A Bull Rider To Depend On
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And there was always the fear that she would break down if she had the luxury of human contact as she mourned. When she’d lost Mason, people had gathered near, helping in any way they could, while she was still numb, still going through the motions. It wasn’t until she was once again alone that the pain had ripped through her, burning in its intensity as she faced an empty ranch, empty house, empty bed.
Tyler moved a few steps toward her, then stopped as she shot him a look.
He let out a breath, pressed his lips together. There were lines of strain on his face, as if he wasn’t certain what to say or do. There was nothing he could say or do. Her horse was gone, and he was there when she didn’t want him to be.
“Do you want me to call Jess?”
“Why?”
“He’s better with the backhoe than I am.”
The backhoe. He was going to help her bury Mr. Joe. “I...uh...” She wiped the back of her hand across her damp, sticky cheeks, then lifted her chin as new tears threatened. “I’ll call Cliff.” Her five-mile-down-the-road neighbor.
Tyler’s expression hardened. “Or Jess and I could bury your gelding.”
“I’m not trying to be ungrateful.” But it was her right at the moment as grief once again wrapped around her.
“You just want me off the property. I get it. Wish granted.” He turned and headed toward his truck.
* * *
TYLER SMACKED THE steering wheel with the heel of his hand as he waited at the crossroad for a slow-moving cattle truck. Always the bad guy. He was getting pretty sick of being the bad guy—especially when he hadn’t done anything. Okay, he’d purposely defied Skye, but not in a way meant to do her harm. Everybody partied while on the road, and Mason would have been as likely to stay in his hotel room when everyone else was having a grand old time as he would have been likely to quit bull riding to become an accountant.
Tyler pulled out onto the gravel road, debating about whether to call Jess and tell him to go bury the old horse, or whether to let Skye handle it on her own. He’d hated leaving her alone, but it seemed as if staying would have made her even more unhappy.
He’d tried to be nice. Twice. He was done.
Jess wasn’t there when he got home after a quick stop at the grocery store.
He let himself into the unlocked trailer, set down the bags and opened the tiny cupboard next to the stove. There was a reason he was eating out more than he should. It was hard to cook in the camp trailer, and even harder to keep enough food on hand. He had to step over his gear as he made his way to the kitchen, so he stopped and pushed it out of his way with his foot as best he could. He wasn’t crazy neat, like his brother, but even he was getting tired of stepping over and around everything in order to move through their living space.
He had to get out of there while he and his brother were still on speaking terms—that was a given. His first event was in two weeks, but sometimes he had his doubts as to whether they would last that long. Jess was a peaceful guy, but even he had his limits, and living in close contact with his twin was pushing them. Tyler opened the cupboard, then closed it again and leaned his forehead against the fake wood.
When a guy was a winner, he shouldn’t feel so much like a loser. What was he doing here in this tiny trailer, making his brother feel cramped and uncomfortable?
Ty shoved the full bag of perishables into the fridge and then left the trailer. He needed to move, try to shake this thing that kept bothering him...whatever that thing was.
It took him only a few miles of road to pinpoint the thing.
Being wrongly accused. He hadn’t tried to keep Mason on the straight and narrow, but he hadn’t encouraged him to stray either. Not in gambling, nor in any other way. He’d just been a friend. Someone to party with. If it hadn’t been him, then it would have been someone else. Mason rode hard and played hard. As far as he knew, he was a good husband to Skye—except for when he wasn’t.
The parking lot at the Shamrock was full. Tyler parked close to his usual spot in the wide gravel parking lot behind the building but didn’t get out of the truck immediately. Did he want to socialize?
The fact that he was questioning the matter told him no. He did not. Rare, but it happened, especially when something was eating at him.
He leaned his head back against the seat rest, half closed his eyes and watched as people came in and out of the back door of the establishment. When he saw Shelly Hensley go in, he made his decision. No socializing tonight. Shelly was banned from the place, and he wasn’t up for the ruckus that would ensue when the owner, Thad Hawkins, or his nephew, Gus, escorted her from the premises.
Decision made, he reached for the ignition.
