Some people might run away from their problems, but she would fly.
Chapter Eight
“Man, you’ve got to get your head back in the game. We’ve still got a few rodeos to get through before the finals and you’re gonna screw up everything if you don’t pull yourself together,” Cort said, sitting across the table from Tate in some backwater diner on their way to the next rodeo.
Although he took first place in saddle bronc riding at the Pendleton Round-Up, it was the last rodeo Tate placed in at all. After losing the only woman he’d ever truly loved, he also seemed to lose his edge and drive to win the championship title.
On a day when he should have been celebrating his victory, he instead fought against the brutal force of Kenzie’s rejection as it flooded over him in crushing waves. His frantic trip to her apartment to try to set things right ended with him being so angry he nearly wrecked his truck twice on the way home.
A picture of his future without Kenzie in it seemed like a long stretch of bleak darkness. Nothing mattered if he couldn’t share it with her.
Thoughts of the infuriating woman made his chest hurt so badly he had difficulty breathing. She’d become his world and he needed her more than he ever thought he’d need anyone.
Clearly, the feeling wasn’t mutual.
From information he pried out of Megan, Kenzie flew out of town the day after the Round-Up and hadn’t returned.
Miserable knowing she thought he cheated on her, it wounded him to the core that she believed the worst of him.
Maybe she never really loved him. Even though they hadn’t said the words, he thought their feelings for each other were obvious.
The wonderful week they spent together in Pendleton convinced him, beyond a doubt, that Kenzie was the girl he wanted beside him forever.
Apparently, though, he was just an interesting diversion for her. Otherwise, she’d give him a chance to explain what really happened.
Tate sighed and ran his hand through his hair, ignoring both the sandwich on the plate in front of him and Cort’s concerned looks.
Cort had been a trooper the last few weeks. His friend had done everything to bring him out of his funk from offering unwavering support to picking a fight with him. Nothing seemed to help draw him out of the hole he’d crawled into when Kenzie so abruptly shut him out of her life.
Fast on his way to losing his focus heading into the finals, if Tate couldn’t get his head on straight, he might as well not even compete in Las Vegas.
“Look, you’ve got to let Kenzie go or you’re going to blow this,” Cort said, looking at him with a pointed glare as he finished his sandwich. “There isn’t a single thing you can do to change her mind and moping around isn’t helping you at all. Snap out of it or go home!”
Genuinely liking Kenzie, Cort thought she’d been good for Tate. Regardless, he was angry about what she’d done to his best friend. She could pretend all she wanted that Tate didn’t matter to her. Cort knew better and so did half the people on the circuit.
It didn’t take a genius to see Tate and Kenzie were completely loopy for each other. That was why Cort couldn’t begin to fathom what was going through Kenzie’s head.
How could she just turn her back on the once-in-a-lifetime love Tate offered and pretend he didn’t exist?
“I’m not going to blow it,” Tate grumbled, realizing Cort was right. He wasn’t doing himself any favors by constantly dredging up what had happened with Kenzie. He had to get his mind back on his goal and move forward. He’d worked too long and too hard to throw away his shot at coming out on top for the year.
Tate renewed his resolve to win at the finals, sat up in his chair, and ate his sandwich. Later, as he and Cort walked out of the diner, he thumped his friend on the back.
“Thanks, man.” Tate looked at Cort.
“Whenever you need a kick in the pants, I’m happy to help.” Cort dug an elbow into Tate’s side, making him grunt.
“Friends like you are rare, indeed.” For the first time in weeks, Tate offered him a genuine smile. “Come on, let’s hit the road.”
Any time his thoughts turned to Kenzie in the following days, Tate reined them in and forced himself to go into internal optimist mode, giving himself numerous pep talks.
The positive attitude he adopted seemed to work, since he placed at the next three rodeos where he competed.
