Heart slamming, he was out of the truck and striding across the stretch between him and the group. He knew he was out of line but that didn’t seem to matter.
“Way to ride, Jolene,” BJ yelled over the crowd, drawing Austin’s gaze to where he stood on the middle rung of the round pen, cheering Jolene on. Others were yelling, too, as Jolene held onto the reins and the saddle horn and dug her heels into the horse as she rode. Sweat popped across Austin’s forehead as he watched her. She had her chin down, and had leaned back in the saddle, leveraging her body and maintaining her seat in the saddle. He was pleased that she hadn’t thrown one arm up like a bronc rider but instead had it firmly wrapped around the saddle horn. She could ride. The horse was bucking as if it were going to try to kill her if she fell off. Austin knew at this point there was nothing he could do. If he went in there now, he could make things worse.
Not taking his eyes off her, he moved to the first open space he could find and took hold of the steel rungs and held on. Jolene’s expression was set and her body moved easily, fluidly with the bucking horse, taking each jarring impact without losing her hold. Her hat flew off and hit the ground; immediately the black horse trampled it beneath its hooves. Austin automatically climbed a rung on the pen.
“She’s good.” Ty Calder’s quiet, calm voice interrupted Austin’s near panic. He looked to the man who stood beside him. Calm gray eyes met his.
Austin nodded. “Looks that way. But, she’s going to get hurt,” he said. “What were you thinking?”
Ty shot a glance back out to Jolene. “That I was hiring someone with a great reputation for breaking rough stock. Do you see what she’s doing?”
Austin looked back and was startled to see that Jolene had ridden through the bucking and now had the horse trotting, reluctantly, in a circle; she had the reins in a firm grip and as she let the horse get the last little rebellion out of its system—small bucks and loping—then they were moving around the pen in an easy walk. She patted the neck of the horse, leaned forward in the saddle and spoke to the animal as she gave its neck a good rub. And then she smiled.
“That’s why I hired her,” Ty stated in quiet, certain words. “Looks like you have an interest in my new trainer?”
Austin pulled his gaze off Jolene to look Ty’s way. “Maybe. But—” He held back from saying her career choice was a deterrent.
Ty grinned. “Good luck. She has a one-track mind and that’s on her horses.” He stepped up on the rung of the pen and called to Jolene. “Great job, Jolene.”
She looked their way. “Thanks.” And then her gaze met Austin’s.
Austin’s mouth went dry and adrenaline shot through him like a flash flood. He was in over his head and he knew it.
Jolene dismounted after she’d ridden Dimples around the pen for a while, letting the horse grow more comfortable with her on his back. She spoke gently, encouragingly to the horse, helping to let it know that this was okay. She could only imagine what it must feel like to have the freedom to be wild and untamed and then have someone come along and take that away. And to then have to carry that person around on its back. She’d let it loose soon, let it see that it still had access to the pasture, but not just yet. Her focus was off. She’d gotten one look at Austin and her thoughts fuzzed up. The man just did something to her like nothing she’d ever felt before. And they hadn’t really had that many conversations. How could that be that a man she hardly knew stayed on her mind?
Even when she didn’t want him to.
The thought was laughable because Dimples was probably wondering why the person she hardly knew was staying on his back when it really didn’t want her to.
Payback was tough.
Jolene tugged her head lower and snuck a peek in Austin’s direction. He was talking to Ty, and BJ was there too. BJ looked excited and she wondered how much the cowboy had won in the bet because she knew he’d bet on her. She appreciated the vote of confidence from him. And Riley had been cheering her on, too. She wondered whether he’d bet on her in the end.
But mostly she wondered what Austin was doing here.
A few minutes more and then she halted Dimples near the spot where Ty and Austin stood. “Boss, I think Dimples here is going to make a great ranch horse. He’s got spunk and is a thinker.”
Ty grinned and placed his hands on his hips. “Sounds like the two of you have a lot in common. You did a great job. Don’t you think so, Austin?” he added.
