Learning the Ropes

by T. J. Kline

  “You’ve never wanted her until now. I was right last night; you are trying to sabotage our relationship.”

  “No, I wasn’t . . . I’m not,” he corrected. “But are you sure you actually have one? She broke up with you. You said so yourself.”

  “We’re meeting this afternoon.”

  Chris felt like he’d just had the wind knocked out of him. He wanted to break something, to pummel David for lying, but he could see the truth in his friend’s eyes. Why was Ali meeting with him after what they’d shared that morning? He refused to believe he meant nothing to her. She wasn’t the type of girl to sleep with a man she didn’t care about. At least, the Ali he knew before wasn’t. But did he really know her anymore? Maybe David was full of shit, maybe it was planned before he showed up at Ali’s. Excuses floated through his mind, he wanted to believe anything but the thought that he’d been a pawn.

  David eyed Chris, suspiciously. “Are you just getting home?”

  Chris saw the frown marring David’s brow as his face reddened. “I slept in the barn. I was too drunk to drive so Ali took my keys away. I don’t know how I didn’t kill myself getting there in the first place.”

  “Leave her alone, Chris.”

  He could hear the pleading note in David’s voice and wondered at the reason for it. Didn’t David realize he was the better man? It was one of the reasons he’d even introduced him to Ali—David was a good man who deserved a good woman to love. Maybe he should leave Ali alone. He was sure to cause her nothing but sorrow.

  As if reading his thoughts, David pressed on. “She deserves better than the few nights you’ll offer her until you’ve decided you’re bored.”

  Chris adjusted his hat and met David’s serious gaze but didn’t say anything. He wanted to deny the accusation but his past spoke for itself and he wasn’t entirely sure he wouldn’t hurt her.

  “Leave her alone, Chris. You can’t give her what she needs. She needs someone who won’t break her heart, someone who knows making love is more than a quick roll in the hay.”

  “Someone like you?”

  “Someone not like you.”

  IF TIM BROOKS hadn’t been the only real estate agent, Alicia would’ve felt better about using him. This was a small town, and small town people knew everyone’s business, and she wanted this to remain under wraps until she chose to reveal it. She didn’t want everyone finding out she was putting an offer on the ranch she’d spotted, and she certainly didn’t want any counter-offers. She hoped she could trust him to keep his mouth shut.

  “Well, Alicia, everything seems to be in order; however, there is one small issue.”

  Her excitement faded for a moment. Of course, something would go wrong. That was exactly her luck.

  No, things are going to work out the way I want for a change.

  “Tim, I thought everything was ready once I had the down payment.”

  He twisted his mouth sideways and frowned, apologetically. “Well, I’ve been trying to get you pre-approved for a loan but, so far, I’m not having much luck.”

  “What can I do to make it easier?” She’d do whatever she had to in order to make this a reality for her parents.

  “Get a job.”

  “A job?” Alicia narrowed her eyes, hoping Tim was joking.

  He shrugged. “Apparently, underwriters don’t like seeing prize money as your source of income, even with your tax returns.”

  “What do you mean? It’s what I do. I’m a barrel racer and it’s how I’ve supported myself and my parents for the past seven years.” Alicia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The bank wouldn’t give her a loan because they didn’t recognize what she did for a living? When Tim didn’t say anything else, she realized he was serious. “What kind of a job am I supposed to have?”

  “They want to see a steady income, with regular paychecks. It makes you look dependable.”

  “I’ve saved nearly one hundred thousand dollars toward the down payment in less than two years. If that doesn’t prove I can pay the bills, I don’t know what does.” She rose and began to pace his office.

  “I know, Alicia. But your debt to income ratio is still borderline and, with the issue of your income, they aren’t budging. There are really only two options. One is to take a steady paying job and the other would be to put twenty percent of the loan amount as a down payment.”

  Her eyes widened in shock. “Another ten percent? It’s taken nearly two years to come up with this. You’re asking me to do the impossible.” Ali started to rise to leave.

  He moved around his desk and pressed her shoulders, urging her back into the chair. “And that’s why I suggested you take a steady job.” Tim moved back behind his desk. “Depending on the job, you could still race on weekends but hold down the job during the week.”

  “And when am I supposed to work my horses? Or travel?”

  “I’m just giving you the facts, Alicia.” Tim shrugged. “But, whatever you decide to do, you need to do it quickly because it looks like the property is going into foreclosure proceedings and, if we don’t act soon, at least put in an offer and get the ball rolling, it’s going to auction.”

  She dropped her face into her palms and groaned. There was no way to continue to barrel race if she took a job, at least, not on a national scale. But she couldn’t think of any job she was qualified for that would pay her what she was earning in rodeo. Without her winnings, she wouldn’t be able to pay the mortgage on the property, anyway. This morning just continued to get worse. She should have stayed in bed.

  ALICIA PULLED THE truck into the parking lot of The Queen Bean, the local coffee shop, and dropped her forehead against her hands on the steering wheel.

  “Now what?” she whispered in the quiet of the truck.

