Chapter 39
“It’s like ridin’ a bike. Yer gonna be fine.” Arrogance settles on my brother’s lips.
“Duke, if ya say somethin’ like that to me again, we’re goin’ to have a problem.” I don’t have to raise my voice for him to know I mean it.
I try to recenter myself, wiping the sweat from my brow.
Haven’t even gotten on the damn thing and I’m already nervous, which feels nothing like myself.
He and I used to hop on the bull dummy fearlessly, like it was one of those little quarter machine rides outside the grocery store.
And yet, even though my brain knows that this isn’t a real bull, my mind still doesn’t feel at ease.
“We already got a problem, Rhett. Yer pussy footin’ around that dummy like it’s gonna hurt ya.
” He isn’t wrong, he’s hit the problem right on the nose, but that doesn’t make coming back to the rodeo world after looking like an idiot any easier.
“I didn’t drive my ass all the way to Nashville to watch ya act like a little bitch.
Now get on that barrel and practice, or I’m leavin’. ”
“Three years younger and a helluva mouth on ya.” I laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
He may be younger, but he stands a few inches taller than me now.
We share the same brown eyes and tan from being out in the sun more than being inside.
I hate to say it, but he gives me a run for my money in the looks category too.
“Listen, I ain’t scared of it, it’s just been a while, and I wasn’t sure when this time was comin’.
” I pause, looking back toward the dummy.
“Hey, and thanks for not bringin’ Ma and Dad into this.
I want to be ready before I tell ‘em I am.”
“That’s what brothers are for.” His expression softens. “Dad won’t even notice the dummy’s gone. He shoved it into the back of the barn after your accident. Said seein’ it was pissin’ him off when I asked about it, so we ain’t talked about it or yer accident since.”
I frown. Mostly because I feel bad that what happened was just one more thing to add to everyone’s plate, like they didn’t already have enough to deal with.
“Don’t do that.” Duke breaks my concentration.
“Do what?” My brows raise as if I don’t know what he means.
“Worry about us. Dad and I got everythin’ handled. The new herd has a spot that didn’t meet Satin’s asshole, got Hailie’s dad helpin’ too. Believe it or not, we finally got some luck back on our side.”
“Good.” I want to believe him, and for the most part, I do, because he’s never been one for nonsense.
But I would feel better knowing they weren’t just on their way out of the hole, but actually all the way out.
It’s nice to know they are doing so well that they could hire someone though.
Something about that alone eases my worry a bit.
I try to shrug off his seriousness and slap his shoulder.
“Satin’s asshole was a nice touch, really sets the scene. ”
A truck rumbles down the driveway and we watch as Judd pulls up to the barn.
“Hey Juddy.” I greet him the moment he exits his cab and meets my stare. “This is my brother Duke.” He nods. “And Duke, this is Judd. He’s part time construction worker, part time F.B.I. agent, full time pain in my ass.” I laugh.
Judd’s head dips, probably to hide a laugh.
“More like saving your ass.” He grins. “Hey, Bud. And nice to meet you, Duke. Sorry your Mom stuck you with that one,” he says, nodding toward me.
The crash of another car door sounds behind him and out pops a girl with strawberry blonde hair that I haven’t seen before.
“No bright ideas, Rhett,” he spits out. The girl beside him smacks his arm before meeting my gaze then blushes.
“Hey ya’ll.” Her accent is thicker than his, but they share the same slate blue eyes. “I’m Sage…” She closes the space between us and shakes my hand first, then Duke’s. “Judd’s sister.”
I’ll be damned. The infamous sister in the flesh.
“Sage is here to meet with Daisy,” Judd says, answering before she has a chance to.
It’s not surprising he’s a bit protective.
He’s already expressed she gives him reason to be, even if I don’t really know what that reason is.
Her looks and eagerness to talk to people are probably the problem.
She’s pretty and clearly outgoing, but she’s not Kaylee pretty.
“Judd, you’re down playin’ it.” She steps into the conversation with no hesitation.
Bold but sweet. Honestly, the way I imagined she’d be if he feels she needs to protect her.
“Daisy and I have plans to write a song. I’m hopin’ to find myself on the stage at The Westmore just like Sawyer sometime soon.
I…” Her words trail off as Billy walks out of the barn leading Wrangler.
He stops dead in his tracks, so quickly that Wrangler nearly plows into him from behind. The horse is far from small, but it’s like Billy doesn’t notice at all.
Holy shit. Am I seeing this right? I can’t believe my eyes, but if I’m not hallucinating, then there in front of me is not just Billy, but Billy with a smile.
He tilts his cowboy hat toward Sage and my first response is to look at Judd, who, as expected, does not look happy about the interaction.
I decide to break the silence so that it doesn’t linger any longer than it should.
“Billy, this is my smart ass brother, Duke.” He shakes his hand.
“The big guy’s, Judd, and, thankfully, the genes don’t run too deep, because this here is Sage, his sister. ”
She smiles, and my brother says hello, but Judd frowns.
“We know each other.” If looks could speak, I’d say the glower between them says it all. They do not like each other. “Nice to see you,” Judd adds, though from his expression it seems anything but nice for them to be in the same place.
“You too,” Billy responds. His voice, as always, is hard to read, and now is definitely not the time to ask questions.
But questions will be coming at some point. There’s clearly a history there and, well, sue me, but I want to know what the fuck that was all about.
“Is that a bull dummy?” Sage works her way around all of us, walking toward the plastic bull and tries to push it down with her hand. The pressure she applies barely moves the bull, and I’m unsure if she’s genuinely fascinated by it or just wants to break the tension.
“Glad to see you’re back at it, Rhett.” Billy mounts Wrangler and rides off, dismissing himself without any further words—normal behavior for him—and Judd walks toward his sister. Their conversation is hushed, so we keep our distance.
Under his breath, Duke whispers, “I ain’t normally a gossip, but that interaction got ya wonderin’ too?” His eyebrows raise, and I chuckle softly, nodding yes.
Daisy opens the front door, calling for Sage, and that forces a stop to whatever Judd’s telling her.
Hugging his sister, Judd says, “I’ll be back in an hour. Don’t forget what I said.” He walks toward us, and I consider asking about the little tit for tat we witnessed, but whatever it is, is just another distraction and I need to get my head back into the game, not into other people’s problems.
Today’s not the day to be saving anyone from anything besides myself.
He doesn’t stay to chat, just waves us on, starts his engine, and drives off down the road.
Sage watches Judd leave before her eyes trail off toward the direction Billy went on Wrangler.
She releases a slow, steady exhale, a smile gradually returning to her face.
“So nice meetin’ y’all.” Walking toward Daisy, her once light and breezy air seems to carry a nearly unnoticeable raincloud, but even though I don’t know her, I can tell she’s disappointed by something.
The door closes before Duke speaks, “Alright, no more fuckin’ around. Up ya go, champ. Make that bull yer bitch.”