Jolene thought she heard a bit of tease in his voice.
Austin looked grim. As if he were about to arrest her or something. “Yeah, but do you know how dangerous it is to be doing what you’re doing? Watch yourself.”
That took her by surprise. Narrowing her eyes, she met his near glare straight on. “Um, yes, I’m pretty sure I do. I know what I’m doing.” Her pulse raced like Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby.
Austin held her gaze. “Let’s hope so. Dimples looks like he’s not exactly ready to concede defeat. Watch yourself.” And then he turned and headed across the parking lot.
What was his problem? Anger flashed through Jolene. She swung her leg over the back of Dimples and dismounted easy enough not to spook Dimples but as quick as she dared. Looping the reins on the saddle horn, she moved to the gate and let herself out. Everyone was watching but this was ridiculous. Anger drove her and something she didn’t understand. She jogged across the parking lot. Her chap fringe flapped against her legs and her spurs jingled merrily but she was not happy.
She caught him before he reached his truck and slid behind the wheel. He stood up, seeing her approach.
“What is your problem?” she growled, bowing her chest. She stepped near and glared up at him. “I apologized and yet you show up here looking like you’ve got a chip on your shoulder. What I do is none of your business.” She poked him in the chest for good measure.
He stepped close and grabbed her hand before she could poke him a second time. His grasp was warm and firm; fireworks exploded through her bloodstream.
He didn’t say anything; he just held her hand and looked down at her with stormy eyes that shut her up like a clap of thunder. She swallowed hard and couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak—couldn’t breathe. Her knees felt weak. And then, he bent his head and kissed her.
It didn’t last longer than a heartbeat but it was swift and hard and powerful.
And then he dropped her hand, slid behind the wheel and drove away.
Chapter Eight
Holy cow.
Jolene watched Austin drive away. Her lips still stung from the crushing kiss…and her chest heaved as she gulped in air after having hers pretty much sucked right out of her.
“Holy cow,” she muttered out loud this time. The fuzziness that had hit her thoughts the moment she’d seen him while she’d been riding Dimples fogged up completely.
She knew she needed to move. A small voice in the midst of the fog that had rolled in on her called out that everyone had probably seen the kiss. She needed to move.
Move. Now.
Instead of heading back to the pen, she headed to her bunk apartment. It was time to take a break.
“Hey, Jolene.” Maddie came riding in from the pasture. She brought her horse to a halt and fanned herself. “It’s hot out there today. I wanted to ask you if you’d like to join me and the other gals for a gals’ night out. It’s not much, mind you. We’re just heading into town to Sam’s for supper and a little last-minute planning on the town dance Saturday night.”
Jolene’s head cleared a little. “I don’t know. I’m pretty wore out. And I still need to unsaddle my horse—”
“Everyone wants to meet you. And me and you live in a man’s world. I’ve learned it’s a good thing to spend time with other women. Come on. You’ll have a good time.”
Maybe this is what she needed to take her mind off the kiss that had just happened. What was Austin thinking? “Sure. Okay, I’ll go. What time?”
“I’ll pick you up in two hours. That
give you enough time to take care of business?”
“Sure.”
Maddie smiled. “Great. And by the way, you need to plan on coming to the dance. We have one two times a month. You’ll enjoy it. It’s a social thing and a lot of fun.”
“Maybe,” she said, knowing a dance was the last place she’d be found come Saturday night.
Austin wiped his hands and smiled at the little lady who’d had a flat near the county line. “There you go, ma’am. You’ll be set until you get to Ranger. You’ll want to stop there and have your flat tire plugged or get a new one and replace this emergency tire before you head on to your destination.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you so much, young man. I am so thankful you came along. I tried to call for help, but there was no phone service.”
Austin grimaced. “Yes ma’am, our county has spotty phone service and I apologize for that.” He didn’t like that the county had areas that didn’t have phone service but that was life in the country. He was glad he’d arrived to help her and she hadn’t had to wait on help for too long.
