Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Chance
I can’t take my eyes off the little white card I’m spinning through my fingers. I don’t know how long it’s been since I sat at my desk, picking up this piece of card stock, refusing to acknowledge what it means. It’s been three days since Dakota left my kitchen. Three days since I’ve been able to get the beautiful, yet infuriating, lawyer out of my head. I spent my days working the fields from sunup to sundown, riding every fence line, fixing every break on my own, just trying to clear my head.
Nothing works.
Every night I’m back in the house I hate, trying to fall asleep while not thinking of her long dark hair or her whiskey eyes. Trying not to take myself in my hand, searching for some sort of relief from this torment. But every day is the same, and every night ends with her name on my lips.
I know I need to contact her to set up our first ‘date.’ We need to be seen around town before the gala if we want to make it believable. Otherwise, she would just be another woman on my arm, and that won’t do. Not to make the sponsors happy.
“Will you just man up and call her already?” Wyatt grumbles.
I look up, seeing my friend leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m getting to it.” I look back down at the card. I’ll eventually get to it.
“You’re not one to shy away from sweet talking a woman into doing what you want. What’s the difference here?” Wyatt pushes off the frame and crosses the floor, taking a seat in the chair across the desk from me.
“I don’t need shit from you, too, Wyatt. This was your damn idea anyway.”
“Yes, because I’m trying to save the rodeo and keep the town happy with us. You know if we lose the rodeo, Whiskey Falls loses a lot of money.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I spit out. I know I don’t need to take this out on him. I don’t know how many times Wyatt has told me to be more discreet, or not to party so much, but I’m a grown ass man. I’m tired of having people judge me for the way I am. I’m not my father and I’ll never be able to live up to that. Everyone should just leave me the hell alone.
“Look, I just want what’s best for everyone.” Wyatt runs his hands down his face as he looks at me.
I’ve never noticed before now just how tired he looks. The man has been working non-stop getting the ranch ready for the fair, on top of all his regular jobs. I’m pretty sure it’s been years since he’s taken a sick day or a holiday.
I’m going to have to do something about that once the rodeo is over.
“I know you do.” I throw the card onto the desk, leaning back in my chair.
“So, are you going to call her?”
“Yes.” I look up, staring at the ceiling.
“Are you going to be a douche about it?” I don’t need to look at Wyatt to know the bastard is smirking.
“Most likely.”
“Have you thought about being nice to her? That’s probably the best way to get a woman like Dakota to help you.”
I sit up, looking at my friend in bewilderment. “ You’re telling me to be nice? You? The man who can’t even get a woman to be with him in general because you’re a bigger asshole than me?”
“I am not,” Wyatt huffs. “I just don’t have time for women who want to sleep with me for bragging rights. Plus, I’m not like you, fucker. They aren’t throwing themselves at me.”
I grumble, knowing Wyatt is right. I’m aware the women are using me just as much as I’m using them. They want to be the one to ‘reform’ me. Change my playboy ways and make me settle down.
The thing is, I don’t know if I’m capable of settling down.
“I looked into her.”
“You what?” I snap.
“Did you think I was going to let you get into this shit with just anyone? Let alone someone that clung onto you at a bar claiming you were their boyfriend?
I clench my jaw as I stare at him. I’m mad at Wyatt for not telling me he was doing this, but I’m even madder at myself for not thinking about it first. I’ve let her get into my head and mess with my logic. I’m normally more careful with the women I’m with. While it might appear I share my time, and bed, with just about anyone, I’m very picky about who I bring home with me. The rodeo circuit isn’t as big as most people think. Everyone knows everyone in the tight-knit community, and I don’t need to be messing around with the wrong people.
Been there. Done that. Not doing it again.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that if you mess with the wrong people, it could bring your world crashing down. But I’m not thinking about that right now. I have a bigger problem in Dakota Meyers.
“So, what did you find?” I ask as I blow out a breath.
“For the women you associate with, this one is actually decent.”
There was that fucking smirk.
“Explain,” I grit out through clenched teeth. If this bastard drags this out any longer, I may crack a tooth.
“She graduated at the top of her class from law school in Vancouver, moved to Whiskey Falls shortly after and started working at Hammond Law.”
