Worth the Ride Read online

  Table of Contents

  Worth the Ride

  Copyright

  Also by Casey Peeler

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Epilogue

  Worth the Ride Playlist

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Connect with Casey

  Copyright © 2017 Casey Peeler

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a written act of fiction. Any places, characters, or similarities are purely coincidence. If certain places or characters are referenced it is for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  The author recognizes all copyright and trademarks that are mentioned within this work of fiction

  Edited by Beth Suit at BB Books

  Formatted by CP smith

  Paperback ISBN- 978-1545207239

  Digital ISBN- 9781370731435

  ALSO BY CASEY PEELER

  FULL CIRCLE SERIES

  Losing Charley

  Finding Charley

  Loving Charley

  TUTUS & COWBOY BOOTS SERIES

  Tutus & Cowboy Boots Part 1

  Tutus & Cowboy Boots Part 2

  STANDALONES

  Crashing Tides

  Lion Eyes

  Southern Perfection

  Boondocks

  Our Song

  Prologue

  Weston

  10 years ago

  For nine months I’ve prayed that this is all a dream and that I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life. However, the voice I hear calling from the other room and a positive pregnancy test proved me wrong. I’m going to be a father, and that’s not how my life was supposed to go. One careless night at Brandy’s, our local bar, is to blame for it. I’m never this stupid, but I let loose one time and it had to be with her: Hannah Cole. It’s not that she’s a bad person, but she isn’t supposed to be my forever. Hell, I don’t even want a wife, but I’ve got one. One thing is for certain, my parents raised me right, and that little girl she’s carrying is mine, so I promised I’d always take care of her and Hannah. Hannah grew up differently than me; she didn’t have two parents that took time to make her feel important while she was growing up. Instead, she has a piece-of-shit dad who’s always running around on her mom, and a mom that continues to sit back and take it. They don’t hold steady jobs, and for as long as I can remember, Hannah has been craving attention in any shape and form. In school, she did well, but she never made good decisions when it came to guys, and lately I’ve wondered if I was the end game for her.

  “Weston! Can you come in here a minute?” Hannah yells. All she ever does is bitch and moan about how her feet hurt and how I got her this way. Well, I hate to tell her that it takes two, sweet pea, and if I didn’t let my friend Jim Beam cloud my vision, I wouldn’t be in this damn situation. Why did I knock up Hannah Cole and then marry her? Some days I literally want to hit my head against the wall for being such a dumb ass.

  I shake my head as I walk into the bedroom, where I see her standing there with a million pieces of clothing on the bed.

  “What should I wear?” She’s got to be kidding me.

  “Where are you going?” I half-heartedly ask. I don’t have time for this. I’ve got a shit-ton of stuff to get done on the farm today so I can scoot out this weekend for qualifying at the rodeo in Blacksburg.

  “The hospital. Hello! We’ve got a baby on the way,” she says, pointing at her belly that’s swollen to the size of a basketball.

  “Now?” She shakes her head no and I shrug it off, but then I see it coming. She pushes out that lip and crosses her arms.

  “But Weston, I have no idea what to pack in the bag to take to the hospital.” I pause because I can’t believe she’s this worried about what she’s going to wear. Don’t they have hospital gowns for this?

  “Hannah, it’s really not that big of a deal. I’d pack some pajamas and something to wear home. Don’t stress out about it.” I’ve tried to be polite with my words. These days that’s harder than usual with all the stress of the farm, rodeo qualifying, and the baby.

  When I look in her direction, I know I’ve said the wrong thing. Tears begin to well in her eyes, her lip begins to quiver, and dammit, I hate when she cries even if I don’t truly love her. I hate to see any woman cry.

  I take a step toward her and pull her into my arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

  Through her tears, I hear her whimper. “I’ve blown up like a toad and just want to be back to normal. Why us? Why?”

  “Hannah, that doesn’t matter. Think about that sweet little girl growing inside you. It will all be worth it once she’s here.”

  “Are you sure? Neither one of us wanted this. What if you make it in the rodeo? You’re not going to leave me, are you?” Here we go again. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times.

  “No, I’m not. We’ve been over this. I’m in it for the long haul. Is this how either of us planned our future?” She shakes her head no. “I’m not leaving. You’re Mrs. Parker. I want our little girl to grow up in a home with two parents. I know things aren’t perfect, but maybe over time things will change for us. You are a good person, and will be a great mom. Hell, if I make the circuit, we’ll do that together.”

  “Weston Parker, I don’t care what anyone says about you. You’re a good man.”

  I start to cackle at that comment. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Oh, you know. Weston Parker is the most arrogant man this side of the state line.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m crossing that state line tomorrow for qualifying.”

