Page 183 of Lavender Lake
I raked my hand through his tousled hair. “And how did that go?”
“Good. We’re good.” He briefly closed his eyes and sank into my touch for a minute. “He helped me hash some things out.”
“I knew he would. It’s good you guys are buddies again.”
He opened his eyes and sat up to face me. “I’m going to retire, Salem.”
“What? No, you don’t have to do that,” I said.
“I don’t?”
I shook my head. “We can figure something out. You can fly home in between events. I’ll go with you to some of them. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Besides, you’ve got sponsorships. You can’t just give up everything you’ve ever?—”
“Hey, hang on. My turn.”
“But—”
“Nope. You get to listen now.” He grinned when I glared at him. “And I know how much you love listening.”
He took the book from my lap and set it aside, and then he grasped my hands. “I’m going to finish out this season. We’ll schedule the Rudolph Lancaster photoshoot in between events. I’ll fulfill all my sponsorship requirements I have left on contract, but after that, I’m done.”
“What are you going to do then?” I demanded. “Work under Declan for the next many years on my father’s ranch? A ranch can’t have two foremen.”
“That’s part of what Declan and I were talking about.” He took a deep breath. “We’re going to open a rodeo club and be partners.”
“Where are you going to do that?” I asked in confusion.
“Here. On this land.”
“A rodeo club,” I murmured. “You’re going to teach bull riding and calf roping?”
“Yeah, and we’ve already got a plan for how it’s going to pan out. Between the two of us, we can get sponsored riders to come here on the company dime to learn how to be better riders and ropers. The better they get, the more they make. And the companies who sponsor them will make even more sales off the promotions. It’s a win for everyone involved and we’ll still get to rope and ride, just not on the circuit anymore. So, what do you think?”
“I think you have it all figured out,” I said.
“We’re going to need someone in charge of marketing and social media. You know anyone good?”
I smirked. “I have a few names I could pass your way.”
“What about your name and my name? I mean, your first name with my last name? Salem Bowman has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“It sounds pretty good, Caspian Bowman.”
“Casimir,” he said softly. “Casimir William Bowman.”
I traced his lips with my finger. “Casimir William Bowman, legendary bull rider.”
“Casimir William Bowman, the man who’s not doing a good enough job convincing you to marry him.”
My fingers trailed down his chin to his neck and then lower . . .
“Maybe you should get creative.”
His grin was wicked. “Thought you’d never ask.”
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
The Ranch
