Page 33 of Buck ’Em Cowgirl

“A ho?”

I playfully swatted at her. “No. Not at all.” I sighed deeply and looked down at my suitcases before I glanced back at her. “I want to be fearless.”

10

Beau

“Get up on that bull, Beau. You’re not pulling the rope tight enough under your arm.”

“Dad,” I groaned as the bull finished its victory lap around the arena, trotting back into the chute where Dad would let it out to pasture. “I’ve come off two weeks of back-to-back events. I’m fucking exhausted. I need a forty-eight-hour reset.”

I ripped off my gold helmet and threw it onto the ground. We were at Kline’s place working some of his retired bulls, but we’d only gotten back from Idaho last night. My body was wrecked, my head wasn’t in it, and I was beyond done with Dalton’s bullshit.

I climbed out of the arena as Dad swung the gate open to let the bull back out. “Well, well, well,” a familiar voice drawled, and I turned to see Kline Johnson strolling over.

Kline was my neighbor, which was ironic considering how small the world of professional bull riding could be. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, though—he was one of the tour’s top stock contractors.

He was in his mid-forties, with dark brown hair streaked lightly with gray at the temples. He had the rugged look of someone who’d spent a lifetime under the Texas sun. His sharp hazel eyes missed nothing, and his demeanor was as steady as the bulls he raised.

I’d known him my whole life—he’d grown up around here like I had.

“Hey, Kline,” I said, walking up to him and giving his shoulder a solid slap.

His ranch was convenient as hell, especially since he had an entire section set aside for retired bucking bulls. He let me use them for practice, and in return, I helped him out when he needed it. Sometimes, instead of using a dummy during one of his auctions, I’d hop on one of his bulls to give buyers a better look at what they could expect with a rider on top.

It worked out for both of us, and honestly, having a spot like this close to home was about the only thing keeping me sane between events.

“Did you hear I finally got someone to reside in that ole ranch house out back?”

“That one?” I asked, pointing to a small cabin near the pasture where the retired bulls would be.

“That’s the one.”

“For a ranch hand?” my dad asked.

“Nah.” Kline clicked his tongue. “Maribel convinced me that we need to make a few more sales this year. She said I’ve been terrible at managing the media and marketing portion of the ranch, so she made me hire some fancy-pants agent from the big city. In exchange, I offered to house them on the ranch so they’d get a feel for the place.”

“Mmm.” I hummed as I ripped off my vest.

“Heard you snagged first and second at the last two events.” Kline leaned against the black railing of the arena.

“Sure did.” My dad cut in before I could answer, giving me a proud slap on the shoulder.

I winced, the ache radiating through my already battered body. I was completely spent, and every muscle reminded me of it.

I glanced toward the driveway, spotting a car I didn’t recognize. “Is the new person here?”

“Moved in a couple days ago,” Kline said, following my gaze. “Suppose they’re out in Dallas today, grabbing whatever they need. Work starts Monday.”

I snorted. “Can’t believe you brought someone from the city down to Lindley.”

No one who wasn’t used to small-town or ranch life lasted long in Lindley. It was the kind of place that chewed city folks up and spit them back out. Northern Texas wasn’t exactly forgiving, and Dallas might have been the closest city, but it was still a good two hours away. For someone used to city living, adjusting to a place where the nearest big-box store was a solid half-hour drive was unlikely, if not impossible.

“Think they’ll last?” I raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the unfamiliar car.

“Guess we’ll see soon enough,” Kline said with a shrug. “They only need to make it through the summer. If I can get enough systems in place, I’ll be able to manage things on my own again after the team season wraps up.”

I shrugged back. “Not my ranch, Kline, but it’s an interesting concept you’ve got going.”