Czytaj książkę: «The Bull Rider's Valentine»

Chapter One

Nate Truett leaned a shoulder against the knotty pine column, drew in a long breath and braced himself for the sight of Ronnie Hartman. He didn’t wait long before she emerged from behind a tall paint gelding.

At that moment, two full days of mental preparation promptly deserted him. Nate’s heart began to hammer inside his chest. Sweat broke out across his skin, defying the chilly temperature and the heavy canvas jacket he wore. A roaring in his ears drowned out all sound.

He dragged the back of his hand across his damp forehead, wondering what the heck was wrong with him. Ask any of his friends, and they’d say Nate possessed nerves of steel. No one made their living riding eighteen hundred pounds of angry bull into rodeo arenas without them.

Yet where were those nerves of steel now? Weakened, apparently, by the mere sight of an old girlfriend.

The realization that Ronnie still affected him to such a degree was annoying, to say the least. He’d been trying for six years to put his feelings for her where they belonged—in the past.

He’d obviously failed, and miserably at that, as his hammering heart and cold sweat proved.

Pushing back his cowboy hat, he watched Ronnie’s every move. She hadn’t changed one bit since they’d last seen each other. Still girl-next-door pretty, still wearing her long blond hair in a thick ponytail down her back and still wearing faded red Cardinals hoodies. Next to professional rodeoing, football was her favorite sport.

He swallowed and then groaned softly. Maybe coming to Mustang Valley and agreeing to help his mom’s best friend had been a mistake. He considered reversing direction and slinking unnoticed back to where he’d parked his truck in front of the horse stables, but dismissed the idea. He’d made a promise to his mom’s friend to check on her daughter, and he would keep that promise no matter how difficult it might be for him.

In another minute. Or two. When he was ready.

Ronnie and her half sister, Samantha, stood beside the paint gelding, which was tethered to an old hitching post. From their gesturing and raised voices, he gathered they were discussing the horse’s condition. No surprise. Big John, as Samantha called him, was part of the reason Nate had been asked to make a detour on his trip across Arizona. His mom’s friend was worried sick about her oldest, all alone for the first time in her eighteen years.

Learning that Samantha was related to Ronnie had come as a shock to Nate. He’d known Samantha since she was a kid and also that she was adopted. There was never a mention of her seeking out her biological family, which she’d done after graduating high school. It must have come as a bigger shock to Ronnie, who until recently had no idea Samantha existed. Or that her father had a child with his then girlfriend and didn’t tell anyone.

Nate wondered how Ronnie was coping in the wake of the bombshell news but doubted she’d tell him. He’d be lucky if she discussed even the weather with him. Ronnie was an expert at erecting emotional barricades and didn’t easily take them down. Nate had learned that firsthand the hard way.

All at once, Samantha unleashed her teenage fury on Ronnie, shouting, “You don’t care about me! You’ve never cared! You just want me to win using your horse so you can sell him for a lot of money!” She ended her outburst with a sob. When Ronnie attempted to put an arm around Samantha, she jerked away. “Leave me alone.”

Nate straightened but didn’t otherwise move. Samantha could be a bit of a drama queen—even before learning the man who’d raised her wasn’t her real father. But when the loud wails continued, he hurried down the ranch office steps and toward the pair. No way was he letting anxiety over his past relationship with Ronnie, or the fact she was Samantha’s half sister, interfere with the purpose of his visit—namely, seeing how Samantha was doing and lending assistance if needed.

He’d almost reached the pair when Ronnie abruptly pivoted and caught sight of him. Surprise sparked in her vivid green eyes, followed by alarm. Both emotions dimmed as she visibly gained control.

“Nate! What are you doing here?”

Really? No “Hello” or “Hi” or “How are you?” He couldn’t let that slide. Flashing the same wide grin that had at one time been plastered on billboards and the cover of Pro Rodeo Sports News, he said, “Nice to see you, too, Ronnie.”

Whatever she intended to say was cut short by Samantha, who whirled and exclaimed, “Nate, you came!” before rushing forward to give him a hug. “I’m so glad. Mom said you might, but she wasn’t sure.”

Nate grabbed the teenager before she knocked him over. “Hey there, Sammy-cakes.” Giving her a brotherly squeeze, he set her aside.

Ronnie stared at him, her expression unyielding and her arms crossed. Not that he’d expected a warm welcome, considering she’d walked out on him without so much as a “See ya later.”

Still, they’d been close once. Close enough to live together, suffer through an unbearable loss and for Nate to propose.

