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CHAPTER ONE

The dappled gray horse bolted the second Jason released the lead rope. Chet jumped out of the way, his eyes following the beauty while she ran out her nervous energy. Then he swung his eyes to his friend.

Their knowing gazes locked. They’d made a good team from the start and things couldn’t be better. Chet had never thought he’d find a reason to settle down after the sort of upbringing he’d had as a kid. He was used to moving around a lot. Forming attachments hadn’t been part of his life.

And yet that was exactly what Jason had done for him.

“She’s a wild one,” Chet called out to his friend. “You sure you want to take this one on with the other work you’ve got?” He wasn’t referring solely to the horse training Jason loved doing. Jason had a real knack for reaching these majestic creatures and word was spreading.

“My brother’s got the rodeo classes down well enough. He doesn’t need my help as much as he used to.” Jason glanced toward the gray horse. “And I’m not taking this one on.” He swung his grin toward Chet. “You are.”

His brows lifted. “You’re not serious.”

“As a heart attack.” He sauntered toward Chet and nodded toward the horse. “We’ve been at this for a while and you’re doing really well. I bumped into Mack the other day and he couldn’t stop raving about the change in his horse after you were done with her.”

“Mack’s horse just needed some bad habits adjusted. This one?” Chet gestured toward the gray. “She doesn’t look like she’ll let anyone near her with a ten-foot pole.”

Jason chuckled. “She just needs someone to care enough to stick around.”

An ache formed beneath Chet’s ribs. He rubbed at it absently. That hit a little too close to home. How often had he taken a good look at his life and asked himself what he might be missing? A connection, perhaps.

More frequently, he compared the life he had to those of his friends. Their relationships. The love they found with partners who supported them and would do anything for them.

Those thoughts had been the tipping point for him. How could he find that kind of love if he was always on the road?

The answer was simple. He couldn’t.

Jason clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll do fine. Don’t stress too much. And if you run into any problems, I’ll be here. It’ll be good for both of us to see what you’re capable of on your own.”

It was a struggle not to scoff. “Yeah, sure.”

Jason laughed. While they were the same age, Jason came across older somehow. It was that sense of control he’d mastered early on. His level-headedness was a trait Chet admired and strove to gain for himself.

It was hard to envision himself there, though. While he was great with people, he hid behind his charm. He was a people pleaser through and through which only added to the struggle to form those strong connections. Because how could he look someone in the eye and promise them more when he couldn’t say how long he’d be around? Lasting relationships didn’t exist in his world when it took time to get past the superficial to something deeper.

“Walk me through it,” Jason murmured, dragging Chet from his thoughts.

“Through what?” Chet asked.

His friend jutted his chin toward the horse who was still hovering at the far side of the paddock. “How are you going to get her to trust you? No one has ever been able to put a saddle on her. It was a fight to put that bridle on. She shied away from touch, too. Basically, she’s like every skittish girl who has never gotten the nerve to ask you out.”

Chet threw his head back with a laugh. “I wasn’t that bad.”

Jason grinned right along with him. “Nah, you weren’t. But there also wasn’t any shortage of women, either.”

He grimaced. “Don’t remind me.”

“What are we laughing about?”

Chet would’ve recognized her anywhere and the moment she spoke, his heart did a flip. From the first day he’d met Jason’s younger sister, she’d called to him.

He turned just as she swung a shapely leg over the top bar and hopped down. Her long, dark hair hung straight down her back and her brown eyes sparkled with that familiar teasing gleam. But it was her smile that drew him in each and every time. There was a tiny dimple to the right of her lips that he longed to kiss.

Unfortunately, this was one matter of control he’d managed to master. Lydia was off-limits. Always had been.

She strode over to them, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. She lifted her face so she could see them both from beneath her hat. “Come on, I love a good joke.” Her brown eyes darted from Jason to Chet and back.

Jason’s look turned pointed. “Just how you’re not supposed to be here until you finish up the work you have at the ranch. Tate mentioned you were supposed to help shoe the horses. They’re due.”