  “Yeah, about that…”

  I stop and look at her as the blood begins to boil within my veins. What in the hell? Didn’t we just have this conversation? She knows how important this is to me. That’s all I’ve been working toward my entire life. The peaches pay the damn bills, but this is my last shot at making the circuit before the baby arrives. It’s now or never.

  Hannah begins to speak calmly. “Weston, my water just broke. I’m so sorry,” she says as tears stream down her face, “You can still go tomorrow. She should be here by then. We’ll be okay. It’s your dream; you’ve got to do it.”

  “Okay.” I know it’s shitty to want to go, but it’s been my dream since I can remember. I’m going come hell or high water.

  ***

  “Congrats! It’s a girl,” the doctor says to Hannah and me.

  Looking at the mother of my child, lying in the bed covered in sweat but smiling from ear to
ear, I’m in awe of her strength, but that’s where my feelings stop. She’s given all she’s had to give today and now we have a precious baby girl. I never felt ready to be a husband much less a dad, but today, in this moment all of those thoughts fade.

  “She’s perfect,” I say, looking between Hannah and my new daughter.

  When her eyes meet mine, I know in my heart that life will be okay. Then she smiles and my heart literally skips a beat. It’s amazing how one moment has changed the way I see my future. It’s been almost a year since I made the decision to stand by Hannah and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass every day since. But tonight, everything has changed, and there’s no way I’m leaving my girls to go to the rodeo even if it’s my dream. There will be another one in a few months. Man, I sound like a pansy, but I can’t help it. This little girl has stolen my heart.

  Hannah looks down at the baby and then up at me with tears in her eyes. Our relationship isn’t like most, but today our feelings for each other have been put to the side. It’s about our baby girl and not the mistake we made nine months ago.

  “She looks just like you, Weston.”

  “But she’s got your eyes. Hey there, Miss Bryndle Cole.” She looks toward me.

  “Bryndle Cole?”

  “You know how I feel about horses, and I thought your maiden name would be a nice touch.” We talked about a name for months. Bryndle is something we both agreed on, but Cole wasn’t even discussed. I know growing up in her family was hard. Her parents never gave two shits about her, but it’s a part of her life. I felt that our little one needs a piece of each of us.

  “But Weston…”

  “Hannah, it’s part of who you are, and with the way things have gone, I want her to have equal parts of us.”

  Tears begin to trail down her face as she looks up to me. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.” She reaches for my hand as we both stare at our seven-pound, three-ounce little girl. Hannah squeezes my hand right before my world begins to spin out of control.

  Within seconds, Bryndle is taken from Hannah’s arms as the staff begins to buzz around the room. I stand there in shock as I hear words I don’t understand, and am frozen in time. “Sir, you’ve got to leave the room.” My blood runs cold as I look back and see Hannah’s body convulse. It feels as if the world has stopped moving as the nurse walks toward me and hands me my precious baby girl. Looking at Bryndle, I see that she is content and has no idea of what chaos is going on around her.

  Taking the little life in my hands, I’m careful not to break her. She’s so tiny. I’ve never held a baby, and the closest thing I’ve held this small is one of our chickens at Forrest’s Farm. I continue to stare at her contented face while a flurry of chaos circles around us.

  “It’s okay. She won’t break,” the nurse states sweetly as if reading my mind. “Keep your arm behind her head and keep her cuddled close. I’ll be right at the desk over there if you need me,” she says, pointing toward the hallway.

  I stand and watch as the doctor and nurses work quickly, but when the doctor goes still and the heart monitor silences, I know that the fight is over. There are no words for this moment. Though I never loved her like I should have, my heart still hurts for my wife. My heart breaks for the woman who fought her entire life, and lost it all for our little miracle, Bryndle Cole. I have never cried over a death, I’m just not that guy, but my eyes start to water. Hannah will always be a part of my life and I promise to raise our beautiful daughter the best way I know how.

  “I guess it’s me and you, Sweet Peach,” I say, looking at the most perfect girl in the world. I take another look at Hannah’s lifeless body as tears start to roll down my face. I stand there in disbelief of what I just witnessed. I quickly push away the tears as Bryndle begins to cry.

  “Sir, come with us,” a nurse says as she ushers us toward another room. I focus on Bryndle and know it’s time to be a bigger man. A man that will put his little girl first even if that means giving up his dreams.

  Chapter 1

  Weston

  4 years ago

  “Daddy!” Bryndle exclaims as she jumps clumsily down from my dad’s truck. “Look what Paw got me!” Smiling at her, I lower myself to her level and my heart fills with excitement as she smiles back at me.

  “What is it, Sweet Peach?”

  “Daddy!” she says, putting her hands on her hips, looking just like her mom. “You know… it’s a Parker peach.”

  “Is it good?”

  “It’s the best! We need to take some with us to the rodeo.”

  “Absolutely,” I say as we walk hand in hand into the house with my dad following behind us.

