Rodeo Queen

by T. J. Kline

  Jen reached for her arm. “Surprise him tonight, but wait to tell him about . . .” She looked around them in case someone might overhear. “You know, tomorrow.” She slipped the keys to the Jeep into Sydney’s hand and grabbed her own bag from the back of the vehicle. “I’m going to go see my husband.” Jen smiled broadly and slipped into the darkness behind Scott’s trailer.

  Sydney forced herself to open the door to the trailer and climb the stairs. She laid her bag on the couch before heading to where Scott’s quiet snores told her he slept soundly. As she reached the bed, a dread suddenly overwhelmed her. She stared in disbelief at the blonde head nestled on Scott’s naked chest. His arms encircled the bare shoulders of Liz Findley, and he sighed deeply as she curled closer to the heat of his body under the sheet.

  Sydney’s heart stopped mid-beat and shattered. Had the time they shared been nothing but lies? Even after she’d told him about Kurt’s betrayal, comforting her as her nightmare released its hold, it had all been nothing more than a ruse, a ploy to have his way. How stupid could she have been to believe his story about Liz breaking his heart? Had he been wishing she were Liz the entire time? Had they been just waiting for a chance to rendezvous?

  She closed her eyes tightly, willing away the image of them in a passionate embrace. They hadn’t wasted any time rekindling their romance once they left the ranch. Was this the reason he’d been so distant? Sydney ran from the trailer. She had to get as far away from Scott as she could. Without thinking, she hurried to the Jeep, fished the keys from her pocket, and revved the engine, spraying dirt as she raced through the back gate of the arena. She wasn’t sure where she was headed, but she certainly couldn’t stay in Cheyenne.

  Chapter Eighteen

  * * *

  THE SLAMMING DOOR jolted Scott from a sound sleep. Still groggy, he wondered at the sound of a speeding vehicle but ignored it when he realized that he held a woman in his arms. He pulled her closer.

  Ah, Sydney, you came after all.

  Now it wouldn’t matter that Liz had been trying every trick in the book to get him into bed with her. She’d been relentless in her pursuit the past two days, and he’d never felt so relieved to arrive at a destination and be busy meeting with clients so that he could ignore her advances. He looked down at the woman he’d grown to care so much about.

  The shock of light hair, glinting in the moonlight through the open window, caused him to bolt upright. “What the hell?”

  Liz stretched her thin frame against him seductively. “What’s the matter, honey?”

  Scott pushed her from his chest and jumped out of the bed, just missing creating a nasty bump on his head. She smiled at him. “You might want to put some clothes on.”

  Scott glanced down at his sweats and saw that his body was still in a state of full arousal at the thought of holding Sydney. Scott ran a hand through his disheveled hair as Liz sat up, wrapping the sheet around her bare breasts.

  “Aren’t you going to come back to bed?” She brushed her hair back from her face.

  Scott struggled to remember how she had ended up in his bed. The last thing he remembered was having a few beers with the guys by the fire pit. He’d been tired, so he headed inside. He stared at the woman in his bed. “Get out,” he ordered.

  “But, honey, you told me . . .” Scott saw the tears welling in her eyes and wasn’t sure if they were real or a product of her manipulation.

  Scott shook his head. “What the hell is going on? How did you get in here?”

  Liz climbed off of the bed, pulling the sheet with her and pouting. “Fine!” She reached for her shirt and pulled it over her arms, barely fastening a few well-placed buttons. “I see you just wanted to play games with me. Well, I guess this makes us even then, doesn’t it?” She pulled her jeans over her long legs.

  Scott strode over to where she stood, glaring at him. She flinched as he came closer. He had never struck a woman, but he’d never felt closer to losing control than he did right now. There was no way he would have ever allowed Liz Findley into his bed. Would he?

  “I’m not sure what it is you’re trying to accomplish, but I want you off the ranch for good. You’ll leave this rodeo, say goodbye to your father, and you can disappear like you did before.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Scott. Not until I get what I came for.” She met his gaze, her eyes gleaming. There were no tears in her eyes now. She appeared calm, but her eyes flashed with hatred as she sauntered toward the kitchenette of the trailer. “Have a seat, and we can talk business.”