He’d planned the entire Valentine’s Day dinner, right down to the ring and the moment he’d pop the question over dessert. Her rejection had stunned him. Not as much, however, as coming home two days later to discover her gone, along with all her clothes and possessions.

Happy freakin’ Valentine’s Day to him.

“Wait, wait.” Ronnie drew back, her narrowed gaze traveling from Nate to Samantha. “What is happening here?”

Nate sighed. “You didn’t tell her I was coming?”

“Well... I...got busy...” Samantha faltered. “And forgot.”

“You two are friends?” Ronnie asked, clearly mystified.

“My mom and Nate’s are best friends from when we lived in Abilene.” Samantha lifted one shoulder in an unconcerned shrug.

“But you’re from Flagstaff.” Ronnie spoke slowly.

“We just moved there last year.”

“Small world, huh?” Nate hadn’t often enjoyed the upper hand with Ronnie and, to be honest, he kind of liked it.

“Very small.”

“Well, you were only in Abilene a year. And we were traveling almost every weekend. You never got a chance to meet Mom’s friends.”

Samantha stared curiously at Ronnie and Nate. “So, I’m guessing you two are more than just rodeo acquaintances. That’s what Mom said.”

Nate waited for Ronnie to admit they’d dated for three years and lived together for one.

After a long, uncomfortable pause, she said, “Nate and I met when we were both competing on the circuit.”

That was it? No details?

“Of course.” Samantha’s wide smile said she wasn’t buying the vague explanation for one second.

“Of course,” Nate repeated, remembering the first time he’d seen her.

It had been at the New Mexico State Fair. He’d been competing professionally for almost two years while Ronnie was a newcomer. He’d asked her out three times over the next three rodeos before she finally accepted. After that, they were rarely apart.

Ronnie must have been remembering, too, for she shifted nervously and changed the subject. “What are you doing in Mustang Valley?”

“I stopped on my way to Houston.” He, too, was purposefully vague. Let her think what she would. He didn’t owe her or anyone an explanation. “Sam’s mom said she was upset about her horse. Mom thought I could help and asked me to stop. Lend some support.”

“I see.” Ronnie faced Samantha. “You really should have told me Nate was coming.”

“Like I said, I didn’t know for sure.”

Nate doubted her but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he asked, “What’s going on with Big John?”

“I think he’s perfectly fine to compete this weekend. Ronnie says no.”

“Has he fully healed?”

“Yes,” Samantha blurted at the same time Ronnie said, “No.”

Nate knew that four months ago the horse had suffered a torn ligament and been sidelined for what was supposed to be the rest of the year. Naturally, Samantha had been devastated.

“What does Mel say? She’s the medical expert.” Deferring to Ronnie’s older sister, who was also the small town’s sole veterinarian, made sense.

“She agrees with me that competing on him right now is risky.” Ronnie studied the horse, whose quiet patience and idly swishing tail belied his winning speed and agility in the arena. “He still exhibits tenderness in the affected area.”

“He’s ready,” Samantha insisted. “I ran him three times earlier today. His time was almost as fast as before.”

Ronnie went slack-jawed. “You ran him and didn’t tell me?”

“You were busy.”

“He might have reinjured that leg.” She didn’t hold back and returned Samantha’s earlier fury. “Are you crazy?”

“He’s my horse.”

“He could be your lame-for-life horse.”

Samantha started crying again. “What if I don’t qualify for Nationals?”

“There’s always next year. You only just turned professional this past spring.”

Nate didn’t entirely blame Ronnie for being angry. As a trainer, she cared enormously about the welfare of her horses and those under her care. Also, in this case, she happened to be right. He’d seen more than one horse’s career ruined by pushing for too much too soon.

“You said you’d help me.” Samantha sniffed and wiped her eyes.

“You sure you’re not just panicking?” Nate decided the time had come for him to step in and do what he’d been asked. “There are only two weekends left to compete.”

“I’m not panicking.” Her tone said otherwise. “I have to place in at least one of those rodeos or I’m done for the year.”

“Your mom says you’re doing great on Ronnie’s horse.”

“Not great enough. I need Big John.”

What she probably needed was a confidence boost. Nate had dozens of friends who’d suffered a similar crisis at one point or another in their careers. It was a common enough affliction on the circuit. Never happened to him, however. All his crises had come after he’d retired.

“I have a suggestion. Why don’t you take Ronnie’s horse on a couple of runs? Let me get a firsthand look at the two of you working together.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Ronnie said.

