Page 7 of Hard To Fall
Colt is the face, the anchor of the family and the rodeo. It’s a good and bad place to be. Troubles fall on his shoulders, and if he’s too stubborn to realize or accept the help to dig out, they only compound over time.
No, Colt Callahan isn’t the problem; he’s an obstacle, but he’s also my biggest asset. I don’t need him to like me or trust me. I don’t need him to give me permission to be here. I just need him to stay the same old predictable man I’ve spoken to twice before. Predictability is easy to handle.
And then I need to let my sunshine warm his grouchy, cold heart.
CHAPTER 4
COLT
The arena soundsdifferent when the races are over. It’s still wild and exciting, but there’s also a sense of relief. No one was hurt, not that we had to call an ambulance for at least, and the animals are milling about, none the wiser that they’re just pawns in these games.
The dirt is torn to hell, and beer cups litter the stands. Kids hang off the rails, hoping to get an autograph, but will settle for a fist bump. The announcer’s voice rolls through the speakers, listing names, places, and winners I’m not listening to.
I lean against the fence, arms crossed on the wood, balancing on my good knee but making it look like I’m just relaxed.
Then I hear it.
“—and your barrel racing winner, straight out of Hearts Bend, Texas, give it up for Levi Callahan!”
The crowd erupts, and I can’t help but huff a laugh as I look out and see my younger brother, grinning like an idiot, hat tipped back and chest out. Dust, sweat, and pride written all over him.
They hand him the ribbon, and he lifts it like he just won the damn Super Bowl. The crowd roars harder. He bows, dramatic as hell, and I shake my head.
What an idiot.
But that idiot’s going to get his dick sucked tonight.
Fuck.
Something settles in my chest, and it’s the same feeling I get every time I see him in the middle of the ring: pride for my little brother. He’s a fantastic rider, tries with all his might at everything he does.
And then that pride turns to something I don’t want to name as I see Lily standing near the rail, across from me, closer to Levi. She’s not out there with her iPad or phone. She’s there watching him and clapping, like she belongs here. She laughs when he bows, and something ugly twists in my gut when he turns slightly and sees her.
“If you’re a nice guy, you’ll get your dick sucked”continues to echo in my head, and my hands clench at the fact that it could be her doing the sucking, yet I still ignore the sharp feeling piercing my chest.
Remember, you don't like her.
Levi spots her and waves, and she waves back. And then she turns her head and looks straight at me. There’s no challenge or smirk there, just her beautiful face looking my way.
Like I’m just another random guy standing here.
My jaw clicks, and I look away first because I don’t like the way it feels when she watches me.
Or maybe I do, and that’s the real problem.
Levi jogs over, ribbon in hand, grinning wide, and it breaks my trance. “You see that?”
“Your show is always hard to miss,” I mutter.
He bumps my shoulder. “Admit it. You’re proud.”
I don’t answer, which is its own answer, and he knows it.
His eyes track past me. “She’s watching you, big brother.”
“Everyone always watches us,” I say.
He smirks. “Sure, they do. But they don’t approach like she does.” He nods in her direction, and I see her walking over. Her body is fit and toned, her blonde hair blowing around her shoulders under her cowboy hat. Maybe if we were anywhere but here….
