Three Weeks With a Bull Rider

by Cat Johnson

  “I’m fine. I could’ve driven, but I know Tara would have flipped the hell out if I had.”

  “She is going to school for this shit. Sports injuries and stuff.”

  “And she’s too new at it to realize that bull riders more hurt than me ride and drive every damn day.”

  Tyler bobbed his head to concede the point. He rode bulls and broncs, and worked raising stock on a ranch with other guys who also rode, both amateurs and professionals. He knew the deal. A rider did what he had to do, and usually did it while hurting.

  “All right. I’ll head home. Maybe you’ll hang out there for a bit. Stay the night, and then see how you feel tomorrow. Unless you’re in some rush to get back to Stillwater tonight.”

  Thinking of what waited for him there, Jace let out a snort. “Nope. No rush.”

  “Okay, good. It’ll be nice to have some male company in the house. Momma’s got Daddy so involved in her stuff, I’m surprised he hasn’t started to grow tits. She had him taking a wine making course with her. I mean what the hell? Making moonshine or brewing beer, fine, but wine? I blame Becca for that one.”

  Jace laughed. “All right. I’ll stay. A guys’ night out sounds good. Thanks.”

  Maybe a night with Tyler would remind him what it was like to be carefree and young again. Concerned only with where your next piece of ass or the next big payout could be found. No drama. No worries. Those were the good old days.

  “Not a problem. Thank you for chauffeuring my sister around the past couple weeks. And congrats on not killing each other.”

  “It wasn’t as bad as we assumed it would be.” Jace gave a half-hearted shrug and felt the tug of sore muscles, but his injuries were much better than yesterday.

  His body was healing. It was the rest of him he was worried about. What the hell were these feelings he was having about leaving Tara? And why did he panic at the thought of her following the circuit without him?

  The answer to that was pretty clear. He didn’t trust her not to do what she’d done that night in the bar. The thought of another guy’s hands on her—or worse, giving her what Jace had refused to—made him insane.

  What the hell was between them? A rebound relationship? More? Or no kind of relationship at all? Just traveling partners with benefits, like they’d agreed?

  Whatever it was, Jace knew one thing—Tara shouldn’t be with any of those guys. Hopefully, they’d continue to assume he and she were together and steer clear, but just in case, Jace decided to take out some insurance. He pulled his cell out of his pocket. It was on because, crazy ex-girlfriend turned stalker or not, he wasn’t about to turn off his one connection to Tara.

  He punched in a text to Tara’s number.

  Stop by that sex shop we saw on the highway. Get a vibrator. Use it next time you feel the urge to go into the closet with a rookie!

  He started to question the text the moment he hit SEND, until her reply came through.

  I will if you promise no more booty calls at Jacqueline’s!

  He smiled. Maybe he was a little messed up, but so was Tara. They were damaged goods. Could be why what they had worked.

  “Your girl?” Tyler’s question reminded Jace he wasn’t alone in the truck.

  “Eh, not exactly.” He shook his head at himself for grinning from ear to ear over a text message.

  “Ah, gotcha.” Tyler nodded knowingly. “I bet having my sister as a roommate put quite a damper on your social life, if you get what I mean.”

  He did. Tyler figured the text was to some buckle bunny Jace had hooked up with. Jace decided to let him believe that. “Not as much of a damper as you’d think.”

  “Good to hear. I was feeling bad for you, being saddled with her, but maybe Tara’s cooler than I gave her credit for.”

  Tyler had no idea. Jace let out a short laugh. “Yeah, she definitely is.”

  “So, what d’you wanna do tonight? You shouldn’t be drinking with the concussion, but we can go hang out somewhere. The bowling alley’s got good food.”

  Jace ran a finger over his chest, just over his heart. He hadn’t missed Tara glancing at his Jacqueline tattoo more than once while they’d been together. It was long past time to get it taken care of. “I do have one idea. Do you know of a good tattoo parlor?”

  “Sure do. You thinking of getting a new tat?” Tyler took his eyes off the road long enough to glance across the cab.

  “Cover-up for an old one, actually.”

  Tyler’s brow rose before he nodded. “All right. Sounds like a plan. Know what you want yet?”

  “Nope, but I guess we got a couple hours’ drive to come up with an idea.” Jace looked forward to it. Step one in moving on. Though maybe the cover-up wasn’t the first step at all. Tara had been.

  She was alone on the road without him. With that fact uppermost in his mind, Jace punched in another text. This one to Dillon.

  Heading home to recover. Keep an eye on Tara for me. She’s traveling alone now.

  A man could never have too much insurance when it came to protecting something important to him.

  The phone vibrated a few seconds later and Jace read the incoming text.

  You got it.

  Dillon’s reply helped a bit. At least enough that Jace could turn his attention back to the issue at hand. “I was thinking of maybe something bull riding related for the tattoo, but I’m not sure.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  There were two things that occupied Jace’s mind on his drive to Stillwater after leaving Tyler at his parents’ house—maybe three, because first and foremost he had to concentrate on the road so he didn’t crash and prove Tara right that he shouldn’t be driving. The other two issues were seeing Jacqueline and Tuck again. As the highway brought him closer to home, and the new tattoo on his chest began to itch, he kept playing things out in his head.

