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

shirking my duties. Quite the contrary.” Chase decided to test his decision out on his mother before he spoke with Shane. “I’ve already discussed this with Cole and I wanted you to hear it from me first... As far as I’m concerned, my professional rodeo days are over.”
    Chase watched his mother still for a moment at the stove, then continue to cook breakfast without any response.
    “Mom, did you hear what I said?”
    “I heard you.”
    Kay remained silent, leaving Chase uncertain what to say next. He fixed them both a cup of coffee while Kay set their plates on the table.
    “I really expected you to say something about this.” Chase joined her, pushing his plate to the side.
    “I’m weighing my words very carefully.” Kay shook some salt and pepper over her eggs. “You’d think I’d be elated to hear that I no longer have to worry about any of my sons getting killed or seriously injured in another rodeo. But this doesn’t sit well with me and I’m trying to figure out why.”
    “It’s what you’ve always wanted,” Chase mumbled before taking a sip of coffee.
    “Oh, no, you don’t.” Kay waved a fork at him. “Don’t you put this on me. This is the first I’ve heard you say you were retiring. After what happened this week, I feel as if you’ve given up on yourself. And as much as I’ve always hated that blasted rodeo, that’s not what I want for any of my children. If you love something, do it...no matter how difficult it becomes and how many times you might fail.”
    Chase winced at her choice of words. “I’m not giving up by choice, necessarily. The doctors have already told me I risk potentially injuring my shoulder to the point where I won’t be able to pick up my children. That’s huge, Mom. To not be able to hold my own child because I was too stubborn to walk away. What kind of man would that make me? All that aside, I was coming to this decision long before the National Finals. I really want to devote more time to the ranch and the school. I’d expected to make this decision after my win this year, but it didn’t turn out that way. I’ve accepted it and I hope you will, too.”
    “Have you spoken to Shane?”
    “Not yet, but I plan to this morning. I’m annoyed at myself for even worrying about that conversation. I know my winning and staying on the circuit helps business at the school, but Shane can’t live his dreams through me. He made his decision to walk away and nobody gave him any grief. I’d appreciate the same consideration. This is my decision, not his.” Chase stood, leaving his untouched plate on the table. “I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m just not hungry anymore.”
    He should have gone to Cancun.
    Retiring was a major deal for him and a decision he had struggled with since his father’s death three and a half years earlier. Cole had immediately left the rodeo and devoted his full attention to running Bridle Dance. Chase admired his older brother for taking on the massive responsibility of a multimillion-dollar paint and cutting horse operation, but a part of him felt guilty, as well.
    Their father’s will had left each brother an equal percentage of Bridle Dance, yet Cole had done—and still did—the majority of the work while the rest of them had reaped the rewards. Jesse reinvested every penny of his share back into the ranch, living off the profits of his own smaller operation. Shane and Chase did a limited amount of work on the ranch itself, devoting the majority of their time to the rodeo school. Chase did even less when he was on the rodeo circuit.
    His family had been through hell since Joe’s death. Especially when Shane and Chase had battled Cole and Jesse for control of the ranch’s finances. The rodeo school and hippotherapy center almost hadn’t been built because of a war among brothers. Chase had been the deciding vote, and he’d almost lost Shane when he had sided against him. He had no desire to escalate the tensions between them ever