Page 94 of One Wild Chance

The number isn’t in my phone contacts, but that’s not surprising. Since taking over the farm, most of our clients use my cell.

“Hello, this is Jaxon Chance.” I put the call on speaker.

“Jaxon, it’s Larry Whitfield.” The name rings a bell. “From the Michigan Mavericks.”

The Larry Whitfield, owner of the NHL team. Why is he calling me?

“The coach for the Carolina Crushers was recommending you. He gave me your number.” He pauses. “Brendan Marco ring a bell?”

“Yes, of course.” I blink, remembering how Brendan said he’d drop my name if any coaching positions opened up.

“He had a lot of positive things to say about you,” Larry continues, “and we have an assistant-coaching position open. I wondered if you’d be interested. You could come to Michigan and see the team, maybe talk to our staff.”

I hesitate, watching Rebel drift toward the fence. “How soon?”

“Well, as soon as you can get here,” he says. “We’re hoping to hire in the next month or two.”

Not so long ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice about saying yes to an opportunity to check out the Mavericks. Larry’s offering me a potential way back into a world I already know. The same world Rhett’s still in.

But everyone here is counting on me: Summer, Earl, my brothers, not to mention the farmhands and fifteen yearlings that are going to Keeneland. I’ve made promises to get the wedding venue launched. Even if I could do both, I couldn’t do them well. I can’t leave now, especially after what I promised Summer.

I rub my forehead. “Here’s the thing, I’m trying to get some family affairs settled. I won’t go into details, but I’m taking over my parents’ farm.”

“A few more weeks won’t hurt if you need time to think it over,” Larry says. “I’ll email you the information in the meantime.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to ignore how much this costs me. I think of Summer’s face when I told her about the barn—the promise I made her—and it’s the only reason I can live with what I’m about to tell Larry now. “I’m sorry, but—” The words feel like grit in my mouth. “I don’t think I can say yes right now.”

He pauses. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” I say, my throat thick. This is killing me, even if I know it’s the right decision.

“I’ll send the information anyway, just in case. Take your time thinking it over. You don’t have to give me an answer right away.”

He hangs up, and I stand there, staring at my phone. Just in case means the door isn’t closed, and Larry thinks I’m going to change my mind.

But I can’t change my mind. Not without major ramifications for everyone at Lucky Chance.

Rebel has drifted back toward the center of the arena, still watching me. I hold the peppermint out again, and she takes a few steps toward me before she finally stretches her nose toward my hand. Then she nibbles at my palm, her velvet nose brushing against my skin.

I’ve been trying to win her over for weeks, and now, she finally lets me in. Just enough to show me she’s starting to trust me. Go figure.

“I know what you’re thinking,” I say to Rebel. “But I’m not going anywhere.”

It’s basically the same thing I told Summer. I’m just not sure what it will take to make her believe me.

Chapter 27

Summer

“Are you telling me you kissed Jaxon Chance?” Larissa shrieks over a video call on my way to Lucky Chance.

I absolutely knew she’d lose her mind when I told her.

“It was a mistake,” I confess, my eyes sliding to the phone before I focus on the road again.

It didn’t feel like a mistake. It felt like fireworks exploding through my veins, little bursts of energy and light all the way to my toes. The best kiss I’ve ever had, which isn’t saying much. The few kisses I had in my twenties were mostly yawn-inducing. I was beginning to think the problem was me, that maybe kissing just wasn’t my thing. And then Jaxon went and proved me wrong.

She pauses with her yogurt mid-bite. “And were you arguing when he kissed you?”