Was he getting old?
No way. He was just not in as much of a mood to socialize as he’d thought he was. He’d go back to the trailer, eat something, crawl into his bunk and read. In the morning he’d go for his run, then hit up some Realtors and do his best to find a place to buy before he let his winnings trickle through his fingers...and before he and his brother came to blows. The last time he’d won big money, he’d made a healthy donation to the recovery of a fellow bull rider, a guy with a new baby and a toddler, and a broken back. He didn’t expect to see that money back anytime soon—which was why he needed to invest his new winnings now. While he had the money in hand and before another of his friends got seriously injured. He wasn’t a light touch, but a friend in need got whatever Ty could give.
He’d barely touched the key when someone knocked loudly on the back of his truck and then a familiar face pushed against the window, features distorted through the glass. Tyler lowered the window, forcing Cody Callahan to jerk back. The kid was eight years younger than him, and an up-and-comer on the bull-riding circuit.
“How many times do I got to tell you not to beat on my truck?” he asked.
“I needed to get your attention.” Cody jerked his head in the direction of the back door of the Shamrock. “Going in or coming out?”
Tyler debated for a second. “Going in.” Now that he had company, he may as well make a night of it.
“Then shake a leg, man.” Cody stepped back so that Tyler could open the door. “I’m parched.”
* * *
HUMBLE PIE NEVER tasted good. Today it was going to taste like ashes, but Skye was going to eat it and smile. As well as she could, anyway. She was working the second half of the morning shift that day, having traded shifts with her pregnant coworker, Chloe, but she’d called Angie at the café just before opening and asked the question that had weighed on her mind for a good part of the night. Well, yes, Angie confessed, maybe she had told Blaine that Tyler was trying to buy himself a clear conscience by offering the loan. And...yeah...it was possible she’d mentioned it to other people. No, she wouldn’t say anything else about the matter...but it was probably too late.
No kidding.
Skye had hung up knowing that Tyler was right about one thing—she should have sidestepped Angie’s question about why she and Tyler were talking near her car instead of telling her the truth and providing rumor fodder—but in all honesty, she’d hoped that Angie might know of someone who could help her obtain financing. After all, Angie knew everyone. How on earth was Skye to know that the woman would put her own spin on the matter? Usually she gossiped verbatim.
Things will blow over. Somebody will do something gossip-worthy. It’d been a while since Shelly Hensley had picked a fight in public. Maybe she’d do something spectacular and then everyone would forget about Skye and Tyler. Regardless, she felt as if she owed Ty an apology for the rumor. She may not have spread it, but there was no getting around the fact that—whether he did it out of guilt or generosity—he’d tried to help and she’d conveyed the wrong message to Angie, expressing amazement at his nerve when she’d discussed the situation, and Angie had eaten it up.
After finishing her morning chores, Skye let herself into the house and walked through her sparkling-clean kitchen to pour a cup of coffee. The coffeemaker gleamed and there wasn’t one water spot on the carafe, but cleaning everything she could get her hands on last night hadn’t done much to take the edge off the pain caused by losing her equine friend, or to still the whispers of doubt that had been growing louder as the hours passed.
Mason hadn’t lied to her about Tyler...had he?
His only lies—and they had been major—had been by omission. He’d neglected to tell her about his growing gambling problem—he probably would have never told her if he hadn’t won a huge check and brought home exactly nothing. All of his winnings had been lost on a casino table in one unlucky roll of the dice. He’d tried to defend himself; tried to explain that since he’d dislocated his shoulder during the ride, he probably wouldn’t have gotten another big check that season. He’d needed to double their money.
Skye had simply stared at him as they sat together in their hotel room, wondering who this man was. How he could have made such a reckless move with their future. When asked that question, he’d broken down, explained that he had a growing problem. It wasn’t the first time he’d gambled, but usually he either won or broke even. His record had given him confidence. What were the chances of losing everything when he’d played so carefully and consistently?
That was when they’d mortgaged the ranch, because the ranch fund had been too small to save them, and Mason had sworn he wouldn’t gamble—that he wouldn’t even go out in the evenings. He’d stay in his hotel room or in the camper. Watch TV, play video games.
