Page 49 of Unforgettable Cowboy
Stop, she chided her mouthy inner voice.Before she had time to continue the argument with herself, she caught a glimpse of a tri-color collie trotting among the vendors.Rascal.She smiled as she watched the little dog weave through the people.Despite being the poster child for independent living, he seemed at home in a crowd—as long as no one got too personal with him.He was doing just fine on his own and, Bailey decided as he disappeared around the corner of a tent, so would she.The only adjustment she’d make to the plans for her immediate future was adding a little gray dog to the mix.
Bailey began closing up shop when the street dance started, following the lead of the other vendors who began covering tables, zipping up tents and hauling their more valuable items to their trucks and trailers.She’d just loaded her boxes onto her collapsible transport wagon when someone cleared their throat.She looked up and then wished she hadn’t.Chance shifted his weight as he tucked his thumbs into his belt, looking every inch the alpha male as he gave her a silent once-over.
“Where’s my silver?”She dead-eyed him as she spoke, refusing to give in to the intimidation factor.
“Where’s my horse?”He wasn’t playing innocent, but he wasn’t looking guilty either.
Bailey gave him a guileless look.“You’re walking better than the last time I saw you.”It may not have been the wisest thing to say, but it got a reaction, so she pressed on.“Don’t harass me, Chance.I will not hesitate to call the authorities.”
“Then why haven’t you?”
She’d slipped into a trap there—a trap she was saved from by a group of young women who called Chance’s name.He gave her a we’re-not-done look, then slid into his macho rodeo guy persona, with just enough aw-shucks to melt a heart or two.His admirers were a giggly lot, maybe a little drunk, and soon surrounded him, asking questions and wishing him good luck.
Bailey started pulling her wagon to the parking area, glad to have made an escape, only to be stopped within sight of her trailer by a shout from Chance who’d sent his adoring fans along their way.He jogged up behind her, forcing her to turn to face him.
“Give Jenna a message from me.”
“No.”
She once again started pulling the wagon forward, stopping only when Chance came to stand in front of her.She looked around.They weren’t alone, but there weren’t many people in the area.Just an elderly woman walking an equally elderly dog, a couple closing up their trailer for the night, and little Rascal, dodging in and out of the trailers, possibly looking for food.
She drew herself up and decided that Hayes’s plan to punch the guy until he confessed the whereabouts of her silver was not a bad idea after all.
“Tell Jenna that if she doesn’t do the right thing, then it won’t play out well for the horse.She can change all that by cooperating now.”
It wasn’t hard to understand what he was getting at.
“You’d put down Jenna’s horse for revenge?”
Chance tipped back his hat and she saw the chilling conviction in his gaze.Jenna had made him look bad, and yes, he would do that.“Accidents happen.Dakota is insured.”
“You’re sick.”She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so disgusted by someone.She stepped closer to him, wagon in tow.He had a good six inches on her, but she was beyond caring about the tale of the tape.“If my silver isn’t returned by the end of the rodeo, I’m reporting it.Even if they never find it, even if you deny it, I’ll just keep telling my story.Maybe your sponsors would like to hear it.”
His eyes narrowed, giving his handsome face a hawkish look.
“My sponsors know a crackpot when they see one.”He smiled, his lips twisting unpleasantly in the process.“You’ve heard the term ‘fuck around and find out’?Watch yourself or more than your silver will be missing.”
She had no idea what that meant, but an icy sensation went through her.She squelched it and started pulling the wagon around him.“I don’t own anything worth losing.”
“You may be wrong there.”
The words would have had a more chilling effect if she hadn’t looked past him at that moment to see the cavalry coming.Chance, sensing a shift in her demeanor, looked over his shoulder in time to see three broad-shouldered men emerge from the peripheries of the street dance crowd, walking in unison as they approached.
Alpha Cowboy Meyers knew when to make a retreat.
He didn’t say a word as he pushed past Bailey and disappeared into the maze of trailers.A few seconds later Hayes, Jordan and Dylan came to a stop near where she waited by her trailer.
“I thought you went to check on Wade,” Bailey said to Hayes.
“I sent Trev.”He lifted his chin in the direction that Chance had disappeared.“What’d he want?”
“He insinuated that he’d destroy the mare if Jenna doesn’t give her up now.”
“Bullshit,” Hayes said.
“I don’t know.Behind that charm lives a vindictive son of a bitch.”Dylan shot Hayes a look.“I think he’d do it.”
The last thing Bailey needed to hear.“Then we need to see that he doesn’t get the chance.”
