Page 20 of The Bull Rider & the Wedding Planner

She shook her head. Her teal-blue eyes grew cool, and she jabbed a finger at the door. “I’m not one of your admirers. You should go.”

Easton felt like she’d slugged him. “Since when?”

“Since you ruined my life six years ago,” she said in a tightly controlled voice. He imagined if Presley hadn’t fallen asleep, she might be yelling.

“I … ruined … your life?” His neck tightened. His weakness for her might burn him worse than the shelter deployment had a possibility of doing, or the burns on his forehead from the bomb. He shook his head and backed away, holding up his hands. “You know what? You’re right. I should go. I can’t believe I even try with you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she demanded.

“I have loved you my entire life, Cassie Johnston, and what do you do? You blame me for everything, act allcold and standoffish. Why would heaven let me almost die just to reunite with you, then you keep racing out of arm’s reach? I’m tough and I’m persistent, but you … you’ve wrecked me too many times.” He kept his voice down, but there was fire in his voice and he hoped in his eyes too.

“Oh, don’t you spout about persistence, Easton Coleville,” she spit back. “You can lie to yourself and claim to love me, but I know the truth. You don’t love anyone but yourself.”

His chest was tight and his stomach churning. “That’s not true. You’re cappin’.”

“Oh really?” Her teal-blue eyes were stormy. “You can somehow claim to love me? While you flirt with and kiss every other woman in the world? That’s rich.”

“I would never look at another woman if we were together again.” How could he get through to her, get her to understand he’d dated a lot but only because she had broken him? He never had and never would want anyone except her.

“Oh, sell it to somebody else.” She shook her head again, suddenly looking exhausted. “Please leave. I’ve got a huge week in front of me planning the weddings and I want to take a nap, not fight with you.”

Easton’s jaw worked. His entire body was coiled tight. He wanted to fight through this and somehow kiss and make up.

But that was a long way away. Maybe not even possible.

“Fine.” He picked up his hat and opened the front door. Glancing back at her, he said, “You know, someday you’ll be ready to apologize, and I’ll prove how chill I am and accept it.”

“I’ll be the one who apologizes?” She put a hand to her chest. “I’m definitely the one that needs to apologize.”

He nodded. At least she was agreeing to that, even if she was being snippy about it.

She stormed up to him and went on tiptoes. “It’ll be a cold day in heck when I apologize to the likes of you. Ugh!” She threw her hands in the air and then shoved at his chest. “Get out of my house.”

Easton backed up onto the porch. He wanted to fight with her, wanted to kiss her, wanted to somehow get past fighting and kiss her a lot more. But she was unreasonable and mean. Maybe six years could change a person too much. Maybe she wasn’t the Cassie he’d always longed for. He’d loved her sass, but there was a limit. Not being willing to apologize when she’d cheated on him and yelled at him to never come near her again? That was pushing it.

He’d humbled himself because he loved her and her daughter, but a man had to have some pride. Especially a man with as much drip as himself.

“Fine. Don’t ask me to sing to you, hold you up when you see blood, kiss away your every pain, or love you again,” he said.

“Fabulous! That’s all I’ve been hoping for this entire two weeks.” She slammed the door in his face.

Easton plunked his hat on his head. He stomped down the porch and to his truck. Angry wasn’t enough to describe his feelings. He wasn’t supposed to ride bulls, but he had to right now. He would beg one of the ranch hands to help him out. There was no other way he could think of to get rid of the angst stirring within him.

Cassie didn’t love him. She didn’t even seem to like him. She was the one who’d cheated. What grievous sin had he committed to make her so angry and unreasonable?

He ripped open his truck door, leaped inside, and slammed it. Then he stared at Lily’s house andpictured Cassie and Presley in there, cuddled up and napping. Peaceful, beautiful, everything he wanted and nothing he would ever have.

Anger threatened to choke him. He forced himself to bow his head and plead for some help.

Help me to see this clearly. Help me to know how to forgive Cassie and get past her walls. I know I ask for a lot of miracles with bull riding, and You always come through. You saved me in that fire and in the explosion. If it’s possible for one more miracle, make her love me again, even half as much as I love her.

Easton hung his head even after the prayer. He believed in, trusted in, and relied on his Savior, but he didn’t know if a miracle like Cassie loving him could ever happen. Maybe she hadn’t been brought back to Coleville, just when he couldn’t bull ride and win the finals, by his Father above. Maybe someone in heaven knew what was good for him more than he himself did. Maybe he had to truly let Cassie go.

Why did that feel like a worse pronouncement than him missing the NFR finals this year?

Because itwasworse—much worse. One rodeo wouldn’t make or break him. Cassie Johnston could break him with one word. And she had.

Chapter

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