“You really have it all wired up,” I say, motioning to the screens. He nods while he drinks his coffee. Sitting in the chair, he reads something on the computer. I look at the pictures on the wall. Stepping closer, I see one of Casey all dressed up in a suit while he accepts some award. He’s shaking hands with someone while holding another award in his hand in another picture. Then an old picture in the middle of all of them has him dressed in chaps and a white shirt that is covered in dirt. He has a cut on his cheek, and he’s wearing gloves. His look is of pure anger, but he has a little smirk as he holds up his hand with the number one.
“What is this?” I turn to him, and he looks up.
“That was the last time I was on the circuit,” he says. “It was a do or die situation, and that picture”—he points with his finger—“captures the after.”
“Why?” I ask him. When he leans back in the chair, I shake my head, feeling I overstepped. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s just ancient history,” he says, and I don’t say anything else. I don’t know why it bothers me that he doesn’t tell me. Taking a sip of coffee, I decide to go back to the house.
“I’ll leave you to work,” I say and duck my head down. I turn to walk out of the room, trying not to let it get to me. Trying not to let it hurt that he hasn’t let me in. Why would he? Why should he? As soon as this is over, I’ll be just another memory for him.
Chapter Fourteen
Casey
“I’ll leave you to work,” she says, trying to sound like she’s okay. She walks out, leaving me wanting to kick myself. I just wasn’t ready to answer any of those questions. My stomach burns with the thought of her walking back to the house without me, and I’m out of my chair before she makes it to the barn door.
“Olivia.” I call her name, and when she turns back, I hate myself for the look on her face. The look that she did something wrong when she did nothing wrong. “Come with me.” I hold out my hand, but I’m expecting her to tell me to fuck off. I would have told me to fuck off. “Please. I want to show you something.”
She walks back to me, and I see that her shield is up now as her eyes are a dark blue. “I didn’t mean to pry.” She straightens her shoulders. “You don’t owe me any explanations, cowboy.” I hate that she pretends with me. I hate that I made her feel like she has to pretend.
“Will you come with me?” I ask, pointing over at the golf cart that I keep beside the barn. “I want to show you something.” She shakes her head and looks down, so I step into her space and put my finger under her chin. “Please.” She blinks away the tears without saying anything, but she nods her head. I hold her hand as we walk to the golf cart. She gets in, and I drive it away from the barn. “All this was my father’s,” I say, pointing at the fence we are driving toward. “On that part,” I say as we go through a small opening to the other side of the fence. “This was his best friend’s land.”
“Is it okay that we are on the property?” she asks from beside me as the wind blows her hair back.
“It is now since I bought it.” She just looks at me. When we pull up to the barn that I just finished renovating, I turn the cart off, getting out, and she gets out with me. “I spent most of my childhood and teenage years in this barn,” I say. “Well, not this one, but …” I put my hands on my hips. “I trained for the rodeo over there.” I point at the same fence that is there now. “Seven days a week. My father’s best friend trained me. Then he signed me to be part of his team. I was on top of the world. If you wanted to be in the rodeo circuit, you had to be with him. He was the best of the best, and he also trained the best of the best.”
“Sounds just like you,” she says, and I look over at her. “To put your whole heart into it.”
“It’s also the same place I fell in love.” My stomach lifts when I think about it. “Lorelei was his daughter and my best friend. Two peas in a pod.” She doesn’t say anything, folding her hands in front of her. “I had my whole life planned out when I was eighteen. I was going to ride the rodeo and then take over my family farm.”