Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Faith cut a look to Hallie who was fidgeting on the large blanket they’d set out on the yard.
Several feet away, the guys were wrangling the fireworks.
The girl at her side was definitely distracted by something and just before it got dark, Faith had seen her appear from the side of the barn following Brent from the same location.
It looked as though they’d gotten into a fight if their terse expressions were any indication.
It was probably about the rodeo. That was usually the sore subject with Brent and his family, though it was hard to believe that Hallie was upset when she loved that part of country living. Why was she so angry?
Hallie caught her staring and flashed her a smile that in no way made her look at ease. If anything, it was strained. Faith tried to smile back, but she probably looked like one of those monkeys who smiled as an act of submissiveness.
It would be so much easier if she could just ask Hallie what was going on.
She definitely couldn’t talk to Brent. Even though things were going well, she couldn’t escape the feeling that he was skittish about certain things.
Maybe if Faith knew what was bothering Hallie, she could be a sounding board for both of them.
Probably a death sentence, but Faith hated it when the people she cared about couldn’t get along. She hated it even more when someone she cared for wasn’t dealing with an issue and wasn’t willing to ask for help.
Slowly, she turned her attention to Brent who was chatting with his brother. The two of them had moments of strained behavior toward one another as well, but right now they were joking around. Their smiles seemed genuine.
She couldn’t help her own smile as she watched their interaction. People needed family. She knew that better than anyone. While there were times when her brothers and sisters didn’t seem to notice her, she knew she could count on them.
Hallie didn’t have any siblings. She had her parents. Her cousins. But no one who she could truly confide in.
Maybe that was the problem. Whatever she was dealing with couldn’t be hashed out with the other women who were seated on their blanket. Hallie needed to get something off her chest and that was where Faith could come in. She was a third party with no skin in the game. She could be a sounding board.
Nodding to herself she crawled closer to Hallie. Keeping her voice low, she murmured, “You okay?”
Hallie cut her a look. One that said of course she wasn’t okay, but she wasn’t about to spill her guts to anyone right now. Then as if thinking better of it, she gave Faith a curt nod.
Faith let out a derisive snort—one that made Hallie stiffen.
Her lips pressed into a thin line and she watched Faith expectantly.
Then Faith shook her head with another laugh.
“I’m sorry, but you’re about as bad at lying as Wren.
My sister wears her heart on her sleeve.
She practically screams her issues by her expression alone. ”
“Okay…” Hallie drawled.
“So, when I asked you if you were okay, I didn’t want you to brush me off and pretend that you were.
I wanted you to tell me what’s bothering you so you can get it off your chest. Having something heavy weigh down on you isn’t going to do you any good and I’m going to be sitting here frustrated that you didn’t just accept my offer to help.
” For a moment, Faith wondered if she’d crossed a line and gone too far.
Especially with the wide-eyed look on Hallie’s face.
It wouldn’t have surprised her in the slightest if Hallie had told her to leave her alone and mind her own business.
Instead, Hallie opened her mouth and leaned closer. But before she could say anything, Brent’s voice carried toward them, and she flinched.
“Who’s ready for the show of a lifetime?”
Faith didn’t break eye-contact with Hallie, hoping her eyes said everything she couldn’t. Tell me what’s wrong. Confide in me. I can help.
Hallie pursed her lips together and sat straight again, her hands in her lap. Then she sighed. “Later, okay? Can I drive you home?”
Faith blinked. Brent had picked her up for this little get together so she didn’t have to drive. How would he feel about Hallie driving her home? Would he be annoyed? At Hallie’s tight expression, Faith felt she didn’t have any other option but to nod. “Of course.”
The firework show wasn’t as long as the guys had expected, but it was still a fun show.
Faith spent the whole of it snuggled into Brent’s side relishing the way his arm wrapped around her body to keep her close.
This was everything she’d wanted that she never knew she could have.
And best of all, she had it with Brent. She couldn’t get enough of him.