  Scott stood immobile and was sure his contempt was clear. She arched a brow at him. “Suit yourself.” She curled her frame onto the couch and crossed her slender legs. “I’ll leave when you sign over your shares of the company.”

  “What?” Scott stared at her in shock. All of this was to get him to sign over his shares? Did she realize what she was asking? It would be a betrayal to his brother and sister, not to mention the legacy their parents had left behind. “Why?”

  “So I can sell the company.” She flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “You want me gone, that’s my price. I’ll go and leave you and the little mouse alone.” She played with the handles of an overnight bag beside her.

  “Why sell it? Why not just sell me your father’s shares? Then the company can still continue.”

  She shot him a baleful glare. “Because Daddy would never willingly let this company go. He’ll never do it himself, so I will.”

  Scott crossed his arms over his chest and smiled astutely. “That’s why you came back. You thought that if you could get me to hook up with you again, you could convince me to give up my share. But with Sydney . . .”

  He wouldn’t talk about what they shared with the woman before him. He couldn’t believe that he’d once thought himself in love with her. She was a despicable excuse for a human, willing to use anyone to get her way.

  His laughter reverberated in the trailer, and Liz glared at him. “You’re too late,” Scott informed her.

  “What are you talking about?” She was trying to control her temper, but he could see the indecision in her eyes. She wasn’t as certain as she had been moments ago.

  “You should have discussed this plan of yours with Mike. He already sold me his shares.”

  “What?” Her breath caught as she gasped. “No, he . . . the stroke . . . he said . . .”

  “I was in the hospital with him when he had the stroke. I was the next of kin they called.” He leaned down and narrowed his eyes. “Where were you?”

  The sound of her hand connecting with the flesh of his cheek only served to assure him that his barb had hit its mark. “You bastard,” Liz hissed.

  “I think it’s time you go, Liz. There’s nothing left here for you. And as the majority owner, I can order you from my property.”

  Liz rose and headed for the door. “This isn’t over yet.”

  “Don’t forget your bag.” He held the overnight case out to her.

  Liz’s emerald eyes gleamed viciously. “Oh, that’s not mine. I believe that bag is Sydney’s. You must have been sleeping when she rushed out of here after seeing you and I locked in a tender lover’s embrace. Naked. In your bed.” She smiled at him before trying to appear innocent. “Oh my, I wonder what she will think?”

  Scott clenched his fists at his sides as she opened the door. “I want you packed and off the ranch when I get back.”

  Liz shrugged as she made her way down the stairs. “Maybe. Or maybe I will stick around and see what new excitement ensues . . . attempts on her life, horses slaughtered. Trouble seems to follow her.”

  SYDNEY DIDN’T CRY. She didn’t have the luxury of time any more. Her naiveté might have cost her her pride and her heart, but time was no longer a commodity that she could waste. Her pregnancy was six weeks along and she only had another two months or so before she would start showing. She couldn’t risk Scott finding out about the baby until she was ready to tell him.

  “Sydney?”
Silvie’s voice sounded from the hall as she knocked softly on the bedroom door. “Do you want to come have some lunch? You need to eat.”

  Silvie was right, and she could only imagine what the housekeeper and Mike had been thinking when she returned alone, only days after leaving for Cheyenne. But she couldn’t bring herself to face them yet. She was going to have to tell Mike something, since she was planning on quitting and going home. She wasn’t sure how her parents were going to react, but it was a temporary solution, at least until she could figure out something else.

  “Just give me a few minutes, okay, Silvie?”

