As Maddy started to walk behind Piper, Chase clasped her upper arm, slowing her down.
“You look fantastic,” he whispered in her ear. “Nobody there is going to hold a candle to you.”
A little glow grew in her heart. She felt like she was on a date again. She liked the feeling.
Chapter Eight
Chase told himself to enjoy what he had and quit wishing for more. Maddy was in his arms. She was smiling and she was perfectly in sync with his steps.
The local band was pretty good, and it was Chase and Maddy’s second dance together. He was going to have to let her go soon if he didn’t want to make his interest too obvious. Zane was in the room. He’d sent them a wave while he danced with a cute, curvy blonde in a white, rhinestone decorated cowboy hat.
“What’s Eli doing here?” There was surprise in Maddy’s voice.
The appearance of her second brother meant it was definitely time to back off. Chase stopped dancing and guided her to the edge of the floor.
“My brother Eli is here,” she elaborated. “That’s him over by the bar.”
Chase considered his response. He wasn’t going to lie to her, but he didn’t want to step on any family toes either. They obviously hadn’t yet told her about the plan to buy the Douglas Ranch.
“I met him earlier,” Chase said.
She whirled her head to look at Chase. “You did?”
“Zane introduced us.”
“I guess they didn’t know I was coming.”
Eli spotted them and started to approach. His gaze on Chase was anything but friendly. It said back off. No, it said back the hell off.
“They didn’t know you’d be here,” Chase said.
“I suppose,” she said. “Is there something special about Zane’s ride this weekend?”
Chase let that one pass, assuming she didn’t expect an answer from him.
“Hey, Button.” Eli’s smile for Maddy was warm. He lifted her off the floor in a hug.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him.
“Watching my little brother ride bulls. What are you doing here? What are you doing with him?” As he set her down, Eli canted his head toward Chase.
“Dancing. Tell me what’s going on with you. How’s the job? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”
“The job’s good,” Eli said, all but shouldering Chase out of the way.
“Think I’ll get a drink,” Chase said. He had no desire to get into a contest with Eli over the rights to Maddy.
“A beer for me,” Maddy said, clearly making the assumption he’d be coming back. “Whatever they have on tap.”
“You got it,” said Chase, catching Eli’s frown.
Chase’s plan was give them some space to keep Eli from getting suspicious. But that sure hadn’t worked out.
Piper fell into step beside him. “Is that Eli Merrick?”
The question surprised Chase. “I thought you knew the family.”
“I do. I did. But it’s been years since I saw anyone but Maddy and Zane. He’s bigger than he used to be.”
“He’s a big guy, alright.”
“Does he know about you and Maddy?”
Chase wasn’t sure what she was getting at. “You mean about Riley thinking I’m the other Chase?”
“No.” Piper shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
Chase wasn’t about to give anything away. He couldn’t tell if Piper actually knew something or if she was just fishing for information.
“Maddy told me,” Piper said.
Chase wasn’t falling for that either. “Told you what?”
Piper stopped dead still.
He turned to see the blood drain from her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Is that Lucas?”
Chase looked. “Yes.”
Piper grabbed his arm. “Get me out of here.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it. Walk me to the door.” She started to move, all but dragging him along.
Chase saw no other choice. “You don’t want to see Lucas.”
“Yes. No. I don’t.” She seemed genuinely rattled.
“What’s the problem?”
“Nothing. It’s no big deal.”
It was pretty obvious to Chase that it was a big deal. He waited for her to elaborate.
“It’s just that we had an ugly fight years ago, and I don’t want to re-hash it here tonight.”
“You think he’d do that?” Chase couldn’t see it. From what he knew of Lucas, Lucas was refined and circumspect.
“Yes, I think he’d do exactly that.” She glanced surreptitiously behind them as they walked.
Now she had Chase curious. “How long has it been since you saw him?”
“For a minute at Maddy’s. Before that it was high school.”
“I think you’re overreacting.” Chase didn’t want to leave the party. He wouldn’t leave Piper or any woman to her own devices, but he had no intention of leaving Maddy behind either.
“He’s coming.” Piper’s voice was almost a squeak.
“Did he see you?” It was Chase’s turn to glance back.
Lucas had seen her alright. He was barreling down on them with laser focus, anger tightening his expression.
“Are you sure it’s been more than a decade?” Chase asked.
“I’m sure.”
“What are you doing here?” Lucas demanded of Piper.
“Hello, Lucas,” Chase said, hoping the man wasn’t going to cause a scene.
“We need to talk,” Lucas said to Piper, his eyes hard as blue steel.
“No, we don’t,” Piper said.
“Outside, now.”
Chase couldn’t stand by. “She said no, Lucas. Come on, man.”
“This is none of your concern.” Lucas didn’t even look his way.
“She came with me,” Chase said.
Lucas rounded on him. “She what?”
“Both her and Maddy came with me.”
“Then she’s not your date,” Lucas stated.
“I’m not letting you drag her outside against her will.”
