he had plenty of phone numbers of plenty of women. No. He shook his head. He needed to concentrate on regaining his status as top bull rider.
There was a knock on the door, and then Cullen stuck his head inside. “So you managed to find someone to help you with your crazy scheme.”
“It’s not crazy, bro. It’s my profession, and I’m good at it.”
Austin had grown up with the fact that Cullen was the good twin. The best student, a college graduate, and he even became a cop like their dad. Now he was the town sheriff with a smoking-hot wife, Shelby, and an adopted son, Ryan.
“I heard what the doctor told you when you came to from your concussion. Your leg is pieced together with metal rods. It might never be as strong as before. You’ve already gotten to the top in ranking, won every championship possible and made a fortune on endorsements. Why can’t you retire now?”
“How would you like to retire from police work?”
“I would in a second. I’ve learned what’s important, A.” His brother tossed out the nickname as if they were still kids. “Find a nice woman and settle down. You own half this ranch—the possibilities are endless.”
“I haven’t found anything or any woman who I’d give up my lifestyle for.”
“Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox, for now.” Cullen checked his watch. “I need to get to the station. Shelby will bring you some lunch. Do you need anything before I go?”
He sat up and slowly swung his legs over the side. “No, I can get around okay. Sorry I’ve been such a pain.”
Cullen grinned. “Why should anything change? You’ve always been a pain in the butt, little brother.” He walked to the door.
“Hey, you’re only five minutes older than me.” He sobered. “Hey, about Erin Carlton. Her husband... I take it he was in the military?”
“Yeah, Jared was a decorated marine. On his third deployment his Humvee was hit by an IED. There were complications to his injures.” His brother held his gaze. “Sergeant First Class Jared Carlton died eighteen months ago.” His brother started for the door, then stopped. “Just a little warning. This isn’t your rodeo, so if you hurt Erin, you’re going to have to deal with me.”
“Hey, I’m the one with the bad leg.”
Cullen didn’t say a word as he walked out.
There was no need. Austin knew what his brother was talking about. He didn’t have the best reputation when it came to women. Being in the rodeo made it easy to take his pick without having to think about the consequences. That was both a blessing and a curse.
A few hours later, nature called and Austin finally got out of bed. He strapped on his booted cast, grabbed his walker, then made his way into the bathroom. After months flat on his back, being upright was a luxury he didn’t take for granted anymore. Since he’d gotten out of the private hospital outside Denver, he’d decided he had to work hard to get back to the man he once was. That was why he was going to do everything possible to move on to rehab.
His thoughts turned to Mrs. Carlton. She was pretty enough, but a little short with a fuller figure than he preferred. So it was definitely a good thing he wasn’t attracted to redheads. Besides, she had an attitude.
“Stop it, Brannigan. Even if you did find her appealing, you’re in no shape to be sidetracked.”
He needed to be focused only on his goal. Question was, would Erin Carlton push him hard enough? He wasn’t sure if she could, but he was intrigued when she hadn’t backed down from him.
He washed up and looked in the bathroom mirror. After running a brush through his hair, he brushed his teeth. He’d forgo a shave until his brother came by later to help him shower. He knew his limits.
After he managed to get on a fresh pair of workout shorts and a T-shirt, he made his way down the hall. His leg throbbed like the blazes, but going back to the bed was too depressing. Besides, the doctor said there would be pain. It could take a good year before it went away, and that when the weather changed his leg might alert him to that fact, too.
Hell, he knew about pain. He was a bull rider.
The twenty feet he walked from the bathroom was agony, but he didn’t stop. Finally he got to the sofa and sat down. Sweat broke out on his face as he pushed his walker to the side and gently lifted his leg to the coffee table. He eyed the long scar that peered out of the top of his cast.
Every day from now on, he’d be reminded how bad things were for him, and how lucky he was to be alive, even if he might have a slight limp for the rest of his days.
Exhausted, he collapsed back on the sofa and recalled how he’d begged the renowned surgeon to save his mangled leg. It had been touch and go for that first week, but the miracle surgery worked. Now the rest was up to him.
“Damn. I’m gonna fix this.”
He closed his eyes to rest a minute and the next thing he heard was a knock on the door. He jumped and opened his eyes to see his sister-in-law pop her head in the door.
Shelby smiled. “You decent?”
“Never,” he teased.
“Good.” The pretty blonde walked in carrying a foil-wrapped dish. Quickly a delicious aroma filled the room.
Following behind Shelby was his nephew, Ryan. The cute kid was five years old and had a head full of golden curls that seemed to run wild. He was dressed in a henley shirt, a pair of jeans and roper boots. A miniature cowboy. The boy was still a little shy around his uncle Austin.
“Hey, Ryan. How’s that horse of yours? What’s his name?”
The boy grinned. “Cloud. He’s great. I can ride all by myself.”
“High five.”
The boy smacked Austin’s hand and giggled.
“Pretty soon Uncle Trent will have you chasing down calves.”
The boy looked at his aunt. After the boy’s mother died, Shelby took over the role of his mom. Once Cullen married Shelby last summer, he took over as the boy’s father. “Can I go do that, Mom?”
“I think you need to ride around the corral a little longer before we let you go on a trail ride.”
The boy smiled. “Okay.”
Shelby looked back at Austin. “I’m glad to see you out of bed.”
“It took a while, but I managed to get down the hall.”
“Any progress is good,” she agreed. “Are you hungry? I brought you some meat loaf and cheesy potatoes.”
He groaned. “Sounds delicious. A person can only eat so much delivery pizza.”
“Well, from now on, you’ll
