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“I’m telling you, girl power is what’s going to help you win this competition and put Sarah Claiborne in her place,” Lexi said, draping her arm over my shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Charlotte. We’ll find you a man and win you a crown this week. Then, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without us.”
I would’ve liked to have basked in her vision of the future, but when I glanced over at Hunter standing near the grill and found Sarah chatting him up, all those good feelings went away. She was like a turkey vulture, swooping in when no one was looking to steal what wasn’t hers. And when she laughed, tossed her head, and hit him playfully on the shoulder, all my desire for a pickle burger went out the window.
But worse than that was Hunter’s reaction to her shameless flirting. He knew what she’d put me through this last year. He knew how much I despised her. But even then, he didn’t run away. He didn’t find an excuse to go help his mom in the kitchen. He held Sarah’s eye contact, half-smiling at her in that sexy and confident way that was for sure going to have her begging for more.
And when he glanced over at me and found me watching him, it was almost as if his eyes flashed with a challenge. He arched his eyebrows for a slight second, then returned to talking to Sarah. Frustration and hurt burst inside of me, more red-hot than I could’ve ever expected.
“Do you guys mind if we hunt cowboys later?” I asked,
turning back to the girls. “I think I’d better head home. My mom’s going to want to see the basket I wove in class today.”
“Sure, but don’t forget our date tomorrow morning,” Lexi said, her eyes growing wide with excitement. “Seven a.m. I’ll bring the coffee.”
I groaned. Round two of the contest was going to be a nightmare. Baking was totally not my thing. “Tell me again why I need someone to do my hair and makeup for this thing?”
She rubbed her hands together and grinned. “Because, if we’re going to win this, you’ve got to look the part of a Junior Rodeo Queen. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
With a last horrified look at Beth, I headed back through the gate to snag my woven masterpiece from Hunter’s truck and then walk toward home. It was only a twelve-minute walk, but it was long enough to repeat the scene of Hunter flirting with Sarah a million times over in my head. It was also long enough for him to shoot me five texts, asking me where I’d gone. I didn’t reply to any of them. My insides were feeling too twisted up.
If there was a reason to win this contest, I had it now. Sarah wouldn’t stop trying to ruin my life until she had my best friend clutched in her claw-like hands. But if I could win the crown, she’d finally back off. I could feel it. It was like a battle of two wolves trying to be the alpha. She’d run away with her tail tucked between her legs. And Hunter would be safe...since apparently he was too clueless to know what was good for him.
I was fully committed now. There was no turning back.
I was going to be the Junior Rodeo Queen.
Rhinestones and all.
Chapter Nine
Okay, so commitment wasn’t exactly a super-power of mine. Anyone could check out the half-sewn shirt stuffed in my closet, the stack of unread books under my bed, or the sink of dirty dishes I’d promised my parents I’d wash tonight for proof.
I’d do those dishes in the morning.
My big sister, Mandy, always said the first step toward any goal was accountability. It must’ve worked for her, because she’d crushed all of her goals this year, including on the track and off. So, if I truly wanted to win that crown, I was going to have to come clean to my mom tonight.
And for some reason, that made me more nervous than anything.
“Night, sweetie,” Mom said, pausing in my doorway like she did every night, blowing me a kiss as I laid on top of my bed listening to music. “Thanks for the beautiful basket.”
I waited for a snort or laugh to follow that sentence, but she just smiled at me sweetly. Leave it to my mom to be thankful for a craft project that could’ve been done better by a third grader. The woman was a saint. I didn’t deserve her.
“Hey, Mom, can we talk?” I sat up and pulled my headphones off. Here went nothing. Commitment 101. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
Her eyes narrowed just the slightest before she nodded, waded through the piles of clothes on my floor, then took a seat on the comforter beside me. I could understand her hesitation after all we’d been through in the past few months. I’d dropped enough bombs on her and Dad for a lifetime.
“I know you’ve been pushing me to find something I’m passionate about,” I started, staring down at the floor. “And I think I might have found something to try.”
I could practically feel the waves of tension melt off of her. She bounced on the bed beside me, her blue eyes growing wide. “Oh, Charlotte, I had my doubts about that basket weaving class, but I’m so happy something stuck.”
“Ugh, no.” I made a gagging noise. “Not the basket weaving class. I never want to go back there. Didn’t you see what I brought home?”
She smiled sheepishly. “Your dad did mention that it looked like a bird’s nest that had been through a tornado.”
“And then a hurricane.” I grinned at her. “But thanks for being proud of it anyway.”
“That’s what a mom is supposed to do. Even if their child’s art is ugly.” She nudged me with her shoulder and giggled.
Laughing about my failure at arts and crafts was making me feel slightly better about this whole accountability thing. I could do this. With a deep breath, I dove into it.
