Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“Oh, yay!” I could hear her clap, her voice muffled from probably tucking the phone against her chin. “I can’t wait to tell him! Be sure to sit with his mama and daddy.”
“Um, okay.” I had planned on sitting with them, since they were the only people in town I really knew.
“I can’t wait to meet you, Lincoln!”
A smile moved over my face. It was the first real smile I’d had in the last three weeks. “I can’t wait to meet you, Lynn.”
The phone went dead, and I sat down in my chair. I was suddenly scared to death to face Brock tonight . . . but also excited at the possibility of being near him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
LINCOLN
I’d called Stella and arranged to ride to the rodeo with her and Blayze. To say he was excited to see me was an understatement. I could hear him running around the house, singing, when I was speaking to Stella on the phone. A sting of guilt ripped through me, because I’d distanced myself from Blayze and hadn’t meant to. Well, I had intended to the week when Brock had come back into town, but I’d figured Blayze would be happy to see his dad after not seeing him for two weeks.
Ty Senior was with Brock, and Ty was driving with Tanner and Chance.
When we got to the rodeo, Ty took Blayze to go see all the horses and bulls and to wish Brock good luck. For a moment, I’d almost asked to go too. I enjoyed the excitement of being behind the scenes. The only difference at the rodeo was, there were no TV cameras anywhere.
When I scanned the area, I saw Lucy Mae. She was dressed in jean shorts that made her ass stick out. Even though it was the end of May, it still felt too chilly to wear shorts. My jeans and black T-shirt that read #TeamBrockShaw in bright pink were perfectly fine for me, thank you very much. Of course, when Stella had seen the shirt, she’d grinned. I guessed she’d forgotten she had sent it over to the house earlier this afternoon with a card that said, Please wear this. The rest of the family will be wearing the same, and Blayze will love it.
I should have known Stella was up to no good. Currently, I was the only person wearing the T-shirt. And said T-shirt earned me a dirty look from Lucy Mae.
Ty brought Blayze back to us as we headed to our seats. It didn’t take but two minutes for Blayze to ask to leave again. “Grams, can I get a chili dog?” Blayze asked as we took our seats.
Stella sighed. “Blayze Shaw, we just sat down.”
“I can get it. I don’t mind,” I said as I winked at Blayze. He looked so much like his father it made my chest ache.
If Brock and I had kids, what would they look like?
Stilling, I tried to figure out where in the world that thought had come from. I hadn’t even talked to Brock in three weeks, and here I was having thoughts like that.
“You don’t mind?” Stella asked, looking flustered as she tried to settle a very rowdy Blayze.
“Nope. Just a chili dog?” I asked the little boy.
“And some onion rings!”
I pulled in my brows. “I don’t think they have those, buddy.”
His shoulders dropped. “Well, dang it. I had me a hankerin’ for some.”
Pressing my lips tightly together, I tried not to laugh.
“Chips will be fine,” he added.
Stella mumbled under her breath, “Like father, like son. Apples don’t fall far from the trees in this family.”
That time, I did laugh. I made my way down the stands and behind the bleachers.
I was stopped by Tanner. “Hey, I need you to follow me.”
“Oh. Well, I was going to get Blayze a chili dog and chips.”
“Yeah, he doesn’t want any. I told him to say that. I figured you’d offer to get it. Mama doesn’t like leaving her seat once she’s settled.”
I stared at Tanner as he pulled me along. “You used Blayze to get me down here?”
“Hell yeah. The little shit comes in handy sometimes.”
“Tanner Shaw!” I gasped.
He simply laughed.
“Where are we going?”
“Brock wants to talk to you.”
My heart started to beat rapidly in my chest. “Right now?”
“Yep. Said he can’t ride until he talks to you.”
“Now?” I asked again, feeling the nerves flutter in my stomach.
My anger over what had happened had cooled, and I was now in the lovesick stage again. I wanted to see Brock, but at the same time, I was okay with waiting. At least, I thought I was.
The moment I saw him standing there, talking to a group of older cowboys, I lost my breath. He had on jeans, blue chaps that had Blayze on one leg and his favorite Bible verse on the other, a dark-blue long-sleeved shirt that I knew would make his eyes stand out, and a black cowboy hat. He didn’t even have to turn to look at me, and I was already captivated by him.