He waited until she’d driven off before he climbed back into his vehicle and started his rounds again. He’d welcomed the distraction of removing the flat tire and replacing it; the exertion it gave him had taken his mind off Jolene for a few minutes.
He’d had her there all afternoon since he’d made a fool of himself and kissed her.
What had he been thinking?
The woman was driving him to lose his good sense. His phone rang and he let out a gruff laugh; he’d just reentered phone service. He pushed the speaker button and answered the call.
“Austin, do you have time to talk?” his sister asked.
“Sure I do. How are you doing today, Sydney? How’s Julie?” He worried every day about them and realized it had been two days since he’d talked to her.
“I’m fine. And so is Julie. I, well, I wanted to ask you if you might be able to get off next Tuesday and come to Kerrville. Julie has a play she’s in and well, I thought maybe you could stand in for Charles?”
He rubbed his forehead, hating that his sister and niece were hurting. “I will be there. You tell me when and where and I’ll get off.”
He heard the catch in her voice. “Thank you. I, I don’t know what we would do without you. Charles always said he liked having a brother-in-law he knew he could count on to be there for us if something happened to him…thank you. I love you, Austin.”
He smiled. “I love you too, kiddo. Charles was a good guy. I liked knowing you had someone who was looking out for you. I wish he were still here.”
She sighed into the phone. “I do too…it’s been seven months and I miss him so much. So acutely, even now. I…oh Austin, it’s really a hard time these last few days. I think it’s finally sinking in that he truly is gone. Does that sound odd?”
“No, I can’t presume to know what you’re feeling. You two had something really special. Hang onto that.”
“I am. I just never thought that day would be his last. He looked so strong and confident when he stuck his boot into that stirrup and climbed into that saddle…” She sighed.
Austin’s gut tightened and he thought instantly of Jolene. “You’re going to be okay, Sydney. You’ll get through this. Charles would want you to.”
She sniffed and he knew she was crying. “I know. It’s just hard, you know. Some days are just like I’m taking steps backward.”
“Just take it slow and easy. I don’t know a lot but I know you and you’ve taken a hit no woman should have to take and you’ll come out of it okay. Stronger even. I love you, sis.”
“Thanks. I love you too. And I’ll see you Tuesday. Julie will be over the moon when you show up.”
“And that right there is the reason I wouldn’t miss her program for the world.”
He’d pulled over to the side of the road during the call and now he sat there in the silence. His sister was strong but he worried about her. He was thankful she had the support of his parents in Kerrville to help watch Julie when she had to work and for their emotional support. And he was helping out with that as much as he could; he just felt as if he lacked what she needed. He’d loved Charles like a brother and his death had been a blow to him; he couldn’t imagine how Sydney and Julie felt. But she would make it through.
And now, he had this thing for a bronc buster. Just thinking about it made him mad.
How could this have happened?
She drove into town and turned him inside out with one look at her and now all he could think about was taking her in his arms and kissing her long and slow. Not hard and fast like he’d done. What had he been thinking? She should have hauled off and socked him.
She was probably wondering what he’d been thinking too…and that was the problem: he hadn’t been. He was so tied up in knots of worry for her that he’d just reacted.
And now that he had, he could not for the life of him forget it.
He closed his eyes and dropped his head to his hands on the steering wheel. He had to get her out of his system and off his mind.
Brady had insisted he take the night off for the dance because he’d been working so much overtime and taking the night shift more than his fair share. So maybe he’d go. He’d planned on going to see Sydney and Julie but he’d be asking off for Tuesday to go see them, so maybe a dance on Saturday would be a good place for him to be. Maybe he’d find him a few pretty dance partners and get his mind off a particular cowgirl with a death wish…
Maybe.