  “Thanks for watching her, Dad. I got everything loaded for the rodeo tomorrow, the farm is taken care of, and Forrest is going to run the farmer’s market for us.”

  “You’ve got this under control, don’t ya,” he says with a hearty laugh.

  “I’m trying. You’re goin’, right?”

  “Well, hell yeah,” he says and I cut him off. “Shit… I still forget.”

  “Dad, really?”

  “It’s okay, Paw. I know I can’t use those words. Those are for people old enough to drink Paw’s juice.”

  “That’s right, Sweet Peach,” I say as I remember the first time we called a cold beer Paw’s juice. That had to be the cutest thing I’d ever seen. My dad and Bryndle were sitting on the tailgate of his truck. She had a sippy cup of juice and when she looked at him, she told him that he had juice too. From that day on, it was Paw’s juice.

  “What time you heading out in the morning?” he asks.

  “I’d like to be there by nine at the latest. It’s not like we’ve got a long drive, but I want to get settled in and show Bryndle around.”

  “I’ll be here by eight.”

  “Sounds good.”

  The following morning I pack a few last minute items and head south toward the rodeo. As we cross the state line, excitement begins to run through my body. I glance at Bryndle in the back seat and I can’t wait to have her with me today.

  As we arrive at the Blacksburg Arena, Bryndle’s eyes begin to widen at everything around us. “Daddy, look at all of those horses!” she exclaims. “Look at her pretty hat.” She points toward a teenage girl with a hot pink cowgirl hat. Gosh, it’s awful, but I can’t let her know that.

  “I see, Sweet Peach.”

  “Can I get one?”

  “We’ll have to see, but I’m sure they’ll have a hat of some kind. Paw can help you find one while I get ready.”

  “Yeah Paw! I want a pink one like that.”

  “You got it!” Narrowing my eyes at my dad, I silently plead with him to avoid pink. I swear I hate that color.

  Once we arrive, and I check in at registration, we all walk around the rodeo and take in the sights. This rodeo is a small stop on the circuit, but it’s the closest one to me. It’s a rodeo I’ve competed at as long as I can remember, until the night Bryndle was born. That night my dreams crumbled in front of me but I vowed to be the dad Bryndle needed me to be and when I could, I’d get back to the rodeo. It’s taken six years, but I knew I’d make it, and today’s the day.

  Walking into the arena, I hear Bryndle gasp as she takes in its size. Taking her hand in mine, we walk toward the rider’s area. I want to show her around.

  “Weston, I’m going to take a walk around myself. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

  “No problem, Dad. Use the pass and meet us at my check-in when you’re ready.”

  He nods as we walk through security and begin to wander around. I don’t say a lot; I let Bryndle take it all in. She begins to ask questions about who specific people are and why there are kids back here, but when she sees the broncos she goes still.

  “Daddy, you’re riding one of those?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  We approach the gate and the horse becomes agitated. Bryndle comes to a complete halt.

  “He’s mean, Daddy.
He’s not like Poncho at the house.”

  “He’s wild, Sweet Peach. No worries. Daddy has ridden plenty of horses like him. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  “You better be!”

  “Pinky promise,” I state, bringing my little finger in the air. She smiles and twists her little finger with mine.

  “Pinky promise,” she says. “Now, can I get one of those hats?”

  “Paw’s gonna take you while I get ready.”

  “Okay. I know he’ll get the pink one too.”

  “You think so?” I ask with a wink.

  “Yup!”

  After we walk around to see the rest of the animals, I show her where I’ll be and explain to her what will happen once she goes with Paw. She soaks it up like a sponge. There’s a glimmer in her eyes that makes me happy yet terrified. She wants to know more, and is curious like I was as a kid.

  Dad returns within twenty minutes and he takes Bryndle while I check in. After listening to the rules and regulations, and signing my life away with waivers, it’s time to draw my bronco.

  I pray I get a good one; one that’s been around and I know how it will turn. I also pray it’s one I can last eight seconds on and qualify for the big show later tonight.

  Taking a step toward the podium, a large breath escapes my lips, and I wait for the computer’s selection. It feels as if it takes years to announce, but I’m sure it was a mere second. Black Jack. Shit. That’s the horse that Bryndle was terrified of earlier.

  I rein in my nerves and step away from the podium. This isn’t a time to be soft, you have to be confident or it’s a done deal. Walking toward my truck, I put a wad of dip in my cheek and begin to focus. I pull my bag from the bed, and take a few quiet moments with the Big Man Upstairs then I walk back into the contestant’s area and wait for Bryndle and Dad.

  After finding a place to lay my bag, I throw it open and begin to go through my pre-ride rituals. I make sure my flank straps, tape, bell, and other items are ready to go. As I begin to suit up for preliminaries, I feel a small person wrap around my leg.

  “Who’s got my leg? Is it Paw?” I question, knowing good and well who it is.