Page 85 of Storm Warning
This woman is tone deaf. Who the hell would see this as an introduction? This isn’t that. We aren’t meeting on friendly terms. We aren’t catching up. We’re merely strangers who sit much closer to enemies than we do family. This man is not a dad, he’s a loser.
“Well, you sure know how to read the room, Jolene,” I say, staring at her hand and she slowly pulls it back. “I’d say nice meeting you, but it’s not.” I look toward my dad. “And seeing you was beyond unremarkable. Have a nice ride, though, or don’t,” I say, dismissing him. “At least, there’s something you don’t have to cheat.”
“Watch your tongue, Missy.” Out of nowhere, the woman grows a pair, no doubt from my insults, but I could give a shit less.
“If myDad—” I air quote the worddadbecause he’s nothing more than a sperm donor at this point. “Could have kepthisto himself, maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation. And before you try and act like his savior, try andremind yourself that even his dumb ass isn’t fighting too hard to defend something he caused.”
I’m past the shock of this, I’m officially irritated.
Her chest raises as she takes in a breath to speak, her manicured finger pointing threateningly at me. But then she exhales, almost like she thought better of what she was about to say. Daggers shoot from my eyes and I’d like to believe my look alone tells her I’ll break that fucking finger if she touches me. “You’re not worth it.”
Really? That’s all she’s got?
I cross my arms and raise my brow. “So I’ve heard.”
Funny that she thinks tossing out a comment like that will get to me, as if I haven’t had my entire life to work through what he’s done to me.
The announcer’s voice brings the sound system back to life, sharing the first set of contestants in the calf-roping competition.
“Gonna kick some ass today, Slayton?” A fan questions my dad, who breaks eye contact with Rhett at the chance to boast about himself.
I guess getting old means that bull riding is out of the question for a rodeo star. I never really considered the fact that he had probably not only moved on from us, but also the only thing I’d ever seen him do. Funny how the objective is to tie something down, when he never tied himself to anything.
“Come on, Honey. You’ve got a competition to win,” Jolene says, tugging on his arm and leading him toward the lineup. Without hesitation, he swivels on his boot and begins to leave.
He stops, turning to face us a few steps away. “Rogers, right?” he questions, but Rhett just glares toward him like he’s looking at shit on the bottom of his boot. “Don’t forget where the gold’s at.”
He continues his pace away from us and Rhett takes my hand, pulling me back into a hug.
“Makes a lot more sense why that buckle was in the trash.” His voice hums low. “That hat I’ve got is goin’ to find itself nestled in one soon too.”
I wrap my arms tight around him, my cheek pressing into his chest while people pass us by on every side. Closing my eyes, I breathe in the warm sandalwood and sage scent he always wears. And though I’m angry with my dad, this entire situation feels like closure. I’m not sure if it’s because I finally got what I felt off my chest, or if it’s that he simply acknowledged me.
“Guess they’re right about never meetin’ your heroes.” He says it so matter-of-factly, not sad in the way I expected since he saw my dad as his idol, but more like it doesn’t come as a surprise at all. “That why ya didn’t tell me?”
I peer into his eyes but there is no anger there. Truly there never has been, besides moments ago. “I just didn’t want to ruin something that literally started your path. It felt unfair to take that from you.”
His stare is soft, forgiving as he says, “No more secrets. No more holding back. I get why ya did it, but ya didn’t have to.”
My heart squeezes tight. This wasn’t exactly how I wanted to tell him, I hadn’t really wanted to at all, but it’s funny how things work out. Sometimes forcing us on paths we’d never choose to remind us of the ones we should be grateful for.
“Yeah but I think there’s a difference between seeing and believing. Had I mentioned how he is, I don’t think it would have resonated like this, so I was just scared to say anything at all. But you’re right. No more secrets. I promise there’s nothing else you don’t know.”
He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. "You mean more to me than any of that shit." Andwhile he’s not angry, there’s an intensity to his tone that sends a rush through me.
Dear God, I’m falling for him. Maybe I already have.
I release my embrace and Rhett grabs my hand, pulling me toward the fence surrounding the arena. “I gotta make a last minute run for somethin’, can I leave ya here just a sec?”
Reluctantly, I nod.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be quick.” He kisses me not once, but twice. The second holding a bit more urgency than the first.
I watch as he jogs off before returning my focus back toward the riders. The first two contestants are unfamiliar names to me, but given this rodeo is one of the last big events of the year, I assume they are some of the best riders out there.
I see my dad climb atop his horse and circle toward the steel gate he will enter for the competition. As always people fawn over him, scream his name and cheer.
If only they knew.
