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“Just keep it on the down-low.” Reba felt a little guilty that she couldn’t do this for every animal that needed expensive medicine.
“No problem.”
In the end, Ronnie had gotten all the bull riders to sign their name on the program. What Reba hadn’t known was that Ronnie was the number-one bull rider in the UPRC. Everyone was predicting that he would take the all-around and win the three-hundred-thousand-dollar purse in Las Vegas at the end of the season. It didn’t excuse his wife for being a snot. But at least then, they could afford to keep Starshine in expensive feed.
Reba had taken the signed program to Dolly in the press booth. “Hey, I need a favor.”
“Another one?” Dolly was dressed in tight black jeans and a sparkly western shirt. She’d topped it off with a cute leather vest and a matching brown hat. Reba felt like a frump, standing next to her. But then again, Dolly hadn’t had her arm up to her elbow in a cow’s vagina this morning.
“This time, free tickets and this at the gate.” She’d handed her sister the program.
“Who did you piss off?” Dolly had asked, flipping through it.
“The list is long and numerous.” Reba had shifted from foot to foot. “But hold them for Penny Markson. She did me a solid. It’s okay, though, right?”
“Always.” Dolly had given her a warm smile. “Even if we were at capacity, I’d find a way for you.”
“Thanks. What can I do to make things square?”
“Well, we’re sisters, so you’ll never have to worry about that. But if we don’t have to eat at Mom and Dad’s again tonight that would make my evening.”
Being back in Paris, Texas, meant that their parents expected their daughters to spend quality family time with them. And for the first few nights that had been great and then as the third and fourth night crept up, it just highlighted why they had all decided not to continue to live together on the road in the Winnebago once LeAnn’s relationship with Dylan took off.
LeAnn traveled rodeo to rodeo with her husband. Dolly had an apartment in Dallas, and Reba had use of their parents’ RV with the express instructions that no pets were allowed.
“Set it up,” Reba had said. “We should grab Loretta, too.” She hoped that LeAnn and Dylan would be able to join them as well, but Reba didn’t want to totally abandon her parents.
“You got it,” Dolly had said. “How does Hometown Buffet sound to you?”
It sounded like they would run into a lot of people that they knew. And Reba would have almost rather spent the evening with her parents, but she owed Dolly so they would go wherever she wanted. Dolly had said she would make the arrangements and all Reba had to do was show up.
“It’ll do you some good to get out and socialize,” Dolly had said.
Reba knew she was right. She was just worried that somehow Dr. Kilgore would show up and start his gaslighting schmoozing.
“Is there someone you’d like to join us?” Dolly had asked casually.
Reba wasn’t sure why Shane Calland popped into her mind.
“No,” she had said, too quickly because Dolly had zoomed in on her hesitation like a shark scenting blood.
“When was the last time you were out on a date?” she had asked.
Three years ago.
“I don’t fucking know,” Reba had said, hoping her sister would get the message and shut up.
Of course, she hadn’t.
“You never used to be like this.”
Dolly was too damned smart for her own good.
“Like what?” Reba had tried to deflect.
“You don’t have to tell me what happened, but I know something awful must have happened.”
Shock had rooted Reba to the spot.