“You’re back in Deadwood,” Lucas said in an accusatory tone.
Piper crossed her arms over her chest. “What if I am?”
Chase found his attention straying to Maddy. She was still with Eli. He found himself grateful for that. As long as she was with that bear of a brother, other guys weren’t likely to hit on her.
“You picked Deadwood.”
“Damn right I did.”
“You know we have to talk,” Lucas said.
“There’s nothing left to say.”
“Oh, yes, there is.” Lucas was all but towering over her, shoulders forward, feet planted apart.
Chase took a half step in between them, facing Lucas. “You think you need to talk to her? Okay. It’s fair to ask.”
Lucas slid him an impatient glare.
Chase ignored it. “Here’s a thought. Maybe you could try not intimidating her so bad?”
“I’m not—” Lucas closed his eyes and took a deep breath, moderating his tone. His stance relaxed, and he drew back. “Piper. It would be good if we talked.”
“I’m not going outside with you.” She sounded more annoyed than frightened now.
“I don’t think you want to talk in here.”
Piper hesitated.
“You have to know I won’t give up.”
Chase looked at her. If she still said no, he was walking her away. He’d take her back to the motel or wherever she wanted to go, no matter what it might do to his relationship with Lucas. He’d come back for Maddy.
“Fine,” Piper said shortly.
“Are you sure?” Chase asked her, surprised.
“She agreed,” Lucas said, his tone resolute. “Your duty is done.”
Chase watched her expression a moment longer to be sure.
She put a hand on his arm. “It’s fine. Thanks. But I’ll be okay.”
“She won’t need you,” Lucas said.
Chase took a step back, leaving them to it. Whatever it was they had to hash out, it was no longer any of his business.
He made his way back to the bar and ordered three beers. Eli was starting to look easy in comparison to his older brother.
“Hey, Chase.” Zane leaned on the bar next to him. “How’s it going?”
“Great,” Chase said, relieved that at least one Merrick brother didn’t seem to want a fist fight. “Looks like you’re having a good time.”
“I’m always having a good time.”
“You’re riding tomorrow?”
Zane wouldn’t be the first cowboy to ride with a hangover, but Chase sure didn’t recommend it.
“I’ll be fine by noon.” Zane clapped him on the shoulder. “Until then, Miss Harvest Homecoming seems to want to keep me company.”
“The blonde in the white hat?”
“That’s the one.”
“Are you sure she’s over eighteen?”
“She’s twenty.”
“You might want to check her ID.”
Zane laughed. “Way ahead of you, buddy.”
Chase shook his head. He couldn’t remember ever being so carefree. He wasn’t sure he’d have wanted it that way. Though, looking back, maybe he should have played the field a while before settling on Laura-Leigh. For sure, Laura-Leigh should have looked around before she said yes to Chase.
Come to think of it, she had looked around. She just hadn’t bothered telling Chase she was doing it.
“When are you going to tell Maddy?” Chase asked Zane.
“Tell her what?”
“About the Douglas Ranch. What else? Are you keeping other things from her?”
“Hundreds,” Zane said. “For instance, Miss Harvest Homecoming.”
“I doubt your sister cares about Miss Harvest Homecoming.”
“I agree,” Zane said with authority.
The bartender set three mugs of beer in front of Chase, and he handed the man a twenty.
“She’ll care about the Douglas Ranch. I assume you’re planning to sell the house for the down payment.”
“We’ll have to.”
“Then you better tell her she’s moving.”
“I’m leaving that to Lucas,” Zane said.
Chase thought that was probably a smart approach, although Lucas seemed pretty distracted at the moment.
“Don’t let him wait too long,” Chase said.
“On it,” Zane said, but his attention had already wandered to Miss Harvest Homecoming. He took his beer and left.
Chase left a tip for the bartender and gathered up the mugs, making his way back across the crowded floor to Maddy and Eli. By the time he got there, Wyatt had joined the conversation.
“…a family reunion without me?” Maddy was saying.
“You’re here,” Wyatt pointed out.
“You didn’t know I was coming.”
“Zane thought you were coming,” Eli said.
Chase handed each of them a beer.
“Thanks,” Maddy said.
Wyatt gave him a mock toast.
“It’ll take more than a beer,” Eli said to Chase.
“You’re a tough sell, aren’t you?” Chase returned.
“I’m not a pushover.”
“Neither am I,” Chase said. “But I am thirsty, so if you’ll excuse me.”
Before he could leave, Maddy linked her arm with his.
“I’m going with you. I’ll leave the boys to their boys’ club.”
Chase didn’t know whether to be pleased or worried. He decided to go with pleased. Eli could stew in his own annoyance. Chase had Maddy to himself again.
“They’re always like that,” she complained as they walked.
“Like what?”
“No girls allowed. They used to exclude me from everything.”
“They all seem to love you very much.”
“Like I’m a china doll.” She frowned over the words.
“You’re pretty as a china doll,” he offered.
“I’m not delicate.” She stumbled, and he quickly grabbed her and steadied her. “And I don’t need help.”
