“No. I tried to locate him after I found out I was pregnant, but he’d come to Mustang Valley by then and was lying low. He and Ethan Powell are good friends.”
“Why lie low?”
Jewel explained about the potential lawsuits from the arena owners and his brother Daniel’s cancer battle, ending with, “Tanner and his brother own stock in the family business. His dad’s concerned if the arena owners were to come after Tanner, the family business could be named in the suit.”
“Suing seems excessive. Would the arena owners really do that?”
“I think it’s excessive, too. Not the company attorney, however. He’s convinced the potential is very real.”
Real enough that Tanner had sacrificed a great deal to protect his family. Jewel was torn. Part of her admired him for putting them first. Another part of her was angry he hadn’t put her first. Her feelings weren’t necessarily logical, but that didn’t change them.
“What are you two doing about Ava?” Ronnie asked.
“We’re still deciding. I’ll be hiring an attorney soon.”
“I feel sorry for him. For his whole family. They’ve had some pretty hard knocks. His brother, especially.” Ronnie shook her head. “I wouldn’t wish brain cancer on my worst enemy.”
“Me, neither.”
“I never really understood Tanner cheating. Not that I knew him well.” Ronnie scrunched her mouth in thought. “I mean, he was favored to win. He and his brother. Unless something went terribly wrong, either one of them was likely to walk away with a championship.”
“I guess sometimes people become desperate.” Even as she said it, Jewel doubted her statement. Tanner had never been the desperate type. He’d had no reason, not with his enormous talent. She was less sure about Daniel.
“Did you know about the cheating? Gosh, I’m sorry.” Ronnie looked chagrined. “That’s none of my business.”
Jewel waved away her concern. “It’s okay and, honestly, I had no clue.”
Ronnie’s phone pinged again, alerting her to a text. “That’s probably my cousin. I’d better hurry.” She impulsively hugged Jewel. “You going to be all right?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“If you ever need a willing ear to bend, I’m available.”
“Thanks.” Jewel felt a lump rise in her throat. “That means a lot.”
“And I was serious about you entering the barrel racing this afternoon.” Ronnie wagged a finger at Jewel as she walked away.
“I’ll try.”
Giving Teddy Bear a last pat, Jewel adjusted Ava in the baby wrap before heading toward the bunkhouse and her visit with Tanner. At the door, she knocked. When he didn’t answer, she figured she was early and, pulling out her phone, sent Tracee a text asking for her grandmother’s number. Tracee responded immediately and Jewel placed the call. A voice mail greeting kicked in, and she left a message after identifying herself.
She was just finishing when Tanner appeared from around the corner of the bunkhouse.
“Did I hear correctly? You need a babysitter this afternoon?” he asked.
Shoot. Now what? “Possibly. I haven’t decided.”
“What’s going on?”
She couldn’t easily hide her plans. He’d see her loading Teddy Bear in her horse trailer and leaving.
“I’m thinking about entering the barrel racing event at the Poco Dinero.”
“That’s a great idea. You should.” He opened the door and gestured for her to precede him.
“I’m still considering.”
“I’ll babysit Ava.”
If she refused him, they’d get into an argument. He’d insist he was Ava’s father and should be allowed. And he’d be right. The other option was that she didn’t enter the competition.
“I probably won’t.” Inside the bunkhouse, she unwound Ava from the baby wrap. “I need more practice.”
“The competition is practice.” He took Ava from her and settled the baby against his chest. “You scared?”
“No way!” Jewel immediately realized he’d goaded her and could have kicked herself.
“Then what’s holding you back?”
“Nothing.”
“Let me guess. You don’t want to leave Ava with me.”
“Tanner...”
“I’m not going to kidnap her.”
Her face heated with embarrassment. “Of course not.”
“Then you must think I’m inept at solo parenting. You know, Tracee’s not a parent, and you trust Ava with her.”
“Tracee has a lot of babysitting experience,” Jewel countered. “And she’s on the grounds when she’s watching Ava, here or at Sweetheart Ranch. Not several miles away.”
“Well, I’m going to have to learn eventually.”
He would, when he had shared custody.
“I’m sorry,” she admitted. “I’m really not trying to be difficult.”
“What if we took her to the Poco Dinero, and I watched her there while you’re competing?”
“I thought you avoided places like that.” There was always the chance they’d run into people familiar with the scandal and suffer some of the same negative attention as last year. In her opinion, that was another reason for her to enter. She’d need to develop a thick skin if she returned to the rodeo circuit.
“I can handle any flack,” Tanner said. “Can you?”
“Yes.” She hoped she could. Would it be worse now that she had Ava? Being a mother had changed her. Made her more sensitive and emotional at times.
“Good.” He sat with the baby on the couch and began gently bouncing her. “Hey, kiddo, looks like you and me are going with your mom to watch her barrel race.”
Indeed. It looked like they were. Jewel gritted her teeth.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TANNER ADJUSTED THE girth on Jewel’s saddle. Old habits were hard to break, he supposed. He used to help her get ready for every competition back when they were together. She hadn’t objected when he’d begun checking snaps and refastening buckles, so perhaps the same held true for her, too.
