Page 65 of A Montana Rodeo Star

She broke eye contact with him and turned her attention to the window. “Just research.”

“For what?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she snapped so suddenly that he startled. Then her voice softened and she looked at him again. “It doesn’t matter, really. I’m just doing research.”

“For school? Classes don’t start⁠—”

“Since when do I need an excuse to do research?”

He shrugged. Of course she was right. And he felt like a jerk for pushing the issue when she was clearly struggling. He didn’t know what was bothering her, though he had an inkling. It was the same feeling he got around his family lately. When his parents wouldn’t tell him something because they thought he’d be the one to suffer.

Unfortunately, Faith was the one struggling and his hands itched to pull her close and tell her that whatever it was, she’d be okay. He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to them.

Something he couldn’t explain held him back.

“Are you going to be okay?” he whispered instead.

She nodded but he had a hard time believing her. Their relationship was too new for him to know what to do. Did he force her to talk to him? Did he give her space?

As much as he hated to admit it, that sallow look on her face was almost enough to have him reconsidering his upcoming competitions. If she was scared for his safety, how could he call himself a good man—good enough for her—if he willingly did something to cause her stress.

But no.

That wasn’t the Faith he knew. She wanted him to be happy. She’d supported him this far. And she was going into medicine. None of this made any sense.

He reached for her hand, relieved that she didn’t pull away. Then he rubbed the back of it with his calloused thumb. “Want me to get you anything? Soup? Your favorite dessert from the bakery? I can’t make cookies like you, but… I could try.”

She looked up at him and he could have sworn there were tears shining in her eyes. But she blinked them away and smiled. “I’m okay, Brent. Thank you.”

He nodded. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” He grimaced inwardly at the offer. Because whether he liked it or not, if she sat him down and told him it was over unless he considered leaving the rodeo, he wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t go along with it. When it came to losing his dream or losing the girl, there was no easy decision.

Faith’s smile widened but it still seemed sad. “I know.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“When was the last time you ate?”

Faith stared blankly at the book in front of her. Normally she’d be enthralled with the book she was reading. There were some new advances to medicine that would help in treating injured athletes. For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to focus.

“Faith.”

Why couldn’t she focus?

Oh, right. She couldn’t focus because she’d been given the information about a secret she had no right knowing. What was Hallie thinking when she’d let the information slip that Brent’s biological father died? Not only that he died, but the way he’d died. He’d fallen in just the right way. It was a fluke if she’d ever read about one. The probability of anyone landing in the dirt the way Louis Brent had was⁠—

“Faith!”

Her head snapped up and she found four pairs of worried eyes staring at her. “What?” she snapped without meaning to.

Her sisters exchanged that same worried look. Jason’s expression was impassive. But Tate was looking angry. His eyes narrowed and he placed his hands on the table between them. His palms slapped down harder than they should have. Normally, she would have flinched but not even her reflexes were on their A-game right now. She merely blinked.

“When was the last time you ate?”

Her brows furrowed. It had been a little over a week since she’d found out about the biggest secret Rocky Ridge had to offer. What would the gossips in town think if they knew? The town would be in uproar, she just knew it.

The hands in front of her slapped the table again. “Are you sick?” Tate demanded. “Because you’re acting like you’ve been in a fog for the last several days. Is it Brent?”

She sensed more than saw the others in the room tense. “No, of course not,” she muttered too quickly. “Brent is great.”