Page 6 of Catch Me, Cowboy
“Wish Uriel was still here.”
Uriel had left for an outfitting job that paid full benefits instead of bare bones health care that Gramps offered. He still stopped by from time to time when Shelby or Gramps needed a hand with haying, but his new job kept him busy most days of the week during tourist and hunting seasons. Shelby understood why Uriel had taken the new job, but she’d been sad to see him go—not only had his departure added to her grandfather’s workload, Uriel was now no longer there to help handle the tougher horses when necessary. Shelby was good, but she was also only five-foot-four and there were times when she needed muscle and height. Uriel had both.
Shelby made a wry face at her grandfather. “If the horse is more than I can handle, I’ll send him back. You know I will.”
Shelby wasn’t one to give up, but there were times when common sense outweighed stubbornness and determination. She couldn’t afford to get hurt, or to have her grandfather hurt.
“Was she your last ride for the day?” Gramps asked as Shelby released the mare and then returned for the grooming bucket.
“Yeah. I’m roping tonight.”
“In town?”
She shook her head. “Wyatt’s arena. The rodeo grounds tomorrow.” Practicing for her big comeback at the Copper Mountain Rodeo with her long time team roping partner.
Funny how having Ty in the area put the prospect of roping in public—which had been unnerving the hell out of her for the past several weeks—into perspective. On a standard stress scale, Ty’s return was a ten. Maybe an eleven. Competing in the rodeo without screwing up was now only a five or six.
Her grandfather reached out to take the grooming bucket from her as they started toward the barn. “Just focus on your roping and your horses and forget that Ty’s anywhere in the vicinity.”
Shelby gave a small snort. Excellent advice, but easier said than done… especially when she was certain he was going to seek her out again and would continue to do so until he considered the matter between them settled.
*
“You’re a daytoo late,” Callen Carrigan McAllister said, shaking her head. “We would have hired you, too.”
“Then I guess it wasn’t meant to be.” Although he wished it had. It would have been a good solution all the way around—Callen would get help the temporary help she needed on the ranch and he’d get a place to live.
Callen smiled a little. “I’ll let you know if I hear of anyone who needs a hand for a couple of weeks.” She cocked her head. “Where are you staying?”
“I’m parked at the rodeo grounds. Sleeping in my bedroll in the back of the truck.”
“Just like old times?”
When he’d first starting following the circuit he had spent a lot of time sleeping in the bed of his truck, driving insane distances, riding, then getting back into his truck to drive another insane distance. “Exactly like old times.”
“You know… I may not be able to offer a paycheck, but I might have something more comfortable in the way of living arrangements. Hawksley’s old camp trailer is still parked behind the barn. It’s in rough shape, but I’d lend it to you. Indefinitely. I’ll even give you a place to park it.”
“I don’t want to get in your way.”
“You could park it in the aspen grove just past the cattle guard. Close to the county road, but you’d have your privacy. And if you find a place closer to town or on another ranch, cool.”
Ty grinned. He wasn’t one for charity, but Callen’s no nonsense attitude made it easier. “I’ll pay you rent.”
“If it makes you feel better.”
“It does.”
“It just so happens that my husband is an accountant. I’ll ask him what rent I should charge for a fifty-year-old camp trailer that may or may not have mice and get back to you.”
“Thanks, Callen. Maybe we can shoot a game of pool sometime.”
She grinned. “Yeah. We can wager on whether or not you pay rent.”
*
“I heard thatTy’s back.” Wyatt Marshall shot Shelby a quick look before tightening his cinch and dropping the stirrup back into place.
Wyatt was her friend, but Shelby was getting pretty damned sick of hearing those words, as well as reading them on her phone screen.