  “No problem, sweetie. Just let me know when you’re hungry and I’ll fix you something.” Sydney heard her steps as she clumped down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  She sat at the end of the bed and collapsed backward, the mattress cushioning her. How was she going to break the news to Mike? She didn’t want to tell him what she’d seen in Cheyenne, or how wrong she’d been about Scott. She’d thought that Scott cared for her, that there might be some sort of future for them. Now the only future she saw was that of a brokenhearted single mother. The man who had seemed like her knight in shining armor had, in reality, been a tarnished and broken imitation. Her heart couldn’t take seeing him again, especially when he returned with Liz. She had to tell Mike she was going home.

  Sydney rose from the bed and searched the house for her boss. When she couldn’t find him, Silvie suggested she try the barn. True to his cowboy roots, he was in the barn office, reviewing the records for the bulls and making notes. Butterflies swirled in the pit of her stomach at the thought of what she was about to do.

  Scott will be home with Liz in less than a week. You can’t stay and see them together.

  “Mike, I need to talk with you.”

  “Sydney, come on in.” Mike smiled warmly. “Have a seat.” He gestured to one of the chairs beside the window that overlooked the corral. “What’s on your mind?”

  Sydney opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as Mike continued to chat. “It’s good to see you up and around. I know you haven’t been feeling well.”

  His small talk was doing little to calm her nerves. She spit out the words in a rush. “I need to give you my notice. I have to quit.”

  “Quit?” Mike stumbled over the word before catching his voice. “I know what happened to Valentino was hard on you, but you don’t have to quit. It will get easier over time.”

  Sydney felt the tears prick her eyes at the mention of her horse. “That’s not it.” She shook her head, unsure of what excuse to actually give him. “I can’t work here anymore.”

  Mike reached between them and took her hand. The calluses on his palm scratched her hand, but his touch was comforting all the same. “I don’t understand. I thought you were happy working for me . . . and Scott.” Realization dawned on him. “It’s Scott.”

  Sydney bowed her head, not wanting him to see the tears that welled for the love that was now lost. “Did something happen? Is that why you came back so quickly?”

  She couldn’t tell him what she’d seen. Liz was his daughter and Scott was like a son to him. Of course he’d be elated at their reunion. She was nothing more than a new face caught in an old love. Sydney shrugged her shoulders. “I just can’t stay,” she whispered. She prayed that he wouldn’t press her further for information.

  “Sydney, is this about more than just you and Scott?”

  Her eyes shot to his face. Could he have guessed her condition? She could understand Jen guessing, but had it really been obvious to everyone else?

  “Silvie has her suspicions. She thinks you’re pregnant.”

  Of course. Silvie. Sydney dropped her gaze, unable to confirm or deny his hunch.

  Mike leaped from his chair and pulled Sydney into a bear hug, squeezing her. “That’s great news! What did Scott say?”

  “Scott doesn’t know . . . he can’t know. Not yet.”

  Mike’s arms fell from around her. “What do you mean he doesn’t know? You haven’t told him?”

  “I just found out for certain. But he’s not in love with me. There is someone else.” Her voice broke and Mike sat her back in the chair, reaching for her hand again.

  “You love him, don’t you?” Mike asked, sympathetically.

  “Yeah,” she whispered before clearing her throat. “But that won’t do me much good now.”

  “Come with me for a sec.” He pulled her out toward the aisle of the barn. The horses whinnied their greeting. “Do you see these horses? These horses, these wonderful animals, are a product of you.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “If it hadn’t been for what you brought to these animals, none of them would be what they are right now. You have a gift. Anyone can break a horse, but only a special trainer can tame one without breaking its spirit.” Mike put his hands on her shoulders and forced her to meet his gaze. “You can gentle anything without breaking its spirit. Anything.” He gave her a pointed look.

  He meant Scott. But she didn’t want to tame him, she simply wanted his love in return for her own. That wasn’t something she could control.

  “You can’t really want to leave this behind?” Mike laughed. “If I have to, I’ll sue you for breach of contract,” he teased, his eyes glinting mischievously.

  She gave him a weak laugh as she looked at the horses she had trained, a few in foal to Valentino. “No,” she admitted. “I don’t want to leave. I have to leave. I just can’t stay.”

