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“For heaven’s sake, Adam. This isn’t about the car. It’s about the fact that you’re willing to throw your safety away because you… what? You want people to recognize that you are a cowboy? You ride horses. You’re learning how to lasso. For all intents and purposes, you’re becoming a cowboy.”
“It’s not that,” he muttered.
“Then what is it? Please help me understand,” she begged. “If you can come up with a reasonable explanation, then I’ll support you. But right now, it just sounds like you want to do it because you think it would be fun.”
“That should be enough.”
“But it’s not. Too many people would be heartbroken to lose you. Your family. Your job.” Her voice cracked. “Me.” It wasn’t lost on her that he hadn’t returned the sentiment she’d shared earlier. Maybe he didn’t care about her enough to make this promise. She pressed her lips together firmly. “I need you to promise me you won’t do the rodeo… or I think we need to break up.”
He’d been staring at his hands, fingering the reins as she’d given her little speech. But when she said those words, his head snapped up. Surprise was the only emotion that she recognized on his face. Was it a sign of progress that he wasn’t angry?
Faye lifted her chin and set her firm gaze on him. “I will not put my heart in jeopardy. If you feel this is something you have to do, then you make that decision.” Yes, she was aware that she’d just told him she’d support his decision if he had a good reason. But it was clear he didn’t. He wasn’t fighting for this, which led her to believe that he wasn’t willing to risk it all—a fact that gave her marginal relief.
Adam worked his jaw, turning his focus back to his hands. “Fine. You’re right.”
Her brows shot up. It couldn’t be that easy. She’d expected a bigger fight—that or Adam would choose his “dream” over her. Faye’s stomach twisted almost uncomfortably. She straightened in her seat, squirming under his gaze. “Really?”
“Really.” He ran a hand down his face and heaved a sigh. “I’m not an idiot, Faye. I know when I have a good thing. If you don’t want me to enter the rodeo, I won’t.” Disappointment laced his words and made the rock sink lower in the pit of her stomach. He pulled his focus from her then motioned toward the trail. “Let’s just forget this ever happened and continue our ride.” Adam nudged Bella forward.
He hadn’t told her he loved her in so many words, but he’d shown her he had feelings for her. Adam had been willing to give up something that he’d wanted to appease her.
She should be thrilled—over the moon, in fact.
So why did she feel so sick to her stomach?
* * *
It had beena couple days since she’d seen Adam. Their last conversation hadn’t exactly been a fight, so she didn’t know why she was avoiding him. Everything had worked out. She’d gotten what she wanted, and he was okay with it. Well, maybe notokay. There were disappointments in life they dealt with every single day, and he was doing just that.
Faye stuck to her routine, riding her horses and finding work to do around the ranch. She didn’t head into town as much, and the distance between herself and Adam continued to weigh on her.
She needed to get out of this funk she’d put herself in, but she couldn’t figure out a way to do that. Faye thought back to their first real date. Adam was a romantic. If she could bring herself to stop by the shop, maybe she could surprise him with something. Or maybe she should ask him out on a date?
Faye groaned, and her father eyed her from where he sat at the head of the table. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and fiddled with the fork that had been placed near her plate. There was no way she was going to ask her dad for advice after the meal they had shared with everyone. He was part to blame for what happened.
Then again, she should probably thank him, too. He’d managed to get everything out in the open and force her to confront Adam about the rodeo issue.
Nope. She wasn’t going to talk to her dad about this. She was going to figure it out on her own.
Faye pushed away from the table and picked up her plate. It was early, but Adam would likely be up. She could call him, or she could just show up at the shop and surprise him with coffee.
Her heart fluttered. That was the first sign that she was on the right track. Shedidlove him. She wanted this to work out. Avoiding him wouldn’t allow that to happen.
“You going somewhere?”
Faye froze, her back to her father. “I was thinking of going into town.”
“To see that boyfriend of yours?”
She sighed. “Yes, to see Adam.”
“Is he still planning on joining the rodeo?”
Facing him, she placed one hand on her hip. “I should have never told you that. But if you must know, he said he wouldn’t sign up.”
Her father grunted, nodded, and turned back to his newspaper.
“You know, you didn’t have to attack him at dinner… in front of everyone.”