  She was still too far off from the Finals to even think about counting on a win to get her the rest of the down payment. A few wins at some of the bigger purse Texas rodeos might get her closer but it still wouldn’t make up the $50,000 she needed, and not in the short amount of time she had left before the property went into foreclosure. And the likelihood of finding a job that would work around her rodeo schedule was almost nonexistent. She could see her dream slipping away.

  Her phone rang and she reached for it, tapping the button to answer before looking at the screen. She’d already texted David, so she assumed he was returning her message.

  “Hello?” Alicia didn’t even bother to hide the disappointment from her voice. The last thing she wanted right now was to rehash Colt Greenly’s insults with his son.

  “Alicia? It’s Bradley.” She instantly recognized the voice of the man who’d employed her father for so many years. “I was hoping we might sit down and talk about my job offer.”

  “Job offer?” Her mind spun at the prospect. She’d been putting him off for so long, she didn’t think he’d still be seriously considering her and, even if he was, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be locked into someone else’s schedule. But, if she took this job, it might be an answer to her prayers. At least, temporarily.

  He laughed in the phone. “Yes, didn’t your dad tell you? We’re going to start showing more and we need someone who can travel with the horses. I’d also like to start giving lessons here at the ranch. You’d be great with kids.”

  “I . . . I’m flattered, Mr. Langdon, I really am but—”

  “Why don’t you meet with me at the house, say four o’clock? We can discuss numbers but I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  She had no doubt the salary would be more than what she was looking for but how much time would she be sacrificing? There would be no time for rodeo if she was showing horses every weekend for the Diamond Bar. “I’m meeting with someone right now, but I should be able to be back to the house by four thirty.”

  “Good!” He sounded as if she’d already agreed. “I’ll be waiting for you!”

  Alicia hung up just as she saw David pull into the parking lot, a deep frown marring his brow. He seemed to wear a
permanent scowl these days and she realized she could sympathize with him. It seemed like nothing was going right for either of them. She sighed and exited the truck, locking it behind her and meeting him at the front bumper.

  David quickly pasted a smile on his face when he saw her. “Hey, Ali.” He leaned in and gave her an awkward hug.

  “You look mad.”

  He opened the door for her and placed his hand at the small of her back. Nothing . . . no tingles, no butterflies, no sizzle of attraction. After spending the morning with Chris’s hands on her, sending fire through her veins, she knew she’d made the right decision breaking things off with David. She cared about him but his touch felt almost brotherly. There was no electricity between them and she just couldn’t pretend anymore. Sleeping with Chris might have been a mistake but trying to force feelings for David would be even worse and it wasn’t fair to him.

  “Not mad,” he answered, eyeing her cautiously. “Just worried. About you,” he clarified.

  “Me?”

  He nodded and placed his order for a coffee, waiting for her to place hers before he paid for both. “Your mom told me Chris showed up drunk last night and woke everyone up.”

  She didn’t meet his gaze and prayed he wouldn’t notice the blush creeping over her cheeks. The barista handed them their order and he followed her to a table near the back. Alicia wished he would change the subject.

  I sure hope Mom didn’t tell him Chris spent the night.

  “He’s got his head up his ass these days.” Apparently, David was just getting warmed up.

  She leaned back in the chair. “David, it’s fine. I know how Chris is, so do my parents. He’s impulsive and doesn’t think a lot of the time. But my mother loves him, she always has.”

  David hooked an arm over the back of his chair and arched a brow. “Is she the only one?”

  Alicia paused mid-sip and looked at him over the rim of her paper cup. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He let out a slow exhale and put his cup on the table before folding his hands. He studied her for a moment before speaking. “It means there’s no need for us to have any sort of a conversation about giving me another chance, is there?” His eyes grew sad and he shook his head. “You’re in love with Chris, aren’t you?”

  She was surprised by his point-blank question and wasn’t prepared for it. She stared down at the cup in her hands as if she might find the answer in the latte foam.

  “He’s going to break your heart. You realize that?”

  She pinched her lips together, still unable to meet his gaze, and nodded slightly.

  “Ali, look at me.” She lifted her eyes to his and was met with sympathy. He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I care about you and I want to see you happy. I just hoped it would be with me.” He kissed the back of her hand. “For the record, I love him like a brother but he only knows how to make Chris happy. I don’t think Chris can make you happy.”

  She slipped her hand from his. “Can we talk about something else?”

  David sat back. “Sure.” The corner of his mouth curved up in a half-smile and his dark eyes glimmered mischievously. “Now that I’ve been friend-zoned, what’ve you been up to when you’re not being yelled at by crazy ex-rodeo stars or assaulted by drunken cowboys in the middle of the night?”

  She couldn’t help but laugh at the humor in his voice. She really did like David and was grateful for his understanding. He was a good friend to have. “Well, there’s this one cowboy who seems intent on stalking me and forcing me to have coffee with him.”

