I smiled at her. “Okay, but please don’t apologize for anything. I’m so happy to be here to see you. It’s just really different out here. I’m the one who is sorry. I don’t mean to be a big baby about it. I wasn’t going to say anything.”
Mom hugged me and said, “I’ll go order the pizza…”
“They deliver pizza way out here?”
She laughed. “No, but it’ll just take me a half hour to run into town and pick it up and get a movie. Do you want to go with me?”
“Yeah, I do. That sounds like fun.” It wasn’t going into town that sounded fun, but I did need some time with my mother and I missed my car too.
“Okay, I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.” She hugged me tight again before she left. I was feeling a little better knowing I had Samantha and my mom that I knew beyond a doubt I could trust. I was just going to have to get over Mark. Even before I saw him with “Taylor,” I knew that was a bad idea. I cleaned up my face, brushed my hair and met Mom in the parlor.
“Can we take the Camaro?” I missed driving my car a lot. She was my baby.
“Sure,” she said with a smile. Mom bought her for me, so she knew how much I loved her.
As we drove into town Mom said, “You’re sure that Mark didn’t do something to upset you?”
“I’m sure,” I lied. “Why do you think it was Mark?”
“Oh, I don’t really. It’s just that I feel a little out of the loop sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I can just tell that there’s a lot of tension between Mark and Rob and neither of them will talk to me about it. Then…there seems to be something wrong with my favorite daughter…I hate missing things that are going on right underneath my nose.”
Aw, I felt bad again. I smiled at her. “I’m really fine, Mom. I’m sorry we’ve all got you worried. I wouldn’t worry too much about Rob and Mark. They’ve been doing this father and son thing on their own for a lot of years…I’m sure whatever it is, they’ll figure it out.
The pizza parlor was in a cute little brick building and aptly named, “Cowboy Pizza.” There was a picture on the lit up sign out front of a tiny little cowboy with a lasso. Inside it was wood floors and scarred up tables. The lights were low and country music was playing on the jukebox. There were several young kids sitting around a table near the back. They were probably middle school to high school age and I couldn’t help but wonder how a teenage survived in this town. I thought about Mark again and his rodeo passion. I suppose that’s how he survived.
Our pizza was ready and Mom paid for it. She got two. I’m assuming that one was for Mark and Rob. We left there and went to the tiny little video store in town. There was one row of each genre and movie posters and cardboard cut-outs of characters from old movies. I can’t remember the last time I was in a video store. In the city we have Red Box and we use Net Flix and Hulu. Mom picked out a sappy love story…Nicholas Sparks or something like that and I picked out a mindless comedy because I’d had enough of that sappy stuff in real life lately.
I was happy that Mark didn’t seem to be around when we got home. Rob still wasn’t around either. Mom left one of the pizzas in the dining room and we took the movies and the other pizza into the front parlor with a liter of Coke and two glasses. We watched her movie first while we ate. We cried over it and then we watched mine and we laughed. It was nice and it re-energized me to draw all of that love from her. She’s an amazing person and I suddenly realized that was why she had adjusted so well here…it was just like she’d adjusted twenty-one years ago when she suddenly had to put her life on hold and take care of me. She was the most unselfish person in the world and I hoped someday to be just like her. I’d have to start working on that.
CHAPTER SIX
MARK
I sighed as I studied the sagging fence line. I’d been out here for hours, avoiding the house like the plague. My dad had hardly been there for the past two days, doing anything possible to avoid me…and I think Lexi hates me. I saw her and Lydia on their way out yesterday morning. They were laughing and chatting like two best friends. It’s nice that they have that and I don’t begrudge it to them at all…but it makes me sad that I seem to have nothing and no one these days. I climbed down off of Sarge and draped his reins over a fence post. I took my packs off of him, filled with tools and wire…the fence was sagging in a lot of places and I was suddenly wondering why my father wasn’t hiring more help. I wondered if that’s what’s been wrong with his mood lately. Was he hurting for money? I know the drought had put a lot of financial stress on everyone. Even though the ranch had its own private lake…if there’s no rain or snow, there’s no water for the lake. Maybe that’s what’s made him so crazy that he has the idea in his head his own son would steal from him.
I focused my attention back on the fence. The posts were weathered, but they would still work. The wire wasn’t snapped…at least not in this area. It was just all sagging like an old lady’s…brassiere. I took the fence stretcher and the wire cutter, the pry bar and the hammer out of the pack with the tools in it. I already had my pocket full of nails. I’d been doing this all morning. Dad would be wanting to flood this pasture soon and release the young calves out into it. These fences needed to be tight when you’re trying to keep the young curious ones inside. I’ve been suggesting to him that he electrify the whole thing. He’s got the line that runs against the road electrified, but he said it would take too much money to do the whole thing. When I tried mentioning to him that the stock we were losing because of the coyote’s getting to them were probably going to cost us just as much he had told me that if I didn’t intend to run the ranch someday that I should keep my opinions to myself. That was back before he thought I was stealing from him. Our relationship has never really been anything to write home about.