He raised a mocking brow. “Really?”
“That was a loose floorboard. Not my fault.”
“I think you’re the perfect combination of delicate and tough.”
She gave a bright, slightly glassy smile and leaned against him as they walked. “What a nice thing to say.”
“You’ve had more than just beer, haven’t you?”
“Piper and I had a few shots when we first got here.”
“It’s not smart to get drunk at a party full of rowdy cowboys.”
“Since three of those cowboys are my brothers, and one is…” She paused. “You. I think I’m safe.”
“Just don’t make a habit of it.” He hated the thought of her drinking while he wasn’t around.
“I don’t. And I’m not drunk. It was a loose floorboard, and you should stop being a killjoy.”
“Is that what I’m being?”
“I’m a single mom. I don’t get out very often. I just want to kick back.”
He couldn’t say he blamed her for that. It was easy to see that taking care of a three-year-old was a full time job. And she was doing it brilliantly.
“Kick back away,” he said. “You want another shot?”
“Okay, now you’re trying to get me drunk.”
“I can see I’m not going to win in this conversation.”
“You’ve already won.”
“I have?” He was dying to know what she meant by that.
“Did you miss the part last week where we had great sex?”
He had absolutely not missed that part. He’d been thinking about it ever since. “You might want to keep your voice down.”
She dropped her voice to a stage whisper. “That was a win.”
“I didn’t know it was a contest.”
“It was a win-win.” She chuckled, seeming to like her joke.
They were weaving their way between clusters of people, heading in the general direction of the bar. But he was in no hurry to get there.
“You really think anyone’s going to overhear me with that band playing?”
He supposed he didn’t. “Did you tell Piper we slept together?”
“I may have mentioned it on the drive over. Piper’s cool. She won’t tell anyone.”
“What about your brothers?”
Maddy shook her head. “They’re a bit… well… funny about me.”
“No kidding.” Chase couldn’t help but picture Eli.
“They’re protective.”
“That first day we met, the second Lucas got me alone, he flat out ordered me not to sleep with you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Do guys do that? I mean, when they don’t even know each other?”
“They do when it’s their sister.”
She went quiet.
They came to the bar and he ordered a beer. When it came, he switched, giving her the cold one.
“I’m sorry about Lucas,” she said.
Chase couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not your fault. You slept with me anyway.”
“No. You slept with me anyway.”
“I suppose I did.”
She gave him a suggestive grin, and he wanted to drag her into his arms right then and there. He took a swig of the beer instead.
She scanned the crowded room. “Do you know what happened to Piper?”
“She went outside with Lucas.”
“She did?” Maddy seemed surprised. “Wait a minute, Lucas is here too?”
“He is.” Chase moved the conversation on. “Do you happen to know what’s going on between those two?”
Maddy shook her head. “Piper said they had a fight. But that was years and years ago.”
“She told me th
e same thing.”
“Do you think we should rescue her?” Maddy asked.
“That’s not my area of expertise.”
“I think we should rescue her.”
Chase supposed Lucas had had ample time to say whatever he wanted.
“Are you ready to leave then?” Truth was, he would happily get out of here, away from the noise, away from the crowds, and away from Maddy’s brothers.
“I’m ready,” she said.
He took a final drink of the beer then put his hand on the small of her back to guide her to the door.
They found Piper outside, perched on a concrete retaining wall, gazing across the crowded parking lot. Lucas wasn’t around.
“Is everything okay?” Maddy asked as they approached. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright under the porch lights.
It was probably the shots, but Chase couldn’t help appreciating her beauty all over again.
“It’s fine,” Piper said, putting on what looked like a stoic expression and coming to her feet.
“Where’s Lucas?” Maddy glanced at the few clusters of conversation groups.
Piper shrugged. “Are we going back to the motel now?”
“Is that what you want?” Chase asked her.
“I’ve had enough party for tonight,” she said, turning toward the spot where Chase had parked the truck.
He took a last look behind them to see if any Merrick brothers were following. They weren’t.
*
Back at the motel, they relieved Tristan. Riley was asleep in the middle of the bed, and Chase knew he should head for his own room. But he wasn’t ready to leave Maddy just yet.
“Daddy?” Riley asked in a sleepy voice, shifting under the covers.
Chase smiled resignedly, banishing hopes of a passionate good night kiss. He sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m here, buckaroo.”
“Will you read me a story, Daddy?”
Chase gave Maddy a questioning gaze, wondering if she had brought along any books. She gave a little shake of her head.
“We don’t have your books here,” he told Riley, tucking the covers up around his chin.
“Can you make up a story? Sometimes Mommy makes up my stories.”
“Mommy’s here too,” Chase said.
“I want a Daddy story. A horse story.”
Chase realized Riley was coming more and more awake. He wanted to keep him sleepy. A story seemed like the best way to do that.
“Okay,” Chase told him soothingly, stretching his legs out on the bed to get comfortable. “Once upon a time…”
Chase (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour Book 2) Page 13
