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“And Charlotte? She willing to wait?” Cody asked.
“Well, I…well, I haven’t really asked,” he said, realizing they had avoided the subject like the plague. They spent a lot of time together over the last few weeks, besides his trip to see Pops, but always tippy-toed around discussing the future much past the next rodeo.
“You’re leaving tomorrow, right?” Cody asked.
“Yeah, she’ll be coming out to the following event in Arizona, but it’ll be a week or so,” he said, his gaze back on Charlotte who turned right then and met his eyes briefly before she helped the next kid up on Apollo.
“I’d say it’s time for that heart-to-heart.” Cody pushed off the railing. “I’ll get Adam to help me with something tonight and see if Josie can come up with something for Emilia. It’s past time you guys figured this out.”
“Oh, I see, you’re returning the favor of offering advice, huh?” Austin’s lips pulled into a smile, remembering when he had told Cody it was time for him to step up for Wylie’s sake.
“Well, look what your advice did for me.” Cody grinned. “I’m happy…the happiest I’ve ever been. Aren’t you ready for that?”
“Oh, I am…” Austin turned back toward Charlotte. “I’m just not ready to lose the hope that I’ll get it.”
“Trust, man. The Big Guy’s got you covered,” Cody said, backing up, ready to turn toward his next chore.
“Yeah, well, everyone keeps saying that, but the Big Guy, as you call Him, has let me down in the past.”
Cody paused and stepped back toward Austin. “Are you sure about that?”
“Well, yeah, I’m pretty dang sure, being as my first dad died,” Austin said bluntly.
“And did God leave you alone? Give you no one to fill that hole that your first dad left? Do you not think God had a hand in finding your Pops?” Cody asked, his eyes intensely searching his.
Austin felt an uncomfortable tightening in him, and he swallowed, but no words came forth.
“Think about it, man. God is always there, and He always answers our prayers, even if it’s not in the way we expect Him to.” Cody stepped slightly closer. “If God had brought my first wife and me back together as I begged Him to, would I have ever found the happiness I now have with Josie and Wylie?” He stepped back. “God knows best. We have to trust that.”
Cody’s questions plagued Austin for the rest of the day. He found it difficult to concentrate on packing up and getting things ready to travel to the next event in Reno. Part of him wanted to cancel it just so he could spend the last few days here with Charlotte, so he had time to figure out the craziness that had filled his mind ever since Cody talked to him.
Adam hollered, asking him where something was, and Austin shoved the thought of staying out of his mind. No matter what he did, someone would be let down. Adam had worked too hard for Austin to ruin his chance at this dream of theirs. He needed Charlotte to understand. With that realization, he knew how to at least start that heart-to-heart that Cody recommended.
Adam jogged over to grab the hitch pin and hollered, “Thanks, bro. Hey, Cody asked if I could give him a hand tonight after dinner. That work for you?”
“Of course, I’m sure Cody will appreciate your help.” Austin pushed forth a smile.
“Hey, Reno is in our pocket. Stop stressing.” Adam slapped his arm and took off with the pin to make sure the hitch was ready to go in the morning.
With Pops and Charlotte, he hadn’t even stopped to worry about Reno. Some called it the mini-Nationals, as the event was massive. They would compete against the top ropers in the country—most likely the same ropers they would compete against at Nationals in December.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Once he left here, he promised himself he would focus on the rodeo, but right now he had something else on his mind, and that something else consumed every thought.
~~~
After dinner, he walked back toward the trailers with Charlotte. They remained silent, watching the sky slowly darken and stars pop out one by one. His fingers itched to wrap around her hand, and he almost gathered enough guts to move them to interlace with hers just as Emilia came bounding up.
“Hey, Josie wants me to give her some decorating tips for the therapy room! Wanna come?”
Austin clenched his fists and bit his tongue as he waited for Charlotte to respond.
“That’s great, Em. I think I’ll let you take the lead with that expertise,” she said, then glanced at him. “Besides, I’d kind of like to talk with Austin…you know, before he has to leave tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Emilia’s eyes widened. “Of course, absolutely. Good luck. I mean, have fun, I mean…ugh, see you later!” Emilia waved before spinning back toward the meeting hall.
This time, Austin grabbed Charlotte’s hand before he talked himself out of it. Charlotte froze, looking down at their joined hands and back at him before she ducked her head and started walking again.
“You know,” he said. “You could come with me.”
