Learning the Ropes (28 page)

David slipped out of her grasp. “They did what?” He arched a brow, wishing his curiosity could be ignored.

“You didn’t know?” She pouted, her hand sliding over his shoulder, and he brushed it away. She was trying to get him riled up and he knew it.

“See? Look at the back and side of the trailer. AC Rodeo School.” She pointed at Chris’s trailer as Ali retrieved the horses from the back. “I don’t see a D in that name. I thought everyone knew about it? My girlfriend Dallas is dating a real estate agent and said Ali’s been looking at some property outside town for a while.”

A knot began to form in the pit of his stomach as he thought about how much of his father’s troubles he’d shared with Chris. He knew about his father’s money troubles, his gambling, and the fact that it was likely his father would be forced to sell the ranch.

In fact, he’d received a call just after arriving at the grounds this morning from his dad telling him he’d accepted an offer on the property since David hadn’t been able to come up with the funds to buy out the loan. He said it was better to sell it than let it get foreclosed on, reminding David how he’d let them all down yet again. His father hadn’t held anything back, making him feel like a loser, a disgrace to his family name. Dread crept into his chest, curling around his lungs. It couldn’t be coincidence that Ali and Chris decided to form a rodeo school and purchase a ranch.

“I have to go,” he spun on his heel and hurried in the opposite direction.

“Oh, okay, but you should hang out with us tonight after the rodeo. We’re going to have our own little party at my trailer.”

“Maybe.” David eyed Chris as he unloaded Ali’s geldings, tying them to the side of the trailer while he pulled out the temporary corral panels and began to set them up. He suddenly felt like a worthless third wheel that had been effortlessly cast aside.

C
HRIS LOOKED UP
from latching the panels in time to see David walking away from Delilah. What in the world was he doing talking to her again? As much as he wanted to wait to tell him, he knew it would make it only worse. “Ali,” he said, coming around the trailer to where she tied Beast. “I have to go talk to him.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, I need to do this alone.” He turned two of the horses into the corral. “I’ll be right back to set up the other corral,” he promised.

He hurried in the direction he’d seen David disappear but didn’t see any sign of him.

“Hey, Chris. Slumming, I see.”

He stopped in his tracks and spun to face the voice. If she’d been a man, he’d have knocked her on her ass before the words finished leaving her ruby red lips. Delilah smirked and narrowed her eyes.

“Or is she just your charity work for the month. I know how you cowboys like hopeless causes.”

Chris figured out Delilah’s vulnerable spot years ago. “If that was the case, Delilah, someone would have already added you to their ‘Save the Whore’ campaign.”

She pursed her overly made up lips and glared at him, ignoring the titter of several other barrel racers trying to hide their laughter. “You’re such a stupid bastard, piece of—”

“Smart enough to stay away from your ass since you gave Craig O’Brian the clap in high school. I sure hope you’ve managed to get that cleared up?”

“I wouldn’t have touched you with a ten foot pole.” She turned her nose up and started to walk away.

“Who are you kidding? You’ve tried to touch everything male in this circuit.” He started toward the beer and food booths being set up at the other end of the arena, hoping David was nearby. A hoof pick just missed the back of his head and he turned back to see Delilah breathing heavily, her eyes flashing with fury.

“Aw, you missed. You can’t ride or throw.” He winked and walked away, spotting David near the food booth.

“Hey, wait up,” he called. He caught up to David and, seeing the plastic cup in his hand, frowned. “Starting early today, I see.”

“Is that a problem?” David asked, shortly.

Chris stuck out his lip and shook his head, not wanting to start off their conversation with a fight, not when he had to bring up the delicate subject of the property. He was hoping David would listen long enough for him to ask him to join in the rodeo school as a partner. “Not as long as you’re sober for our first go tonight.”

“You sure you don’t want to partner with Ali? Wait,” he drew the word out. “That’s right, you already did, didn’t you? Had to one up me by stealing the girl
and
starting a business with her, too?”

Chris clenched his jaw, wondering how long David could’ve been drinking since he seemed to already have quite a bit of liquid courage. “I didn’t steal her and the business is why I came over here to talk to you.”

David chugged the rest of the amber liquid in the cup. “I don’t accept your apology.”