When he had gone out, instead of staying in his room, he’d confessed, as if Skye had spies. She hadn’t. He was her husband and she trusted him, so when he said that he went out only because of Tyler’s relentless needling, she believed him. Since he brought home his checks when he won—the actual checks—and handed them over to Skye, she had no reason to believe he was gambling. No reason to suspect that he’d tapped into the ranch fund.
It had been a little after midnight and deep into the cleaning when she acknowledged to herself that, if Mason had secretly emptied the ranch fund because of his addiction, he might also have lied about Tyler. He might have needed an excuse in case he was seen at the tables. He was there watching Tyler gamble.
She may be totally off base. Tyler could be guilty, but they had to live together in this small community, and on the off chance that he was innocent, she was going to apologize for that, too. Make nice. End this thing between them once and for all.
Skye sipped her coffee, then pushed it aside. It tasted like acid.
Decision made, she picked up her purse and headed for the door, pausing on the porch to stare off across the field to where faithful Mr. Joe lay. Cliff had operated the backhoe for her—her skills there had never been beyond beginner basics—and helped her bury her horse in his favorite sunning place in the pasture.
Her throat started to close up again, but Skye swallowed the big lump and headed for her car. She didn’t think she had any tears left to shed, but one never knew and she didn’t need her eyes any more swollen than they already were—especially if she was going to confront Tyler Hayward.
Chapter Five
Tyler’s head came up off the pillow as the beating sound intensified, but he was having trouble opening his eyes. When he finally pried one lid open, he realized that someone was knocking on the trailer door. Short intense raps that seemed to echo in his head.
“Get that, would you?” Jess called from the back of the trailer. He sounded the way Ty felt. Like crap.
“Yeah.” The word croaked out of his throat. “Coming,” he yelled as he shoved his legs into his jeans.
He heard the sound of retreating footsteps as he approached the door, stumbling over his boots on the way. Whoever had been at the door was leaving, but since he was now vertical and semidressed, he figured he may as well see who the visitor was. Pushing open the door, he stepped out onto the small landing his brother had built out of scrap lumber. Skye Larkin was walking toward her car, which was parked where his pickup would be if he hadn’t left it at the Shamrock and caught a ride home with Blaine.
“Hey.”
Skye stopped dead, her back going stiff, before she slowly turned. And even though he was sore at her, he couldn’t help but think, as always, how ridiculously beautiful she was.
“Hi,” she said, her voice almost as stiff as her back. She started back toward him, keeping her eyes firmly on his face. Apparently she didn’t want to admire the wonder of his naked torso. Well, women who didn’t want to see half-naked men shouldn’t knock on their doors at unearthly hours.
“Can I help you with something?” His words were clipped, his voice cold. Couldn’t help himself.
“You can accept my apology.”
Unexpected, to say the least. Especially since she’d apparently made a special trip to do so. “You’re apologizing?”
She came to a stop close to the bottom step, and since Tyler didn’t feel right looking down at her, he started down the steps. Skye took a measured step back, and he stopped. “I am. I was rude yesterday.”
“Your horse died.”
Her eyes were red and puffy, as he imagined his were. He didn’t drink that often anymore, because it interfered with his training, but last night he’d made up for lost time.
“Yes. Well, regardless, sorry. I shouldn’t have told Angie about the loan...but you need to know that I’m not responsible for the buy-the-clear-conscience bit.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. If she wasn’t responsible for the part that had offended him, then he had only one question. “Why the apology, Skye?”
“Did some thinking last night.”
“And realized you needed the loan.”
The expression that crossed her face, the way she blinked as if she’d just been slapped, made him feel like apologizing, except that he’d done nothing wrong. He’d offered her a loan. He’d offered to help bury her horse. He was not the bad guy.
“This has nothing to do with the loan,” she snapped. “Except for the part that Angie embellished.” She glared at him briefly, then turned and stalked toward her car. Tyler fought with himself until she was almost there, then bounded down off the porch, making his head throb a little. She heard him coming and stopped with her hand on the car’s door handle. She turned on him with another killer glare and said, “What?”