Did she just agree with him? Well, knock him sideways with a feather.

“Okay. Be right back.” Samantha left, half running, half jogging to the stables where Nate presumed Ronnie’s horse was kept. Her long blond hair, so much like Ronnie’s, lifted in the wind.

How had he not noticed the resemblance between the two of them years before? It seemed so obvious now. Then again, why would he have? If not for Samantha’s search for her biological father, they’d all still be in the dark.

“What about Big John?” Ronnie called after Samantha.

“I’ll get him later.”

Ronnie could have untied the horse and taken him back to his stall, leaving Nate to fend for himself. But she didn’t. Wasn’t that interesting?

“Alone at last,” he teased.

“Not funny.”

“Come on, I was just as surprised to learn Samantha’s your sister as you were.”

“And what? You wanted to see for yourself?”

“You think I showed up here on purpose? Because I can assure you, the idea was entirely Mom’s. I had no intention of ever setting foot in Mustang Valley again.”

She studied him intently, revealing the barest hint of vulnerability before averting her glance. Why, for crying out loud? She was the one who’d dumped him. And without good reason, he might add. Without any reason.

“You could have called.”

He laughed out loud. “When? Before I hit town? You can’t possibly be referring to six years ago. I called you plenty after you walked out on me. Remember? You didn’t answer. Not once.”

She stiffened. “Why are you really here, Nate? And I want the truth.”

“Relax, will you? I’m just helping out a family friend. Nothing more. Samantha’s like a little cousin to me.”

“Fine.”

She appeared unconvinced. Then again, he didn’t believe himself, either.

Concern for Samantha might have been the reason he’d initially agreed to his mother’s request. But now that he’d arrived in Mustang Valley, he was suddenly determined to find out what he’d done to Ronnie that was so terribly wrong.

She wasn’t the entire reason his life had gone from bad to worse to rock bottom, but losing her had surely launched his downward spiral.

* * *

THE LAST PERSON Ronnie had expected to see today—any day, truth be told—was Nate Truett. Not after she’d left him with no explanation.

He should hate her and probably did. That didn’t stop him from being the one guy she’d struggled to forget and couldn’t. The one who made every man she met pale in comparison.

Now, here he stood, not eighteen inches away from her and wearing the same heart-stopping, tummy-fluttering smile that had caused her to fall for him in the first place.

“What are you thinking?” he asked in the husky drawl that still invaded her dreams.

“Nothing.”

I hurt you badly, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just walked out like that. It was wrong and not what you deserved. But nothing’s changed.

“Sam,” she amended. Safe conversation gave nothing away while ignoring him would reveal too much.

“Sam?”

“You know my dad. Nicknames for all his daughters.”

“I’d forgotten, Rhonda.”

She rolled her eyes, wishing she’d never told him. “Sam has a lot of talent. She can also be stubborn to a fault.”

“I wonder where she gets that?” Nate moved marginally closer.

Ronnie stilled, acutely aware of him. “I’m only stubborn when I’m right.”

“Which, if memory serves, is always.”

“Not true.” Sorrow consumed her. “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten.”

“Ronnie.”

She forced herself to stroll casually away, intent on removing herself from his rugged good looks, aw-shucks charm and dancing blue eyes that by all counts should be outlawed. Naturally, he followed her, further weakening her already vulnerable state.

Heaving a soft groan, she reached for the top railing of the arena fence, using it to steady her wobbly knees. If she weren’t careful, Nate might realize her feelings for him weren’t completely extinguished. His ego was already big enough.

At least, it used to be. He did seem a bit more...humble than before, something she found both out of character and intriguing.

“Big John is a valuable horse,” she said, staring off at the distant McDowell Mountains. Anywhere other than at Nate. “I’d hate to see him turned into a kid’s mount because of an injury.”

“I agree. Championship horses cost a lot of money. I doubt Samantha can afford to buy a new one.” He lowered his voice to the range that had always sent a delicious tingle skittering up her spine. “It’s really nice of you to let her borrow your horse.”

She started to tell him more about Sam’s sudden appearance this past summer and how she, Mel and Frankie had been devastated to learn their father had lied to them for nearly two decades. At the last second, she bit her tongue. She and Nate didn’t have that kind of relationship anymore.

“How are your sisters?” he asked. “They were always a hoot and a half.”

“Fine.”

“Just fine?”

“What did Sam’s mom tell you?” She spared him a quick glance.

“That besides starting her own vet practice, Mel got married, and Frankie has twin girls.”

