Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“When was the last time you ate?”
Faith stared blankly at the book in front of her. Normally she’d be enthralled with the book she was reading. There were some new advances to medicine that would help in treating injured athletes. For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to focus.
“Faith.”
Why couldn’t she focus?
Oh, right. She couldn’t focus because she’d been given the information about a secret she had no right knowing.
What was Hallie thinking when she’d let the information slip that Brent’s biological father died?
Not only that he died, but the way he’d died.
He’d fallen in just the right way. It was a fluke if she’d ever read about one.
The probability of anyone landing in the dirt the way Louis Brent had was—
“Faith!”
Her head snapped up and she found four pairs of worried eyes staring at her. “What?” she snapped without meaning to.
Her sisters exchanged that same worried look.
Jason’s expression was impassive. But Tate was looking angry.
His eyes narrowed and he placed his hands on the table between them.
His palms slapped down harder than they should have.
Normally, she would have flinched but not even her reflexes were on their A-game right now. She merely blinked.
“When was the last time you ate?”
Her brows furrowed. It had been a little over a week since she’d found out about the biggest secret Rocky Ridge had to offer. What would the gossips in town think if they knew? The town would be in uproar, she just knew it.
The hands in front of her slapped the table again. “Are you sick?” Tate demanded. “Because you’re acting like you’ve been in a fog for the last several days. Is it Brent?”
She sensed more than saw the others in the room tense. “No, of course not,” she muttered too quickly. “Brent is great.”
“Then why aren’t you eating? Sleeping? Why have you been acting like a zombie?”
Her eyes flicked to Jason, curious if he had the same opinion but she couldn’t read anything from him. Concern, maybe. But that was it.
“I don’t know,” she finally sighed, turning her focus to Tate again. “And honestly, it’s none of your business.”
Tate stiffened and she immediately regretted what she’d said. Tate was nothing if not protective of his family. It was normal for him to worry about her. And if he’d noticed she wasn’t herself, then it made sense he’d brought all his siblings here to form some kind of intervention.
She rubbed at her temples. “Sorry.” It was all she could offer right now. “Yeah, I’m a little distracted.”
Jason huffed.
Her sisters shifted uncomfortably.
None of them knew the weight she carried on her shoulders, and they never would. She wasn’t about to tell anyone about Heather’s secret. Not even the man she was falling for. It wasn’t her secret to tell. Heather needed to have that conversation with Brent. He needed to hear it from his parents.
Though she didn’t have much hope in the matter. Someone who kept this kind of secret from her children for this long wasn’t going to spill it now.
“Faith.” Tate’s voice rang though the room again, forcing Faith to look up at him.
“What?”
He rolled his eyes and his sisters huffed before the latter left the room. Tate watched them go then he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. “What is going on with you? Something’s bothering you and we can all see it. Let us help.”
When she looked past Tate to Jason, all she got was a nod. Ever the quiet and stoic one. “It’s nothing you need to be worried about. I’m just a little distracted, like I said.”
“About what?”
She pushed away from the table, not wanting this conversation to take place. She couldn’t trust herself to keep the secret if Tate wore her down. Heck, she wasn’t sure she could keep the secret from Brent the more time they spent together, which was why she’d been making herself scarce.
Faith picked up her book and hugged it to her chest. “I’m going to take a nap.”
“Brent is competing tomorrow,” Tate called after her.
She paused in the doorway to the kitchen.
“Are you going?”
Boy did she want to tell him that she couldn’t do it.
That she wasn’t strong enough to watch him compete now that she had more information.
It wasn’t even the simple issue of the secret she held.
It was knowing the risk he posed to the relationship he had with his family.
And yes, there was a mild degree of fear that what had happened to his father would befall him as well.
Thankfully she was logical enough to be able to tell herself that numbers didn’t lie. She could count on one hand the number of riders who had died from that competition. Injured? So many more. But death?
Her shoulders lifted and fell but she didn’t turn toward her brother. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
This was a mistake.
