10. Ten
Ten
Cash
Nine years ago
I never wanted to run towards a woman faster. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back, looking soft enough to run my fingers through, and her blue plaid shirt hugged her just right. Her jeans were tight, showing off her perfect ass, and her boots and hat topped off the buckle bunny look. I needed to talk to her, and more than that—I needed to kiss her and feel her.
She leaned up against the gate, lifting a boot up to rest on the metal, leaning forward towards the arena. Her profile hit, blue eyes that caught my attention even from several feet away, and a smile that made my knees turn to butter under my weight.
Taking a deep breath and narrowing my eyes, I stalked towards her. She was here for a cowboy and damn. If my chaps and sponsor vest didn’t give me away as a cowboy, I didn’t know what did.
“Is this your first rodeo?” I asked, my voice smooth as I leaned against the gate next to her. I bit the inside of my lip, wishing I could take back that stupid cliché line. I dropped my chin with embarrassment.
I was Cash Callahan. I knew how to pick up girls. I knew how to be sexy and exactly what the bunnies wanted. So why the hell did I start off with that line.
“I mean…” I stammered. “You…look like this is your first rodeo.”
I finally looked up, making eye contact with the gorgeous woman in front of me. The expression on her face was comical. She was doing everything in her power not to laugh at me. Her eyebrows were pinched, her lips were forming a tight smile as they held back the laugh. This girl was already getting in my head in more ways than one. I started to question everything I had ever said to a girl at a rodeo. Embarrassment started to seep through my veins, yet I couldn’t bring myself to move away from her.
“It looks,” she said softly, a pause in her voice as she eyed me, “like this is my first rodeo?”
“Ok, maybe not my best pick up line.”
“That’s your pick up line?” Her chuckle floated between us, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. It was contagious, and while she laughed, every other sound muted. “That was a terrible pick up line because I mean…” She looked down at herself, a hand gesturing down her body. “Look at me.”
I eyed her up and down, taking her in. She looked like she carefully planned her outfit, even down to the mud on her boots.
“No offense, but you look like you dressed up for this, like the other bunnies around.”
“Bunnies?” She snapped, her hand flying to her chest. “You think I’m a buckle bunny?”
Ok, this was not going the way I planned. But even as she was beginning to argue, she was still gorgeous. I still wanted to know who she was, and damn, I wanted to kiss her. I could turn this around. I could turn on the charm.
I raised a corner of my lips, giving my best suave smile.
“Nah, I mean…” I moved my body, my elbow raised to the top of the gate, but she kept going.
“You thought I was here just waiting for a cowboy to come and sweep me off the gate and take me to their trailer, or truck, or hotel and then move on to the next rodeo and the next cowboy?” She gave me a coy grinned. “Right?”
“I didn’t…” I stammered.
Oh shit. This isn’t going my way at all.
“I’ll have you know…” she turned towards me, taking one single step closer. I inhaled, breathing in her scent of cinnamon and maple, forcing myself to stay focused on the task: turning on the charm and at least getting her name. She continued, “I was raised on a ranch in Idaho. My family owns a small arena, and we have a rodeo every year. This”—she waved her hand up and down her body again—“is how I dress on a daily basis. I muck stalls. I feed pigs and goats. I milk cows, and more often than not I have some kind of shit under my fingernails. If you are looking for a buckle bunny, I suggest you go find some other blonde who’s wearing a tight skirt with her boobs hanging out of her tube top. They dressed up for you, not me.”
Oh man…I think I’m in love.
“Nah, I don’t want a buckle bunny.” My voice came back, smooth as silk as my accent rolled off my tongue.
Her lips twisted as she licked the bottom one, the wet of her tongue turning them pinker, more teasing. “OK then.” She cocked her head to the side. “What do you want?”
You .
“Cash!” A voice I knew all too well called my name from the side. It was a new bull rider who I had grown to enjoy having around. Sure, he was a bit eccentric, childish at times, but my rodeo pal, Lachlan, insisted he was the best addition to the rodeo. “I’ve been looking for you, please tell me you’ll be there with Lach while I get on that bull?”
Sylas Acosta.
“You bet,” I answered him as he approached, but his eyes weren’t on me, they were on her.
And as soon as her head turned, her smile widened as she watched him.
“Mi Reina. ” As soon as he was close enough, he slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her close, knocking her hat off to the side as he kissed her temple. It was then I noticed the ring on her finger. “Have you met Cash?” Sylas slapped my shoulder.
“I was just about to ask him his name.” She smiled at Sylas, and her face lit up. Damn—she was stunning. And also very—very—taken. “He thought I was a buckle bunny.”
Sylas let out a deep laugh. “You’re joking. Abi is the furthest thing from a buckle bunny.”
She shook her head and made eye contact with me. “The words buckle and bunny are being said way too much for my liking. Hi, Cash.” She held out her left hand, and all I saw was that ring on her finger. “I’m Abi Hartwell.”
“My fiancée,” Sylas added, kissing her temple once more.
Blush spread across her cheeks.
Well…fuck.
Abi Hartwell. Not only was I checking out and trying to pick up Lachlan’s cousin that he had told me about numerous times, but I told Sylas’s fiancé she looked like a buckle bunny. And she told him.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a split second before grasping her hand, knowing that as long as Sylas was my friend, Abi would be. This moment would hopefully be forgotten.
“Hi, I’m Cash Callahan.”
Present Day
Stetson stomped on the tile a few times with his boot before taking a step back, looking down to admire his work at placing the shingle.