He regarded her for a moment. Her nose wrinkled a little, and he realized he probably smelled like a brewery. Tough. “I want to know something, Skye. What do you have against me?” She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her jaw muscles went tight as if she was working very hard to keep words from spilling out.
“Too many things to articulate?” he asked with mock innocence. His voice hardened as he asked, “Do you need the money I offered you, Skye?”
“That’s not why I came.”
“And that’s not an answer.”
She closed her eyes as she let out a breath, her dark lashes fanning over her cheeks as she debated responses.
“The truth will do just fine, Skye.”
Her eyes flashed open. Blue fire. “Yes. I need the money.”
“What happens if you don’t get it?”
“I’ll probably lose the truck and...I don’t know about the ranch. Depends if I can get another job.”
“Two jobs?”
She nodded, her lips now clamped firmly shut. Tyler raised his eyes to the horizon. The sun was well above the tree line. Maybe it wasn’t such an unearthly hour after all. He breathed deeply, drawing in the scent of grass and pines and Skye. Something in him stirred, and he told it to stop.
When he looked back at Skye, she was eyeing him warily, as if she were teetering on the brink of something and he had the power to tip her one way or the other. She hated it. He could tell.
He forced the corners of his mouth up. They fought him, but he got the job done. “I won’t give you the loan...but I’ll buy into your operation.”
Skye’s chin jerked up. “Wh-what?”
“I owe it to Mason. He was my friend—whom I did not gamble with.” He needed to make that last part clear. “Here’s the deal. I’ll become your partner. I will infuse cash into your cattle operation, help you catch up on your payments.”
“What do you get out of it?” Skye asked.
“Half your profits.”
“Then you won’t get much.”
“And I want a place to live.”
Her eyes flashed, and then she held up her palms as if to ward him off. “You are not moving into my house.”
“I’ll move a trailer onto the place.”
“With Jess?” There was a hopeful note in her voice that irritated him.
“No, Skye. The whole point of this is to not live with my brother.” He rubbed the side of his face.
“I need more details. Like...how long will we be partners?”
“Until you buy me out again.”
“For the original amount?”
“That wouldn’t be very good business.”
“Two percent interest?”
“Three.” Which still wasn’t that great of a return, but, in truth, he wasn’t a very good businessman.
“I need time to think. And I need more concrete terms.”
“Three days,” Tyler said. “If you’re still interested, we meet with C.J. and iron out the terms. I’ll make the appointment today.”
“And cancel if I say no?”
She wasn’t going to do that. He was almost certain that she couldn’t—not unless some white knight appeared on the horizon. “Sure. I’ll cancel if you say no.”
She gave her head a small shake, as if unable to believe she was in this situation. She was—and it was not a situation of his making, regardless of what she might think.
“Hey, Skye...”
She looked up at him, only this time her gaze skimmed over his bare chest, pausing at the scar on his left pectoral muscle, before moving up to his face.
“I’ll be gone a lot of the time. Most of the time. Consider that while you make your decision.”
“Yes.” She lifted her chin, a faint frown pulling her delicate dark eyebrows together. “I will consider that.”
* * *
SKYE’S HANDS WERE shaking on the steering wheel as she pulled out of the parking place. Anger? Gratitude?
Lust?
Because while Mason had been a hard-body, Tyler was incredible. And she was using his incredible physique to distract herself from the issue at hand. He had just offered to buy into her operation. Tyler Hayward. Bad influence. Bane of her existence.
Savior?
It was too much to take in, so she blanked out her mind as best she could and drove to work, parking in the same spot where Tyler had accosted her a day ago—incredible how quickly time flew by—and offered her a loan.
She gave a small snort as she locked her car. She should have swallowed her pride and taken it. It would have put her in a better position than she was in now. How could she let him live on her property? What kind of life would that be, going about her business, caring for her animals, with Tyler there?
One that she may have to endure because unless some miracle came out of nowhere in the next three days, that was exactly what was going to happen.
Maybe Tyler’s offer is the miracle.
