18. Eighteen
Eighteen
Rhett
With a week to go before the rodeo, the list to prepare was getting longer. I eagerly approached Kyla, basically begging her to come with me to the arena. Not only did I want to show her my turf, but I wanted her to be a part of it. I wanted to hand her a broom so she could dust the stands. I wanted her to see everything firsthand, to experience it. The smile she gave me told me she wanted to tag along. She grabbed the boots Abi had loaned her and a straw hat, before practically running to the truck.
She was so full of enthusiasm, anyone who didn’t know her would have no idea the pain she carried. She was doing her best to move on and become who she wanted to be.
My thumb played with the ring that now sat on my finger, loving the fact that for now she wanted to be with me .
The Hartwell Rodeo Arena was built when I was young. It was the one thing in town that had our name on it that didn’t sit on the ranch. At first it was small with a few stands for seating and only three chutes, but it has grown over the years. The stands were big enough now to fit the entire town, and more chutes and an announcer box had been added. Our little rodeo was growing each year, and this year was going to be the biggest yet.
“So how do we prep for a rodeo?” Kyla asked as soon as we set foot in the arena.
Lachlan and the ranch hands had done a good job of keeping up with everything during the off-season for the arena, but there was still a list of things that needed to be checked and double checked before we brought the livestock over. Kyla stepped up on the railing and looked into the open area.
“It’s smaller than I thought it would be.” She turned to look at me, her hair flying over her shoulder.
Removing my hat and pushing my hair back with my fingers before returning it to my head, I rested my arms on the gate next to Kyla. “It’s a smaller arena, nothing compared to ones I’ve competed in, but this one beats them all.” I paused, surveying the space. “We have a list of things to do. You ready to get your hands dirty?”
“Hey.” Kyla’s voice fell, dripping with sarcasm. “I helped a cow give birth. I think I can help prep an arena. But you didn’t answer me, how do we prep for it?”
“The dirt needs to be groomed, the chutes need to be tended to and we need to make sure there is plenty of feed for the livestock.”
Kyla looked over her shoulder at the empty cages. “Because all the livestock that’s here is going to want to eat it.” There was sarcasm in her voice, hiding the laugh that she so desperately wanted to let loose.
Scoffing, I opened the gate, forcing Kyla to swing with it, letting out a small “Whoo” as she moved forward. “We’ll bring the livestock over a few days before. It’s going to be a long day so I hope you’re ready for that.”
“When I think of the Fourth of July, I see fireworks, parades, and barbeques.” She jumped off the gate. “You guys don’t do that at the ranch?”
I shook my head. “Nah, my mom will make a large breakfast for everyone, but then it’s all-hands-on-deck getting the rodeo put together. Then at six that night the stands start to fill, and the show starts at seven-thirty. Once the rodeo is over, the firework show starts on the opposite end of the arena. Lachlan will help get that set up during the rodeo.”
“Do we have a rodeo clown?” Kyla spun on her toe, the dirt forming a small circle as she looked back at me.
“Yes, we have a rodeo clown—we have to. Who else is going to sit in the barrel when the bull riders have their eight seconds of fame?”
“Yea, about that.” She spun back around. “Why do they sit in the barrel, just for comic relief?”
“Rodeo clowns are more than just comic relief. Sure, they offer that, but their main job is to distract the bull if anything happens.”
“No,” Kyla corrected me, “that’s the bullfighters.” She pointed her finger directly at me. “Abi told me that.”
“And,” I added, “a rodeo clown is a trained bullfighter.” I cocked an eyebrow, grabbing the handle to the chute and opening it for Kyla. She stepped in and turned, waiting for me to close the gate .
She was quiet for a moment before she turned, giving me a side eye. “Have you ever fought a bull?”
“More times than I’d care to admit.” I smiled.
“Glad you haven’t broken a bone.”
“Who says I haven’t?” I took a few steps towards her, lowering my chin to meet her gaze. “I’ve fallen off more horses than bulls, and I can tell you it’s not the best experience.”
“Says the man who literally jumps off horses for a living.”
“Don’t forget lifting a calf off the ground,” I added.
“Yeah, ‘cause that’s hard,” she said sarcastically.
“Next time—what did you name her? Josie?—Next time Josie takes off, I’ll let you wrangle her up, lift her off the ground and tie-up her legs. You’ll discover it’s just as hard as riding a bull.” I stepped closer to her still, closing the gap that was between us.
Kyla stood still, folding her arms over her chest, tilting her head, and giving me a smirk. I blinked, forcing myself to keep it together. She was gorgeous—everything about her stood out to me in a way that no one had before. Her smile, the way her hair fell off her shoulders, her captivating eyes, the curve of her hips. I simply couldn’t believe she was my wife. Even if it was for a season, I got to call her my wife. I still hadn’t truly kissed her since our wedding day, even though I desperately wanted to.
Would she let me kiss her here?
“You’re not roping that calf, Mr. Hartwell, no matter how hard you try, that calf stays with me.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Is that so, Mrs. Hartwell?”
She gave me a single nod, her lips curling as her hands moved to her hips. Her fingers drummed on her shorts, the ring giving the smallest glint in the sun. Her shoulders wiggled as she moved her neck, her eyes not once leaving mine.
Every part of my body was telling me to turn, to tell her about the long list of prep, but then she licked those damn lips.
Closing the gap completely I cupped her face in my hands, pressing my lips to hers without thinking. She shuddered for a moment before relaxing into me, giving a soft hum as her fingers found my waist. I kept the kiss simple, memorizing the way her lips felt against mine—soft, full and tasted just like the way she smelled, like vanilla.
