“One should never plan on being in the rodeo for long. It’s too hard on the body,” he said, shaking his head. “I was one of the lucky ones. One of the really lucky ones.”
“I can image,” the older man chuckled. “Riding a bull is not the safest career choice.”
“No, it’s not, but I’ve always had other plans. I never intended to become quite so well known.”
“Between that pretty face of yours, and your talent, it was a given you’d make it big,” his mom grinned.
He turned a deep shade of crimson. “I don’t know how pretty I really am, but believe me, I’ve had more than enough fame for my lifetime.”
His mom pursed her lips. “I’d say,” she snorted. “That little girl obviously needed a few more spankings growing up.” She gave a disgruntled shake of her head. “Some people just don’t understand how discipline works.”
“Oh, yeah,” Lydia Cranes added. “That thing with the young girl. What actually happened with all that?”
“It’s a pretty painful story,” he answered, flushing scarlet once again.
“How so?”
“A sixteen-year-old fan got it in her head she was going to marry me. She actually asked me to marry her. It really creeped me out,” he added with a shiver.
The older man furrowed his brow, giving him an incredulous look. “Those are pretty lofty notions for someone who is basically still a child.”
“Lofty notions or not, her parents bought into, and it made my life a nightmare for a short while. When her parents learned she was lying, they really tore into her.”
“You said for a short while. I guess it didn’t take long for them to discover the truth.”
“No, it didn’t. The one time I actually met her, I told her she was way too young, and she needed to wait and find someone closer to her own age. Thankfully, there were some other riders with me at the time for witnesses.”
“Their word was enough to sway things?”
“Yeah. She recalled the time and date too precisely for her own good. When Tate Johnson and Kyle Murphy realized who she was, they backed me up, and gave their own account of the incident.”
“Well, thank God you had witnesses.”
“I’m sure you all know what she claimed happened. It may have been short lived, but with the media circus, it became national news overnight.”
“Yeah, a media circus he didn’t get a chance to warn me about before it came on the nightly news,” Lena snorted. “If it had gone on much longer than it did, I’m sure some of those idiot reporters would have ended up here.”
“I’m surprised they didn’t, anyway,” Lydia replied.
“Never the less, they soon discovered she was still very much an innocent.”
“An innocent?”
“Well, in one respect, anyway. She certainly wasn’t innocent of lying,” he sighed. “They were already going to throw the case out at this point, but she got angry when she realized she wasn’t going to get her way, and she start spouting off. They all realized she’d never been touched, by me, or anyone else, for that matter.”
“How so?”
“She started ranting about all the kids at school turning on her and calling her names. When she tried to tell them it hadn’t happened, and that she was still a… Well, she was still a virgin. Excuse my bluntness. That’s what she said,” he said with a blush, then continued on. “She said they just laughed and didn’t believe her. They said they didn’t believe she would go around telling something like that if she was still pure. Now her reputation is ruined, and she really hadn’t done anything.”
“I think she done plenty,” his mom stated with a very irritated and pinched look.
“Well, you know what I mean,” he said, blushing again.
“She really said all of that?” Lydia asked.
“Yeah. In front of my lawyer and I. The judge. Her parents. Tate and Kyle,” he chuckled. “The prosecuting attorney nearly had a coronary. He told her she needed a good spanking, and went on to explain that false claims like hers made it more difficult when they were trying to prosecute real predators.”
“How did her parents react?”
“Like I said, they tore into her. When she said what she did about her ruined reputation, her mother told her it was her own fault. She had asked them to move to a new school system. I got the feeling she usually got what she wanted from them. She’s an only child. Her mother told her they weren’t moving. She was going to have to face the mess she had made.”
“Wow! That’s quite a story.”
“Yeah,” he said, sighing out a deep breath. “And while I feel like the people closest to me need to know the whole story, can we change the subject now that you know. I really don’t like talking about it.”
Jerry Cranes sat forward and picked his fork back up. “Understandable. You said the rodeo was just a means to an end, and that you had another goal. What is your goal?”
“I wanted to earn enough to start a small horse ranch. Right now, I’m looking for a piece of land to build on.”
The older man snorted. “If I’m figuring right, you should have more than enough to accomplish that.”
“Yeah, it shouldn’t be a problem money wise,” Tyler grinned. “I just hope I can find some land soon.”
“You know, Dad was talking about selling some of the extra acreage on his and Mom’s property. They were just wanting to keep the few acres the house and the B & B are sitting on.”
“Really? I’ll have to talk to him about that. Brian Tagert is trying to sell some land as well. It wasn’t quite enough for what I wanted, but it borders your dad’s land. Maybe together, the two properties would be what I need,” he grinned. “Added bonus. I wouldn’t have to worry about having crazy neighbors.”
“I don’t know. That one family can get pretty crazy sometimes,” Zane replied with a raised eyebrow.
“You would know,” Tyler smirked. “You’re one of them.” This caused everyone to laugh, finally breaking the tension caused from the very serious conversation they had just been having a few minutes before.
