by Toni Mari
“Cory, can you take Jet through some moves so I can get a few action shots?” the guy asked. “They’d look great in the article.”
Cory looked at Chase, but Chase was absorbed by Janet. “No, sir. Jet’s had a tough weekend, and he’s too tired.”
“Come on, we need it for your article,” the photographer wheedled. “It’d look great if you did a sliding stop. I could catch it with dirt flying.”
Why wouldn’t Cory say yes? I would have. Of course, I wouldn’t do a sliding stop, but I could see a glossy picture of me and Windsong doing a half pass, legs crossing, muscles bulging and a spiffy new show jacket on.
“No sir. The horse has done enough. You already have some good shots, use them.” Cory’s voice was irritated. He dismounted and pulled the reins over Jet’s head. He started to walk away, but Janet’s voice stopped him.
“Hold on, Cory.” She turned to the photographer. “Did you get one with Jane? Do a couple with her standing next to them. Cory, put your arm around her. Good. And now do one kissing. Yes, that’s it. Maybe one back on Jet, and Jane can hold his reins.”
“Enough,” Cory said. “Chase.” Cory looked at Chase expectantly.
I swung my head around and stared at Cory. What a spoil sport. This was fun.
“Janet, Jet’s tired. Cory, let Jane bring Jet back to the stall. You don’t mind, do you, Jane? Then, Janet can ask a few questions.”
I gritted my teeth and held my hand up for the reins.
“No, I want to ask Jane a few questions too.”
I grinned. I started to turn around, but Cory stopped me with a hand on my arm.
“He’s really tired and hungry. He may need a drink. Please take him to his stall.” Cory’s voice was quiet, and he gave my arm a squeeze.
I looked at Jet’s sweet, patient face and then closed my eyes briefly and nodded.
“Of course,” I answered. Jet followed me quietly. In fact, I was so used to Windsong’s long-legged stride I had to make myself walk slow to match Jet’s pace. So, I was sent off to the barn like a lowly groom. I kicked a stray piece of poop and watched it explode against the wall.
After I untacked Jet, I began rubbing him down with a rubber curry comb, and he stood so still, only moving when he turned to look at me if I stopped rubbing. I offered him a drink of water and made sure he took only a few sips so as not to cramp. I found liniment in Cory’s supply trunk and rubbed it on his legs and muscles. I knew he enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it too. I forgot about the interview, and even that Jet was a Youth Reining Champion. I gave him a thorough going over. At last, when I had finished, Jet finally took a step over and started munching his hay.
I rooted through Cory’s trunk again and found treats, so I slipped back into the stall and gave Jet a few. Well, actually more like ten. “You are the best of the best,” I whispered into his mane as I reached my arms around his neck. He continued chewing his hay, watching me silently.
Chapter 2 5
I clicked my locker open, casually glancing down the hall. I caught a glimpse of Bobby walking behind Megan and John, and they were all heading this way. I stuck my head in the locker and prayed he would keep going.
“Hi, Jane.” Megan’s voice was bright and cheerful. She would warn me if Bobby was lurking behind her, wouldn’t she?
I slowly pulled my head out of my locker. He wasn’t there. Thank you, Megan. “Hi, Megan, John.”
“How was your weekend?” Megan asked slanting me a pointed look.
I looked at John and knitted my brows and gave a miniscule shake of my head.
“He knows,” Megan stated flatly. “So do tell all!”
I waited a beat, but really I was bursting to tell her. “It was great! Cory won the Youth Championship, and he placed against the pros. His horse, Jet, is amazing. Look.” I reached in my locker and pulled out the newspaper with my picture. “I got in the newspaper!”
“Wow! So cool. Ooh, nice smooch.” She showed the picture to John, who politely nodded. “So, you two are hot and heavy now?”
“Sort of, I guess.” It had been nice to be with him at the show, but he was really focused on his performances. I might have had his attention for a whole ten minutes the day before. And the kiss he gave me when he finally dropped me off at my house was less than spectacular. I had started to wonder whether he was over me already. I guess two days constantly in each other’s company could put the kibosh on a relationship, but I didn’t say any of this out loud.
