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Was it the thrill of the ride, the rush of the argument that kept me going back to him? Abby’s words replayed in my mind, taunting me.
I rolled over, burying my face in the pillow, trying to block out the thoughts that swirled in my head. But they wouldn’t leave me alone; they wouldn’t let me rest.
As I stared into the darkness of the trailer, I couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the closeness Abby and I used to have, that unbreakable sisterly bond we had once shared. Somewhere along the way, we had become strangers, two people leading parallel lives that rarely intersected.
I didn’t understand her choices, her desire for a life so different from mine. But maybe that was the problem. Maybe I’d been so focused on my own path, my own dreams, that I’d forgotten to see hers. I wished I could figure out where hers was leading. I had a hard time believing even she knew that.
Chapter 19
Take Me to the Rodeo - Chris LeDoux
Kinsley
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Wyatt’s voice rang out as he and Finn pulled their horses up beside me.
I halted Cher and patted her neck, offering them my most endearing smile.
The previous night’s argument with Abby still lingered in my mind, leaving a residue of tension that I was eager to shake off.
“You’re not supposed to be riding yet,” Wyatt said.
“I think the deal was that I don’t ride him.” I pointed at Gambler, who looked half asleep under Wyatt. “I’m walking around, not running barrels, and it’s Cher. She’s always good.”
Wyatt didn’t look pleased, but he didn’t argue either, so I counted it as a victory. After last night’s creek escapades, I wasn’t sure where we stood. One minute he was pushing me away, the next flirting. It was hard to keep up.
“You’re putting my horse to sleep.”
Wyatt shrugged and slouched in the saddle like a defeated cowboy, which wasn’t a good look for him. “He’ll perk up once we get out in the field.” He smoothed down Gambler’s unruly mane.
“More trail riding? I think he needs more of a challenge,” I suggested.
“Let’s go rope some cows,” Finn chimed in.
I kept a straight face, even though Wyatt shook his head.
“What for?” Wyatt asked, sounding unenthused.
“Because it’s fun?” Finn replied, not convincingly.
I groaned inwardly. “I was told he was trained on cows before they started racing him,” I added. “I bet he’d enjoy it.”
“Please?” Finn implored, sticking out his bottom lip and batting his eyelashes at Wyatt, who couldn’t help but laugh.
“Fine, just don’t look at me like that,” Wyatt conceded.
“It’s turning you on, isn’t it? The whole ‘damsel in distress’ look?” Finn teased.
“Yeah, no.” Wyatt urged Gambler forward. “Let’s go.”
Finn shot me a triumphant look, clearly pleased with himself.
The guys warmed the horses up in the arena while I talked some wranglers into helping us out with some steers. I parked Cher and myself at the fence to watch. I wasn’t quite ready to get out of the saddle yet, and I welcomed the distraction from the restless thoughts of my sister. She and my parents had left that morning, and I wasn’t sure if I was happy to see her go or not.
I relaxed in my saddle and played with strands of Cher’s coppery mane as Wyatt and Finn prepared for their run. Gambler pranced in place in the box, ears perked forward, almost like he knew what was coming.
A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth—this was Wyatt’s element. His shoulders were relaxed, the constant crease between his brows smoothed out. For once, he didn’t look burdened by the weight of the world.
The wrangler nodded, opening the gate to release the steer. Finn surged forward, his loop sailing through the air to catch the horns. I held my breath as Wyatt followed, his rope flying, catching the steer’s heels and snapping taut. Gambler didn’t even flinch; he was locked in and focused like I’d never seen before. He dug his haunches in, muscles rippling beneath his black coat as he held the steer steady.
