“No. After that I didn’t want to compete. It took so long to come back, I didn’t want to risk it again. But I still ride, and obviously still love horses.”
“I can’t see you letting a limp stop you from riding.”
“You’d be right,” Hazel said with a smile. “As soon as I was able after the accident I went to work for an equine therapy operation. The one where I sent Raindrop. Eventually I wound up here. One of my aunts lent me the money to get started. She’s a horsewoman herself and told me she couldn’t imagine a better career for me.”
“Do you—” Ella broke off.
“Do I miss it? It’s okay, it’s a normal question to ask.” She looked at the barrels again with a faraway look in her eyes. “I miss a lot of things about it. It was exciting. Exhilarating. Did you ever rodeo?”
“A little when I was young. But not since then. My ex did. Which is one reason he’s my ex.”
“Because of the rodeo?”
“Partly. Mostly because of what he did when he was on the circuit.”
“Oh. One of those men who can’t keep their pants zipped?”
“You got it. It soured me on rodeo cowboys.”
“I can see why. Although they’re not all like that.”
“I’m not in a hurry to give another one a chance.”
“Not even Chase?”
“Especially not Chase.”
“Why?”
“I work for him, remember?”
“I thought you worked for Marshall and Damaris. You workwithChase, don’t you?”
“That’s what’s called splitting hairs.”
“There is such a thing as workplace romance.”
“Which in this case would be playing with fire.” But sometimes…oh, sometimes she wanted to risk it.
“Ella? Do you have feelings for Chase?”
She and Hazel had grown close in a short period of time. Ella was tired of keeping everything to herself. She looked at her friend speculatively. “If I tell you something it goes no further.”
“Of course. I don’t tell my friends’ secrets.”
“Chase and I met before I went to work for them.”
“And?”
“We didn’t just meet. We had a…thing.”
“What kind of thing?” Hazel’s eyes widened. “A fling kind of thing?”
“Not exactly. It wasn’t long enough to be a fling.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You and Chase had a one-night stand? You did the deed with him?”
“Yes.”
