Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Chance
I haven’t been able to get Dakota off my mind since I called her yesterday. There was something off about her and I don’t know what pisses me off more; the fact that someone upset her, or the fact I care.
Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I grab my black Stetson and head out to the barn. I need to get on my horse and ride to clear my thoughts. Maybe another day of running the fence line would do me some good. Anything that gets me out of this damn office and distracts me from my so-called girlfriend.
Duke whinnies the closer I get to his stall, almost as if he knows he’s going to get a good workout today. Since taking over the ranch, I haven’t had as much time to ride him as I used to, or at least, not for as long as I’d like. I still get him out every day, but I miss the days when we would be out in the fields from sun up to sun down, sometimes just the two of us. Now, I spend more time in the office than I’d like. Bullshit meetings and phone calls take up more time than I expected. I have employees that take care of most of the mundane aspects, but I still like to be hands on.
It’s the way my grandfather did it. The way my father did it. It’s the way I do it.
I may not want to be my father, but I can’t discredit the way he worked.
“Hey there, boy.” I run my hand down the length of his neck. Instantly, the feeling of the pressing weight I’ve been feeling on my chest all day starts to ease. Duke has been with me since I was fifteen years old, and he’s always had the same calming effect on me.
I pull out the saddle and get to work on getting him ready for our day. I’ve left Wyatt in charge of getting the ranch ready for the gala tomorrow. He knows better than anyone how much I loathe this shit, but he also knows how important it is.
He’s also the only one I trust not to fuck it up.
“Good, I caught you before you left.” The man himself walks into the barn, tablet in hand.
Nothing good can come of Wyatt walking around with a fucking tablet.
“I need your signature on a few of these invoices before the deliveries tonight.” Wyatt doesn’t bother looking up from his screen as he swipes.
“Can’t you do it?” I groan, turning back to Duke. We were so close to making it out of here, escaping this shit.
Wyatt looks up from his screen, eyebrow raised. “I’m not the owner, dipshit.”
I can’t contain my sigh as I tighten the last strap on Duke’s saddle. “Fine, give it here.”
He places the tablet in my outstretched hand. I scroll through, scanning the documents and adding my electronic signature. “Anything else?”
Wyatt takes back his device. “What are you doing with Dakota?”
“What do you mean?” I turn away from him, focusing on shifting the saddle that I already know has been placed properly.
“I mean, what’s your goal here?” I stay silent, keeping my back turned. “I know about your dinner.”
“Of course you do. I told you.”
“I also know how upset she was about Hayley.”
“Fucking hell. You gossip worse than the old ladies in town.”
“Small town. People talk,” is the only explanation I get from him.
“What does this have to do with anything? You know the arrangement. You know we need to be seen together before the rodeo, and not just at the events.”
“And if this crashes and burns like every other woman you’ve been with?”
We enter into a staring contest, neither one of us wanting to be the first to break.
I thought I’d made my intentions with Dakota perfectly clear to both her and Wyatt. We both get what we need out of the arrangement, and we move on.
No attachment. No fuss.
“Not everything crashes and burns.”
“And if you catch feelings for her? What then?”
“I don’t ‘catch feelings.’ You know this.”
“Right,” he adds, not sounding convinced. He leans against the stall door, crossing his arms over his chest. He looks relaxed, but I know him well enough to know he’s assessing me. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”
“Why do you give a shit about my feelings, anyway?”
“Believe it or not, Chance, I give a shit about you. You’re my best friend, not just my boss. But call me sentimental now that Krissy’s planning her wedding.” He gives me a smirk, letting me know his sister’s engagement last Christmas is anything but the true reason for his interest.
“Well, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
“Right,” he says again, pushing himself off the stall door. He turns to leave before stopping himself. “Make sure you know what you’re doing. It’s more than just your ass on the line here. If we lose sponsors, lots of us lose jobs.”
With that, he’s gone.
Duke huffs, nudging my shoulder with his nose.
“I know, bud. Jackass thinks he’s a know-it-all.”
I take my hat off, running my hand through my hair before placing it back on my head.
Who does he think he is? Lecturing me about feelings . As if I would want anything more than just a stress release with someone with Dakota.
With her long, dark hair and fuck me eyes.
With the way she fits right into my arms and kisses in a way that’s so fucking sexy, it should be illegal.
Nope, nothing more than just a stress release.
Leading Duke out of the barn, I mount him and take off as fast as I can before anything else stops me. I don’t fucking need this. I’m only doing this to save the rodeo and the ranch.
Plus, she sought me out.
I don’t need this.
Fuck Wyatt and fuck the investors. I’m Chance fucking Declan and I don’t do feelings.
I fuck. I make power moves in business. I do what needs to get done.
Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I’ll start to believe it.