the man. He wanted to be the one Faith stared at with adoration. He wanted to be the guy her brothers would approve of.
“They’re cute together, right?” Brent startled and swung his eyes to his side. How had Hallie managed to get next to him without him noticing? She wasn’t looking at him, though.
Nope.
She was staring at Faith and Dominic as well with the strangest expression on her face.
Pride? Longing?
When she glanced at him, there was a flash of something else.
Triumph.
He narrowed his gaze at her, wondering if she was going to say something. Confess that she was the one who had pushed them together just to spite him. She wasn’t happy he was keeping secrets from his folks for some strange reason. It was none of her gat dang business what he did in his spare time.
His cousin flashed him a broad smile and moved closer to him so they were now face-to-face.
Her voice lowered so that not even people passing them by would be able to hear her.
“The problem with entering the rodeo world now is that you’re late to the game.
I might not be buddy-buddy with the Dennison twins, but I’ve overheard enough to know that they’re not unreasonable. ”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he demanded.
She shrugged. “They love their sisters. They’re fiercely protective. But they also want them to be happy.”
“That’s not a secret. No sibling wishes for the people in their family to be miserable.”
Hallie tilted her head toward the couple who were still far too close for Brent’s liking.
“Even Tate knows that Faith needs someone in her life. Out of all his sisters, she’s the outcast. She’s different.
Her sisters have each other and they have different interests.
But Faith? If there was a good man who was interested in her—”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” he muttered low. “You think that Tate will be all smiles when he sees the way Dominic is looking at his sister?”
Hallie arched a brow. “Maybe not all smiles, but he’s definitely going to be okay if the man asks her out. He’s got a steady job. He’s a good man with a good reputation. There is nothing distracting him from treating a woman right.”
“And I don’t have those qualities?” He didn’t know what possessed him to utter the question aloud and the second it left his lips he regretted it.
Hallie had already proven that she was paying attention.
She could see that there was something sparking to life between himself and Faith.
And she was using it, but for reasons he couldn’t figure out just yet.
Her eyes sparkled with what could only be glee. “I never said that. You’re a good man. You have a steady job. But…” She cocked her head and booped him on the nose. “You’re far from distracted.”
He scowled at her and that infuriating smirk.
“And rumor has it that Ashcroft over there is interested in settling down.” She let her words sink in before she wiggled her fingers. “Catch you later, cousin.”
She was baiting him. Right? She was messing with him but why? So he’d have to choose between his interest in competing and dating Faith?
Would Tate and Jason even allow him to do such a thing if he chose to walk away from his dreams?
Brent shook his head, but the movement did nothing to clear it. And when he turned to find Faith laughing at whatever Dominic was saying, Brent all but lost his cool.
It wasn’t until the man hooked a knuckle beneath her chin and tilted her face so she was forced to meet his eyes that the last threads of control slipped through Brent’s fingers.
He charged through the crowd of people toward the woman who would never be able to find a man good enough for herself. She must have seen him out of the corner of her eye because her focus slid to him and she gasped. Dominic’s head whipped around just as Brent gave the guy a shove.
It wasn’t hard enough to do anything but break the couple apart. And Dominic didn’t seem ruffled by the intrusion.
Confused, maybe, but nothing more.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” Dominic shoved his hands in his pockets as his eyes bounced from Faith to Brent. “Your stats are looking better every time you’re on a bronc. You’re going places.”
Why did the man have to be such a… good guy?
Brent clenched and flexed his hands. “Stay away from her,” he whispered but it came out as more of a growl than anything else.
Dominic’s brows furrowed and he cut another look toward Faith. Then understanding dawned on his face and he brought up his hands in a placating gesture. “Oh, I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“Brent!” Faith gasped at the same time, her face turning redder by the second. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
Dominic shifted where he stood, still looking utterly confused. He pointed between Faith and Brent. “You two are… together, right?”
“Yes.”
“Of course not!”
The responses came out at the same moment and Brent didn’t have a chance to decode exactly why he’d said such a thing when amusement flickered in Dominic’s gaze. The man turned to Faith, lifted a hand as if to touch her, but then dropped it at his side. “You have my number.”
She blinked rapid fire up at him, her cheeks still flushed. There were several people watching the three of them now. And Brent knew Hallie was likely front and center.
Faith opened her mouth, but no arguments came out as she watched Dominic walk away. Then slowly, as if she were the predator and not the victim of several bad decisions Brent had made tonight, she turned her scorching gaze on him.
He could have been burned from those eyes in that moment. Heck, he was entirely certain she was trying to light him on fire. And she had every right to. “Faith—”
“Don’t talk to me. Don’t you dare talk to me.” She pushed past him, her shoulder bumping against his arm in the process.
He turned to go after her but came chest to chest with none other than Faith’s overprotective brothers.
Brent swallowed hard and suddenly he was regretting every second of the interaction he’d just had with Dominic.
