the way she felt. The other competitors would be a distraction because they always wanted to go over the evening’s events with a fine-tooth comb. Not staying with them might seem antisocial, but Connor had read her mind and had just given her priceless advice she’d be a fool not to take. “I hardly know what to say.”
“Just say yes. But it’s up to you. In case you didn’t know, this is going to be my last event. After Las Vegas I’m through with competition.”
“Sadie told me as much.” Liz’s best friend was married to Connor’s brother and often confided in her.
“My new sister-in-law informed me this is going to be your last event, too.”
Looks as if the confiding went two ways. “Yup. I’ve got to get serious about my career, but I have to admit I’m surprised about your decision.” She smiled. “There are more good years left in the king of the bulldoggers.”
“Those good years need to be spent doing more worthwhile things.”
“That’s an odd thing for you to say.”
“The fact is, I’ve lived a selfish life so far, Liz.”
She studied him for a moment, not understanding a comment like that. “What about Wade? You won’t have room for three of us.”
“Wade will be driving his horses down in his own trailer with his girlfriend, Kim. My traveling partners Shane and Travis will bring your second horse, Polly, and my other horse, Phantom, in my older rig with them. When they reach Las Vegas they’ll stall them at the Mack Center tent for the rodeo. The guys will be over to pick up Polly whenever you give the word. We all like our own space.”
He patted his horse’s neck. “Since we need to be in Las Vegas by the third to attend the welcome celebrations before the first event on the fifth, I’m leaving early the day after tomorrow. Please say yes, otherwise I’m going to think Daniel did permanent damage to the relationship between our families.”
He turned his horse to leave. When he reached the entrance, he looked over his shoulder at her. “I’ll be listening for your call tomorrow. Just phone the ranch and I’ll get back to you. Don’t disappointment me. I’d rather not be alone with my own thoughts during the drive down and back, let alone throughout the competition.” Without waiting for an answer, he left the arena.
Liz thought about his invitation all the rest of the day.
“Yoo-hoo!” she called to her mother when she got home from work.
“Is that you, honey?” Millie Henson always said that when Liz arrived.
“Who else?” she teased, and walked through the house to the kitchen.
“You’re late. Your dad and I had Zane over for dinner an hour ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I was afraid something might have happened to your truck in this snow.”
Liz stood at the sink to wash her hands. “I had to help with a birth at the Critchlow ranch. Mother and foal are doing well.”
“That’s good.”
She turned to kiss her mom’s cheek. “Something smells wonderful.”
“Sit down and I’ll serve you some roast chicken. I tried that new recipe with the lemon and garlic from the food channel. The men said it’s a winner.”
“That’s no surprise. You’ve never fixed a bad meal in your entire life.”
Her mother drank coffee at the table with Liz while she dug into her meal. “This really is delicious, Mom.”
“Thank you. Now, I want to talk to you about something serious. I’m worried about you driving all the way to Las Vegas in that old truck.”
“It has enough life in it to get me to Nevada and back before it dies. But what if I told you I could drive there in total comfort?”
When Connor had told Liz he’d rather not be alone with his own thoughts, the statement had sounded lonely, troubled even. Before that he’d snapped, You think I don’t have feelings?
Those two unexpected revelations in their conversation had made her decide to take him up on his offer, but telling her mom would only escalate her motherly concern. Still, they always talked things over. No matter what, there was honesty between them. Might as well get this over with right now.
Her mother put down her coffee mug. “Is Kyle taking you?”
“No.”
“No?” She sounded disappointed. Her mom kept hoping Liz would meet the right man and settle down. “Then Sadie must have prevailed on Jarod to drive you.”
Sadie’s world had been transformed since she’d married Jarod Bannock six months ago. “They offered to take me, but I said no.”
“That leaves Dr. Rafferty. Did he offer you the loan of his truck?”
“Yes.”
“But you turned him down, too.”
“I don’t like being beholden to anyone.”
“So you decided to rent a new truck. That’s awfully expensive. I happen to know you’ve been saving your winnings to pay back your vet school loan.”
“No, Mom.” Liz put a hand on her mother’s arm. “Early this morning Connor came by the arena and asked me to drive with him.”
Like clockwork a shadow crossed over her mother’s face. “Connor...as in Connor Bannock.”
“Mom...”
Liz knew that came as a huge shock to her mother, who got up from the table. “You mean in his fancy hotel on wheels?”
“Unless he has to fly, it’s the way he’s been getting around for the past four years. It’s not nearly as luxurious as some you see at the events. His handlers will bring Polly and his second horse down in his older rig. He’s not a show-off, Mom, that much I do know about him.”
He was all cowboy, tough and daring to the point that she often chewed her nails watching him shoot out of the barrier on his horse. He was so fast, his event was over before you could blink. Any pictures the journalists got of Connor had to be taken while they ran after him, because he never hung around after the required autographing sessions and photo shoots for his Wrangler sponsor. She and Sadie had often commented that both Bannock brothers were the least vain cowboys they knew.
“After all these years, why would he suddenly ask you now?”
Liz wanted an answer to that same burning question, but she said, “Ralph put him up to it. You know he did.”
“I’m sure you’re right about that, honey.”
If Liz went with him, then she’d find out why he’d decided to honor his grandfather’s wishes, but she’d known this would be her mother’s reaction. Without hesitation she spent the next few minutes telling