“Enough about that,” Taylor grinned at Zane. “What do you say about us all getting together and going bowling sometime soon?”
“You mean the usual gang?”
“Yeah. Everybody.”
“Sounds good to me. We’ll have to talk to the others,” he answered, noticing she already had her phone in her hands. “Texting Mindi?”
“Yep,” she answered, not even looking up.”
“So, Ty and Lucy, what do you say about some bowling?” He just grinned innocently at both of them, waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know,” Tyler smirked. “Are you going to ask Amanda?”
Zane gave him a dirty look before answering. “I’ll ask her, but that doesn’t mean she’ll come.”
Tyler shrugged, and looked at Lucy. “Well, what about you, Lucy? You want to go bowling?”
“No, I hate bowling.” She shook her head. “I can’t bowl to save my life.”
Tyler grinned at her. “Nobody said you had to be good. The idea is to have fun while spending time with friends.”
“No. I really suck at bowling,” she said, staying firm in her resolve.
“That’s okay. You can bowl with Ty. He’s bowled three hundred a few times,” Taylor grinned. “He can save your life.” Tyler coughed, doing his best not to laugh.
Lucy rolled her eyes at him, then ignored him all together. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Tyler gave her a questioning look. “Why? What are you afraid of?”
“Nothing.”
“Yeah, right,” Taylor added with a smirk. “I think you are afraid.”
Taylor and Lucy had always gotten along pretty well, but right now Lucy was really wanting to smack the other girl in the head. “I’m not afraid. I just don’t like to bowl.”
“Right? I think it’s more than that,” Taylor insisted.
“What would I have to be afraid of?” Luc
y snapped, glaring at Tyler.
“Hey, I have nothing to do with this. This is all you and Taylor.”
“I think Taylor’s right.”
“And Zane,” Tyler added, staring a little to intently at the remains of roasted chicken on his plate. “This was really good chicken.”
“Yes, it was,” Lydia jumped in, trying to help him change the subject. “Lucy cooked it.”
“So, Lucy, what is it that you’re afraid of?” Taylor asked, refusing to be derailed.
“Nothing,” she said, wondering what they’d all say if she got up and ran from the room.
“Then go bowling with us.”
“Fine,” she huffed. She knew if she didn’t’ give in, she’d never hear the end of it. “I’ll go if Tyler agrees to it. He’s the one you’ve elected to teach me how to bowl better,” she said, barely above a whisper. She had her fingers crossed under the table, hoping he’d say no. She should have known better.
“Sure, I’m up for bowling. Whenever you want,” he grinned. She just growled at him, wishing she could take her agreement back. She had the feeling he knew she had been bluffing.
“Who wants dessert?” her mother asked, trying to break the tension.
“I do,” everyone said at once, except for her and Tyler. They were staring at each other, and had pretty much forgotten anyone else was in the room with them.
“Lucy, why don’t you go get the desserts? Tyler would you mind helping her?” Lydia asked.
“No, of course not. I’d be happy to help,” he answered, already pushing his chair back.
Tyler followed behind a seething Lucy, doing his best not to laugh. Or stare at her bottom again. Thankfully, this time she either didn’t notice, or chose to ignore it.
“I can’t believe you agreed to go bowling with them,” she snapped, once they were out of earshot of the others.
“Of course, I agreed to go. Why wouldn’t I?”
“You knew darn well I was bluffing,” she hissed. “You were supposed to decline.”
He crossed his arms, looking down at her. “Then you shouldn’t have agreed to go.”
“You know as well as I do, if I hadn’t agreed, they would have never stopped. One of them by them self is bad enough. Put them together, they’re the eighth wonder of the world.”
He laughed, drawing a scowl from her. “Yeah, so you better not try to back out.”
She huffed, barely resisting the temptation to stick out her tongue like a five-year-old. She gave him a dirty look before turning to the freezer to get the ice cream out. “Oh, come on. It’s not like you really want to teach me how to bowl better.”
“I don’t mind. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to it.”
She sat the ice cream on the counter and turned back to the cabinet to her left, where her mother kept the dessert plates. “Please, I know you don’t want to spend time teaching me to bowl. I’m sure you have some woman you would rather be chasing.”
“Wow. You have got me all wrong. I really do want to spend time teaching you to bowl. And I’m not dating anyone.”
“Do you think you can manage all three of these at once?” she asked, pointing to the ice cream, peach cobbler and cherry pie.
“I should be able to manage that,” he answered, grabbing the handle for the ice cream bucket first.
“Good,” she said, picking up the plates with whipped topping sitting on top in one hand, and the forks and spoons in the other. She proceeded him out the door and back to the dining room, knowing full well he’d follow without being told.
“I can’t really believe you haven’t been dating since you’ve been back,” she stated, drawing the interest of the rest of the dinner party.
“Not a single date,” he said, sitting his burdens down on the table.
“What’s wrong?” she smirked. “The women not falling for your charm anymore?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t tried,” he replied dryly.
“Why is that?” she asked, sitting back down at the table. “Can’t find anyone you haven’t dated before?’
“No,” he stated, trying to ignore the others at the table.