“I’m not apologizing,” Chris clarified.

“Then I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

“Will you shut up for ten minutes and listen?” Chris asked, reaching for David’s arm as he started to leave. Without warning, David spun, swinging his right fist at Chris. He dodged it easily and raised his hands. “What in the hell are you doing? I came over here to see if you wanted to join us in the business now that your father sold the ranch.”

David stopped his assault as if he’d been slapped. “You know about that?”

“It’s a long story,” Chris assured him.

David narrowed his eyes. Chris could read the accusation in them loud and clear. “There’s only one way you’d know about that, Chris. I didn’t even know about that until a few hours ago when he called me.”

“It wasn’t deliberate, but maybe it was luck. Let’s just say, if you still want to put your share into the business, it’ll be going toward the ranch.”

“You?” He looked toward the trailer where Ali would be waiting for Chris’s return. “And Ali? You bought my dad’s place?” He tossed the beer to the side and shoved the middle of Chris’s chest. “What the hell? You son-of-a-bitch! You know what that place means to me, to my family.”

He shoved David back. “Yeah, it meant so much that your dad hocked it in a game of dice, or cards, or whatever he was gambling on this week. We are trying to offer you a chance to stay on the ranch, as a part owner. You can stay in the guest house. It’s yours.”

“Oh, well, isn’t that generous of you? And I suppose you and Ali will shack up in the main house?” Chris wasn’t about to dignify David’s comment with an answer. “Did you plan this all along? Introduce her to me and see how far the two of you could take this? Maybe my dad was right about her, maybe she was just after the money and you helped her get it, didn’t you?”

“You’re insane. Are you even listening to yourself? Why would I do that?” Chris turned his back on David. “We were on our way to the National Finals and starting our school next year. I had no idea it was your dad’s ranch until after the offer was already made.”

He spun on David again. “Maybe you should be taking this up with your dad, confront him about his problem instead of trying to fix it for him. Either way, Ali and I are offering you a way to stay, to keep the only thing I know that’s ever mattered to you—the rodeo school.” The fire seemed to go out of David and he looked ashamed. “David, you’re my best friend, my brother. Why would you ever think I would hurt you?”

David looked over Chris’s shoulder. He turned, seeing Ali staring after them, fear in her eyes. “Because you’ve done it before.”

Chris knew he had no defense. He could see the pain in David’s eyes. He knew how his friend felt because he’d been in his shoes only a few weeks ago, watching the woman he cared about with David. He hated himself for being the one to cause this situation because he’d been too afraid of his future to see what was in front of him all along.

A
LICIA CIRCLED HER
buckskin gelding, Boogie, around the warm up pen. He’d been incredible this past week in practice but she knew riding him instead of Beast was taking a chance. He wasn’t as experienced, but when he was having a good week he was unstoppable—until his week turned sour. But she was trying to turn over a new leaf and, so far, taking chances was turning out well for her. She’d taken a chance on partnering with Chris, putting in their offer on the property, telling Chris she loved him. Why not take a chance on Boogie, too?

Just the thought of Chris had her looking around the arena for him. She’d witnessed part of the argument between him and David and it broke her heart. She couldn’t help the guilt that wormed its way through her at being a part of the reason for contention between them. She should’ve let David down easier, or sooner. She shook her head, trying to keep her focus on Boogie, when a sorrel horse charged past her.

“‘Scuse me!”

Alicia took a deep breath, recognizing Delilah’s crazy horse, Dingo. As usual, she was barely hanging on, running the horse into the ground. Like too many people who had everything given to them, she disregarded the welfare of the animal, intent only on winning at any cost. She saw Delilah sawing at the animal’s mouth with the bit and cringed at the pain she knew it caused the mare.

“Alicia,” she called in her falsetto voice. “I didn’t see you.” She waited for Alicia to slow her horse and walked next to her. “I heard about the new rodeo school. Do you really think you’re going to get clients based on your reputation? I mean, who wants to learn to come in second.”

Alicia remained silent, arching a brow at the insult that was meant to sting. After years of listening to Delilah try to break her confidence, this was pretty tame and she was waiting for the next barb.

