Page 12 of One Wild Chance

“Tolerable,” I repeated, fighting a smile. “Is that an actual compliment?”

His mouth quirked. “You have a few redeeming qualities.”

I huffed out a laugh.

“I like that you speak your mind, for one,” he admitted. “You’re not afraid to work hard. And you sure don’t care what anyone thinks.”

“Finally, something we can agree on.” I plucked a few petals off the daisy.

He hates me. He hates me not.

He watched the petals fall to the ground. “I was wrong about you. You’re not delicate. Dad thinks you’re the best worker on this farm. And Mom’s pleased as punch to have a girl here.” He dragged a hand through his wind-blown hair. “Looks like you’re not leaving anytime soon, so if you’re going to work here, you need a nickname.” He studied me. “Do you have one?”

I spun the daisy in my hand. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

I took a deep breath. “Mom said when I was little, I was a wild child, always wandering off when she wasn’t looking. So she called me Wildflower.”

“It fits.” Jaxon nodded, a trace of a smile on his lips. “Wildflower.”

I picked a few more daisies. “Can’t believe you got to grow up here.”

“Really?” He cocked his head. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Is that why you wear a scowl every time you come into the barn?” I asked.

He smirked. “No, that’s because of you, Wildflower.”

“Way to charm the new girl.”

He shrugged, but I didn’t miss the way his lips twisted into a grin. “Didn’t say I was trying.”

In one smooth move, he swung up into the saddle. I never realized watching someone ride could be so spellbinding.

He looked at me, the muscles in his arm flexing as he held the reins. “Race you back, Wildflower?”

I smiled as I climbed back on the horse, already getting a head start. “You’re on, cowboy.”

He called me Wildflower until the day he left, and then he never called me that name again. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I only knew that I wanted to stay at Lucky Chance forever, and I hoped Jaxon would too.

Rebel nudges my shoulder, pulling me back into the present. I’m not in high school anymore. Jaxon still knows how to push my buttons. He’s never been able to resist a challenge, and neither have I.

Chapter 5

Jaxon

So that’s the way it’s going to be—her against me. A competition to see who lasts the longest.

“Hey, Jaxon,” Grady says, coming out of the law office. “James wants to talk to you for a minute.”

“Alone?”

Grady nods.

“What’s it about?”

“Beats me,” Grady says with a shrug.