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Charlotte didn’t mean to be spying. She had been taking a walk along the trail that followed the creek, getting some much-needed alone time and praying. She continued to ask God to give her strength to not let Austin reach her heart. It was too much to go through again, no matter what she wanted…no matter that she had dreamed of this happening for the last eight years.
As she came back to the parking lot, she spotted Austin talking with some other competitors and stepped back behind a stand of trees. She really wasn’t spying; she just didn’t want to run into him. He would want to talk, especially after the event he had…
She had stood in the back of the stands to watch his competition. Even though she had told herself she wouldn’t watch, she couldn’t help it. It amazed her that even after eight years apart, she could tell he wasn’t focused while sitting on his horse in the box. Guilt had pierced her heart as she worried it might be her causing his lack of focus. Then shame flamed her cheeks as she felt conceited, assuming that he thought of her at all.
Maybe he was worried about his stepdad. No one said anything during dinner, but she saw the change in Pops, noticed him wincing with certain movements and the lack of life in his eyes. She had thought maybe it was something that had come on gradually, but maybe not…
When Austin had swung his rope the moment he exited the box, she bit her lip. It was a rookie mistake for him…something she knew he had been working on back when they were still kids. His slumped shoulders had her heart crying out to comfort him, and it had taken every ounce of her willpower not to do just that. So, she took a walk, asking God to strengthen that willpower. It would only hurt them both to even allow the hope of the dream that lived in his eyes.
“It’s fun how the rodeo community all pulls together, isn’t it?” The voice behind her startled Charlotte, setting her heart into a gallop and heat filling her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Charlotte turned to the gal, recognizing her as someone she had seen at the last rodeo. “Oh, it’s okay. I just…I didn’t…”
“I’m Beth.” The gal held out her hand.
“Charlotte.” She took Beth’s hand and squeezed it.
“I thought so,” Beth said with a sweet smile. “Guys don’t talk as much as girls, but they still talk.”
“About me?” Charlotte stepped back a little and glanced at Austin before moving behind the trees again.
“That’s my hubby, Jake, the laughing one holding our little angel.” Beth’s smile looked so filled with contentment that it made Charlotte’s heart ache. “You’re a friend of Austin’s, right?”
“Well, we were, uh, I mean…we haven’t seen each other for a while…until lately, that is,” Charlotte said.
“Is that why you’re hiding back here?” Beth’s eyes glinted as she also stepped behind the trees. “Are you watching him without him knowing, trying to see who he is now? Or hiding from him?”
Charlotte didn’t know this gal, but something about her made her want to open up. “Maybe a little of both,” she realized.
Beth nodded. “I understand. Relationships are tricky…add the rodeo in and they’re even trickier.”
“Looks like you found your way,” Charlotte said, glancing at Jake holding the infant.
“Oh, we did…finally, but it took a long time and a lot of prayer.” Beth gave her a knowing look.
Charlotte relaxed next to Beth, wondering if she was the answer to her prayer. “And God helped you?”
“Well, yes, He did, but it took me a while to realize I was praying for the wrong thing.” Beth’s brow scrunched, and then she shrugged. “I thought Jake was a temptation to avoid, but it turns out God wanted something different.”
The statement had Charlotte sharply inhaling as if a shockwave shot through her. This wasn’t what she wanted to hear, yet it resonated within her.
“Oh, I see,” Beth said with a soft smile. “You’re doing it, too. I had to remember to pray for God’s will to be known to me and for the strength to follow His guidance. It was scary. I thought for sure my heart would get broken…or I wouldn’t be strong enough to resist his charm.” A rueful gaze came into the woman’s eyes.
“I can’t go through him breaking my heart again,” Charlotte murmured, then clasped her hands over her mouth.
Beth touched her arm lightly. “Don’t worry. I know how to keep a secret, and I understand that fear.”
“Thank you. I didn’t mean to say…” Charlotte shrugged, her body tingling with the mistake she had just made.
Beth dropped her hand and shrugged. “Maybe you were meant to. I tried to hold things in myself, too, but you’d be amazed at how many people are happy to listen and offer support. Of course, God is the best listener.”
“I’ve been asking Him for strength,” Charlotte said sheepishly.
Beth giggled. “That sounds so much like me. I don’t know everything that happened between you, but I know Austin’s one of the good ones. Though I have to say, I’ve never seen him interested in dating.” Beth peeked out to glance at the group.
“Really?” Charlotte asked, hating the hope that lined her voice.
“Jake said he’s quite fixated on you, and that’s not like Austin,” Beth said, studying her. “You said he broke your heart?”
