Read Chance For Love (Colorado Blues) for Free Online Page B

wasn’t anything
I wouldn’t try at least once. I mixed with anyone who could get me higher up
the professional ladder. I made sure I was always in the public eye and used
people for my own gain.”
    “You mean like famous people?”
    “Yeah. Fake it til you make
it kind of thing. Eventually I was more famous than I could have thought and I
found I really didn’t like it. Paparazzi followed me everywhere and women threw
themselves at me. It got kind of old pretty quick.”
    “But it paid off obviously.” A small smile was lifting
the corners of her mouth and he could see the sparkle in her eyes.
    “Of course it did. I was at the top of my game, money
wasn’t a problem. I managed to help my brothers out and buy my own ranch. Life
was good.” He gave a bitter laugh.
    “Until Terror.”
    “Yeah, until Terror did the deed on me. My own stupid
fault, I know that. Maybe it was my subconscious telling me it was time to quit
and go back to what I really wanted, who knows. But when I woke up in hospital
with my hip pinned together, I knew it was my opportunity to let go of the wild
life.”
    “So what’s wrong with that then? I don’t understand. I
mean I get that you were putting on a false front for the public and
everything, but why is it a problem now? Can’t you just fade away into your own
life?”
    “That’s the plan, but it’s going to take some work and
it might impact on you to some extent.”
    “I don’t get it.” She frowned. “Why would it?”
    “Everyone thinks I like the high life, including my
brothers. I doubt anyone would believe I suddenly turned into a diehard rancher
who wants to be left alone away from the fame and money I used to live with.”
    “Who cares what people think?”
    “My brothers don’t know I can’t ride anymore.” Chance
pushed himself to his feet, his hip aching sitting in the hard chair. “They
think I’ve just gone to the airport to pick up a farm manager and then I’ll be
back on the circuit once my hip is healed. It’s not like this is the first
injury I’ve had.”
    “So they don’t know you married me or why then?” She
shrugged her shoulders. “Just tell them the truth.”
    “Now there lies the problem. If they find out I did it
all for them because I felt guilty, how do you think they’ll feel?”
    Her mouth opened in a round “O”. Callie looked at him
with realization dawning. “They can think I’m just the farm manager, fine. But
how do you think you’re going to pull this off? I mean, you’ll have to tell
them sooner or later you can’t go back to the circuit. Surely they would
understand that.”
    “Yes, they would, but they wouldn’t understand me marrying
a quiet country girl and retiring to the mountains to raise bulls and kids.
They’d expect me to marry someone famous and stay in the lime light. It’s just
how I spent the last twelve years of my life and it would be too much of a
change for me to pull it off otherwise.”
    “So what do we do now?”
    “I want you to pretend to be the farm manager for a
while. Let me ease them into it. Once they get used to you and see me happy
back on the ranch, we can tell them.” He tried to smile at her but it came off
as a grimace. “I know it sounds weak, but I don’t want to make them feel
responsible for the way my life turned out. I feel bad enough leaving them with
a drunk for a father without them thinking I put up with all the crap I did to
make up for it. Double whammy if you get me.”
    “Would they even be there at the ranch that often?”
    “Yeah, they can’t seem to stay away apart from Rory
who lives a few hours away. He lost his wife a few years ago and is having
trouble being anywhere near the rest of the family for more than a day or so a
year.”
    “That’s sad.”
    “Yeah but it’s his choice so I can’t push my ideas on
him. I’m sure eventually he’ll come around.”
    ***
    Callie stood and yawned. “I need sleep. Which side is
better for you?” She looked