Page 42 of A Montana Rodeo Star

Faith didn’t know what had gotten into her.

The argument she’d had with Brent had come out of nowhere. Yes, she was aware of the rumors circulating around Grant. And honestly, even if there hadn’t been, she still wouldn’t have been interested.

Grant simply wasn’t her type.

What had irked her to no end was the fact that Brent thought he had the right to come barging into the bookstore and demand that she stay away from him.

Brent didn’t get a say. They were friends. And friends could offer advice but not… that.

Their last interaction had been almost a week ago.

Avoiding Brent had become harder than she’d expected. It wasn’t just her fury over his audacity. It was the ache in her chest over wishing things were different. He didn’t want her to date but he also wasn’t offering her anything more. He was starting to be as bad as her brothers were and that was saying something.

Faith peered out her window in search of Brent’s familiar truck. He was supposed to come practice with her brothers since there was another rodeo event coming up. So far his truck hadn’t appeared.

She’d invited Hallie and the girls to a party this evening. It was a precursor to the rodeo tomorrow. Technically, her brothers were throwing the party, but they’d asked for help in organizing it since they were busy today.

Faith had finished her application for the community college and had offered her assistance when Lydia and Wren had insisted they were too busy.

It wasn’t like the party was going to be some big thing. Definitely nothing like the events the triplets hosted up at Twisted River Ranch. As far as Faith was concerned, Tate and Jason could invite some of their rodeo buddies and they’d all have a nice evening together.

It was not just a nice evening.

Faith ducked out of the way of a couple who were headed straight for her—or rather the refreshment table. She’d spent the better part of the day making cookies with the plan of freezing any excess. But it didn’t appear that there would be any.

She’d also made sure to have plenty of lemonade and ice water on hand but with the crowd of people milling about, she wasn’t sure they wouldn’t run out of the former before the night was up.

Had the whole town turned out for this?

No, there had to be more people than there were in all of Rocky Ridge. The fact that everyone could fit on their property was crazy to her.

She offered the couple an apologetic smile as she let them get past her. Then she scanned the area for her brothers. This had to be her sisters’ doing. They were the social butterflies. While Tate and Jason might have invited a few friends, Lydia and Wren made sure everyone knew.

Which meant there was zero chance a certain someone wouldn’t be in attendance.

“Faith! There you are.” Wendy’s cute southern accent drawled, tearing Faith’s attention in her direction. She turned to the others who were with her. “See? I told you she’d be in the thick of it. Faith can’t help it.” She beamed and gestured toward a man at her side. “This is my fiancé, Tripp. He makes the most delicious, sweet iced tea. Can we bother you for some ice in the kitchen? Then he can put the dispenser out for everyone.”

Faith stared blankly at Tripp. They’d met. Seeing him in person wasn’t what had taken her off guard. It was the fact that he’d brought something to the party. Her brothers certainly wouldn’t have asked him to.

At her expression, Tripp chuckled. “Wendy is a sucker for the stuff. I brought it so she’d have her favorite.”

That was… sorta sweet.

Faith smiled and nodded with a gesture toward the house. “Kitchen entrance is around that way. Help yourself.” Her eyes drifted to the large dispenser at his feet as he ducked down to pick it up. When he did, the man behind him came into view.

Tripp’s brother.

Brent’s eyes locked with her own, pinning her in place as Wendy and Tripp wandered off. Without a word, Faith turned on her heel. She didn’t need to track down her brothers after all.

“Faith,” Brent’s voice cut through the chatter and the music that played through the speakers, but she ignored him. “Faith,” he tried again.

She shook her head. Now was not the time. She didn’t want to face him. The person she’d become when they’d argued at that bookstore wasn’t the person she liked. Her normal meek behavior was something she wasn’t ashamed of. In fact, she liked it. She liked being quiet. The person everyone could count on. It also meant she wasn’t noticed when she had the desire to observe. And yet, for some strange reason Brent had lit a fire beneath her. She’d wanted nothing more than to put him in his place.

There were several reasons for that. She’d been tired of keeping her thoughts in check. She’d grown exhausted from the effort it took to avoid looking at him or saying the wrong thing. And he’d crossed the line with his infuriating behavior. Friends didn’t behave the way he had.

But brothers did.

She’d reminded herself of that fact when she’d returned home and gone to her room to stew. Brent had always been up front and honest about what he could offer. And he had been a friend to her brothers first.