Delilah giggled. “Besides, everyone knows you’re just whoring it up with Chris and David to try to get out of that hovel you call home.”

Alicia wished for a moment they were on the ground so she could snatch Delilah’s extensions from her head. “Even if I were, who are
you
to talk about anyone sleeping around? You’ve slept with every cowboy who’s come within a ten foot radius.”

“Ooh,” Delilah cooed, “look who’s getting defensive now.” She shrugged. “I was just going to congratulate you for finally getting ahead. It’s too bad Chris is already getting bored with you.”

Alicia rolled her eyes. “As if Chris would ever give you the time of day.”

“If that’s what you want to believe but you can ask anyone. He was over by my trailer as soon as you guys got here. He didn’t waste any time leaving you to do the work while he stopped by to see me. We do have a history, you know.” She nudged her horse and bolted to the other end of the arena.

Alicia tried to think back to when they arrived. Chris had left right away but he said it was to find David. This had to be Delilah playing her usual game, trying to stir up as much trouble as she could in an effort to destroy Alicia’s confidence before a run. She had to keep her mind on the task at hand—winning this run. The sooner she could pay Chris back, the sooner she could clarify their relationship without this debt hanging over her head.

She walked Boogie back to the trailer and saw Chris tossing a rope over a dummy steer, barely paying any attention to what he was doing. “There you are.” He wound up the rope and hung it from the dummy’s horns, hurrying to take Boogie’s reins. “How’s he doing?”

“I don’t want to jinx it but he’s doing really well.” She debated asking him about Delilah but decided the conversation could wait until tonight. She didn’t want to risk either of them getting worked up and losing. “Have you talked with David since this morning?”

He shook his head. “He’s been pretty scarce and, even then, he’s saying only what he absolutely has to.” He clipped Boogie to the side of the trailer and held up the bucket for him to get a drink of water. “He’s pissed and feels betrayed. I should’ve called him as soon as I realized.”

She laid her hand on his forearm. “Maybe. But Chris, I didn’t know who owned the property and, either way, I was putting an offer on the place. Even if it meant quitting rodeo,” she reminded him. “He’s going to realize you weren’t trying to betray him eventually.”

“But I’m not sure he’ll realize in time for us to still make the Finals.”

She could see the worry clouding his eyes as he set the bucket on the ground. Chris stood, reaching out and grabbing her by the waist, pulling her against him. The worry was quickly replaced by yearning. He leaned toward her ear, nibbling on the edge. “You have no idea how sexy you look on this horse.”

She relaxed into his embrace. This didn’t seem like he was tiring of her. Her fingers slid up his arm, wanting nothing more than to forget this entire rodeo and drag him into the trailer. When his lips trailed down her neck, she felt the heat circle in her belly, spreading to her limbs.

“I’m supposed to be focusing on my ride,” she reminded him. He sighed against her neck so dramatically she laughed. “Later, I promise.”

Chris captured her lips, scorching her with desire, leaving her wanting more. It took every ounce of control to step away from his arms.

“You,” she said, pointing at him, “are dangerous to my ride.”

He laughed. “Go grab something to drink. They’re just starting so you don’t have long.”

C
HRIS SAT IN
the header’s box, trying to get his head on straight as he watched the steer enter the chute. David still wasn’t speaking to him other than one word phrases about their run. It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying on his part. Ali had won her qualifying race, in spite of the turmoil around them, and now he needed to do the same. If for no other reason than to put this purse into their business. They could figure out the logistics once he convinced David to join them, and he would convince him. He couldn’t imagine trying to run the school without him. But right now, he had one thing to focus on—the two horns nudging the chute gate.

Gathering the reins, sliding them through the fingers of his left hand, Chris settled the loop on his rope and inhaled, letting it out slowly. He felt his gelding shift his weight against the back of the box and looked at David. As his chin jerked, Chris nodded and the chute opened, releasing the steer. His horse paused for a second until the barrier released and they shot out, like a bullet from a gun. He’d barely circled the rope twice when he let it fly over the steer’s horns, pulling his hand backward, tightening the rope and dallying quickly. With a sharp turn to the left, he watched David over his shoulder as he circled his loop over his head once before taking a blind throw.