Page 53 of Catch Me, Cowboy
“Well, I wish you luck. I’ll be here to watch that ride and I’d like to do another short interview tomorrow and perhaps we can work in time to discuss another matter.”
Another matter?“Looking forward to it.”
Buck lowered his phone and reached out to shake Ty’s hand. “Good luck, man.”
“Thanks.” Ty shot his dad a look. “Catch up with you later, okay?”
“Sure thing, son.”
Ty gritted his teeth and headed for his truck, certain his dad would catch up to him sooner rather than later, and sure enough, before he hit the entrance to the field where his truck was parked, he heard his dad call his name.
His shoulders tightened and he made a conscious effort to relax his taut muscles before he turned back to face his father who was quickly closing the distance between them. His muscles he might have been able to control. His temper, not so much.
“What the hell, Dad?” The words came grinding out.
His father gave him a blank look, which only irritated him more.
“Did it ever occur to you that if I wanted publicity about attempting a comeback, that I would have arranged it myself? That I would have told you my plans?”
“What? You’re pissed because Buck Creighton is here?”
“I’m pissed because you knew he’d be here, specifically to see me, and you didn’t give me the option of telling him, no, don’t come.”
“Well, it’s a damned good thing he was here for that ride. And I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to focus on the ride.”
“I don’t know how you found out that I was entered…” Although he would hazard a guess that one of his cronies on the Copper Mountain Rodeo Board had clued him in. “But calling Buck Creighton, asking him to cover my ride,without telling me… uncool.”
“Uncool or not, the guy was excited when I told him you were coming out of retirement.”
“How did you know this was more than just one last ride at the local rodeo.”
His dad gave a small snort. “I know you, Ty. You don’t do things like this for fun. You’re as focused on winning as I was.” His mouth tightened momentarily, as if he was deciding whether or not to press on. He pressed. “You’ve just proven that you’re better than ever. You can work your way back into the money. Get your sponsors back.”
A cowboy walked by, leading a horse with two giggling little girls wedged together into the saddle. Ty clamped his mouth shut until they were out of earshot. “This isn’t the place to discuss this, Dad.”
“I don’t understand what we have to discuss!”
And therein lay the problem. His father was so heavily invested in his sons’ careers that he didn’t seem to understand they weren’thiscareers.
“Do you want to ride or not?” his dad demanded.
“On my terms.” Which was the honest truth. “We’ll talk later. I have to catch up with someone.”
“Shelby?”
Ty stilled at the tone of his father’s voice. “And if it is?”
His dad gave him an impatient look. “Don’t be stupid about things, Ty. You don’t have to settle, like I did.”
And that was the end of this conversation.
“Later, Dad.” Ty gave his father a curt nod and walked off, squeezing between two goosenecks parked side by side. His dad didn’t follow and for that Ty was massively grateful. They would talk, once Ty had cooled off—in a week or so maybe.
Right now…
Well, Ty never had been one for public blowups and that was what was coming if his dad happened to catch up with him.
They hadn’t made firm plans, but Ty had hoped to catch up with Shelby after his ride and to congratulate her on her stellar run. Now all he wanted to do was to get the hell out of Dodge. When he got to his truck he set his bronc saddle in the back and unbuckled his chaps. His dad hadn’t followed him, but Ty wasn’t taking any chances. He got into the truck, pulled his phone out of the glove compartment and dialed Shelby.