After Cort placed the high score at a rodeo in California, they sauntered out to his pickup and heard someone calling their names. Fearful it might be some members of their obsessive fan club, they turned, expecting the worst. Grins creased their handsome faces as they watched Megan and Owen Montgomery hurrying toward them.
“What are you two doing here?” Tate hugged Megan and shook Owen’s hand, pleased to see two friendly faces from home.
“We brought some horses to a sale. We heard you two were competing and decided to take in the rodeo before we leave tomorrow,” Owen said, slapping Cort on the back.
“You guys did awesome,” Megan said, patting Tate on the arm. “Are you heading out already?”
“In the morning,” Cort said, readjusting his hat and leaning against the driver’s side door of his pickup. “We’re staying at the roadside dump on the way out of town.”
Megan laughed then gave her husband a pointed look.
“What do you say to eating dinner with us?” Owen asked. “We’re starving and it would be our pleasure to buy dinner for two champs.”
“When you ask like that, how can we say no?” Tate grinned, happy to see his friends.
A few more people joined them as they walked to a restaurant near the rodeo grounds. By the time they found seats, their party was at an even dozen and conversation around the table was loud and lively.
When everyone seemed caught up in a story Cort shared, Megan bumped Tate’s elbow to get his attention as he sat next to her.
“Are you really doing okay, Tate? I’m worried about you,” Megan said, looking at him with searching eyes. He’d lost a little weight, looked a little tired, and seemed a little depressed.
Tate could see true concern on her face and hear the compassion in her voice when she spoke.
“I love Kenzie like a sister, but I’ll tell you point-blank, she’s being a pigheaded idiot right now and I’m plenty riled at her.” Megan surprised Tate with her words.
“I appreciate that, Megan, but I know she’s your best friend. She needs you and I don’t want to be the reason anything comes between the two of you.” Tate shrugged his broad shoulders then released a sigh as he sat back in his chair. “I care a lot about her, but I guess she didn’t feel the same.”
“Oh, yes, she did — she does. That whole debacle at the rodeo with your zealous fan threw her for a loop, though. I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face trying to convince her you didn’t do anything wrong.” Megan pushed fries around on her plate. The numerous times she tried to discuss the situation with Kenzie in the last month resulted in them both being extremely aggravated. “Once that girl gets something in her head, it’s nearly impossible to change her mind.”
“What exactly does she think happened?” Tate asked, hoping Megan could shed some light on the situation.
What Tate knew was one of his fans turned into a stalker, forcing him to get a restraining order against her when she attacked him after a rodeo in July. She showed up in Pendleton and caught him by surprise, kissing him before he realized what was happening. By the time he got her peeled off, he looked up to see Kenzie running away.
Huck tried to tell her what happened, but she refused to listen. While Cort got security, Tate ran after Kenzie but she was already gone.
Since he was the winner of the saddle bronc competition Tate stayed for the awards ceremony after the rodeo although he tried calling her multiple times. When Kenzie wouldn’t answer her phone or the door, he knew she had jumped to all the wrong conclusions. It was impossible to understand why she wouldn’t give him a chance to explain or listen t
o anyone else trying to give her the facts.
“She thinks you have a girl at every rodeo and she’s just another diversion among many,” Megan said, not able to look Tate in the eye as she took a sip of hot tea.
“That’s insane!” Tate’s raised voice drew the attention of those seated close to them. Curious gazes cast his direction made him soften his tone. “That is completely untrue.”
Megan put a calming hand on his arm. She gave Owen a look and a nod, grabbed her coat and asked Tate to take a walk with her outside.
Soon, they strolled down the sidewalk in the nippy autumn air.
“Did Kenzie ever tell you about her ex-fiancé?” Megan asked as leaves crunched beneath their feet.
“She said she was engaged to a jerk and broke things off when his girlfriend turned up pregnant,” Tate said, angry all over again on Kenzie’s behalf.
“Did she mention he was a cowboy?” Megan asked, hoping she could make Tate understand why Kenzie ran from him.
