Chasin' Eight (Rough Riders #11)(43)

That you’re still not focused on the main reason you’re here.
When Chase lumbered into the bunkhouse, he saw Colby sitting on the bunk across from his.
Colby glanced up from poking buttons on his cell phone. “Hang on a sec, I gotta tell Cord I f*cked up and forgot to check the drainage ditch on the east side of our folks place before I left.”

Chase popped three aspirin and collapsed on his bed.
“How you holdin’ up?” Colby asked and flipped off the light.
“Been better.” He rearranged his pillow. “Did you ever hit a low spot when you were on tour?”

“Plenty of times. I can’t believe I stuck with it for as long as I did. That lifestyle takes a toll on a man. But I loved it. The competing. The traveling. Hanging with the guys. The easy women.” He chuckled. “If you’d asked me, I’da sworn the abundance of willing women was my number one reason for stayin’ on the road.”

Only a guy who’d been there could understand that appeal.
“But now? I suspect the reason I stuck it out was because I was waitin’ for a woman who didn’t want a rodeo cowboy, but me. Luckily I found her.”

“Do you miss that life on the road?”

“At first. Then not at all.”

Chase couldn’t fathom that. “Really? So if you’d met Channing two years before you did, you’da gladly given up your wild rodeo ways to set up housekeeping with her?”

“I see your opinion on marriage ain’t changed. I can’t answer that, because as much as I’d planned to quit rodeoin’ fulltime at summers end? My injury gave me no choice.” His pause weighed heavily in the room. “Just curious about what your plans are if you aren’t allowed back on tour. Or if you can’t keep up the ridin’ percentage to stay on tour. You considering the PRCA?”

“Seems I’ve had two choices in my life. Rodeo or ranch.”

“Your payout from your percentage of the ranch sure gives you more than two choices now, Chase. What about that buddy of yours? The one who offered you a stake in a bull? Any interest in breeding stock?”

“No. I’ll leave that to you and Cash.” Chase sighed and stared at the bunk above him. “Alls I ever wanted to do was ride bulls. I’ve never looked beyond that.”

“That’s an easy mindset to fall into when you’re young, on top, and believe you’ll stay there forever.”

“But?” Chase prompted.
“But bull ridin’ isn’t a forever occupation.” Colby sighed. “Look, you’ve got enough on your mind right now. We’re all damn proud of you.”

If they were all so proud of him, why did he feel like such a disappointment? Or were they proud of him for the wrong reason? “Thanks, Colby, I appreciate the advice.”

Chase was tired of Ava avoiding him. Especially when he had no idea if he’d done something to piss her off.
For the last two days she’d dutifully recorded his rides, made DVD copies and handed them to Gemma every afternoon. But as far as a one-on-one conversation between them? Not once.
Maybe she’s changed her mind about continuing this western adventure with you.
After supper, Chase tracked her down to the training paddock, her silhouette reflected as a shadow in the moonlit dirt below the mechanical bull.
Despite the ache from wrist to shoulder, Chase balanced on one arm and hopped the fence. When he stood in front of her, he said, “You gonna get in a little practice?”

She shrugged.
“Ava? You all right?”

“No.”

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”