  Seeing Jacqueline would be the hardest. He’d have to confront her to settle things between them. Seeing Tuck would be easier, but it wasn’t weighing any less on his mind, since he’d be keeping a huge secret from his best friend.

  Could Jace act as if nothing had happened between him and Tara without Tuck seeing through him? Maybe. Tyler hadn’t suspected and he’d spent time with them together. Anyone who knew the two of them would be unlikely to guess that Jace had hooked up with Tara given how well-known the animosity between them was.

  Still, keeping something from a friend as good as Tuck sucked, but Jace figured he’d brought it on himself. He’d reaped the benefits of his and Tara’s strange relationship, and now he had to deal with the consequences.

  So, who to face first? Jacqueline seemed the answer. Despite being a big college town, news traveled through Stillwater with the speed of a wildfire. She’d hear he was back and come looking for him. God only knew where she’d catch up with him. Probably someplace nice and public where she’d make a huge scene.

  Best to have the reunion on his own terms, where he could control things. He’d drive to her house and see if she was home. For the first time since the breakup, heading to her place didn’t hold any potential for a booty call. There was no way he’d end up naked. First, it was midday. He usually succumbed to her at night. More important, when he did let himself think about sinking into a woman, it finally wasn’t Jacqueline who came to mind. For better or worse, it was Tara he thought of.

  Last, but not least, was the cover-up tattoo. One look at it would bring on a screaming fit from Jacqueline, he was sure. Best insurance he’d ever had that he wouldn’t ever get naked with her again and worth every penny.

  Next issue was what to say. What could he say that he hadn’t said before? He’d told her until he was blue in the face that though a part of him would always love her, he wasn’t in love with her anymore. He had to make her realize they’d be so much better off moving on so he could start rebuilding his life outside the shadow of his years with her.

  Something Tara had said about Jacqueline tugged at his memory. About very high highs, and v
ery low lows and how it was an actual condition and there were pills to control it. Looking back at some of Jacqueline’s inexplicable mood swings, it made sense.

  His brain spun and landed on a ray of hope. What if the answer for all the issues Jacqueline had was as simple as popping a pill? How tragic was it that they had both suffered for years, when it hadn’t been necessary.

  Jace had to find out if what Tara had said was true. How? The answer hit him like a bolt of lightning. He did yard work for a pretty well-to-do family. The husband was some sort of surgeon, but the wife was a therapist. In fact, he’d just talked to her on the phone a few weeks ago to tell her his guy would be filling in for him and to give her his number.

  Slowing to a stop, he pulled onto the shoulder and reached for his cell. It wasn’t the time to multitask and drive and dial at the same time. Not when he was so excited he was shaking and his vision was bad enough he’d probably fail an eye test. He scrolled through his outgoing calls and there it was, the number he needed.

  He hit the button to dial and she answered after a few rings. Jace swallowed, his heart pounding “Hi, Mrs. Bowman. It’s Jace Mills. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something personal . . .”

  Less than an hour later, armed with a lot more information and an appointment for a counseling session for him and Jacqueline, Jace drew in a deep breath and raised his fist to knock on Jacqueline’s door. Her car was in the driveway, so it was no surprise when she answered.

  She glared at him, her eyes zeroing in on his forehead. “Nice bruise.”

  The bruise had moved into that lovely yellow stage bruises always turned before fading away. Jace pulled his hat a bit lower over it.

  “Yeah, but you should see the other guy.” He decided to move on when she didn’t laugh at his joke. “Anyway, can we talk?”

  Hope you haven’t been in any more closets. Are you being a good girl?

  Tara read the text from Jace and rolled her eyes. They’d been messaging back and forth since he’d gone home over a week ago. She was getting pretty tired of him throwing that in her face every other time they talked. Tara punched in a text of her own.

  Yes! And quit with the closets. It was one time! How’s your big hard head feeling?

  Jace’s reply came back less than a minute later.

  Fine. I should be riding. Would be if you hadn’t made me come home.

  Tara could imagine his face as he’d typed that. She smiled as she punched in her reply.

  Oh stop your pouting. I didn’t want you to lose what brains you do have.

  Always good to keep him in his place with a healthy dose of insults. Such was their relationship since he’d left. She just had to finish up tonight’s event and she was done with her internship. The three weeks had flown by, probably because Jace had been with her for the first twelve days of it.

  Being alone had sucked after she’d gotten used to having company. She’d considered asking Maryann if she wanted to share a room, as much for the company as to save on expenses, but it had become apparent that Maryann and Rick were having their own private event every night. So Tara slept alone with the door double locked and her cell phone right next to her, jumping at every noise from the parking lot and holding her breath when someone walked past her door.

  She missed Jace, though she’d never admitted that to him in any of her texts. She missed more than having a man there for protection. There were other things she missed about him, too, and that was just ridiculous. She was never supposed to get attached to him as a person. It was only recently she’d started to think of him as a decent human being, forget about someone she wanted to spend time with.