“No. She left out that little detail.” Tate shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets, annoyed to discover one more secret Kenzie kept from him. What happened to their deal to tell the truth? She told him most of the details about her broken engagement, just not the part about the loser being a cowboy.
“I see.” Megan decided to forge ahead, now that she had Tate’s attention. “Did she tell you about her dad?”
“Just that he had a ranch near yours and that he died after the divorce.” He wondered what her father had to do with Kenzie’s inability to believe the truth about him.
When they came to a bench, Megan sat down. Tate took a seat beside her, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.
“What didn’t she tell me, Megan? I get the idea there is more to this story.” The look he leveled at her was both imploring and wary.
“Growing up, Kenzie and her dad, David, were super close. Like two peas in a pod, they both loved ranching and that whole way of life. Kenzie’s dad doted on her and she loved him right back.” Megan watched the breeze blow a trail of dried leaves across the street.
Chilled, she wrapped a scarf around her neck. She took a deep breath and looked at Tate, wishing Kenzie had told him the story of her past so she wouldn’t have to.
“When Kenzie was eleven, her dad started competing in local rodeos, team roping with a friend. They competed in rodeos on the weekends and worked their ranches during the week. The following year, her dad wanted to go pro, so he left the ranch in the hands of a foreman and Kenzie’s mom, Susan, then hit the road. He competed for a couple of years and did okay. Susan and Kenzie cheered him on when he competed anywhere close to home. One weekend, they decided to surprise him. They flew to the rodeo, watched the performance then went to find him. What they found was David involved with some woman he’d just met. Apparently, he’d been cheating on Kenzie’s mother since he went pro and the woman there was just one of many affairs.”
Tate groaned and took off his hat, running his hand through his hair. No wonder Kenzie had a thing against cowboys, particularly rodeo cowboys. “Go on.”
“Susan booked the first flight she could back home, packed their bags, drove to Portland, and started over. Kenzie was devastated. Not only had her dad lied and cheated on her mother, he’d betrayed her trust as well. Since Kenzie was their only child, David had been grooming her to take over the ranch.”
Megan cleared her throat and gave Tate a guarded look. “Kenzie lived and breathed ranch life. Susan’s abrupt move to the city was doubly hard on her. What David did was so wrong, so unforgivable; no one blamed Susan for leaving. David realized right away he still loved his wife and daughter but losing them was the price he paid for his philandering. He begged Susan to come back, but she refused. Dropping out of rodeo, he tried to drown his problems in alcohol. One night he got drunk, took out a pistol, and ended his life. Susan had to sell the ranch to settle his debts and a year or so later, she remarried. Kenzie abandoned her dreams of ranching and forged a new path for her life. When she agreed to marry Sonny, I think she was trying to recapture a little of what she’d lost with her dad even though she never loved him. She’s had major trust issues, especially with men and particularly cowboys, ever since.”
“I can understand the reasoning behind her not trusting me, but I’m not like that.” Unable to fathom the pain Kenzie had gone through at such an early age, he glanced at Megan. “I would never cheat on her or hurt her.”
“I know that, Tate. I think Kenzie knows that, too. But she’s scared and having a hard time admitting good guys really do exist, especially after being burned twice by cheating cowboys.” Megan placed her hand on his back and rubbed it like she would for a distraught child. “Just give her some time. She’ll come around. I know for a fact she misses you terribly and she’s completely miserable without you.”
“She is?” The tidbit of information offered him encouragement
“As her best friend, I shouldn’t tell you this, but she’s cranky and sleep-deprived and can’t seem to get past the fact that she ran away from the best thing that has ever happened to her,” Megan said with a grin.
“Interesting.” A glimmer of hope shined in his eyes. “I don’t suppose you know where she’s at right now?”
