Her Rodeo Rancher

by M. K. Stelmack

  His dad’s phone pinged. “But it won’t be today. Apparently your mom has finished visiting everyone with a tongue and is ready for me back up in the stands.”

  “You go. I’ll have to gear up soon enough,” Will said.

  “You ready for Tosser again?”

  The bronc that had busted his shoulder. Will had welcomed the opportunity to ride him one last time. “Question is if Tosser’s ready for me.”

  His dad didn’t laugh but looked to Will’s right shoulder. “You have the best last ride, son.”

  There was caution and pride in those simple words. Will swallowed. “I will. And what you said about holding on until the finish line... I’ll keep that in mind.”

  His dad stood, casting a line of shade across Will. “You do that. There’s never been a Claverley on this ranch that’s taken the easy way out. Just remember that crossing the finish line might only require meeting her halfway.”

  As he moved off, a text came through. Krista. Stuck in traffic. Hope to make it in time. Don’t fall.

  Her first contact with him in three weeks. An unfiltered private message for his eyes only. Don’t fall.

  He wouldn’t. The world could believe that he was doing it for the kids. And he was. Krista might think he was doing it for himself. And he was. But only he knew—and maybe his dad—that in the end he would hang on for Krista and their future together.

  I won’t, he texted back. Got too much riding on it.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “COULD I BORROW this handsome young man?”

  Keith looked up from where he was wiping wedding cake off Austin’s mug and paws. It was Caris, Dana’s sister.

  “Sure,” he said, “so long as Austin’s okay with it.”

  Ever since Krista had babysat him, Austin had become choosier about his caregivers. Not that Keith blamed Krista. She’d at least been there for his son.

  And Dana.

  He’d spotted her at several points of the wedding, but hadn’t gotten within talking distance. Partly because Austin was a handful. Partly because whenever he got close, she disappeared into the crowd. As if on purpose.

  After the ceremony, Keith had brought Austin back to the ranch for what turned out to be a three-hour nap. Keith himself had slept for two of those hours, and had woken feeling like a new human being. Like someone ready for a fresh start.

  Caris held out her hand to Austin. “Hey there. Would you like to come see Dana before the dance starts?”

  Austin hopped off his chair, took Caris’s hand and allowed her to escort him through the milling crowd of dresses and dress pants to his favorite lady. Geez, why hadn’t he thought of that?

  Dana stood with a loud, laughing group. Keith recognized them all. Farmers and ranchers in the district. He imagined that the conversation circulated around cattle prices and hay bale counts and how much rain they’d all gotten. He could keep up with them.

  He rose at the same time that Dana caught sight of Caris approaching with Austin. Dana’s smile faded and she sidled away. Austin hadn’t seen her but Caris had, and she called out Dana’s name. Dana kept moving, even though she must’ve heard.

  She shouldn’t be avoiding both him and Austin. That wasn’t fair. To any of them.

  He made sure Caris could stay with Austin then headed to find Dana. He waylaid her coming out of the washroom. She must’ve touched up her makeup because her lips were extra glossy. She had on the same short dress from Laura’s wedding, a shade of bluish green or greenish blue that he’d decided was his favorite color.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey,” she said and hesitated. Someone passing by bumped her from behind, causing her to take a step toward him, one he quickly matched with one of his own. She glanced at the entrance to the men’s washroom. “I won’t keep you. Have a nice evening.”

  He touched her elbow. “Could we talk?”

  She frowned, a refusal already forming on her shiny lips.

  “Five minutes. That’s all I ask.”

  They ended up by her truck in the field that had been converted into a one-night parking lot. It was a pretty spot. The dance reception was at an old renovated barn on the neighbor’s ranch. Dana immediately set her gaze on the horse corrals. Probably noting number and kind, like he was. “Look,” he said, “I accept that things are...uncertain between us, but what you’re doing to Austin isn’t right, either.”

  Dana spun to him. “What exactly am I doing to Austin?”

