Nola hadn’t been sure if Chase would hold up his end of the bargain.
“Only if you trust me.” She took another step closer to him. Less than a foot separated them, and Nola fought the urge to lay her hand on his chest. “We can reshoot this as many times as we need until you feel comfortable. The van has full editing capabilities, so you’ll see the final cut before I send it to the studio. But they are expecting something for the six o’clock news.”
“No pressure, right?” Chase shuffled his feet and leaned on the railing. “Let’s do this, then.”
“I won’t let you down,” Nola said. “Just give me a chance.”
Chase met her eyes as the words tumbled from her lips. She hadn’t meant for them to come out so breathlessly. She’d meant to sound reassuring, not desperate.
* * *
CHASE SENSED THERE was more to Nola’s statement. First Cole, then his mother had pointed out their mutual attraction. Up until this point, Chase had always assumed it was one-sided, but there was no denying the increasing chemistry between them. Chase wished George wasn’t so close by so he could have a moment to show Nola how much he trusted her. There was never a more right and wrong time to kiss her.
“Where do you want to do this?” Nola asked.
Chase focused on Nola’s mouth. Her lips were almost bare, just the way he liked them. She wasn’t wearing nearly the amount of makeup she normally did, and her hair fell in natural waves instead of being flat ironed straight the way it usually was. This definitely wasn’t Nola’s customary in-front-of-the-camera attire and Chase wondered what type of interview he was in for.
“Are you able to walk and talk?” Nola asked, bringing Chase back to his senses.
Chase laughed. “Since I was a year-and-a-half old, yeah. I think I can handle it.”
“That didn’t come out quite right.”
Chase rubbed the back of his neck and picked up the Stetson he had left on one of the rocking chairs earlier. “You make me nervous.” It was an honest statement. One he feared left him a little too vulnerable where Nola was concerned.
Nola took his hand in hers and led him down the porch stairs toward the stables while George walked ahead of them with his camera, mumbling something about having to find their best light. Releasing Chase’s hand, Nola instructed, “Relax, be natural and think of me as one of your friends.” Only one problem with that statement. Chase didn’t make a habit of holding hands with his friends, and in less than twenty-four hours, he had done so repeatedly with Nola.
Chase still felt her warmth in his palm. He understood it would be unprofessional for her to continue the gesture in front of her colleague, but he hated the immediate emptiness he felt when she let go.
“I know coming home without winning the championship was a big deal for you,” Nola said as they continued to walk. “But going into the competition injured couldn’t have been easy, either.”
“No, it wasn’t. But what was the alternative? I couldn’t let everyone down. Do you know how many people put their time and money into my sponsorship? My friends and neighbors took time off work to travel to my events throughout the year. I had students cheering me on from the stands when I rode in their hometowns. Dropping out wasn’t an option. I would’ve disappointed too many people. But in the end, I let them down anyway. I knew riding in the Nationals was a risk, but as painful as it was, I had to see it through. I never expected to be knocked out of the competition on the second day, though.” Chase stopped walking and faced Nola. “It’s different around here. You’re not just one person. You’re part of a community and they become a part of your family. When you travel for the rodeo, you get to know your fellow riders’ families, and even though they’re your competition, they truly become an extension of yourself. Everywhere I looked, I had all these people rooting for me. I had to ride.”
Chase still physically ached from his final ride in the ring, but explaining it to Nola had been easier than he’d anticipated.
“Was your shoulder the only reason you were hesitant?”
Chase nodded. “At first I thought I had dislocated it during a practice ride on one of our own broncs. After a series of testing, the doctors discovered fine tears in some of the ligaments. We took the physical therapy approach and I babied it the following week. Even though I’d been warned that surgery might be required down the road, I thought I was strong enough to compete. It was still tender and I knew the potential danger, but I didn’t expect it to end like this.”
The corners of Nola’s mouth turned upward slightly. “No one can fault you for your dedication. That’s what you’re known for.”
Her declaration surprised him. “Thank you.”
“Did you get that?” Nola glanced at George.
“Every word.”
“Get what?” Chase looked from one to the other.
“You didn’t even realize you were on camera.” Nola squared her shoulders. Inhaling deeply, her smile broadened. “I don’t think it needs much of an edit. Give us a few minutes to pull it up on the monitor and you can tell me what you think. If you hate it, we’ll destroy it, but I think you’ll be satisfied.”
Chase watched them walk to the van, leaving him alone on the dirt path between the horse pastures. What just happened? Nola definitely had a way of interviewing people—if they even realized they were being interviewed.
He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by trusting her. Chase wasn’t looking for anyone to validate his decision to ride in Vegas. He just wanted them to understand why he’d done it. More important, he wanted Nola to understand he still had something worth giving.
* * *
NOLA REALIZED SHE’D been taking a huge chance recording Chase without his knowledge. It was a plan she and George had come up with before they arrived at the ranch. They’d used the technique in the past, always granting the interviewee a chance to see the finished product. Most of the time it worked, but a handful of times it had gotten them in trouble.
Chase wouldn’t have been as open if he’d known. And that was what he needed—raw honesty, so people could see this wasn’t just another arrogant cowboy who’d blown his chances. Nola hoped Chase would feel the same way when he saw the video.
She was right. Very little editing was needed, and even though Nola had done this a million times, she was nervous about showing Chase the result.
“Watch it all the way through before you say anything.”
Chase stood outside the van and watched the monitor. His face remained stoic, and Nola couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking. She even looked to George, but he only shrugged. When the video ended Chase still didn’t say a word.
Nola tried not to be obvious about glancing at her watch. She had an hour left to get the video to the studio.
Chase jammed both hands into his front jean pockets. “Why did it look like I was about to cry?”
Bingo! That was exactly the effect she wanted. “Because this means something to you. It wasn’t just about winning. It was about family and community—and
