Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch (Gold Valley #13)(64)

It was time for them to see what she was made of.

“I’m more than ready. It’s everybody else that seems to be worried about it.”

He chuckled. “True enough.”

He had the horse in the chute ready to go. And his cowgirl was ready to ride. And he couldn’t... He wanted to do something. Wanted to touch her. Squeeze her, kiss her before she got on the back of the horse, and he couldn’t. Because it just wasn’t what was happening now. Wasn’t what could happen. Though her brother Kit was already out there, his boot resting on the bottom of the fence. So he probably should give her a kiss. He leaned in, and dropped one on her cheek, and her skin turned scarlet.

“You should try to look more used to that,” he said, looking over at Kit, who had been joined by her dad. Just like he figured.

“I’m not used to it, though,” she said. She looked away, and he felt a heap of regret about being the one to hurt her.

That’s how it is. That’s how it is for you.

He pushed that to the side, because it wasn’t time for him to get all sorry for himself when Callie was about to get on the back of a horse.

“All right, princess. Show them what you’re made of.”

Callie climbed up the side of the chute, and dropped on the horse. He began to jump, to kick back against the metal railings. And she looked up at him, her expression determined.

This girl.

She was far too stubborn by half, and too full of piss and vinegar for her own good.

And he... He could only respect her. Stand in awe of her.

“You make sure to man the stopwatch,” she said.

“I will. I’m not going to let you get shorted on your ride.”

“Good. When you’re ready.”

He could see that she was ready. Her arm was poised, her body falling right into position. She’d punished herself, and she’d worked harder than any one person should. But he could see that it was worth it. That this place she’d gotten herself to made it worth it.

It humbled him. Because he’d never worked so hard for anything in all his life. Never. He decided to jump on the back of a bull, and the rest was history. No one had stood against him. No one had tried to stop him. Muscle built easily for him, and the strength that it took to stay on the back of the animal was easy. He looked the part, so everyone assumed he had it.

Callie...

She had to work so hard just to get here. She married him just to get here.

“Go,” he said. He pushed the button, just as he let the chute fly, and the horse went sailing out the front.

He was a spinner, moving in circles in one spot, around and around and around. And Callie was leaned as far back as she could go, her arm working in time with the up and down of the animal. Her entire family was out there now, standing against the fence.

Her mother had her eyes covered, and that was all that Jake could take in, because he had to put his eyes back on Callie. Eight seconds. It was all she needed. But eight seconds felt like forever in a moment like this.

And then the clock rolled over.

“You did it,” he said.

Callie shifted on the saddle, and timed her dismount, hopping down off the animal. And then he ran forward, urging him back into the enclosure. Her brothers were already there, ready to get him out of his gear. And everyone was hollering.

“That was amazing,” Boone said, hopping the fence and clapping around the back. “A good ride, Callie.”

“Incredible,” Kit said.

“You about gave me a heart attack,” said her father, taking a step forward and grabbing both of her shoulders. “But you’re damn good.”

“Thank you,” she said, her cheeks coloring.

“I’ll try to be stronger,” he said. “Okay?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m strong.”

“I’ve always known that.”

Callie walked to where her mother was, her expression guarded.

“I might not understand why you love it,” her mom said. “But I can see that you do. And I can see that you’re good at it. Callie, I... I don’t want to have distance between us. I don’t want to fight.”

Her mom wrapped her arms around Callie, who stood stiff for a moment, before curving one arm around her and patting her on the back. “It’s okay, Mom.”

And it made Jake’s chest go tight. All of it. Because this was the kind of family togetherness, the kind of parental...stuff, that he just didn’t quite know what to do with. And it wasn’t his to witness. Wasn’t his to be a part of. He’d taken that. He’d taken it from everybody in his family, and he...

He shoved all that to the side. None of this was about him. And he was doing a pretty champion job of making it about him.

“Were going out to dinner tonight,” her dad said. “Why don’t we head over to the house until then?”

“I’ll need to change for dinner,” Jake answered. And not only that, he needed just... A little bit of time. A little bit of time to himself. Hell, he’d done his part, of all this. And that made him feel good. He had gotten Callie what she needed, and on top of all that, it seemed like she might even be able to find some kind of acceptance with her parents. But there was no place for him in the middle of it. He had just been a catalyst. That was all.