Rodeo Lumberjack (Red Oak Mountain Lumberjacks #7)

1. Carl

Carl

Ileaned forward, resting my arms on my knees, trying not to feel like a third wheel as they announced the next bull rider over the loudspeaker. I should have come on my own, but it was too late to back out now that we were all here.

Shane’s eyes were glued to Penelope as she came back from her trip to the concession stand.

He had that lovesick look on his face that I’d seen so often recently.

It had been spreading through the lumberjack camp like wildfire over the past few months.

Half the camp was coupled up now, the bunkhouse emptying out. And me? I was still single as fuck.

“One for you. One for you. And one for me,” Penelope announced cheerfully as she handed us beers and sat down next to Shane.

Shane leaned over and murmured something in Penelope’s ear, making her face light up with a soft blush.

Last year, I’d sat here with Claire. We’d laughed our asses off, downing beers and rating the riders before she dragged me over to the Lasso Ladies tent so I could watch her ride a retired bull.

Claire had been my stand-in date for a year.

But those days were over now. Even though we’d just been friends, it had been nice having a pretty woman at my side for times like this.

Spending time with her had been easy, and for one short minute, I’d even thought maybe it could turn into something more.

But now she was at Brent’s side. And I was happy for them. I really was.

Watching everyone pair off around me had a way of making a man take stock.

I was forty-five years old. Never married.

And if I didn’t find my woman soon, I might end up being alone for the rest of my life.

I dragged a hand down my face and rolled my shoulders, trying to shake it off. Forever had passed me by a decade ago, and I just hadn’t noticed in time.

Penelope rested her head on Shane’s shoulder. “Do you think the bulls are happy?”

“Probably?” Shane said as he looped an arm around her. “I never thought about it before.”

After this next ride was done, I was going to bow out and give them some alone time. It had been nice of Shane to invite me along, but I’d expected some more guys from the logging camp to be here. Not just the happy couple and me.

“Dude, look at him go,” Shane said.

“He’s over-gripping.”

A second later, the guy got thrown early, landing in the dirt.

“How do you always know?” he asked.

I shrugged. Not many people knew I grew up on a cattle ranch. I’d ridden my fair share of bulls before. “Just don’t bet against me and you’ll be fine.”

Shane shook his head. “I’d never bet against you, dude. I’ll ride your bet every time. You ever think about getting in the ring yourself? Good way to find a woman.”

I laughed at that, louder than I meant to, then bluffed, “What are you talking about, Shane? I don’t need to find a woman. They always find me.”

I kept a smile plastered on my face as the next rider entered the stadium, a bucking beast underneath him. Then Shane looked away, and my grin slipped. For just a second, there was no joke on my mouth, no charm in my eyes, nothing polished up for anyone else to see.

This one was riding the front of the bull too hard. He’d never last the full eight seconds.

A burst of light snapped near the railing. A camera flash.

I blinked, my eyes tracking the source.

Down by the heavy steel fencing, working just inches from the deep rodeo mud, was a woman.

“Dude. Did you see that!” Shane said. “He got bucked off in three seconds.”

I’d missed the whole thing, but that didn’t matter because something far more interesting had caught my eye.

The woman had a professional camera strapped around her neck and was crouching low in the dirt, completely unfazed by the arena workers setting up bucking chutes nearby.

She was brave as fuck. Braver than most of the people sitting in the stands. There weren’t too many people who’d want to crouch in the ring with a two-thousand pound bucking bull trotting around. Especially since her only defense was an expensive camera.

She’s a pro.

They didn’t let just anyone shoot in the ring. Most photographers ended up in the stadium.

As I took a closer look, the first thing I noticed was her big, curly brown hair that the humid Arkansas air had turned a little haywire, framing her face in a chaotic halo.

She stood up, shifting her weight to get a better angle, and my breath hitched.

Whoever she was, she was gorgeous. Curvy, thick, and no-nonsense.

She wore a simple western snap shirt and jeans that hugged her hips. She didn’t look the least bit concerned about the dust settling on her clothes. Whoever she was, she belonged there in the dirt, catching the action.

I sat up a little straighter, my boots planted flat in front of me. She adjusted her lens, and the quick, capable movements of her hands drew my eye. My chest tightened, a spark of heat pulling my attention straight to her.

“Hey, Carl! Shane! I need you guys.”

The shout broke my concentration. I blinked, tearing my eyes away from the sexy brunette by the fence to see Cade climbing the bleachers toward us.

Cade turned to Shane, then me, his eyes serious. “Listen, I need a massive favor from you two. Or at least from one of you.”

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

“Eric’s Wounded Veterans program is doing the charity exhibition right after the barrel racing. We’re doing a steer decorating event in the small arena next to this one. We had one guy drop out at the last minute, and Amos doesn’t have anyone on his team. I need one body to fill out the roster.”

Shane frowned, pulling his phone out of his pocket to check the time. “When is it?”

“Thirty minutes.”

Penelope put a hand on Shane’s arm. “Shane, my time slot at the Lasso Ladies tent is in twenty minutes. If you do the steer run, you’ll miss my ride.”

Shane shook his head. “Sorry, Cade. I can’t do it. I’ve got to watch my gal ride the bull.”

Cade turned to me as I looked down at the arena. The brunette was moving along the fence line, getting closer to the chutes.

Eric was a good friend, and his veteran program was a solid cause. But what I really wanted to do was amble on over and strike up a conversation with the gorgeous photographer with the wild curls. There was something about her that got my hunger up.

But… helping Eric and Cade was more important. Hopefully, she’d still be around afterward.

I stood up, stretching my back, letting the tight muscles in my shoulders loosen.

“I’ll do it, man.” I stepped past Shane and Penelope into the aisle. “I need to stretch my legs, anyway. Just point me toward the steers.”

This was a good reason to give my friends the night to themselves without having to worry about me underfoot. “Y’all go about your night. I saw Leland a few minutes ago and I’ll probably catch up with him afterward.”

“You sure, man?” Shane asked.

I put a smile on my face. “Yeah, man. You two have fun. Penelope, good luck with the bull. Remember to keep your movements small. Even retired rodeo bulls can get worked up if they’ve got an active rider on their back.”

“Head over to the charity arena,” Cade said, clapping me on the shoulder. “Eric’s down there with the ribbons. I owe you a beer, Carl.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

Shane looked up at me. “You’ll be all right?”

“I’m fine, Shane. Go watch your girl ride a bull.”