  She had to finish school, look for a permanent position and then, maybe, she’d take a trip to Stillwater. Maybe visit Jace and see if he was a friend and more, or if she’d been delusional for those two weeks.

  The phone vibrated in her pocket again. She glanced up to make sure the doc wasn’t around. They were coming up on the short round and there were things she should be doing besides texting, but she opened Jace’s text, anyway.

  Last night then you’re done right? Where you heading after?

  Home to parents then to college. NOT coming to Stillwater. Don’t tell Tuck that.

  In spite of more calls and texts from Tuck, none of which told her the truth about why he was pushing her to come to Stillwater, she wasn’t going there. Why should she? So he could sit her down like a child and tell her Logan and Emma were having a baby? Screw that. Tara was moving on with her life.

  The phone she’d forgotten in her hand vibrated and she glanced down.

  Not gonna tell. Sorry to not see you though. Kinda miss you, brat. Must be the head injury.

  Tara smiled.

  Kinda miss you too, idiot. Must be lack of air in this broom closet.

  She grinned as his reply came faster than she’d thought possible.

  You better not be in any closet!!!!

  Not one, but four exclamation points from Jace. Her text had hit home. Laughing, she decided to relieve his anxiety.

  Just kidding. Short go starting. Gotta run. Leaving right after for home. Rather drive in the dark than spend another night alone in hotel.

  Tara had checked out of her room earlier in the day and all her stuff was in the trunk. The car was full of gas, and she’d already looked at the map. She knew how to get home and she’d made sure her parents knew she’d be arriving late.

  Maybe there’d be leftovers from dinner in the fridge when she arrived. Some home cooking would sure be good after being on the road for so long. Either way, it would be nice to sleep in her own bed, no matter how late she got there.

  Another text vibrated the cell in her hand.

  BE CAREFUL DRIVING. Text when you get home. Don’t care how late.

  Tara punched in OK, then added a smiley face and sent the reply.

  Three weeks ago, if someone had told her that she and Jace would be friends, she would have called them insane. She shoved the phone into her pocket and headed for the chutes, thinking what a difference three weeks made.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Tuck turned when Jace walked up to him in the practice arena. “Where the hell have you been hiding since you’ve been back? Barely seen or talked to you in the past week.”

  There were a number of reasons for that, none of which Jace wanted to discuss with Tuck here and now. Maybe not ever. He shrugged. “Been busy.”

  “Busy at what?”

  Jace sighed. “I’ve been going to joint counseling sessions with Jacqueline every day.”

  “Really?” Tuck’s brows rose.

  “Don’t give me that look.” Jace could see Tuck assumed he was back with Jacqueline.

  “No look. Your life. Your choice. Anyway, I appreciate your help tonight.”

  He should explain, but it wasn’t his place to tell Tuck that Jacqueline had been diagnosed and was being treated as bipolar. Or that part of that treatment was therapy along with medication and the only way he could convince her to go was to promise to keep going to the sessions with her.

  Nope. Jace had to stand there and let Tuck judge him. Hell, it wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last.

  Jace had promised to help Tuck out with a rodeo team practice since his assistant coach, Carla, needed the night off. “Happy to help out. What’re we working on with them tonight?”

  “Roping. You remember how?” Tuck sure was cocky for a man who’d long ago traded in life as a cowboy to join the army.

  Jace snorted out a rude noise. “Yeah. You remember how, soldier boy?”

  “Yup. Like riding a bike. Anyway, before this thing starts, I wanted to ask you something. You hear from Tara lately?”

  “Um, yeah. Once in a while. Why?” Jace had been texting Tara out in the parking lot before he’d come into the arena. He hoped she didn’t send him another one in the next few minutes.

  “She’s not answering my calls or my texts. She’s got to have been gone th
ree weeks by now. The schedule says tonight’s the last competition before they go on a long break, so this event must complete her internship. Right? She should be coming back now?”

  “Uh.” Crap. Jace should have gotten his lies in order. Sad day when a man had to do that, and with his best friend, too. “Tuck, I’m not her travel partner anymore. You’ve got to talk to Tara about her schedule.”

  “That’s what I’m telling you. She won’t talk to me.” Frustration radiated off Tuck.

  “Maybe that’s because you keep trying to strong arm her into coming back here.”

  “Why wouldn’t she want to come here? She and I get along fine. So do she and Becca.” Tuck eyed Jace, looking for an explanation.

  “Maybe she doesn’t want to come to Stillwater because this is where Logan and Emma are living out their happily-ever-after. You think of that?” Jace hoped Tara had gotten over Logan, her tarnished Prince Charming, but he understood if she didn’t want his fairytale ending rubbed in her face.

  Tuck drew in a deep breath. “Yeah. You’re probably right. Crap. I’ve really got to talk to her. Logan and Emma are at his parents’ place right now telling them about the baby. I wanted to get to Tara first before my momma tells her. You know how women talk.”

  Jace’s eyes widened. “Logan and Emma are there now with his parents?”