I finished that section of the fence and I started to climb back up on Sarge when I saw Cowboy Bob coming my way. I waited until him and his old nag reached me. His horse was almost ten years old and she was slower than him walking. I’ve been giving him shit about her for years but he was fond of telling me that she was “the only old nag” that ever stuck with him for more than a few months.
“What are you doing out here alone, boy? Me or Johnny would a come out and helped you.”
I shrugged. “I just needed an outlet more than anything, Bob.”
He slid off the horse. “Things ain’t going so well with the girl?”
“I thought they were…we had some good times together, but Taylor came around the other day…”
“Oh Lord. That little girl ain’t been nothing but trouble since she was fourteen.”
“Don’t I know it? It was just a couple years after that she started getting me into trouble.”
“What did she do?”
“She kissed me and Lexi saw us and now she thinks I’m lying to her when I tell her that I pushed her away. She walked out before that happened.”
“Hmm….” I could tell by the look on his face he had some wise words for me but he was hesitant to share them.
“Go ahead and say it, Bob. You know I’ve got thick skin.”
“I just reckon it’s early in the relationship for her to be accusing you of things like lying. Maybe she’s got some issues of her own with trust.”
“You mean maybe she was cheated on or something like that?”
“Could be. Could be a lot of things…but I’m gonna say it again, if you really like her and you want her to be the one…you have to put out the effort to show her you’re the man she needs to pick.”
“Hey Bob, when you were riding the circuit, were you married already?”
“I was for a minute. She left me for an accountant. She told me that she didn’t care if he was bald…he was at least home at night.”
“I have a feeling that’s another thing holding Lexi back. She keeps saying she doesn’t think that’s any way to have a relationship.”
“I know you love tha
t rodeo boy… Don’t let this go to your head…but I rode with some of the best in my time and probably in another year…two at the most, you’ll be right up there with Lane Frost. You stay close to your rope and a lot of guys can’t do that. Ninety percent of the guys get bucked off because they don’t react quickly enough when the bull turns. You react…I’ve seen you. You do it so well that you make it look boring almost. Now, with that being said there’s a couple of things you gotta consider. One of them is that at some point in your life, you have to decide what you love more. If it is the rodeo, then I say follow your heart. But don’t try and tell a woman you love her more and then refuse to give it up. The other thing is that even the greatest rider needs to have a plan for his “second life.” I know you already got pins in your knee and you’ve had so many concussions you probably lost count by now. What happens when the injury is too great for you to be able to go on riding bulls? You gotta have a back-up plan, especially if you’re planning on having a family one day.”
“You didn’t say a single thing I wanted to hear Bob,” I told him with a grin.
“You’re welcome, boy,” he said with that raspy chuckle of his.
On the ride back to the ranch I thought about everything that Bob said. A few years ago in one season I had at least five concussions. I can’t afford to pay for the expensive medical insurance when I’m in the off season and Dad took me off his when I got out of college and refused to go to a four year. The “Year of the Concussion” as I call it, I spent almost all of the close to $100,000 I earned on medical bills. But…I still can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s the only thing in my life I feel real passion for…or it was, before I met Lexi….
********
I found Lydia in the kitchen when I got back. My dad was there too, but as soon as he saw me come in one door, he walked out the next. Lydia watched him go and shook her head. She looked back at me then and said, “You look like you’ve had a long day. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
She smiled. “Well then, you’re in luck! You’re Dad cooked tonight. I have some pot roast and potatoes and carrots and homemade biscuits for you. Go sit down and I’ll bring it in.”
“You don’t have to wait on me, Lydia. I don’t mind fixing it myself.”
“I know you don’t, but I really don’t mind.”
“Thanks. Where’s Lexi?”
“She’s upstairs. She’s going to meet her friend Samantha in the city tonight for a girl’s night out. I told her not to drive back so late tonight so she’ll be back tomorrow sometime.”
“Oh, good.” Damn it! I want to ask her to go to the rodeo with me this weekend. I was going to wait until morning when I was rested and she had one more day to get over being mad at me…but I guess I’ll have to do it before she takes off tonight.
Lydia brought me my dinner and then she sat with me while I ate it. I think she’s starting to feel sorry for me. I’m sure she’s probably hoping that someone will tell her what’s going on…but it’s not going to be me. Her company is nice. It’s been a really long time since I’ve had a maternal kind of influence in my life, and she does a great job of it. I hope that Lexi knows how lucky she is…I’m sure she does.
“Thank you Lydia,” I told her when I finished. “That was great.”
“Well, you’ll really have to thank your father for that,” she said.
I smiled. Maybe you could pass that on for me.”
She smiled too, but sadly as she shook her head. “I wish the two of you could work whatever this is between you out.”
“Me too,” I said, honestly without offering any explanations. She insisted on taking my plate and cup and washing them, so I went up to bite the bullet and ask Lexi about the rodeo. I hesitated when I got outside her door. My hand was shaking. Finally, I raised it and knocked. When she pulled it open I thought I might be having a heart attack.