I wanted to deepen it, hold her closer and take her in, take her back to the moment at the bar, remind her that this was real. That what I felt was real . . .
She broke the kiss, and our eyes met for a split second before her blink broke the connection. Letting out a breath of air, she looked down at our boots.
“I promise I won’t rope Josie, but . . .” I said, moving back into the conversation as if nothing had happened; even though my voice was heavy, and my hands were still on her neck. Just as casually I ran my thumb along her jaw. “I’ll teach you how to rope a calf.”
She laughed then, her hands still firm on my waist as her shoulders dropped, her body completely relaxing into me. “I can barely stay on a horse,” she whispered, her eyes raising to meet mine.
Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes were glazed over, a look I hoped I could recreate again. A small reminder of the night we first met. Everything about the way she looked at me, and the way she held herself told me she enjoyed that as much as I did .
I felt a corner of my lips curl up. “I’ll teach you,” I repeated, bringing my lips to hers once more, a small fleeting kiss she accepted. “It did get added to your list, right?”
“That’s right.” A sigh left her lips. “It did.”
“Well . . .” I locked her gaze, feeling her melt against me, I dipped my chin and my lips once again met hers. Vanilla.
As if my family knew I wanted more, I heard the gate behind us bang shut and boots crunch against the ground. Kyla broke the kiss and stepped back, her gaze flying over my shoulder. She let out a puff of air, and then gave a small smile. I turned and saw Lachlan and Wyatt walking towards us.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Lachlan started, “but there’s a lot to do.”
“You’re not interrupting.” Kyla smoothed out her tank top and adjusted the hat on her head. “Just point me in the right direction and tell me what I need to do.”
“I was thinking about letting her drag the dirt. She would like that,” I suggested seeing Lachlan raise an eyebrow. “I’ll be with her.”
Wyatt let out a laugh and walked past me, slapping my shoulder on his way up the steps to the announcer box. “I’ll go grab her the keys, I’d love to see this.”
Kyla spun to face me, her hat almost falling off her head. “I get to drag the dirt. ”
“Well, you get to drive the tractor.” Kyla’s eyes widened at my response. “Another thing to add to your list, Baby.”
“I’m in.” Kyla smiled, the pink still radiating off her cheeks.
“Look at that dirt.” Kyla jumped off the Ground Hog tractor and took a few careful steps off to the side. “I’d say that dirt has been perfectly dragged .”
“Perfectly . . . dragged,” I repeated, jumping off the back. “I’d say this is your job from now on.”
“You gotta document this for me. Grace won’t believe I did this.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket, unlocked it and held it in between us. “Take a photo for me?” She waved her phone, urging me to take it.
“Of the dirt?”
“Of me and the dirt. I know it’s dumb, but Rhett, I’ve never done anything like this before. I drove that thing!” Kyla pointed to the blue tractor, bending at the waist with a cheesy grin on her face.
I was tempted to pull her in for another kiss, but instead I readied her phone. “Go stand next to the Ground Hog.” I took a few steps backwards, watching as Kyla ran up to the tractor and struck a pose, her hands on her hips, tilting them towards the tractor. She smiled, brighter than I had ever seen. She was happy, she was excited, it poured out of her—even through the small screen. And the best part was seeing the diamond ring on her finger.
I snapped a few photos and made my way back to her, handing her the phone back.
“Here, take one with me,” she said, taking me off guard as she switched the camera on her phone, stepping up on the foot ledge of the tractor, using her free arm to pull me in closer to her before holding the phone out and taking a selfie.
In a flash the moment was over, and Kyla had let me go, but for a brief moment she was in my arms again .
“Grace is going to get a kick out of this.”
“She’s coming out, right?” I asked, grabbing her waist to lift her off the tractor, knowing very well she could jump down, but I simply wanted my hands on her again. I always wanted my hands on her.
She nodded. “Yes. She bought her ticket and she’s flying in on the second, staying for the rodeo and then she’ll fly home. She still needs to find a hotel.”
My attention focused on her as she began swiping through her photos, a curl forming on her tight lips. Once she got to our selfie, she zoomed in, and her cheeks turned pink. She bit her lip as she zoomed back out. The spark to her eyes was still there as she held the screen on the photo. I made a mental note to remind her to send it to me. I wanted that memory forever.
“I bet my parents wouldn’t mind her staying in the main house. Otherwise she can stay with us at our place.” I finally broke the moment, reminding both of us of the topic at hand.
Kyla stopped what she was doing on her phone, dropping it slightly as she looked up at me. “Our place?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Well yeah. Where else would she stay?” I could basically see her reeling. We had one bedroom, and I knew her mind was instantly going to us sharing the bed. Her eyes met mine as she stilled. I cocked a grin as I lifted a hand and ran my fingers through her ponytail, gently laying it over her shoulder. “Come on, we gotta put this thing back and then head to the hay bales. Think you can keep up with Lachlan there?”
She blinked, snapping herself out of whatever trance she had fallen into. “I’ve seen Lachlan with hay bales, and I opt out of that activity, but . . . can I park the Ground Hog? ”
I laughed, shaking my head at her. “Yes, Kyla, you can park the Ground Hog. Hell,” I held my arms open, tipping my back slightly, “I’ll even film you parking it so you can send it to Grace.”
Kyla dropped her jaw. “I have an even better idea!”
The next thing I knew I was talking to Grace via FaceTime, all while we watched Kyla park the tractor, with guidance, into the stall.