There was actually considerably more, such as Mel being pregnant, Frankie’s new catering business, the recent return of the twins’ father and the sizable amount of money Ronnie’s father had won in the state lottery. She mentioned none of it.

Nate reached for her left hand, sending a sudden zing racing through her system. She clamped her mouth shut before a gasp escaped.

“What are you doing!” she demanded.

“No wedding ring, I see.”

Bristling, she reclaimed her hand. “Sam’s mom skip that part?”

“As a matter of fact, she didn’t.”

“Then why—” She abruptly stopped when he broke into laughter. “You’re such a...” Damn him for flustering her.

“Can’t blame me for trying. You always had the softest skin.”

“How long are you staying in Mustang Valley?”

As intended, her question sobered him. “I’m not sure. A couple days. Possibly longer. It all depends.”

“On what?” Please don’t say me.

“Sam, for starters.”

She resisted asking what else. “I thought you were heading to Houston.”

“There’s no rush.”

The humbleness Ronnie had noticed before returned. Though, on second thought, she decided it might be something else. Embarrassment, possibly? Or secrecy? For whatever reason, Nate was definitely holding back.

“Where are you staying?” she asked.

That earned her a lengthy once-over. “Why do you care?”

“I’m not coming over, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”

“Darn it.” He feigned disappointment. “Foiled again.”

“Seriously, Nate. There’s the Morning Side Inn.”

For a moment, he appeared as if he might deliver another jab. Instead, his expression changed and he said, “I have my horse trailer. The one with living quarters. I just need to find a place to park it. Hopefully, near wherever I wind up boarding Breeze.”

Ronnie’s determination to remain indifferent instantly dissolved. “You still have Breeze? How old is she now? I figured you might have retired her.”

“She’s twenty-one. And retired, other than pleasure riding. I thought about leaving her at my folks’ place.”

“Except you couldn’t bear to part with her.” Ronnie was admittedly touched.

“We’ve been together a long time.”

Nate had owned the mare since he’d competed on the junior circuit in high school. Besides rising to bull and bronc riding fame, he’d also won multiple steer wrestling championships—all of them on Breeze.

“The Morning Side Inn has stalls to lease,” she offered.

“We’ll see.” Again, his expression changed, as if he were hiding something.

Ronnie had to ask. “Is Sam the only reason you came?”

He hesitated briefly before saying, “It’s enough of a reason.”

His lack of a real answer worried her.

“Are you and Sam close?”

She’d yet to wrap her brain around the incredible coincidence that her half sister was the daughter of his mom’s best friend. She’d met his parents a few times, naturally, just like he’d met her dad and sisters when they’d visited Mustang Valley. But never his mom’s best friend and certainly not Sam.

“Not especially close,” he said. “I’d see her at holiday dinners and birthday parties. But her mom is a good friend to mine. She helped us a lot after Allan passed.”

Ronnie hadn’t known Nate’s brother; he’d died from cystic fibrosis before she and Nate met. But Nate had frequently talked about Allan and the mark both he and his absence had left on Nate’s life.

“Sam and her parents aren’t getting along too well these days,” Ronnie said. “Did your mom mention that, too? According to Sam, it’s because they don’t support her decision to skip college and become a professional barrel racer.”

“They also weren’t crazy about her running off in search of your dad without mentioning a word to them.”

Ronnie hadn’t been crazy about Sam finding their father, either. Not in the beginning. Learning he’d been involved with a younger woman and had a child with her took a lot of getting used to.

“Trust me,” she said. “The news was a shock to all of us.”

“She’s lucky.” For the first time since Ronnie had reclaimed her hand from his, Nate looked at her. “Not all biological families are as accepting as yours.”

“None of what happened was her fault. We weren’t about to hold the mistakes our respective parents made against her.” A thought occurred to Ronnie. “Did your mom know about my dad? Did you?”

“No. We were as surprised as anyone.”

At that moment, Sam emerged from the stables astride Ronnie’s horse, Comanche. The handsome, muscular gelding might not be Sam’s first choice, but no one could deny the pair made an impression as she trotted him toward the arena. One of the ranch hands, who happened to be in the vicinity, opened the gate for her.

Fortunately, no one else was practicing at this time of day. In another six weeks, when school let out for winter break, Powell Ranch would be packed from morning until evening.

“You ready?” Sam hollered from her position at the south end of the arena.

Nate took out his phone and opened the stopwatch app. “All set,” he hollered back.

Sam studied the cloverleaf course while adjusting her weight in the saddle.

