Page 62 of Unforgettable Cowboy
“Nice.”Hayes hoped he sounded enthusiastic as he sat in the chair Estelle had vacated, slowly straightening his rapidly swelling knee, which hadn’t appreciated his bronc’s efforts that day.“Feels good when things work out.”
Really good.
Hayes shushed his sarcastic inner voice.Bailey was hitting the road, pursuing her dream, as she should, and now she had someone to help stock her.The rock in his gut would eventually dissipate and he had his own future to figure out.
Bailey touched his thigh, bringing his body to alert status.“Are you okay?”she asked.
Hayes opened his mouth, having no idea what was about to come out of it, when a customer approached the table and Bailey leaned forward, ready to assist.He glanced toward the arena, where the rodeo would soon be winding down, and spotted Trev and Dylan headed their way.
Timing, as they say, was everything, and he and Bailey didn’t appear to have enough of the stuff to properly work things out.
More than that, he sensed that they weren’t ready to work it out.Too many little ends that needed to be tied up and it would be stupid to force things.
*
Trev and Dylanhelped Bailey break down her display after the last lingering rodeo patrons left the area.Hayes had not won the bronc riding, but he’d been in the money.Trev and Dylan were not so lucky.After collecting his purse, Hayes joined in the breakdown, and as the four of them worked, Bailey explained the plan for dropping off the mare the next day.After leaving the horse with Jenna, she’d continue on her fourteen-hour journey to Laughlin.The mandatory setup time for the event was Wednesday evening and she had to be there on time in order to pick up Milo’s silver.
“All I need is the horse,” she said, giving Dylan a quick look.
“I may be able to find one by tomorrow morning,” he said.He took a look into the back of Bailey’s trailer, which had been pressure-washed after the last time she’d transported the palomino mare.“Kind of a shame to mess this up.”He closed the door.“Why don’t I haul the mare?It’s on my way home.”
“That sounds good,” Bailey said, wondering if Dylan had an ulterior motive.The man seemed to know a lot about her friend, but not in a stalkerish way.If he had intentions there, Bailey wished him luck because all signs indicated that Jenna was done with men.“I can follow you and then hit the freeway in Livingston to head south via Gallatin Gateway.”
“Win, win,” Dylan said.
Bailey agreed, then turned to Hayes, who’d just loaded the handcart into the tack compartment.He did not have a win-win expression on his handsome face.
Ten minutes later, after his brothers had headed for their trucks and Dylan his trailer, Bailey hooked a finger in Hayes’s belt loop and tugged him a step closer.
“Want to spend the night?”
She assumed it was an easy yes, so was taken back when he said, “Maybe a rain check?”
“Yeah?”she asked, speaking in a fairly normal voice despite the gut-punch sensation in her lower abdomen.She’d imagined a night of making love, and instead, he was easing away.
He’s making it easier for you to leave.
That’s good,her small voice whispered as she pulled her finger free of the belt loop.
If so, then why didn’t it feel good?Was she becoming dependent on the man?The thought chilled her.
Hayes rubbed a hand over his shoulder.“I know we talked about living in the moment and letting the future take care of itself, but…”
“You can’t?”
He dropped his hand.“I’d like to be part of your life, Bailey.The question is do you want me there?”
She opened her mouth, hoping to hear a yes come out, but the word stalled as she recalled the way Trev had regarded her after Hayes’s ride.She had to be certain she could deal with all that came with Hayes being part of her life.If she couldn’t…
“I think I do,” she finally said.
His lips curved into a smile, but his gaze was serious as he took her by the shoulders and drew her close enough to press his lips to her forehead.“When you’re sure, we can talk.”
“Hayes…”
“Dylan will be parked right over there.You’ll be okay tonight.”
Bailey took a step back, barely able to keep from wrapping her arms around herself.She felt oddly cold.And mute.