“Why don’t you bring him out to the bowling alley, then? The whole gang is going Friday night.”
“If he still likes me by then,” I moped.
“You know what? If he doesn’t think you’re the greatest thing going, then he is a dumb-ass cowboy. We should go out to dinner first, us four. John and I will check him out for you. Make sure he’s good enough.”
“He’s probably too good for me. I don’t know if he’ll come. He’s not a jock.”
“So what?” Megan couldn’t imagine someone being uncomfortable at a party. “Just ask, promise? He’ll say yes.”
“Okay, I’ll ask. See you later.” On the bus home, I stared out the window. Cory and all those block-headed jocks? I couldn’t see it. Cory bowling? I couldn’t picture that either. Our relationship really was limited to the barn and the horses. Why would Cory want to hang out with a bunch of immature high school kids? He was practically a celebrity.
Cory gave Jet a few days off after the show, but he hung around the barn anyway. I glanced at him sitting on the fence. Cool blue eyes followed my riding closely. What did he see? The struggle to keep a rhythm, the stiff connection with Windsong’s mouth, his overreaction to my aids? Windsong and I were not Jet and Cory. I glanced at him again. He was still watching intently. Answer your phone or something. Geez! It was enough to make me quit. I rode over and stopped in front of Cory. With me on Windsong and him on the top rail of the fence, we were nearly eye level.
“Done, already?” Cory’s eyebrows went up.
I gave him a slow smile. “Something is distracting me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“I don’t mind.” I leaned toward him and he obligingly kissed me.
He put a finger on my chin and tipped my face up. “Any more of that, and you will have to get off that horse. Back to work.”
“I’m done.”
“You sure?”
“Yep.” I was already riding toward the gate.
As I turned Windsong out, Cory waited for me, leaning on the front of Windsong’s stall. I bit my lip and walked slowly toward him. How was I going to bring up the subject of going out with the gang? He was regarding my approach from under the brim of his hat. He crooked his finger, smiling. I stepped into his arms, standing between his legs. He put his hands on my waist and pulled me close and dropped a kiss on my neck. Feathery fingers of electricity traveled from my neck to my stomach.
I had closed my eyes and melted when my phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump. I pulled it out, swiped the code in, and saw a text from Megan: Did you ask him yet?
I looked at Cory and took a deep breath, bit my lip.
“What?”
“I have to ask you something.” I didn’t look at him.
“Go ahead.”
“You can say no.”
“Won’t know ’til you ask.”
“Friday night, do you want to go out to dinner with John and Megan? And me? I mean, I understand if you have plans already, I know the rodeo is on Saturday and you might be going to that, but I thought …” I let my voice trail off.
“Megan, the Barbie doll?” Cory asked.
I looked up at him. “Well, yeah. Her and her boyfriend. They want to meet up with everyone at the bowling alley afterward. You probably wouldn’t want to do that.”
“Sure I would,” Cory replied.
“It would be the seniors, the football players, you know, that crowd. It’s okay if you want to skip that part,” I went on.
“Bow
ling is fine.”
“Megan wants to go to a nice restaurant. But it’s okay, Megan said it would be John’s treat. His dad’s a doctor.”
Cory’s eyes narrowed. “I have money for dinner, Jane.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean that. We can just cut out after that, if bowling is lame, you know.”
Cory pushed me back a step. “Don’t want the friends to see you slumming with a cowboy like me?” he said coldly.
My eyebrows flew up. “No! They’re just high school kids. I thought you would be bored.”
He dropped his hands to his sides. “I go to high school, too.”
“I know! But you’ve done so much, with the championship and the magazine cover. You’re like a celebrity. Do you even bowl?”
Cory snorted. “Yeah, I know how to bowl. I promise I’ll even put on a clean shirt.”
“Um, okay. You wouldn’t want to just skip the whole thing? I wouldn’t be mad.”