“Odd move for a city girl, isn’t it?” I recline back into my chair, satisfied with what I’ve heard so far. Doesn’t sound like she’s someone that follows the rodeo circuit or could have planned this out beforehand, but really, anything is possible.
“Not really. She’s from Lone Butte. She’s probably familiar with the area.” Wyatt leans back, spreading his legs wide and resting his hands on his thighs. “Was in a relationship with Laughlin Chadwick for two years.”
“We knew that.”
“I’m just saying, even with her background, the fact she was with Chadwick for so long should shoot up some red flags, shouldn’t it?”
“Not necessarily.” I relay what Dakota told me about their breakup. While I haven’t known Dakota long enough to trust her, I know what an ass Chadwick is, and feel it’s believable.
“You don’t think she had anything to do with the case against us, do you?”
“No, that I can say for certain. She was shocked to find out about the case. Said she didn’t know anything about it at the time. Just that Chadwick needed to win for some big promotion.”
Wyatt visibly relaxes. “So now what?”
“Now, I message her and set up a fake date in town. Make sure that as many people see us as possible. Get the gossip chain going.”
“And the gala?”
“She knows.”
Wyatt nods once and stands. “Don’t wait too long. We don’t have a lot of time before the rodeo and the cutoff for the sponsorship deadline is not far away.”
“You don’t have to remind me.”
“Then act like you care.”
Without another word, Wyatt walks out of my office, leaving me watching him as he goes.
“Fuck!” I slam my hands on my desk, making my computer rattle.
The business card in front of me jumps, landing with Dakota’s name and cell number facing up at me. Taunting me.
I know I should call her, but I also know in my current mood I wouldn’t do anything to help the situation by barking at her.
It’s Chance. We’re going to dinner tomorrow. We should be seen in public before the gala.
Her sarcastic words, calling me a romantic, float through my head. It’s not who I am, or who I’ve ever been. I don’t bring flowers or buy presents. I don’t meet the parents or try to impress friends. Women are never around long enough for any of that to come into play.
So, why’s my heart rate speeding up when my phone lets out a resounding ‘ ding’ in front of me?
Good afternoon, boyfriend. Thank you so much for checking up on me. My day is going wonderfully; thank you for asking. I would love to accompany you to dinner tomorrow night. I’ve missed you so much in these three days we’ve been apart.
I let out a chuckle. She’s spunky, I’ll give her that.
Missed me, huh? What exactly did you miss about me?
Your sparkling personality, of course.
So, where are you going to take me? I think you should make it fancy since you have a lot to make up for, considering I’ve had to be apart from you for so long.
The Corral Steakhouse. I’ll pick you up at 7.
Don’t you need my address?
Nope. See you at 7.
I put my phone face down on my desk, ignoring the pinging that comes incessantly right after. I smile, knowing she’s probably calling me more than a few names, wondering how I know where she lives. I’m sure Wyatt uncovered that when he was asking around about her anyway. Now, I need to prepare for my first actual date—ever.
I don’t know how I’m going to make everyone believe I’ve changed my ways and am settling down with Dakota. I don’t even know what that looks like, to be honest. The only real couple I’ve ever seen were my parents, and I’m convinced they were some couple abnormality. I can’t seem to wrap my brain around spending your whole life with only one person.
I came close to having that once, but if anything, it just reinforced that it’s not meant to be. Carly proved that to me years ago. Thinking that maybe I was built for soul mates and forevers, even if I couldn’t do it the conventional way she wanted me to. But in the end, it almost ruined us both, and I can’t do that again.
Picking the business card back up, I stare at it for a moment before twirling it through my fingers once more. There’s something about Dakota that’s different from any other woman I’ve met. She’s not pushing me for a relationship. She’s told me sex is off the table. For the first time in my life, I’ve found a woman that virtually wants nothing to do with me.
Is that why I can’t stop thinking about her? Maybe it’s the challenge; the game of getting her to give into me so that I can be right. That she’s just like all the other women who have let us use each other to forget about all the other shit in our lives.
Except I know she won’t. I know that if Dakota and I give into each other we’re going to explode like supernova, leaving both of us broken beyond repair.