Page 27 of The Cowboy's Downfall
“That’s not the impression I got.” She studied the pretty pink polish on her neatly trimmed nails. “I mean, sure. I understand the first time can be…quick. But it’s usually a good indicator of overall performance.”
There had to be something wrong with him because he enjoyed her constant jabbing at him. He got what she was doing, though. They were both suffering from nerves.
“I guess it’s lucky for me then, that you’re so quick off the draw too. Because I’m a gentleman. Ladies first,” he said, because he enjoyed poking at her, too. And maybe because he was starting to feel a little guilty that he hadn’t put more effort into this evening. He could have at least picked her flowers or something.
“I was faking. I didn’t want you to feel bad about underperforming.”
He laughed outright at that. He knew when a woman was faking. He paid attention to detail. “I’ll have to try harder.”
He found the dirt road to the cabin. It was rougher than the last trip he’d made. A recent heavy rain had eaten away at a few spots. Long grass waved on either side of the truck. Dark, shadowy bumps indicated cows bunched together and bedding down for the night.
The conversation was dying, and while normally Nix liked peace and quiet, it rarely worked out well for him when a woman did too much thinking. “How did you end up practicing law in a little place like Grand, Montana?”
“Searching for my roots, I suppose. I wanted to get to know my mother’s side of the family better. Besides, I like the country. I spent summers with my birth father’s parents in Oklahoma.”
“Birth father?”
“I’m the reason irresponsible teenagers shouldn’t have sex. My teenaged parents never grew up and remain irresponsible to this day,” she said lightly, with a faint hint of exasperation that suggested she’d never fully understand what made them tick but had learned to accept it.
A few more questions and he had a clear picture of her family dynamics. No wonder she came across as so bossy. And it was no wonder she’d found herself saddled with Taryn. Their parents hadn’t made any attempt to control her.
Taryn, however, wasn’t about to be controlled. Not by an older half sister, that was for sure. Shauna had been handed all the responsibility, but she held no authority—a position she well understood, since it had been her family role her entire life.
It explained the wild side she’d kept so carefully hidden but had blown through the gates earlier that day. Dealing with Taryn had pushed her over the edge. Anyone else would be drinking.
“What about you?” Shauna asked. “Other than your ex-wife, do you have any family?”
Did he? He wasn’t sure. “Parents and two older sisters. I grew up on a small ranch an hour outside of Abilene, Texas. I think my parents still own it.”
She jumped on that. “What do you mean, you think?”
He hadn’t meant to add that last part. Or maybe he had. Maybe he was looking for a second opinion as to whether he should try and reconnect or leave matters alone. “I haven’t had any contact with them in years.”
“Your ex-wife really did cut them out of your life.” She stated it as fact, with a small hint of judgment thrown in that he rightly deserved.
“I could blame her for it,” he said. “The truth is, it was easier to let them go than it was to fight with her every time they wanted to visit. It’s nobody’s fault but my own.”
“You’re no longer married. Why don’t you call them?”
He regretted starting this whole conversation. “Maybe they don’t want to hear from me.”
“Why wouldn’t they want to hear from you? What’s wrong with them? Weren’t they supportive enough of your rodeo career?”
There she went, jabbing at him again.
“There’s nothing wrong with my parents,” Nix said, defensive. “They couldn’t have been more supportive. My mom drove me to rodeos until I was old enough to drive on my own. Even then, most weekends she’d tagged along. My dad bought me my first truck.”
Shauna made a small clicking sound of reproof with her tongue. “Then the problem is all in your head. There’s nothing more important than family. My mother’s crazy, and I talk to her once a week. You should call yours.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It’s absolutely that simple,” she said.
“I’ll think about it.” That was the best response he could think of to shut down a conversation he didn’t feel like pursuing.
They bounced along the trail for another few minutes. He caught her frown out of the corner of his eye. Now what?
“Where are we?” she asked, peering through the windshield. “I’m not going to end up on some reality crime show, am I? One where I go missing and my body’s never found?”
