Page 23 of Wrangling Hearts
The two men shook my hand, giving me warm, genuine smiles. We walked back to their truck, and the relief that I hadn’t completely blown it was crushing. Beau’s eyes were on me theentire time, and when I peeked at him over Trent’s shoulder, he looked far less victorious than he had earlier.
“I really do appreciate you coming out. And again, I’m so sorry about Vincent and Nip. Please send me your dry-cleaning bill.” Wasn’t sure how I’d pay it, but I couldn’t not offer after the shitshow I put on.
They both laughed. “We’ll be in touch, Claire.”
I waved as they drove off, unable to stop the smile. And when they were out of sight, I couldn’t help but jump up and down, yelling like I’d just won the World Championships.
“I wouldn’t get too excited if I were you,” Beau said, walking towards the fence line. He propped a foot on the bottom rail and rested his elbows on the top. “Looked like ya lost them there for a second.” He was dressed in his usual getup, the cowboy uniform of a button-down, Wranglers, boots, and a hat that had seen better days. But goddamn if he didn’t make it work, and I was disgusted with myself for thinking so.
I wiped the mud on my hands on my jeans, smirking. “Didn’t know you were so obsessed with me.” I was one to talk after moaning over him in my bathtub a few nights ago.
He scoffed, looking away before meeting my gaze. “Don’t flatter yourself, Claire. Just makin’ sure things keep leaning Circle M’s way and you don’t win them over with your”—he looked over at the barn—“what? Five stables, if I remember correctly?”
My jaw tightened. “I don’t need shiny new things and Daddy’s money to win them over. And I certainly don’t need someone else to run my tour.” His eyes narrowed, that sky blue turning glacial. I grinned. “Yeah. I saw that. Saw you choke. I bet you didn’t say more than ten words to them.”
Beau’s frown told me the shot landed as intended. “Who’s the obsessed one now?” His frown morphed into a smirk as his eyesdragged over my body. “But then again, you always did make a habit of staring when you thought no one would notice.”
My mouth popped open, completely caught off guard. Was he talking about when we were kids? When we went swimming in the creek? Heat crept into my cheeks as mortification I didn’t know I could feel took over. I couldn’t believe that after all this time, he knew I looked. But I wasn’t surprised he was the type of man to throw it in my face in a moment of weakness just to embarrass me.
Beau just laughed and pushed off the fence, leaving me to stew in it. “Nice talking to you, Claire.”
“I can’t fucking stand you, Beaumont!” I yelled at his back as he sauntered up his porch steps, and he only laughed harder.
I stormed inside, now furious, but also desperate to get out of my muddied clothes. Gran was sitting in the living room, crocheting. “How was it? I heard screaming—goat and human.” She let out a little giggle that made my heart swell. She was so cute.
“Chaotic, but good.” My smile crept wider. “Really good. I might’ve roped Delilah into a job she doesn’t know about, but I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“She won’t. You know that girl will go wherever the wind carries her.”
“Yeah,” I murmured, hoping she was right. I started to pull out my braid. “How’s Mama?”
“Resting.” I nodded.
Before I could leave to go shower, she asked, “And how’s Beau? I may have peeked out the window and seen you talking to him.” Her playful, knowing tone made my stomach tighten.
“Insufferable as always,” I said and left to shower before I could think about him propped up on that fence, looking like he was in a cologne ad any longer.
Later that night,I was wired and unable to sleep. I should’ve been exhausted with how hard I ran myself this last week preparing for the tour, but I wasn’t.
I was buzzing.
Every cell in my body was awake, vibrating with this…aliveness I hadn’t felt in nearly a decade. Not since my last barrel race, when I galloped into the arena to the roar of a crowd with the wind in my hair and adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Not until I started this competition with Beau.
I stared up at my ceiling, smiling to myself that I had beaten him today. The fact that the reps didn’t cut me was a victory in itself, considering everything that had happened. But I turned it around. I laid my heart bare. I convinced them to take a chance on me.
And it worked.
Beau thought he had this in the bag, but he didn’t know what was about to hit him.
8
Beau
I hated town functions. Well, hate was a strong word, but I really,reallydisliked them. Sure, I admired the sense of community Wild Creek had and the way we looked after each other, but there was something that just rubbed me the wrong way.
I always left feeling off-balanced. It was the same feeling I had leaving Anna’s, or seeing young teens at the ice cream shop on a first date, or watching old couples being sickeningly adorable together.
