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“You know what I think. You were listening to me gush the entire time,” Charlotte said, rolling her eyes but smiling, nonetheless.
“Yeah, well, dreaming about something and making a decision are two very different things.” Emilia turned in her seat to lock eyes on her. “So?”
“I…I don’t know yet,” Charlotte said after a moment of enduring that hard stare. “There’s so much to consider. I have another month to decide.”
“You mean a certain someone to consider?” Emilia lifted her brow, her eyes gleaming.
Charlotte sighed as she focused on the curvy road that wound into the mountains to Hope Lake and the camp she had fallen in love with. “I wish he could have experienced this. I think he would love it out here.”
“Well, we do have his horses and his rig. He’ll have to come back at some point.” Emilia rubbed her hands together.
Charlotte laughed. “He’s a rodeo man. He won’t be happy sticking to one place.”
“Well, even ropers have to retire eventually,” Emilia said.
“Yeah, but they have a much higher age of retirement than people like Jake. Roping is a lot easier on the body than getting kicked off a bucking bronc.” Charlotte bit her lip, wondering how long it would take Austin to want to retire…or if he’d just transfer his love into a student and travel with them like Pops did for him. She drew in a deep breath, knowing that she’d have to make the choice much sooner than he would be ready to even have that discussion.
“Maybe he just needs more of an incentive.” Emilia winked, but she didn’t know Austin, didn’t understand his headstrong focus on the one love of his life.
Being around him again confused her. He acted like he wanted her by his side, and he may even feel that’s the truth, but a niggling feeling kept tugging on her to keep her heart protected. Just because he wanted her didn’t mean he would give up the life he’d been living without her for the last eight years. More than likely, he would expect her to give up her life and join his…and she wasn’t sure she was willing to do that.
“I don’t get you, Charlotte Walker.” Emilia threw herself back in the seat. “You love this guy. I can see it in your eyes. I can see it in his eyes. Why aren’t you throwing yourself at him and accepting his offer?”
Charlotte sighed again, feeling the perfect day melting away into reality. “Sometimes love isn’t enough. Our life goals just don’t align.” Even as she said the words, she still held out hope she was wrong. God could change hearts.
“That’s the biggest bull-pucky I’ve ever heard. Our life goals just don’t align. What garbage is that?” Emilia pouted.
“This isn’t a romance novel, Em.” Charlotte glared at her before returning her eyes to the road and watching for deer. Dusk was one of their favorite times of the day to play tag with cars. “This is reality…and you can’t just live on dreams.”
As she said the words, memories flashed through her. Memories of her parents lecturing her as she dreamed aloud to them about wanting to become a professional gymnast. Then again when she had dreamed about giving up everything to follow Austin into the rodeo life he loved.
She had forgotten about that…forgotten that she had once allowed herself to dream of a life on the road, just her and the love of her life…well, and his brother, but that didn’t hamper her dream.
It had been her parents who instilled in her the need to pursue a career that could sustain her. They didn’t care about what career path she took, as long as they saw it as one that could support her and fulfill her needs of success. She had always wanted to be a vet, but while young and in love, that’s all she cared about…at least until Austin had made his choice.
“Ugh,” she growled her frustration out loud, heat traveling up her neck when Emilia eyed her.
“That’s what I’m saying,” Emilia lamented. “I think I like fiction better than reality.”
“Of course you do. In fiction, you get to write your own ending.”
“Why can’t we write our own ending in reality?” Emilia asked, folding her arms like a petulant child.
“That’s a good question,” Charlotte said, losing herself to thinking once again.
Her mind and emotions were spent by the time she pulled into their camp spot at Camp Hope. “I’ll leave the lights on if you’ll jump out and turn the trailer’s lights on.”
Emilia hopped out and did as asked, and when Charlotte turned off the truck and slid from the seat to stretch in the cool night mountain air, Emilia came over to her, pointing to the place where they parked Austin and Adam’s trailer.
“The lights are on,” Emilia said, scrunching up her brow.
“I must have accidentally flipped the switch when I checked on things this morning. Could you turn them off while I go feed the horses? Apollo’s gonna be angry that he had to wait so long.”
“Sure, then I’ll get dinner going. How about a quick salad tonight?” Emilia asked, backing away toward the trailer.
“Sounds great, thanks, and thanks for coming with me today, Em. I really appreciate it.”
“What are friends for?” Emilia smiled and turned toward her tasks.
