‘So good.’ I ruffle his mane, hopping down as the kid holds onto his reins, and taking them once I’m on solid ground. ‘You still got it, friend.’

‘Y’all were pretty phenomenal.’ An unfamiliar voice interrupts my moment with my horse. I look up, and this guy’s 100 per cent not someone I recognize. He has the showy yet protective padded vest of one of the bull riders, windswept blond hair, fringed chaps over well-worn jeans, spurred boots. Lots of sponsors on every leather article. Definitely a bull rider. He throws a pearly-white, blue-eyed smile my way. ‘Impressive seeing a lacrosse player on a barrel horse.’

I turn back to Rocky, smoothing his coat distractedly. ‘I like a little of everything in my life. Do I know you?’

‘Not yet.’ He sticks out a hand, and I take it. We share a firm shake. ‘Jackson O’Hara. I’m just in town for the rodeo. You local?’

I nod. ‘Yep. May Velasco. Nice to meet ya. How’d you know I play lax?’

‘I’m a friend of Noemi’s. She mentioned you were on OKC?’

‘Sure.’ I eye a patch on his vest. ‘And you? National circuit?’

‘You got me.’ Jackson grins. ‘It’s how I know her. We run in similar circles.’

‘I’d imagine.’ I walk Rocky towards his stable, and Jackson falls into step with us.

‘So, May. Meant to ask, if you had the chance.’ He leans against the stable doors across from Rocky’s as I lead my horse inside. ‘Would you be down to grab a drink this weekend? Before I head out?’

Great heavens. I freeze in my spot. Rocky nuzzles my cheek, like, Girl? What is this goon doing?

There was certainly a time where getting asked out by an admittedly fantastic-looking bull rider – at the very pinnacle of rodeo – would have been in my top five. I mean, come on. When The Longest Ride came out, I literally prayed for a Scott Eastwood of my own. My twelve-year-old ass had posters all over my walls.

Suddenly, though, I’m taken aback, and honestly, not interested. Colt and I are technically fake. I could carry on a real relationship, right? But it’s like the brakes are engaging on auto. Something in me latches right onto the thought of Colt as if we’ve been together for years. I would absolutely be a traitor and a dick if I said yes right now.

Because the way this Jackson guy’s looking at me isn’t the look you give someone you just want to have a nice friendly chat at the bar with. Which leads me to my next thought: if he knows I play, he has to know I’m very publicly ‘dating’ CJ Bradley. I don’t know where that hasn’t been breaking news of late.