Chapter 2
COLT
The woman hired to save this rodeo.
Those words keep replaying in my head like a bad karaoke song.
I shove through the back doors of the arena, and the noise drops from chaos to echoing metal and a shit ton of dust. My knee throbs with every step, and my patience is already gone. I don’t limp—I refuse to—but I walk stiff, my mood black as a storm cloud.
I spot my brother first.
Levi is leaning against the rail near the stock pens, hat tipped back, arms crossed, looking way too damn calm for someone who should be explaining things to me. He sees my face and winces before I even open my mouth.
That tells me everything I need to know.
“Tell me,” I say flatly.
He pushes off the rail. “How’d the ride feel?”
I stare at him. “Don’t,” I warn. “Don’t change the subject. Who is she?”
Levi exhales slowly. “Colt—”
“Who,” I snap, stepping into his space, “is the woman who just told me she was hired to save my rodeo?”
“Our rodeo,” he corrects, and it makes my eye twitch.
“Not the point.”
Before he can answer, I hear boots behind me—slower steps, familiar ones.
Mom and Dad.
Great.
Dad stops beside Levi, arms folded, too, expression unreadable. Mom’s got that tight little smile she gets when she knows something I don’t and thinks it’s for my own good.
Which is never true.
Okay, maybe a little true.
“She’s Lily Mercer,” Mom says gently, like that name should mean something to me.
It doesn’t.
“And?”
“She’s a consultant,” Dad adds. “Marketing and sponsorships. Public relations, that sort of thing.”
That sort of thing. I scoff. “You hired a PR girl.”
“She’s not just PR,” Levi says. “She’s—”
I hold up a hand. “No. I don’t care what fancy title she uses. You hired an outsider, without telling me, to come in and save Hearts RoundUp like we’re some busted-up county fair.”
Mom steps forward. “Colt, the rodeo is losing sponsors.”
“We’re rebuilding,” I snap.
“Slowly,” Dad says. “And bleeding money while we do it.”
I turn on him. “So your solution is bringing in some city consultant who’s never smelled bull shit in her life to tell us how to run our family rodeo?”
Levi rubs the back of his neck. “She’s actually grown up around ranching.”
“Don’t care.” I cross my arms and answer like a petulant child.
Mom sighs. “We didn’t tell you because we knew you’d react like this.”
“Smart of you,” I growl.
“She’s good,” Levi says firmly. “Like, scary good. She’s turned three failing circuits around in two years. Sponsorships, branding, and press coverage with one big rodeo event. Full turnaround, Colt. We need that.”
“Don’t need it.”
Dad’s voice drops. “Yes, we do.”
Silence stretches between us all. I know I’m making a problem for them, and I know my attitude is probably hurting my parents worse than seeing their livelihood fail around them. But keeping shit from me pisses me the fuck off.
“This is Hearts RoundUp,” I say. “This is our family legacy, not a damn brand project.”
“And that’s why it matters,” Mom says quietly.
I shake my head. “You brought her in without asking me.”
“You would’ve said no,” Levi replies.
He’s not wrong.
“I can fix this. We can pull in broncos, barrel racing. I can add more rides–”
“Is that before or after your knee replacement?” My brother snaps back at me, and I suck in a breath and hold it, counting to five before I respond.
“So instead you think some blonde strategist, walking around my arena, touching my injuries, talking about saving things that don’t need saving, is the answer?”
Levi smirks. “All I heard in that sentence is blonde and touching.”
“That would be all you hear.” I glare at him. “Pick a side.”
“I am,” he says. “The one that keeps the lights on.”
My knee pulses, my ribs sting, and my patience is gone.
“Where is she now?” I ask. Mom hesitates, and it’s all I need. I turn and start walking.
“She’s in the office,” Levi calls after me. “Colt, don’t be an ass.”
I bark a laugh. “Too late for that.”
Every step through the hallway tightens the coil in my chest. I don’t like surprises, and I certainly don’t like people who walk into my world and try to fix things. And I sure as hell don’t like women who look at me like I'm a problem to solve.
The office door is cracked, and I can see her blonde hair and hear her sugary sweet drawl. There’s no doubt she’s from Texas, but she’s still got the kind of voice that belongs to someone who thinks they know better than you.
And I don’t like it.
I push the door open and see her standing at the desk, small iPad in hand. Her sunglasses are gone, and her hair is pulled into a messy knot. She’s got a streak of rodeo dust across the belly of her tank that makes it look like she belongs here.
Fuck. Stop it.
She looks up and smiles. “Hey, Colt,” she says easily, like she was expecting me, eyes flicking to my knee, then my ribs. “You’re walking better than I expected.”
I glare. “You’re in my office.”
She tilts her head. “I guess we’ll be sharing for the time being.”
“This isn’t your personal makeover show,” I growl.
She lays the iPad down on the desk and steps around it calmly. “No. It’s a failing brand with massive potential. But it’s got outdated systems, weak sponsor pipelines, and zero modern media strategy. That’s why I’m here.”
I stare at her. She doesn’t blink.
God, I hate her already.
“You don’t know this place,” I snap.
She meets my gaze without flinching. “Then teach me.”
I laugh, low and bitter. “You don’t get it, sunshine. I don’t want you here.”
Her smile is confident and unbothered, and that makes me more irate.
“That’s fine,” she says. “I don’t need you to want me here. I just need you to get out of my way.”
A low whistle comes from behind me as Levi walks in. “I see everyone has been caught up to speed. Lily, please ignore my cranky brother. He’s always been like this, stemming back to childhood when I beat him in a barrel race. It’s why he refuses to have them at the rodeo."
“Levi,” I snap.
He puts his arm around me, and I shrug him off, growing even madder as he chuckles and steps closer to her. “I can show you the video; it’s what got me into the Texan Barrel Race a few years ago.”
“Levi!” This fucking guy never knows when to be professional.
“He’s still testy about it,” he whispers, and she grins, giving him the most perfect smile.
“Brother, if you don’t leave–”
“So, I’ve got to go. My ride is up next. Welcome to Hearts RoundUp, Lily. If you need anything, don’t ask this guy.” He throws his thumb my way, and my blood boils. He pushes past me, clapping me on the back, and I turn on my heels, following him out, leaving her standing right where she is.
He doesn’t stop walking, and I keep pace. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” I growl.
“You’ll thank me first.”
I jog in front of him, putting my hand on his chest, stopping him. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s good for you.”
“Get the fuck outta here.”
“I’m serious, Colt. You can’t be doing this for the next six months, let alone the rest of your life. Let her get this place to the top again. Let her take the stress off your plate.” He begins to walk and, with a smirk, says, “It would do you wonders.”
I narrow my eyes. “The only thing I wonder is why I don’t kick your ass right here.”
He barks a laugh. “This is what I'm talking about. You need to be nicer. Listen, when you're a nice guy, women want to suck your dick. And when you get your dick sucked, you're a nice guy. See how the world goes round, Colt? You should jump on this merry-go-round.”
I take a swing at him, and he dodges me, laughing as he runs for the entrance.