Page 121 of One Wild Chance

I saddle up Scout and head through the gate to the trail, just as the downpour begins.

I’m guessing she went to the back pasture where no one would find her. It’s just a hunch, and if I’m wrong, I’ll have wasted a lot of time and gotten drenched too.

When I finally reach the rise where I can see a stretch of pasture, I catch a glimpse of her horse cresting the hill, Summer low in the saddle, she and the horse moving as one.

I yell her name but she pushes on as a flash of lightning splits the sky. I take off after her, coming around the far side at a full gallop. Sally is fast, but Scout has always been faster, because Mom refused to ride a slow horse.

“Summer!” I yell, coming in to her left. She doesn’t look my way, or even acknowledge I’m there. There’s a wildness in her expression, a determined glint in her eyes. I cut ahead of her, pulling Scout up hard across her path, the same way she did when she cut me off in my truck.

Summer yanks back on her reins, and Sally grinds to a halt. For a second, we both stare at each other, neither of us moving. I’m not letting this woman go until I find out why she’s out here.

“Summer, what are you doing?” She looks at me the same as the day I returned to Golden Springs: chin up, not budging an inch. Only now I know what’s underneath her stubborn stance.

“I needed time to think.”

My brows lift. “In a thunderstorm?”

“Remember what I told you? I think better in storms.” Rain runs down her face, and her clothes cling to her skin.

“But why didn’t you stop?” Scout shifts under me as the thunder rumbles again. The horse doesn’t like being out here any more than I do, but I’m not turning back until Summer talks to me.

“I…” Her throat bobs.

“James told you about the loophole,” I say.

“He did.”

“And you thought I’d leave—now that I have a way out.”

She blinks, but doesn’t reply.

I slide off Scout and stride toward her. The ground is already turning to mud under my boots, but I don’t care. I cross the space between us, my shirt plastered to my skin and rain running off the brim of my hat. There’s only one thing I care about right now, and she’s sitting on a horse in a Kentucky thunderstorm.

I plant myself in front of her because I’m not leaving unless she comes with me. I’m totally committed to her, with nothing held back and nowhere to go but to beg the woman in front of me to let me into her wild, beautiful heart.

“What James had to say doesn’t change anything,” I tell her. “I already knew I was staying.”

“Jaxon—”

“Let me finish.” I put up a hand. “I want a life with you at Lucky Chance. If you’ll have me.” She stares at me with wide eyes. “I came here, not knowing who I was anymore after my injury. I thought that whatever was left of me wasn’t worth much.”

Thunder rolls somewhere behind us, farther off now.

“But when I picture what I want in life—all I want is you. I want to see you every morning and every night, Wildflower. I want to flirt with you in the barn until Earl threatens to fire us both. I can’t wait to see our kids running around under that oak tree someday, probably falling out of it at least once, knowing our luck.”

A smile curves her mouth.

“But more than anything, I want you, Wildflower.” I hold her gaze, knowing she could ruin me if she wanted to. She probably already has. Because now that I’ve fallen for her, no one else compares. “Underneath all of our squabbles and rivalry, it’s always been you. My feelings for you aren’t ever going to change. Loophole or no loophole.”

She still hasn’t moved, but I can see I’m getting through. The storm clouds in her eyes are slowly breaking up.

“So you’re telling me,” she begins slowly, “you chased me down on a horse, put everything on the line, because you want a life with me here at Lucky Chance?”

“I wish I could say I planned it that way,” I admit with a soft laugh. “If I’d thought of it, I would have.”

She shakes her head as a slightly wrecked smile breaks across her face. “Jaxon, you’re one wild Chance, that’s for sure.”

Then she swings down off Sally and doesn’t stop walking toward me until her body folds into mine. I can see the rain and tears streaming down her face together.