Page 101 of Risking it for the Cowboy

“Best get ’m unloaded,” Thad said.

Get what unloaded?

“Wanna ride down the hill with me, Daze?” He ruffled Daisy’s hair.

“Yes!” Daisy pumped the air, her world right again, and took Thad’s offered hand.

Together, they began to walk past Charlie, when he skimmed her fingers with his and slowed. He brushed a thumb through the mist still glistening in her eye, and then … leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her eyes dropped closed at the tender touch. When a kiss pressed to her nose.

His hand a cradle to her face, his lips a balm on her guilt, and then the barest hint of a whisper in her ear. “Put your car keys and wrenches down, Flower Girl. I ain’t Jason. Don’t you dare ever question my fidelity again. Don’t you dare let him keep hurting you. He don’t deserve your tears. Just let me love you.”

Let me love you. Faith was watching them, a fond smile on her lips. She swallowed at the sweet declaration, as his hand on her face tightened, validating his sentiment, then slipped away to hoist Daisy up into his truck.

“She’s your sister?” Daisy was asking. “So, if you marry my momma, would she be my auntie?”

Marriage? Faith went stone still. Eyes darting between them, Charlie could feel her curious burn.

Thad chuckled, summoning his characteristic nonchalance at will. “Faith, hop in.”

But Faith held still, then smiled wanly at Charlie. “I’ll ride with your girl.”

Thad paused. Glared at his sister.

And under his breath, muttered, “Don’t you dare, sis.”

Something passed between the two of them, because Faith softened and then backhanded his arm playfully, waggling her brows at him. “What’d you think I’m gonna do? Just want to get to know her. Chill.”

Was Thad worried about what Faith might say? Their exchange prickled Charlie’s nape, but Thad’s tension eased as quickly as it had torqued.

“Suit yourself.” He walked around his hood, having not answered Daisy’s question. “I was gonna surprise you, Daze,” he said as he hopped in his cab and cranked shut the door, firing up the engine. “But seeing as you’re early, my wing girl can help me with a special delivery…”

Charlie eyed Faith. So the sister wanted to corner her about her kid brother. She supposed she deserved the hot seat and unlocked her passenger door.

Faith slipped past her and climbed in, and Charlie noticed for the first time under Faith’s arm, a bundle of papers tucked in a folder emblazoned with a logo of a horse running and an old western script, McClintock Equestrian on Legacy Creek.

“She’s adorable,” Faith said, nodding toward her brother’s truck as Charlie followed Thad downhill. “He’s talked nonstop about you for two weeks, you know, frustrated. And then he called yesterday. and I swear he sounded about as stoked as a man who’d just won the lotto.

“Our, uh, sister had the pleasure of losing to you in the Miss Lone Star Pageant. I don’t know if you remember a girl named Charity…”

“Oh my God, yes! I—” Charlie quieted, then laughed wryly. “Although that scholarship might have been put to better use awarded to her.”

Faith shook her head, her fiery expression softening as she glanced at her. “What happened to you was bullshit, Charlize. You needed that scholarship just as much as she did. And look at you. An associate professor? Dang, girl. You should Legally Blonde the hell out of every naysayer.”

They laughed together. Faith seemed so easy and forthright, and yet, Charlie knew an admonishment was coming.

“They’d be shocked to realize I’m really just a nerd,” Charlie replied.

“It was a well-deserved scholarship and an archaic rule about the divorce. Only old folks who clutch their pearls care about those things. And what bearing do they have on you? You should know that, uh…”

Here it was. Charlie gripped the wheel to withstand the scolding.

Faith watched her brother’s truck, something wistful in her gaze, as they arrived down the switchbacks to the farmhouse and Thad pulled his truck up beside it.

“T.R’s the best guy in the world. Doesn’t realize it, though.”

“I’m sorry I thought the worst,” Charlie said, as he got out and trotted around his tailgate to lift Daisy down.

Faith waved her off. “It’s not like he don’t have a reputation, Charlize, but a lot of it’s just for show. Boost his image, still hoping with every fiber in his bones he can make at least one of his songs big.” Faith held up the single of “Flower Girl.” “He’s got a past, yeah, but that’s because he never saw a future. D’you know, he wrote this song in one night? He, Jack, and Bo dragged Hunter to a recording studio, pooled their dimes, and recorded it in one go. My bro overnighted it to the Texas Homegrown Music Awards, which of course got him all bundled up in knots because of his last music fiasco.” Faith rolled her eyes.