Chasin' Eight (Rough Riders 11)

Ben gave him a smug smile. “Don’t be a stranger, bro.”

He said, “I won’t,” and meant it.

Chase’s mind raced as he drove to Kane’s trailer. First he’d book his ticket online. No, first he’d call Ava. He wasn’t taking any chance there’d be miscommunication.

Once he was inside the quiet trailer, he caught a whiff of flowers. But this time he didn’t attribute it to cleaning supplies. This time, he recognized the scent.

Ava.

His skeptical side warned about wishful thinking, while his optimistic side urged him to hurry the hell up.

Chase threw open the bedroom door. There she was, standing on the bed. Just like before. Except this time she wasn’t nekkid. This time Ava didn’t look like she wanted to kick his ass.

She looked like she wanted to kiss him.

He hopped up on the bed and kissed her first. “My God, woman, tell me I’m not dreaming.”

“You’re not dreaming.”

“As much as I’m thanking my lucky stars…why are you here?”

“When I didn’t hear what constituted a family emergency that had you pulling out of an event you were winning, I called Ben last night. He told me you were here. So I hopped a plane in LA—not a word about me using the family jet—last night and drove over from Rapid City.”

His wily brother hadn’t been expecting a lady friend after all. “I missed you like crazy.”

Ava rested her forehead to Chase’s. “I missed you.” She tugged him down until they sat on the bed. “What happened with your family?”

“Short version? My teenage mom had a baby out of wedlock with my dad, and I have a brother no one knew anything about. He showed up out of the blue this weekend.”

“Wow. That’s TV-movie-of-the-week stuff. How’s your family taking it?”

“We’re in shock. This Gavin guy…my brother…he’s pretty tight-lipped.”

“So there is a family resemblance,” she teased.

Chase smiled. “Maybe.” He kissed her knuckles. “Ava. I don’t even know where to start to make this right between us again.”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s start there.” She inhaled deeply and let it out. “First let me say I’m so, so sorry I slapped you. There is no excuse for my behavior but it’ll never happen again. I swear.”

“I believe you. I’m sorry I left the way I did. I had a lot of time to think between Omaha and Wichita.”

“About us?”

“That and some other stuff.”

“Like what?”

“I’ve been thinkin’ about safety issues and helmets and all that since Ryan died. And then after what happened to Dirk, I realized I wanna do more than talk about it; I wanna act on it. It’s a murky idea right now, but I have an opportunity to make a difference and I’m going to take it.” He kissed her just because he could, because she was here with him, where she belonged. “Enough about that. Tell me how long you were in LA, because Hollywood, I was headed there first thing in the morning.”

“A couple of hours after you left, I got a casting call for a new sitcom and flew back to LA. I should come clean and let you know that my agent called me three times over the course of our road trip, after she’d lined up auditions. And every time I declined to go back to LA to audition. I didn’t know what it meant at the time, besides I didn’t want to leave you. But now I understand it was a sign I’m done with acting. Maybe not forever, but definitely for now.”

“Are you sure?”

“No.” She laughed. “But I feel freer and I’m taking a chance to change the path of my career. Which sounds stupid. I could’ve gotten off the path at any time.”

“Events that force a change ain’t always bad,” he said softly.

“True. When we met? I really was just using my camera for fun. But after we’d been on the road a couple weeks, I began to see the potential of telling a story from three different sides, from the perspective of three riders at varied stages of their careers. I started cataloguing the video segments and realized I’d shot a lot of footage. I have enough to do at least two documentaries. One with you, one without. I would never exploit Ryan’s death. I hope you know I’m not that heartless and willing to do anything to forge this new path.”

He kissed her knuckles. “I know.”

“But if you say no, Chase, I’ll shitcan the whole works and find something else to work on. I’d still like to put together a memorial disk for Jackie so she can see Ryan’s happiness being part of the rodeo world.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to not to do that. This project is important to you.” He locked his eyes to hers. “Would you ask me to give up bull ridin’?”

“No. I worry every time you get on the back of a bull, even more now after I saw what happened with Ryan. But it’s a part of what makes you, you. I’d never ask you to give it up.”

“I’ve come to the same conclusion. You’re talented, Ava. The little bit of your film I saw was amazing. You need to make the documentary however you see fit. If you have Jackie’s blessing, and she’s the one who’s the most affected by all of this, then I’m on board.”

Ava briefly closed her eyes and mouthed, “Thank you.”

“With a couple of exceptions,” Chase cautioned. “I want full veto power on the personal footage you use of us. That was our time, Ava. We fell in love, and we both know it had a lot to do with our conversations on the road, both on and off camera. Since we’re both in the spotlight, we have to keep some things private.”

“I agree. I’m sorry you saw that segment. And I swear I didn’t tape you on a secret camera. I set it down and forgot it was on. I intended to erase it, but in my frantic file switching it ended up in the wrong place.”

“That’s good to know. Also, if you plan on using the footage, you’ll hafta out me as Bill Chase. I don’t know what the repercussions will be, as far as how the PRCA will react, not to mention the PBR. But I’m prepared to deal with the consequences no matter what.”

“And I’ll stick by you no matter what happens.” Ava laid her hand on his cheek. “You know that, right?”

“I do now. Look, I’m gonna ride bulls as long as I’m able. There’s risk with that. But I’m also looking ahead to what I’ll do when I’m done. Maybe I’ll open a bull ridin’ school. I hear it’s warm year-round in California.”