  “I saw you hurry away from him back there. I get that you might want to distance yourself from us, but there’s got to be another solution besides running away from him.”

  “Idiot,” she said. “I’m not running away from him. I’m running from you.”

  “I’d never stop you from seeing him. For both your sakes.”

  “Aren’t you listening? I can’t have Austin without you, and since I cannot have you, then neither Austin nor I can have each other. Don’t you understand how much it hurt to walk away from your boy? I love him, Keith. I love him as if he’s my own.”

  He’d said the wrong thing, messed up again. “He loves you, too,” he mumbled.

  “For now,” she said, “but he will find someone else. He’s got the old Claverley charm.”

  “I think it skipped a generation,” he joked by way of a small apology.

  She didn’t return his smile.

  “You led your five minutes by telling me about Austin. You should’ve sold yourself, Keith Claverley. Took me in your arms, told me I was pretty, brought me a glass of wine...kissed me. Something that said I was yours and you were mine. And now your time’s up. Please leave so I can calm down enough to go inside and enjoy myself again.”

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. Words fluttered up and he snuffed them all, fearing that it would only worsen matters. He walked away, the crunch of the gravel under his boots like the grinding in his gut.

  He might as well take Austin home and they could have a quiet night. There was still enough light for them to peel off their good clothes and go outside. Or watch a movie and gorge on junk food.

  The band was striking up. Guests were drifting back to their tables in preparation for the first dances. He couldn’t stand another wedding, another bunch of slow-dancing couples. He found Caris easily enough, but Austin wasn’t in sight. “Hey, Caris. We’re going to head out. Where’s Austin?”

  “Oh, Laura took him. He was starting to fuss. She mentioned getting him some food.”

  No Laura or Austin at the food table. He was taking another survey of the room when Laura grabbed his arm. “I can’t find Austin. I turned my back—and he was gone.”

  Keith forced down instant panic. “Where did you last see him?”

  She pointed to the platter of watermelon farther down the table. “We’re checking everywhere. Ryan has people looking, too.”

  “He’s got to be around here somewhere,” Keith said. “He can’t have disappeared.” He went over to the band and asked them to make an announcement.

  Keith held his breath, praying for someone to pipe up that he was right here all along. But only a worried murmur rippled through the crowd. The bride herself was checking under her draped table which prompted all the guests to peek under theirs. Austin’s name was repeated and called in the foyer, everyone sharing Keith’s fear. No. Not fear, concern. No need for fear.

  It was clear Austin wasn’t inside the barn. The hunt spread into the parking lot, and well-dressed guests knelt and squatted to check under vehicles. Mechanical chirping arose as vehicles were opened, searched and closed with soft thuds again. “No. Nope. Nothing.”

  Where had Austin’s two tiny legs taken him? He ran to Dana’s truck. She was nowhere around, and he peeked inside and under, in case Austin might’ve recognized her truck. Nothing.

  Stabbed with a sudden horrifying insti
nct, he looked to the corrals. There was Dana running flat out in bare feet to Austin who was toddling straight to the corrals. The horses were prancing and skittish, clearly not used to kids and strangers.

  Keith shouted Austin’s name, hoping that the sound of his voice would make his boy stop or at least slow enough for Dana to catch up. He didn’t hear or didn’t listen.

  Keith did the only thing he could and ran after them, too. Dana reached the graveled lane that ran alongside the corrals just after Austin crossed it and picked up speed at the sight of the pacing horses. She didn’t stop even as she crossed the hard pebbles. As Austin began to squirm through the railings, she scooped him up.

  Keith stopped, dropped his shaking hands to his knees. He prayed his thanks, even though he didn’t attend church. But he recognized a miracle when he saw one. He spotted Dana’s high heels where she must’ve flung them and he picked them up. Behind him there were whoops and clapping. He waved and the guests drifted back to the hall.

  When he reached Dana and Austin, she was still holding him tightly, their faces tucked into each other’s necks. He stood close and let them be. There was nothing to be said.

