Page 8 of Wrangling Hearts
“I don’t wanna think about it.”
I laughed again. “Anyway, you busy? I wasn’t callin’ just to shoot the shit.”
“And here I thought you cared about me.” I could hear his fake crying, but behind it, the opening and closing of paddocks. He was up in Kentucky training a couple of horses for the Derby. Just a casual Tuesday for Joseph Roberts, world-famous horse trainer—and my ace in the hole in winning this partnership.
“What's up?”
I told him about Cavendish and that I wanted to apply and basically name-drop him to the moon and back.
He whistled low. “Damn. Cavendish is big. They’re responsible for most of the horses I’ve been working with here. Are you planning on telling Mount before or after you apply?”
“I’m not telling him until I get the partnership.”
“That’ll go over about as well as a lead balloon. You sound pretty confident that you’ll win.”
“Well,” I grinned, “when you have the world’sbestbrother-in-law in your corner, it’s hard to lose.”
Joseph let out a loud laugh. “Who knew Beau McLeod was such a kiss ass?”
“Bend over and you’ll find out.” My laughter faded, and I tapped my pen against the desk quickly, trying to find the words. I’d never asked Joseph for anything aside from taking care of my sister and nephew. I wasn’t the kind of man who liked to ask for help or admit I needed it if I could help it. But now was one of those times.
I cleared my throat. “But seriously, I could really use your pull with this. I might actually have a chance to prove to my dad that I know what I’m doing if I get this partnership. So are you in or not?”
“Of course, I’m in, you dipshit, I just wanted to hear you beg first.”
The relief was crushing. I rolled my eyes, smiling. “Thanks, asshole.”
After we got off the phone, I just stared at my desk, not really knowing what to do with myself. I really had to do it now, and was putting everything on the line to do so. But if I won the partnership, I’d be the McLeod to bring horses to the ranch, the same goal my grandfather—the first Beaumont McLeod—had in the seventies.
After finishingup the application and my chores around the ranch, I drove into town to grab a quick dinner with Colt.
The Wild Creek Diner was nearly packed when I walked through the door, the bell ringing over my head. My brother was already sitting in a booth by the window, looking all official in his sheriff’s uniform.
“You’re late,” Colt said as I slid into the booth. Of the three of us McLeod kids, he was definitely the most serious, which is ironic since he was the youngest. But that made ribbing him all the more fun.
“Sorry, officer, please don’t arrest me.” I put on a full pout, and he rolled his eyes, already over me. “You order yet?”
“Nah, was waiting for you and now I’m starving.”
I opened the menu even though I’d been ordering the same thing here since I was thirteen. “You poor thing.”
We waited for the waitress to come and take our order. Instead of Marie, the waitress who had known us since we could throw a lasso, Louise showed up with two sweet teas.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” she said, smacking her gum, with a smile that could rival the Cheshire cat. “Two of the cutest boys in Wild Creek are here in my diner.” She grabbed our biceps and gave them a good squeeze. “Oh, you two just know how to make an old woman’s day.”
My brother’s neck tinged pink at her harmless flirting. And it truly was harmless, considering she was pushing eighty. But Colt never liked being the center of attention, so it was always fun when Louise got her hands on him. And as his older brother, it was my God-given right and duty to torture him whenever I could.
“I’d be careful if I were you, Miss Louise,” I grinned, kicking Colt’s leg under the table. He only blushed harder. “Brittany might not take too kindly to you grabbin’ her man.”
She rolled her eyes. “That girl just needs to focus on keeping my hair looking this good.” When we didn’t say anything, she glanced between us. “That’s when you’re s’posed to tell me it looks good.”
Colt straightened in the booth, his sheriff’s badge glinting in the overhead lights. “Of course, it looks good. Great even,” he stammered, and I snickered.
She patted him on the head like he was a dog that’d done his trick well. “I’ll get you your burgers, sit tight,” she said, walking off.
“So what’s new?” I asked Colt, sipping on my tooth-rotting tea. I nearly spat it out at how sweet it was, but I knew Louise would tan my hide if I did.
Colt ran a hand over his mouth and that monstrosity of a mustache, doing a once-over of the diner. “Not much. Everything’s been calm at the station. Everything’s good with Britt.” He took a sip of his tea and grimaced. “God damn, I think she’s trying to poison us.” He shook his head at the glass, smacking his lips. “What about you? You gonna tell me about this horse deal?”