He pulled back on the blacktop and headed toward town. He passed the convenience store on the left where he participated in some tense hours not too long ago when Maddie and the town matchmakers had been held hostage. He had been fairly new in town at that time and he’d been more than relieved when the day had ended with the bad guys behind bars and Maddie and the others were safe and sound. He decided it was a good time to stop in and make sure all was secure. Then he’d head to Sam’s for supper.
This time maybe he’d get his meal eaten.
Jolene had spruced up a bit more than she usually did for the trip into town. She hadn’t eaten at Sam’s Diner yet but had heard the place had some down-home cooking and great atmosphere. Plus she was going to meet her bosses’ wives and hang out with one of her bosses. That in itself was a little intimidating. She was a hired hand and yet Maddie treated her as if they were equals. On the drive into Mule Hollow, she asked Maddie why.
Maddie had laughed. “Until my boss, CC, died and left me as one of the partners in the New Horizon Ranch, I was exactly who you are. A female who loved cowgirling with all my heart. Now, I’m just a cowgirl who got an unbelievable gift.”
“He must have really thought a lot of you and Dalton, Ty, Chase, and Rafe.”
Maddie swallowed hard. When she looked at Jolene, there were tears in her eyes. “We thought a lot of him. He was the best man I ever knew. And I’m convinced he chose each of us as partners because he knew we loved the ranch and would carry it on and make it into the best in the state. He was well on the way to doing that before he got ill.” She had turned back to the road and now looked back at Jolene. “That’s why you’re here. You’re one of the best, Ty says. He says you will help him make the equine program into a five-star program.”
The pressure settled on Jolene’s shoulders. “My last boss said I was careless with his horses and I nearly broke them down. Ty knows that’s what’s been said and he hired me anyway. I want to thank y’all for giving me this shot when no one else would.”
Maddie pulled into a parking space in front of the diner. She turned off the engine and stared at Jolene. “Were you careless with his stock?”
Jolene shook her head. “I wasn’t.”
“Then no thanks necessary. I am curious why good ole Mo Jordon would say such a thing about you?”
“He made advances that I wasn’t willing to accept as part of the job description. Ruining my career was part of the payback.” Jolene tried not t
o think of that day in the barn when her ex-boss had made his move. He hadn’t appreciated her refusal of his advances and…Jolene pushed the disgusting memory from her mind. She had been lucky it hadn’t been worse. And she’d been lucky that when she’d called Ty, he’d taken her word and hired her. No one else would. Mo was a powerful man in the horse circles.
“Let’s go meet everyone.”
Jolene nodded and climbed out of the truck. She looked down the street of the bright and cheerful town that was painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. Hot pink, purple, blue, bright yellow with green trim…she couldn’t help but think that in a town this happy-looking that she could start over. And Maddie and Ty and the other partners were giving her a shot at it.
“Cute, isn’t it?”
“Perfect.” Jolene stepped up onto the board sidewalk and followed Maddie into the diner. The moment Maddie pushed open the heavy swinging front door, the music from a jukebox signaled the night would be lively.
Maddie led the way through the crowd and several cowboys she recognized from the ranch stopped Jolene and told her she’d done a good job with the horse that afternoon. She thanked them and then continued on to the table where Maddie had pulled out a chair. Several ladies were already there.
Jolene recognized Sadie, Rafe’s wife, but no one else.
Maddie quickly introduced her to the others and Jolene repeated them in her head, trying to remember. Amber was Chase’s wife. Sadie and Rafe, Mia and Ty, Rae Anne and Dalton.
“So.” Sadie leaned toward her with a huge smile. “Is it true? I heard that you and our handsome, hunky Deputy Austin kissed this afternoon. I added the handsome, hunky myself. The birdy who told me just said you got a whopping kiss laid on you in the parking lot today.”
All eyes were on Jolene. She’d just met Mia, Rae Anne, and Amber, and she suddenly felt like a bug in a jar.
“Y’all,” Maddie scolded. “I drove all the way from the ranch and restrained my interest because I didn’t want to just butt in on Jolene’s privacy and y’all just barely met her.”
Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) Page 5