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So what if she hadn’t dated as much as Brielle? Faye had taken a different path. She’d befriended Adam first. She’d gotten to know him and what made him tick. She knew how to make him laugh and what was important to him.
And that was the rodeo.
Why had she gotten in her own way? If the situation had been flipped, she wouldn’t have been too thrilled about Adam demanding that she change.
Her eyes flew open, and she sucked in a breath as if she’d been starved for oxygen before she came to this realization.
She wouldn’t make Adam pick between his dream and her. That was one mistake she’d never make again. But she wasn’t about to let Dahlia swoop in and steal him away from her. That woman was one of the shallowest people Faye could think of. She’d only developed feelings for Adam because of his interest in riding. Faye didn’t know how long Adam had flirted with Dahlia before she finally realized what she was missing, but she was too late to the game.
Dahlia didn’t know Adam like Faye did. She wasn’t in love with him.
Faye pushed away from the truck and lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to give up without a fight. That wasn’t in her blood. Adam needed to know how much she loved him and that she would wait for him for however long it took.
If that meant supporting him in a sport she despised, so be it. But she needed to confront him about his feelings for Dahlia first.
28
Adam
Adam held up a hand, successfully stopping Dahlia from stealing the kiss she was intent on taking. Her eyes cut to his and she plopped back down on her feet. Crossing her arms, she gave him a confused, albeit hurt expression. “Don’t you want me? You’ve been flirting with me since the day we met several months ago.”
He took a step back. His focus swept through the immediate area as if looking for someone specific, but he knew better than to hope that Faye was here. This interaction with Dahlia had grown ten times more uncomfortable than he was ready for. Adam rubbed the back of his neck, bringing his gaze back to Dahlia. “I’m sorry.”
“You’resorry?” Dahlia huffed. Her brows lowered, eyes flashing. “You’re sorry. That’s all you have to say about leading me on?”
Mouth falling open, Adam took another step back. “I wasn’t leading you on. I was just—”
“Yes, you were. You flirted with me. Then you asked me to dance.Thenyou fixed my car. What else am I supposed to believe?” She put all her weight on one foot and threw her hands into the air. “See? This is why I don’t date guys like you. You’re all the same. You say whatever it takes to get on a girl’s good side, and then you gaslight her.”
“I—what? No. I wasn’t doing that.” His mind was racked with confusion. He hadn’t done any of that. Well, he’d flirted with her before he’d met Faye. But neither of them had acted on that flirtation. Was he missing something?
He searched within himself. The only thought that crossed his mind in the moment that Dahlia had nearly kissed him was Faye. He didn’t want Dahlia’s affection whatsoever. He’d fallen hard for the cowgirl who could rein in a horse with little effort. He wanted the woman who knew what she wanted—moving heaven and earth to get it. He wanted Faye because of her passion for life.
Adam set Dahlia with a firm stare. “I’m sorry, Dahlia, but I’m not interested in going on a date with you. I’ve got a girlfriend.”
“Really? Because a true girlfriend would be here right now, supporting her man. She wouldn’t let a good one slip through the cracks.”
He smirked at her. “Well, it appears you made the same mistake.”
Confusion briefly filtered across her face, but he didn’t have any time to revel in it. He needed to get this conversation over with so he could call Faye and apologize for breaking his promise. If she’d still have him, he was willing to mend the bridges they’d burned.
“If you wanted to date me so badly, then why were you only interested in me when I told you I was training to be in the rodeo?”
Her jaw dropped, then her cheeks filled with color.
“From the looks of it, you have a type, and it has nothing to do with a man’s character. I’d rather be with someone who wants me for me and not for the things I enjoy doing. Ironic, isn’t it? You were only interested when I wanted to be part of this whole show, and Faye just wanted to keep me safe.”
Dahlia snorted. “Good luck winning her back. I heard about your little breakup. Youliedto her. How much you wanna bet she throws you to the curb? I’ll give you a tip. Girls don’t like liars.”
“Then why areyouasking me out?” He forced himself to ignore the fact that someone had eavesdropped while they had their argument at the shop. He’d have to be more careful about what he said and who he said it to.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and her coloring deepened. “Well, you didn’t lie to me.”
He snorted. “You think guys like me are all the same? How about you look in the mirror. You might be surprised at what you find. There’s a lot you could learn about what guys want in a woman.” Adam shook his head, brushing past her as he dug into his back pocket for his phone.
Time to stop making mistakes and excuses. Women like Faye were few and far between. He’d met people like Dahlia in the city. That was one reason why he’d left. It sure looked like he wouldn’t be able to escape people like Dahlia wherever he went.
All the more reason to make things right with Faye.
