Page 35 of Worth the Trouble

“Sounds reasonable.”

She beamed at him, and it was only made that much better when his smile widened. “Who’s first.”

He gestured for her to ask away, and she tapped her chin with her finger. “Oh, I know. Have you ever broken a bone?”

“I broke my arm once. Fell off a horse. Stopped my rodeo career right then and there.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m so sorry. How old were you?”

“Five,” Jason said with such conviction and a straight face she couldn’t tell if he was teasing her. Oh, she believed he’d been five when he’d broken his arm. But a rodeo career?

“Somehow I don’t see you as being the competitive type.”

His lips twitched.

Leaning forward, she whispered, “Maybe you should just admit that you don’t like being in the spotlight.”

A flicker of surprise darted across his face. “Honestly, I don’t.”

Triumph exploded within her. She knew him better than she’d thought she did. “Let me guess. That’s why you like training competitors rather than getting in the arena yourself.”

Jason tsked her. “I believe it’s my turn for a question.” There wasn’t even a second of hesitation when he asked, “Could you ever see yourself relocating here?”

That was a loaded question if she’d ever heard one. The ironic thing was that she had in fact already considered what it might take. And not to simply move to a small town like Rocky Ridge, but to move to this town specifically. “Yes.” Her answer hung in the air between them. If Jason was surprised, he didn’t show it. In fact, she couldn’t tell if her answer even pleased him, at least not from the outside.

When he didn’t comment further, she allowed herself to relax into the seat at her back. “Would you ever move to the city?” This time she knew what his answer would be without a doubt. Of course he’d say no. Who in their right mind would move all the way out to a big city when they were grounded in a place like this?

“For the right reasons.”

Her mouth nearly hung open at that, and she leaned forward. “And what reasons are those?” Cecelia was well aware she was cheating by asking another question. She was also aware that she might look a little crazed based on how her hands had landed on the table.

But then Jason took one of those hands and placed it in his. He let his thumb trail along the ridges of her knuckles as he stared at their joined hands deep in thought. “A job wouldn’t be enough if that’s what you’re asking.” His eyes flicked up to meet hers. “But perhaps for family. For the chance with a good woman.”

She studied him then. And when he finally leveled her with a steely look, she gasped. The man didn’t have to say what he was thinking because it was etched into those warm, brown eyes.

I’d move to the city for you.

Cece couldn’t bear to drag her gaze from the man in front of her no matter how much she wanted to. Not when he looked at her like that. And not when he asked his next question.

“Would you start your own business if there was nothing in your way?”

When her brows furrowed, because there wasn’t technically anything in her way and she’d told him as much, he explained.

“Not your father’s recommendations. Not financial worries. Do you feel like you could make it work?”

There wasn’t a question in her mind when she whispered, “Yes.”

His smile was quick, almost triumphant. She might have expected him to give her a speech about chasing after what she wanted but that wasn’t who Jason was at his core. At least not the Jason she’d come to know.

“And what about you? Would you start your business if there wasn’t anything, or anyone, holding you back?” She was referring to his brother and they both knew it. Her curiosity had been piqued when he’d brought up his interest in becoming a whisperer. And it’d sat with her for a while because when she looked at him, she didn’t see a rodeo trainer. She saw someone who was good with animals. Someone who knew how to communicate in a way that wasn’t common. It was a gift and one she didn’t want him to ignore.

Jason scrubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “I suppose I would. But it’s like you said. There are certain things you need to start a business. Especially one like that.”

They were reaching a topic they were both interested in, and the switch was immediate. His shoulders relaxed and his smile was easier.

“If I were to start it here, I’d need to make sure I had a clientele base.”

“That wouldn’t be too difficult seeing as people know you here,” she murmured.