Mistletoe Rodeo (Welcome to Ramblewood) by Amanda Renee Read Free Book Online Page A

Nola wrapped the shoot, she found Chase on the front porch.
    “I guess I owe you an interview of my own,” Chase said when she approached. Thankfully, George hung back and gave them some distance. Nola hadn’t been sure if Chase would hold up his end of the bargain.
    “Only if you trust me.” She took another step closer to him. Less than a foot separated them, and Nola fought the urge to lay her hand on his chest. “We can reshoot this as many times as we need until you feel comfortable. The van has full editing capabilities, so you’ll see the final cut before I send it to the studio. But they are expecting something for the six o’clock news.”
    “No pressure, right?” Chase shuffled his feet and leaned on the railing. “Let’s do this, then.”
    “I won’t let you down,” Nola said. “Just give me a chance.”
    Chase met her eyes as the words tumbled from her lips. She hadn’t meant for them to come out so breathlessly. She’d meant to sound reassuring, not desperate.
    * * *
    C HASE SENSED THERE was more to Nola’s statement. First Cole, then his mother had pointed out their mutual attraction. Up until this point, Chase had always assumed it was one-sided, but there was no denying the increasing chemistry between them. Chase wished George wasn’t so close by so he could have a moment to show Nola how much he trusted her. There was never a more right and wrong time to kiss her.
    “Where do you want to do this?” Nola asked.
    Chase focused on Nola’s mouth. Her lips were almost bare, just the way he liked them. She wasn’t wearing nearly the amount of makeup she normally did, and her hair fell in natural waves instead of being flat ironed straight the way it usually was. This definitely wasn’t Nola’s customary in-front-of-the-camera attire and Chase wondered what type of interview he was in for.
    “Are you able to walk and talk?” Nola asked, bringing Chase back to his senses.
    Chase laughed. “Since I was a year-and-a-half old, yeah. I think I can handle it.”
    “That didn’t come out quite right.”
    Chase rubbed the back of his neck and picked up the Stetson he had left on one of the rocking chairs earlier. “You make me nervous.” It was an honest statement. One he feared left him a little too vulnerable where Nola was concerned.
    Nola took his hand in hers and led him down the porch stairs toward the stables while George walked ahead of them with his camera, mumbling something about having to find their best light. Releasing Chase’s hand, Nola instructed, “Relax, be natural and think of me as one of your friends.” Only one problem with that statement. Chase didn’t make a habit of holding hands with his friends, and in less than twenty-four hours, he had done so repeatedly with Nola.
    Chase still felt her warmth in his palm. He understood it would be unprofessional for her to continue the gesture in front of her colleague, but he hated the immediate emptiness he felt when she let go.
    “I know coming home without winning the championship was a big deal for you,” Nola said as they continued to walk. “But going into the competition injured couldn’t have been easy, either.”
    “No, it wasn’t. But what was the alternative? I couldn’t let everyone down. Do you know how many people put their time and money into my sponsorship? My friends and neighbors took time off work to travel to my events throughout the year. I had students cheering me on from the stands when I rode in their hometowns. Dropping out wasn’t an option. I would’ve disappointed too many people. But in the end, I let them down anyway. I knew riding in the Nationals was a risk, but as painful as it was, I had to see it through. I never expected to be knocked out of the competition on the second day, though.” Chase stopped walking and faced Nola. “It’s different around here. You’re not just one person. You’re part of a community and they become a part of your family. When you travel for the