Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
hayden
PRESENT DAY
Did you make sure to triple-check all of your straps?” I asked Sierra as she swapped out Lucky’s halter and lead rope for his bridle and reins.
“Yes, I checked them.” Irritation crackled in her voice. “You don’t need to hover over me like I’m some kid, Hayden. I’m fully capable.”
Fuck, she had a point.
“I’m sorry, you’re right.” I scrubbed my hand through my hair.
“I didn’t mean to micromanage you. I’m just worried, is all.
I know there haven’t been any issues since Billings, but…
” My voice trailed off. I felt like I’d been waiting on edge for something to happen the last couple weeks.
Instead of relief that nothing had happened, it was almost like dread was weighing down on me for the next time something did happen.
“What makes you so sure something’s going to happen?”
I could tell she was trying to keep her tone neutral, but frustration peeked through in her question.
“I guess nothing. But if something does—”
Sierra cut me off. “Nothing’s going to happen, Hayes.
And if, God forbid, something does, I assure you that I can handle it myself.
I’m a big girl.” She let out a heavy sigh.
“I appreciate your concern, but it’s going to be fine.
Weird coincidences happen all the time. It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. I’m going to warm up Lucky now, okay?”
“Okay, Skip.” My shoulders drooped a little, because even though I knew she was right and she could handle herself, I couldn’t get rid of the lingering fear of someone hurting her.
My eyes couldn’t help but glue themselves to her as she rode away, her ponytail swaying behind her.
From behind me, I recognized Keenan’s laugh and footfall as he approached me.
“Don’t start,” I dismissed him before he could open his mouth.
“Ah, come on, Hazey. Let me give you a little shit.”
Shaking my head, I started to walk in the opposite direction. “I don’t care what you have to say. How much did you hear?”
“Enough.” He chuckled as he followed me. “You have to admit you sound a little bit like our dads. Sierra can handle herself. She doesn’t need you hovering over her.”
“I’m well aware of that, thank you very much. Sierra made sure to inform me of that like two minutes ago.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Am I wrong for being a little concerned?”
He shrugged. “No, but there are different ways you can show your concern. Ways that won’t push her away from you because you’re being an overbearing worrywart.”
Having Sierra call me out sucked because I was only trying to help, but having Keenan point out my behavior was worse.
I sighed, letting my shoulders drop. “I know, I know.”
“Try to relax. She’ll be fine, dude. I know you”—he paused—“care about her very deeply, but it’s been almost ten years since we graduated high school.
Times have changed, and that girl out there is strong as fuck.
Not even that, she’s even scarier than she was in high school.
” He laughed. “I’m just saying, I wouldn’t want to cross her.
She’ll be fine. And if she’s not, then she has you, and I have no doubt she’ll come to you. ”
I sighed, knowing he was right but not wanting to admit it.
Keenan’s shoulders shook as he visibly suppressed his amusement. “The best part about all of this is that you know I’m right. You just don’t want to admit it.” He patted me on the back and then turned back toward the arena. “Come on, she’s going to run soon.”
“She’s number thirteen in the world right now, folks, and she’s had some great runs the last few days.
Sierra Bayley racing with her horse, Ace’s Lucky Charm!
Let’s do it!” The announcer’s voice should have prompted me to focus on the arena where Sierra was about to race, but a flash of movement in the direction of our horse trailer caught my attention instead.
“Where are you going? She’s racing right now!” Keenan called after me, but I waved him off, my eyes stuck on the figure headed toward the trailer.
Keeping enough of a distance that the person—a blonde woman—wouldn’t be able to see me, I tailed her.
She didn’t have a number on her back, so either she wasn’t a contestant or she’d taken it off momentarily.
I didn’t recognize her from the back of her head either; she had no distinguishable features or clothing.
I thought I was far enough behind, but right before she reached the trailer and all of our equipment, she looked over her shoulder, a shocked expression flashing across her face. Instead of continuing toward the trailer, she ran off in the other direction.
“Hey!” I yelled, running after her. “Stop!”
She kept going, weaving through pickup trucks and horse trailers, until eventually she lost me.
“Fuck,” I muttered just as the announcer called out, “Fourteen-point-seven-nine!”
By the time I trudged back to the rodeo arena, Sierra had already dismounted Lucky and was walking him back to the trailer to untack.
“Hayden?” Confusion laced in her voice. “What were you doing?”
I sucked my tongue behind my teeth before biting out a low, “Someone was trying to mess with the trailer.”
“What?” I couldn’t blame her for her disbelief.
“I followed her. She was headed straight for the trailer. I’d never seen her before, and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw me and ran away.”
Sierra tilted her head a little. “Are you sure she didn’t run away because a tall, muscular stranger was following her?”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes, trying not to focus too much on the subtle compliment she’d woven in. “No, Sierra, I don’t think that.”
She shrugged, a bit of petulance in her body language. “Of course you wouldn’t. You’re a man.”
“Can you take this seriously, please?”
“Fine. You’re positive she was headed for our trailer. Was she another contestant? What did she look like?”
“I’m not sure. She didn’t have a number on her back, and I didn’t get a good look at her face, but I didn’t recognize her.
She was wearing a long sleeve button-up and a white cowboy hat.
Had blonde hair?” I tried my best to remember what she looked like, but to be honest, there wasn’t anything that special about her besides the fact that she was trying to do something to our stuff.
Sierra pulled her lip between her teeth, although her posture did seem to stiffen a bit.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe you’re being a bit paranoid, Hayes.
” We started walking toward the trailer, the clomp of Lucky’s hooves against the gravel like a drumbeat rhythm.
“You’ve been a bit on edge. Is it possible you were trying to find something to take issue with or someone to be suspicious of?
I’m not trying to discredit what you saw, but nothing happened, right? The girl ran away?”
I nodded. “She ran, and I…” I looked away, running my hand across my face. “I ran after her, but couldn’t catch up.”
Sierra groaned, exasperation in her voice. “Hayden. You can’t just run after random women. She probably thought you were going to attack her.”
We’re back to this again?
“I thought she was going to attack my trailer!” I defended my actions, although she had a point, even if I didn’t want to admit it. I wasn’t thinking about that, though. My mind was locked on Sierra’s safety and that alone.
“Okay, well, nothing happened, so take a deep breath.” She went through the motion with me, inhaling a long breath through her nose and then exhaling through her mouth. “Better?”
“Yeah.” My heart rate had calmed a bit, the adrenaline starting to leave my body. “Sorry, Skip. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just…”
She finished my thought for me. “You’re looking out for me.”
I nodded, and soon we were in front of the horse trailer. Everything looked fine, not a scratch or a dent in sight, and everything was locked up like it was supposed to be.
Maybe this was a good sign—the sign I was needing. Maybe Sierra had been right all along, and the fire and saddle incidents had just been weird coincidences.
Maybe we could go back home to Montana and both breathe a little easier knowing she was safe.