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“That must feel freeing,” she said in an almost whisper.
“It didn’t go as I expected,” he said.
Adam turned back to him as he fed Turbo. “What’d you expect? Her to come running back into your arms, professing her undying love?” Adam pretended to wrap his arms around someone and made smooching sounds.
“Grow up, man,” Austin said, shaking his head.
“I’m sure she needs time to process, sweetie,” Mama said, leaning against the gate and trying to see his face.
Austin shrugged. “She’s right. It’s been eight years. That’s a lot of time…longer than we were together.”
“Is she married?” she asked with tension in her voice.
This time, he turned to her, a slight tugging on his lips. “Nope. She’s not with anyone either.”
“Wait,” Adam said, hopping up to lean over the barrier between the stalls. “She told you that?”
“Yeah,” Austin said. “And she agreed to celebrate with me after the awards ceremony tonight. Well…her trainer accepted for her.”
His mom’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I would love to see her!” Then she composed herself and cleared her throat. “But I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“Actually, bro, that might be a good idea, you know?” Adam ran a hand down the stubble on his cheek. He must have jumped out of bed to follow him there instead of taking time to shave like normal.
“What do you mean?” Austin asked, just wanting to get Charlotte alone so he could explain things.
“Well, it’s obviously awkward between you two right now…which, I mean, you did break her heart eight hearts ago…” Adam trailed off.
Austin clenched his fists and glared at him. “You guys urged me to…”
“Boys,” Mama warned.
“It might make her feel more comfortable if it wasn’t the pressure of just you two, you know, like alone,” Adam finished, a grin filling his face like he thought himself a genius.
“That’s the whole point though…I want to be alone with her,” Austin growled.
“Actually, sweetie,” Mama said as she touched his arm, “I think Adam might be on to something. I think she’d feel safer.” Austin scrunched his brow, and she amended her words. “Freer to talk. It would help you know what she’s been up to, get the information you need…make sure that what you think is there is still there.”
His mom’s gentle voice slowed his frustration, and he thought about what she said. She was a woman, after all, and always seemed to steer him right when it came to love. He should have listened to her eight years ago. Follow your heart was all that she had said.
The problem was at eighteen, his heart had been split between two loves of his life: rodeo and Charlotte. Maturity had made him realize one would last longer than the other. He had watched his mentors retire, some to stay home with their families and others out of necessity, like his Pops. What would have happened to Pops if he hadn’t met Mama?
Slowly, Austin nodded as good sense filtered through his high-strung emotions. “Yeah, yeah, I guess she would be more comfortable that way.”
“I know it’s hard looking from someone else’s boots, sweetie, but it will help you in so many matters if you can.” Mama smiled at him. “Oh, I can’t wait to tell your Pops!”
Her excitement to share with Pops momentarily pulled him from his thoughts. “He won’t be upset or nervous? I mean, what if I her over rodeo?”
“What?” Adam shot up from the other stall, his face white.
“I’m not saying I am, but what if…what if she gave me another chance?” Austin’s heart raced with the thought, and he felt a little like Adam looked, like the blood had drained from his face.
“Let’s not go jumping on a trail until we know where it goes, boys,” their mom reassured them. “A dinner. We’ll just start with a nice family dinner.” She squeezed his arm. “I’ll go make sure we have reservations, just in case.”
Austin watched his mom walk away from them, a new lightness in her step, and wished he could feel as optimistic as she did.
“You really gonna leave me?” Adam asked, his face still drained of color.
“Mama’s right. Let’s not even think about it until the time comes.”