  “Huh, you don’t say?” He tipped his cup toward her and winked. “You’re a lucky woman.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  * * *

  IT WAS RIDICULOUS for him to sit here, wondering what David and Ali were talking about. If he wanted to know, he should just go into town and join them for coffee. They were all adults, not to mention friends, and should be able to sit down and talk this through. The problem was, he wasn’t sure what this was. Were he and Ali dating? The way she’d acted this morning, it was nothing more than a casual romp but it hadn’t felt that way for him. Then again, all of this was entirely foreign territory for him.

  He had never wanted to be with someone for any extended period before but when he was with Ali, he found himself getting tongue-tied and twisted like he was sixteen again. Not to mention that his body seemed intent on losing all self-control as soon as she walked into the room. He might not be a randy teenager anymore but, so far, since this morning, all he’d thought about was the sweet scent of her skin as he pressed his face between her breasts. The taste of her clung to his lips and his fingers itched to glide over her skin again.

  He slammed the side of his fist against the wall of the barn in frustration. He’d come out here to fix the broken stall door but he wasn’t accomplishing anything but fantasizing about Ali. Ali, who was alone with David right now. After their conversation this morning, he could only imagine what David was telling her. He tried to convince himself that David didn’t play dirty, that he would never try to steal her from him. But wasn’t that what Chris had done? They’d never been in competition for a woman before.

  Do you really think she’d choose you when she could have him?

  It was the final straw. He wasn’t about to sit around when he could lose Ali, not after he’d finally realized how much he wanted her. Chris threw his tools back into the tack room and left the job half-finished. He walked into the kitchen, ignoring his mother’s worried frown and reached for his truck keys.

  “Heading out for a while?”

  He jingled his keys knowing his mother was trying to ask him why without voicing the question. “Just into town. Need anything while I’m there?”

  She laid down her pen and crossed her hands over the bills on the counter. “You’ve been gone a lot lately. I know you’re a grown man and—”

  “Mom, I’m just running into town for a few things for the barn.”

  She arched a slim brow at him and cocked her head. “So, this has nothing to do with Ali?”

  He could tell it was a rhetorical question. She had no doubt about being right. He leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms. “What did Sydney tell you?”

  She laughed, her blue eyes glimmering with delight. “A blind man could see you’re attracted to her. I didn’t need your sister to tell me anything.” Chris clenched his jaw, refusing to say anything, waiting for his mother to get to the point. She held up her hands. “Fine, I’ll mind my own business.”

  “Good.”

  “But remember, son, Ali is like family. Your father and I love her. We don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”

  “I’m not going to hurt her,” he muttered. “Why does everyone keep saying that?” Chris started for the front door.

  “I never said she was the one who would get hurt.”

  Chris shut the door before he heard any more. His stomach was twisted in as many knots as his thoughts. This was why he avoided relationships like the plague.

  CHRIS PULLED INTO town and parked his truck in front of the hardware store and immediately spotted Ali’s truck in front of The Queen Bean. He could see her through the front window, seated with her back toward him. He couldn’t see anyone with her but it didn’t mean she was alone. David’s truck was parked beside hers so Chris knew he was in there with her.

  “So what,” he muttered to himself. Ali didn’t have to clear her afternoon plans with him.

  Her head tipped backward as she laughed at something her companion said. All thoughts of the hardware store vanished as his feet carried him across the street and toward the coffee shop. As he neared the entrance, he saw David clearly through the window, his hand over hers. Anger bubbled just below the surface as he watched him rise and put a hand on her shoulder before leaning down toward her.

  Chris couldn’t see Ali with David’s body blocking her but it was clear that David was leaning forward for a kiss. His hands fisted at his sides, his ja
w tightening to the point it was painful. David straightened, spotting him through the front windows and gave him a cocky grin. Ali turned in her seat and the color drained from her face. That look told him all he needed to know. He turned on a heel and headed back across the street, jerking his keys from his pocket.

  “Chris, wait!”

  He wasn’t going to wait and hear her confess how she’d rather be with someone like David than him, how this morning didn’t mean anything, how they could still be friends. He’d heard it all before but it was usually him giving the spiel. It sucked being on the receiving end of the speech.

  He jerked open the door of the truck, surprised as she slammed it shut before he could get in. “Will you stop for a second?”

  “Why, Ali? I think I get it.”

  “I don’t think you do. We were just talking.”

  “Talking?” He cocked his head, looking down at her. “That didn’t look like talking.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re jealous of David? Well, isn’t that rich coming from the guy who’s dated every woman within a twenty mile radius.”

  He ignored the tightness in his chest, hating the feeling more than he’d ever thought possible, hating the vulnerability he knew she could clearly see. Hating that her words stung. This wasn’t who he was, this needy, jealous guy, crying over a broken heart. Screw this.

  Cowboy up, asshole. Chris pulled the truck door open and climbed inside. “I don’t have time for this crap. I have to get the barn fixed. Tell David I’ll see him this weekend.”

  “HEY, LADY, WHEN are you coming back out this way?” Sydney’s voice and the commotion she could hear in the background of the phone was a welcome reprieve from the drama she’d caused herself lately.

  “I wish I could. I could use someone to talk to,” she confided.