Daniel Fintoc's Rodeo Adventure “Where are you going?” Daniel demanded, his arms folded over his chest and his figure blocking the doorway.
Chuck rolled his neck with evident irritation. “The rodeo,” he answered honestly.
“The rodeo?” Dan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why would you want to go to the rodeo?”
Chuck shrugged. It had never really been his scene, much like anything Muggle, but some of the lads were going and he had nothing else planned.
“Who else is going?” Daniel enquired.
Chuck shrugged again. He probably did know but he wasn’t interested in wasting his time divulging such information to his younger cousin.
Dan wasn’t pleased with Chuck’s lack of responses. “What does Granddad think about this?” he asked slyly. He knew that their grandfather didn’t approve of such things.
“He doesn’t,” Chuck answered simply. As much as he loved Granddad, what he didn’t know didn’t hurt him. “And if I were you, I wouldn’t tell him because you’ll only get yourself into trouble.”
“How so?” Dan frowned.
“Because you’re coming too, aren’t you?” Chuck had known all along that Dan wanted to come but wasn’t going to ask him straight. This was his messed up little cousin’s way of getting what he wanted and he really didn’t care so he would go along with it.
“Yeah,” Dan grinned, glad that he’d trumped Chuck and didn’t have to go snitch on him to Granddad. Not only would that have made Chuck grumpy with him, but it would also probably have resulted in him getting told off for being a snitch. Granddad was unfair like that. Damn Chuck for being his favourite… but Dan could never really mean that.
*
The rodeo was an exciting place to be, and a chaotic one too. There was so much to do and so much to see and thus Daniel couldn’t help but scoff when the group wound up seated to watch the barrel racing. That was a girls sport.
“You haven’t seen these barrel racing chicks,” Wyatt grinned at him, noting his disapproval. “Forget buckle bunnies, these are the real deal.”
The corners of Daniel’s lips twitched into a small smile before he turned his attention to the arena.
“Here she comes!” Wyatt said proudly when one particular girl and horse appeared, standing up and wolf-whistling.
“That’s his girlfriend, Jen,” Chuck explained.
Dan watched the girl in the purple shirt and her bay horse, rooting for her just because she was the girlfriend of Chuck’s friend. He thought she was good but he was no expert on the sport. She had the fastest time so far but there were plenty more contestants to go.
And then all Jen’s chances of winning went out of the window when another girl raced her horse ever faster around the barrels, but Dan didn’t care. This new girl was something else and he instantly wanted her to win.
She was incredible. Long blonde curls flowing out from beneath a bright blue cowboy hat as she raced her palomino around the barrels. Daniel found himself clapping harder than ever along the applause that accompanied the finishing of her time.
Nora Reynolds. That was her name, and Daniel couldn’t believe his luck when he was actually introduced to her afterwards.
He knew a lot of girls, and he was comfortable talking with them, but there was something about this slender blonde that seemed different. It was as though she put a spell on every man within a one hundred metre radius.
*
“So you’re Chuck’s cousin?” Nora enquired as she sat next to Dan at the campfire that evening.
“Yeah, the good-looking one,” Daniel flashed her a charming smile. He had forced Chuck to let him tag along again, because he knew that Nora would be there.
Nora chuckled but Dan wasn’t actually joking. He hoped she found him attractive. He certainly thought she was.
“So that was your first rodeo?” Nora asked.
Daniel nodded. “You do this a lot?”
“As much as I can,” Nora replied. “It’s all I care about.”
Dan couldn’t help envying her for that. He wished he had something he was that passionate about. “You don’t mind that it’s, you know…” He trailed off. The truth was, he hardly knew Nora and since he wasn’t familiar with her family name, it would be foolish to assume that she was like him.
“Muggle?” Nora spoke for him.
Daniel blinked, even though she’d said exactly what he was thinking. “Yeah, that,” he confirmed hesitantly.
Nora shook her head. “You get used to it.”
Dan nodded. He still remembered his exciting summer at Emilia-Louise’s and how fascinating it had been when they got to see the “other side” but he didn’t know that he’d ever be able to get used to that. Nora hadn’t revealed her parentage so there was a chance she had had a mixed upbringing, unlike Dan’s own secluded childhood, which probably made a difference. At this point, however, he didn’t really want her to divulge such information. He’d only met her earlier that day but he was enchanted and the last thing he wanted was the perfect illusion to be shattered.
“So do you live with Chuck?” Nora asked, turning the conversation to him.
“Sort of,” Dan replied. “We live on our granddad’s ranch but not in the same houses. It’s pretty big.”
“Cool,” Nora smiled.
“You should come see it sometime.” Daniel didn’t know what made him be so bold. It was probably way too soon to be inviting her to his home. Had he just blown it? He wanted to take the words back in an instant, but at the same time he was hopeful about her response.
Nora hesitated before smiling at him - such a beautiful smile. “I’d like that,” she nodded.
Dan could breathe again. “Really?”
“When should I come?” Nora didn’t answer his question directly, instead supplying her own. She was serious about this?
“Tomorrow afternoon?” Daniel suggested, wondering if that was perhaps too eager or made him look like he had no life. He didn’t portray his worries on the outside, of course. Girls liked confidence.