“Take your time,” Ronnie muttered under her breath. “Don’t rush.”

Comanche stared straight ahead, nervously prancing in place. He knew his job and was eagerly awaiting the signal from Sam. The next second, she gave it. Trotting him in a tight circle, she suddenly spurred him into a full-speed-ahead gallop and made for the first barrel.

Ronnie glanced briefly at Nate to confirm what she already knew—that he was timing Sam’s run.

How often had he done the same for her when she’d been practicing? She couldn’t begin to count. During the years they’d been together, he’d supported her tirelessly and without fail.

Until the day she’d miscarried and their world had changed.

Her fault. Entirely. He’d tried hard to make things right by proposing two months later on Valentine’s Day. In her mind, she saw the small, red velvet box and the glittering heart-shaped diamond ring. So very pretty. She’d needed all her willpower to tell him no.

As one would expect, he’d been crushed and unable to accept that their relationship was too broken to fix. But Ronnie had, and two days later, she’d left him and the place they’d shared in Abilene behind, convinced a quick and clean parting was best for both of them.

Sadly, she’d been mistaken. Those dozens of voice mail messages he’d left had been filled with pain and anguish. And for months afterward, mutual friends had had nothing good to report, saying Nate had stopped competing, dropped out of sight and broken the terms of multiple endorsement contracts. By the following year, their mutual friends had had no idea where he was or what had happened to him.

Ronnie had tried telling herself the same thing would have happened regardless of how delicately she’d handled the breakup. Sometimes, she almost believed it. Mostly, she regretted her actions. Nate had done nothing wrong, was, in fact, a great boyfriend and had been deserving of far more from her. She’d been the one consumed by grief and guilt. The one who’d wanted out.

“Whoo-hoo!” Sam gave a loud hoot as she rounded the last barrel and galloped for the finish line.

Head stretched out and tail flying, the Comanche ran for all he was worth. Crossing the finish line, Sam slowed the horse as they passed through the gate, then brought him back around.

Ronnie didn’t have to wait for Nate’s announcement. Instinct, honed from years of competing, followed by years of teaching, told her Sam’s time was in the money.

“Sixteen-point-three-six seconds.” He showed her the phone. “Not bad for a pattern this size.”

“From what Sam has told me, that’s very close to Big John’s time pre-injury.”

“Meaning she can do as well on Comanche as Big John.”

Ronnie pushed off the arena fence. “If she wants. Which she doesn’t.”

“Put yourself in her shoes. What was it like when you competed on a horse that wasn’t yours? It can be intimidating.”

Before Ronnie could respond, Sam trotted over, Comanche’s sides continuing to heave from his exertion. With nimble ease, she jumped off, the reins loosely clutched between her fingers. “How’d we do?”

Nate told her.

She frowned. “Better than I thought.”

“Then why are you mad?”

“I’m not.”

Except, she was. If Ronnie were to guess, she’d say the horse’s more than decent performance hadn’t bolstered Sam’s argument that she needed Big John in order to qualify for Nationals.

Nate pocketed his phone. “You were a little slow changing leads on that last barrel.”

Ronnie had also noticed the lag but refrained from commenting. She and Sam regularly engaged in this same argument. Sam always blamed the horse and did again today.

“It’s not my fault. I have to cue him twice before he changes leads.”

“Maybe you need to practice more. The partnership between horse and rider doesn’t happen overnight. It can take months, years even, to perfect.”

Something else Ronnie had tried to tell Sam, without much success.

“You’re right.” The teenager flashed Nate an apologetic smile. “I can’t help getting impatient.”

What? Ronnie blinked. Had Sam really just agreed with Nate when all she ever did with Ronnie was fight? Increasingly so these last weeks as the competitive season drew nearer and nearer to an end.

“Will you stay the next two weeks and help me?” She grabbed Nate’s arm with her free hand. “Please. I know I can qualify with you coaching me.”

Coaching her? Wasn’t that Ronnie’s job?

She coughed and cleared her throat. “I think Nate’s on his way to Houston.”

“That can wait.” He sent her a look that probably wasn’t dismissive but felt that way nonetheless.

“Yes.” Sam’s face exploded in a huge smile. “I’m so happy.”

Not Ronnie. “We wouldn’t wish to inconvenience you,” she said dryly.

“No inconvenience. I’ll juggle my schedule.”

If only she could do the same and leave town for the next two weeks. Unfortunately, obligations to her family, her barrel racing business and her students kept her rooted in Mustang Valley for the foreseeable future.