Teddy Bear was tied to Jewel’s horse trailer—they’d parked behind the Poco Dinero Saloon in a large dirt lot reserved for competitors. The barrel racing had been underway for over an hour and a half and was nearing an end. As the last person to sign up, Jewel would be the last competitor to go. The position offered one advantage—she got to watch everyone who went before her and adjust her strategy accordingly. It was also nerve-racking, having to wait and seeing the others doing well.
She stood at a vantage point not far away that allowed her to observe the runs and hear the results. All the while, she absently rocked Ava in the stroller. The baby was behaving well, considering the level of noise and activity.
The recreational rodeo arena and stands had been decorated for the holidays, along with the inside and outside of the saloon. Posters advertising a holiday dance, taking place tonight right after the bull riding, hung on walls and doors. Patrons sipped from holiday beverage cups.
Tanner didn’t consider asking Jewel to the dance, much as he might have liked that. He was maintaining his low profile. Here, at least. At the ranch this morning, he’d desperately wanted Ronnie—wanted anyone not part of his or Jewel’s family—to know he was Ava’s father. The same didn’t hold true at the Poco Dinero. To hide his identity, he wore his baseball cap with its rounded brim pulled down over his brow, a pair of dark sunglasses and the collar of his jacket turned up. Ava had cried when she’d first seen him in his getup, until he’d removed the sunglasses and spoken to her.
Though the crowd appeared to be mostly non-rodeo people, there was still the possibility he’d be recognized and insulting remarks would be directed at Jewel. To prevent that, Tanner was sticking near the truck and trailer rather than joining the spectators in the stands. A year wa
sn’t that long, and some observant individual might put two and two together.
Jewel deserved this opportunity to test her abilities and determine if she still had what was needed to successfully compete. Going on the road with her wasn’t his first choice. He’d hate leaving his boss in a jam. Ethan had treated Tanner well. Tanner also preferred to stay close to his brother, who needed his support. But he’d go to the North Pole and back rather than be parted from Ava.
And Jewel. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to spend more time with her, and not just as the mother of his child. Tensions between them ran high as often as they didn’t. But wasn’t passion a close cousin to tension?
His glance cut to where she’d been standing, only she’d moved and was now taking pictures of the competitors, the crowd, the judge and the riders waiting on deck for their turn.
Looking away was hard, so Tanner didn’t. He enjoyed seeing her at work, her lovely features knit in concentration or brightening when something interesting caught her eye.
The next moment, she was approached by one of the earlier competitors. Tanner was certain he recognized the woman from their days on the rodeo circuit, and a ball of anxiety lodged in his stomach. If she was any good at judging babies’ ages, she’d correctly deduce Tanner was Ava’s father and possibly say something unkind to Jewel.
Fortunately, no one pointed in his direction or acknowledged him in the least. Jewel’s exchange with the woman appeared friendly and relaxed. That didn’t stop him from wishing Jewel would turn and beckon him to join her.
The woman fawned over Ava, lowering her head to the baby’s level and making funny faces. A third person Tanner didn’t know was recruited to take a picture of the woman and Jewel with the woman’s phone. When she finally left, Jewel turned and headed back toward Tanner and the parking area, pushing the stroller. As she neared, he noticed her strained expression and that she gnawed her lower lip.
“Nervous?” he asked, hoping her upcoming run was the cause and not her encounter with the former acquaintance.
“A little.” She mustered a wan smile. “Okay, more than a little. It’s been a year since I competed.”
“How soon until they call you?”
“Very soon.”
She parked the stroller out of the way and then conducted her own equipment check on the saddle and bridle while Tanner returned the caddy of grooming supplies to the trailer’s front storage compartment.
“How’s the competition look?” he asked when he was done.
Jewel shrugged and retied one of the ribbons that had come loose in Teddy Bear’s braided mane. “There was a time I’d be confident of my ability to leave them in the dust. Not so sure anymore. They’re doing well for mostly amateurs.”
A minute later, Jewel’s number was called to appear on deck. Tanner held the reins with his free hand while she drew in a big breath and mounted Teddy Bear.
“Good luck.” Tanner patted her leg as he’d done a couple hundred times in situations just like this before catching himself.
If she noticed the familiar gesture, she didn’t let on. “Thanks.”
As she trotted toward the arena, he studied the crowd. No way was he staying behind, not if he could help it. Releasing the brake on the stroller, he started toward the stands, his destination a partially hidden spot at the east side where he’d hopefully have a decent view. He thought he noticed someone pointing at him but when he checked again, he decided he’d been wrong.
“There’s your mom,” he announced to Ava when they arrived at the spot.
Soon enough, Jewel’s turn came. A single exuberant shout erupted to Tanner’s left, and he spotted the woman she’d been conversing with earlier through a gap in the crowd.
The next second, Jewel and Teddy Bear blasted into the arena. They bore down on the first barrel, taking the hairpin turn with impressive skill. Teddy Bear stretched his head out as he charged the second barrel. Jewel seemed to mimic him, the upper half of her body leaning forward over his neck in an effort to coax more speed from him.