Not what he’d said, necessarily, but how he’d behaved in front of everyone.
He wasn’t usually the type to act without thinking.
Normally, he was level-headed. He knew what he wanted and he was careful with his words.
All sense had apparently left him. Maybe he’d hit his head too hard the last time he fell from the horse. Tate was staring daggers at him. Jason’s expression remained blank. Then Tate lifted his head and flashed his usual smile at the crowd surrounding them. “Get back to the party, folks.”
Brent shifted to leave, but Tate placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Not you.”
Ice sluiced through Brent’s veins as Tate draped an arm around his shoulders and guided him toward a less active area. It was quieter. The music was muffled. And there were fewer prying eyes.
Anxiety must have been part of the ambiance because when Brent turned to face Faith’s brothers, he wasn’t sure he would be leaving this little intervention without a black eye.
For the second time in a week, he’d embarrassed their little sister.
The little sister that Hallie had hinted needed extra care.
He muttered a curse under his breath as his gaze bounced from Tate to Jason and back again. “Hey, guys.”
Tate sighed, his happy demeanor shifting. His shoulders slumped and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “What did you do that for?” He demanded once his eyes met Brent’s.
Brent didn’t have an answer, not that he would say anything if he did. He knew Tate’s reputation. These two weren’t above throwing punches if it meant they were fighting for their sisters’ well-being. Anything Brent might have said wouldn’t be good enough to protect him.
He’d hurt Faith.
Unintentionally, but he’d still done it.
“Brent,” Tate said a little too forcibly. “Are you messing with her or something?”
Flinching, Brent shook his head. “I’d never do that.”
Jason continued to watch him with that quiet authority he had but Tate moved in closer.
“You need to leave Faith alone. I know you guys have gotten friendly lately…” There was something in the way he’d said it.
Something that screamed he knew more than he was letting on.
“But you came to us for help. You wanted us to teach you so you could be the best version of yourself when you get in that saddle.” Tate wasn’t wrong.
Brent had come to them specifically. He simply hadn’t been prepared for Faith.
“It’s not what you think,” he said weakly.
Tate didn’t look convinced. Neither did Jason for that matter.
“She’s not for you,” Jason finally said, causing Tate to shoot a look his way.
Tate shook his head and placed both hands on Brent’s shoulders. “Let me ask you this. Are you still all in? Do you want a sponsor? Do you want the rodeo life?”
“You know I do,” Brent snapped.
“Then get your head in the game. You started later in life than most of the guys who get in that chute. You have a lot of time to make up for. You need to show the judges that you’re not someone who can be brushed off.
And you can’t do that if you’re distracted by anything.
Relationships included.” Tate gave him a pointed stare.
Wait, that almost sounded like if he wasn’t working toward this goal that Tate would have been okay with his interest in Faith. A small thrill shot through him, but it was quickly squashed when Jason stepped closer as well.
“Faith needs stability. You can’t give her that if you stick with the plan you’ve had from the beginning. She’s not good with change. You’re an idiot if you think we haven’t noticed the way you two are with each other and if you keep going this way, she’s the one who will be hurt.”
“You don’t know that.” Brent blurted his argument without thinking. “And you don’t know your sister very well if you think that she couldn’t handle a life on the road. She’s resilient.” Those words were a mistake. Brent knew it the second they’d tumbled out.
Jason’s blank expression turned to one of warning. He’d said his peace. He’d made his decision. They both wanted Brent to steer clear of their sister. But did that mean he couldn’t talk to her period? Would they stand in the way of a friendship?
Brent knew better than to pretend that was all that would come from spending time with her. Each second was like adding a few more sticks to the fire until he’d end up with something all-consuming and unable to be put out.
Maybe they were right. Maybe he needed to put some more distance between himself and the woman he was quickly becoming obsessed with.
But what if they were wrong?
Over the last several weeks, Brent had gotten to know Faith on a level he hadn’t thought possible.
He knew things about her that her brothers probably didn’t know.
Like her interest in medicine. Why she wanted to help athletes.
A job in that field didn’t mean she had to stay in one place.
Heck, it might be exciting for her to travel with athletes to various arenas.
There were whole teams who catered to rodeo stars. It was like one big giant family.
Then there was the fact that Faith knew things about him that he’d never told anyone else. She knew what drove him deeper than even the two men who stood before him.
They were still watching him cautiously, almost menacingly. No one was going to change their mind. He got the distinct impression that if he’d told them he wanted out and was ready to walk away from that dream of his, they’d tell him their decision on Faith remained.
Because what brother would want his sister to end up with a man without ambition? Faith certainly deserved to find someone who was happy with the life they’d chosen.
But also someone who chose her every single day. And could he really do both?
Brent wanted to believe he could, but he wasn’t sure.
He nodded sharply, raking a hand through his hair and tugging at the ends. “Yeah, okay. No distractions.”
He should have known better than to believe that was possible.