“I do, but I also know she’s not ready to talk to you. She’s still trying to convince herself you’re guilty of everything on her list of accusations.” Megan stood and smiled at Tate. “You can’t push her in this. Don’t try to force her to talk to you because you’ll drive her further away. Kenzie is going to have to come to the conclusion she can’t live without you in her own good time, so give her some space and be patient, even if she is acting like a dork.”
“I’ll try, but it’s hard.” Tate stood then they ambled back toward the restaurant.
Megan stared at Tate’s handsome face, clouded with misery, and caved a little. “Her birthday is Tuesday and she’ll be in Boston, but that’s all I’m spilling.”
The smile Tate gave Megan made her understand exactly how Kenzie had fallen under his spell. That trademark Morgan grin was all male charm and caused women to want to do whatever he asked.
“Thanks, Megan. I don’t suppose you know where she’s staying?”
“I just happen to have that information.” Megan pulled out her cell phone and tapped in a quick text message, sending it to Tate. “And now you do too. But she better not find out it was me who tipped you off.”
“You’re the best.” He gave her a one-armed hug as they walked back to their table.
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After speaking at two meetings and leading a training session, Kenzie was exhausted. Even though it was her birthday, she was miserable.
Utterly drained by keeping up a cheerful pretense, she was ready to go to her room, soak in a hot bath, and pretend she’d never met Tate Morgan. She hadn’t been this depressed since her dad died.
In some ways, she felt like she was grieving, mourning a future she dared to dream that would never, ever happen.
Finally free for the evening, she returned to her room, kicked off her shoes, removed her suit jacket, and flopped back on the bed. She must have dozed because a light tapping on her door startled her awake.
Hurriedly rising, she peered through the peephole into the hall. All she could see was a huge bouquet of bright pink and white flowers.
“Miss Beckett?” the hotel staff member moved the bouquet so Kenzie could see his face and verify he was a hotel employee she’d spoken with earlier in the day.
“Yes?” Kenzie opened the door and stared at the flowers as if she’d never before seen roses and stargazer lilies. The aroma of the bouquet drifted into her room, filling it with a pleasant scent.
“Delivery for you,” the bellman said. “Would you like me to set them inside somewhere?”
“No, I can take them.” Kenzie accepted the flowers and placed them on the desk in the room before pulling a few dollars from her skirt pocket for a tip. “Thank you.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you, too.” The young man handed Kenzie a small box from a gourmet sweet shop rumored to have amazing candy.
“Thanks,” Kenzie said, watching as the door closed, leaving her alone in the room with a gorgeous bouquet and a small box of chocolate truffles.
The simple message on the card she found in the flowers brought tears to her eyes:
Happy Birthday, Dewdrop. Hope you are well. Tate
How did he know where to find her? Why did he send her flowers? How did he know it was her birthday?
The only answer floating through her mind was that her supposedly best friend had turned into a traitor. If she weren’t so happy to receive the flowers and candy, she’d never again speak to Megan, that meddling busybody.
Kenzie opened the box of candy and stared at the decadent pieces of chocolate, trying to decide if, in good conscience, she could keep them. The practical side of her won and she popped a piece of candy in her mouth, letting the rich chocolate melt on her tongue as she sat on her bed staring at the beautiful flowers.
Hungry for a good meal, she ordered room service and indulged in some of her favorite foods, savoring each bite. After that, she treated herself to a long soak in the tub then put on her pajamas and robe.
She sat on the bed, gazing at the flowers and thinking about Tate. A call from her mom and sisters roused her from her musings. A few friends called or sent texts with their well wishes, filling her lonely evening with cheerful messages. Their sentiments made her feel special and loved.
Megan was the last to call.
When Kenzie accused her of sharing confidential information, Megan neither denied nor confirmed it, although she did point out that anyone browsing Dew’s corporate website could see what meetings she would lead. It would be easy to assume the hotels where the trainings took place would also be where Kenzie stayed.
Somewhat mollified by that information, Kenzie settled in for a good chat with her friend and was soon in a better state of mind.
The Christmas Cowboy: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 1) Page 9