Sneak Peak at An Unexpected Revelation

Rance couldn't drag his eyes away from the retreating figure of the young woman. His mind was telling him his infatuation was wrong, but a stirring within him told him it was so right. The moment he had entered the entertainment tent he had felt her presence. His eyes found her with startling ease and before he knew it she was in his arms. The rightness of her hand in his, her waist under his palm was unnerving to him.

"Rance!" The sound of his name was followed by a sharp elbow to his ribs. He tore his gaze away from where Melody had disappeared between the crush of gyrating bodies to meet the questioning gaze of his childhood friend. "What is wrong with you man? I said your name five times before you heard me. And even then I think it was elbow you heard before my voice."

Rance twisted his face in a wry grimace, what was wrong with him indeed? "Sorry, James. Come on. Lets get a beer." The two of them pushed their way through the press of bodies towards the long bar that had been set up against one end of the large tent. Rance exhaled sharply in relief as the bartender approached straight away. "Two beers and a shot of Jack thanks."

He turned once more to see the raised brow of James over the order. "You better spill the beans Rance. What's got your chaps in a twist?"

Rance rolled his eye at James' poor attempt at what he called 'cowboy humour' and gratefully knocked back the shot of Jack that had just been placed before him. The burn of the whiskey as it hit the back of his throat did little to assuage his fascination with a certain little she-wolf.

He passed the second bottle of beer to his friend and gave him a moments consideration in his weighty gaze. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But lets just say this rodeo has been one hell of a ride!" he clinked his bottle with James' before lifting the bottle to his lips and took a long deep pull of the light draught.

James gave him a confused look before taking a pull of his own beer. "This wouldn't have something to do with the young girl you were just dancing with? Why were you dancing with her anyway?"

"No!" His response was too quick and sharp and James' brow lifted quickly. Rance cleared his throat. "Liv wasn't expecting the girls from the p...community to turn up so quickly. But they wanted to get away sooner rather than later. All the girls that were on the enrol list will be at school on Monday I shouldn't wonder. And I've been helping Liv a bit at Thunder Hollow. I met some of them this morning. Melody wanted to dance. I was only being friendly and welcoming by dancing with her." He took another long pull of his beer and hoped that would be the last of the conversation. He wasn't so lucky.

"How old is she, Rance? Fifteen?"

Rance lifted a brow and shot back in a defensive tone. "Seventeen. What's your point?"

"She's one of my students Rance." He spoke quietly, but his words were heavy with meaning.

Rance let a resigned breath blow through his nose. "I know. I enrolled her with you remember." The subject was dropped as both men silently finished their beers. James lifted a hand to signal to the bartender to bring another round over.