Was this what her life had come to? A place where Tyler Hayward was her miracle?
She jerked open the back door of the café and stepped into the small room that led to the kitchen. She hung up her sweater, pulled her freshly laundered apron out of her tote bag and tied it on.
He might be her miracle, and she might be grateful to the soles of her shoes, but it was never going to sit well with her. He said he was doing this for Mason. Probably out of guilt.
Yes.
She yanked the bow at the back of her apron tight.
That was it. Guilt.
She could live with that motivation. It wouldn’t make it any easier having him on the place, but she could save her money, maybe get that second job she’d talked about. Pay him back super fast.
Get her ranch back...get her life back, such as it was.
“Are you okay?” Chloe called from the register, frowning at Skye’s puffy face. A night of cleaning and crying did no one any good.
“My horse died yesterday.”
“Ooh.” Chloe wrung her hands together then settled them on top of her pregnant belly. “I’m so sorry.”
Skye nodded in acknowledgment rather than speak and risk tearing up. Chloe reached down and pulled Skye’s notepad out from under the counter.
“Kind of empty today,” Skye said as she slipped the book into her apron pocket. As in totally empty, which was a bummer. Tips wouldn’t go far in helping her out of her present situation—but they would put some gas in her car.
“The breakfast rush was good. Thanks for letting me work that half of your shift. I’ll split the tips with you.”
“Not necessary. I’m sure lunch will be good, too.” Skye traded Chloe shifts, or half shifts, if necessary, on the days Chloe had OB appointments, and today it had worked out because after her cleaning frenzy, Skye had fallen into bed around 3:00 a.m. and managed a couple hours’ sleep, which she wouldn’t have gotten had she opened at 5:00 a.m.—even though she’d been awake at that time and on the phone with Angie.
Speaking of which...
“Where’s Angie?”
“She’s running a quick errand. Something to do with her sister’s wedding. She should be back any minute now.”
Skye hoped it wouldn’t be awkward, just the two of them and no customers, but knowing Angie, she’d already moved on from their early morning conversation.
“Angie said that Tyler offered you a loan.” Skye waited, but instead of mentioning the clear-conscience aspect, Chloe shot her a curious look as she undid her apron and slipped it over her head. “Is everything okay?”
“Couldn’t be better,” Skye said. Then, figuring she may as well start her own rumors and have them be truthful, she added, “We’re going into business together.”
The heavy ceramic mug Chloe was holding slipped out of her hands, landing with a thud on the Formica countertop. “What kind of business?”
“Ranching.” Skye looked past Chloe to an older couple that had just pushed through the door. “I’d better seat them.”
Skye seated the couple, got them water and menus, then drifted back to the register. “Nothing firm yet, but we’re in discussions.”
“Why would you do that?” Chloe asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
Skye smiled at her. It felt like a weary smile, a smile one might find on a woman who’d lived for eighty decades instead of almost three. “Sometimes life backs you into a corner and all you can do is graciously say yes when someone offers you a way out.”
* * *
“I DON’T SEE this ending well,” Jess said to Tyler as they stood side by side, leaning against the rails of Hennessey’s outdoor practice pen. Bull-riding practice would move to the indoor facility once the weather grew inclement, but Ty didn’t think he’d be home all that often during that time, but if he was home it was going to be grand having a place to live where he wasn’t practically on top of his brother. That was the only part of the plan that Jess did fully approve of.
“I’m not taking advantage of her. I’m helping her in the only way she can accept.”
“Offer her the loan again.”
“No.”
“Why?” Jess tipped back his hat as he turned to eye his brother.
“Because this works for both of us. Skye gets out from under the debt and I get a place to put my money.”
“And a place to live.”
“The best part of all.” He raised his chin as the chute across the pen opened and a young riderless bull charged out, twisting and bucking. “He has potential.”
“That he does. I like the new lines Hennessey is breeding.”
So did Tyler, although he’d be retired from riding before most of the young stock was ready to buck for real. Once the young bull had disappeared through the gate and the crew started loading another, Tyler shot his brother a look. “You know that I’m grateful that you gave me a roof. I’d do the same for you.”