  “Sydney, you can’t keep the baby a secret from Scott. He has a right to know.”

  “I’ll tell him, eventually.” Mike gave her a sardonic glare and pursed his lips. “I will, but I can’t just yet. It’s still too early.”

  “I’ll keep quiet, but on one condition.”

  “Mike—” she began.

  He held up a hand to halt any conversation. “Nope, it’s this, or I tell him. You stay here.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed on. “I’ll make sure that you are gone when he’s around. We have enough rodeos in the next few months to keep you both gone. Just let me know when you’re ready to tell him, and I’ll schedule you guys some time to be together.”

  Sydney sighed. It would solve her predicament for the next few weeks at least. She wouldn’t have to see Scott with Liz, and it would buy her time to figure out a way to tell Scott without running away. She didn’t want to keep him from his child, but she didn’t want him to feel trapped by her either.

  “You’ll keep this to yourself?” She hated asking Mike to deceive Scott, but she couldn’t risk him finding out until she was ready to talk with him about what he wanted.

  “I promise, Sydney.”

  “SCOTT, YOU HAVE to go after her.” Jen was frantic. He’d never seen his sister act like this. She was always animated, but this was even beyond her usual animation. She pushed against his chest. “Get in that truck and go find her.”

  “Damn it, Jen, you know as well as I do that she wouldn’t believe a word I say right now.” He ran his fingers through his hair before settling the baseball cap again.

  “Then make her believe you, you stubborn idiot!” Jen cried.

  Scott was torn. He wanted to find Sydney and explain what she had seen. But he still wasn’t even sure what the truth was. He had been in bed, nearly naked, with Liz. How she had gotten there, he still couldn’t prove, but from the pounding headache the next day, he assumed she’d slipped something into one of his beers.

  If I ever see Liz Findley again, I’ll kill her.

  “Even if I could explain why she found me in bed with another woman, do you really think she’d ever trust me?”

  “Look, Scott,” Clay began. “You know that Jen and I can handle things here. Go find Sydney, tell her that you love her. Fix this.”

  Scott eyed Clay. How could he admit to them that he wasn’t sure that he loved her? That he didn’t even believe in love?

  “Scott, it’s in your eyes every time that her name is
mentioned. Go tell her already.”

  “Look, I’m a big boy. I don’t need you to ‘mother’ me right now. I will handle this my way, in my time. Back off.” Scott stormed off, leaving his sister and brother-in-law to wonder what would happen next.

  SCOTT RETURNED HOME after meeting with the rodeo production company and settling the accounts to find Mike waiting for him on the porch. “How’d it go?”

  “Where’s Sydney?”

  “That’s a fine ‘howdy-do.’”

  It had been nearly ten days since she’d driven away from Cheyenne. That was far too much time to have let her speculate about what had really happened between him and Liz. He should have called her, but he didn’t want their conversation to get out of hand over the phone. He needed to see her face, hold her in his arms, when he finally told her how he felt.

  “I don’t have time for this, Mike. I need to talk with her.”

  “I know you do.” Mike shook his head. “Jen told me what happened between you and Liz.” Mike sighed. “I’m sorry, Scott. I had no idea of what she had planned. Had I known . . .” Mike’s words trailed off.

  “I know, Mike.” He didn’t want to talk about Liz. “Tell me where she is so that I can talk with her and try to clear this mess up.”

  “Can’t do that.” Mike pulled out a cigarette. “You know the doc says I’m not supposed to have these.”

  Scott was growing impatient. Mike was wasting precious time, time he needed to explain, time he could be holding her. “What do you mean?”

  “Because of the stroke.” Mike was deliberately avoiding Scott’s question.

  “What do you mean, you can’t tell me where she is?” Scott clarified, quickly losing his patience with his friend.

  “I made her a promise, Scott,” Mike said matter-of-factly. “She was going to quit, leave and head for who-knows-where. I promised her that if she would keep working here, I’d make sure she wouldn’t have to see you until she informed me she was ready. She’s at a rodeo.”