  Austin lifted his face. “Dad.” He patted Dana’s shoulder. “My Dana.”

  Dana looked up at Keith, full of joy and anguish. He brought his hand to his son’s back and carefully, carefully his other hand to Dana’s neck. Her gaze didn’t waver, flared with hope. His thumb stroked her cheek, and she leaned into the caress.

  “Don’t let me talk, Dana,” he whispered. “I’ll screw it up and I kinda want this moment to last forever.”

  Her arms still tight around their Austin, Dana touched her lips to his and made it last.

  * * *

  KRISTA SQUEEZED HER car between two pickups at the far end of the overflow parking lot at the rodeo. Will had organized a VIP parking spot for her closer to the action, but she wasn’t sure how to get there and right now she was all about speed. Will’s ride was scheduled to start in six minutes and counting.

  She texted him, for what it was worth. Alyssa or one of the handlers probably had his phone, as he would already be down by the chutes. She texted Alyssa, too, and her one-answer reply was Hurry.

  As if she wasn’t. As if she hadn’t been all day.

  She’d packed a sweet outfit for the inevitable after-event pictures, but there was no time to grab it. She shoved her phone into the back pocket of her denim shorts and ran. At least her running shoes were suitable.

  She gained the stands at the opposite end of the chutes as the usual rodeo princesses carrying flags galloped past and exited. Krista scanned the crowd for Alyssa or Will’s parents, but it was hopeless among the few thousand gathered. Her eye caught a screen with a slideshow featuring Will. His picture and name, a quote from him about how every kid deserved to get up after they fall, and his ride where he’d been bucked off.

  Krista had not seen the ride before. She stood, riveted to the screen. The horse bucking madly, Will leaning to the outrider for the dismount, the twist, and then Will flying through the air to land crumpled on the ground. And the riderless horse not stopping, kicking at Will. Krista’s heart pounded as if it was real, as if she didn’t know that Will would survive and be around for her to touch and hold.

  This was the paralyzing fear that Janet had experienced. A fear borne from love. But a fear that had corroded Krista’s love for him. She’d spent their brief relationship worried sick for him. And it wouldn’t end until he finished this ride. Maybe then she could get beyond her fear, and find something else, something more that rose above their differences.

  If he lived through this ride.

  A girl with a Ride for the Kids button waved a pack of tickets. “Get your tickets. Win gift cards, saddles. Grand prize is a purebred mare from the Claverley Stables. One for ten. Two for fifteen.” Krista shook her head. She’d already donated the man she loved to this ride.

  The rodeo announcer came on. “And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for—”

  And dreading.

  “Will Claverley’s Ride for the Kids. If you haven’t bought your ticket, you have a few minutes left. Tickets must be purchased prior to the end of the ride, and folks, the ride only lasts ten seconds.”

  The girl was swarmed, as the announcer began to detail Will’s rodeo history. He’d been disqualified from his first ride in the junior rodeo because he’d lied about his age, inflating it by a year in order to meet the minimum requirement.

  Everyone laughed while Krista seethed. It was a miracle he hadn’t been injured sooner. Was he going to catch up on his quota of injuries on this last ride? Break a leg, bust ribs, snap his spine.

  Because that could happen. Drawn like a slasher movie fan to scenes of horror, she looked again at the screen to see the horse lash out at Will crumpled in the dirt. The same horse that Alyssa had arranged for him to ride tonight.

  The rodeo announcer’s voice continued. “Will agreed to have this video run, even though for some it’s tough to watch. He wanted everyone and especially the kids to see that we all fall and each of us can find a way to get back in the saddle.”

  “Or not,” Krista muttered. “You could stay out of the saddle and live another day, you arrogant twit.”

  Two buckle bunnies shot her dirty looks and moved closer to the chutes. Through the railings, she could make out Will in his trademark blue checkered shirt and the horse. That horse.

