Page 12 of Wrangling Hearts
“Yeah, Mama, I’m here.” I sat in the chair by her bed. “Do you need anything?”
She flipped her hand palm-side up, her eyes still closed. “Just my baby to sit with me for a minute.”
I took her hand in mine, smiling. “I think I can do that.”
She licked her lips. “Now tell me why I saw our name in theWhispers. I was too tired to read it all.”
My chest grew tight. I should’ve talked to her about it, considering Golden Bridle was technically still her ranch. I told her about the partnership and ignored the twisting in my gut the entire time. “I should’ve asked you first. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, please. This ranch has been yours”—she took a deep, shaky breath—“for years. You don’t need to ask me to do anything.”
“It still wasn’t right. I should’ve talked to you before I applied.” I leaned forward, resting my head on our joined hands. “But I wish I hadn’t, though. I just came back from Circle M. Beau McLeod applied too.”
She hummed. “He still as handsome as I remember?”
I shot upright. “Mama!” She’d tell me I’d catch a fly with my mouth hung open like this if her eyes were open.
She cracked a smile. Small, but it was there. “A woman’s allowed to look—‘specially when she’s dying.”
“You sound like Miss Louise,” I grumbled. And then I winced as I said, “Yes, he’s still handsome.” I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that fact all day, no matter how busy I kept myself. I couldn’t get the feeling of his chest when I shoved him out of my mind.
It was disgusting.Iwas disgusting.
“His daddy was always handsome like that, too.”
“Yeah, yeah. The McLeod men are handsome, arrogant, rich, assholes. Same old, same old.”
Her eyes shot open then. “Claire Magnolia Hayes, don’t you curse in my house. It’s not ladylike.”
“Mama, I’ve had my whole forearm up a horse’s rear, there’s nothing ladylike about me left.” And it was the truth. I couldn’t remember the last time I did my makeup, wore a dress, went on a date, had sex.
God, I couldn’t even remember the last time I was kissed.
“Who hasn’t around these parts?”
I pursed my lips. “Fair.”
“Just promise me you won’t lose yourself in this. You know how you get that tunnel vision.” I thought back to my rodeo days when I lived and breathed barrel racing. It was all I talked about, all I thought about. I existed purely for the rush it gave me.
And then it all went away in the blink of an eye, and I was left with nothing.
“I promise.” Although I wasn’t entirely sure I could keep it. I would do whatever it took to ensure I got that partnership. I owed it to Golden Bridle, to my family.
Even if it meant losing myself in the process.
4
Beau
Claire’s taillights mocked me as she drove off the property after that parting little barb about “getting my shit in order”. Not to mention her proud middle finger lifted in the air to really drive home the fact that I was on her shitlist.
I had to admit, I was still a little stunned by the whole thing. She’d gotten a lot feistier over the years, and for a minute there, I thought she was going to hit me.
Now that would’ve been a sight to see.
I knew the town would have a lot to say about us both applying for the partnership, given our families’ history, but I hadn’t expected her to. Claire and I didn’t know each other that well anymore, but when we were kids, she was way less volatile. Still bossy, but less…explosive.
I didn’t necessarily hate it.
