Page 86 of A Montana Rodeo Star

“Can I see you tomorrow?”

She bit back a smile. “It’s already tomorrow, Brent.”

A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. “Later, then?”

Faith tilted her head to the side. “I think I’d like that.”

“Good.” Then Brent surprised her by releasing her hand only to frame her face with both of his. He pressed the gentlest kiss to her lips. It was a barely-there kiss, but in that moment, it was everything.

It was a promise of healing.

A promise of more to come.

A promise of a new beginning.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Brent trudged up the stairs to his room. He’d only missed one night in his own bed but it felt like it had been so much more. Had the revelation about his father been only yesterday? Yes, technically it was more than a day as the sun would soon be rising over the mountains in the distance, but he was utterly exhausted.

All he would have to do was let his head hit the pillow and he’d be out.

He entered his room and pulled off his boots before tossing them aside. Then he stared around his room. It was strange looking at his life from different angles now. When he was a kid, he’d been fascinated by racecars. He’d known all the specs for different vehicles and the stats for different drivers.

As he’d gotten older, he’d replaced the cars with horses and the drivers with riders. Apparently, he’d always been destined to be interested in fast and dangerous sports.

It made him wonder how his upbringing would have differed if his father hadn’t died in that freak accident. Would he have liked being on the road? Or would he have grown tired of it into his teens and begged for his parents to find a place to settle down?

The not knowing was the worst part of it all.

And the more he thought about it, the harder it was to hold this against his mother. Maybe he was just too tired to hold a grudge after everything that had happened since he’d found out.

Or maybe something Faith had said hit a chord.

He put his head into his hands, feeling the start of a migraine. Everything felt like such a mess. How he’d thought that getting a sponsorship would solve all the problems of what he wanted in life he couldn’t understand now. That whole saying about hindsight was completely true.

If he’d known that following this path in his life would have led to him discovering his true lineage but also force him to acknowledge he might not want it, he wasn’t sure he would have been so stubborn. And what did that say about him? Was he so easily swayed just because there were some bumps in the road?

A light knocking at the door had him dropping his hands and lifting his head just as the door opened and his father’s face appeared. In the soft glow of the bedside lamp, he looked even more tired than he had during their conversation about an hour ago.

Brent observed his father a little closer. This was the face of the man who had raised him. The man who had loved him unconditionally even though he hadn’t sired him. Judd Gilley had to be one of the most selfless people on the planet.

Where Brent had to be the complete opposite.

Guilt gnawed at Brent as he replayed all the conversations he’d had with his father over the years. The arguments they’d had over the rodeo. His father had never bowed when it came to putting his foot down. He’d stood his ground like a father was supposed to do. He demanded respect for him and his wife.

And Brent had spat on that request.

“Mind if I come in?” his father asked quietly. “I heard you get back and wanted to have a word.”

Brent’s spine straightened and he looked away. How could he look this man in the face after knowing everything he’d done for him? And everything Brent had done in return. “Yeah, that’s fine,” he murmured.

The door opened wider and his father entered the room. Then he shut the door with a quiet click and moved across the room to sit on the edge of the queen-sized bed. They sat there, side by side for long moments. Brent didn’t know what to say beyond apologizing for what he’d done and how he’d gone about it. Of course he had a lot to make up for. But now that he’d already made his mistakes, it was his turn to accept responsibility.

“Look, I wanted to—” Brent started but his father cut him off.

“Your dad was the most amazing rodeo star this world had seen in decades. I don’t know if you got curious and started doing some research on him, But Lou was the best.” A small smile took over his father’s face and his eyes took on a far-off look. “That man just had a connection with animals, the likes I’ve never seen.” There was so much awe in his voice that Brent couldn’t help but watch. “We met at a 4H camp when we were in elementary school. It was one of those special days when kids from the community could check it out without having to pay anything. Lou was a little rough around the edges. Already, he’d been hardened by life. Hated his foster family.” His father shook his head with a sigh.

“But you became friends anyway,” Brent guessed.