  Alyssa had nearly squealed with excitement when the same bronc was booked for Will. And the announcer played it up. “Will is taking on his old rival, Tosser. And let me tell you, Tosser’s attitude hasn’t sweetened over time.”

  As if on cue, the horse banged inside the enclosure, and the gate shuddered.

  “Please step away from the railing.” A burly security officer spoke to Krista and she released her grip on the fence. Just as well, she’d seen enough.

  She closed her eyes and pictured Will easing himself into the saddle. It would only be seconds now. The handlers leaned over to do a final check.

  All eyes were on Will now. Waiting for his nod.

  Krista felt more than heard the gate release. Her eyes flew open.

  The horse came out, all four feet lifting off. Will made it worse, raking the horse’s sides with blunted spurs, and Tosser whipped and twisted. Will rode the swings, head all the way back against the horse’s haunches. Tosser broke into a series of fast donkey kicks.

  “Please, please, please,” Krista begged Tosser, Will, time itself.

  The buzzer blared and Will had stuck the ride. The horse didn’t seem to care. He kept right on bucking and the outriders crowded close to loosen the girth strap on Tosser and for Will to transfer over.

  It was in that transfer that things went wrong. Tosser rammed against the outrider’s horse and it stumbled sideways. Will fell, the hooves of two horses all about him.

  Krista didn’t remember climbing the fence. She would’ve cleared it, except that the same security officer grabbed her ankle. But she had the momentum and tumbled into the arena.

  She slammed to the ground, winded. She couldn’t move. She saw a second outrider cutting Tosser away from Will, both horses on a dead gallop for her. The outrider’s horse started to brake, hooves high, but Tosser’s wild eyes latched on to hers—

  Krista held up her hands in a desperate effort to save herself.

  * * *

  FOR FIVE NIGHTS NOW, Will had woken from the nightmare of Tosser charging at Krista, a replay of a cold hard fact.

  The bronc had earned his owners a good living from his dedication to nailing anyone who came into contact with him, and that had been exactly his intention at the sight of Krista lying in his way. But because Krista had raised her hands, his front hoof had barely clipped the palm of her right hand. X-rays showed two broken metacarpals. She would have a full recovery.

  Now almost
a week later, he hoped their relationship would have one, too. He considered it a small victory that Krista had agreed to come out to the ranch for a family barbecue. Every last single Claverley in attendance glided over the fact he and Krista were technically no longer a couple. Perhaps they were too distracted, Krista included, by how Dana and Keith very much were.

  He bumped shoulders with his tomboy best friend when they were alone in the kitchen. “Good job getting little brother to see the light of day.”

  “I heard that,” Keith said, rounding the corner. “Remember I crossed home plate before you, big brother.”

  Well, tonight, he’d try to hit this one out of the park. He slipped away to the barn to start the process. When he returned, everyone had spread away from the outdoor dining table to the deck chairs.

  “There you are,” his mother said on the swing set with his dad. Everyone was paired up: Laura and Ryan, Dana and Keith, his parents. Krista was wedged in with Austin on one of the same chairs he’d hauled to the gazebo for her speed spa.

  “Let me cut his hair,” Krista said, combing Austin’s curls with the fingers of her good hand.

  “You’ve only got the use of one hand,” Dana pointed out.

  “I’ll have it back in a month. How about then?”

  Dana bit her lip. Keith put a hand on her knee. “I’m sorry, Krista. But we can’t rush into this.”

  Dana managed to both scowl and smile at Keith’s teasing.

  “I’ve got some hair you can play with,” Will said and stopped. “Okay, I heard that as soon as it came out. I’d like to show you something, Krista.”

  Krista dropped a kiss on Austin’s curls. “I better go before Will jams his foot any farther into his mouth.”

  Once clear of the house, Will took Krista’s uninjured left hand and guided her to the barns. She stopped, her running shoes skidding to a brake on the grass. “You promised me I wouldn’t have to ride. Right in the emergency waiting room, you promised.”