Faith’s palms were sweating. Her whole body ached from being tense while she watched the men ready themselves for their events. Squirming in her seat did nothing to fix the problem and when Hallie managed to find her in the stands so she could sit beside her, matters only got worse.
Faith sat stiffly, praying that Hallie wouldn’t say anything. This was the worst secret she could have possibly spilled, and she had no idea the torture it was putting Faith through.
Unfortunately, her prayers seemed to not be getting answered today.
“Based on the fact that my cousin is here competing and my family isn’t being torn apart because of it, I’d guess that you didn’t tell Brent anything.”
Faith scowled at the arena, refusing to be baited into the conversation.
Hallie sighed. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here.”
Once again, Faith bit her tongue so she didn’t have to give Hallie anything.
The girl sighed and slouched in her seat. “Jacob is competing. Normally, he wouldn’t be at an amateur event like this one, but he’s here for the publicity. It’s more like he’s here to draw attention to the sport if anything.”
Faith chewed on her cheek, still not looking at Hallie.
“You gonna continue to give me the silent treatment?”
“Are you going to continue to force me to keep this from Brent?” Faith grimaced the second she asked the question because it showed just how much this was eating at her. She hated it.
Hallie sighed again. “You’re going to do what you’re going to do as far as I’m concerned. Honestly, it would probably be better if you said something. I know Brent would hate me, but I think it would be just the thing to get his parents to talk.”
“So why don’t you do it?”
She laughed but there was zero humor in it.
“Because if I said something I’d be the spark that lights the fire that would burn our family to the ground.
My parents would hate me for getting in the middle of my aunt’s business.
My cousins would hate me for turning their world upside down.
My aunts and uncles would never trust me. ”
“It’s them who shouldn’t be trusted,” Faith snapped.
“Don’t I know it.” There was an edge to Hallie’s voice.
“But they’re not the only ones at fault here.
Brent should be telling his parents what he’s been up to.
He’s been keeping his own secrets because he’s such a people pleaser he can’t bear making his parents look at him with disappointment.
Don’t you think everything would finally settle if he’d just tell his parents he’s making a conscious decision to go against their wishes? He’s an adult—”
“That’s not fair,” Faith muttered. “If he told them then they’d be forced to…”
“Exactly. It’s a mess. I never said it wasn’t.” Hallie turned to face her. “If I had my way, all the secrets would come out. But that’s not going to happen without major fallout. The best thing at this point is just to convince Brent that he needs to find a different dream.”
Those words were a dagger to Faith’s heart. She knew better than anyone that Brent deserved to follow the dream he’d had for so long. And apparently the drive to compete was rooted deeply in his blood. How could she even suggest such a thing?
“You should talk to him,” Hallie said so quietly it was nearly impossible to hear her over the roar of those around them.
“I can’t tell him about his father—”
“No, not about that. Tell him to stop.”
Faith worked her jaw. That somehow felt like more of a betrayal.
“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s the only way that will result in less casualties and you know it.”
That sick feeling that Faith had been battling for the last week got even worse. Thankfully, Hallie didn’t wait for her to respond. She rose to her feet, gave Faith a pointed look, then left.
Brent’s competition was his best one yet. He’d nearly tied for first place. Normally, Faith would have thrown herself into his arms and congratulated him. She would have wanted to make him feel like the winner he was.
All that hard work was paying off.
Normally, she wouldn’t have the weight of a thousand bricks pressing on her.
Secrets that forced her to lose the ability to breathe.
When she finally managed to get down the stairs and head outside to wait for him, she was fidgeting.
Hallie was right. The secret needed to come out but not by her.
And if Brent’s parents found out while he was competing, then there would be a fallout that none of them were prepared for—especially with Tripp’s wedding right around the corner.
Faith could only imagine the strain it would put on the entire family if Heather and Judd had to admit to the truth about Brent’s parentage.
Yes, it appeared that some of the adults were aware of the truth.
And they’d managed to keep the secret of the century.
But there were others who had no idea. And the community at large wouldn’t be so forgiving.