“Then what is it?”
“Honestly?” he asked, sitting forward and raising an eyebrow at her.
“Always.”
“There’s only one woman I’m interested in seriously, and I don’t think she’s interested. In fact, I don’t think she even likes me very much.”
*******
After, probably another thirty minutes of questioning from Jerry Cranes, Tyler finally stepped out on the front porch. Everyone else had already left before the inquisition started. Apparently, everyone, except for Lucy, who he now found sitting on the front porch swing. He looked at her now, wondering what she was thinking. Her father had held him back, wanting to talk more about… Well, everything, really. The rodeo. The ranch he wanted to someday own. And even the girl who had almost ruined his entire life just because she didn’t want to take no for an answer.
“So, what was that all about?” she asked, sitting forward to give him a dirty look.
He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “He just wanted to talk.”
“About?”
“The same stuff we talked about at dinner, really. He just wanted more details.”
She sighed and sit back in the swing, swinging it harder. He leaned back against the porch railing and gave her a curious look. “It was strange, really.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I felt like I was under a microscope. He kept asking me all of these questions. It felt like he was trying to make sure I was good enough to date his daughter.”
“That would be strange?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “I know you have no interest in me, but he doesn’t know that.”
“I guess he doesn’t realize you have no interest in me. I pity the poor man you do decide to marry. That man is going to be relentless,” he said, nodding back towards the house.
“Well, I’m worth it,” she snapped, jumping to her feet.
“I never said you weren’t,” he replied, stepping forward, leaving only a couple of inches between them.
“You didn’t have to. I know what you think of me.”
He snorted, giving her an exasperated look. “I highly doubt that you have any clue what I really think of you.”
She sighed. “Sure, I do. You think I’m a dork.”
“No, I’ve never thought you were a dork,” he said, his gaze dropping to her mouth. He was considering taking the risk and kissing her. It would be worth a fat lip to finally get that first kiss he’d always dreamed of since the eighth grade.
“Right?” She glared up at him. “I’m not stupid.”
“I know. I’ve always thought you were brilliant.”
She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her.
“What’s wrong now?”
“Nothing,” she sighed, turning away from him. How could she explain to him, his telling her she was brilliant, wasn’t what she needed? She knew she was brilliant. What she needed was so much more.
“No matter what I do, it’s always the wrong thing with you,” he sighed with a shake of his head. He decided then he was going to get that kiss before he left after all. It wasn’t like she would be any happier with him either way.
“Then maybe you should just take the hint, and leave me alone.”
“Not going to happen,” he mumbled before reaching out and pulling her back to face him.
“What…”
He dropped his head down, capturing her mouth with his. She gasped in surprise, giving him the access he was searching for. By the time he let go of her, she was gasping for breath, and trying to get her world to stop spinning so fast. Not wanting to give her time to collect her thoughts, figuring she would probably slap him if she got the chance, he tipped his hat at her and headed off the porch. He was almost to his truck when she hollered across the yard at him.
“What was that for?” she ask
ed, sounding more dazed than angry.
“You figure it out, Sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart,” she screamed, stamping her feet.
“And there she is,” he mumbled under his breath. “The woman I know and love.”
Chapter 5 – Thursday, May 2
Tyler stood stock still, watching a small, blonde woman approach with a frown on his handsome face. She was carrying a pink swaddled, squalling infant, probably not much more than six months old. And she looked like she was about to wiggle her way out of the woman’s arms.
His mother had sent him on an errand to the grocery store about an hour ago. It seemed like everybody, and their brother had stopped him for one thing or another while he was in there. He should have been back home at least twenty minutes ago. Watching the woman now, he had a sneaking suspicion he was about to be delayed a while longer. If he didn’t know it was already too late, he might have tried to run. He was fairly certain he wanted no part of what she had to say.
She stopped about two feet from him, staring at him with dark blue eyes, and an expression bordering on hate. “Tyler Wentworth.”
He stood there for a few seconds before answering, wondering if denying the truth would do him any good. “Yeah, that’s me,” he answered, his frown deepening. He was starting to get a queasy feeling in his gut that he didn’t like, and his gut was very, rarely wrong.
“I wasn’t asking,” she snarled. “I know exactly who you are.”
“Well, it appears you have me at a disadvantage, because I don’t know who you are,” he stated, that feeling in his gut growing stronger.
“You seriously don’t remember me?” she snarled.
He shook his head, the furrows in his brow growing deeper. “Not even a blip.”
“I knew you were drunk, but I didn’t think you were that drunk,” she frowned in disgust.
He groaned, nearly swaying on his feet. He wasn’t much of a drinker, but when he did, he tended to get rip-roaring drunk. He never really blacked out, but he usually forgot random details. Like the face of the woman he spent the night with. Mostly because he spent whatever time, with whatever woman, with his eyes closed, pretending she was Lucy. The only reason he ever got drunk in the first place was when the loneliness got to be too much. It was the only way he had found to keep his sanity intact.
The Rodeo Star's Return (Sapphire Springs Book 1) Page 5