Page 43 of The Cowboy's Downfall
Taryn had got on the back of a bull, and when it ran her down, she bounced right back, no worse for wear. She was Trouble, and those weren’t real tears. He had to remember who was in charge.
“I’m not trying to make you quit. Just…pay more attention to Ford and remember not to turn your back on a bull. You did good today. The sport needs more women, and I think you have a lot of potential. But I know you understand why you can’t be on my team, because you don’t seem stupid. It’s either work with Ford or find yourself another clinic if you want to ride.”
Taryn’s tears dried like magic. “This is sofake.”
She spun on her suede-booted heel. Seconds later, her tires churned up gravel.
Meanwhile, as he strode the path to the ranch and the cookhouse, Nix was feeling pretty damned good overall. He’d dealt with Trouble.
Next up was Too Good.
*
Shauna
Shauna showed upbefore seven, content to enjoy a few minutes of peace in a lovely location.
The Methodist church was small, and old, but very pretty, and clearly well loved. White clapboard and stained-glass windows gleamed in the last rosy rays of the sun. The cemetery beside it, protected from river erosion by trees, was carefully tended. Most of the headstones were worn by weather and age, the inscriptions long gone, but they were erect, and free of lichen, mildew, and moss. It was too cold to sit on one of the stone benches along the path that cut between the graves, so Shauna remained in her car.
She’d had a disagreement with Taryn over breakfast that morning.
“Can’t I have one thing in this town that you aren’t involved in? What’s the big attraction? You enjoy seeing me land on my ass?” Taryn demanded. “No one else’s sister shows up for practice. Only the parents of the twelve-year-olds go and that’s only because the kids need a drive. I have my own car. I don’t need you.”
Shauna didn’t want to be needed. She wanted her sister to want her. And the bickering gave her a headache.
So, she backed down.
Then their mother had called to let her know when she and Taryn’s dad, Gunther, would be arriving in Grand for Thanksgiving. Their plans had already been made. They’d stay at the small boutique hotel on the waterfront, and everyone would have dinner at Freda and Ian McKillop’s house.
Taryn, who’d come home from practice still in a mood and unwilling to talk, perked up at the news. Of course she would. Their parents would show up bearing gifts and no common sense. Natalie would let Taryn skip school so that they could have added girl time together, and she’d be annoyed when Shauna reminded her that she had to work, because Shauna hadn’t been with the law firm long enough to earn extra vacation. She’d already booked time off for Christmas.
The ancient ranch truck Nix drove rattled into the parking space next to her car. Its engine gasped what could well be its last breath. Nix hopped out and her anxiety eased. He never seemed to get too worked up about things, which made him easy to be around. She didn’t know what his plans for the evening were, or even if he had any, but Taryn was home, gaming online with friends, so her house was out of the question.
Sitting and talking might not be such a bad thing.
He got in the car and passed her his phone. “I believe this is yours,” he said, his tone neutral.
“It was a gift.” She tried to hand it back, but he wouldn’t take it.
He eyed her for a long moment. “Why do you think I need a phone?”
“You told me not to call the bunkhouse number again.” It sounded silly when she said it out loud. Petulant. Childish. Very unlike her.
His forehead smoothed. “I thought that might be it—I didn’t know it was you. Your timing was bad. Peg had called right before you did, wanting me to pick her up at the airport. She didn’t like it when I told her to change her flight plans, and I assumed it was her calling back because she doesn’t hearnovery often. Although for the record, no, I don’t like you calling the bunkhouse. Some of those guys are assholes, and I don’t want them talking about you the way they talk about other women.”
The faint trace of possessiveness should have annoyed her but didn’t.
“And here I thought cowboys were gentlemen,” she said.
“They are. To your face.” A smile flickered, then disappeared. “I’m not going to get into how you giving me a phone makes me look, but you can find the type of guy willing to take one from you for sex-on-demand on Craigslist if that’s what you want.”
“It’s not for sex on demand.” Yes, it was. He had a right to be angry. She hadn’t meant to offend him with the phone, but that’s what she’d done, because she hadn’t taken how he might react to it into consideration. “You need a phone, Nix. Keep it and pay me back.”
His cheeks reddened. “I can’t afford a phone. Peg’s boyfriend ditched her, and she was stranded in Europe. She didn’t want to explain the situation to her parents, so she tracked me down and asked me for help. I gave her the last of my savings and took out an advance on my salary.”
“You gave your ex-wife money after she already took everything you had? And then she asked you to pick her up at the airport, fully expecting you to do it?” Shauna took a deep breath to calm down. She no longer felt bad about the phone. “I can’t decide if you’re a super nice guy or just stupid.”
“Why can’t I be both?”