“Hey, you okay?”
Her head snapped up and she met the beautiful eyes of the man she loved.
They were so full of life. The way he looked at her made her feel like she could accomplish anything.
They were the eyes of the man who had pushed her to follow her own path rather than fade into the background of a life Rocky Ridge could offer.
They were the eyes of a man who would hate her if he knew what she was keeping from him. So what was worse? To have him hate her for asking him to walk away from a dangerous activity? Or to have him hate her for keeping a secret that would alter his entire life as he knew it?
His hand came to her cheek. “You look a little green. Are you okay?” he repeated his previous question.
She shook her head and shut her eyes tight. Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.
“Hey, hey. It’s okay. What’s wrong? Tell me what happened.” Brent pulled her into his arms and rested his chin atop her head. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’ll fix it.”
Faith shook her head again. “You’re going to hate me.”
“I could never hate you.”
That wasn’t true. He’d definitely hate her if he knew.
Brent pulled back and tilted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Whatever it is, we’ll work through it together. Promise.”
She searched his eyes, but she didn’t find any comfort in them. All because she knew she was going to break his heart one way or the other.
“I think you should quit.”
He grew incredibly still. But it was more than that. There was a new kind of coldness that wrapped around them despite the summer air. She could feel her own blood chilling at the way his eyes deadened. This wasn’t what he’d been expecting. Or maybe he had, but he’d been in denial.
Brent took a stiff step backward and gripped the back of his neck, looking away as he inhaled a deep breath. “Faith…”
“I know you don’t want to hear it but listen to me.” Faith wrung her hands together. She had to do this. For him. For his family. For their entire ranch. “It’s not safe.”
He cut her a look so sharp it could have cut her. She flinched anyway.
“I’ve been doing a lot of research—”
Brent released a disappointed laugh. “Of course you have. That’s what you’re good at.”
She didn’t want to be hurt by the statement but there was something in the tone of his voice that added to the pain of this moment. “Yes, I am.” There was no use denying it. “And the statistics—”
“Oh, don’t even go there. You had no problem with me working toward this goal a few months ago. You were supportive. What changed, Faith? Did Hallie get to you? This is about her, isn’t it?”
She winced again. “No, it’s not.”
“Liar.”
Faith glowered at him. “Careful. I don’t like being called names.
” It was an instinctual response and one that would most likely bite her in the end, but she didn’t want this argument to turn into something it wasn’t.
“I’m just saying that what you’re doing is dangerous and while I understand that it’s important to you, so is your life.
I would hate for you to get hurt beyond repair.
Do you know how many cowboys lose their lives annually?
Or how many are unable to walk again? Do you think you could survive being in a wheelchair if you landed just right in the dirt? ”
His eyes narrowed. He didn’t know the stats, which was her only saving grace.
The fact of the matter was that driving in a car was more dangerous statistically speaking due to the amount of drivers on the road.
Jobs like being a roofer or a truck driver also had higher instances of death compared to bronc riding.
She was lying through her teeth because while his competing did worry her, it wouldn’t worry her more than any other job he might have.
For a brief moment she thought Brent would consider her feelings on the matter. That he’d see her concern and make the sacrifice.
But then his expression hardened, and he shook his head. “You know I can’t do that.”
“But—”
“No buts, Faith! You know I can’t just stop after all the work I’ve put into this. It’s my dream. It’s the only thing that matters to me.”
Pain lanced through her at his words.
The only thing that mattered to him.
What about his family?
What about her?
He must have realized what he’d said, because guilt flickered in his eyes. He opened his mouth then snapped it shut. And that was when she knew she couldn’t stick around. Her heart was a bleeding mess, and she needed to put some space between them before she did something she truly regretted.
“I’ll see you later, Brent. Congrats on the competition.” She spun around and headed for the parking lot.
“Faith, wait—” he called out but she refused to stop. It didn’t matter that there was remorse in his voice. It didn’t matter that he was almost pleading with her.
She needed to figure out her next steps before either one of them ended up completely broken.