“Come on,” Tanner murmured between gritted teeth. He snuck a look at her time on the overhead electronic scoreboard, his excitement growing. “Yes!” He gripped the stroller handle, inadvertently shaking it. “Your mom’s doing great.”
Jewel and Teddy Bear barely slowed as they rounded the third barrel. The crowd collectively gasped when the barrel wobbled unsteadily. Tanner’s jaw ached from being clenched to the point of bones snapping. Jewel didn’t glance back at the barrel and kept going. She knew better than to waste precious tenths of seconds.
Two more wobbles and the barrel righted at the same instant Jewel sailed past the electric timer and out the arena gate. There would be no penalty.
The crowd broke into applause and cheers. Tanner checked the scoreboard again and whooped when her time appeared. With a clean run and being the last competitor, she’d earned herself a guaranteed second-place spot.
Ava must have been startled by the noise for she began wailing. Tanner eased the stroller from their tight spot. “Your mom won, honey!”
Midway to the trailer, she quieted. A few minutes later, Jewel met up with them, leading Teddy Bear. Her entire face radiated joy. Tanner’s heart went still and then began beating again with a force he hadn’t felt in a long time. A year, to be exact.
“Congratulations.”
She laughed. “At least I didn’t embarrass myself.”
“Are you kidding?” He lifted Ava from the stroller. “You won second place. I’d say that’s darn good.”
She opened her arms. Tanner figured she wanted to take Ava from him. He had other ideas, however, and pulled her into a hug, compressing the baby between them. Ava didn’t seem to mind, but Jewel attempted to extract herself.
Tanner held on, enjoying the sensation of her in his arms too much to let go. Her resistance faded, and she returned the hug. For five seconds. Then, she broke free, taking Ava with her.
“Mommy took second place,” she crooned. “How about that?”
“I’m proud of you.” Tanner’s gaze lingered on her. “No question, you’re ready to hit the circuit come the first of the year.”
“I’m not sure. This wasn’t a real rodeo.”
Tanner could tell her dismissive remark was purely for show. She was thrilled about placing second, even in an amateur event. As she should be.
Jewel’s name, along with the first-and third-place winners, was called over the PA system. Barely audible above the rumble of trucks and trailers leaving, the announcer requested their presence at the event booth, probably to collect their winnings. Jewel took Ava with her while Tanner unsaddled Teddy Bear. The crowd of spectators had vacated the stands, many of them heading into the saloon for festivities and celebrating before the bull riding started. A few of the nearby barrel racers tossed curious glances at Tanner, and he continued to keep his head low.
Hearing the unmistakable clatter of a livestock transport truck, he stopped and watched it roll slowly into the nearly empty parking area, brakes squealing and hooves scrambling. Bucking stock was being delivered for tonight’s bull riding event. The familiar scents and sounds triggered a flood of memories, and Tanner was instantly transported back in time to his last competition, the one at the NFR when he’d qualified for the final round. Before Daniel had decided to bribe the judge.
If only he’d been aware of his brother’s plans, he might have been able to change the entire course of his and Jewel’s lives. Of Daniel’s life, too, and their parents’.
“Do you miss competing?”
Hearing Jewel’s voice, he pivoted. She and Ava had returned while he’d been watching the transport truck.
“Yeah, I do. I wasn’t ready to quit.”
The answer was out before he could stop himself.
“Then why cheat?”
Of course, she’d ask
ed that question. What had he expected?
“It’s complicated,” he replied.
By now, the transport truck was backing to a stop beside the livestock pens, its warning alarm beep-beep-beeping loudly. A trio of wranglers piled out of the cab and jogged to the rear of the truck. There, they opened the double gate, allowing the trailer to maneuver into place. Tanner had seen this operation performed countless times at countless rodeos.
He met Jewel’s stare. “Not a day goes by that I don’t regret my decision,” he continued.
She said nothing and promptly put several feet between them. It might as well have been a mile.
He supposed he’d better get accustomed to this kind of reaction from her. As long as she believed he’d attempted to bribe his way to a championship, she was going to treat him coldly. And as long as she continued to believe the worst of him, they didn’t stand a chance. Jewel wasn’t the only one with a broken heart.
They’d agreed earlier that they’d leave for home right after the barrel racing. With Teddy Bear loaded, Tanner was surprised when Jewel didn’t carry Ava over to the truck cab and put her in the car seat. He was more surprised at her next remark, considering the time and place.
“We need to talk about custody, Tanner. Have you retained an attorney yet?”
“No.”
She nodded. “Me, neither. But I’m going to. Soon. Probably this coming week. Definitely before the holidays.”
And before she left Mustang Valley.
“My dad has the name of a family lawyer for me.”
She nodded again but stiffly. What bothered her more? That Tanner already had the name of a lawyer or that the name had come from his father?
“I intend to pay fair child support,” he said. “I’m no slacker.”
“I know you’re not.”
What constituted fair child support? Tanner wasn’t earning much as a wrangler, though he did have assets in the family business. Assets at risk if the arena owners filed a lawsuit. Would that be factored into his child support payments? It was a good question for his attorney.
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