Page 8 of Spurred On

“The way out was the day you left me hanging. Two months ago. I won’t be holding my breath.”

If her voice didn’t ice me out, her tense shoulders and refusal to look at me would do the trick. Fuck, I feel like absolute shit about the whole thing.

A little frustration rises in me because she clearly has no clue about the amount of time and work that goes into riding bulls for a living. “Sorry that my job called me away. There was nothing I could do about that.”

“Yes, well, now I am going to have to figure out what I am going to do for a job for the next six months in your little podunk town.”

It’s not like the town we’re standing in is much different. There’s only three little shops in the city center and judging by the amount of cars I see, it’s not heavily populated either. It’s another small town in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming.

Ava moves to angrily stomp away from me, and she actually looks kind of cute when she is all pissed off, but I keep that thought to myself. I am pretty sure I am walking on paper-thin ice with her.

Grabbing her elbow, I swing her around to look at me. “One, you only have to work if you want to. I can float you since I’m partially to blame for this mess. Two, don’t insult a town you’ve never been to. It’s a great town, and if you spend enough time there, I bet you won’twant to leave.” Windy Peaks has always been home. No matter how many cities I’ve been to, nothing tops it.

She looks like I’ve gravely insulted her by the way her face pinches, and sarcasm drips from her tone as she shoots me a stiff smile. “Yeah, one, I am not taking a dime from you. Thank you very much. I’m going to have to cross my fingers and toes that there's a hospital within driving distance. Two, I’m sorry.” Something about her tone leads me to think she is anything but sorry and that she is about three seconds away from spontaneous combustion due to rage, “I’m mad at you, not your town.”

Unsure of how to diffuse the situation, I choose honesty. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I am mad at me too. And when I leave here, I have to tell my whole team about this, so there are going to be a whole lot more people joining the Mad at Maverick Club today.”

I don’t even want to think about that right now. My ass will never be the same after the chewing it’s about to get.

The tense rise in her shoulders seems to let go as she takes a deep breath, her rage goes from a boiling over to a dull simmer. “Okay, well that does make me feel better. I’m sorry for the part I played in this, too,” she props a hand on her hip, laying the attitude on thick, “but maybe next time, listen to me?”

I raise my hand in promise. “I swear I have learned my lesson.”

“Well, I guess I will call you next week and figure out a good time to move. I need to go.” She doesn’t give me a second glance. But I can’t help but stare as she walks away.

Maybe by the end of this, she won’t hate me. But I’ve got bigger fish to fry today. There’s a chance I’ll be dead next week once I tell Doug, so she might be in luck.

Chapter 6

Ava

My head is still swimming with the ways today went incredibly wrong. How the hell am I supposed to start my career if I’m being forced to move for the next six months? Walking into the apartment I share with Erin, I find her sitting on our plush grey couch.

“How did it go?” she asks, turning off the TV and angling herself toward me.

“Oh, about as bad as it could have.” I drop my purse on the small end table and let out a groan.

“Uh-oh, tell me more.” She pats the seat next to her, and I slowly drag myself over.

My feet trudge against the floor as the realization of what is happening sinks in. “I’m still married, and you’re going to need a roommate because I’m being forced to move for the next six months.”

Her eyes widen as she kicks the plush blanket off her legs and shoots to a standing position. “You’re joking? Where are you moving to?”

I sit down, hoping she will join me because I do not have the energy for this. “Oh no, I am quite serious. Windy Peaks.” I’m just grateful he lives in the same state. It does make finding a job out there a little easier. Hopefully, I’ll find a hospital willing to take a chance on a new grad.

She shakes her head as if this isn’t quite computing. “How is that even possible?”

“We have to prove effort of reconciliation, because technically, we’ve been married for a couple months. I’m pretty sure the judge is making an example out of us.” She took zero pity on us being young and dumb. Then again, we aren’t that young. I’m twenty-eight and Maverick is… Actually, I don’t know how old he is. I don’t know anything about him at all except that he’s a damn good bull rider with a pretty face.

She slaps her hands down next to her. “Well, that’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. Is there any way out of it?”

My hand flies up dismissively. “I don’t know. Maverick’s team is looking into it. I feel like it’s pretty doubtful. The judge didn’t seem to be too impressed with the way we got into our situation.” Which makes two of us; I know better. I never do anything reckless or stupid.

I bury my face in my hands. Just when I thought life was finally going to get a touch less stressful, this happened.

“I’m so sorry. I really shouldn’t have let you leave with him.” She rubs my back, trying to keep me from dropping off the edge.

A deep sigh rattles through me as I sit back up. “It’s okay, no one could have predicted I'd pull a Carrie Underwood card and get married to a man I’d known for all of seven minutes.” However, after looking at him today, I can see why drunk me thought that was a good idea. I’m still mad as hell, but there is no denying he is one good looking man. His face is sharp in all the right places, and even though I want to throttle him right now, he has kind, warm eyes that draw you in. Makes me wonder what’s under the Pro Bull Rider facade.

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