“Jane, I promise I will behave like a good boy, no cursing, no brawling, no smoking or drinking. I won’t embarrass you.”
I shook my head. “You want to go?”
“Yeah, I’ll go.” He sounded a bit defiant. The cozy atmosphere was gone. He kissed me lightly and said, “Come on, I’ll take you home.”
Cory wore a crisp white button-down shirt tucked into his jeans. His boots were dark brown, and his belt buckle had a picture of a bronc on it. I had on jeans and another cute shirt Megan had leant me. My hair was down, falling in soft waves around my face. I even wore make-up and jewelry.
As Cory helped me into his truck, he gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and whispered, “You look beautiful.” A sliver of fire slid through my belly.
I waited until he climbed in before I told him he cleaned up well himself.
We followed behind John’s Jeep. What would we talk about? John and Megan could care less about horses. I kept picking at my fingernails and shifting in my seat. Cory put a hand on my thigh. “Easy girl. What’s up with you?”
I just shook my head. What was it going to be like seeing Cory with my friends? I didn’t know what to expect and the butterflies in my stomach had butterflies.
I was the one with nothing to say through most of dinner. Cory, John, and Megan chatted like old friends, and never did the conversation come around to horses. Cory was funny, and actually normal. He was a star in my mind, and I couldn’t remember talking with him about anything other than horses and riding. I barely followed the conversation, watching dazed as the waiter filled my glass with ice water. Maybe Cory and I didn’t have anything else going on if it wasn’t the horses. I felt Cory’s hand on my knee as the waiter moved on to refill Megan’s glass. “Are you okay?” he mouthed silently.
I half smiled and nodded my head. Shrugging, I took a sip of water. I was glad when the waiter finally brought our bill. Cory insisted on paying half, and Megan and I left the two guys to work it out while we went to the ladies’ room.
Once inside, Megan grabbed my hand. “What is wrong with you? You’re so quiet.”
“I know. You guys are all so amazing. I just felt, I don’t know, shy.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s just a mood. I was sitting there wondering what the hell Cory even sees in me.”
“He sees a gorgeous, smart girl who is the best in the world.” She poked me in the shoulder. “He seems really cool. Jane, he looks at you like he adores you.”
“I just keep waiting for him to tell me he doesn’t want to see me anymore.”
“Stop it. He’s here, he likes you. Enjoy it.” Megan turned and went in a stall. We came out at the same time to wash our hands. I looked at the two of us in the mirror. Movie star and girl next door. Cory was on his way to being a big star. The dull ache in my heart was anticipation at being left behind.
At the bowling alley, Cory pulled in next to John. I gritted my teeth when I saw Bobby’s sleek black car slide in on my side. I didn’t open the door to get out right away, but thought I’d wait until Bobby went into the building. I turned to make Cory wait, but he was already out and closing his door.
Bobby’s door opened and he stood up. On the passenger side, a cute blonde got out. Bobby’s eyes met mine through the glass window. His face turned mean. I opened the door quickly and swung my legs out, stepping on the running board and lowering myself to the ground. Maybe I could reach Cory before Bobby even saw him.
“Hi, Jane. Lookin’ good.” Bobby leaned against the fender of his car. I nodded and turned away.
“I see you’re aiming low after losing me.” He nodded his head toward Cory’s truck, running his hand over the hood of his car.
“Shut up, Bobby.” My face was stiff, and I pressed my lips shut. I wrapped my arms tightly around my chest.
Cory came around the back of his truck, eyes met Bobby’s, then slid to mine. Bobby’s eyes glittered, his jaw clenched. “Nice hat, cowboy,” he said derisively.
“Like it?” Cory said as he grabbed my hand. “I’ll let you try it on.” He pulled it off his head and offered it to Bobby.
Bobby’s ears turned crimson. He looked me up and down, a leer on his face. “I thought you were riding horses at that barn, but I guess you were riding a cowboy.”
Faster than my mouth could fall open, Cory had tossed his hat in the back of the pickup and flew across the short space separating us from Bobby. He pushed Bobby over backward across the hood of the black car. Cory’s arm was across Bobby’s throat, his face two inches from Bobby’s.
