Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Maybe I should go—” Faith shot a look toward the exit. She’d interacted with Brent maybe twice since that party and while things had been okay, it was strained. Neither one of them brought up the argument. Neither one of them discussed the fact that Brent had told Dominic they were dating.
She burned to point it out but seeing as he had been avoiding her as much as she’d been avoiding him, it was clear he hadn’t meant what he said.
“Under no circumstances are you leaving. I couldn’t bring Wendy with me today, so you’re my bud.”
“Why—” Faith snapped her mouth shut. She knew why. If Hallie dragged Wendy to this particular event, then she would have witnessed her future brother-in-law in the bronc riding competition. Then she would have an even harder time keeping the full truth from her future husband.
It wasn’t fair to Wendy to ask her to keep things under wraps for the time being but apparently Hallie had convinced their friend it was for the best. Something about letting Brent get this whole thing out of his system.
“He doesn’t want me here,” Faith muttered, shifting as a few riders passed them. She wasn’t even sure she was supposed to be here in the hallway as the men came and went. Hallie had assured her that it was fine.
The arena was located indoors this time with lights shining from every direction.
It was a bigger event than Brent had participated in and Faith was a bundle of nerves.
She didn’t want to distract him, but that wasn’t her only reason for not wanting to be here.
If he caught sight of her, she wasn’t sure how she’d react.
What if she couldn’t contain herself? What if she demanded answers for his strange behavior?
What if she wanted him to tell her that he was interested and to ignore the consequences of what that would mean with her brothers?
“He’s not the boss of you and after what he did at the party, I think you shouldn’t give him the time of day. Don’t let him take up space in your head any more than is necessary.”
“And what do you define as necessary?” Faith couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
Hallie turned toward her with a smirk. “If he gets knocked around and needs your medical attention. But that’s all we can hope for, right?” She winked and Faith laughed again.
“I’d rather he didn’t get hurt at all.”
Her friend waved a hand in the air. “Maybe if he did, he’d get some sense knocked into him and he’d realize that this isn’t the path he should be taking.”
Faith frowned. Then she stared at her friend for longer than was apparently expected because Hallie glanced at her then did a double take.
“What?” she demanded.
“This is really important to him. He’s been wanting it for a long time. I don’t think it has anything to do with sense.”
Hallie sighed. “You don’t know his parents like I do.”
“No, but you don’t know them like Brent does.”
Hallie went still. She didn’t turn to look at Faith and for a long, drawn out second, Faith wondered if there was something she knew that maybe she shouldn’t.
Faith opened her mouth to inquire but a deep, rumbling voice came from behind them.
“Hello, ladies. You lost?”
A smile split Hallie’s face and she turned to stare up into the eyes of the man she was clearly in love with.
Faith’s own attention swept over Jacob. He was tall.
Built. And he filled out a pair of jeans like no one’s business.
He was wearing all his gear, clearly getting ready to go on.
Beside him was a man who looked familiar, but he didn’t look to be the competitor type.
He was shorter, less broad, but no less fit.
He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a Henley.
He had on a cowboy hat that shaded his face from the stadium lights.
And the second their eyes collided, he straightened slightly.
Hallie looped her arm through Faith’s. “And this is Faith.”
Startling, Faith glanced to her friend. Shoot, had she missed the introductions?
Jacob nodded toward her. “Nice to meet you.”
Faith slid her eyes toward the stranger. He was good looking enough, but nothing compared to Brent. And while she felt bad for not hearing his name, she wasn’t able to hold onto that emotion long before another hand grasped her other elbow and tugged her away.
She gasped and stumbled down the hallway in the other direction as she vaguely heard Hallie call out to her with exasperation.
No, not her.
Brent.
Sweat dotted his temples, and he was breathing heavily. He hadn’t gone on yet, but he was dressed to. With a helmet under his arm and gloves on his hands, he looked like he belonged in this place. Every inch of him screamed he could be just as big of a star as Jacob.
Her focus stopped at his face. His eyes seemed a little wild and when he shot a look over his shoulder in the direction they’d come, his lip curled with disgust. Then he turned a searing gaze to her and the breath stalled in her lungs. “What are you doing here?”
Faith blinked. She knew she shouldn’t have come.
Hadn’t she told Hallie that? “I-I was keeping H-Hallie company.” She pulled her elbow free from his hold then almost regretted it when the warmth of his body left her as well.
Hating the way she stumbled over her words, she folded her arms and scowled at him. “I’m allowed to be here.”
He roughed a gloved hand over his face and his voice gentled. “I know that, Faith. Geez, I really do. I keep messing this up.”
Her arms dropped loosely at her sides, and she stared at him with slight surprise. Messing this up? What did that mean?
Brent looked over his shoulder again then blew out a breath. “Do you know that guy?”
Slowly, she shook her head.
He nodded and what could only be relief washed over his features. “His name is Kai. He’s Jacob’s manager.”
Her eyes widened and she glanced over to where the man was still standing with Jacob and Hallie. He must have felt her eyes on him because he looked in their direction as well. She gasped and shifted so that Brent blocked Kai from view. “Why are you asking me if I know him?”
A flicker of irritation battled in Brent’s eyes. He searched hers for long moments.
“Brent Gilley,” a disembodied voice came over the speakers.
They both startled.
