Page 5 of Headstrong Cowboy
Not wanting to head back to his hotel room yet, Ryder followed his nose and entered the Copper Mountain Chocolate Shop.From memory, it was owned by a former rodeo competitor, Sage Carrigan.She’d pivoted from her rodeo career to chocolate making, and by looking at the amount of people in the shop, she’d been successful.
The aroma of chocolate that had teases his senses outside filled the space, and his mouth watered at the array of chocolaty goodness on display.Chocolate was his one weakness, and his good luck charm.He always had some before competing.The one time he hadn’t...Ryder shut his thoughts down on that.
New start.
New beginning.
Endless possibilities and the means to make the possibilities come true.
The mantras floated around his mind, reminding him of all he’d left behind and all that he’d achieved.
Ryder moved to get out of the way of a mother with a stroller and accidentally hip-checked the person standing next to him.His quick reflexes came into play and he reached out, his fingers closing over warm flesh.A swift blast of electricity slammed into his palms before zinging up his arms.He looked up and locked gazes with eyes the color of warm chocolate and hair a shade of caramel, like the center of his favorite candy bar.For a second, he could do nothing but stare, sure that the spark still flowing through his veins was his imagination, but his fingers still tingled from their connection, and he immediately let her go.“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said.
“Um, what?Sorry, it’s fine.”The woman shook her head slightly as if she, too, was having trouble reconciling the moment between them.“I’m just, um, going.”
Ryder watched as she weaved through the patrons and out the door, wishing he’d been able to prolong the encounter.
What were the chances of him running into her again?
Chapter Three
Chrissy sat onthe bench, enjoying the early fall temperatures.She’d come outside to make a list of what she needed to do in her quest to save the farm.It was better than sitting in the small office in the main workshop, where the reality of their situation was all around her.Not to mention she kept thinking over the encounter with the stranger at Sage’s chocolate shop two days ago.She had no idea who he was.He’d probably just been passing through town, and she’d never see him again.Yet, even now, the place where he’d grabbed her sparked to life as if she’d been zapped by lightning.The reaction had left her puzzled, because she’d never experienced anything like it, not even with Beau.It had to have been static electricity which caused it.That was the only plausible answer.
Yet, deep down, she knew it wasn’t.Knew that the reaction had nothing to do with static and everything to do with something bigger.Bigger than she would allow herself to think about, because she didn’t have time for such fanciful thoughts.
Chrissy sighed.She had plenty of other things to think about than what had happened to her.She firmly pushed the stranger from her mind to focus on more important things—like saving the farm.Her personal life, or lack thereof, was something to consider when the farm was safely back in the black.
She stared at her phone and the list of tasks she’d already typed in.Register for the Copper Mountain Rodeo.Reach out to Riley to get a horse.Train, because she only had a short amount of time to get herself ready for the event.Look at what documents she needed to approach the bank for a loan.Arrange to get the money Beau had left her out of the investment she’d put it in.She’d take a hit, but it would be worth it if it meant the farm would be saved.
Her head began to thump at the enormity of what was in front of her, but she’d get it done.There was no other alternative.
“Chrissy, are you okay?”
A smile lifted the corners of Chrissy’s mouth as she spied Sunny walking toward her, glad for the interruption from her heavy thoughts.“Hey, Sunshine.I’m good.What’s going on with you?”
Sunny rolled her eyes at the nickname Chrissy sometimes used for her.“Don’t think you can distract me by calling me that silly name.You looked like you were about to start crying.Talk to me.Is it about the farm?”
Everything inside her froze at her sister’s words.Did Sunny know about the financial difficulties, as well?Was Chrissy the last one to know, and everyone in the family had been trying to keep the truth from her?Or was Sunny’s question purely innocent and coming from a place of inquiry as to what they were going to do now that their father had died?
“What about the farm?”Chrissy threw the question back at her.
Sunny’s gaze shifted away from Chrissy’s, a clear sign her sister didn’t know if she should say something or not.Yet again, telling Chrissy everything she needed to know without Sunny having to say it.“You know, don’t you?”Chrissy said quietly.
“Know what?”Sunny may act like she had no clue what Chrissy was talking about, but she wasn’t fooling her.
“It’s me, Sunny, your sister.I know you and your tells.Whatever you know, you can talk to me about it.”
Before Chrissy had moved away to Buffalo, she and Sunny had been close.In fact, she’d been close to both her sisters when they’d been younger.She had fond memories of them helping their dad.Running through the wildflowers on one of the plots of land Dad had planted for them.Eating ice cream on the back porch on hot summer days.Good memories of fun times spent together.A time when everything was simple and the only concern they all had was if Mom would find out they’d snuck in an extra ice cream when she’d told them they couldn’t have one.
Chrissy was sure Mom knew, but never said anything.
“Where did you go?”Sunny asked, drawing Chrissy back to the fact they were grown women and not children anymore.
“Back to a simpler time.”
“Yeah, I wish I could go back, but I can’t.”
Again, Sunny’s comments further cemented it in Chrissy’s mind that she was well aware of what their dad had done.“When did you find out?”
