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“You won’t though. I know you won’t…we got the Nationals in our pockets this year. You wouldn’t do that to me. Besides, she’s in the rodeo now.” Adam shook his head, muttering as he cleaned out Turbo’s stall.
The problem was, yesterday morning, Austin knew exactly how’d he answer that. Nothing would have kept him away from the Nationals. Now, after seeing Charlotte, after allowing himself to see the possibility of her in his life again, everything seemed in turmoil. Could he give up rodeo if she asked him to? Without it bringing resentment?
He shook his head. The problem was still there. After eight years, the heartbreaking decision still plagued him: rodeo or love.
And the little boy inside him responded the same as it did the first time: But why can’t I have both?
Charlotte looked in the mirror one more time. Her makeup was perfect, just the way she liked it with minimalist color, just enough to give a defining edge to her eyes and lips. She had piled her shoulder-length hair on her head, letting tendrils escape down, trying not to remember the first time she did her hair like that for a dance with Austin and the look of appreciation in his eyes. That wasn’t why she fixed her hair like that…was it?
She bit her lip as fear raced through her.
“I can’t do this,” she muttered.
“Sure you can,” Emilia said from the other mirror, smoothing on a coat of red lipstick. “It’ll be good for you.”
“You shouldn’t have told him we would celebrate with him. It wasn’t your decision,” Charlotte lamented, moving past her in the small bathroom and into the main area of their trailer.
“Well, if I didn’t do it, who would have?” Emilia followed her out, cornering her against the door with hands on her hips. “You’d just keep making excuses about being too busy for love. Besides, I saw that look in your eyes, and I saw the look in his. If you are too stubborn to see it, then what good am I as a friend if I don’t make something happen?”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. It took her several seconds to close it, then she glared at her. “Fine. I’ll go, but you will not leave my side the entire night. Is that understood?”
Emilia grinned in success. “Sure, Char. Whatever you need. Now, let’s go. You don’t want to be late to receive your award.” She yanked Charlotte into a hug. “I am so proud of you!” Then she slipped past her and out the door.
“For what?” Charlotte murmured as she followed her. “For getting second or agreeing to this foolish dinner?”
“Both.” Emilia looped arms with her as they walked toward the arena.
Charlotte let out a pained sigh. Lord, what am I getting myself into? Please strengthen my heart.
~~~
The awards ceremony went smoothly. In fact, Charlotte didn’t even see Austin when she went up to receive her award. Of course, she purposefully didn’t look either; she kept her eyes above the crowd, willing herself to pretend like he wasn’t there.
Yet, when he went on stage, she had no choice but to notice him. It was at that moment that her heart caught, watching him without his knowing, so she was free to really look at him.
He was the same old Austin, quick to smile, yet with serious, intense green eyes. The years had added a breadth to him and solidness that hadn’t been there before, and it made her skin tingle seeing how he had grown even more handsome with age.
Austin made no qualms about searching the crowd for her, though, and as he and Adam came down from the stage, his eyes met hers, and he motioned to the edge of the crowd.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered, and Emilia looped their arms together.
“Yes, you can. I’ll be right there with you, and you can thank me later.” Emilia tugged her toward the edge where Austin and Adam waited.
His gaze held her in a prison, and she had no choice but to move toward him, even if Emilia hadn’t been tugging her. How could he still have such a hold over her after all these years, after all the times she had worked so hard to wash him from her life? It wasn’t fair.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Austin said as they joined him and Adam. “I was half afraid you’d take off…”
Charlotte opened her mouth to voice a retort but was cut off by Adam pulling her into a hug. “It’s been years, Charly!”
She barely caught the glare from Austin as Adam smushed her face against his chest, yet her heart warmed at the sound of Austin’s younger brother’s nickname for her. No one had called her that except Austin and his family. “Hey, Ad-man,” she said, her voice muffled against him.
“You remembered!” Adam released her, his grin widening.
“And you’ve gotten bigger,” she said, straightening out her shirt and hair.
“Yeah, well, that’s what happens to boys. We grow into men.” He smiled with glowing pride.
Austin’s eyebrow raised. “Is that so?”
