Page 37 of Untamed Heart
The rest of the rodeo passed quickly, with Jesse’s roping event towards the end. He was immaculate, flying out of the gate in pursuit of the cow, taking it down in what felt like the blink of an eye.
Lil’s jaw remained tight, her gaze focused on some of the Elk Creek cowboys below.
‘What’s the beef between you and them?’ I asked, keeping my voice low in case someone they knew sat nearby.
‘They’re the ones that tried to buy the ranch from Mom,’ she replied. ‘Pulled every trick in the book to make her do it. Their land joins ours, down near the highway. We’ve got the better pasture, more scenic routes, sunsets, thermal pools . . . they want it all. Been dude ranching about five years now, starting to really draw ’em all in.’
I bit my lip, hating the way this clearly affected her.
‘Are they still trying to buy it?’ I asked, my stomach dropping as she nodded.
We watched the rest of the competitors in silence, letting the crowd fill the space. My thoughts were in overdrive, turning over everything Lil had said and everything she hadn’t. It had to be tempting, to get rid of the worry and stress of running the ranch, and gain the freedom to live a more normal life. Lil was only twenty-eight, forced to act like someone with at least another decade of responsibility on her shoulders.
I was suddenly horribly aware of how pathetic my problems were in comparison; how immature my behaviour had been. Running away at the first stumbling block.
‘Yes, Jesse!’ Lil yelled, jumping to her feet. ‘Holy cow, he did it, Lottie!’
We hugged again and I followed Lil as she bounded down through the stand to find him. I hung back a little, too caught up in my head to match her energy.
Just an hour later, I found myself back in town. Having dropped the horses back, Bailey staying on the ranch and settling Dunkin after their win, Lil all but dragged me with her, Jesse and Cole already there at a bar on the far west side of town.
‘First drink’s on me,’ she announced as we walked in. It was full of rodeo-goers, the music and voices an assault on my ears after the sleepy calm of the street outside. ‘C’mon, quit brooding on whatever it is, it’s been a while since we had a reason to party.’ She stared me down until I rolled my eyes, breaking into a grin.
‘You need something stronger than beer,’ she announced. Before I could protest, she’d already yelled our order across the bar, the staff recognizing her and offering up their congratulations, some of the regulars leaning against it doing the same. I received a number of inquisitive looks, but whether it was because I looked like Lil or whether it was this dress, it was hard to say.
A small glass was pressed into my hand.
‘Shots?’ I groaned as Lil clinked hers against mine and gestured to me to knock it back.
I put the glass to my lips and closed my eyes, grimacing as it slid down.
Tequila.
All of a sudden I was back in London, the same sour warmth coursing through me, numbing the sting of betrayal.
‘Now this,’ she said, handing me a whiskey over ice.
I stared at it; that stirred a very different memory.
‘Hold up, hold up! You getting drunk without us, boss?’
Jesse sidled up to Lil and I glanced around, automatically looking for Cole.
A brush of lips against my ear made me jump, but I couldn’t turn. A gentle hand pressed against my waist, arm keeping me pressed to a very firm, very warm body.
‘Right here, Princess.’
Before either Lil or Jesse could notice, Cole had moved to the side, nodding his thanks to Lil for the drink. He caught my eye again as Jesse led us all over to the area by the stage, the band already stirring up plenty of dancing, the drinking at the rodeo clearly starting the party early.
In that moment, I knew I had to make a choice. Either let go and have some fun, stay in the moment for now, or be sensible and keep the mess on just one side of the Atlantic.
Lil made the choice for me.
‘C’mon, Lottie, some Brit you are – I’ve got drinks backing up here,’ she yelled over the music, bringing over another four drinks.
Glancing over at Cole again, I realized how little I knew about him. I’d barely known Kyle either, before we’d got together . . . perhaps that was my problem, maybe I jumped in too fast. Or, maybe I’d met Kyle at a time when I hadn’t known any better. Cole was different; his support for Lil showed that.
I knocked back the whiskey in one, taking the glass from Lil before she dragged me into the dancing fray. The band were good – fast, rock-infused country and clearly right up her street. Her enthusiasm was infectious, her smile the biggest I’d seen it since I’d arrived, so I dropped all my worries and just went with it.