She couldn’t explain it, this sense that everything would work itself out.
Faith just had this gut feeling that even if Brent got the sponsorship, even if he had to travel, they’d be able to work things out.
It would be hard and just thinking about him leaving had her anxieties skyrocketing again, but they’d manage.
Faith would finish her coursework. She’d get a job here, or maybe she’d team up with a sponsor and get assigned to a cowboy. Maybe she could even work with Brent.
That idea sent a shiver down her spine and when it rippled through her body, Brent peered down at her. “Cold?”
She shook her head, smiling up at him. “Nope.”
He searched her eyes, probably looking for a lie but he wouldn’t find it. She reached up and placed her palm to his cheek. “Thanks for bringing me out here to spend the day with your family. It’s been fun.”
When the light show was over, Brent pulled her to her feet but before he could drag her toward his truck, Hallie snatched her hand. “Faith promised me I could take her home.”
Brent frowned, glancing at Faith for confirmation.
Shrugging, Faith let out a soft laugh. “I could use some girl talk.”
He didn’t look convinced. Could he tell that Hallie was having a bad day and that she needed a friend? Or was he worried his cousin would say something he didn’t want Faith to know? Sheesh, that hadn’t crossed her mind up until a few moments ago and Faith didn’t like that idea one bit.
Before Faith could take back her statement, Hallie tugged her toward her car. She pulled a little harder than was necessary—a woman on a mission. And when they arrived at the vehicle, she scurried around the side to climb behind the wheel.
Her chest was heaving but that wasn’t surprising based on the way she’d man-handled Faith all the way here.
Faith chuckled nervously. “That bad, huh?”
Hallie startled and swung her eyes to Faith. “You have no idea.”
“Well, if you don’t want to talk about it—”
Hallie started her car and interrupted her. “Brent’s dad is dead.”
Faith couldn’t breathe. This was a joke. She’d seen Judd at the barbeque. He definitely wasn’t dead. What was Hallie talking about? “What?” she whispered but she wasn’t sure Hallie could hear her over the hum of the car engine.
“That’s why his parents don’t want him to participate in the rodeo. His dad—his real dad—died before Brent was born.”
The blood drained from Faith’s face. She could feel herself going lightheaded. This was not a secret she should be privy to. “D-does Brent… know?”
Hallie didn’t look at her. She kept her eyes on the road, but her body seemed less agitated. It was as if the secret she’d been keeping had been slowly poisoning her. “You tell me. Has he said anything?”
“Well, no, but—”
“It’s a really crappy thing for his folks to do—keeping something like this from him—from Tripp, too.
But I overheard my parents talking about it.
Apparently, years and years ago when Heather, Brent’s mom, was just out of high school, she ran off with her boyfriend.
They eloped. The details are a little blurry.
I’m not sure if they found out they were pregnant and wanted to save face or if they were just that much in love.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter. The bigger issue is that Brent’s dad was on his way to being one of the top national competitors in rodeo history.
He was good.” Hallie cut Faith a look out of the corner of her eye.
“Like really good. No one could beat his numbers. He was a natural. But then one day he got in the arena and…” Her voice drifted and the cab of the car felt ten degrees colder.
A chill scraped along Faith’s arms and legs, making the hairs stand to attention.
“I guess he landed wrong. It was a fluke. He made contact with the ground in just the right way…” She closed her eyes briefly and a tear slid down her cheek. “He died, Faith. Leaving his little boy, Aunt Heather, and his unborn baby alone.”
Faith had to clasp her hands together tight to prevent them from shaking. Why was Hallie telling her this? Secrets weren’t her forte. She wasn’t going to be able to look Brent in the face after this and not act out of character. This was bad.
So, so bad.
“I swear I didn’t know until a few weeks ago.
I don’t even know why my parents were talking about it.
I guess Uncle Judd was a really good friend to both of them.
Not sure if he had feelings before everything happened, but he was there for them.
