Chasing Trouble (Chasing Love 1)

Colt let out a long breath and rested his forearms on the bar counter. Truth was, he wasn’t thinking about the circuit or his career. At all.

“What can I get you?” Penny asked.

“I’ll have what he’s having. Thanks, Pen.”

She winked, popped the top off a beer, slid it to Colt, and went to take the order of other men down the bar.

“Stressed about money with you being out?” Huck asked.

Colt laughed and took a swig of his beer. “No, man.”

He had being riding a long time and made a damn good living doing what he did. Thanks to smart investing and simple living, he had enough liquid funds to retire tomorrow.

No, the issue bothering Colt was much bigger than money.

I’m ashamed of me.

He replayed Jenna’s words over and over. Saw the broken, defeated look on her face. And all he had said was no. Jesus, what kind of moron was he? He wanted to argue with her. To tell her she was smart and amazing and fucking sexy as hell. That she was better than most women. But she had caught him so off guard that all he could do was disagree with her perception of herself. Because it was so wildly untrue.

Colt hadn’t been able to get it out of his mind. How the hell could she ever feel that way about herself? Colt knew why, and it made him want to strangle Jenna’s mother for giving her daughter that kind of self-loathing complex.

“So what’s the problem?”

“Since when have you gotten so chatty, Huck?”

He shrugged. “Your mood is killing mine. Repelling all the chicks. Buck up or I’m flying stag from here on out.”

Of course. Huck was one to think long-term—’course, long-term for him was sunset to sunrise. He was worse than Colt. Ryder and Sebastian had always been the responsible ones. Colt and Huck liked to tear it up and get crazy now and again.

“I know you don’t like talking about your parents, but if you want to…” Huck trailed off and Colt kind of laughed.

“You know what’s weird, I was actually thinking about a woman.” He took a swig of his beer. “And you’re right, I don’t like talking about my parents, but for some reason, thinking of them isn’t as hard as it used to be.”

“So this woman, she’s making you remember the good stuff?”

Colt looked at his friend. “Something like that. She’s making me…try.”

Huck nodded. “Well, that sounds like the foundation of a healthy relationship.”

Colt’s throat burned because he damn near just choked. “What?”

“I read in one of those lady magazines that solid relationships are built on trust and something else.”

“Why the hell were you reading a lady magazine?”

“It was the only thing in the waiting room when I went to see Lily for stitches in my hand the other day. Damn nail gun got away from me. Oh, friendship!” Huck snapped his finger. “It was friendship. The best relationships come from being friends first. You know what that means?”

Colt’s eyes went wide and Huck gave one of shit-eating grins. He was caught—

“It means your sister and I are destined to hook up. You think she’ll go out with me?”

Colt slugged Huck in the arm, but he only laughed. “I’m kidding. Kissing Lily would be like kissing my own sister. But you should have seen your face!”

“Don’t talk about kissing my sister,” Colt grumbled. Good God, he was going to have a heart attack. Despite Huck being a dick with his jokes, maybe he and his lady magazine were right. Maybe the best relationships did come from friendships.

“You need to lighten up, Colt. Maybe get out of town for a few days. Clear your head,” Huck said. “This place can feel suffocating at times. Getting away from everyone and everything can be good for you.”

Colt’s eyes snapped wide. “Jesus Christ, Huck, you’re a genius!”