Page 23 of One Wild Chance

Jaxon’s always been too restless to put down roots, always chasing the next win. His hockey career didn’t change that about him, and the farm won’t either.

I spent the rest of the evening walking the brothers through everything I know: the staff, seasonal schedule, contractors, boarding clients, breeding calendar. It took nearly an hour and a full plate of Ada Mae’s fried chicken to get through, plus her apple pie afterward.

Jaxon took it all in, asking only two questions. But when his brothers started discussing how we were going to prepare for the Keeneland yearling sale, he kept checking his watch like he had somewhere to be.

“Are you done yet?” he said at one point.

“Oh, I could go on for hours.” I rested my chin on my hands and smiled. “Farm time and city time aren’t the same thing. Around here, we work from sunup to sundown. Meals are just a break before you head back out to the barn.”

“Then you’ll have to excuse me.” He pushed back from the table.

“Ada Mae has the coffee pot going by four thirty in the morning. No Starbucks in Golden Springs, in case you’re wondering. I keep oat milk in the fridge.”

He grimaced. “No, thank you.”

“Plenty of horse manure to scoop, though.”

Without missing a beat, he added, “Then I’d better get my beauty rest.”

He washed his plate in the kitchen sink, set it in the drying rack, and walked outside. I watched through the window as he headed down the fence line, just like his dad used to do.

Maybe he just didn’t want to be around me—which is fine as far as I’m concerned. We have to work together, and that line needs to be clear. No more arguing with him just to feel that old push-pull between us. With him, I’ve never been able to tell the difference between flirting and fighting, and that’s going to be an inconvenience I can’t ignore.

As soon as I get home that night, I text Larissa. She’s been the only real friend I’ve had since I was twenty-one, back when she moved here to be closer to her dad and started playing acoustic gigs around Lexington. Larissa is a city girl through and through, and her father never quite knew what to do with a daughter who wanted to sing for a living. She likes her cutoff jean shorts and Converse shoes, which are totally impractical on the farm. But we hit it off when I showed up at the Blue Moon Saloon the same night her boyfriend dumped her.

My hidden talent is that I can spot someone having a bad day from across the room with amazing accuracy. When I saw Larissa that night, I convinced her to join me on the dance floor, and we’ve been friends ever since.

Me: You’ll never guess who’s back in town.

Larissa: Spill the tea. I need some excitement in my life.

Me: The Chance brothers.

Larissa: WHAT? All of them?

Me: Yep. Jaxon is running Lucky Chance for the next two years.

Larissa: You think he’ll last?

Me: He’s not farm material. He still thinks he’s God’s gift to the women of Golden Springs.

Larissa: This is either the best news or the worst.

Me: Definitely the worst! He acts like he’s the boss.

Larissa: Technically, he is now. But I’m sure he has at least one redeeming quality.

Me: I don’t know. He rinsed his own plate?

Larissa: A man who cleans up after himself? Green flag.

Me: I was joking.

Larissa: I’m serious. There’s nothing more attractive than a man with his hands in soapy water, scrubbing a plate.

Me: It’s called adulting.

Larissa: You really don’t like him, do you?