They got married and she changed their names.
If I had to guess, I’d say that experience is exactly the reason why they refuse have anything to do with the rodeo. ”
It all made so much more sense. Faith could understand how a disaster like the story Hallie told would harden anyone. And she was right. The worst part of the story was the fact that Brent and Tripp had no idea. Tripp would have been too young to remember his father. And Brent never met him.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Faith groaned, clutching her stomach.
“What? Faith, you can’t throw up in my car.”
“Pull over,” Faith demanded. “Now. I need—”
Hallie swerved to the side of the road and Faith fumbled with the door handle she scrambled to the edge of the shoulder and hunched over with her hands on her knees.
All the contents of her stomach erupted, and the lightheadedness only got worse.
She heard Hallie’s footsteps but didn’t turn to look at her friend.
Of course, Hallie was struggling. This was a secret of monumental proportions. In her opinion, it trumped the secret Brent was harboring from his parents.
When nothing else could be expelled from her stomach, Faith straightened and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. She grimaced and forced herself to meet Hallie’s eyes. “What are we going to do?”
“What are we going to do?” Hallie practically screeched. “Nothing, Faith. We can’t do a single thing.”
“What?” Faith snapped. “You can’t expect me to keep this from him. He deserves to know.”
“Don’t you think I know that? But he doesn’t deserve to know it from you. His parents should be the ones to tell him and then prepare to grovel because this isn’t the kind of thing you keep from your own children. They deserve to mourn the loss of the father who created them.”
She made an excellent point but that didn’t make Faith feel any better. “Clearly Heather and Judd aren’t going to have that conversation. Maybe you should tell them—”
Hallie scoffed. “I didn’t tell you this so you’d preach to me about what I should do.
I told you because I couldn’t keep this inside me any longer.
And you… well, you offered.” The last few words were spoken so brokenly that Faith had a hard time being angry with Hallie for keeping the secret, for spilling it, and for insisting that they continue to keep it under wraps.
“He has to know,” Faith whispered. “He needs to. He can’t keep doing the rodeo without understanding where his parents are coming from. I mean, I get it. And the rodeo scares me to death sometimes. But I would never tell him he couldn’t chase after what brings him happiness.”
“Even if it means he might…” Hallie winced when she whispered, “die like his dad?”
Faith didn’t even want to think about that scenario. She was already having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that Brent wasn’t Judd’s son. Well, biologically speaking.
“I can’t believe this,” Faith muttered, closing her eyes and dipping her head back. “This is so messed up.”
“I know,” Hallie whispered.
They both sounded so distraught. But it was nothing compared to how Brent and Tripp would feel if they found out.
“So, you really think we need to keep this whole thing a secret?” Faith whispered, finally meeting her friend’s exhausted face.
“We don’t really have another choice. Not unless we want to be the ones to tear up a family. And I can tell you right now, I may have been adopted, but my parents will disown me if I’m the one to start the war.”
Faith shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do it, Hallie.”
“You have to. This is between him and his parents. Not you. All you can do is be there for him when it does come out.”
“He’ll hate me if he finds out I know.”
Hallie didn’t argue. Of course Brent would hate her. But that was if he found out.
And just like that, Faith could feel her stomach roil all over again. She hunched over and dry-heaved for what felt like an eternity. The whole time, Hallie waited patiently. Then when it was all over, they both climbed into the car and Hallie drove her home.
The silence in the car was painful. But Faith couldn’t bring herself to speak. It’d probably hurt anyway. She could feel just how raw her throat had become.
When they pulled up in front of her house, Hallie whispered, “You promise you won’t tell him?”
Faith nodded numbly.
“Thanks, Faith. And… I’m sorry.”
Faith cut her a saddened look. As much as she hated that Hallie had spilled everything, she could understand her need to purge the information. It was a grenade. And Faith got the distinct feeling that it would explode sooner rather than later, leaving a crater in the family she adored so much.