“Looks great, Stet.” I gave him a hard pat on the back, just like my dad would do to me, his entire body flew forward. “Just wait until your mom sees.”
“Can I fix another one?” The smile spread against Stetson’s lips, spreading from ear to ear. This kid…
Taking a quick glance around the roof and noticing Lachlan and Rhett had finished the west side, I looked over at Stetson. “Tell ya what, tomorrow we’re gonna paint the side of the barn. I need help convincing your cousin that it needs to be red.”
“All barns are red.” Stetson nodded. “But let me guess, he bought brown?”
“A deep brown,” I confirmed. “Wanna head to town with me and get some red paint?”
“Sure!” Stetson shouted. “I’ll go ask mom.”
“Great, meet me by my truck.”
Abi—surprisingly—had no issues with Stetson coming into town with me. What was more of an issue was getting the almost-eight-year-old to pick a shade of red. There was even one called ‘Barn,’ and he passed it up for a bright, more vibrant red I knew would drive Lachlan absolutely up the wall. I convinced him to get one can of the bright red, white for the trim and a few more of the deeper shades I knew Lachlan would approve of.
One cart full of paint, and a sucker in the kid’s hand, we were heading back to Hartwell Hills. Stetson sat in the front seat, watching the world move in the window. He looked so much like Sylas, I doubted I would ever get used to it.
Meeting Sylas was a pivotal moment—for me and my rodeo career. At first it was just Lachlan and me, two cowboys jumping on a bucking horse. Then Lachlan brought in a newbie bull rider who was more eccentric than anyone I had ever met. With both Lachlan and me being cowboys with one goal in mind, he balanced us. Helped us remember the fun of the sport, that it was more than just money and girls. And when Abi began to join in the adventures, traveling with him when she could—that is before she got pregnant—it was a hell of time. She had four different events to cheer for, and we all took in her shouts.
You could hear her from the chutes, no matter how far away she was. At least, I could.
I could always see and hear her.
Ever since I first met her.
“You think I’m a buckle bunny.”
Her words were still ingrained in my mind, that first meeting would always be ingrained in my mind.
Abi was a breath of fresh air when we first met. Her smiles, her laughs, the pure joy she brought to the room. I always loved it when she was around. Even if she was attached to Sylas’s hip, I loved the friendship she and I formed. I loved the friendship we all formed.
Then…that pivotal piece was gone.
Stetson jumped from the cab of the truck the moment I popped it in park.
“Hey, you gotta help with the paint!” I called after him, even though he was already halfway to his aunt and uncle.
Kyla bent down and wrapped her nephew in her arms. Rhett gave me a quick nod as I climbed out of the truck.
“Stet!” I began to jog. “Get your ass over to the rig and get the paint.”
“Uncle Cash, have you met Josie yet?” Stetson let go of Kyla and stood to run back towards the pasture.
“Is that kid always running?” I looked up at Rhett. “Can you help with the paint?”
“I got it. Go meet that damn cow.” Rhett let out a grumble, gently touching his wife before heading to my rig. “Stetson won’t shut up about her until you do.”
“With reason. That’s a great cow.” Kyla smiled. She bit her bottom lip and looked at her husband. “Come on, let’s get the paint.”
My gaze followed to the pasture where Stetson climbed over the fence, jumped down, and ran towards a small brown-and-white cow. I shook my head, tipped my chin, and followed him, stepping up on the wooden fence as he wrapped his arms around the cows neck. She let out a small moo, but my smile faded when I saw a brown horse resting on the field, laying in the small patch of grass. And resting against the horse was a gorgeous blonde. Abi.
It was Luna, Sylas’s horse, and Abi leaned up against the horse’s stomach, her legs outstretched in front of her. Her chin tilted up as she seemingly took in the sun. The horse didn’t mind the weight on her stomach, didn’t seem to care at all that Abi was basically using her as a pillow. Instead, Luna turned her head and used her nose to nudge Abi’s temple. Abi raised an arm and touched Luna's nose, hugging her, never once opening her eyes.
Years ago, I used to draw. I had dozens of sketch books at home with doodles and random pictures of horses, people, rodeo. It was a hobby I kept only to myself, a part of my life not even Carolyn knew about. And seeing this, I suddenly wished I had a sketch book. I would capture this for her, freeze this moment in time, even though I hadn’t picked up a pencil in years.
She was in the moment with the horse, taking the nudges the mare was offering her. I noticed her breathing, long and deep, as she rested. Then Luna shook her head and gracefully laid it down next to Abi’s body once more. Abi moved slightly, adjusting for the horse, as she draped her arm over her neck, her other hand reached up to wipe her face free of something before she laid her head back on Luna’s belly.
Abi looked…sad. Even in such peaceful moments, she was hurting.
Hurting from…what?
It took all my strength not to go sit next to her, ask her what was going through her mind, how I could potentially hold some of that for her.
I would only cause more if I did that, even if we were trying to move forward from the past. There were still scars there. She still didn’t want me around even if she agreed she would be cordial. I wanted nothing more than to be her friend again.
I could hear Stetson calling, his laughter, but all I saw was Abi and emotions that came with her as she moved. Her gaze followed to where her son was. She inhaled deeply, scratched behind Luna’s ear, and then slowly stood. The mare shook her head again, obviously not liking the fact that she was pulled from her nap. Still glued to Abi, I watched as she reached her arms over her head in a stretch before placing both hands over her face. She took deep breaths—one…two…three…before dropping her hands to give her son a large, warm, welcoming smile.
Even through the smile, I saw the pain.
In the back of my mind, I made a mental note to go grab a sketch book on my way home tonight.