“You may be a dumb jock, but there must be some manners in that big head of yours. Apologize to Jane.”
John ran up to the bumper of the car, but then stopped. Megan came up beside me and clutched my arm. The other kids in the parking lot started to run over.
Bobby glared at Cory silently. I wanted to pull Cory off, but Megan held me back. I couldn’t see their faces, but something changed. Cory’s body relaxed and then he stepped back and Bobby stood up slowly, rubbing his neck. He was watching Cory. Cory glanced around at the small crowd of kids, the guys ready to jump in if necessary. He took another step away from Bobby and held up his hands. But then he looked expectantly at Bobby.
Bobby took a big breath and glanced around him. He stepped toward me, but I just glared at him. Only Megan holding me kept me from moving backward.
“I’m sorry. I was out of line,” Bobby said softly. He looked at Cory for approval.
Cory nodded.
Bobby cocked his head at the blonde girl and strode toward the bowling alley. The crowd of kids drifted that way too.
Cory jumped into the back of the pickup and retrieved his hat. He hopped down and Megan released me so that I could give him a hug.
“I’m sorry,” he said into my hair. I pushed back and looked up at him. He was shaking his head. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I lost my temper.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“I promised I would behave and that I wouldn’t embarrass you.”
“Dude, what was that all about?” John had come up next to Megan and put his arm around her.
Cory kept silent and looked at me, waiting. Did he think I was mad? He had defended me. I turned to John. “Bobby said some ignorant things to me, and Cory made him apologize.”
“Wow! I thought you two were gonna really go at it. Bobby’s big. I can’t believe you brought him down like that!”
Cory shook his head again. “I’m used to facing off against bulls. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”
“Bobby can be like a bull. You were intense, man.” John laughed.
“You don’t mind if we don’t go in there, do you?” I asked. I was talking to Megan and John, but I was looking at Cory. His face turned stony and he tipped it down so that I couldn’t see it beneath his hat brim.
“Of course not.” Megan glanced at Cory. “Will you be alright?” she asked me softly.
“Yeah, it’s okay. I just don’t want to see Bobby. I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry. Bobby’s an ass. I get it,” she an
swered, stepping forward to give me a hug. “Thanks for coming to dinner. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
John gave me a brief hug, and then put a hand on Cory’s shoulder and held out his other hand for a fist bump. “Yeah, see you later. No worries, man. It’s all good.”
Cory nodded.
Cory opened the door for me and I climbed in. He got in on his side, but he didn’t start the truck. He leaned his head on the steering wheel. Finally, he leaned back.
“I really am sorry. I was determined to show you I could handle your friends, their money, their fancy clothes and cars.”
“They’re a bunch of spoiled brats, Bobby most of all.”
“I guess that was your big-headed jock.”
“Yeah, and he’s an asshole. I’m sorry that happened.”
“What do you have to be sorry for? He was out of line.”
“I kind of led him on, I guess. It was neat for a while dating a popular football star. But his ego was as big as his head. I didn’t handle the situation well.”
“No guy should ever speak to a girl like that, no matter what she’s done.”
“You’re a hero. You save horses and tonight you saved me.”
“Saved you? I ruined your night.” He waved his hand toward the bowling alley. “You won’t get to party with your friends.”
“No, you made my night.” I scooched over the bench seat to his side. “I don’t want to be with them. I want to be with you.”
A grin slowly spread over his face as he pushed his hat back and put his arms around me. “Lucky me,” he breathed as his mouth covered mine.
Chapter 2 6
“Whoa!” I giggled. I grabbed Windsong’s mane as he danced sideways and straightened myself in the saddle. As usual, Cory sat like a rock in his saddle, mocking me. We were in the woods on the part of the trail that was barely wide enough to ride side by side. I ducked and dodged tree branches, trying to get Windsong to walk straight again. We had been trying to kiss, but I was struggling to keep my balance. Cory was still holding my hand and he supported me, making Jet follow Windsong sideways.