She coughed and cleared her throat. “I think Nate’s on his way to Houston.”
“That can wait.” He sent her a look that probably wasn’t dismissive but felt that way nonetheless.
“Yes.” Sam’s face exploded in a huge smile. “I’m so happy.”
Not Ronnie. “We wouldn’t wish to inconvenience you,” she said dryly.
“No inconvenience. I’ll juggle my schedule.”
If only she could do the same and leave town for the next two weeks. Unfortunately, obligations to her family, her barrel racing business and her students kept her rooted in Mustang Valley for the foreseeable future.
A future that, temporarily at least, now included Nate Truett.
“Where’s the rodeo this weekend?” Nate asked. He led Breeze while Samantha—he supposed he should get used to calling her Sam—walked beside him. They’d been circling the grounds for the last fifteen minutes, letting the old mare stretch her legs a bit before returning her to the trailer.
“Kingman. The Annual Andy Devine Days. We need to be on the road no later than 6:00 a.m. Friday morning.”
That gave him the rest of today, plus Wednesday and Thursday, to find a place to park his trailer and earn some quick cash.
“I like Kingman. Those were the days...”
“Was that where you earned your first championship?” she asked.
“Hardly. But I did win my first buckle there. In steer wrestling.”
“Not bull riding?”
“If I recall correctly, I came in dead last.”
“No way!”
“It’s true.” He’d been all of eighteen and, just like Sam, brand new to professional rodeoing. “I lasted a whopping one-point-two seconds before T-Rex dumped me face-first into the dirt.”
“You remember the bull’s name?”
“He made an impression.”
The truth was, Nate had been scared witless when T-Rex executed an abrupt one-eighty and charged. It was without doubt the quickest he’d ever scrambled to his feet and scaled the fence. The small scar on his left shin was a constant reminder of just how close the bull’s hoof had come to slicing his leg open.
“We’ll probably take Ronnie’s truck and trailer to Kingman,” Sam said. “Is that okay with you? There’s enough room for all of us to bunk in the camper.”
“I’ll get a hotel room.” Not that he had much money for a hotel. Unless his luck changed.
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I am.” Sure that Ronnie wouldn’t bunk in the same camper with him even if her life depended on it.
He and Sam turned the corner of the horse barn, trading late October sunshine for chilly shade. Ronnie hadn’t come with them. She’d made some excuse about returning a phone call and hightailed it to the ranch office. From the look on Ronnie’s face when he’d accepted Sam’s invitation to stay, she needed some alone time to process this unexpected development.
Not nice of him, for sure. He really should have called ahead and given her fair warning. Only, deep down, a small part of him still resented her for rejecting his proposal, and for her brutal handling of their breakup—which must mean an equally small part of him still cared for her. Not that he’d admit as much, to her or anyone else.
At his truck, Sam held Breeze’s lead rope while Nate lowered the trailer’s rear gate. With very little prodding, the old brown mare meandered in and waited for Nate to secure her lead rope to the metal ring.
“Are there any cheap places in the area I can park my trailer? Preferably one that rents spaces by the day or week.”
“Why not stay at Ronnie’s?” Sam offered. “She has room. There’s just her now that Mel moved out. And since you two already know each other—”
“Room for what?”
Nate and Sam both turned at the sound of Ronnie’s voice. “Nothing,” he said, hoping Sam took the hint and kept quiet.
She didn’t. “Can Nate park his truck and trailer at your house?”
“Um...ah...”
“Don’t worry about it.” Nate let Ronnie off the hook with a casual wave. “I’ll find something. Besides, I need a place for Breeze, too.”
“She has an empty stall,” Sam persisted.
Ronnie shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s my house, and I get to decide who stays. Not you.”
“You’re saying no just because I asked,” Sam complained, clearly not liking that her idea was being shot down. “And because I want to use Big John instead of your horse.”
“Trust me, those aren’t the reasons.”
“Then what is?”
“Sam, drop it.” Nate put just enough bite in his voice to get her attention. “I won’t be the cause of a problem between you and your sister. If that’s the case, I’ll leave.”
Sam clamped her jaw shut and rolled her eyes. “She’s impossible. I can’t do anything right, lately.”
“Not the time or place,” Ronnie warned.
“Fine. I’ll ask Frankie.” Sam pulled her cell phone from her pocket and tapped in a number before Ronnie could object. “I’m staying with her, anyway, and she has room for another horse.”
Nate tried again to stop her. “It’s okay. Really. I’ll find a place.”
She was too busy making the call to listen.
“Sorry about this.” He smiled apologetically at Ronnie while Sam waited for the eldest Hartman sister to answer.
“On the off chance Frankie agrees, I’d appreciate it if you decline.”
For no reason Nate could come up with, Ronnie’s request irked him. “I’m not trying to make trouble for you.”
“And, yet, you are.”
“Hi, Frankie,” Sam chirped. “Sorry to bother you at work.” Nate and Ronnie exchanged glances while Sam made her plea. “I promise, it would only be for a couple of days. A week at the most.”
“Tell
