Page 22 of A Montana Rodeo Star

“Isn’t that one local? Aren’t you afraid⁠—”

“They won’t be there.” He was sure of it.

“Why not?”

He grinned. “Tripp and Wendy will be throwing a party to announce their engagement. I’ve already told them I won’t be available. And the whole family will show. I’m all set.”

Up until this moment, he was proud of his plan. But then he saw the disappointment in her eyes, and he couldn’t help but second guess the plan.

She must have read the indecision in his eyes because she reached forward and touched his arm. “Oh, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“It’s not?” He smirked. “And what am I thinking?”

Faith shook her head, blessing him with a small smile. “I was thinking it’s sad that you can’t have the people who you care about there to cheer you on.”

The smile fell from his face. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” This time she said it quietly, her sadness practically dripping from that single syllable. But then she forced the happiness back to her face. “But hey, I’ll be there. And so will my brothers.”

“You will?” He liked that idea.

A lot.

More than he probably should.

“Sure.” She nudged him. “Have to make sure you stay alive, right?” She’d said it so light-heartedly that it was clear she didn’t connect her words with his parents’ arguments about the rodeo.

Before she could catch on to his change in mood, Brent switched subjects. “How are things with you? Read any good textbooks?”

She laughed and all the tension drained from his body. He watched her with bated breath and he couldn’t have expected what came next. “Actually, I’m looking into community college classes in sports medicine. It turns out there are some interesting programs I can do locally. Or I can get some other emergent care training.”

“That’s amazing, Faith. What do you want to do with that? Would you get a job in the medical field?”

“I don’t know. I thought it might be cool to be a paramedic at the rodeos. Or I could go all the way and become a physical therapist. There are a lot of options.”

He beamed at her. She was practically glowing as she talked about what she wanted to do with her life. He could understand that spark of interest more than she would ever know.

Brent wanted to tell her he was proud of her for the courage it would take to chase her dreams. Was it strange that he wanted to be there with her? To see her dreams become a reality? Chasing his own dreams was its own kind of high. Bearing witness to someone he cared about do the same was an entirely different level. But then a thought occurred to him.

Their futures weren’t exactly conducive to one another.

He was going to be a rodeo star if he had anything to say about it. The steps he’d been taking up until this point proved that to him. The bruises on his body, the aches in his muscles they were there to remind him about everything he was fighting for. Everything he ever wanted.

And Faith?

She was going in a different direction. She’d be sticking around Rocky Ridge to become someone who could help others. Would it be fair of him to get attached to her only to ask her to follow him on his journey?

No.

Absolutely not.

Even if she wanted to date. Even if he was interested in spending more time with someone. It would be wrong to expect someone to put their life on hold so he could become the star he knew he could be.

Friendship was one thing. Friends could go months without seeing the other.

But something more? No.

“What?” Her laugh of a question yanked him from the most ridiculous thought process he could have found himself in.