She was wearing a red dress that stopped just below the tops of her thighs. It was fitted in the waist and the neckline was rounded so that it didn’t show so much cleavage she looked slutty, but just enough to make the full mounds look enticing. Her hair was curled in soft ringlets that fanned out across her shoulders and back, and she had on a pair of killer red heels that I’d really, really, really love to do her in. I’m a pervert…but damn she’s hot!
I realized I was staring open-mouthed when she said, “Did you need something?” She said it really slowly as if she thought my brain functioned at about a first grade level. I guess when I looked at her, looking like that…it does.
“Um, yeah…sorry. I have a rodeo this weekend.”
“And.”
“And I was wondering if you might like to go.” She smiled…good sign. Then she reached into my chest, pulled out my heart and crushed it in her hand by saying…very sweetly,
“I’d rather jump off the Empire State building.”
“Oh…” Shit! What do I say to that?
“Anything else?”
“Um…no, that was it.”
“Okay then, goodnight.” She closed the door in my face. I felt like an idiot. Mission accomplished on her part, I guess.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LEXI
I acted like a bitch and closed the door in Mark’s face and then stood there shaking all over. I was still pretty sure that I had a right to be angry with him…but that thought didn’t make me feel any better. I heard him walk away and then I heard him get in the shower. I’ve never had to live in such close quarters with someone that I had such strong feelings for. I’m really, really glad that I’m going out with Samantha tonight. I’m right there on the verge of tears and if I was hanging around here, I don’t know if I would be able to hold them back.
Like the coward I am, I snuck downstairs while he was in the shower. I found Mom and Rob in the parlor watching some news show on television.
“I’m going to take off now. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Okay honey. Be safe and have fun.”
“I will,” I told her.
“Did Mark find you?” Mom innocently asked this and I don’t think she even noticed the look Rob gave her. He really has issues with his son.
“Um…yeah, he did.”
“What does he want?” Rob asked. I was taken a little bit aback by his tone. It was really none of his business, but I didn’t tell him that.
“Oh, he was just asking if I wanted to go to the rodeo this weekend. I think I’m going to pass on this one though.”
“Smart girl,” Rob muttered. I saw Mom elbow hi slightly.
“Are you sure honey? I know you get bored around here…”
“Yeah, I’m sure Mom. I’ll find something to do. I better get going now though, Samantha is waiting for me.” Mom looked sad. I know she felt bad for Mark. Rob was smiling. I think he was happy to know his son had to go alone…which was sad too.
I made the long drive into the city. I cranked up the music trying to drown out all of the conflicting thoughts in my head…it didn’t work. I was so confused. I hated being in the country…except for the clean air and the pretty starry nights and the nice people…Okay, so I don’t hate it, but I’d never want to live there. I’m furious at Mark, not so much for kissing that girl but for lying to me about it. Okay, I am pissed that he kissed her…but that doesn’t make any sense if I truly wasn’t interested in having a relationship with him…which I wasn’t…right? Damn it! I really wanted to forget about all of this and concentrate on just having fun with Samantha tonight. Her new boyfriend is a promoter and he got us put on the VIP list for a new club in town. I told myself once again that was what I was going to do…put it all out of my head.
Samantha was dressed to kill in a black mini-dress with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. It hugged every curve and she had the curves to pull it off. Her long blonde hair hung straight down her back and I had to wonder how she didn’t know she was way too good to put up with the creeps that she put up with. I hoped this one was different, but I
kind of doubted it.
“You look amazing,” I told her as we hugged. I looked around the apartment, realizing once more how much I missed being at home.
“You too! Country life must be good for you.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Some days I wonder if all of that fresh air has rotted my brain.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it tonight. Let’s go have fun.”
“Okay,” she agreed, “But before you go back tomorrow, you need to talk to me.”
“We’ll see,” I told her with a grin. We had a cab pick us up, that way we could both drink. The drive to the club was less than ten minutes. It was opening night so I knew it would be packed, but I was still shocked at the extent of it. The line out front wrapped around the side of the building. Samantha and I made our way to the VIP line and while we waited and I listened to the loud boom of hip hop music coming out the door. I realized that all I’d really heard the past month was country music. It had kind of grown on me and suddenly the hip hop was slightly offensive. I was losing my mind!
“Ladies. You on the list?” The bouncer was huge. I literally had to take a step back to look up at his face. Samantha gave him our names and then tipped him before we stepped inside. The strobe lights were on in full force and I had to blink my eyes rapidly to be able to see. My mind went to the comfortable soft lighting of the bar Mark took me to the first night that we….Shit! Stop it, Lexi!
We made our way through a sea of scantily clad bodies out to the patio bar. On the way through I noticed there were white leather couches and chairs and glass topped tables that had cute girls in white bikini tops, boy shorts and go-go boots dancing on them. That was interesting. It was almost a relief to get outside because the music was muted a bit and you didn’t have to scream back and forth at one another…and there were a whole lot less bodies, so you could actually breathe.
We bellied up to the bar and Samantha ordered a white wine spritzer. I ordered a Bud Light.
“Beer, really?” Samantha was looking at me like I’d ordered blood.
Ride Me Cowboy #3 (The Cowboy Romance Series - Book #3) Page 4