Page 51 of The Chances We Take

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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Colter, Ellison, and Isabelle pulled up to the house about thirty minutes after I got home. While Colter had a simple double-wide—he always said he never needed anything fancy—I had a house.

The ranch-style home was small, but the family who’d owned it prior to me had offered a great deal on it. It was the first thing I bought once I’d had a large enough savings from rodeo winnings and all of the work I did in college. Up until that point, I’d lived with Colter, crashing on his couch. I’d have done anything if it meant I didn’t have to go back home.

I was lucky enough to have received a rodeo scholarship to pay for nearly all of my college expenses. Otherwise, I wasn’t sure where I’d be today.

The property came with an arena and stables, which was convenient for practicing. I also occasionally let some of the younger local rodeo kids practice here, and Ellison and I came up with an agreement for her to use it for riding lessons. Everything always came back to the man who gave me my first rope and the impact he had on mylife. If I could be that for a younger cowboy or cowgirl, I would.

“Where are Mikey and the others?” Ellison called to me as she stepped out of the pickup.

I shrugged. “Not sure. They were going to meet me back here, but they must have made a stop somewhere.”

“What exactly is going to go on?” Isa asked.

“Colter, Ellison, and I will probably rope. Hayden too.”

“You can help Mikey open the chute,” Ellison offered. “Or watch.”

“I think I’d rather watch,” she muttered.

“What, you don’t think you’re ready to get on the back of a horse and rope?” Colter teased, knowing Isa could hardly rope a dummy on the ground.

“Ha ha, you’re so funny, Colter. Just you wait. One day, I’ll be so good you’ll be trying to keep up withme.” She put her hands on her hips and gave him that classic Isabelle look, lips pouted in a way that made them even fuller than normal and a dazzling sparkle in her eyes.

Mikey, Jake, and Hayden pulled up a few moments later, hopping out of the cab with a few cases of beer.

“Had to make a pit stop and grab the goods,” Mikey announced as he held up a case of his favorite beer.

“Did you get any good stuff this time?” Colter asked, walking over to see what they specifically got. “Nope. What did I tell you, Michael?”

“Aye, this is what I like!” Mikey protested. “If you don’t like it, go buy your own damn beer.”

“It’s all right, we got the good kind.” Jake patted Colter on the shoulder as he lifted the box to show him.

Colter dipped his chin in approval and followed after Mikey.

“I knew you cowboys drank a lot of beer, but fuck.” I wasn’t sure if Isa’s face was more of shock or awe.

“Nah, this isn’t all for today.” Jake waved her off. “But for some of the guys we meet, drinking beer is like drinking water.”

He wasn’t wrong. Colter and I, though, didn’t overdo it with the alcohol. We stuck to our limits, because we both knew the negative effects it could have on a person’s life.

“Go throw some of them in the fridge,” I told them, pointing to the garage. I wasn’t usually too picky, but lukewarm beer wasn’t the way to go.

Once they’d taken off toward the house, I threw an arm around Isa’s shoulders, pulling her close enough that our hips brushed.

“What are you doing?” She looked up at me then at the hand resting over her shoulder.

“I figure if you’re not gonna rope, you can at least ride around on a horse if you want.”

“Ican’trope. I’m not going to embarrass myself like that. I can hardly ride a horse.” She snorted before slipping out from under my arm to catch up with Ellison, who walked ahead of us to get Bullet and Trigger.

Colter’s chuckle came from behind me, but I ignored it as I rounded the corner in the opposite direction to go catch my horse.

A million thoughts were running through my mind. I wanted Isa in the arena with us, whether that was roping or not. I knew she wasn’t quite like Ellison, but she’d fit in with our rowdy bunch just fine at the branding. Maybe I’d come on too strong with the Landon shit. I mentally cursed myself as I walked into the pasture to catch Phantom with the lead rope and take him over to the trailer to tack up.

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