Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High 4)

My mind went completely blank for a moment as I tried to process what he was saying. Was he...? Yes. He was breaking up with me. Not as a boyfriend, but as a best friend. My heart couldn’t comprehend it. What was going inside that head of his?

“Are you serious?” I took a step toward him, only to have him retreat one more. “Do you understand what you’re saying?”

He sniffed and then wiped the back of his sleeve across his face. “I can’t be around you anymore, Char. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. And now, we’ve let it ruin us.”

With a sigh, he marched past me, heading in the direction of his house. I clenched my fists, determined not to let him have the last word. We didn’t let this ruin us. He ruined us. All because he couldn’t admit his own feelings.

“You’re a coward, Hunter McNally!”

He froze for a brief moment, his body tensing. I prayed that he would turn around. That he would come back, give me that Hunter smile that I loved so much, and we could start over. But with a slight tilt of his head, he was off again, leaving me all alone in our secret hideout.

Chapter Eighteen

I was done.

Not even the prospect of total annihilation of my sworn enemy could cheer me up.

As I slouched next to Geminia at the arena, waiting to go through our steps for tonight’s final event and eventual crowning, all I could do was replay that scene with Hunter this morning at our secret hideout over and over again in my head. It seemed like a lifetime ago when I’d first reunited with him here, at this very arena. Things had gone so wrong between us. And now, I was best-friend-less and broken-hearted. Not a very Junior Rodeo Queen thing to be.

I just wanted this competition to be over. To win my crown and finally be officially released from diner duty. It seemed the most I could hope for this summer. Everything else had fallen apart.

“Hey, chin up,” Geminia said, elbowing me. “Look, they brought the horses for us to practice.”

I straightened up, twisting around to catch a look. Maybe, Hunter had changed his mind and brought Carolina to me himself. A girl could hope.

Biting my lower lip, I desperately searched the crowd of cowboys and horses walking toward us. The sight of a beautiful white horse with gray dots had my heart racing. But then my eyes fell on Bree leading her in my direction, and my heart cracked just a little bit more.

“Hey, beautiful girl.” Bree beamed at me and pulled Carolina in front of me. “Special delivery.”

I tried to smile at her, but my lips felt like they’d been filled with cement. “Thanks, Bree.”

Her smile faltered as her gaze took in my face. She reached out to squeeze my shoulder. “What’s up, sweetie? You look like someone’s died.”

Tears burned in my eyes as I looked away. It did feel like death had been here. And it had stolen the love of my best friend away from me.

“I’m fine,” I lied, hugging my arms around myself.

“Nuh uh, I don’t buy it.” She stepped closer. “Hunter was acting just like this after he got home this morning. That’s when he asked me to deliver Carolina to you. Did you two fight? You’ll make up. You always do.”

I shook my head and stared up at her with despair. “Not this time, Bree. Hunter broke it off between us. He was dead serious. You know he never lies. We’re done.”

Concern reflected in her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak and then shut it. She handed me Carolina’s reins and then squeezed my hands.

“Char, as much as a mother hates to admit this, my son isn’t perfect. He’s got his baggage. I’m to blame for most of that. But I know one thing for sure, he loves you. You’ve been his best friend for most of his life. A friendship like that doesn’t just fall apart in a week.”

I sniffled and looked up at her, my heart rate pounding in my ears. Bree might as well know the truth. It didn’t seem right keeping it from her.

“It can fall apart—especially if I tell him I have feelings for him. Feelings that a girl shouldn’t have for her best friend.”

Her eyebrows arched and her lips made an O shape. She crossed her arms over her chest before giving me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t give up on him, baby girl. Not yet. I’m sure things will settle soon.”

As much as I appreciated Bree’s endless optimism, this was one time when I knew it wouldn’t pan out. Hunter had never acted like this before. He was usually the level-headed one of us. The one to smooth things over in a fight. This tim

e was different. This was permanent. And I was just going to have to figure out how to live with that.

“I guess I’ll see you at the rodeo tonight,” I told Bree as I patted Carolina on the nose. At least she seemed happy to see me. The way she nudged my hand was nothing short of adorable and would’ve made me feel better if it weren’t for this massive boulder of hurt crushing my chest.

With a warm hug and wishes of good luck, Bree headed off and I joined the other girls in the arena with our horses. A line of cowboys sat perched nearby on the arena fence watching our practice. Graham was among them, wearing a scowl worthy of Severus Snape.