“Suits me,” Nora smiled again. She smiled a lot but Dan couldn’t help thinking it was different when she smiled at him. It was like she knew she could make his heart race.
“Great,” Dan returned her smile. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. “It’s a date.” And there it was, one fateful sentence that was sure to ruin everything. But would it? Or would it work out in his favour? Why wouldn’t Nora want to go on a date with him?
Unfortunately, before he could gauge her reaction, one of Nora’s friends interrupted by dragging her up from the log they were sat on in an attempt to get her to join in with the fireside dancing. Daniel had hardly been aware of what was going on around them, so enraptured by Nora and the fact that her attention was on him.
Nora pulled an apologetic face as she allowed her friend to drag her away, but she leant down and squeezed Dan’s hand briefly. He knew he should play it cool but he couldn’t help grinning. He was naturally quite confident with girls, or so he thought, but it was different when he really liked them. He’d been concerned that she wouldn’t take him seriously or that she’d just think of him as Chuck’s little cousin. Not for the first time he thanked his growth spurt as he no longer looked like a child. He wasn’t sure if he could call himself a man yet but he wanted to.
*
Chuck’s favourite thing about the summer break was that he got to be at home on the ranch, surrounded by the mountains and the horses and cattle. It was also nice to reconnect with his family and friends. It was interesting to note how his friendship group had evolved over the years to involve more girls. His friends liked meeting new girls and he wasn’t about to complain but there was one in particular who really caught his eye that summer.
Chuck was most surprised to find Nora standing outside as he left the barn one afternoon. “What are you doing here?”
“Good to see you too, Chuck,” Nora grinned in her usual teasing manner. “Dan invited me.”
“He did?” Chuck raised his eyebrows. He continued to forgo all courteous greetings due to the surprise and confusion about finding the girl he liked at his home. She hadn’t been to the ranch before.
“He didn’t tell you?” Nora frowned slightly.
“You ready?” Dan came through. “Oh, Chuck.” He didn’t utter his cousin’s name in greeting but a sort of displeasing statement.
“Where are you off to?” Chuck asked, trying not to think too much about what was unfolding.
“We’re going for a ride,” Nora told him whilst Dan remained silent.
“Well, don’t let me hold you up,” Chuck forced a smile, not wanting to know more. He got the picture.
“Do you want to come with us?” Nora’s offer took him by surprise.
Chuck glanced to Dan but his younger cousin was glaring at him meaningfully. “I’ve got work to do, I’m afraid,” the redhead excused himself hastily. “I’ll see you around, Nora.”
Nora turned to Dan as Chuck walked away, having noticed that he didn’t seem best pleased at her inviting his cousin to join them. “Sorry,” she bit her lip.
“Don’t worry about it,” Dan smiled warmly. He felt a bit confused as to why Nora would want Chuck to come. He didn’t mind hanging out with his cousin and knew that Nora was friends with him but him being with them today would just ruin everything. Dan couldn’t believe that he’d got Nora Reynolds to come on a date with him and he wasn’t about to blow it.
*
“What are you still doing here?” Chuck looked up in surprise as Nora appeared in the tack room in the evening.
“You know, you should really work on your greetings,” Nora smiled her usual pretty smile. “You sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.”
“Maybe you’re not welcome.” Chuck’s gaze had returned to bridle he was fitting together but he looked up again to see her response.
“Gee,” Nora looked hurt.
“Where’s Dan?” His voice was still rather hostile but he felt hurt.
“I don’t know,” Nora shrugged.
“Some date,” Chuck remarked.
“It wasn’t a date.”
“You sure about that?” Her denying that she’d just been on a date with Dan confused him and he wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“It wouldn’t have been if you’d come.”
“Good thing I didn’t then.” Chuck stood up and hung up the bridle.
“I wanted you to come,” Nora moved towards him as she spoke so that he couldn’t ignore her, forcing him to meet her gaze.
“Why?” Chuck frowned.
“Oh I don’t know, because I like you?” Nora almost rolled her eyes.
“You could’ve fooled me,” the redhead was evidently disbelieving, and his voice had lost its emotion.
“Don’t be like that,” Nora replied, looking up at him from underneath the brim of her garish cowboy hat.
“I’m not being like anything,” Chuck insisted, trying to ignore the way the look in her eyes was really making him feel. Right now he was annoyed with her and he thought he had every reason to be.
“You don’t get it, do you?” Nora shook her head and gave a small flap of her hands to reflect her exasperation, looking away from him.
“Get what?”
“When a girl tells you they like you, you’re not supposed to say ‘oh you could’ve fooled me’ or whatever.” She suddenly stopped being so cryptic and started babbling away, putting on a deep voice when she quoted him that didn’t quite reflect the seriousness of the conversation. “I don’t know, you’re supposed to tell them whether or not you feel the same way.” And then she was gazing at him again with that meaningful, desperate stare that he’d been trying not to read into.
“What?”
“I said I like you, idiot.”
Chuck stared at her. She liked him, like that? One second they were fighting and the next she was confessing feelings for him? And apparently he’d totally missed it too… Chuck thought he would never understand females.
Without saying anything he crossed enemy lines, closing the gap between them and putting an arm around her waist. He leant in and he could feel her eager breath on his lips for a second before he kissed her.