“Brent, they’re calling you—”
“Hallie was going to set you up with him,” Brent gritted out.
Her words died in her throat. Hallie had been the one to pick Dominic for her, too. But they’d picked him out because he had a good reputation and they knew her brothers would like him. Kai didn’t fit the bill. He likely traveled a lot with Jacob. “What?”
“Yeah, I heard them talking about it in the locker room.”
Faith couldn’t help but shift once more to look at the man, but this time, Brent moved with her and when she looked up, he was frowning at her. She blinked a few times. “Okay…” she drawled. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Brent Gilley,” the name said again.
She gasped and attempted to give his shoulders a shove. “You need to go. You can’t miss your turn.”
He didn’t budge. He also appeared to be ignoring her and the announcer. “I don’t want you going out with him.”
“What? Why?”
This time Brent moved so close they were mere inches apart. “Because I want to go out with you.”
Was the world spinning? What was happening? She’d fallen into an alternate reality. She just knew it. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. “Wh-what?”
Brent pressed his forehead to hers and he closed his eyes. His breathing was heavier, now, like he’d just gotten off the bronc instead of needing to be getting on one. “I can’t fight it anymore, Faith. Moreover, I don’t want to.”
Numb.
Tingling.
Euphoria.
Faith couldn’t speak. She didn’t even have the strength to say anything when the announcer made a final call for Brent. All she could do was pull back to stare into those beautiful, stormy, blue eyes.
Time slowed to a complete stop. “What are you saying?” she finally managed to whisper.
“I’m saying that I have feelings for you, Faith. There’s no use fighting them and it’s more distracting wondering who the next guy Hallie is going to pick for you than to just ask you to be with me.”
“With you…” she said weakly.
“With me.” Brent reached for her face. The leather gloves were softer than she’d expected when he placed a large palm to the side of her cheek. “Spending time with you is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. And the best part is that you get me.”
“But the rodeo…” she whispered. “You were supposed to go on.”
“I’ll get the next one.”
Faith blinked again. Then faster as she took a step back. “My brothers—”
“Will get over it. I don’t care what I have to do or say. I’ll convince them that we should be given a chance. But Faith, you’re your own person. If you want something, you should go for it. Like the medical training. If you want me…”
She could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
Like he had suddenly realized he’d come over here to give her a speech without the knowledge that she’d reciprocate his feelings.
She’d never told him that she wanted more.
But she could admit that she wasn’t the best person at hiding her feelings.
In fact, she was almost certain that her brothers were already aware of the fact that she had a major crush on Brent.
Since the very beginning.
Faith swallowed hard.
“Hey, Gilley, you were supposed to go on…” The voice trailed off when Brent shot the man a dark look. The intruder lifted a shoulder. “I think the judges will let this one slide if you can be ready in five.”
Faith’s eyes widened and she gave Brent another shove. “You have to go.”
“Not until you agree to go out with me.” Brent’s request sent a flurry of dandelion seeds swarming within her. They drifted and spun, dancing to music that only she could hear.
A smile broke across her face and Brent shot her one to match.
He took both of her hands in his which was a little awkward since his helmet was still beneath his arm.
In this moment he only had eyes for her, and she was getting drunk on the feeling.
But it was his next words that had her going completely weak in the knees and wishing she could hit the pause button at this exact moment.
“Say yes, Faith. Say you’ll let me show you how a girl should be treated right.”
She blushed. Something told her he wasn’t going to let this go until she agreed. And why wouldn’t she? He’d made an ultimate sacrifice for her. Others might not understand what he’d risked but she did. So she nodded. “Now go out there. Show those judges what you’re made of.”
Brent nodded and turned away. He tossed her one more look over his shoulder as he left. It was as if they both couldn’t believe what they’d just agreed to. Or maybe he thought she’d walk away when he wasn’t looking?
She wouldn’t though. No one had done something this romantic for her.
Ever.
Faith hurried to where she’d be able to watch the show. Her hands and legs were shaking and she wouldn’t have been surprised if she collapsed before she got there.
Right as she reached the edge of the arena, the chute opened and the horse bucked out into the fray. Brent looked as good as the pros. His spur work was exceptional and it was clear he’d been working on his form. She couldn’t catch a single thing wrong with his performance.
Her eyes remained glued to him until the buzzer sounded.
She didn’t exhale the breath she’d been holding until he was safely to the side and climbing over the wall.
A squeal of excitement practically burst from her body as she charged back down the corridor where she’d come to meet Brent on his way to the locker room.
It took longer than she expected for him to arrive but when he did, there was the biggest smile she’d ever seen plastered on his face. His pace quickened as he strode toward her. Brent dropped his helmet to the floor and pulled her into his arms.
Hugs weren’t usually something Faith considered intimate. She hugged her family, friends, and most of the people she liked.
But when Brent’s arms wrapped around her and he held her tight enough to lift her feet from the floor, Faith felt…
different. There was something about the way Brent held her.
Heat seeped into the coldest parts of her body right to the marrow of her bones.
She clung to him and let the world fall away.
In this moment she wasn’t Tate and Jason’s little sister.
She wasn’t the shy, quiet girl who no one paid attention to.
Right now, she was the girl Brent Gilley had asked on a date.
She was the girl who said yes.
Brent pulled back, pride and excitement shining from his eyes. “Third. I got third place!”