transportation to amateur events on the West Coast later in the year, Kate opened her mouth to speak. But Jack beat her to it.
“Hi,” he said, clearing his throat. “If you don’t know me, I’m Jack Monaghan. I used to ride pro in the circuit, though I haven’t for a few years. But I wanted to come today to talk to you about the possibility of doing a charity day at the upcoming rodeo here in Logan County.”
Eileen brightened visibly. “What sort of thing did you have in mind?”
“Well, Kate and I have been talking, and she was the one who told me I should come tonight.” He gestured toward her and she lifted her hand, twitching her fingers in an approximation of a wave. “We were thinking that it would be a chance for this group here to take part in some events. And I could get in touch with some of the riders I know coming through with the pro association. See if maybe they wouldn’t mind participating, either. You could all compete against each other. And we would work with the chamber of commerce both here and in some of the other towns to get food donated, as well. I have plans for the proceeds to go to a couple of the battered-women’s shelters and to help a local business that’s been trying to get disadvantaged women back on their feet after they leave abusive situations.”
“Well, provided we can secure the space, I think that sounds like an excellent idea,” Eileen said. “Can I get an informal count of who would be interested in participating?”
Nearly every hand in the circle went up, and Kate’s heartbeat increased, satisfaction roaring through her.
“That’s a good start,” Eileen continued. “We’ll just want to see which day the fairgrounds might be able to accommodate us. I’m willing to do that.”
“That would be great,” Kate said.
She was more than happy to let Eileen use her connections with the board at the county expo.
“Kate and I will work on the roster and the schedule of events.” Jack was speaking again, and volunteering her for things, things that they would work on together. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “So you can get in touch with either of us if you want to participate, and we’ll get you added to the list. If you don’t want to compete, we could still use the help. We’ll need a lot of volunteers to try and keep costs down. Because if it gets too expensive, we won’t have anything to donate.”
After that, much-less-organized conversation broke out in the room, a buzz of excitement surrounding them.
“Okay, I think that concludes official business for the evening,” Eileen said above the din.
Kate stood, and Sierra rushed across the circle and to her side. The other woman spared a glance at Jack, a half smile curving her lips upward, a blush spreading over her pale cheeks. She was doing it again. Exuding. Sierra West was beautiful—there was no denying it. She was even beautiful when she blushed, rather than awkward and blotchy. Kate had a feeling that she was just awkward and blotchy.
“This is such a great idea,” Sierra said. She reached out and put delicate fingers on Jack’s shoulder, and everything in Kate curled into a tight hissing ball. She did not like that.
“I can’t take much credit,” Jack said. Except he really should have been taking all the credit.
“I’d love to participate in a barrel racing event,” Sierra went on.
Jack cleared his throat and took a step away from their little huddle. “Well, just give Kate a call about it and she’ll add your name.”
“And anything else I can do to help...”
“We’ve got it,” Jack said.
Sierra looked confused at Jack’s short reply, as though no man had ever turned down the opportunity to spend extra time with her. “Okay. I will...call Kate, then.”
Jack nodded, his jaw tense. And Kate was perversely satisfied by the fact that Jack didn’t seem at all enticed by Sierra’s clear interest.
On the heels of her satisfaction came annoyance at said satisfaction. Jack could do what he wanted with whoever he wanted.
Though Sierra was one of her few female friends and she had to admit it would be weird if the other woman was sleeping with someone Kate was so close to.
Jack. Sleeping with Sierra.
Immediately, she pictured a messy bed and a tangle of limbs. Jack’s big hands running down a bare back. Long hair spread out over a white pillowcase. Only, for some reason, the woman in her vision wasn’t a blonde with a riot of luxurious curls. Instead she had straight dark hair...
Kate bit down on the inside of her cheek. “Yes,” Kate managed to force out, “call me.”
“Hey, some of us are headed to Ace’s,” Sierra said. “You want to come?”
“I came with Jack...”
“That’s fine,” Jack said, cutting her off. “She can go. We’ll both go.”
“Great.” Sierra smiled brightly. “See you there.”
Kate rounded on Jack, the tension from earlier taking that easy turn into irritation. “Did you just give me permission to go somewhere?”
“I’m your ride.”
“Yes. My ride. Not my dad.”
He chuckled. “Oh, honey, I don’t think for one second that I’m your dad.”
“Stop calling me that,” she said, ignoring the rash of heat that had broken out on her skin when he’d spoken the endearment.
It made her angry because she was not his honey. Not now, not ever. She clenched her teeth and her fists, turned, and walked out of the room, headed out into the warm evening air.
“I can’t call you honey, I can’t call you Katie. I can’t win,” he said, his voice coming from behind her.
She turned around to face him. “You could call me Kate. That’s my name. That’s what everyone calls me.”
“Connor calls you Katie.”
A strange sort of desperation clawed at her chest. “Connor is my brother. If you haven’t noticed, you aren’t. Now let’s go to Ace’s.”
JACK WAS FEELING pretty irritated with life by the time he and Kate walked into Ace’s. He was pretty sure his half sister had attempted to make a pass at him, and Kate was acting like he’d put bugs in her boots.
He also couldn’t drink, because he was driving.
Irritated didn’t begin to cover it.
He was getting pretty sick and tired of Kate’s prickly attitude and now he’d gotten himself embroiled in a whole thing with a woman who was the human equivalent of a cactus.
He really needed the drink
